Chapter 432: Qinna Technique

"Impressive, truly worthy of the repeatedly case‑cracking Xu Team; the reputation is well deserved," Lao Zhou said with a self‑deprecating smile.

"I stole the gun; I really hoped to use this case to become a regular officer… I'm getting older, my memory is worsening, passing the exam to become regular is hopeless, so I had to resort to this scheme."

"Originally I planned to let this case ferment for another two or three days, then pull out the hidden gun and claim credit, but Chief Gao summoned you to help solve it and even ordered that no one could leave the police station until the case was cleared. I sensed it would be exposed then, yet I didn't expect you to trace it back to me so quickly."

Speaking of it, Lao Zhou felt extremely unlucky.

According to his original plan, after a few days of fermentation he would retrieve the pre‑hidden gun, hand it in, fabricate a story about finding the gun himself, earn a major merit, and use that merit to become a regular officer outright.

Unexpectedly, a Cheng Yaojin appeared midway—Xu Mo arrived.

After extensive investigation, they soon clarified the case, suspicion fell on him, and purely by reasoning they reconstructed everything.

Because the incident was still fresh, Chief Gao summoned Han Fei and Xu Mo to assist, and ordered that no one could leave the police station until the case was solved. This prevented him from moving the gun; the stolen gun remains inside the station, and even bears his fingerprints, which he hasn't yet had a chance to erase.

That's why Lao Zhou is now voluntarily confessing.

He never got a chance to move that gun; Xu Mo has already deduced everything, and as long as the gun stays in the station, Xu Mo will eventually locate it, and the fingerprints on it will still incriminate him.

Rather than being caught later with both person and evidence, it's better to come clean now; perhaps it can still count as a voluntary confession.

"Why did you only steal Hao Qi's gun? Weren't there four people on the mission? Why didn't you target the others?" Even though the case was solved, Xu Mo still had some doubts.

Speaking of it, a trace of guilt appeared on Lao Zhou's face.

"He's a good guy, well liked in the station, and I get along with him. Among those four officers, Hao Qi is the one I know best; stealing his gun is the least likely to be discovered. Even if he notices I took his gun, I could just say, 'I wanted to touch the gun,' and smooth it over."

Xu Mo couldn't help but think: What the hell is this nonsense? Should a good person be pointed at with a gun?!

"Where's the gun?" Not lingering on that question, Xu Mo asked again.

Lao Zhou, somewhat listless, answered weakly, "In the male restroom, the third stall from the left, inside the water tank; I sealed it in a disposable bag."

Xu Mo called Wang Dachuan, ordering him to check the male restroom for the gun.

In no time, Wang Dachuan returned to the interrogation room, still holding a disposable sealed bag that was dripping; inside was a black police handgun—the sidearm Hao Qi had lost.

"Team Leader Xu, Team Leader Han, found it," Wang Dachuan placed the sealed bag on the table.

Han Fei looked at Lao Zhou seated in the interrogation chair and sighed.

"What was the point of this? You ruined your own future and also made Hao Qi share the misfortune."

"Why?" Lao Zhou chuckled coldly: "You're the Criminal Investigation Team Leader, not an auxiliary officer; everyone respects you, so of course you think my actions unnecessary."

"I've been at the police station for nearly ten years; how many officers have seniority over me? Clearly I'm the experienced one, yet why am I always the one doing the grunt work for them?"

"I damn well don't even have enforcement authority; when I go on a mission I have to follow a regular officer. I can only assist, and as an old man I don't even have decision‑making power. Everything relies on the regular officers… even the trainee officers outrank me!"

"When we go on a mission, as soon as they hear I'm an auxiliary officer they give me no respect… So what was the point for me?"

"Your reasoning makes sense," Han Fei said, looking at Lao Zhou. "But what I want to say is, I didn't start out as the Criminal Investigation Team Leader; I passed the exam, became an officer, and worked my way up. I earned this position by merit, not by any improper means."

Han Fei recalled an old saying: The pitied have something hateful about them.

Failing to become regular is a matter of one's own ability; resorting to crooked ways is wrong.

……

"Was it Lao Zhou who did it?"

"Yeah, the gun was found, and he confessed."

"Sigh…"

After learning from Han Fei and Xu Mo that the gun thief was auxiliary officer Lao Zhou, Chief Gao couldn't help but sigh.

Lao Zhou is also an elder; a colleague he had worked with day in and day out for nearly ten years committing such an act pained Chief Gao, who for a moment found it hard to accept.

Yet the truth is exactly that.

Lao Zhou openly confessed his crime, and the missing sidearm was located in the male restroom water tank under his guidance, with Lao Zhou's fingerprints on it—conclusive evidence.

Chief Gao steadied himself and said to the two.

"Thank you both for your help; without you this case couldn't have been wrapped up so quickly… Are you free tonight? After work I'll treat you to a meal as thanks. If you ever need assistance in the future, just come to me; I'll definitely help!"

The two exchanged glances and finally nodded.

Since Chief Gao has already spoken, making excuses would only show their lack of courtesy.

The case's resolution spread quickly through the police station.

Officers were discussing the matter.

"Truly divine! No wonder it's Team Leader Xu; this case was solved in less than a day!"

"They say any case handled by Team Leader Xu or Team Leader Han gets solved within a day; I didn't believe it, but now I do—truly a detective god!"

"I didn't expect the gun thief to be Lao Zhou; I thought he wasn't that kind of person—such a warm‑hearted guy. How could he… do this?"

"Who hasn't? I also didn't expect Lao Zhou could do something like this."

"They say he was desperate to become regular; I'd say so too—Lao Zhou has been at the station for at least ten years, and after that long still not regular, he must have been anxious."

"But that doesn't excuse it; Hao Qi is also unlucky—his promising career was ruined like that."

"…"

"You successfully captured the criminal and earned a reward—Qinna Technique!"