Chapter 6, The Accomplishments of Forensic Experts
He even joked that one could ask about matters of relationships between men and women, provided he was able to answer. Forensic medicine is inherently a rather mundane profession, one that constantly deals with the physical body, or rather, in the eyes of a forensic expert, there is no distinction between the elegant and the vulgar. He also mentioned that it was perfectly fine if he couldn't provide an answer, as everyone could learn and improve together; forensic knowledge encompasses everything, and no one can attain a state of omniscience.
"Let me show you the ground beneath the kitchen knife!" Zhong Renzhi threw a photograph in front of him, "There are many drops of blood at that location, and we have already tested it; it is the blood of a man with the surname Zhang! However, the blood on the kitchen knife is yours, and there is no blood from the man with the surname Zhang! This is illogical! This implies that before the knife was placed at that location, the man with the surname Zhang had already begun to bleed, and therefore, no blood dripped onto the knife. So, can we say that the knife was placed there after the man with the surname Zhang bled and fell? This implies that before the knife was placed at that location, the man with the surname Zhang had already begun to bleed, and therefore, no blood dripped onto the knife. So, can we say that the knife was placed there after the man with the surname Zhang bled and fell? Or can we say that the man with the surname Zhang bled before you did?"
Another characteristic of Zhong Renzhi's classes is his preference for allowing students time for free questioning and discussion, where any question can be raised
"Should I call you Teacher Zhong or Forensic Doctor Zhong?" I asked with a smile
The man with the surname Feng was left speechless
"But I must tell you, the man with the surname Zhang is left-handed!" Zhong Renzhi stared at him as he spoke
I came to work in Beijiang, and it was also his suggestion to pursue a career in publishing. After the incident, I felt inexplicably dejected, hysterically agitated, and lost confidence in life. He told me to change my work environment, that everything will eventually pass, and that one must always have a fresh start.
All of this has also changed my perspective on things: what is seen is not necessarily real!
Zhong Renzhi stated that forensic experts are the walkers of hell, drawing upon the suffering of others to cultivate themselves
Once, I privately asked him which identity he preferred more, that of a teacher or a forensic expert. He smiled and said that my question itself was problematic; liking something and doing it are two different matters. Many people do not necessarily engage in what they like. Therefore, one should not measure any endeavor by whether they like it or not; there is no everlasting preference, nor is there everlasting aversion. He actually enjoys constantly switching between these two identities.
"There is nothing to be particularly joyful about regarding this matter," Zhong Renzhi said, waving his hand amidst the applause of the audience. "For both the living and the dead, everything will eventually pass! What forensic experts do is merely present the truth; they cannot change anything."
I... I don't know what happened! Perhaps he switched hands with the knife when he fell down..." said the man with the surname Feng, stammering
My master led me into the door. It was Zhong Renzhi who took me into the mysterious world of forensic science. After starting my career, I continued to stay in touch with him. In addition to discussing issues related to the forensic profession, we also exchanged insights gained from this vocation. The term "master" carries the connotation of "father"; once a teacher, always a father
The family of the deceased set off firecrackers in the courtyard of the Public Security Bureau and presented a large banner reading "New Era Bao Qingtian".
Your iron pipe is 80 centimeters long, with the bloodied end being 50 centimeters away from the end you are holding. Your arm length is 70 centimeters. "Zhong Renzhi continued, "This means that when you hold the iron pipe, you can strike at a range of 120 centimeters, while the man surnamed Zhang has an arm length of 65 centimeters, and with the kitchen knife, it only reaches 95 centimeters. This means that the distance of the man surnamed Zhang is 25 centimeters shorter than yours. Therefore, when you strike him, he cannot reach you at all.
The man with the surname Feng stared blankly at him, and then suddenly as if awakening from a daze, said: "But within the range where he can strike me, I can also hit him!"
At this moment, the man with the surname Feng had already collapsed to the ground
Finally, let me recount the sequence of events. Zhong Renzhi fixed his gaze on him and said, "After the man surnamed Zhang broke into your home, a quarrel ensued, even escalating to physical contact. You ran to a place with iron pipes and picked one up for self-defense. At that moment, the man surnamed Zhang, who had followed you, either turned to flee or went to retrieve something. Thus, you were filled with murderous intent and struck him on the back of the head with the iron pipe, knocking him down. Subsequently, you hit him several times on the head, causing blood to flow onto the ground. To disguise the scene as one of self-defense, you took a kitchen knife and inflicted two cuts on your left shoulder, then placed the knife in his hand. This man surnamed Zhang, who had followed you, either turned to flee or went to retrieve something. Thus, you were filled with murderous intent and struck him on the back of the head with the iron pipe, knocking him down. Subsequently, you hit him several times on the head, causing blood to flow onto the ground. To disguise the scene as one of self-defense, you took a kitchen knife and inflicted two cuts on your left shoulder, then placed the knife in his hand.
After listening to Zhong Renzhi's narration, everyone couldn't help but cheer and applaud
I have some confusion
There is another crucial point: the footprints of the man with the surname Zhang show signs of having turned back. Zhong Renzhi continued, "From the wounds on his head, it is evident that he suffered several blows. Moreover, there is a wound on the back of his head that could not have been inflicted from a face-to-face position. Therefore, he was struck from behind while turning back. Additionally, the shape of the scalp wound indicates that this was caused by the first blow."
I... I do not understand what you are saying! said the man with the surname Feng
As he spoke these words, I sat in the classroom, my mind filled with the image of a figure burdened by a heavy cross, being whipped and led to the execution platform
I knew this meant that my relationship with him was closer than that of a typical teacher and student, which made me very happy, and from that point on, I began to call him "Master." Many years later, I finally understood why I felt an extraordinary fondness for him—he was similar to my grandfather in certain aspects
Since I answered Zhong Renzhi's question, he has always given me the opportunity to speak in class, regardless of the questions he poses. I cherish this opportunity and often seek his advice privately on matters related to forensic science.
Thus, someone with a hint of philosophy asked: "What exactly should a forensic expert be?"
The man with the surname Feng began to tremble all over
Some say that forensic doctors are the flowers of the other shore blooming in hell, guiding the lonely souls and wandering spirits on the road to the underworld. However, when you pick up the scalpel, you will realize that you are not as great as you think. Not only can you not change the world, but you must also accept the suffering of this world. Therefore, I believe that forensic doctors are the travelers of hell, interpreting suffering and refining themselves. The enlightened attain the path, while the confused become demons. Years or decades later, each of you will notice changes within yourselves. Thus, I reiterate that forensic doctors are the travelers of hell, interpreting suffering and refining themselves. The enlightened attain the path, while the confused become demons. Years or decades later, each of you will notice changes within yourselves. I cannot teach you how to do this, whether to attain the path or become a demon; it depends not only on your cultivation but also on your own fate. There is a saying from the heart of Buddha: A person who cannot understand life sees it as a punishment. I am not a wise person, but I want to tell you that only those who truly bear the suffering of others will achieve complete merit.
He said: "Some things can only be understood when you actually do them."
"In fact, it is not as you say," Zhong Renzhi said. "People leave their names in books and pictures, just as wild geese leave their calls. When a person stands there, they will leave footprints! And the distance between your footprints and that of the man with the surname Zhang is exactly 120 centimeters!"
He said that before officially being transferred to become a teacher, the leaders of the Beijiang City Public Security Bureau hoped he could recommend a capable forensic expert to take his place. He recommended me. At that time, my friend Gaoyuan was also in Beijiang City and advised me to change locations, so I followed their advice and transferred to work here
The man with the surname Feng began to sweat
The man with the surname Feng had a pale complexion
The man with the surname Feng was ultimately detained for criminal charges of intentional homicide
He thought for a moment and said: "Call me master, for I like you as a disciple!"
Later, I encountered an incident in Zen City, and my master specifically took some time to accompany me. At that time, he had already stopped working at the Public Security Bureau and had become a full-time teacher in the forensic science department. He did not explain to me why, nor did I ask him, because he had once said that it did not matter whether one liked or disliked something; there must be a reason for his actions.
We greatly appreciate Zhong Renzhi's recounting of the cases he has personally experienced in class. In his narratives, there are always unexpected outcomes that are sufficient to change a person's way of thinking
"You said that the man with the surname Zhang chopped your left shoulder face to face, but he was holding the kitchen knife in his left hand!" Zhong Renzhi threw the photo of the man with the surname Zhang lying on the ground in front of the man with the surname Feng, "Try chopping someone else's left shoulder face to face with a knife in your left hand! Can you achieve this result?!"