Chapter 41: A True Downgrading Strike

“What are you thinking?”

In the police car, Guo Qiang glanced at Xiao Yu, who was seated in the passenger’s seat, his expression a mix of amusement and confusion. 

“Doesn’t it feel a bit like using a cannon to kill a mosquito?” he asked.

Sometimes, individuals are categorized into ranks in someone else’s perspective.

Imagine discovering that two nobodies and a king plan to steal electric bikes for quick cash. Wouldn’t that be hard to swallow?

This was exactly how Guo Qiang felt. He believed Xiao Yu looking into the ‘grave robbery case’ was a misuse of his talents. Someone accustomed to handling major cases suddenly delving into a minor one seemed like a true downgrading strike.

“I stumbled upon it,” Xiao Yu said with a chuckle, “It seemed intriguing, so I thought I’d give it a look.”

Internally, he mused with a touch of irony, ‘To think I, an Earthling, could be so formidable. Do you all really see me as that capable, or am I just unaware?’

“This case might be tough to crack,” Guo Qiang cautioned, “When it was handed over to our brigade years ago, our colleagues did look into it but encountered significant obstacles.”

What kind of obstacles?

Xiao Yu’s eyes narrowed as his mind raced, pinpointing the crux of the matter, the crematorium.

Being a state-owned entity, it could almost be considered a small-scale state-owned enterprise, with operations nationwide. And it was a well-known fact that state-owned enterprises were notoriously difficult to investigate.

Case investigators generally preferred to steer clear of state-owned enterprises, especially given the crematorium’s ‘revenue’, which was notably substantial.

The costs for an ordinary cremation and associated fees start from a few thousand yuan. For a more upscale, luxurious cremation service, the price could climb to tens of thousands. With approximately eight million natural deaths and an additional three to four million unnatural deaths annually in the country, most of which result in cremation, could you imagine the magnitude of the financial revenue involved?

“Um,” Xiao Yu murmured, not particularly daunted.

Guo Qiang, having nothing more to add, drove them to the residence of the initial reporter of the case.

They arrived at a respectable neighborhood, the type where residences start at 20,000 yuan per square meter.

Building 21, Unit 3, Room 101?

Xiao Yu pressed the intercom buzzer.

Shortly, the system connected, and a woman’s voice inquired, “Who are you looking for?”

“Good day, ma’am, we’re from the police,” Xiao Yu presented his badge.

“What is this regarding?” the person on the other end asked, clearly surprised.

“It’s concerning the case you reported years ago, about the theft of bones,” Xiao Yu clarified.

The door to the unit swung open automatically.

Room 101 was on the ground floor. Approaching the unit, they saw the front door ajar, revealing a woman in her fifties standing there, her expression less than pleased.

With the case unresolved for over four years without any closure, it was understandable that the family’s feelings were raw.

“Mom, who is it?”

As Xiao Yu and Guo Qiang reached the doorstep, a young man came into view.

“The police,” the woman informed.

“What?” The young man’s demeanor instantly cooled, his gaze toward Xiao Yu and Guo Qiang turning frosty. “What are you here for now?”

“About the case involving your father’s remains.”

Xiao Yu, facing the original reporter of the incident, was particularly courteous, empathizing with their situation. It seemed the police’s reputation had diminished in the eyes of this mother and son.

“Please, come in,” the young man said tersely.

The woman fetched slippers for the two policemen.

Entering the living room, Xiao Yu noted it was the home of a well-off family. The house, spanning over 100 square meters and not factoring in the decor, would be valued at upwards of two million yuan.

As everyone settled down, the young man spoke with a hint of irritation, “I’ve already said everything there was to say back then, and you’ve asked all that you needed to ask. It’s been years without any resolution to the case, and now you’re here again. What more is there to discuss?”

“You’re not exactly young yourself, you know that anger won’t solve anything,” Xiao Yu remained composed.

The young man fell silent, then the woman chimed in, “Four years have passed, is there any hope left?”

“In this world, no case is unsolvable. It’s just that the right clues haven’t been uncovered yet.” Xiao Yu spoke with stern seriousness, “Now that I’m handling this case, I will give it my all. But first, we need to trust and cooperate with each other, without that, the case is indeed unsolvable.”

“Alright, how can we help you?” the young man asked, locking eyes with Xiao Yu.

“To start, there are a few questions I’d like to ask you,” Xiao Yu maintained his gaze on the young man, “Firstly, why was your father’s urn replaced?”

“The initial problem was with the quality of my father’s urn, the porcelain urn developed cracks, so I wanted to switch it out for a better-quality one,” the young man responded promptly.

“Second question,” Xiao Yu pressed on, “It’s unusual for someone to test their relative’s ashes. What made you decide to do that?”

“I’m a medical student, and it just so happened that my professor has taught us about the density differences between human and animal bones, as well as their appearance post-cremation.” The young man detailed his reasoning, “When transferring my father’s ashes initially, I didn’t notice anything amiss. However, I later observed that the ashes were unusually dark, and the cremated bone fragments didn’t match what I learned about human remains. I suspected there was an issue with my father’s ashes. After getting my mother’s consent, I took the ashes to the university and consulted with a lecturer. We conducted a test together and discovered it was pig ash.”

Observing the young man’s facial expressions and eyes, Xiao Yu became convinced.

The young man was speaking the truth, indicating there was no mishandling or switching of the ashes.

Thus, the focus of the investigation becomes unequivocally clear, the crematorium.