Chapter 40: Organized Crime?

Seeing Director Wu staring at the document with a look of utter bewilderment, Li Jun could not help but stand up and lean over to take a look.

*Technical department conducts a survey of the new crime scene...*

As he read that line, his expression became just as dramatic as the Director’s.

They had changed the crime scene?

Suppressing the urge to snatch the case file, Li Jun said softly, "Director Wu, that file, I would also like to..."

"Director Wu?"

"Director Wu!"

As his volume grew, the Director finally snapped back to reality. "What did you say?"

"The case file." Li Jun gestured toward the document on the desk, his curiosity intensifying. "Let me see it, too."

Without a word, Director Wu pushed the file forward. Li Jun grabbed it immediately and flipped back to the first page.

Ten minutes later, the room was deathly silent. One could even hear the breathing of the three men. The muscles in Li Jun's face had stiffened to the point of immobility.

"This, this is impossible!" Unable to accept the facts before him, he kept muttering, "How could this be? It was supposed to be such a simple case. How could it possibly..."

He was a veteran criminal investigator who had handled many cases, but this was the first time he had ever seen one this complex. It wasn't that the case posed a massive threat to society, but rather that the level of difficulty was off the charts. If he were being honest with himself, if he had been in charge of this murder investigation, he would have likely fallen straight into the trap set by the suspect. Even now, with the suspect exposed, he couldn't help but feel a lingering sense of fear. If he had messed this up, he, as the detachment captain, would have been held jointly responsible.

At the same time, he realized something else: there was a genius in the special task force! And it was someone he didn't recognize. He was confident he knew everyone who had been on the force for a long time—he could name them and understood their capabilities. None of them, including himself, possessed this kind of skill.

*Who is it?!!*

Li Jun couldn't help but look at Lu Zhongxin, who was standing beside him. He must know the answer!

Before Li Jun could even open his mouth, Director Wu had already turned his gaze toward Lu Zhongxin. "Old Lu, we’ve worked together a few times, so we’re acquaintances. I have a fair understanding of your capabilities. Tell me, how did this case reach its current stage?"

This was a leader for you. He had both the poise and the emotional intelligence. He asked what he wanted to know while still preserving his subordinate's dignity. What seemed like a simple question actually held a deeper meaning. To translate it into plain, blunt language:

"Old Lu, we’re old friends, so stop beating around the bush. You know exactly what you’re capable of, so why don't you just tell me who actually solved this?"

That would have been clear and concise, but it would have been harsh. *Look through, but don't speak through, and you can stay friends.*

Lu Zhongxin naturally understood. He had never intended to take credit for this anyway—it hadn't even crossed his mind.

Since the boss had asked, he answered without hesitation: "The one leading the investigation is Yu Dazhang, a rookie assigned to us this year. He was the one who first proposed that the suspect was hiding in the small inn."

"All the clues mentioned in the file were discovered during his investigation."

"You could say that he has been the one driving the entire process of this case."

"Also, he is my apprentice."

There was nothing to be ashamed of admitting, and Lu Zhongxin was quite calm about it. If you went to anyone in the task force and asked, would they have any complaints? His apprentice had risen to the top on merit, and they were happy to cooperate. *Discontent? If you’re not convinced, you try doing it!*

"You mean..." Director Wu weighed his words, "You were led by a rookie, and that rookie named Yu Dazhang led you all to the point where the case stands now?"

Lu Zhongxin nodded firmly and replied solemnly, "Yes."

Director Wu fell silent. Li Jun sat with his mouth agape, not knowing what to say.

This was becoming problematic. According to protocol, when a case takes a major turn that exceeds the capabilities of the current task force, the best course of action is to stop the investigation immediately and have higher-ups dispatch a new, specialized team to take over.

But the current situation was special. Someone in the task force possessed the ability to solve the case, but his status... he was a probationary officer who had just arrived. Wasn't that a bit too reckless? If he solved it, great, everyone wins. But if the leads went cold, it would become a laughingstock.

*Hongkou Branch lets a green-as-grass trainee lead a special task force in a murder investigation, and ends up turning it into a cold case.*

Who could bear that?

Thinking of this, Li Jun gritted his teeth and said to Director Wu, "Perhaps we should stop."

If the task force continued, it would be like gambling. The case obviously needed to be solved, but it had to be done within the rules.

"Stopping is easy," Director Wu stared at Li Jun, his eyes sharp. "Tell me, who else in this bureau could take over this case?"

That was the real problem! Hand it over to the higher-ups? That would be even more humiliating. Reorganize the task force and have others in the bureau take over? Li Jun didn't even need to think about it. Looking around the entire branch, there was no one—not a single person—with the capability to handle this. It wasn't that he looked down on his colleagues; he was just too familiar with them. Besides, if there were anyone truly outstanding, the branch wouldn't be able to keep them; they would have been transferred by the higher-ups long ago.

"But... then... maybe..." Li Jun began to stutter, using only vague, connective phrases and hints without saying anything substantial.

There was no helping it; the responsibility was too heavy for a detachment captain like him to carry. He could only offer suggestions without being too blunt. If the Director were to suddenly say, "Fine, do as you suggest," he would be in deep trouble. He had already made up his mind: even if this was a gamble, he wasn't going to be the one placing the bet.

Director Wu was not a man to be trifled with; he saw through Li Jun's intentions at a glance.

"Keep an eye on it," Director Wu said, looking at Li Jun. "If the task force needs anything, provide them with as much support as possible. You must crack this case. As for the deadline..."

Director Wu paused, seemingly uncertain. Finally, he gave a wave of his hand. "Forget it. Don't put too much pressure on him. It’s already asking a lot for him to be dealing with a case like this for his first time."

Both Li Jun and Lu Zhongxin understood that "he" referred to Yu Dazhang. They nodded quickly, though they didn't say anything, they were thinking the same thing: *The Big Cat is still the Big Cat; he’s got guts.* Not only was he willing to bet, but he was placing a heavy stake!

***

At that moment, Yu Dazhang was reviewing the freshly printed crime scene report.

"Besides the three victims in the Zhang Yan family, we extracted footprints from two other people," Qian Cheng said, pointing out the key detail.

*Two people?*

This result exceeded Yu Dazhang’s expectations. Adding in Kong Lingjie, who was already in custody, the number of suspects in this case had increased to three.

*A gang crime?* That didn't seem right. Kong Lingjie's role was to be a scapegoat, which still fit the logic. But the idea of two killers at the scene was something Yu Dazhang couldn't grasp. Zhang Yan was a nineteen-year-old girl; did they really need two people to kill her?

Moreover, the strangulation marks on her neck had already been analyzed, and they were the work of one person. Even if the other person had helped hold down her feet, given the intensity of her struggle, there would have been bruises or marks on her ankles. But the truth was, Zhang Yan had no marks on her body other than the strangulation. The wavy folds at the foot of the bed also indirectly proved that no one had been helping to hold her down while she struggled.

It was truly bizarre. What was that extra person doing at the scene? Standing on the sidelines to watch?

Even Yu Dazhang felt the absurdity of it. They hadn't found the killer, but they had found a bystander—a spectator who had watched the murder take place at the crime scene!

*Who was it?!!*