Chapter 362

Monday.

The Ningtai County Bureau also began distributing year-end goods.

Compared to previous years, this year's Ningtai County Bureau was unusually generous: the usual dried cod and lamb legs were still there, but now added were large yellow croaker and strawberries, along with a full set of four-piece bedding.

The total cost might not be much, but for the men in the bureau, this was a benefit worth boasting about at home.

As for the women in the bureau, they usually held absolute authority at home.

This benefit was insignificant compared to units in big cities, but in a county town, it was top-tier—and the most generous the bureau had been in recent years. Even Wu Jun, an old officer who never praised anyone, praised Huang Qiang and Guan Xi after receiving his items.

Jiang Yuan parked and entered the building, hearing a few voices whispering:

"Director Huang's come up, and he really raised our benefits."

"Director Guan's not bad either."

"I heard all the funding allocations increased recently."

"The bureau's year-end points have surpassed a thousand; the Criminal Investigation Team's are heading toward two thousand—funding must've gone up across the board."

Jiang Yuan felt a quiet, small pride. Naturally, he had played a part in this.

Entering the new office building, Jiang Yuan's Cold Case Task Force officers were also receiving their benefits.

Everyone received exactly the same items as the Ningtai County officers. Though most of Jiang Yuan's task force weren't officially part of Ningtai County's staffing, Huang Qiang didn't shortchange them on non-salary benefits—he went out of his way to treat them well.

A good man needs three helpers. Even if Jiang Yuan was exceptionally skilled at solving cases, he still needed people to assist him, to investigate, to screen suspects—otherwise, nothing could move forward.

Police officers, in truth, trusted nothing more than teamwork. Look at the criminals in prison or on the execution ground: those who relied on lone-wolf tactics, no matter how strong, could never match the power of an organized force.

"Captain Jiang."

"Big Brother Jiang."

Seeing Jiang Yuan enter, the task force officers called out in a chaotic mix.

Jiang Yuan made no effort to correct them, only asked: "Any cases today?"

"None. It's almost the New Year—hard to make progress on cold cases." Wang Chuan quickly added.

Jiang Yuan nodded, not surprised.

The New Year wasn't a time to stop working on cold cases—it was actually the best time for clearing them, especially fugitive hunts. Every year at year-end, officers assigned to fugitive cases would visit suspects' homes to persuade them to turn themselves in.

Surveillance and wiretaps were also actively used in some cases.

Many suspects, even knowing the danger, still called home during the Spring Festival to say a few words, offer greetings.

It was a heartwarming moment—and the moment when suspects and their families were most vulnerable. Criminal investigators often seized this window to apprehend fugitives who had been on the run for five, ten, even twenty years.

When caught, these people usually had forgotten most of their past—or remembered only fragments, not details. In their own words, so much time had passed, they were now entirely new people.

Families would often lament the suffering, hardships, and psychological torment the fugitives endured.

Only the investigators and victims' families remained cold-hearted, wanting to see them truly suffer, endure pain, and face psychological torment.

So year-end wasn't suitable for Jiang Yuan to open new cold cases.

For Jiang Yuan's task force officers, this was slightly boring. Mu Zhiyang couldn't help saying: "We're well-staffed and ready, yet we've got no cases—what a waste."

"Taking a break isn't bad either," Tang Jia said. She didn't want to work on cases at year-end; her performance this year had been outstanding, and she'd made multiple arrests during the child trafficking operations—she was likely to get a Third-Class Merit, at least an official commendation. At this point, she just wanted to rest and go home for the New Year.

Mu Zhiyang, however, was single and too young to enjoy staying home for the holidays. He scoffed: "The New Year just means no cases—it's not like we get real leave. Better to solve a case."

"No cases in the county? Why not go to Changyang and find one?" Tang Jia teased Mu Zhiyang. She was from Changyang, so she naturally wanted to go back.

Dong Bing, beside her, chuckled and joined in: "No need to go to Changyang—come with me to Guqi City. I'll find you two cases to practice on."

"I don't have the skill to solve cases," Mu Zhiyang laughed awkwardly. "I'm just Big Brother Jiang's sidekick. Honestly, I'd rather we had a current case in our county—so I don't have to be on duty during the holidays."

"Even if there was a current case, it wouldn't go to you. You'd still be on duty."

Mu Zhiyang said: "Then let's get a murder case—it'll definitely land in our lap, right?"

Liu Jinghui coughed twice and said: "Don't talk nonsense—I'm planning to go home and rest for the New Year."

Liu Jinghui was here on a provincial bureau inspection visit. By New Year's, he didn't need to solve cases or be on duty—he just took his regular break, a stark contrast to frontline officers at the grassroots level.

Mu Zhiyang quickly spat three times: "I was just talking nonsense—being on duty's fine too…"

As he spoke, the office phone rang sharply.

The faces of those nearby stiffened.

These days, even a mobile call can unsettle people—how much more so a landline?

Tang Jia, closest to the phone, hesitated, then picked it up: "Jiang Yuan Cold Case Task Force…"

"Oh, okay, okay."

"Understood!"

After hanging up, Tang Jia looked at Jiang Yuan, then at Mu Zhiyang: "A body was found at a bar in the east city. Director Huang ordered you to lead the team on-site—he's already there."

Jiang Yuan paused, said "Alright," then began assigning personnel. Finally, he looked at Liu Jinghui and asked: "Are you coming, Director Liu?"

"Sure," Liu Jinghui shrugged, standing up. One dead body—no pressure for him.

Liu Jinghui gave Mu Zhiyang a curious look, then added: "Your mouth's got some serious karmic power."

Mu Zhiyang sighed helplessly: "I'm just a loose-tongued idiot…"

"Well, your wish is granted. This case will probably keep you busy till the New Year," Liu Jinghui chuckled coldly. "If others found out you caused this, it'd be funny."

Mu Zhiyang's face twisted in distress, then suddenly snapped back: "Director Liu, don't spread rumors! This case has nothing to do with me—accusing me of causing it is unfair!"

"At least you're a jinx," Liu Jinghui asked.

Mu Zhiyang wanted to argue, but felt utterly powerless.

…

Jiang Yuan tidied up briefly, then went downstairs to board the crime scene vehicle.

The county's crime scene vehicle was newly replaced—not long ago—and inside and out, it looked brand-new, showing no signs of its four-year age.

The vehicle's equipment was fully equipped. Jiang Yuan got in and told the driver to go. Less than twenty minutes later, the vehicle arrived at the scene.

【Honestly, lately I've been using Huanyuan App to read novels and keep up with updates—it switches sources easily, has multiple voice options, and works on both Android and iOS.】

"Utopia Craft Beer Bar"

That was the bar's name. In Jiang Yuan's memory, this was Ningtai County's earliest craft beer bar, and it had always been very popular—the best business on the bar street.

The bar owner was a young man, slightly overweight, frowning as he answered officers' questions outside the bar, occasionally glancing back inside.

Jiang Yuan didn't approach the owner. He put on his gear and entered the bar directly.

In the morning light, a few rays streamed in, making the place seem quiet.

The victim lay in the sunlight, one foot touching the bar counter, head buried in the light, the lividity clearly visible.

His chest was soaked in blood, and a large pool of blood had spread across the floor.

Jiang Yuan, wearing gloves, laid down a boardwalk all the way to the body before bending down to examine the chest.

"A wound three to four centimeters wide—stabbed straight through the heart. One strike, fatal." Jiang Yuan glanced twice and confirmed the cause of death.

Yet such a clean, efficient killing method surprised Jiang Yuan.