After the thunderous applause died down, Alex held out his palm to Luo Weiwei.
"Aren't you holding something back from me?"
She froze on the spot, feeling totally exposed.
"During the exam, I noticed tool marks inside Lily's nasal cavity—like it had been pried open with forceps. You must have found some clue there. Combined with the drowning, there's an eighty percent chance it's some kind of aquatic plant."
"You're incredible, Detective Song! Here." Luo Weiwei quickly handed over an evidence bag.
Inside the clear plastic was a small clump of red, thread-like algae—like strands of crimson hair.
"Lily was still alive when she hit the water. These algae could pinpoint her entry point. But since the lab results aren't back yet, I didn't want to jump the gun..." Luo Weiwei explained.
"No need to wait for the lab," Alex said calmly, giving the bag a gentle shake.
"This is called Red Moss—scientific name: Erythrophyllum rubrum, from the red-leaf algae family. It usually grows in coastal areas... which makes no sense in an inland spot like Riverside."
In that moment, a familiar voice echoed in his mind: "Brother Alex, I know you can figure it out!"
He snapped his gaze to the young body on the table. Lily's skin was deathly pale, completely drained of color—she was undeniably gone.
Yet corpses could still "speak" to a forensic expert.
Alex understood instantly, murmuring to himself: "This is another clue you left for me, isn't it?"
[Today's continued triple-chapter blast!]
Without hesitation, he slipped on his gloves and opened the evidence bag. A sharp, fishy odor hit the air.
Under his Cave-Seeing Eye, no tiny detail escaped him.
"Get me a map of Riverside—now!"
His commanding tone left no room for argument.
Almost everyone jumped up, scrambling to fetch one. Even a few officers eavesdropping through the door crack burst in, volunteering: "I've got it! On it—right away!"
They returned with a fresh map, presenting it with both hands. But once inside, they didn't leave—boldly squeezing into the crowd to soak up the lesson.
Alex didn't mind; his focus was laser-sharp on the map...
He spread it out, tracing two fingers along the city's protective river, following its branches downstream, until he stopped at a spot labeled White Marsh Basin.
"I've got it! The Yangtze River's water is typically slightly alkaline—pH around 7.5, hardness between 4 and 7—not suitable for Red Moss at all."
"But last year, a chemical plant near here illegally dumped untreated waste into the White Marsh Basin. It altered the water chemistry—lowered the pH but spiked the hardness. I suspect that caused a mutation in the local algae, maybe even leading to massive Red Moss growth underwater. Check it out."
Luo Weiwei's face shifted in surprise: "Detective Song, are you really retired? How do you even know about some factory's illegal dumping?"
Alex smiled faintly and tapped his temple: "Good memory—and a habit of reading the paper every day."
He turned to the crowd: "Captain Lane—assemble a team right away. Fan out along both sides of the White Marsh Basin for a full search. We might turn something up."
"Look for any suspicious abandoned warehouses or isolated buildings—priority checks."
Lane started to rise instinctively, but Bai Yidao beat him to it, shouting: "I'm on it!"
As the task force's muscle, he was the obvious choice for raid leader.
With Lane's nod, Bai Yidao grabbed his gear while dialing: "SWAT Team One—gear up now! Vests on, chambers loaded—let's move!"
Bai Yidao didn't waste a second; every moment counted.
Watching him go, Alex sighed softly: "Too bad the prey slipped the cage—we've already spooked the snake. That place is probably empty by now..."
"But we have to try."
Luo Weiwei offered a comforting pat on his shoulder. Years had mellowed the once-arrogant peacock into someone wiser and kinder.
Alex nodded, then turned back to the autopsy table.
"Young lady, I know you loved looking your best—but to become a true officer, you cut your long hair, ditched the lipstick and foundation."
"I know you'd endure any dissection to find the truth."
"But I can't bring myself to cut into you. Because in you, I see that rare spark of true belief!"
"Trust me—even without a full cut, we'll get your justice. You've given me more than enough clues already."
As the white sheet draped over Lily's body,Alex leaned close and whispered something only the two of them could hear:
"Since you idolized me so much, let me tell you—the stories in *Underworld Detective* are real. I *am* that Alex Song."