Mad Cow Disease

While we were talking, Master Tang kept steaming buns on the stove next to us. He said, “Sorry to bother you two, but my buns are ready.”

I waved my hand, “Go ahead with your work.”

When Master Tang went back to work, Huang Xiaotao asked in a low voice, “Is he lying?”

I replied, “No, every word is true.”

Master Tang filled a large bowl with a dozen buns, then sliced some cucumber and added peanuts, and brought over a kettle of yellow wine, putting everything on a small table. He asked, “Would you two like to have a bite here? Let me get you some chopsticks.”

“No, no, no!” we declined in unison.

“Is it okay if I eat while I talk?”

“Go ahead.”

Master Tang started eating the buns with great relish, washing them down with sips of wine.

I asked incredulously, “You really love eating buns?”

“Yes, when I was little my family was very poor. The best thing I could eat all year was the big meat buns at the town fair. I've loved eating buns all my life, nothing beats them.” Master Tang said proudly, “And every day before selling the buns, I have to try them myself first, to check the sourness of the dough and saltiness of the filling.”

After saying this, he took a big bite of another bun. I frowned at the sight, since that steamer had held human meat buns just yesterday.

I said, “Then you must have eaten quite a few human meat buns?”

Hearing this, Master Tang stopped, then spat everything out, “Young man, I was trying hard not to think about that. Why did you have to bring it up again!”

I was actually testing him. Seeing his reaction, it seemed normal.

I felt there was nothing left to ask, so I took my leave. As we were departing, Master Tang asked if this incident would affect his business. I said, “Don’t worry, the whole case is confidential to the outside.”

“That puts my mind at ease. I steamed quite a few buns, take some back for everyone to eat.” Master Tang said enthusiastically.

“No, no, no!” We declined firmly.

Outside, Huang Xiaotao checked the time, “It’s already one o’clock, let’s find a place to eat.”

We found a Chinese restaurant and ordered. Xiao Tao and I tacitly only ordered vegetable dishes, probably because we had just seen Master Tang eat buns with such relish, making us think of what we ate last night, and we smiled knowingly at each other.

While eating, Huang Xiaotao said in puzzlement, “There's one inexplicable part to this case.”

“Tell me,” I put down my chopsticks.

“Jinhuo Ma has a morbid craving for human flesh, but the human flesh he went to great lengths to obtain, he didn't eat himself but had Master Tang make into buns. That doesn't make sense.”

I pondered, “You’re right, it is quite strange...”

“Also, is it true that eating human flesh makes you go insane?” Huang Xiaotao was like a curious child.

“Yes, it’s true that eating one's own species causes madness. Do you know how mad cow disease started in the UK?” I asked back.

Huang Xiaotao shook her head.

“At the time, to reduce the cost of raising beef cattle, the UK processed leftover scraps and cattle bones into feed to feed the cows. As a result, it caused mad cow disease, which took a long investigation to uncover the cause.”

“How do you know so much? You must read a lot of books. No wonder you're single.” Huang Xiaotao teased me.

“We were just discussing the case, how did you suddenly change the topic?” I said awkwardly.

Huang Xiaotao laughed, “Or should I introduce you to someone?”

“Huh?” I was eating seaweed and was caught off guard by this, my face turning red with my mouth wide open, a piece of seaweed hanging out looking quite silly.

“Didn't you say you like cute girls with long hair? I happen to know one. Should I introduce you?”

“Uh...no need for that.”

“Or is your heart already taken?” Huang Xiaotao leaned in, staring at my face.

I lowered my head, “The seaweed is so tasty.”

“Oh, forget it!” Huang Xiaotao laughed and pushed me lightly.

Just after eating, Wang Dali called and asked, “Yang Zi, where have you been all day?”

“I'm investigating the case,” I replied.

“Do you need my help?” Wang Dali asked.

“Come if you want.”

I gave Wang Dali the address of this restaurant. Wang Dali said, “You really keep me on my toes. Since I'm your assistant, ask Sister Xiaotao to drive slowly. It'll probably take me an hour to get there.”

I almost spat blood. This guy had just gotten out of bed!

After hanging up, I saw Huang Xiaotao was also on a call. She had a solemn expression and spoke a few sentences, then looked at me, “They found a second corpse...”

“Should we go back to the police station now?” I asked.

“No, let's go directly to the scene,” Huang Xiaotao said decisively.

My things were still at the police station. I asked Huang Xiaotao where the scene was and called Wang Dali again, telling him to pick up my briefcase from the police station and meet me at the address I gave him.

Wang Dali said, “Song Yang, you really work me hard. But I'm your assistant, so tell Sister Xiaotao to drive slowly. It'll probably take me an hour to get there.”

Huang Xiaotao and I immediately rushed to the scene. This time, the body was dumped under a bridge. Due to the lowered autumn water level, large patches of muddy ground were exposed. Every step left an imprint.

The corpse was in a black bag, half exposed above the water surface. A slit had already been cut open, revealing a highly decayed male head. The police who discovered it said the bag might have floated and become lodged here.

Huang Xiaotao looked at the muddy ground covered in footprints, left by the police. She asked, “Were photos taken? Were there any criminal footprints?”

“Yes, photos were taken. Not a single footprint, I heard from nearby residents the water only receded recently after autumn came,” a policeman explained.

I put on rubber gloves and pulled the bag out of the water. The corpse wasn't too heavy. Then I tore open the bag, exposing the remains inside, causing those present to cry out in alarm.

The corpse was decayed beyond recognition, just like the previous one. Large areas of muscle and fat on the abdomen, chest, and limbs had been carved away, exposing the skeleton and internal organs underneath. Clumps of intestines and stomachs glistened with oil, crawling with maggots. I noticed accumulated water inside the bag. It had probably seeped in through an untied opening, causing the remaining skin and flesh to bloat and turn white, covered in a green, waxy sheen.

But he didn't seem to have been lingchi executed. His face also didn't have that eerie smile from inhaling laughing gas. The victim's throat had a very deep knife wound, completely severing the veins and trachea below.

Several policemen immediately ran to the side to vomit at the sight. Huang Xiaotao also frowned deeply. Even I was somewhat overcome. This was possibly the most decayed corpse I had seen since working on cases.

But with so many policemen present, I couldn't show weakness. I steeled myself and went on!

As I conducted the routine examination, I said, “The victim was 25-30 years old, male, slender build, no signs of illness or disability. Time of death about 40 days ago. Direct cause of death was asphyxiation from the severed trachea...”

I pressed on the victim's chest and a stream of coagulated blood flowed from the slit throat, mixed with white foam and a nauseating smell. I heard many people make sounds of disgust.

I flicked off some maggots that had crawled onto my hand, “There is extensive congestion in the lungs.”

Huang Xiaotao asked, “This is surely the first missing person, that supermarket clerk Xiao Zhang?”

I turned the victim’s head to examine and recognize the features. Although the head was highly decayed, some facial characteristics could still be identified. “Yes, it's him!”