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Chapter 7
Jian Ting, Captain of the Gongzhou Second Anti-Drug Division was confirmed to have sacrificed three years ago.
Autumn Rain Branded Goods: Second-hand bags, jewelry, and luxury goods recycling.
Yan Xie stepped down from the police car, slowly crossing his arms and surveying the sign in front of him.
Ma Xiang approached him, saying, “Brother Yan, the informant is over there. We just…”
Yan Xie waved his hand, immediately stopping Ma Xiang.
“Inform all investigation teams. There’s no need to search the second-hand market anymore,” he said slowly. “The target backpack has been found.”
Several police officers sealed off the shop entrance, while the bewildered store owner excitedly recounted something to the detective. The forensic team placed evidence bags under the conspicuous black and yellow backpack, conducting initial fingerprint extraction for comparison.
On the sidewalk outside the shop, a police officer taking notes stood, while Jiang Ting sat on a bench, comfortably leaning against the backrest. He slightly tilted his head back, with his slender legs slightly apart. This posture was as relaxed as sitting on a leather sofa at home. Even when Yan Xie walked by, he showed no signs of getting up.
“My friend wanted to sell her unused bags, so I accompanied her to browse. Coincidentally, I saw that backpack on the counter, and since it seemed related to the case from a few days ago…”
“The store owner said you rummaged through the bag inside and out before calling the police. What’s that about?”
“I just wanted to see what was inside the bag.” Jiang Ting paused and said, “In the bottom corner of the front pocket of the backpack, there were a few small pieces of tin foil wedged in. They looked like the kind used for wrapping chocolates. You can have the technicians take a look.”
The police had encountered too many civilians who offered unsolicited ideas during investigations, so they didn’t take it seriously. They only responded with a few noncommittal sounds. Unexpectedly, someone suddenly tapped Yan Xie’s shoulder and said, “Hey, Captain Yan!”
Yan Xie waved his hand and said, “Leave it to me.”
The officer replied, “Okay,” handed him the notebook, and went to help on the side.
However, when Yan Xie took the notebook, he showed no intention of reading it. He just stood in front of Jiang Ting with his arms crossed, silently staring at him.
Jiang Ting politely greeted him, “Hello, Officer Yan.”
“The police haven’t approved the reward money yet, so you’re at a disadvantage for providing the lead so early.”
“What are you talking about?” Jiang Ting smiled. “I was just accompanying Yang Mei on errands and happened to see this bag. After all, I’m a witness, and providing leads to the police is a duty, isn’t it?”
One stood, and the other sat, creating an atmosphere of calmness. However, there seemed to be something eerie and indescribable brewing in the air.
“You did it on purpose.”
Jiang Ting asked, “Oh?”
“You want to know why I revisited the crime scene, why I wanted to see what I found on the road. There are two second-hand luxury goods recycling points closer to the Sleepless Palace KTV, but you found this one,” Yan Xie narrowed his eyes, openly scrutinizing him. “You have an unusually high level of interest and involvement in this case. Why?”
“You’re overthinking it, Officer,” Jiang Ting replied with a smile. “This place offered a higher price, that’s all.”
A forensic investigator hurriedly approached, saying, “The results are out, Vice-Captain Yan! The preliminary fingerprint comparison on the backpack matched the deceased. We’ll take the evidence back to the police headquarters for detailed analysis. Additionally, according to the store owner, a man came in around 8 a.m. and sold the bag at a low price. The man had Toyota car keys. We’re contacting the traffic police to retrieve the surveillance footage and license plate records of this road section…”
“Have you checked the surveillance inside the store?”
The forensic investigator affirmed, “We’re in the process of checking. It’ll be available soon.”
Yan Xie nodded without speaking.
“There’s just one issue, Vice-Captain Yan.” The forensic investigator looked a bit hesitant. “At 8 a.m., it’s the peak traffic hour, and there were a lot of vehicles passing through this road. It will be very difficult to pinpoint. It could take forever to go through them one by one. What should we do?”
As Yan Xie received the report, his gaze remained fixed on Jiang Ting from above, even when he spoke to others.
Jiang Ting calmly rested his folded hands in front of him and met his gaze.
“Ma Xiang,” Yan Xie raised his voice.
Ma Xiang quickly rushed over, saying, “Yes!”
“I asked you to retrieve the surveillance footage from the intersection of the crime scene. Did any of the seven selected vehicles match a Toyota?”
Ma Xiang paused for a moment and immediately responded, “Yes! There’s one! Here’s the license plate number,” and he reported the number.
Yan Xie’s gaze didn’t waver, but his face slightly turned toward the forensic investigator. “Compare it with the surveillance footage from this road. If it matches the vehicle, immediately go to the traffic management bureau and check the owner.”
The forensic investigator, relieved, said, “Yes!”
Both the forensic investigator and Ma Xiang hurriedly left, leaving only Jiang Ting and Yan Xie by the bench.
Several meters away, Yang Mei, in the gaps between police interrogations, managed to walk towards them but was immediately intercepted, leaving behind a worry-filled gaze she couldn’t conceal.
Yan Xie leisurely said, “Your girlfriend seems to be particularly afraid of you being alone. Is she worried I’ll devour you?”
Jiang Ting replied with remarkable finesse, “If Officer Yan had a financially destitute and physically disabled girlfriend, perhaps he would understand her feelings.”
“You’re financially destitute?” Yan Xie immediately countered, “A financially destitute person can find clues ahead of the police?”
Jiang Ting helplessly said, “Sometimes coincidences happen, and there’s nothing one can do about it.”
Jiang Ting’s attitude and responses toward the police had gone beyond mere cooperation; they could even be described as gentle. However, there was no expression on Yan Xie’s distinct face, and a hint of solemnity even lingered.
The two stared at each other in silence for more than ten seconds before Yan Xie suddenly spoke up.
“Feng Yuguang was a graduate student at a prestigious university who came to Jianning for an internship. He was preparing to pursue a Ph.D. The cause of death was a combination of various addictive drugs, including hyoscine and MDMA.”
Jiang Ting sighed, “I see, no wonder he ended up in the refrigerator.”
“So, do you have any insights, Mr. Lu?”
“Huh?” Jiang Ting responded with a perfectly appropriate expression of surprise. “No, why would you ask such a thing?”
“Then why did you say ‘I see’ after hearing about the addictive drugs?”
“…”
Yan Xie coldly continued, “I only mentioned addictive drugs, but you immediately grasped the implication of hallucinogens. Most people wouldn’t even know what hyoscine and MDMA are unless they studied pharmaceuticals. Did you major in pharmaceutical chemistry?”
Jiang Ting’s composed and indifferent attitude finally showed a slight change.
—But that was just a fraction of a second. Immediately, he showed a somewhat subtle expression, somewhat reminiscent of a wry smile, and said, “Hmm… Officer Yan, even though I haven’t attended university, people who frequently take motion sickness medication know about hyoscine. You should know that the world doesn’t revolve around Dimenhydrinate, right?”
Yan Xie opened his mouth, seemingly wanting to say something, but at that moment, Jiang Ting interrupted him.
“I don’t know what I’ve done to make you so suspicious. But since you’re already close to the killer, there’s no need to cling to me, a law-abiding citizen, right?”
Yan Xie said, “Did you say last time that you wanted to break up with your girlfriend and return to your hometown?”
Jiang Ting remained silent.
Yan Xie said, “Wait here.”
Yan Xie turned and walked away. The forensic investigator emerged from the second-hand shop, waving at him from a distance. “We found it, Vice-Captain Yan! A white Toyota Camry. It passed by the crime scene on the day of the 502 case and left this road section at 8:30 a.m. the next day. This is the surveillance footage from inside the shop!”
Jiang Ting stared at Yan Xie in bewilderment, and the latter could clearly sense his gaze, but he ignored it, taking the color printout handed to him by the forensic investigator and examining it.
In the surveillance footage from inside the shop, a man of average height, slightly overweight, and around forty years old was holding a Fendi backpack and standing in front of the counter, discussing something with the second-hand shop owner.
“Did the traffic management bureau get any information? What’s this guy’s name?”
“Uh, we couldn’t find any information…”
Yan Xie furrowed his brow.
The forensic investigator cautiously said, “The car he was driving… it’s a… fake license plate.”
The truth was within reach, but the lead suddenly snapped.
Yan Xie didn’t say a word. His cheek muscles tensed, and the lines of his shoulders tightened like a taut bowstring beneath his white shirt.
No one spoke for quite some time, until footsteps approached from not far away, stopping behind Yan Xie. Then, Jiang Ting’s very amiable voice sounded, “Officer Yan, if there’s nothing else, may I leave?”
Yan Xie suddenly reached out, hooked Jiang Ting’s shoulder, and without a word, pulled him into his embrace, shaking the color printout in his hand. “Do you recognize him?”
Within those few seconds, the scorching intensity of Yan Xie’s gaze could even be felt on the skin. Jiang Ting’s gaze dropped, lingering briefly on the image of the man before a pleading expression emerged, as if saying, “Spare me.”
“How could I possibly recognize him? Police on TV usually investigate vehicles with criminal records first and then check individuals with previous convictions, right? I don’t even qualify as an eyewitness.”
Yan Xie finally let go of him, patting his shoulder forcefully and smiling. “No leaving.”
Jiang Ting: “…?”
“You’re a person involved in the case. Until it’s closed, you’re restricted from leaving Jianning. You have to stay here.”
Jiang Ting’s face stiffened slightly, but Yan Xie turned around with a carefree demeanor, as if a general who had gracefully turned the tide of battle. He walked briskly towards the police car, patting the color printout in his hand. “Let’s wrap up and head back to the police headquarters! The forensic team will take the evidence for fingerprint analysis. Check all the hit-and-run vehicles and individuals with criminal records in the entire city. Ma Xiang! Drive!”
The police car arrived with a howl and departed with a howl. Yan Xie vanished like a whirlwind, taking all the leads with him.
Jiang Ting stood in place, his expression as heavy as water.
“Brother Jiang, what happened?” Yang Mei hurriedly walked over, unable to conceal her panic. “Did that officer Yan…?”
“He became suspicious.”
Yang Mei’s heart skipped a beat. “What should we do?!”
In Jiang Ting’s mind, the image of the man from the surveillance footage slowly emerged. After a while, he raised his hand and straightened his slightly crooked collar, which had been disheveled by Yan Xie’s forceful embrace. With a blank expression, he said, “Take it easy.”
………
“Brother Yan,” Ma Xiang asked as he drove, unable to hold back his curiosity, “Do you think that guy named Lu is suspicious?”
Yan Xie leaned back in the seat, extending his sturdy legs under the passenger seat, seemingly dozing off with his eyes closed. “Doesn’t seem like it.”
“What do you mean?”
“If he really had suspicions, he wouldn’t deliberately give us leads. However, there’s something peculiar about him.”
Ma Xiang didn’t understand, and Yan Xie didn’t explain. “You’ve interacted with him twice. What’s your impression?”
“…Uh, Brother Yan, you know me. I’m not interested in men…”
Yan Xie opened his eyes.
Ma Xiang laughed and pleaded, “I really have no impression! I didn’t take his statement on the night of the crime, and we only briefly met just now. But he’s cooperative and quite proactive. Other than that, he doesn’t leave a significant impression. Anyway, if he’s out with his girlfriend, I’d definitely pay more attention to her rather than what he’s doing.”
“Don’t you feel that there’s something incongruous about him?”
“I don’t feel anything,” Ma Xiang said, puzzled. “Where’s the incongruity? He looks quite put together, just a bit weak.”
Yan Xie contemplated for a while, then suddenly said, “No, he’s too natural.”
“Huh?”
“A background from the county, a working-class background, and spending so much time bedridden, yet he doesn’t exhibit any fear or unfamiliarity with the outside world. He even maintains such a relaxed posture in front of a group of armed criminal investigators.” Yan Xie pondered for a while, muttering, “Why is that?”
They were almost at the police headquarters. Ma Xiang signaled and made a right turn, grinning. “Stop thinking about it,Brother Yan. I think you’re getting obsessed with the case. If you keep thinking about it, I’ll suspect that you’re not interested in the shop owner, but rather her boyfriend. Hahaha—”
Yan Xie sneered, “What are you saying? Am I interested in men?”
Although he said that, when Yan Xie lay back in his seat again, his mind involuntarily recalled Jiang Ting sitting in front of him, tilting his head back, hands elegantly and softly folded on his thighs, with a slight smile on his lips.
“It’s just a coincidence.”
“There are a few small pieces of tin foil wedged in the corner at the bottom of the bag, like the ones used for wrapping chocolates.”
…And he even specified chocolates. It’s clear that he eats snacks all the time.
Yan Xie continued to ponder in his mind. Since he couldn’t sleep anyway, he got up from the back seat, reached for the evidence box, put on gloves, and took out the men’s backpack from the evidence bag. There was indeed a small zippered pocket at the front of the backpack, but the zipper pull had fallen off. Yan Xie reached in and rummaged around, and sure enough, he found a few small pieces of tin foil, each about the size of half a thumbnail, wedged in the crevices.
He looked at them skeptically, feeling that something wasn’t right.
These pieces of tin foil were noticeably harder in texture compared to the ones typically used for wrapping candy or chocolate. They seemed more like…
Blister packs!
The fragmented inspiration that had been appearing since morning finally connected, revealing a clue.
Yan Xie grabbed his phone and quickly dialed a number. “Hey, Er Gou? It’s Old Yan!”
“My name is…”
“Listen to me. Is there a type of medication that students take before exams, which can rapidly enhance their intelligence, guaranteeing a hundred percent pass rate, and has a similar effect to motion sickness medication and ecstasy? This could mislead the forensic report, making the medical examiner believe that the victim died of a drug overdose.”
Gou Li sneered, “Do you think we forensic examiners are that foolish? You might as well call me Er Gou.”
Yan Xie: “…”
“But what you said does exist. It’s a prescription medication that has recently been imported from abroad. It’s commonly known as the ‘brain Viagra.’ The main ingredient is amphetamine, with one less methyl group than methamphetamine. It’s a central nervous system stimulant that can speed up reaction time and improve executive functions. It’s said that many Ivy League high-achievers abroad have taken it. However, an overdose can cause hallucinatory effects, which are quite similar to the symptoms of the deceased.” Gou Li asked, “So, what’s going on? Do you suspect that the real cause of death was an overdose of amphetamine? That’s impossible. We detected hyoscine and MDMA at 1,600 times the normal dosage.”
“In that case,” Yan Xie said slowly, “what if… if the victim didn’t know what he was taking? He just wanted to buy amphetamine for studying, not expecting the seller to entice him into using drugs?”
Gou Li froze.
“—What’s the name of the ‘brain Viagra’ you mentioned?”
“Adderall,” Gou Li stuttered, “It’s called… it’s called that, Adde-rall!”
“Affluent family, good school, a student with a record of drug overdose; last two years in this city, and last four years in this province!”
“Individuals with a criminal record for illegally purchasing prescription drugs from abroad, with the opportunity to come into contact with ADHD patients and obtain a large quantity of Adderall. Cross-reference the list with drug abuse records and conduct a thorough investigation!”
With a command from Yan Xie, the large office of the Criminal Investigation Division turned into an ocean of case files.
In reality, solving a case is different from detective novels. Relying solely on crime scene clues is not enough. More time needs to be spent on extensive canvassing, interviews, and surveillance. The first 48 hours after a homicide are crucial for solving the case. If a major breakthrough is not found within two days and nights, the investigation process becomes much more difficult.
The hands of the clock on the white wall circled round and round, and the daylight gradually dimmed. The golden period of investigation had passed, and the steam from instant noodles mixed with cigarette smoke wafted under the lights.
When the first light of day broke, the office door was pushed open, and Qin Chuan rushed in with a case file, slapping it on Yan Xie’s face.
Yan Xie, maintaining a formal and composed posture amidst a pile of case files, was startled awake. He hastily caught the case file and asked, “What is it? Did you find something?”
“Hu Weisheng,” Qin Chuan snatched the case file back and quickly flipped it open, pointing at the suspect’s photo. “Smuggling and counterfeiting of prescription drugs such as Adderall, Ritalin, and Modafinil, with profits exceeding 50,000 yuan. He was released from prison six months ago. Last month, the Anti-Drug Division arrested a nineteen-year-old boy who had a drug addiction and had a public fit. It’s this guy’s landlord’s son!”
Yan Xie took out the surveillance image from Autumn Rain Store yesterday and compared it with the case file. “It’s a close match. What about Ma Xiang? Did he check the vehicles registered under Hu Weisheng’s name at the Traffic Police Bureau?”
Ma Xiang, with his vast network of contacts, contributed once again. At 4:30 in the morning, the Traffic Police Bureau sent a message confirming that Hu Weisheng had a second-hand white Toyota Camry registered under his name, matching the vehicle seen at the crime scene.
“That’s the guy.” Yan Xie tapped the desk with his knuckles and casually pointed at several sharp and capable young men from the Criminal Investigation Team. “Prepare for surveillance and bring Hu Weisheng back to me!”
The continuous two days of working overtime had left everyone breathless, especially individuals like Yan Xie and Qin Chuan, who hadn’t had a proper night’s sleep for two nights. Therefore, the order to apprehend the suspect caused the entire division to spring into action, leaving the field operations team half empty.
Yan Xie patted Qin Chuan’s shoulder and said, “You’ve worked hard, as have our brothers in the Anti-Drug Division…” Before he could finish his sentence, he choked. He saw Qin Chuan, who had been awake just ten seconds ago, with his face against the corner of the wall and his glasses askew on his nose, emitting a comfortable snoring sound in an innocent and unpretentious posture.
“… ” Yan Xie quietly walked back to his office.
It was already 5 o’clock in the morning, and the dark gray sky was slowly brightening. Since he couldn’t sleep anyway, Yan Xie decided to read Hu Weisheng’s case file word by word.
Hu Weisheng was a typical thief since childhood, stealing needles when he was young and progressing to stealing gold when he grew up. Starting from the age of sixteen, he had been caught multiple times for petty theft. As an adult, he had been imprisoned several times for stealing wallets, cellphones, and electric scooters. Several years ago in Gongzhou, he encountered a more serious incident and was sentenced to three years for attempted rape.
Yan Xie rubbed his stubbled chin and uttered a soft exclamation.
Hu Weisheng was a “street thief” who generally targeted personal belongings and had no records of burglary. From this perspective, his courage shouldn’t be significant, and the nature of his crimes was quite different from attempted rape. His sudden “crossing the line” seemed highly suspicious.
Yan Xie stared at the words “Gongzhou” on the case file and felt a strange sensation stir in the depths of his heart.
“Brother Yan,” Ma Xiang suddenly leaned in. “That top student is still being held at the bureau. It’s been almost 24 hours. Should we release him?”
Yan Xie raised his head. “What? He’s still being held?”
“The lab hasn’t been able to recover the surveillance footage yet, so there’s no one to release him temporarily. He slept in the interrogation room last night, and now he has a cold. He’s coughing while holding a tissue box.”
“Release him immediately. We don’t want him to complain to Chief Wei later. Oh, and tell him not to leave Jianning, maintain contact with the police at all times, and adhere to discipline.”
Ma Xiang made an OK gesture from afar. “No problem. The top student said he wouldn’t complain. We’ll quickly take him back to the lab.”
Yan Xie waved his hand, gesturing for Ma Xiang to leave and closing the door to his office.
With a light click, the office at 5 o’clock in the morning returned to silence, with only the switch in the bottom right corner of the computer screen quietly flashing a faint yellow light.
Yan Xie absentmindedly tapped the desk with his middle finger, lost in thought for a while. The vague sense of something amiss in his heart persisted.
It’s too smooth, he thought.
From tracking the license plate to finding the victim’s backpack, and now deducing the current suspect based on a very weak logical chain, although it had been two days and three nights, the process of investigation was too smooth. Some details seemed difficult to explain.
Why did this drug dealer mix prescription drugs and hallucinogens and happen to cause a fatal incident?
How is it possible that nothing happened before?
Did the formula really go wrong this time,
Or were the “accidents” in the past suppressed due to various reasons, and only this time the victim happened to die right in front of his eyes, making certain facts impossible to cover up?
Yan Xie turned on the computer, logged into the police internal network, pondered for a while, and then entered a string of database commands out of impulse. He opened the electronic backup of past case files and entered the case file number left by Hu Weisheng in Gongzhou.
The screen instantly changed, revealing a long-settled case of attempted r*pe in the dim light of early summer, unfolding slowly before Yan Xie’s eyes.
Liu Xue, eighteen years old, a well-known high school student in Gongzhou.
One afternoon before the final mock exam, this high school senior sneaked out of the school dormitory during lunch break and disappeared for the entire afternoon. The school authorities searched for her everywhere that evening but to no avail. The next day, her parents reported her missing, and this disappearance, which lasted less than twenty-four hours, caught the attention of the local police station and was subsequently handed over to the jurisdictional bureau.
The bureau’s Criminal Investigation Division took over the case.
The following evening, based on extensive canvassing, the detectives found Liu Xue unconscious in an illegal clinic.
According to the investigation, the suspect Hu Weisheng encountered Liu Xue, who was wandering outside due to exam stress, and harbored malicious intentions. He lured her into his car and drugged her. Unexpectedly, Liu Xue had an allergic reaction to the drugs, causing dizziness, vomiting, and unconsciousness. Fearing that her condition would implicate him if it turned fatal, Hu Weisheng hurriedly dumped her at the illegal clinic.
This case was classified as attempted rape. Liu Xue was discharged from the hospital after receiving treatment, and Hu Weisheng was sentenced to three years in prison.
Yan Xie looked at the case file for a long time without reacting—was it just that?
What was the allergen that affected the victim? What kind of drug was administered? Is it certain that drugging a woman automatically implies an intention to r*pe? If it was indeed an attempted r*pe, how could the perpetrator become so scared that he sent her to a clinic as soon as she lost consciousness?
From the filing of the case to its transfer in less than half a month, for such an obviously complex case, did none of the investigators raise any suspicions?
Yan Xie had been handling criminal cases for over ten years and had an extremely keen sense of detecting various details and doubts. This case file only deepened his skepticism, and he couldn’t help but flip to the last page to check the list of investigators and the signatures of the senior officials involved—his gaze froze.
The supervising leader at that time was named Jiang Ting.
A massive shadow emerged from the depths of his memory. In that instant, the figure that had appeared repeatedly in his dreams finally turned around and faced Yan Xie quietly.
This time, he wasn’t focused on a phone call, nor was he sparing even a fraction of his attention in the midst of his busyness. The daylight streamed through the window, outlining his elegant and refined features, and the naturally thin and slightly pursed lips that gave him a somewhat aloof look.
Lowering his gaze from the void, he cast a quiet and clear gaze.
“…”
Yan Xie’s throat seemed to be seized by an invisible hand, his breath trapped in his chest, and even his hands trembled slightly. By the time he realized what he was doing, he had already accessed the internal network database and retrieved the list of key leaders from the Gongzhou Public Security Bureau from three years ago.
Jiang Ting, Captain of the Gongzhou Second Anti-Drug Division, with a bold black frame accompanying his name, confirmed to have sacrificed three years ago.
Yan Xie’s mind exploded.
The person who had smiled at him just yesterday while sitting on a bench by the street was now in a dark blue uniform, with three four-cornered stars adorning his shoulders, his features sharp and distinct, coldly appearing on the computer screen.
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For every Ko-fi received for a perticular novel, I will release a new chapter!
looks like Jiang Ting can no longer fool our ml~