The forensic lab had never been so noisy. And it was just two people using the entire department at this time of night.

  “Honestly, Kim. I don’t know if I owed you something in my previous life.”

  “Oh? Master, I thought you favour scientific fact and natural laws, versus religious beliefs. I never expected you would appreciate the concept of nirvana and reincarnation.”

  “Put a sock in it, Kim. It was rhetorical! And please, just, call me Teacher again.”

  “It’s rare to see you this agitated, Ma—Teacher. Ahem. For a second, I thought you were the new incarnation of the detective.”

  Professor Stone wanted to throw a counter argument at his protege, or a hole puncher, but he already had mixed emotions about what he was doing right now. You know that feeling of having done something wrong and you’re trying to avoid getting caught? Yeah that.

  Essentially, the forensic stone was breaking every regulation in the law and order book just by bringing Martial Kim to where all the evidence of the current case was held. Anything the young master would touch, or even come into contact with, could essentially be ‘deleted’ from any registry or court appearance due to being ‘tainted’ in authenticity.

  So, Prof. Stone was cringing when the young master was padding his hands on EVERYTHING they had – as if he was a child with sticky jam on his fingers.

  “Kim. Kim, please don’t toss things around. J-just leave them exactly where you found them! I know for sure no one in my forensic team have photographic memory, but I rather not risk that chance. Essentially, you are not supposed to be here.”

  “Teacher, trust me, I can be a leaf on the wind when I wish to be. I come and go when one is none the wiser. It’s like I never existed.”

  “..............”

  “What? Why the long stare, Teacher?”

  “Leaf on the wind?”

  “Yes... Did it come out of my lips wrong?

  No, but that phrase had a TOTALLY different meaning in the modern world. As much as Prof. Stone wished to address it, there was simply no time (even when everyone clocked out for the night).

  “This is everything we could find, from the crime scene.” Prof. Stone tried to focus on the case to clear his mind and awkward silence. “Given the severity of the whole situation, I made sure my team document their exact location and marked them on the computer.”

  “...Mark them on the...computer?”

  “Yeah. We usually create a 3D reconstruction of the crime scene, you know those scanner things we apply before we start examining things. It’s so we can re-visit the crime scene, without leaving the lab all the time.”

  --- W-wait, modern forensics have the power to be in two places at once!? A sort of Astral Projection!? Should I be amazed, or horrified of such convenience!

  Behold, the power of virtual reality!

  Prof. Stone gave the young master a bit of a crash course, showing the 3D replica of the crime scene in question. The entire manor was accurately reconstructed within the digital realm to allow full omnibus-directional traversal...meaning, the police could view the place in 360 angles.

  Well, of course, nothing beats visiting the scene of the crime like any good murder mystery. The atmosphere, the feel, catching things with the naked eye and all. Still, it was super handy to add and remove layers of information with a click of a button, right?

  --- Incredible. To think Teacher could easily remove furniture and bloodstains from the environment, even make the footsteps glow more obvious like the tracks of a ghost. This computer technology, surely would make a great difference if I had something like this back in Moon Tavern!...Wait, no, focus Martial Kim! Keekee’s innocence is on the line! This isn’t a time to applaud to technological wonders!

  “Teacher.” The young master cleared his throat, “Please show me, what evidence you believe solidifies your conclusion that Keekee is the murderer?”

  “...I shouldn’t.”

  “Ah. How shameful, most shameful of me. I forgot, I was kow-towing at 456. I am barely close to 1001—”

  “Alright! Alright!...I surrender...just don-don’t tell Detective Fraulein. She’ll shoot me, for real.”

  Prof. Stone showed – reluctantly – the main pieces of clues and evidence they gathered from the crime scene. Out of everything they piled up on the tables, it was only a handful of items they needed. Despite how few there were, it seemed they were powerful enough to condemn Keekee in a blink of an eye.

  The forensic chemist explained the details, as much as he was reluctant to. The detective’s umbrella, the hip pouch, its contents and I.D., and the digital tablet that was folded like a book. Hell, Prof. Stone spilled the beans on every bit of information he gathered from briefings, exchanges with the detective, to even hearsay amongst the people in the film company.

  It was like, a part of Prof. Stone wanted him to get up to speed – no expenses spared.

  Once Martial Kim got the gist of the story, he asked, “So, Keekee’s belongings were found at the scene. That would only suggest she had been there, not actively hurting anymore. Perhaps, she was a witness to the murder. Even now, you still have yet to find the murder weapon to prove she is the killer.”

  Prof. Stone sucked in the air, feeling better all of a sudden, “That’s true. In saying that, we can’t find anything that suggest she wasn’t perhaps involved. The tablet and the defensive wounds on the victim already suggest she attacked the victim. This would clear things up, if Keekee could give us her side of the story but...you know.”

  “...Alright, say for a moment it was Keekee who struck at the Director. Whatever was the reason? What motive would she have to harm him? Let alone murder him?”

  “Well Kim. I don’t know if you want to hear this, but the Director was a complete ass to your girl. Pretty much beat her up at work—metaphorically, metaphorically, calm down, no hackles. The victim Rarely cut her any slack. From what I heard from character witnesses, she was his personal punching bag on a daily basis...Surely she must have mentioned it to you? Maybe even hinted bad day at work?”

  --- Is this why, Keekee had been so agitated lately? Has her employer’s antics gone too far, where even her patience had reached their limits?... Was that what she wanted to talk to me about, before her accident?... Shameful, most shameful of me to fail her in her time of need.

  “.......”

  “K-Kim. D-don’t give the dead such frightening gaze. You’re scaring the living. Read: me!”

  “Still, Teacher, even if that is one motive, surely Keekee wouldn’t be the only suspect. Have you no other names to pursue? Detective Fraulein really that much in a hurry to close this case?”

  “Pfffft. Kim. You give Fraulein too much credit in playing the role of the villain and all. Ask yourself, do you really think she’s hoofing it to put Keekee behind bars. After all the time they’ve spent together since the Belt Rapist fiasco?”

  “...........”

  “There’s your answer. Give the detective some faith, alright?... Now, to address your question: we – well really she – narrowed down the list, but even the most likely of people who would want the Director dead either have an alibi or were out of town. Nothing strong enough to put them on the list.”

  --- Except Keekee... not to mention, the timing of her accident and her employer’s death... Even I would raise my suspicions if I never knew her... But no, I can’t think in that direction. There is no luxury to be impartial in all this.

  “Teacher. Detective Fraulein mentioned a witness saw Keekee. Could you tell me more about this person?”

  “Ah, sorry Kim. I only heard about it in the report. The details are with Detective Fraulein...which, she was occupied planning with SWAT how to...well keep you occupied.”

  “Swat? Like, swatting a fly?”

  “S – W – A – T. Abbreviation for: Special Weapons And Tactics unit. Essentially experienced policemen with advanced paramilitary style training. They are usually called in when someone is heavily armed with machine guns and explosives, you know like big time bank robbers, hostage situations, or even handling riots... Which, I half expect they’re going to be short staffed for a week or two.”

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  “How so?”

  “You left them unconscious in the elevator.”

  “...........Oh.”

  Prof. Stone groaned, “Don’t think about too deep about it. We’ll send them a box of chocolate and an apology card from Hallmark... Now, after what I’ve shared with you, what are your thoughts? Not going to lie, Kim, I really want your second opinion right now.”

  Martial Kim thought over the everything before giving a curt, “I need to examine the body.”

  “Wh-whoa what? A-are you serious!?”

  “Is this really a time to jest? We can speculate the question all night long, but I know the answer lies in the wounds on the victim. Once I’ve conducted my own autopsy, we can truly determine whether or not it was Keekee’s doing or the hands of a third party. Besides, you’ve brought me this far into the case, won’t you guide me to the finish line? How about it, Teacher!?

  “How about no!”

  The coroner office was close by to the police station.

  Which, kinda of makes sense if you think about it. Police, forensic, and morgue pretty much work hand in hand whenever a murder or suspicious death comes up. It would make their worlds a lot easier to just visit each other within five minute walks.

  Emails and text can only share so much details. Sometimes, you just got to get hands on to truly appreciate what you’re dealing with in an investigation.

  Especially with a fresh corpse on the slab.

  “Of all times to be short staffed. Damn.” The coroner spat under their breath. “How am I going to put this victim away on my own!?”

  The coroner was working over time, against their will. They threw their gloved hands up into the air in defeat when they were left alone with one mauled corpse left on the cold table. They had half a mind to just leave it there. Not like the room was hotter than the Bahamas, it was cold enough to make penguins feel at home!

  Then again, was the mountain of paperwork to explain why the corpse was compromised worth it?...Really? Kinda?...Yeah, totally not worth the mental strength.

  But the coroner lacked the physical strength to pack up such a...delicately mangled body. This wasn’t just the matter of weight, one wrong move and a whole arm could fall off! The corpse was essentially a chopped steak hanging on threads of sinew and fat at this point.

  So...what to do?

  The answer came knocking on the door.

  “Huh?...Oh! Professor Stone! What a surprise! What are you doing up so late?”

  “Ah doctor, sorry to disturb you. Don’t worry, it’s nothing major. I just came on behalf of Detective Fraulein to say a big thank you, for determining the cause of death for the Director. No doubt, given his countless of wounds, it must have been a hell of a workload for you.”

  “Uugh. Tip of the ice berg! And I am so sorry I had to push the report so late, there were other high priority cases that were forced into my gloved hands and need an answer around the hour and—”

  “Oh my. Dear doctor. Even when you’re all gowned up with a face mask, I can see how pale you look. Had you had a chance to go on your coffee break? Have you even gone to the bathroom?”

  The coroner sighed, somehow this candid conversation was doing wonder on their nerves, “Now that you mention it, I don’t recall ever stepping out of this room. I may have even forgotten what sunlight looks like now.”

  Prof. Stone made tsk tsk tsk noise out of sympathy, “You know what, you should go home, get some shut eye.”

  “Oh that’s the plan, Prof. Stone. Just waiting for the night shift assistants to finally show up, so we can put the body away. T-this guy, is a two person assist you see and—”

  “I’ll take over.”

  “H-huh?”

  Prof. Stone did a scouts honour over his heart, “You go home, get a hot shower, watch some Netflix or something and just pass out on the couch with a smile. I’ll take over for you and wait for the night shift to move the body back.”

  The coroner’s face was covered up in the mask, but the way it twitched and shrunk was enough to know she was sucking in the air between her teeth, “Uuuh... I don’t know. I might get in trouble.”

  “Don’t worry one bit. Detective Fraulein and I have been in the coroner’s office so many times, we’re practically family. And families help each other right?”

  “...Thanks! Th-this means a lot to me, Prof. Stone!”

  “Trust me, dear doctor, this means more to me. Now go home get some good sleep. And call sick for tomorrow if you have to. Get some well deserved rest!”

  Aaaaaaw. How adorable. If it were better times, we would definitely give Prof. Stone a medal or honour...

  However, we have to take it back, as soon as the coroner left the room.

  “Kim! Hey Kim! Pssst! Where are you Ki—JESUS! S-STOP DOING THAT ‘I’M RIGHT BEHIND YOU’ THING! Come on, get in!”

  “Teacher. To think, you would trade one family for another.”

  “Oh be quiet you! This is all your fault! Take responsibility! Naughty disciple you!”

  Prof. Stone made sure any security cameras in the autopsy room ‘lost power’ before he snuck in Martial Kim into the clean up station. But just as the young master was about to go into the examination room, he was reeled away like a fish in a pond.

  “Kim! What are you doing!?”

  “I-isn’t this our plan Teacher? To examine the body?”

  “That’s not what I meant. Gown up. Full P.P.E. hair bonnet, mask, everything!”

  “P.P.E? What religious sutra is this—Wait! Teacher, I-I can dress myself, I’m not a child! D-don’t put that on my mouth, I can’t breath in—FMMFHFMFMFF!?”

  P.P.E. Personal protective equipment. Essentially specially made robes to be worn on top of clothing or uniforms to minimize exposure to hazards or illnesses. Commonly seen in hospitals, complex chemical laboratories, and of course – coroner’s office where they come into contact with biological hazard.

  Think about it, you don’t want corpse juices on your fancy suit at work, right? Neither do you want to carry any invisible bacteria on your clothing to infect your kids, or pets if you favour them more.

  This usually entails a long list of: gloves, masks or respirators, safety glasses and or face shields, and boot covers.

  To Prof. Stone, donning and doffing such equipment was as second nature as putting on his coat.

  For Martial Kim......pfffft.

  “Teacher. I look like a cursed snowman.”

  “It’s an acquired taste, really.”

  “And is this dress up really necessary. I am boiling up inside in all this. Not to mention, I can barely see in front of my face. My breath is fogging this glass thing in front of my face!!”

  “Look, Kim. We may be breaking protocol, but let’s still TRY to follow with procedure. M-My O.C.D. can’t handle all these skips in the basics! Come on, this way!”

  The corpse in question, was the victim, the Director.

  Unlike Prof. Stone’s initial introduction with the body, all the original mess was wiped clean. This time, he could clearly see all the countless of stab wounds that tore through the Director’s tendons, muscles, bones, and organs.

  Even when it wasn’t covered in blood, it didn’t make the sight more pleasant.

  Martial Kim, on the other hand, just dove his face into it all. A head in a lion’s mouth. Not even so much as a blink of hesitation.

  “...Kim. Your...your level of precision is giving me all sorts of mixed signals, to the point of it being straight out of a horror game.”

  “Whatever do you mean, Teacher?”

  “You have a keen mind for forensic; you pretty much know your way around a police investigation; and seeing how logical and meticulous you are in front of a dead body... Please don’t tell me, you used to be a professional assassin before you lost your memory.”

  “Who knows, maybe I am. Maybe I’m not.”

  “...Are you sure, you’re on our side.”

  “I’m examining the corpse for you, am I not.”

  Prof. Stone tried not to break out a chuckle, especially in front of the Director’s corpse. “You’re full of mysteries Kim. I don’t think any doctor or psychologist can read you.”

  Martial Kim let out a sigh as he continue looking with the eyes of an eagle for a fleeting rabbit, “If there is one thing I learned: I shouldn’t be an open book to my enemies. The last thing I want, is for them to read one page ahead of me.”

  “...Look. Kim. I don’t mean to put your fire out with an ice bucket, but what are you looking for in the corpse exactly? We got the coroner’s report, I even let you read it in the car ride back to the lab! A hit on the head by Keekee’s tablet got the Director dazed, and he was stabbed 20 times before he could defend himself.”

  “.......”

  “Kim. I know you’re listening to me. And I know this is too late to say this: but you shouldn’t even be here, let alone touch the corpse. If word gets out, a lot of people will get into trouble... You know what, I change my mind. Let’s just go home and think of another way to-to look at the case from another angle or something.”

  “........”

  “Kim. Come on Kim...That’s an order!”

  “66, 67, 68—”

  “NO! No more kowtowing! Sincere or not, I had it up to here and...Wait, wait. Wasn’t your kowtow counter in the 700s?”

  “Teacher...the coroner made a mistake.”

  “I beg your pardon?”

  Martial Kim finished. He wanted to rip off his mask, to take in a deep breath, but alas Prof. Stone stopped him, so the young master had to make due and ignore the sweat drenching his face and hair bonnet.

  “The victim, Keekee’s Director. He was not stabbed 20 times by the same knife.”

  “So what, he was stabbed by multiple knives? A gang murder?”

  “No. The victim was stabbed a total of 108 times.”

  ...108 TIMES!?

  Holy—D-Did Keekee really hate the man THAT much!?