Chapter 39: Has Our Team Changed This Much?

Vehicle Management Office, abbreviated: Vehicle Office.

Lu Zhongxin and another team member were here checking vehicle information.

Why not check with the traffic police department?

Because each department holds different data.

The traffic police department only has basic vehicle information, such as owner, brand, model, and usage type.

For ordinary people handling daily matters, visiting the traffic police unit is sufficient.

Consulting the Vehicle Office requires more complex procedures, but yields the most accurate and comprehensive vehicle data.

As a criminal investigator, Lu Zhongxin could naturally bypass the query procedures.

Departments cooperate with each other.

As he focused intently on the screen, his phone suddenly rang.

He didn’t even look at the caller ID—he just pressed answer.

“Hello, this is Lu Zhongxin.”

“It’s Li Jun. Where are you?”

“Commandant Li, I’m at the Vehicle Office checking vehicle records.”

“I’m coming to get you.”

“Say it over the phone. If it’s something that needs face-to-face discussion, I should be the one coming to you.”

He’s actually thinking of me… Li Jun on the other end briefly thought he’d dialed the wrong number.

If a phone call could solve this, I wouldn’t have been scolded by the director today.

Could he have forgotten how I embarrassed him last time?

Very likely!

“Stop flattery. Wait there for me.”

He’s such a stubborn mule… Precisely because Li Jun knew this, he insisted on meeting Lu Zhongxin in person.

Only by speaking face-to-face could he possibly make this stubborn mule yield.

Fifteen minutes later.

Li Jun found Lu Zhongxin in an office.

“Old Lu, put your current work aside, grab the case file and come with me.”

He tried again to command Lu Zhongxin using his position as team commander.

“Where to?”

Lu Zhongxin turned his head toward Li Jun but didn’t move his body; his hand remained on the mouse, showing no sign of standing up.

Actually, Li Jun’s words carried technical intent.

He didn’t ask to see the case file—he only told Lu Zhongxin to bring it.

This time, you don’t even need to refuse. As long as you follow me, the file’s already in your hands.

Someone will ask for it later. If you’ve got the guts, hold out to the end.

Without some skill in managing people, you couldn’t sit in the commander’s chair.

Li Jun believed Lu Zhongxin was someone who knew when to advance and when to retreat—stubborn for the sake of the case, but he’d still bow when necessary.

There’s a saying… Xixi Wu Zhe Wei Junjie~

Let me give you a little shock.

“Big Cat sent me to find you,” Li Jun said gravely.

A jolt! Lu Zhongxin’s scalp went numb.

He dared refuse Li Jun for work’s sake because they were in the same team; solving cases well brought glory to everyone.

The commander would understand, and Lu Zhongxin also knew one thing… Li Jun protected his own, never once made anyone’s life harder.

“Is the boss wanting to see the case file?”

He still wanted to confirm.

Though a top leader’s order is unquestionable, if it violates principle, then it’s another matter…

Li Jun instantly saw Lu Zhongxin was about to push back, and said:

“Old Lu, are you going crazy?! Big Cat wants you, and you’re still questioning it? Is one case really that hypnotic?!”

Seeing the commander angry, Lu Zhongxin immediately fell silent—he could tell Li Jun was looking out for him.

You force me to lose my temper… Seeing the stubborn mule finally yield, Li Jun’s tone softened:

“Let’s go. Ride with me.”

“Wait a moment.” Lu Zhongxin pulled out his phone: “I need to ask.”

“No need to ask the team leader,” Li Jun said confidently. “I’ll tell him later.”

“Not him,” Lu Zhongxin didn’t look up, his fingers swiftly swiping across the screen.

Li Jun: ???

Not asking the team leader…

Then who else could he be asking?

Who’s really leading this case? Does he have a superior?

This stubborn mule dares to ignore even his own team commander—and now he’s seeking approval from someone?!

Has a sixth man appeared in the team?

Impossible. Even if someone from above was sent down, I’d know—Director Liu as the top leader would have notified me. Under Li Jun’s bewildered stare, Lu Zhongxin placed the phone to his ear:

“Da Zhang, the boss wants to see the case file—what do you think?”

“Mm, understood.”

“I get it, yes yes.”

After ending the call, Lu Zhongxin told Li Jun:

“The case file’s in the car downstairs. Let’s go.”

Li Jun blinked twice:

“Wait a second—who did you just call?”

“Our special task force,” Lu Zhongxin didn’t expect the commander to be so curious; since he asked, he answered honestly:

“Full name: Yu Dazhang. A new recruit, just joined. My apprentice.”

When he said “my apprentice,” Lu Zhongxin unconsciously straightened his chest.

The proud, delighted look was like his own child had just gotten into Tsinghua or Peking University.

Please... Col...lect 6...9...Shu....Ba....!

A new recruit? Li Jun was even more confused.

You’re a veteran detective, deputy head of the special task force—and you report to a new recruit before acting?

From the tone, if that new recruit said no, even the director couldn’t see the case file today.

How bizarre~

The master listens to the apprentice…

Has our team changed this much?

A brand-new recruit apprentice leads his master on a case.

I can’t adapt!

Twenty minutes later, the director’s office.

“Director Wu, here’s the case file.”

Lu Zhongxin placed the file on the director’s desk.

“Sit down, both of you. Let me review the case details first.”

Li Jun quickly pulled on Lu Zhongxin, who was staring at the director, signaling him to sit.

He noticed Lu Zhongxin’s gaze was odd—like he was watching a thief.

Was he just nervous?

No—he was staring at the case file!

His apprentice must have told him something—probably… accompany him, and never let the file out of sight.

Director Wu didn’t notice their odd behavior—he was fully focused on the file.

The first page contained basic case information.

It mainly recorded the time and location of the incident, plus the victim’s and informant’s personal details.

When he turned to the second page, he froze.

The content seemed to have magic, locking his gaze in place.

The suspect was taking the blame for someone else?

Deliberately setting a trap for police, luring interrogators into a scheme to achieve his cover-up goal.

How was this discovered?

He turned the page again…

The rented apartment wasn’t the primary crime scene!

No victim’s footprints. No signs of struggle.

Used activated carbon’s strong adsorption properties to preserve the body and delay the time of death.

Turn the page again…

Use the new clue to expose the suspect’s lies, thereby proving he was not the real killer.

Locate the local police station and learn the detailed circumstances of the victim’s disappearance on the day he vanished, through the prior missing persons case.

And deduce the true original crime scene from the surveillance footage.

Turn the page again…

Confirm that the victim’s room was the murder site; the forensic technician compares and reconstructs the scene.

At this point, Director Wu felt his head buzzing.

A suffocating sensation made it hard for him to breathe, and his heartbeat accelerated sharply.

He hadn’t paid much attention to this case because everyone knew it was just a simple, logical murder.

He also knew some departments had slipped qualified candidates for promotion into the special task force.

Just gold-plating—understandable.

But the current situation…

This is clearly a trial by heavenly tribulation!

Does the special task force have someone this capable?

Someone who could investigate such a complex case to this extent?

No, should I say—does the entire branch have someone like this?

Even experts from the provincial bureau wouldn’t be able to resolve this case to this degree in such a short time.

Who the hell is this?!!

Switch your brain—writing cases nonstop makes your hair fall out.

If you have tickets, please cast them; I’ll take one first—bang, bang, bang~

Seems I’ve taken too many~~

(End of Chapter)