The dungeon of White River Domain.
In the dim, damp surroundings, torches burned steadily amid the squeaking of rats and groans of pain from the cells.
Arwen looked over and saw three naked figures curled up in a nearby cell.
Two males and one female. The female was small and thin, looking only eleven or twelve years old.
They were covered in mud, and the stench of rotting sewer refuse drifted through the air.
Beneath their tangled long hair were pointed ears no human possessed.
Elves.
"Master witcher, this way."
Martin's voice rang out.
Noticing Arwen, the elves all raised their heads, numbness and hatred showing in their green eyes.
Arwen withdrew his gaze and followed Martin into a room around the corner.
The room was not large. Apart from the central aisle, there were five wooden beds on either side.
Black oilcloth covered the beds. From the shapes beneath it, he could tell that it covered human corpses.
Martin went to the first bed and lifted the oilcloth. One glance was enough to send him retreating several steps, dry-heaving.
A thick smell of blood hit them.
Arwen stepped forward and lowered his eyes.
A sharp implement had sliced open the corpse's face, leaving skin and flesh curled outward. Its original features were no longer recognizable.
Vesemir's anatomy lessons surfaced in his mind.
"Before beginning an autopsy, gather as much information as possible. It will help us understand the traces left on the corpse."
"Ideally, you should know who the deceased was and under what circumstances the body was found."
"Mr. Martin, what was this man's name, and what did he do?"
The captain fanned a hand in front of his nose.
"Finn. His father is a stonemason in the domain. We all called him Xiao Shitou."
Arwen glanced at