Special Forces Medic-Chapter 721 - 688: Shattered Bones

The soil was very wet, and very sticky!

It took two to three times the effort to pull the shovel out of the clay than it did to push it in. Xiao Lin repeated this a few times, and from the pile of clay, he dug out some broken stones.

Nobody knew what he intended to do, and nobody dared ask. Everyone just stood quietly on the side and watched. Shi Shuai tilted his head in thought, then ran to the side and got a bucket. Every time Xiao Lin dug out a chunk of earth, Shi Shuai promptly poured water over it to wash away the clay.

Some things were wrapped in the clay, and some might just be a lump of clay. Xiao Lin smiled at Shi Shuai; the kid was smart. When Xu Ming also understood Xiao Lin's intention, he led the others in splashing water on the clay, washing away the soil layer to reveal what was inside.

"Wait!" Amidst the piled clay, a nondescript old yellow horn was stuck there. Xiao Lin stopped Shi Shuai, who was ready to dig further. He squatted down and carefully scraped away the soil with his hand.

"This is too dirty, let me do it!" Shi Shuai also squatted down.

"No need." With two fingers, Xiao Lin pinched and pulled hard, extracting a hard object about five centimeters long, with a peculiar shape—small at one end, narrow and round at the other. Compared to previous debris, it appeared quite special.

"What is it?" Shi Shuai leaned in curiously, while Xiao Lin held it, a slight smile on his lips.

"Seal off the North Palace, don't let anyone leave." Xiao Lin's voice was not loud, but it carried an undeniable authority that made people uneasy.

"On what grounds?" Yan Fengying, hearing this, couldn't contain herself. Ignoring Ji Weihua's warning look, she pushed herself forward.

"On this," Xiao Lin opened his hand to reveal the hard object, then started walking towards Ji Weihua. "Ji Weihua? Director of the Criminal Investigation Department at the North District Police Station, you should know what this is!"

As soon as Xiao Lin spoke, Ji Weihua felt a chill run through him. He coughed awkwardly, borrowed the hard object from Xiao Lin, and examined it closely under the lamp. Through the light, the object was semi-transparent, with a murky center. "What is this?"

To Ji Weihua's question, Xiao Lin smirked slightly. "Bone."

"Oh, this shouldn't be anything unusual. There are similar animals underground, like mice. It's not impossible for one to accidentally get caught in here and die," Ji Weihua suggested.

"Heh!" Xiao Lin's face turned stern. "I understand Director Ji's thoughts then!"

"Captain, we've found more of these hard objects." Shi Shuai tried to emulate Xiao Lin, pinching a segment of old yellow and pulling hard, but it wouldn't budge. He scrunched his face in frustration, making a growling sound with no success.

"Clear all the soil layers, take all the old items flushed out back to the North District Police Station. Officer Xu, arrest the person in charge of the North Palace." Xiao Lin's mocking smile made Ji Weihua uneasy. He glanced at Yan Fengying, whose downcast eyes under his questioning look spoke volumes. Ji Weihua clicked his tongue, preparing to withdraw with his people, but Xiao Lin stopped him.

"Is Director Ji planning to leave already?"

"Since the complaint is indeed valid, we don't need to stay to mediate. Fall back." Ji Weihua declared. 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

"Heh, it's not for you to decide." Just as those words left his mouth, Xiao Lin appeared right in front of Ji Weihua. His movements were so swift, Ji Weihua only felt a gust of wind brush through his hair as the man moved from the trench edge to the doorway.

"You..."

"Hey, you can't arrest me!" Yan Fengying screamed, her shrill voice resonating as Xu Ming clapped silver handcuffs onto her wrists. Seeing her panic, Ji Weihua pointed at Xiao Lin.

"You want to arrest me? Provide evidence; I'll be waiting at the station," he said stubbornly, pushing past Xiao Lin without looking back and striding out of the North Palace. Yan Fengying's screams fell on deaf ears.

"Save your energy for the station; your backing seems to have deserted you," Xu Ming chuckled. "Captain, I'll take the team back first. Shi Shuai, stay behind to help clean up the scene for the captain."

"Leave it to me." When did I become their captain? Only now realizing his new title, Xiao Lin shook his head.

The bones found in the clay were very fragmented, with almost nothing intact. Some were likely worn smooth over time, others remained fused with old items, making it difficult to separate them. Stitching them together would have to be left to someone else.

"Uh, uh, Captain!" Shi Shuai hovered around Xiao Lin, unsure of how to begin.

"Speak directly if you have something to say." Xiao Lin frowned. The trench didn't seem like a natural excavation, and the bones he found might not form a complete picture. He fiddled with the bones, notably lacking any from the face, indicating there were likely more undiscovered artifacts in the trench.

"I wanted you to see something else."

"Hmm?"

"Laoxu and I just captured some images inside. We suspect they're genuine national level-one cultural relics, large bronze artifacts, so we'd like you to take a look."

"Where?" Even small bronze pieces are already valuable; large, complete ones are even rarer.

Heh, the North Palace certainly surprised him—not only with bronzes but with many other unfamiliar treasures. Determining their authenticity posed a challenge.

"Captain, do these look real to you?" Shi Shuai, who knew nothing about relics, felt a twinge of excitement at seeing such ancient items. The thought of possibly acquiring one stirred thoughts of fortune.

"Your face already shows everything you're thinking. Don't get any funny ideas." Xiao Lin shot him a glance and stepped aside. "Master Sun, I'm Xiao Lin. There are a few things here I'd like you to see. Are you available to come over?"

Shi Shuai, trailing behind Xiao Lin, didn't know who he was calling, but judging by the respectful tone, it must be someone important. "Yes, definitely items that have never been circulated before, haha, it's only right, only right!"

After hanging up, Shi Shuai thought they would call it a day, but instead, Xiao Lin just lit a cigarette and began pacing in circles at the North Palace. "Captain, is there more to see? Laoxu and I have already checked every inch."

"What about the North Palace's finances?" Xiao Lin asked, puffing on his cigarette and heading for a room Secretary Luo had mentioned. There were only two such rooms in total, conveniently located at the eyes of the dragon. (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, please visit Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendations and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)