The time ticked away, from 8:00 PM to 1:00 AM, a full five hours without anyone saying an unnecessary word or yawning once.

At 1:30 AM, Jiang An glanced at his watch and let out a gentle sigh, "Alright, let it set for another two hours."

As soon as he finished speaking, a wave of irrepressible excitement swept through the lab.

Wang Yang and Chen Biao involuntarily leaned forward.

His hand was clenched tightly, his heart pounding as if it might jump out.

This case had troubled them for an entire week; what the deceased really looked like was a mystery weighing on everyone's hearts.

Although they hadn't found a complete skull, they had secretly speculated countless times.

Soon, they would finally see the true face.

Wang Yang was so excited that his voice trembled slightly as he reached out and patted Jiang An's shoulder, filled with gratitude.

"Captain Jiang, thank you. You've really been a huge help to us!"

Chen Biao nodded repeatedly beside him, his tone full of relief: "Exactly! If I hadn't added Captain Li Jian on WeChat by chance and saw you solving the case in a live broadcast, this case might have become a cold case, and we would still be going in circles."

Wan and Zhang Ye walked over, joking with a smile: "Oh, so you guys watched that live broadcast too?"

"That was a broadcast that stunned the entire web; how could we miss it!"

"Detectives are like family worldwide. Having amazing comrades like you, we feel particularly honored."

"Especially being able to work with you today, honestly, it's a rare privilege."

Wan couldn't help but laugh: "You in the creative crime squad have quite the knack for flattery, we really can't take it."

Just then, the doorbell at the lab's entrance suddenly rang, the clear chime breaking the atmosphere inside.

The assistant in the white coat responsible for recording quickly walked out.

"Mr. Li? Why are you here so late?"

The assistant's surprised voice drifted in.

"Mr. Li?"

Upon hearing those words, Captain Wang, Chen Biao, and Jiang An all turned to look at the door.

A middle-aged man in a police uniform strode in, his epaulets standing out under the light.

His gaze was sharp as he scanned the lab, finally resting on Jiang An and the others.

Seeing Jiang An's gloved hands and the focused, steady aura about him, even without an introduction, he immediately guessed that Jiang An was the expert from Jiangcheng.

Wang Yang quickly stepped up with respect, saying, "Mr. Li, it's late for you to come all the way."

"This is Captain Jiang An, the criminal investigation expert from Jiangcheng here to support us, and these two are his comrades, Wang Junjie and Zhang Yean."

"This is Mr. Li Jiancheng, the deputy director of our creative crime division."

"Hello, Mr. Li." Jiang An extended his hand.

"Captain Jiang, a pleasure to meet you!"

Mr. Li grasped his hand, eyes revealing scrutiny and appreciation, "I've long heard your name; it's great to finally meet you today."

After they released their hands, Mr. Li shook hands with Wan and Zhang Ye before turning back to Jiang An.

"I just heard this afternoon that you all came to support us, thank you for making the trip."

Jiang An waved his hand quickly: "Mr. Li, you're too kind; we're here to learn as well."

"Exchanging ideas during casework is a rare training opportunity for us too."

"Captain Jiang, you're too modest,"

Mr. Li laughed heartily, his tone full of praise, "In a meeting today, I heard about your process of finding the skull."

"The logic was clear, the method was brilliant, it truly deserves to be called textbook-level scene investigation!"

"It could definitely be included in the Dragon Country's scene investigation guide for our colleagues nationwide to learn from."

Wang Yang added from the side: "Captain Jiang, Mr. Li isn't just being courteous."

"He is a member of the editorial committee for the Dragon Country's Practical Guide to Scene Investigation, so his words carry weight."

"In the next edition, you might really see this case of yours."

Jiang An was genuinely surprised to hear that.

He hadn't expected that a spontaneous decision would earn such high recognition.

He quickly modestly said: "Mr. Li, Captain Wang, you really flatter me."

"At the time, it was just quick thinking, a trial-and-error mindset; I didn't expect it to work."

"Coming up with such a critical method in a pinch shows ability in itself."

Mr. Li spoke earnestly, "On the same land, with the same weeds, why do they grow particularly lush in that spot?"

"Besides a water source, there must be an extra nutritional source; this logical chain isn't something an average person can think through."

Wang Yang laughed as he chimed in: "Isn't that right!"

"I've developed a bit of a syndrome. Now, whenever I see lush weeds, my first thought might be—is there something underneath?"

Mr. Li gave him a glance, but his lips curled with amusement.

"Your jinx! That's the basic idea, but don't actually start guessing wildly everywhere."

"Otherwise, wouldn't it cause me a heap of trouble?"

"Heh, just kidding."

Wang Yang scratched his head.

Mr. Li then turned his gaze to the lab bench, curious, "Are you working on cranial reconstruction?"

Jiang An checked his watch again and replied, "Mr. Li, in an hour and a half, we'll have the final model ready."

"Results in an hour and a half?"

Mr. Li was surprised, his tone filled with admiration, "That's quite fast."

After a pause, Jiang An turned to Wang Yang and Chen Biao: "Shall we use this time to check the skull fractures?"

Wang Yang nodded: "Sure, this way we can make good use of time, sounds great."

Mr. Li was somewhat surprised, turning to Wang Yang and asked, "Does Captain Jiang also study forensic medicine?"

Wang Yang quickly explained: "Mr. Li, you may not know."

"Captain Jiang is the chief forensic examiner in Jiangcheng."

"He joined the police force as a forensic specialist, but his skills go far beyond that."

"In criminal investigation, he's exceptionally talented, always finding breakthroughs others miss."

Mr. Li's eyes lit up with visible astonishment on his face.

"Oh? Such talent exists?"

"I've met plenty of forensic experts and detectives, but someone who excels at both is a first for me."

He took another look at Jiang An, his tone carrying more respect.

"Captain Jiang, so young, not only well-versed but a dual expert in forensics and criminal investigation."

"Not simple, not simple."

Jiang An blushed a little at the praise, quickly waving it off: "Mr. Li, you're really over-complimenting me."

"I have much to learn in both forensics and criminal investigation."

"Not modest at all,"

Wang Yang laughed, "Your reputation isn't just widespread in the police force; it's well-known online too."

"At this rate, anxious case families might only trust your conclusions, Jiang An."

Wan teased from the side: "Wouldn't that wear our Captain Jiang out?"

Jiang An chuckled: "I'm not that capable."

Joking aside, he walked to the experiment station next to him, where a specialized tray for holding the skull was located.

He put on another pair of clean gloves and picked up the skull, carefully examining the back of the head.

After a moment, he looked up and asked Captain Wang, "Do you have a magnifying glass here?"

"A magnifying glass?"

Captain Wang was taken aback, turning to ask the two lab technicians nearby.

One of the lab technicians immediately nodded, "Yes, it's in the tool cabinet over there, I'll get it now."

Captain Wang watched Jiang An curiously: "Do we need a magnifying glass?"

Jiang An explained: "A magnifying glass allows us to see more closely, especially with those tiny cracks that might hold key information. We can't overlook any details."

Two minutes later, the technician came running in with a magnifying glass, "Captain Jiang, does this work for you?"

Jiang An took the magnifying glass and then bent over, observing the fracture on the back of the skull through the lens.

The crack was fine, resembling a faint bluish line, almost impossible to see without close inspection.

......