Chapter 80: Chapter 80: The Woman in Red Corpse_1
March 10, 2011
Zhou Ning hung up the phone, and Liu Yongxin leaned in.
"That was quick, so the first phase of the software is basically settled, right?"
Zhou Ning exhaled, suppressing his inner excitement and agitation, calming himself down as he nodded continuously to Liu Yongxin.
When he first obtained the level four facial restoration technology, he was so reluctant, but now he realized that upgrading just one aspect brought benefits he found hard to believe.
The facial restoration technology no longer limited itself to whether it was a face or not, but became a technique for analyzing figures in surveillance or various other extremely blurry image materials.
In technical terms, it was called a method of facial image deblurring based on adaptive mesh deformation, which enhanced the effect of deblurring facial images.
In layman’s terms, no matter how blurry the image was, as long as he could find the position data of features such as facial features in the image, he could calculate the original shape of the features through this data.
In the call just now, Zhou Ning mentioned this idea and sent Dr. Lu the detailed research steps and directions. Dr. Lu was overjoyed and promised to expand on the software’s development content.
"Yes, the first phase of design has been completed. After a week of testing and multiple trials, the results are very impressive. We can even adjust details like skin and iris color later on. However, we lack suitable cranial or bone fragments for the software to simulate restoration, and Dr. Lu suggests that I should go and experiment there for a while."
Liu Yongxin was taken aback.
"If you should go, then go. It doesn’t matter if I’m early or late by a few days here. But about these bone fragments, are there any specific requirements?"
Zhou Ning shook his head.
"No specific requirements, but it would be better if we have bone fragments of a known face so we can make the corresponding comparisons. Of course, fragments from a shattered skeleton could also work. The skeletal computer analysis restoration system is in the tuning stage; that is part of the second phase."
Liu Yongxin blinked and moved closer to Zhou Ning.
"This is quick. It seems that Qindao University places great importance on the software’s development, putting in considerable manpower and resources."
"Of course, they have involved many experts in the project. However, we’re currently lacking professionals in forensics because even though there are forensic courses, those guest professors won’t get involved in the software research and aren’t suitable for it.
I’ve discussed it with Dr. Lu, and he would like to invite you. After all, you’ll be officially retiring in a few days. What do you say about issuing you an appointment letter?"
Liu Yongxin was surprised, this suggestion was beyond his expectations. He pointed to his face and kept shaking his head.
"Me? I only earned an associate degree through part-time study back in my days, and now I’m just older. If I go, won’t I just be a burden to you?"
Zhou Ning shook his head.
"Don’t be modest, Master. I think you’re the most suitable candidate. No one can match your experience. My mentor back in the day might have had higher academic credentials, but that was all theoretical knowledge. What we need now is practical ability. You know, without your persistence and matchmaking back then, this software wouldn’t have come into existence."
Liu Yongxin blinked.
"You think I’m up to it?"
"There’s nobody more suitable than you. In fact, the development team originally intended to collaborate with the city bureau’s forensic department. However, after some discussion, since the city bureau’s forensic department was investigating an old case and could only spare a forensic doctor about my age, Dr. Lu thought we needed someone with both comprehensive skills and experience, and he believes you are the most suitable."
Liu Yongxin smiled, rubbed his chin and leaned back in his chair.
"Didn’t expect that I, an old man, could bask in my disciple’s glory. Since both you and Dr. Lu think I’m capable, I won’t make any objections. I accept the offer."
Zhou Ning smiled and called Dr. Lu, informing him that Liu Yongxin agreed to the appointment. Dr. Lu was very pleased, instructing Liu Yongxin to patiently wait for their appointment letter and stating that the final decision on the treatment would be made after discussing with the institute.
After hanging up, Zhou Ning saw Liu Yongxin move to the computer, seemingly looking at something through his reading glasses.
Zhou Ning leaned in and noticed that it was an email, a cooperation request document sent by the city bureau’s forensic department, following a DNA test report. Liu Yongxin had reached the last page, and as he took off his glasses, Zhou Ning quickly asked:
"Master, what is this notice from the city bureau about?"
Liu Yongxin shook his head, sighed, and sipped his tea before slowly speaking:
"Since you’ve been studying abroad these years, you might not be familiar with Qindao affairs. There’s a Qindao Red Dress Serial Killing Case, which has seen eleven incidents over more than five years.
Most recently, on February 25 of this year, a type of mihune liquor was discovered on a victim, so they issued this DNA to help with case investigation across the districts and cities."
Zhou Ning looked up, surprised. Eleven serial killings over five years—that person was vicious.
"Mihune liquor was found in just this latest incident? Does that mean no other evidence was left before?"
Liu Yongxin shook his head.
"The victims are usually discarded in trash heaps, and the evidence is severely destroyed. Moreover, by the time they are found, the bodies are in an advanced state of decomposition, and some are even gnawed on by rats and stray dogs, leaving very little evidence behind.
Last year, both the provincial department and the Ministry of Public Security sent people to assist with the investigation, but due to the lack of an evidence chain, it was impossible to find more favorable information. Also, these cases usually occur on the outskirts of Qindao City, perfectly avoiding city surveillance.
As for fingerprints, some were found, but upon searching, none belonged to the killer. The majority of these prints belong to scavengers or sanitation workers."
"What about the victims? Weren’t the identities and fingerprints of the victims found? Are there any common features among these eleven cases?"
Liu Yongxin shook his head.
"The victims all had their fingerprints cut off. Out of the eleven victims, the identities of five are still unknown. Of the six identified female victims, four were high school students, day students. When they didn’t return home and after contacting the school, their bodies were discovered within three to five days after reporting.
The other two were night-shift workers from nearby factories. As for commonalities, they were all very thin, and they went missing at night, all wearing red clothing. Over the years, countless police and resources have been devoted to catching the killer, but there has been no news.
Furthermore, since the evening self-study sessions in schools started, parents are required to pick up their children, and female students are not allowed to go home alone. Since the end of 2009, these five cases show the killer’s actions are more secretive, and the dumping sites are becoming more remote.
The victims’ faces were all destroyed. Except for their red clothes, there were no distinguishable features, so the identity of the victims couldn’t be ascertained, as they didn’t appear among the missing persons.
However, I suspect these five victims may have been sex workers, all with professions hidden from the light, with a high turnover rate, most of them not locals. Moreover, their victimization is less likely to be noticed, making this case even more perplexing."
Zhou Ning nodded in agreement. Liu Yongxin’s suspicion was on point, indeed such people are hard to track during population surveys, and their original families rarely inquire after them. It’s possible that even if they die or go missing, their families wouldn’t know.
As he was thinking, Zhou Ning’s movements halted, and he looked up at Liu Yongxin.
"Master, all of their bodies are preserved, right?"
Liu Yongxin paused, then slowly nodded his head.
"Highly decomposed bodies don’t preserve well in freezing, but the skeletons have been processed and stored. What do you want to know about this for? Wait... Do you mean to say that this software needs a lot of experimental data and you want to use the software to reconstruct their faces for investigation?"
Zhou Ning nodded excitedly, but Liu Yongxin kept shaking his head.
"Don’t even think about it. This case has been handled by too many people, even involving the provincial department and the Ministry of Public Security. The people at the city bureau wouldn’t agree to participate in your software experiment."
Zhou Ning was stunned, not quite able to react. If the skulls were reconstructed, wouldn’t that be beneficial to the investigation? They should be fully supportive instead.
Liu Yongxin sighed and continued:
"I understand and appreciate your good intentions, but you should know that we’re just the forensic department of the sub-bureau. And that collaboration for your last software project bypassed the city bureau and went straight to Qindao University. Although it’s seen as a good thing, it left many with a chip on their shoulder, understand?"
Zhou Ning sighed, having not anticipated this. However, recalling the two well-dressed men he had run into at the signing ceremony, he suddenly understood Liu Yongxin’s point.
"Alright then, let’s drop it. But later on, I’ll run it by Doctor Lu, and if he thinks it’s feasible, I’ll discuss it with the city bureau. We don’t have to be involved."
Liu Yongxin chuckled.
"Yes, that’s possible. But don’t go to him immediately. Now go and type on your keyboard. I’ve seen you’ve written quite a few pages, seems like a story, and it even includes some of the cases we’ve dealt with. Are you planning to publish a novel?"
Zhou Ning felt a bit embarrassed.
"I just needed something to vent my negative emotions. Didn’t you say to learn to comfort myself? I think this method suits me well. I haven’t decided whether to publish it yet, but please don’t tell anyone else, Master!"
"I know, I know, I’ll keep your secret! But what about my hush money?"
Zhou Ning scratched his head.
"Xu Da said last time he’d treat us to a buffet, and he hasn’t followed through yet. I learned from him, so how about I treat you to a good meal when you receive your appointment letter?"
No sooner had he finished speaking when the office door was pushed open abruptly. Xu Dayuan walked in briskly.
"I hear talk about me the moment I walk in. What bad things is Zhou Xiaozhou saying about me?"
Zhou Ning was startled and quickly jumped down from the desk.
"Xu Da, what brings you here?"
Xu Dayuan’s face was grim, his eyebrows almost twined together.
"Bad news. There’s a case—a woman in red. Not sure if it’s related to the Red Dress Serial Killer. Come on, let’s go have a look. Where’s Mr. Zhao?"
