Chapter 77: Model Innovation

“Crouch down and don’t move!”

“Lie face down, head down.”

“Put your hands behind your back!”

Inside the Nongjia Academy, voices bellowed everywhere. If you ignored the content, the excitement level was about the same as riding a roller coaster.

Of course, the expressions were much the same too.

When Jiang Yuan entered with the Forensic Team from the Criminal Investigation Division, all seven suspects in the Nongjia Academy were already handcuffed.

On the several-hundred-square-meter courtyard ground, fruit trees were planted—unknown whether apricot, pear, or some other variety—now bearing fruit no larger than testicles, hanging in pairs, singly, or in trios from the branches, swaying gently in the wind, supple and elastic.

The tables beneath the trees were all empty; several idle police officers sat on them, but most still wandered around the courtyard.

Wei Zhenguo waved him over and whispered, “The three bald men are the robbery suspects.”

After Jiang Yuan confirmed the origin of the weapons via surveillance footage, detectives had been lying in wait near the residences of the three robbers.

And this Nongjia Academy was itself followed here by the three robbers, so the three suspects were immediately confirmed.

But all three were bald… Jiang Yuan asked curiously, “Why are they all bald?”

“Don’t know. Looks like they just shaved?” Wei Zhenguo walked over and asked directly, “Why did you shave your heads?”

The suspect just pinned to the ground, still adjusting to his handcuffs, had been pondering how to resist interrogation when he heard this question and froze: “Just felt like it.”

“Is this your gang’s hairstyle?” Wei Zhenguo pointed and asked, “Like a uniform?”

“No… that’s not it. Not what you mean.”

“Now you realize gang crimes carry heavier sentences? Too late.” Wei Zhenguo applied immediate pressure, leaving the three bald men unsettled.

After a while, the forensic detectives found the three knives used in the robbery under the seats of the minivan in the courtyard.

Several detectives who knew the case quietly exhaled in relief. Finding the knives meant the evidence chain was essentially complete.

Next, even if these three robbers refused to confess, they couldn’t escape conviction—they now met the threshold for conviction without confessions. Of course, getting a confession was still best.

Soon after, detectives recovered a large quantity of stolen goods from the warehouse behind the house and the basement, including tobacco, alcohol, and more.

The four people with hair wore varied expressions.

The middle-aged man in the LV shirt cleared his throat twice and said, “We’re a legitimate Nongjia Academy. We do purchase tobacco and alcohol for regular sales…”

Huang Qiang smiled and walked over: “Can you provide your legal business records, tax receipts, purchase invoices, and sales receipts?”

The middle-aged man’s mouth seemed glued shut—he couldn’t open it.

After a long pause, the man asked, “How did you find me here?”

“What? Think your place is so hidden I couldn’t find it?” Huang Qiang laughed.

The middle-aged man fell silent again.

To be fair, he’d been running this business in Ningtai County for nearly three years, always safe and stable—Ningtai County sits at a crucial transit point, with heavy north-south traffic in people and goods, and he’d been enjoying himself immensely.

The middle-aged man’s mind worked quickly; his eyes quickly flicked toward the three bald men.

So many police had come in and immediately focused on these three—there had to be a reason.

Jiang Yuan found it interesting and was observing when his mind suddenly displayed the system interface.

Task: Follow the Vine to the Root.

Task Description: Use the seized stolen goods to solve more cases and assist in returning them to their rightful owners.

The task description was simple to read, but difficult to execute.

Just the pile of stolen goods before them numbered in the hundreds.

Besides the tobacco and alcohol tied to the robbery, the ground held various jewelry boxes, watches, computers, phones, cameras, luxury bags, and more.

They were spaced out loosely, stretching over ten meters in a single line.

Jiang Yuan couldn’t help feeling a headache coming on.

“I… I’m not with them,” the young man on the far right finally found his voice, whispering, then gaining courage to shout louder: “I came here just to enjoy the Nongjia Academy, only to take a look—I’m not part of their gang!”

Wei Zhenguo gave him a half-smile and asked, “You say you’re not with them—then who are you with?”

“I’m not with anyone. I just happened to come here…”

“You came alone to a Nongjia Academy? That’s too relaxed.” Wei Zhenguo pierced his lie with one sentence.

The young man on the far right froze, then muttered, “I came alone to clear my head, and just happened to get here…”

Wei Zhenguo cut him off again: “How did you get here?”

“Huh?”

“You drove here, right? Which car is yours?”

“I… I didn’t necessarily drive…” The young man’s voice grew quieter under Wei Zhenguo’s mocking gaze.

Jiang Yuan listened to their exchange, studied the footprints on the ground, turned, and strolled around. Soon, he picked up a car key from the bushes and asked, “Is this yours?”

At LV4 Crime Scene Investigation, handling such minor tasks was effortless.

Even if the guy had buried the key in a hole during the chaos just now, Jiang Yuan could still have dug it up.

The young man fell silent.

Wei Zhenguo smiled and said, “Think carefully—if you don’t admit it now, this becomes unclaimed stolen property. You won’t get it back later.”

“It’s… mine,” the young man conceded.

Two forensic officers took the key and went to search the car.

Wei Zhenguo then took the young man’s phone and directly pressed his fingerprint to unlock the screen, handing it to Jiang Yuan: “Take a look.”

Jiang Yuan took the phone and began checking.

As he scrolled, Jiang Yuan couldn’t help smiling.

Wei Zhenguo glanced over curiously and whispered, “What’s going on?”

“After stealing, he first sold the goods on his Moments feed,” Jiang Yuan opened a Moments post and showed it to Wei Zhenguo.

Above the nine-grid image was a passionate little caption: “Thanks to Brother Long! Brother Long bought over ten thousand yuan worth of goods and received a Coach wallet as a gift. Wishing Brother Long endless nights of revelry and daily bridegroom status… New stock arrived today—contact me directly if interested…”

Opening the nine-grid images revealed gem-encrusted earrings, Gucci bags, Air Jordan sneakers, and tablets—a bizarre mix of unrelated items.

“That’s self-incrimination,” Wei Zhenguo remarked with deep feeling.

“I’m just… innovating the model,” the young man retorted, still defiant.