Chapter 247: Analyzing a Case, How Did the Conversation Go Off Track?

At that age, how could it be?

Captain Xu had previously cooperated with Yu Dazhang on cases purely to earn a reputation for joint investigations.

The leadership had instructed him to do exactly that.

When he first met Yu Dazhang, he could tell at a glance that this was a rookie cop.

The age gave it away — clearly someone who had just joined the force not long ago.

To be honest, he had never looked down on the guy more.

Twenty years on the force, Captain Xu had seen every kind of person there was — what could a rookie who barely joined possibly bring to the table?

If not for the leadership's instructions, he wouldn't have deigned to mix with such a greenhorn.

But after a few days of contact, Captain Xu realized he had apparently underestimated the guy.

Whatever this fatty did, his sense of purpose was razor-sharp.

Not a hint of dragging his feet, and never hesitating because of outside factors.

It had been years since he'd run into a criminal investigator like this.

One so young — he'd never even heard of such a thing.

Until today's meeting ended, when he learned yet another piece of shocking news.

Two individual first-class merits!

That kind of honor can't be earned on the strength of connections alone.

Without real ability, don't even think about it.

At the same time, he knew that any case earning an individual first-class merit carried a confidentiality classification.

At his level, at the very least, he had no access to it.

So today, when Yu Dazhang came to him about the computer matter, he practically jogged the whole way to get it done.

But the moment Yu Dazhang stood behind him just now, he realized he had still underestimated this fatty.

At such an age, and already with a life on his hands!

Some things can't be faked.

Captain Xu was certain he would never misjudge that.

Even after Yu Dazhang sat back down, his gaze still hadn't pulled away.

It wasn't just him — every officer in the room was staring at Yu Dazhang like he was some kind of freak.

"What are you all looking at me for?"

Yu Dazhang tapped the table twice:

"Look at the files. If you have questions, raise them after you've read through."

At his words, everyone came back to their senses and turned their attention to the documents on the table.

The meeting room fell silent, with only the rustle of turning pages.

More people, more gets done.

Yu Dazhang watched their earnest, serious faces and felt quite satisfied.

If he'd had to lead people on house-by-house visits himself, it would've taken at least another week.

A qualified leader keeps his subordinates in a constant state of work.

Someone who insists on doing everything himself can never be a leader.

That's a born beast of burden.

Barely two minutes had passed before Yu Dazhang noticed someone starting to scratch his head, hand drifting toward his pocket almost on its own.

But seeming to have some reservations, in the end he pulled nothing out.

"If you want a smoke, go ahead — don't mind me."

Yu Dazhang said, pulling a pack of Hua Zi from his pocket and sliding it forward, where it came to a stop right in front of Captain Xu.

Captain Xu took the hint immediately, picked it up, and passed it around to everyone.

In no time at all, the room was wreathed in smoke.

A bunch of criminal investigators in a meeting — banning smoking would be downright inhumane.

Especially when analyzing a case, almost no one lets go of their cigarette.

Sure enough, before one cigarette was finished, someone raised a question.

"These people who were wrongfully convicted went to prison years ago. In reality, they have no direct connection to the current serial finger-chopping case."

One of the officers looked at Yu Dazhang:

"What I want to ask is — what aspect of the situation are we investigating them for?"

State the facts first, then raise the objection…

That's the correct way for criminal investigators to communicate.

This kind of communication makes it easier to understand and resolve problems. Yu Dazhang didn't rush to answer, but instead swept his gaze around the room.

Seeing that everyone had looked up at him, Yu Dazhang then answered:

"Through these wrongfully convicted people, we investigate the pasts of the victims in the finger-chopping case."

"Earlier, because of time constraints, I didn't dig deep into the connections between them."

"Now that all nine victims have gone mad, if we want to understand their pasts, these wrongfully convicted people are a very good entry point."

Hearing this, everyone nodded, then fell into thought once more.

The "pasts" Yu Dazhang spoke of were not the résumés of the nine victims in the finger-chopping case.

Everything on the surface, shown for all to see, was nothing but a façade.

A few years later, someone online would sum up this kind of situation with a phrase: "building a persona."

No need to spell it out so explicitly.

Anyone who's been a criminal investigator knows that once an investigation is involved, it means digging into things people don't know about.

!

Or rather, the people and events that have been deliberately concealed and covered up.

The pack of Huazi cigarettes Yu Dazhang had tossed on the table was soon reduced to an empty box.

Cigarettes of various brands were also tossed onto the table by the crowd.

A police officer, smoking as he spoke, asked:

"This wronged man of mine has already served fifteen years in prison—can he still recall the details from back then?"

"That depends on how you ask." Yu Dazhang looked at him and said:

"Every question you ask is a reminder signal. Things that wouldn't have been remembered might just be recalled because of your question."

It seemed the others had similar doubts; they all wore expressions of wanting to speak but holding back.

If I don't give you folks something solid, you won't be satisfied... Yu Dazhang turned his head to look at Ye Zhiyu, who was sitting off to one side, and gave him a wink.

The meaning was obvious: Take him on.

Ye Zhiyu understood, gave a slight nod, then turned to the officer who had just asked the question and said:

"Please answer me one question."

That officer's attention was immediately drawn over:

"Go ahead, ask away."

"What was the name of your elementary school homeroom teacher?" Ye Zhiyu asked with a smile.

His voice wasn't loud, but it was enough for everyone present to hear clearly.

That officer clearly hadn't expected such a question from the other side, and for a moment was actually stumped.

He was in his early thirties, nearly twenty years since graduating elementary school—asking him to recall the name of his homeroom teacher was indeed a bit unfair.

"I..."

He opened his mouth, tried to struggle for a moment, and could only sigh helplessly in the end:

"I've forgotten."

Although he couldn't answer, no one in the room laughed at him.

Because if that question fell on any of them, the result would be the same.

Let alone the elementary school homeroom teacher—even for middle school, the vast majority of people have completely forgotten.

"Next question."

Ye Zhiyu didn't give him a chance to keep reminiscing, and immediately asked again:

"When you were in elementary school, were your parents ever called in?"

This time, that officer actually gave an answer very quickly:

"Once. I remember it was in fifth grade."

"My dad went to the school that time, and when he got back he nearly beat me to death. The way he swung that belt, he almost striped me into a zebra."

Perhaps the impression was too deep, he actually shivered.

The people in the conference room nearly burst out laughing at his answer, and cast sympathetic glances his way one after another.

Wonder if the belt was a Seven Wolves brand... Yu Dazhang also could hardly hold back a laugh.

"Was it your homeroom teacher who received your dad that time?" Ye Zhiyu pressed.

"It was her." That officer's eyes suddenly lit up:

"I remember now. My homeroom teacher was a middle-aged woman, and she said plenty of bad things about me back then."

Ye Zhiyu didn't dwell on this topic, but shifted the conversation:

"What were your parents called in for back then, or rather, what did you do wrong?"

"Well, that..." That officer hesitated—clearly he had remembered, but was too embarrassed to say it out loud.

In an instant, everyone's gaze focused on him.

That officer was stared at until he was uncomfortable all over, and in the end had no choice but to brace himself and say:

"During recess I hugged a female classmate and kissed her a couple of times, and she reported me to the homeroom teacher."

"You..." Ye Zhiyu had already thought up his next question, but hearing this, he couldn't help widening his eyes:

"Elaborate."

(End of chapter)