Death Photo Gallery (2)

On the way back to his own office after leaving the first team's office, Meng Siqi asked: "Zhao Leiting, it seems that you didn't get to the point with the Korean team today. How did you determine that she was in a dead state?"

Having had some experience in criminal investigation, Meng Siqi has doubts about every problem. Doubts are for the sake of better certainty. If the direction of the investigation is wrong from the very beginning, then all the efforts will be in vain.

Zhao Lei Ting seemed to rack his brains and thought for a while, then slowly said, "I was so excited facing the Korean team today that I didn't know how to organize my words. Normally, the pupil's reaction to light, if there are vital signs, will shrink instinctively when facing strong light such as flash. Do you usually feel this way when you look at the sun?"

"Yes." Meng Siqi nodded.

"But after death, the pupillary sphincter loses its function, so the pupil will not change even if a flashlight is shone on it."

"Yes." Meng Siqi felt that what he said was very professional, but thinking about the state of taking pictures in real life, he raised another question, "What if she faces the flash light and holds her eyes open when taking pictures?"

"That's a possibility, but what I just said is only one aspect. There are other things that I can't describe. I just rely on my feelings. Let's put it this way. If you are still worried, let's look for Chen Jierong."

Meng Siqi nodded. Chen Jierong was a forensic doctor and should be the most capable person to judge the condition of the deceased's eyeballs.

The two of them went to the forensic office together. For a forensic doctor, the main job is usually autopsy. There was no murder case in the bureau this time. Chen Jierong happened to be copying something on the desk. She looked serious. When she paused with the pen in her right hand, she would take a slice of orange from the table with her left hand.

The orange flesh was put into her light red lips, and she looked a bit sexy and lazy while chewing it. In addition, her expression was very serious. This natural opposition gave people a strong attraction.

Meng Siqi has always thought that Chen Jierong is the most beautiful in the police station. She has good skin and looks to be no older than 25 or 26. Her actual age is 28 in the first half of next year. Perhaps because of her work as a forensic doctor, she has never married.

This job might be a little special, and many men are more reluctant to do it. Of course, Meng Siqi didn't know if there were other reasons.

Chen Jierong raised her head slightly, and smiled as she chewed the orange flesh: "Siqi, I have some oranges here." She did not stand up, because they often communicated with each other at work and were very familiar with each other. She took a few oranges from the table and handed them to Meng Siqi and Zhao Leiting respectively, "My colleagues gave them to me. They are very sweet. You can try them."

"I'll just eat one, thank you Sister Rong." Meng Siqi left one and answered with a smile.

"Are you here to see me, little beauty?" Chen Jierong looked at Meng Siqi specifically.

"I'm here to see Sister Rong, but I have something to trouble you with."

"What is it?"

Zhao Leiting put the photo on the table and said, "Sister Forensic Doctor, take a look. Is the person in this photo dead?"

When Chen Jierong saw the photo for the first time, she immediately went to work, probably because of her job. She picked up the photo and fixed her eyes on it. Then she slowly said a few words: "The photo is not very clear, but I can basically tell something from the condition of the eyes."

"After death, the cornea will undergo certain changes due to changes in glycosaminoglycans and water. Within twelve hours of death, the cornea will become patchy and cloudy, with the pupil visible, which is mild chaos. From twelve to twenty-four hours, the cornea will become translucent, with the pupil vaguely visible, which is moderate chaos. From thirty-six to forty-eight hours, the cornea will become highly cloudy, with the pupil difficult to see through.[1] However, it is also affected by temperature and environment, with differences in summer and winter, indoors and outdoors. If we preliminarily infer that it was indoors in autumn based on the clothing and environment, then the person in the photo probably died within twelve hours. However, photos are photos, and the exact time cannot be confirmed."

Meng Siqi admired Chen Jierong's description very much. Her eyes were bright and her words were clear and articulate, revealing the charm of a professional woman.

After she said this, Zhao Lei Ting's face suddenly showed pride and excitement, and he even gave Meng Siqi a proud look. It seemed that the feeling he described might be the same as Chen Jierong's description.

Meng Siqi asked hurriedly: "Does Sister Rong also think she is dead?"

"It seems a little strange, but I still need to see the pupils of the person to confirm it."

Meng Siqi nodded. From a forensic perspective, everything is based on the human body, so she couldn't jump to conclusions. But from her description, there were indeed big problems with this photo.

After thanking Chen Jierong, the two left the forensic office with full confidence.

Because no case had been filed, the two men went out in plain clothes to handle their business, and then drove to the client's residence while there was still time.

After checking the address of the person concerned, the car pulled over at a photo studio. When Meng Siqi got out of the car, he saw a photo studio called "Yizhihua" with a wooden sign hanging outside that read "Graphic Art, Life Photos, ID Photos".

In that era, Photoshop technology had just appeared and computers were not yet popular, so Meng Siqi's first reaction was that these graphic arts should have been taken on site by the photo studio, and the studio owner might have some artistic talent himself.

After entering the photo studio, Meng Siqi's eyes immediately fell on a man who was less than 30 years old sitting at the counter inside the room.

The owner of the photo studio, named Jin Yaming, has shoulder-length hair with some natural curls, which makes people think that his work is artistic. He is very tall and wears an old brown trench coat.

His slender fingers were adjusting the camera in his hand with tweezers. He did not look up, his expression was very careful. The change in light outside the door made him whisper, "Would you like to take a picture?"

"Yeah, come and take a look." Zhao Lei Ting stepped forward and said.

Meng Siqi's gaze swept across the entire photo studio. The studio was of moderate size, with many enlarged photos hung on the walls, including family portraits, personal photos, and unique portraits. In short, it was a dazzling array. However, she did not see any art photos like the Devil's Death Art Exhibition that Zhao Leiting visited.

"Are you guys together?" asked the boss Jin Yaming.

When Meng Siqi turned around, he saw Jin Yaming raising his head. His facial features were thin, his nose was high, his eyes were bright but somewhat cold. Combined with his shoulder-length, slightly curly hair, he looked a bit like an artist.

Her first impression was that the face was very beautiful and a bit like a male celebrity.

"We can shoot together or individually." Zhao Leiting replied with a smile.

Jin Yaming slowly shifted his gaze to Meng Siqi, his cold and relaxed gaze shrank slightly, fixed on her face for a moment, then turned back to look at Zhao Leiting, "Are you boyfriend and girlfriend?"

I didn't expect Jin Yaming to ask this question, and I don't know why he asked this question.

Zhao Leiting and Meng Siqi exchanged glances, and then turned his head away after almost a second. There was a slight blush on his face. "Well, I guess so."

Meng Siqi wanted to say that it was a misunderstanding, but since she was here to understand the case, she said frankly, "Well, the relationship has not been officially confirmed yet."

At that time, she could even see Zhao Leiting's Adam's apple rolling rapidly in embarrassment.

Jin Yaming seemed to have seen the two men's appearance clearly, so he continued his repair work, twisting the camera with a screwdriver, but he stood still with steady fingers.

"Boss," Zhao Leiting said, "We came here specifically because of the Devil's Art Exhibition you held last time. We liked it very much, so we wanted to take a photo with you."

Meng Siqi noticed that Jin Yaming paused for a moment, but soon continued to work. After a period of silence after Zhao Leiting finished speaking, he put down the screwdriver and slowly raised his head, "Actually, you are not suitable for taking that kind of photos."

"..." Zhao Lei Ting's lips moved, but he didn't respond, as if he was hit.

Jin Yaming looked at Meng Siqi again, "She is suitable."

Zhao Lei Ting seemed to be hit hard. He said anxiously, "Why do you say I am not suitable?"

"No reason," Jin Yaming said slowly, "It's just my personal feeling. This lady has a beautiful face, and she will look particularly stunning with the death makeup on!"

It seems that this "artist" is an artist with "morality" and will not take artistic photos for everyone.

"So no matter how much money I offer you won't let me take the photo?" Zhao Leiting asked again.

"Of course, if the photos are not good, it's better not to take them. She has natural conditions, so the effect will be very good." Jin Yaming walked to the side and wiped the disassembled camera with cotton cloth.

"Then, can you take a photo of me alone?" Meng Siqi asked proactively.

Jin Yaming paused, he did not look up, but slowed down and nodded slowly, "Wait a moment, you two can take a look at the price first, this kind of photos is more expensive."

Meng Si looked at the price list on the wall. Special art photos are five to ten times more expensive than ordinary photos. She immediately responded: "If the photos are good, I can give it a try."

Jin Yaming slowly wiped the camera and blew on it a few times. Finally, he stopped what he was doing and raised his hand. "Please come in, both of you."

Maybe that's the clue they're looking for.

The two exchanged glances again and followed Jin Yaming through a very short corridor into the room at the back.

Unexpectedly, the space inside was even larger. In addition to a photo stage, there were many very special art photos hanging on the floor and walls. Meng Siqi finally saw the photos of the devil's art exhibition that Zhao Leiting mentioned. They were all photos imitating death in different postures and expressions. The models in the photos either had their eyes open or closed, all showing features of death, and there were blood-red bloodstains smeared on the models' faces or bodies to enhance the breath of death.

At first glance, it is very shocking and makes people feel uneasy for a long time.

People will die eventually. What will it be like when death comes? When faced with such a rich and colorful image of "death", people's hearts will be shocked and rejected, but they will also be hooked, as if this is also a reincarnation that they cannot escape.

Like her, Zhao Leiting's eyes wandered over the different death art photos.

Both of them had the same purpose, but after scanning all the photos, their eyes intertwined, some puzzled and some suspicious, because the photo that looked like a "corpse" was not among them.

If we ask him this, will he become suspicious?

Meng Siqi deliberately asked in two or three of the photos whether her appearance could produce a similar effect.

Jin Yaming said confidently: "Sure, you will be better than them."

It turned out that she had such a high artistic value in his mind. She smiled and looked at Zhao Leiting again, her tone slightly shy: "Didn't you say that there was a photo of a woman in a red dress with big white flowers that you really liked?"

She was imitating the tone of her girlfriend. Zhao Leiting licked his lips and said, "Oh, I remember, I remember, that photo of the beautiful lady with white flowers. Boss, why didn't I see it?"

Jin Yaming's eyebrows wrinkled slightly, and a hint of coldness appeared in his eyes. But soon, he smiled faintly: "Which one do you like?"

He did not wait for the two to respond, but walked over and took away the two art photos, and immediately the photo of the "corpse" of the beautiful woman in white flowers appeared.

When she saw the photo that was a few sizes larger, Meng Siqi was still stunned by the girl's appearance. She quickly adjusted her uneasiness and smiled naturally, "Yes, it's her."

Meng Siqi asked: "Can I take photos that look exactly like hers?"

"Exactly the same?" Jin Yaming put his hands in his pockets, looked at her calmly, and smiled faintly, "How is that possible... In terms of appearance, you are only better than her; but everyone has different talents, you may not be able to perform her state."

Meng Siqi understood what Jin Yaming meant. The girl's death state in the photo was very realistic. If she didn't have talent, she would never have achieved that effect.

"Is she an actress?" Zhao Leiting asked.

Jin Yaming paused and said, "I don't know."

"Don't you know her?" Zhao Leiting asked again.

Jin Yaming showed a strange smile at the corner of his mouth, which slowly faded away. "Of course I don't know him."

"Don't we need to sign a contract to shoot these?" Zhao Leiting continued to ask.

Meng Siqi felt that Zhao Leiting was gradually exposing his interrogation habits, but she did not stop him, perhaps this could help her get some information out.

Jin Yaming smiled and said, "Sometimes on the street, I meet some very special people who will take the initiative to ask if they want to take a photo. I never ask for their information."

His words were so detailed that Meng Siqi felt that he had discovered something. She immediately took over the topic: "Boss, can I start today?"

"The price is one hundred."

"That's no problem," said Zhao Leiting.

One hundred yuan is a very high price in this era, but an artistic photo like this must have taken a lot of thought, at least the clothing and makeup required careful design by Jin Yaming.

"But it's too late today." Jin Yaming said, "It will be very late by the time I finish putting on all the makeup. Let's come earlier another day."

Meng Siqi and Zhao Leiting exchanged glances, and Zhao Leiting said, "Okay, I'll come find you next time."

They both said thank you and walked out the door together.

After getting in the car, Zhao Leiting asked, "Do you think Jin Yaming is in big trouble?"

Meng Siqi said based on his feeling: "It's a bit strange, but I can't put my finger on it."

"Do you believe him when he says he doesn't know that girl?"

"Even if he knew, he probably wouldn't tell the truth."

Zhao Lei Ting nodded and said, "You are right. Should we ask the Korean team to bring him back to ask him?"

Meng Siqi thought for a moment and said, "I feel that what you asked may be similar to what I asked today."

Zhao Leiting squeezed the steering wheel tightly and sighed: "You are right, there is no case, no body, these speculations are too subjective."

He said seriously, "Just like Jin Yaming said, she was picked up on the street, so does that mean she lived or worked nearby? What if we take her photo and go door to door to ask?"

In Meng Siqi's opinion, Zhao Leiting's spirit is very valuable, but it is a very heavy workload. Because no case has been filed, and it will be interrupted by other cases, this matter will be very long.

But she also has her own ideas: "I support it, but the photo is very different from the real person after makeup, so it may not be found. However, it is better than waiting at home."

The two sat in the car for a while, looking far away in the direction of the photo studio, without saying a word, as if they were hesitant about whether to investigate the matter or not.

However, just as the two were in a daze, a woman came to the door of the photo studio. She was tall and slender, about twenty-six or twenty-seven years old, with short black hair and a white down jacket. She stepped on the snow at the door.

Jin Yaming suddenly appeared at the door, covered the woman's hand, and blew on it.

Zhao Lei Ting tilted his head forward sharply and asked in confusion: "Jin Yaming is not married, so is that his girlfriend?"

Meng Siqi had also been observing the situation over there, but the fact that Jin Yaming had a girlfriend did not provide any useful clues.

The two people at the door went into the house while talking and laughing. Zhao Leiting then started the car engine and said to Meng Siqi, "Come on, it seems like everyone is off work. I'll take you home."

In the following time, when Zhao Leiting and Meng Siqi were out doing business and had some free time, they took the photo and asked around Jin Yaming's photo studio. However, the passers-by they asked were quite disgusted when they saw the photo, let alone carefully identifying the identity of the person in the photo.

After a few days of silence, Meng Siqi thought Zhao Leiting had given up the investigation and wanted to ask him if he had any ideas. Unexpectedly, Zhao Leiting suddenly walked to her desk and pulled out a photo of a young girl from his file bag. "Take a look, do you look a bit like her?"

Zhao Leiting placed the photo of the "corpse" next to it for comparison.