National Forensic Doctor-Chapter 1182 - 1112: On Species

"These maggots aren’t a local species. Specifically, how can you tell?" Li Chang asked, trembling slightly.

His graduate research wasn’t in forensic entomology, but if there were such promising directions and practical projects, retaking his exams to pursue a PhD in this area wouldn’t be out of the question.

Jiang Yuan, on the other hand, seemed to lack academic sensitivity and wasn’t particularly interested in the academic aspect. He casually said, "Maggots from different places look quite different. You should be able to see that."

"I know flies have different distribution regions, but this is a beauty fly, right? There are so many species of beauty flies, and their distribution overlaps. How did you discern it... what I mean is, shouldn’t we consult some books for comparison or do a DNA test? Just to ensure accuracy..." Li Chang’s voice trailed off as he mentioned basics from textbooks, feeling a bit ashamed as a Zhejiang University graduate.

Jiang Yuan smiled and said, "If we need to send it for inspection, doing a DNA test is fine, as it makes for a good report. But there’s no need to check books; you can identify a beauty fly species at a glance. As for regional distribution, many books and papers just say the same thing."

Li Chang had countless retorts but couldn’t voice any. After hesitating, he decided to ask the hardest question: "If we don’t consult books, how can we judge the distribution areas of different beauty fly species?"

"It’s not that we don’t rely on books and papers, but they’re just references. The main focus is on the state of the corpse itself." Jiang Yuan brought the topic back to front-line work, saying, "Looking at this corpse’s beauty flies, you actually see several types. Redheaded beauty flies are ubiquitous, found almost everywhere. The bright green fly is the same, but here we have the black beauty fly and the scarlet-faced gold fly. Though a few of them are here locally, you must consider the timeframe."

"Hmm?"

The larvae of the scarlet-faced gold fly are smaller and fewer. The larvae in later stages are obviously weaker, indicating that they don’t have the upper hand in the competition for development on this corpse. The reason could be they arrived too late, or they couldn’t adapt to the early or mid-late stages of the corpse’s environment, or both," Jiang Yuan concluded.

Li Chang couldn’t resist glancing at the piles of maggot corpses, but distinguishing between the scarlet-faced gold fly and other maggots, he couldn’t even tell which were the weaker ones.

Take humans, for instance. Three-year-old children are small, but determining which one is smaller due to age, genetics, or nutrition can be tricky with fewer variables. Even Miao Ruixiang might struggle with more variables.

This is a question one usually asks the parents about in human contexts. With beauty flies, you ask their parents.

Different beauty fly species have slightly varying developmental speeds, and the difference is even greater among different flies.

Li Chang, thinking like a student, understood that identifying fly types and recalling or looking up their developmental speeds was normal for a scholar. But deducing their types and environments backward from their development speeds was quite abnormal!

"How do you determine this?" Li Chang eagerly sought the enlightenment he had been urging for.

Jiang Yuan cruelly interrupted his fantasy and said, "This topic is too complex to discuss. Let’s use it as a direction for our investigation."

When it came time for lab testing or courtroom presentation, Jiang Yuan naturally needed to explain this issue, but that would require forming written materials. If necessary, he could find a ghostwriter; there was no need to think about it now. fɾēewebnσveℓ.com

Jiang Yuan based his final judgment on Level 6 fly identification, a theoretical foundation that someone like Li Chang couldn’t comprehend.

Jian Louyuan, unable to get a word in edgewise, seized the moment, "Captain Jiang, where do you think the primary crime scene is?"

"Baijiang Province," Jiang Yuan flipped over the maggot corpses on the autopsy table, answering decisively.

Jian Louyuan was stunned, replying, "Okay."

He hadn’t expected it to be so straightforward. It was a case involving a decomposed body, after all. How could it be this simple?

Jian Louyuan was on the phone while exiting the room, running a dozen meters away, breathing deeply as if he’d come back to life.

Wei Shikan stayed behind. Before he could react, Jiang Yuan beckoned him and said, "Xiao Wei, come over and wash these clothes."

"These are all in bits and pieces." Wei Shikan fretfully examined the textiles stripped from the corpse.

"If you don’t know how to wash them..." Jiang Yuan looked around and said, "Call Shen Yaowei over to teach you."

Miao Ruixiang was preparing the body on the other side, and Shen Yaowei was more familiar with and skilled at doing laundry.

Soon, Shen Yaowei entered with his nose covered.

"Come on, Captain Jiang said to sort out these clothes and identify the brand or type..." Wei Shikan roughly recounted.

Shen Yaowei sighed, gazing at the clothes soaked in body fluids, looking utterly dejected.

Wei Shikan muttered, "This really should be the forensic doctor’s work."

"Captain Jiang did pass his work onto us, but he’s mainly trying to train us," Shen Yaowei replied.

"You think it’s training?" Wei Shikan looked up, saying, "Captain Jiang’s skill is undeniably impressive, but isn’t examining a corpse’s personal effects usually a forensic doctor’s responsibility?"

"It’s still being handled by the forensic doctor; we’re just assisting," Shen Yaowei explained, adding, "Credit won’t fall from the sky for no reason; opportunities only come to those who are prepared."

Wei Shikan chuckled, "The only thing that falls unexpectedly is work, not credit."

Shen Yaowei smirked dismissively.

Wei Shikan quickly interpreted Shen Yaowei’s expression and got a bit serious, "Did you recently receive something? A third-class merit."

"Not me, a second-class merit," Shen Yaowei replied with understatement, enunciating each word clearly.

What started as casual chatter became progressively serious, prompting both to look up halfway through the conversation.

Shen Yaowei glared into Wei Shikan’s eyes, and Wei Shikan stared back solemnly.

"Do you really deserve a second-class merit?" Wei Shikan scrutinized Shen Yaowei, "A second-generation cop, aren’t you?"

"Jiang Yuan thinks I deserve it," Shen Yaowei smiled, "Are you a Brahmin from Lanyue City?"

Wei Shikan pointed slightly upward, "Kshatriya. What did you trade in for a second-class merit?"

"Loyalty and hard work," Shen Yaowei answered devoutly.

Wei Shikan laughed.

Shen Yaowei calmly looked at Wei Shikan.

After laughing for a while, Wei Shikan suddenly asked, "Really?"

"That’s enough. It doesn’t seem that smelly anymore; let’s wash." Shen Yaowei said, taking a brush and began trying to scrub the decayed flesh off the clothes.

Wei Shikan silently stood by, observing for a few seconds, before starting to clean the belt.