[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-nation-s-forensic-medical-examiner":3,"chapter-the-nation-s-forensic-medical-examiner-the-nation-s-forensic-medical-examiner-chapter-53":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Nation's Forensic Medical Examiner",{"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},2326748,4551,"Chapter 53: Chapter Fifty-Three: Capable of Solving the Case","the-nation-s-forensic-medical-examiner-chapter-53",53,"\u003Cp>After lunch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Zhenguo led his team slowly to the Changyang City Criminal Investigation Brigade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Changyang City Criminal Investigation Brigade, as the provincial capital’s unit, was a major organization with multiple subordinate criminal investigation battalions, its rank equivalent to that of the Ningtai County Criminal Investigation Battalion. Its subordinate Criminal Science and Technology Center was also battalion-level, housing the largest and most diverse laboratories in the province—its equipment count alone was several times that of the provincial public security bureau.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, the Changyang City Criminal Investigation Brigade had its own office building: a twelve-story structure that inherently exuded an air of superiority no small-town police station could aspire to.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the building.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Small conference room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The air conditioner hummed, protesting the overcrowded room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chairs hastily brought in cluttered the space, even displacing the hanging orchid on the windowsill—only a few leaves remained, scattered helplessly on the floor like tiny shrimp being cleaned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More than a dozen detectives sat inside. Most conspicuous was the man seated near the door, sporting a slicked-back jet-black hairstyle and two bars and three stars on his collar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone who entered would stiffen upon seeing him, sensing his extraordinary presence—such a rank at his age was truly exceptional.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Yuan, upon entering, couldn’t help but let his gaze linger on the man’s slicked-back hair and crisp shirt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Other detectives wore neatly trimmed short hair and slightly dirty, disheveled shirts; this man, however, had a flawless hairstyle and a spotless, immaculate shirt—like a hairless cat squatting among a group of long-haired cats, leaving everyone with a strange, unsettling feeling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Everyone’s here,” said Yu Wenshu, the brigade commander, as Jiang Yuan and others arrived. “Let me introduce you: this is Senior Police Officer Gao Qiang, Level Three, from the Provincial Public Security Bureau’s Criminal Investigation Bureau. And this is Senior Police Officer Liu Jinghui, Level Four.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Jinghui, the young man with the slicked-back hair, rose politely and nodded to everyone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beside him, Gao Qiang looked ordinary—around forty, his clothes dirty and unremarkable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Brigade Commander Yu Wenshu then introduced Wei Zhenguo, Jiang Yuan, and the others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Zhenguo stood up with practiced ease, apologizing: “I’m not familiar with the traffic conditions—we arrived a bit late. Sorry for keeping you waiting.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No problem. We timed your arrival,” Yu Wenshu cut the topic short, then began introducing the brigade’s detectives.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In this small conference room, detectives from three hierarchical levels had gathered—everyone realized the case must have taken a major turn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Within the police system, the provincial bureau, city bureau, and county bureau were not subordinate to one another, but only provided operational guidance—similar to the relationships between the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Finance, or the Department of Education.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The county education bureau followed the city education bureau’s operational directives, but on personnel and financial matters, it answered to the county government, just as the city education bureau answered to the city government—no direct chain of command.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Likewise, the county criminal investigation battalion answered to the county bureau and county government on personnel matters, and operated independently from the city brigade. The city brigade had its own criminal investigation battalion and could only command its own unit; when dealing with county bureaus, it could only supervise or offer operational guidance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The same applied to the provincial bureau’s Criminal Investigation Bureau or Criminal Investigation Task Force—their nature hadn’t changed much, only their operational role had diminished. Most provincial criminal investigation bureaus didn’t handle cases directly; they were merely one ordinary department within the provincial bureau.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet, despite this concentrated structure, the personnel within the provincial bureau’s Criminal Investigation Bureau were not all experts—but those dispatched to oversee cases were certainly not ordinary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The involvement of the provincial bureau’s Criminal Investigation Bureau steadily heightened the excitement among the detectives present.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Next, I’ll read the documents regarding Case 326, now reclassified as the 326 Kidnapping-Murder Case, and the reorganization of the special task force… The task force leader will be me. Deputy leaders: Gao Qiang and Liu Jinghui…” Yu Wenshu’s role within the city bureau was equivalent to Huang Qiangmin’s in the county bureau—only the platform was a hundred times larger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Zhenguo and Jiang Yuan, from the Sixth Squad of the Ningtai County Criminal Investigation Battalion, had no opportunity to speak during Yu Wenshu’s meeting—only listened as he read documents and spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After nearly ten minutes, Yu Wenshu returned to the topic: “According to expert analysis, we preliminarily believe that the main suspect, Tan Yong, has participated in more than one murder.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wuuu wuuu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sound came from the electric fan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone remained calm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing officials from the provincial bureau appear was like pulling a man wearing your clothes out of your bedroom closet—he couldn’t possibly be there to fix the air conditioner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Similarly, if Tan Yong had killed only one person, why would the provincial bureau send two people? That would be excessive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Liu Chu, you speak.” Yu Wenshu stepped aside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll speak right here,” Liu Jinghui stood up. “There are several anomalies in the 326 murder case. First, the main suspect Tan Yong claims he kidnapped Ding Lan out of unrequited love and rage—a momentary impulse to scare her by dumping her beside a highway. Then, in another impulsive act, he escalated to rape… rape… Afterward, he intended to take Ding Lan back to his house to kill and bury her, but her pleading changed his plan to digging a basement to imprison her.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Jinghui scanned the room with sharp eyes and continued slowly: “The most illogical part is Tan Yong bringing Ding Lan back to Changyang City. From Ningtai to Changyang, they pass through toll booths and checkpoints—taking such a risk just to bring her to his empty house for murder and burial defies logic. Tan Yong must be concealing something critical in his confession.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Jinghui observed the detectives’ reactions and continued: “Tan Yong works in construction—he knows how to operate heavy machinery, has access to familiar sites, and many options for dumping bodies. He claims he dug the basement to bury her, but because Ding Lan pleaded and offered herself, he changed his plan to imprisonment. But is digging a basement harder or riskier than burying her in the wild or at a construction site? Is it even necessary? Especially since digging a basement requires machinery—transporting it specifically would not be easy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Also, Tan Yong has committed at least four crimes. The female corpse we excavated from the basement was also a prostitute. The three subsequent kidnappings of prostitutes left little evidence—indicating a meticulous mind. So why would such a person leave fingerprints on Ding Lan’s bicycle?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Jinghui’s gaze turned to Jiang Yuan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Yuan looked at Liu Jinghui curiously—this was his first time joining a special task force.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s your inference, Liu Chu?” Yu Wenshu knew Liu Jinghui loved deduction and had repeatedly proven his strength in the Criminal Investigation Bureau—he never challenged his “authority.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Jinghui scanned the room; seeing no response, he felt slightly disappointed, lifted his chin slightly, and said: “I believe Tan Yong told part of the truth.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Go on,” Yu Wenshu prompted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Jinghui nodded, satisfied: “First, the fingerprints indicate Tan Yong’s kidnapping of Ding Lan was likely a momentary impulse—but not random. Choosing Ding Lan as a target was less convenient than picking a prostitute. He could have randomly selected a victim anywhere in the provincial capital and completed his crime.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Jinghui paused, then continued: “Meanwhile, Ding Lan’s uniqueness as the first woman imprisoned in the basement does explain why he shifted from burial to digging a basement and imprisonment.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some nodded, but most remained calm. Liu Jinghui’s points were ordinary deductions—many in the room could make them too—only most dared not voice them so confidently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Jinghui closed his eyes in quiet pleasure—he loved the power of deduction emerging from silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After briefly describing the case, Liu Jinghui finally uttered the word he had held back:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But! None of these explanations answer why Tan Yong returned to Changyang City!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Jinghui’s sudden raised voice drew everyone’s attention.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several detectives frowned in thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Indeed, he could have dumped the body on the spot, gone to a familiar construction site, or even another county—but returning to Changyang makes no sense,” said a detective from the Changyang City Criminal Investigation Brigade. “He travels frequently—he must have seen the city’s road checkpoints.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Exactly. Tan Yong’s company is a subsidiary of Luqiao Group, operating construction projects across the province—including highways, national roads, toll booths, and checkpoints. So his choice of Changyang must have a very solid reason,” Liu Jinghui stated. “I believe Tan Yong has a verified, tested method for body disposal.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The detective who spoke earlier asked: “Maybe he just happened to think of a construction site in Changyang that was convenient—like one currently being dug?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Driving over a hundred kilometers at the risk of being caught mid-journey?” Liu Jinghui shook his head firmly. “A cautious construction worker wouldn’t make such a decision based on speculation or guesswork. If it weren’t a verified disposal method—if he hadn’t used it before and found it effective—Tan Yong’s best choice would have been a construction site in Ningtai County. He already had responsibility over local sites—far more convenient and less exposed than going to someone else’s site in Changyang.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was highly persuasive reasoning—the detective had to nod.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Only a verified disposal method would make Tan Yong resolutely risk being caught on the road and return directly to Changyang after the crime. I recommend immediately re-interrogating Tan Yong, using Ding Lan as the breakthrough to uncover his disposal method.” Liu Jinghui spoke with absolute certainty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone listened in silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then Yu Wenshu said: “Then we’ll follow Liu Chu’s plan—re-interrogate Tan Yong. Make him believe he’s now charged with murder—it’ll make him more willing to talk. Liu Chu, that’s your intention, right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Jinghui replied: “Correct. Also, we should ask what Tan Yong did between kidnapping Ding Lan and his arrest. If he escalated his crime, why didn’t he return to dispose of the bicycle? Did he forget? Or did something else happen? I personally believe he was delayed by something.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Alright. That’s settled,” the brigade commander declared. The provincial bureau had clearly made its impact.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Jinghui smiled politely at the group, waited for Yu Wenshu to conclude, then left the small conference room first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Yuan watched the gleaming slicked-back hair disappear, then stepped out into a quieter corridor and turned to Wei Zhenguo: “Is this really acceptable?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Zhenguo smiled as expected. “Feels impressive, doesn’t it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Yuan whispered: “He has no evidence at all!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yes—based on Jiang Yuan’s many years of forensic experience, the first thing he noticed was that throughout the entire meeting, Liu Jinghui spoke only of deduction, speculation, inference—never once mentioned evidence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Zhenguo glanced around and said: “That’s why Liu Chu is famous for his deductive style. He ignores evidence entirely—he solves cases through reasoning, then leaves other cops to chase down the proof.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Yuan, from his studies to his career, had always thought in terms of evidence and evidence alone. Hearing Wei Zhenguo describe Liu Jinghui, he was speechless. He muttered again: “Is this really acceptable?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Senior Police Officers from the provincial bureau can solve cases however they want,” Wei Zhenguo said, pulling Jiang Yuan away. “The key is—they actually solve them.”\u003C\u002Fp>",1891,"2026-06-20T18:55:00.150Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","ac66cf3e39305fb5ca510538a13421415342052f17c4894d1dbef204c683d1c5","the-nation-s-forensic-medical-examiner-chapter-54","the-nation-s-forensic-medical-examiner-chapter-52",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-nation-s-forensic-medical-examiner-cover.jpg"]