Chapter 238: Solving Cases is All About the Approach

Provincial Department Conference Room.

"I won't go in."

Ye Zhiyu reached the doorway and refused to step further inside no matter what.

He was the only non-staff member here; attending such a formal meeting was indeed somewhat inappropriate.

Besides, he didn't want to join the crowd either.

"Go on, go on."

The middle-aged police officer pushed him inside with one hand while making a "please enter" gesture with the other:

"Everyone knows you're a three-person team; how can we manage with one person missing?"

In the end, Ye Zhiyu was forcibly pushed into the conference room.

Once inside, Yu Dazhang was left somewhat dazed by the scene before him.

Several men in white shirts sat around the conference table.

The man seated at the head wore a black 001 police uniform, radiating authority without even raising his voice.

Is that Director Qi...? Yu Dazhang blinked in confusion.

The scene was simply too familiar.

On the other side of the conference table, he spotted Ding Feng and the other three provincial department experts.

They're back?

Yu Dazhang did the math on the dates.

It's been over half a month.

They probably couldn't track down the suspect's whereabouts in Songhai either; otherwise, this meeting wouldn't be happening.

After Yu Dazhang and the other two took their seats, the meeting began immediately.

It must be said, the S Province side was highly efficient; as soon as the meeting started, Ding Feng began the case briefing.

The top leader seated at the head didn't say a single word.

Instead, Ding Feng's report was somewhat wordy.

It sounded detailed at first glance, but in reality, he was just going around in circles.

All sorts of technical jargon that was actually useless.

Additionally, Yu Dazhang realized that the reason the provincial department leaders invited him to this meeting was to signal an attitude.

You are one of us; we are solving this case together.

Ding Feng clearly saw this too, so he held nothing back during his report and stated the investigation details truthfully.

When a person's ability is outstanding, they will be valued wherever they go.

Yu Dazhang was a prime example.

At first, no one on the S Province side took him seriously.

The result...

Their home was stolen.

Finally, the provincial department leaders reached a consensus.

If they didn't join forces on this case, who knew what else this fat man might do.

Just like now; while everyone appeared to be listening to Ding Feng's case report, the provincial department leaders were actually focused on Yu Dazhang.

In their eyes, this fat man was the key to solving the case.

If Ding Feng and the others had the ability to solve the case, it wouldn't have dragged on until today.

"That's the situation," Ding Feng said finally:

"We found the vehicle the suspect stole, but it had been cleaned; no traces were left behind."

Everyone in the conference room turned their gaze to the trace evidence expert, hoping to hear something different from him.

Unfortunately, that expert just helplessly shook his head and said nothing.

Yu Dazhang did not doubt the abilities of the provincial department experts.

Although the word "expert" had become a derogatory term at some point, within the system it still represented authority.

Especially in the field of criminal investigation, no one would joke about the word "expert."

Since there were no technical issues, the problem lay in the approach.

One was a sketch artist, the other a trace evidence expert; both were technical specialists.

Only Ding Feng was a criminal investigation expert.

If his line of thinking fell into a dead end and he couldn't get out, this case would be very difficult to solve.

And for a criminal investigation expert, the hardest part was changing their line of thinking.

Because thought patterns, like daily habits, are difficult to change in a short time.

If you don't believe me, try using your other hand to hold chopsticks while eating.

In Yu Dazhang's view, the current Ding Feng was being led around by the suspect's nose.

Thinking of this, his gaze toward Ding Feng carried a touch of pity and some sympathy. Old Ding isn't having an easy time either.

Look, his eye sockets are sunken deep.

If he can't solve the case soon, he'll probably go crazy too.

We're all in the same system; should I have Ye Zhiyu give him some psychological counseling?

"You're called Yu Dazhang, right?"

Suddenly, a voice spoke up:

"What is your opinion on this case?"

Yu Dazhang was worrying on Ding Feng's behalf when he suddenly heard someone call his name and immediately came back to himself.

He hurriedly looked up toward the direction of the voice.

The top leader sitting at the head of the table!

This case isn't even one my side is leading—what opinion could I possibly have… Yu Dazhang grumbled inwardly, but on the surface he still had to put on a show.

"Well, this…"

!

He stood up in a fluster, so nervous he didn't know where to put his hands.

Just looking at him, he was like a greenhorn who had never seen the world, meeting the legendary top leader in person.

Awe, timidity, reverent fear…

"I came here to learn," Yu Dazhang waved his hands repeatedly:

"No opinion, I don't have any opinion at all."

Looking completely harmless, it actually fit the identity of a rookie police officer quite well.

Although he seemed a bit pathetic, it was hard for anyone to take a dislike to him.

Don't make things hard for me, Fatty… Yu Dazhang was suddenly struck by a sense of danger.

The leader is about to pass the buck.

Ding Feng had only just finished his report, with not a single lead in sight.

And now you come ask me what I think?

If I really spoke up with an opinion, wouldn't that be slapping someone in the face in front of everyone?

You think I'm stupid… Yu Dazhang had already guessed the top leader's next move.

The moment he spoke his opinion, the leader would go with the flow and push the case onto him.

Yu Dazhang had even figured out the exact words.

"Well said! In that case, why don't you take the lead and give it a try."

By then it would be too late to refuse.

If this case landed on him and he couldn't crack it, the entire Songhai police force would lose face along with him.

Coming onto someone else's turf to handle a case, only to end up utterly humiliated.

Looking at it the other way, if the case were successfully solved, on someone else's turf it would become a joint investigation.

Chances were the main credit would still go to them.

Although one shouldn't fuss over such things in the interest of the case, timing still mattered.

Yu Dazhang was very clear: out on the road, he represented the Songhai police force.

"At your age I didn't have half as many tricks up my sleeve as you do."

The provincial bureau's top leader laughed in spite of himself:

"You've even figured out what I was thinking—no wonder you're someone who's earned two Personal First-Class Merit Medals."

After he finished speaking, all the white shirts turned their heads, looking at Yu Dazhang with half-smiles.

On their faces there was no surprise, no doubt—they clearly already knew Yu Dazhang's background.

Only the three provincial bureau experts, Ding Feng among them, showed looks of disbelief and shock.

They knew very well what a Personal First-Class Merit meant.

Let alone two of them.

So young, so fat—how did he manage it?

Investigating me across provinces… Yu Dazhang hadn't expected these provincial leaders to be paying attention to a small-town criminal cop like him.

And in such meticulous detail, no less.

Given that, there was no point in playing dumb any longer.

"I wouldn't call it an opinion—let me just share what I think are the points of doubt."

All his earlier nervousness and timidity vanished without a trace; Yu Dazhang sat back down and said calmly and composedly:

"First, let's start from the overall picture."

"From the first victim to now, this case has lasted a total of 94 days."

"That works out to about three months, during which nine victims were tortured into madness one after another."

"Has everyone noticed—the suspect seems to be in a great hurry."

(End of chapter)