"Four years ago?"
The manager's pupils contracted for a moment, but his expression remained unchanged. "Officer, I don't know what you're talking about."
The subtle shift in his gaze might go unnoticed by ordinary people, but with her "Hawk's Eye," Tina Shen saw it clearly.
No wonder he's been in the bureaucracy for years... Tina Shen fixed her gaze on him. "Are you sure you don't remember?"
"I truly don't know what you're talking about," the manager replied in a detached tone.
Tina Shen didn't press further but quickly began processing the situation in her mind.
Clearly, he remembered something. So why was he lying?
The change in his pupils revealed that he had a deep memory of this event and was, in fact, nervous.
What was he trying to hide?
Tina Shen looked at Kevin Guo.
"On September 13, 2017, the police received a report from a complainant stating..."
Kevin Guo proceeded to detail the case from that year, including the police investigation. Throughout this, Tina Shen kept her eyes fixed on the manager's face.
His expression remained unusually calm.
But this overly calm demeanor only made Tina Shen more suspicious.
This was clearly a sign of guilt. Though he tried to hide it, his lack of peripheral movement only emphasized his unease.
Something was off!
This was how cases were solved. When you spot one issue, it's like seeing a cockroach—there's probably more lurking beneath the surface...
"Oh, so this is what you're asking about," the manager said, nodding as though realizing something. "I remember now, there was indeed such an incident. However, our crematorium has already sued those who made false accusations. They were obviously trying to extort money."
"Extort?" Tina Shen asked with a smile. "What exactly were they trying to extort, and how much?"
The manager's expression subtly shifted, and he shook his head. "This happened over four years ago; I can't recall the details."
Was it really that he couldn't remember, or was he deliberately trying to deflect attention?
"Alright then, may we inspect your internal facilities?" Tina Shen asked calmly. "For instance, the cremation rooms."
"That probably won't be allowed," the manager frowned. "Our crematorium has rules; outsiders..."
A detective pulled out a search warrant from his briefcase.
Upon seeing the warrant, the manager fell silent, his expression shifting rapidly.
"We're not here to discuss rules or reason with you," Tina Shen said in a flat tone. "We're the police, please cooperate with our investigation."
Typically, a search warrant could only be issued after confirming the details of a case, usually with help from the prosecutor's office. In special cases, the Criminal Investigation Detachment could issue one.
The manager's face darkened as he glared coldly at Tina Shen. "Young officer, even if you are the police, you should follow the rules, right?"
"What rules?" Tina Shen asked calmly. "Is your personal rule more important, or is the law of the country greater?"
The manager's face shifted, and he fell silent.
"Let's go," Tina Shen said, no longer paying him any attention as she led her team toward the crematorium's interior.
At first, she had suspected the manager, but now it was clear: the crematorium itself had major issues. And these problems were significant!
Upon entering the crematorium, the first thing that greeted them was a small funeral hall, almost like a mini mortuary, where family members of the deceased could hold memorial services.
They had arrived just in time—there was a body being wheeled into the cremation room.
The staff were visibly startled when they saw the police arrive.
"Don't worry, we're just having a look around," Tina Shen reassured them, signaling two of the detectives to stay outside while she, Kevin Guo, and the staff entered the cremation room.
Inside, there were two more employees who appeared equally shocked and somewhat flustered upon seeing the police.
Their reactions weren't quite right. At first glance, they seemed rational, but a closer inspection revealed some inconsistencies.
Unlike the manager, who remained calm, these employees were visibly uneasy. Whenever Tina Shen locked eyes with them, they looked away, avoiding her gaze.
What are they afraid of?
Tina Shen kept her expression neutral and signaled to Kevin Guo with a glance.
Kevin Guo immediately understood, stepping outside to check on the situation.
Meanwhile, Tina Shen stayed in the cremation room, observing the cremation process firsthand.
The experience left her feeling uneasy.
A person's life inevitably leads to a visit to the crematorium. It's a place that fills everyone with fear, and the process of cremating a body is particularly unsettling...
The body was first placed in a disposable body bag. The furnace used for cremation comes in different grades, ranging from standard to high-tech "green" furnaces.
Once the body was placed inside, the next step was to break it apart with steel ingots or blades, causing the internal organs to spill out.
If the body wasn't broken apart, the internal pressure from the rapid heating would cause it to explode during the burn.
Next, they sprayed diesel or gasoline on the body before sending it into the furnace.
After about half an hour, the body would begin to fall apart. After an hour, the almost glowing remnants would be pushed out of the furnace, emitting a strong white smoke, and the smell of burnt flesh and bone would fill the air.
A special tray was used to push the bones into a metal container, where they would eventually turn into bone ash.
If the family requested it, the ashes could be ground into fine powder for an additional fee. If not, the family could take the ashes as they were.
This was the entire process of cremation...
As Tina Shen left the cremation room, she barely managed to keep her expression in check.
Taking a deep breath, her mind cleared.
No fear, no hesitation.
Only with such courage could one turn the world upside down and charge forward.
How could someone who lacked bravery call themselves a police officer?
This book is provided by FunNovel Novel Book | Fan Fiction Novel [Beautiful Free Novel Book]