[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-reborn-in-2014-i-am-the-king-of-criminal-investi":3,"chapter-reborn-in-2014-i-am-the-king-of-criminal-investi-reborn-in-2014-i-am-the-king-of-criminal-investi-chapter-76":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Reborn in 2014: I Am the King of Criminal Investigation",{"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},2315932,4529,"Chapter 76: I","reborn-in-2014-i-am-the-king-of-criminal-investi-chapter-76",76,"\u003Cp>If they overlooked the matter of special services, they wouldn’t investigate why this place developed such a culture.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Precisely because of that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They wouldn’t suspect their own colleagues of wrongdoing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And to investigate in this area, they would definitely first visit the local police station to gather information.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They would also ask the local police officers to assist in the case.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They’re too far away; if an emergency arises, they won’t have time to contact the branch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So the police station is their first choice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The thought that they might have been sabotaged by a fellow officer sent a chill down Yu Dazhang’s spine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It probably isn’t that bad… he tried to reassure himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, Zhang Sen had already changed into a new outfit and, from the side, looked very much like an elderly man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he was still applying makeup in front of the mirror.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had smeared something on his face; his once healthy, glowing skin now looked dull.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Dazhang glanced over and figured Zhang Sen wouldn’t finish anytime soon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was fine—while there was still time, he might as well go over the case details again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Throughout this journey, he hadn’t taken a moment to analyze things carefully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He shifted his body and settled into a more comfortable position against the headboard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It still had to start with Zhou Zizhe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How far could a five-year-old child walk in a day and night?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No one could say for sure, because there were too many variables.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So one could only estimate a rough distance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First, take an adult as an example.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A normal adult walks at six to eight kilometers per hour; if pushing hard, up to ten kilometers per hour.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On that basis, halve the speed—and use the lowest end of that range.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s three kilometers per hour.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Considering prolonged walking exceeds human physical limits, especially for a five-year-old child.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So halve it again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now it’s one point five kilometers per hour.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both father and son’s statements shared one detail: Zhou Zizhe collapsed at the construction site’s gate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This suggests Zhou Zizhe didn’t rest much along the way, continuously exhausting his body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Also, when Zhou Zizhe said “a day and night,” he didn’t mean twenty-four hours.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He slipped out at night, around one a.m.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then collapsed at the gate the next afternoon, just as the site was shutting down—around six p.m.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That gives him roughly seventeen hours of walking time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Multiply the two: twenty-five point five kilometers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Earlier, Yu Dazhang had been staring at his phone’s map—not for navigation, but measuring straight-line distances.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Near the industrial park were three mountains.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The one to the west was fifty-two kilometers straight-line distance—too far.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Zizhe would never have made it that far, even if he died trying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The one to the south was eight kilometers straight-line distance—too close.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that distance, Zhou Zizhe wouldn’t have walked seventeen hours, let alone collapsed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Process of elimination.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only the mountain bordering Fenglinzhen fit: straight-line distance nineteen kilometers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Accounting for detours along the way, with Zhou Zizhe’s walking speed, he could have reached the industrial park.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why measure straight-line distance?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Simple—sixteen years ago, there were no roads connecting the two places.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The industrial park itself was just a construction site; imagine what Fenglinzhen was like.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the later-built highway took a huge detour; otherwise, Yu Dazhang and his team wouldn’t have driven for hours just to reach the town.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>According to Zhou Zizhe’s recollection, he walked steadily in one direction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Afraid of losing his way, he picked a landmark every so often as his target.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a five-year-old child, thinking of this method already showed decent intelligence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without doubt, the two missing officers had calculated the same way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And they were even more thorough—they even used reverse simulation. So Yu Dazhang was now certain: the two officers had definitely come to Fenglinzhen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now the scope narrowed significantly; only two locations remained where they could have gone missing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One: Fenglinzhen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two: Shuishouyingzi Village.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Shuishouyingzi Village was a subordinate village of Fenglinzhen—its scope was even smaller.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Someone must be wondering now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the scope is already narrowed to the town, why not bring in a large team to search?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Where’s the evidence!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All of the above are Yu Dazhang’s personal deductions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without evidence, what’s the point of talking?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If every detective in the branch operated like this—acting on speculation alone and demanding manpower—everything would fall apart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If they found even one person or one gun, the branch could immediately mobilize all available forces for support.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Please… collect… 6…9…books…!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No trace at all—just words from a mouth—who’d believe it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So next, they still needed to find evidence—and important evidence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This case was too big; any slip-up was beyond what Yu Dazhang could bear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All he could do now was gather evidence as quickly as possible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had been a full day since departure; the branch was nearly at its limit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If they still couldn’t find anything, they’d have to report it to the municipal bureau.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Investigations proceed step by step, reports escalate step by step, finally reaching the provincial bureau.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If it truly reached that final stage, both the branch and the municipal bureau would be held accountable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Done.” Zhang Sen’s voice rang out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Dazhang snapped back to attention and looked over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The original Zhang Sen was gone; now, in the room besides himself, stood an elderly woman with silver-white hair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old woman had a neat bun atop her head; her face was lined with the marks of time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even her neck and hands had been treated—glance at her and she looked like dried apple skin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Incredible, incredible—this is truly lifelike,” Yu Dazhang couldn’t help exclaiming.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though he’d seen Zhang Sen disguise himself many times before, he’d never observed him this closely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every detail was perfect—no flaw could be found.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He stepped closer and examined again:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sen-ge, you’re wasting your talent as a cop.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Stop joking,” Zhang Sen glared at him:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Get on with the case.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That glare stunned Yu Dazhang—he’d just seen a hint of tenderness in Zhang Sen’s eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like an old grandmother scolding her grandson with her gaze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amazing!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Dazhang had been worried about flaws; now he realized he’d been overthinking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To refuse to admire a master is a sin!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two discussed: if they left the inn together, the middle-aged woman at the front would surely suspect something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They came in as two young men; now they were leaving as a man and a woman, an old woman and a child.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such a bizarre combination would make her suspicious no matter what.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So they finally decided: Yu Dazhang would leave first, then Zhang Sen would exit five minutes later.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even so, the middle-aged woman noticed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When did that old woman come in? She left no impression at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And she came alone—no family with her at her age?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She stared at Zhang Sen’s hunched back, growing more and more confused.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This is impossible!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Outside the Fenglinzhen Police Station.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A fat man supported an elderly woman leaning on a single cane as they slowly approached.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two of them walked slowly, pausing occasionally.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old grandmother looked strained, her complexion poor, muttering to herself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is it really necessary? You don’t even trust your own kind?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ve said it before: no matter who you meet, regardless of their status, never fully trust them.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But that doesn’t mean you have to test your own kind.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Dazhang lowered his head, feigning concern that Zhang Sen’s old woman disguise might fall, but actually avoiding the glances of those around him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He spoke in a voice only the two of them could hear:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Only someone from our own kind could have made those two officers reveal their identities voluntarily.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1291,"2026-06-20T14:22:46.062Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","5983b54cc0fa1ef9c289f48bb630543b85d23c1b2ef326d5bdea09baf97c02bc","reborn-in-2014-i-am-the-king-of-criminal-investi-chapter-77","reborn-in-2014-i-am-the-king-of-criminal-investi-chapter-75",763,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Freborn-in-2014-i-am-the-king-of-criminal-investi-cover.jpg"]