[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-chasing-the-criminal-case":3,"chapter-chasing-the-criminal-case-chasing-the-criminal-case-chapter-8":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Chasing the Criminal Case",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2328776,4554,"Chapter 8","chasing-the-criminal-case-chapter-8",8,"\u003Cp>\"What?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Is that true?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The person who turned himself in is definitely Shu Jiaqing?\" Gu Changzheng asked calmly, amid the crowd’s expressions of joy and shock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Yan nodded firmly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Good, got it!\" Gu Changzheng felt no particular thrill inside—none of the excitement he’d imagined upon capturing a suspect—but that didn’t stop him from being swept along by the crowd as they headed to the reporting hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When they reached the hall, everyone stood dumbfounded, mouths agape.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Five or six auxiliary police officers were pinning down a burly man—some holding his arms, others gripping his legs or choking his neck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Changzheng laughed bitterly and waved his hand: \"Enough! Handcuff him first!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At 5 p.m. on the 22nd, in the interrogation room of Jiangdong Branch, Shu Jiaqing, handcuffed, huddled in the interrogation chair, hunched over, head bowed, chin nearly touching his chest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Changzheng pushed open the door and entered; Luo Fei, the officer assigned to take notes, stood and whispered: \"Captain Gu.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Changzheng nodded, gestured for him to sit, then took his seat at the main interrogation position and cleared his throat lightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Opposite him, Shu Jiaqing’s shoulders twitched slightly; the handcuffs clinked faintly. Gu Changzheng knew this was the instinctive gesture of a convict trying to place his hands on his knees.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Name?\" Luo Fei began the formal interrogation of Shu Jiaqing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After asking several basic questions, Gu Changzheng cleared his throat again. Luo Fei understood his boss was about to take over and fell silent. Gu Changzheng said: \"Shu San’er, how did you kill Ge Manli?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shu Jiaqing lifted his head, face filled with panic: \"I didn’t kill anyone. I never even saw her!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Still trying to lie? Do you think turning yourself in and spinning some lies will fool us? Would we have issued a warrant without solid evidence?\" Gu Changzheng barked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shu Jiaqing shrank his neck, seemingly intimidated by Gu Changzheng’s aura, and lowered his head again. Only after Gu finished speaking did he raise his head and utter a bizarre remark: \"If I had killed someone, I wouldn’t have turned myself in.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Changzheng stared into his eyes like a hawk, missing no micro-expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Gu Changzheng narrowed his eyes and said: \"On June 21 at 3:40 p.m., you disguised yourself as a technician from Gongmao Home Appliances and entered the Fenglin Garden community where Ge Manli lived, correct?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shu Jiaqing nodded. Gu Changzheng continued: \"At 4:15 p.m., the community surveillance captured you leaving Fenglin Garden, fleeing west along Qingjiang Road. After passing the intersection with Mingjing Alley, you exploited a blind spot in the cameras, quickly changed clothes, and rode away on a pre-stashed electric scooter, returning to your rental under a different appearance—correct?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shu Jiaqing froze in shock, his eyes darting nervously: \"If you already know all this, then you should know she wasn’t killed by me! I just wanted to sneak in and steal something valuable while no one was home—who knew I’d stumble into this misfortune?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hmph! We’ve not only tracked your movements that day—we’ve also identified the items you left at the victim’s home! You know the policy. Since you’ve recognized your crime and turned yourself in, why hide the truth?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shu Jiaqing suddenly jerked upright with a \"Huo!\"—the movement tugged his leg irons, making them jingle. \"The government can’t frame me! I’m just a thief—I wouldn’t even dare rob anyone, let alone kill! Please, don’t accuse me of murder! I’ll talk—I’ll confess!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Changzheng leaned back, pulled a \"Lao Baitiao\" cigarette from the pack, and signaled Luo Fei to give it to Shu Jiaqing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He himself leaned toward the belief that Shu Jiaqing wasn’t the killer. In his view, someone with Shu’s background simply couldn’t pull off such a crime—or even conceive of such detail. The crime scene of Ge Manli’s murder was far beyond Shu Jiaqing’s capability to stage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, that remark—\"If I had killed someone, I wouldn’t have turned myself in\"—struck him as genuine. A petty thief like Shu, if he’d truly committed murder, would flee as far as possible immediately. His psychological makeup couldn’t handle staying near the scene, let alone outwitting police. He believed the police wouldn’t find him because he thought he’d left no trace—never imagining they’d track him down so fast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Shu Jiaqing willing to talk, Gu Changzheng rewarded him with a cigarette—a psychological cue that cooperation would bring benefits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for Shu Jiaqing, after taking a drag, he calmed down and began recounting what happened at Ge Manli’s house on the afternoon of the 21st.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’ve known this couple for a long time. I knew they were rich and waited for an opportunity to strike. After learning their address and daily routines, I planned to break in during the day when no one was home. On the morning of the 21st, I heard their husband had gone on a long trip and wouldn’t return anytime soon—I decided to act that day.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"How did you know Ren Jia was on a business trip on the 21st?\" Gu Changzheng asked suddenly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"For several days before, I’d been lurking across from their community at the noodle shop. I noticed the woman often ate breakfast there. On the morning of the 21st, I clearly remembered her going in again. The shop owner’s wife, seeing she was alone, casually asked: 'Teacher Ge, why isn’t Boss Ren with you today?' She replied her husband had gone on a business trip to Yiling. That’s when I decided to strike.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Continue,\" Gu Changzheng said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I planned to break in through the lock. I noticed the weather was hot, and every afternoon, the security guards hid in their booth, cooling off with air conditioning—no patrols. Most residents either stayed indoors or were at work. The community was nearly empty at that time.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’d already decided to disguise myself as a home appliance technician. I stole a Gongmao Home Appliances uniform from somewhere else and got a canvas shoulder bag. I knew the community and streets had surveillance, but as a petty thief like me, you wouldn’t investigate thoroughly. Besides, the cameras couldn’t capture my face. So I dressed like that and entered the woman’s house on the afternoon of the 21st.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Once inside, I thought no one was home—but then I realized something was wrong. Two white high heels were tossed on the living room floor. I recognized them immediately—they were the ones she’d worn that morning. Further ahead, I saw her dress discarded beside the bathroom door!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You remember these details awfully well!\" Luo Fei couldn’t help sneering. He’d noticed that, given Shu Jiaqing’s precise knowledge of Ge Manli’s daily attire, how could he not know her name? Yet throughout his account, he referred to her only as \"that woman,\" clearly avoiding her name. Psychologically, he wasn’t just shy in her presence—he harbored deep resentment. But clearly, it was the former. This also explained why he’d done that act with her underwear: beyond his fetish, his inability to face Ge Manli directly was a major factor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shu Jiaqing’s expression flickered slightly. He continued: \"I’d been casing the area for days. Naturally, I noticed these things.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Luo Fei smiled. Gu Changzheng snapped: \"Stop the nonsense. Keep going.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shu Jiaqing lowered his head and muttered \"Mm,\" then continued: \"I saw she was home and wanted to leave immediately. You know—I’m just a thief. I’d never break in if someone was inside. I was about to go, about to go...\" Here he suddenly fell silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What? You did it but won’t admit it? What do you think we don’t know? Shape up your attitude!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Changzheng knew exactly what he was hesitating over. He barked sharply. Shu Jiaqing flinched and nodded frantically: \"I’ll talk—I’ll talk!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He swallowed hard: \"I was leaving—but then I saw her bra lying outside. I, I couldn’t help myself—I, I just... touched it for a while...\" His voice grew quieter, as if deeply embarrassed. But Luo Fei sensed a strange excitement beneath it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Pervert!\" Gu Changzheng spat contemptuously. \"Then what? How long did that take?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Changzheng knew—according to the forensic estimate—this was precisely the moment Ge Manli died.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Five minutes, maybe. Fast, very fast!\" Shu Jiaqing stammered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Enough! We don’t need details about that!\" Gu Changzheng roared. The words struck Shu Jiaqing like a bolt of lightning. He paused, then said: \"After I finished, I was about to leave—when suddenly, a thud came from inside! I jumped. Then the main bedroom door beside the bathroom flew open—and a dark shadow flashed past and vanished!\"\u003C\u002Fp>",1420,"2026-06-20T19:35:30.807Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","9c0a6d24232a66efae912be096479ecbc1f2ca5bea164f805a63600e8abde8c9","chasing-the-criminal-case-chapter-9","chasing-the-criminal-case-chapter-7",276,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fchasing-the-criminal-case-cover.jpg"]