Chapter 93: The Horrifying Truth (Extra Update)

We returned to the police station. When Wang Dali heard what had just happened, he rushed over anxiously and asked, "Are you two hurt? I told you to take me along, but you wouldn't listen."

Huang Xiaotao sneered, "What good would you do? Tie the killer's shoelaces?"

Wang Dali protested, "Xiaotao, why do you always pick on me? That was so long ago."

I gathered myself and headed to the morgue to examine the body found in the basement. When we unzipped the body bag, everyone there froze. The victim's body was bruised and battered all over, a patchwork of black and purple that could only be described as skinless. His expression twisted in extreme agony and rage. Large portions of muscle and fat had been gouged out—it was unimaginable what he had endured in life.

"This is barbaric!" Huang Xiaotao frowned.

I began my routine examination. The victim was a man, about 25 years old, average build and in good health before death. He had been dead around ten days, but the cold, damp environment had slowed decomposition.

His internal organs and bones were mostly intact. The cause of death was cardiac arrest triggered by shock. The wounds suggested he had been beaten repeatedly with a rod-like object. The killer had methodically pounded every inch of his flesh—though the skin remained unbroken, massive blood clots had formed beneath it.

These injuries caused traumatic shock, leading to heart failure. In other words, the victim had been beaten to death—killed slowly by pain.

After my explanation, silence fell over the room. After a moment, Huang Xiaotao asked, "Why would the killer do this?"

...

...

"Just like the first two victims... for the meat's flavor! I heard some high-ranking officials used to kill pigs without knives—having servants beat them to death with sticks. This kept the blood trapped under the skin, and the muscle fibers got tender from the pounding, breaking down the sinews. It made the meat incredibly delicious..." I glanced at the corpse. "To do this to a living person... I can't even imagine it."

"I want to rush to the hospital and pull all that bastard's tubes out!" Huang Xiaotao cursed. "The meat was taken from the body after death, right?"

"Yes," I confirmed.

Though the killer had been caught, I still collected palm prints and fingerprints from the corpse and body bag as evidence.

After the autopsy, I told Huang Xiaotao, "Looks like that's all for today. I'm heading home. Call me when Master Tang wakes up and you start interrogating him."

"Planning to interrogate him yourself?" Huang Xiaotao asked.

"No, I'm just a coroner. I don't step on others' toes. But there are still some things I don't understand. I want to hear his side directly," I explained.

"Alright."

She walked us to the door and said, "Song Yang, thanks for today!"

"You're welcome. I should be the one thanking you."

"By the way..."

"What?"

Huang Xiaotao blushed. The golden evening sun cast a warm glow on her face, making her smile gently. "Nothing."

Wang Dali was impatient to catch his bus and kept urging, "Come on! Why are you two getting so mushy now?"

I walked a bit ahead and glanced back. Huang Xiaotao was still standing there, watching us leave. Maybe after all the ugliness we'd witnessed these days, her smile looked especially beautiful.

The next few days, I returned to my normal life. The contrast made me feel a little unsettled.

For a long time after the human-meat bun incident, I lost my appetite for meat—especially for steamed buns.

When we were free, I awkwardly asked Wang Dali, "I saw a movie recently where the male lead ended up dating a female cop. Do you think that kind of relationship could be happy?"

Wang Dali said, "Depends on the people. If he's also a cop, maybe it's alright since they're often together. If he's a criminal, well, that's different."

"What about a regular person?" I asked.

"Can't say for sure. Cops must be busy most of the time. Why don't you ask Xiaotao? She'd know."

Yeah, right—I'd rather not bother you.

About a week later, Huang Xiaotao called to say they were going to interrogate Master Tang. I headed to the police station alone.

Master Tang was wrapped in bandages and hooked up to an IV. He looked worn out. Two cops were questioning him, with a clerk taking notes. Huang Xiaotao and I watched through the surveillance monitor.

But to my surprise, Master Tang knew nothing about the whole incident. He was terrified, holding his head and crying, "I didn't kill anyone. I don't know anything. That bastard Ma Jinhui dumped the bodies at my shop. I only helped him dispose of the corpses because I had no choice."

No matter how the police pressed him, he repeated the same story. Just as patience was wearing thin, his expression suddenly shifted. The interrogating officer called his name, "Ma Jinhui?"

Master Tang sneered, "Why call me? What about that guy who stabbed me? Isn't he coming to question me? He's scared to face me!"

He crossed his arms, indifferent, refusing to say anything else unless I came in myself.

Huang Xiaotao and I exchanged looks. She picked up the internal phone and had the others leave. Then she said, "Let's go in."

"Are you alright after last time?" I asked.

"Why wouldn't I be? Do cops get scared of criminals?" Huang Xiaotao said dismissively, touching her nose.

"Alright, let's go."

We entered the interrogation room. Tang immediately asked me for a cigarette. I said I didn't have any.

Huang Xiaotao said, "Ma Jinhui, the evidence is overwhelming. You're as good as dead. This interrogation is just a formality. You might as well confess and save everyone some time."

Tang gave me a mocking smile. "Since I've met you, I'll admit defeat. I'll tell you my story."

It turned out that three years ago, Ma Jinhui owed Tang 100,000 yuan. Unable to repay, he suggested paying off the debt with meat. Using his job at the meat factory, Ma Jinhui smuggled pork out for Tang. Because they were from the same hometown, no written contract was ever made.

Over three years, Ma Jinhui delivered who knows how much pork. The debt should have been settled long ago. But three months ago, Tang's family urgently needed 100,000 yuan, so he turned on Ma Jinhui and demanded the money.

They argued heatedly. Tang threatened to expose Ma Jinhui's past scandals. In anger, Ma Jinhui attacked. But Tang was strong and ended up killing him.

Panicked by the corpse, Tang feared going to jail if it was found. Inspired by the movie Human Meat Char Siu Buns, he decided to chop Ma Jinhui's body into pieces and sell the meat as buns.

This man, who had never killed anyone before, used this grotesque method to cover up the crime.

Of course, human meat isn't the same as pork. Tang added plenty of five-spice powder to disguise the taste but still worried customers might notice. He tasted every batch himself. Once, he ate half a whole steamer without realizing it—and broke out in a cold sweat.

Like Ma Jinhui, Tang started to crave the taste of human flesh. He began to change...

Every night at 8 PM—the time Ma Jinhui died—Tang's personality flipped. He would ravenously eat the buns made from his own flesh, sometimes shoving raw meat directly into his mouth.

With a satisfied yet eerie smile on his face.

Gradually, another soul awakened inside him—none other than the deceased Ma Jinhui.