Police officer Chen Shu

Chapter 85: Case Closed
Dusk falls in the detention center's reception hall.

Chen Shu and Cheng Mian had a great chat, and the detention process went smoothly.

Just as Chen Shu was about to leave, Cheng Mian leaned close and whispered in his ear, "I'm treating tomorrow night, you have to come."

Chen Shu blinked, his mind drifting to the dinner with Huang Siqian the next night, and he looked troubled: "What's going on? You, the 'freeloader king,' are you going to treat us?"

Cheng Mian rubbed his hands together in front of him a few times before leisurely saying, "Brother, I'm going to the Municipal Bureau of Legal Affairs next week. I'd like to treat you to a meal."

Within the system, there are no absolutes. In other words, since the matter wasn't actually implemented, and Cheng Mian wasn't truly transferred to the Municipal Public Security Bureau's Legal Affairs Division, he shouldn't have revealed this to others.

However, he and Chen Shu were too close, and they didn't see each other often. When they met for the first time, he was so happy that he said it.

Cheng Mian is straightforward and decisive. He has been known for his righteousness since college, and he brought this personality to his work after graduation when he was assigned to a detention center.

But no one is perfect, and he also has a small flaw: he has a natural inclination to freeload meals.

When asked why, he couldn't explain it; perhaps it was just his nature. But everyone was having fun, and no one took it seriously.

So when Cheng Mian said he wanted to treat his classmates to dinner, Chen Shu was both surprised and happy.

After all, Cheng Mian's transfer from the detention center to the Municipal Public Security Bureau's Legal Affairs Division, while still a police officer, was essentially a promotion. Both morally and logically, Chen Shu found it difficult to refuse.

However, Huang Sisi's invitation just happened to fall on that day.

Chen Shu pinched the bridge of his nose, intending to refuse, but then he suddenly remembered that Cheng Mian had passed the bar exam a few years ago and was about to be transferred to the Municipal Bureau's Legal Affairs Division. He thought Cheng Mian could give Huang Siqian, who was new to society and knew nothing, some guidance.

So, almost against his will, he agreed, but stipulated that he would make the arrangements for the following night.

Cheng Mian, the "King of Free Meals," agreed without hesitation.

Chen Shu sat in the Santana driven by Zhu Chaoran, holding a phone with its screen lit up, but his thoughts were not on the phone.

Looking out the car window at the row of interrogation rooms next to the detention center's reception hall, he recalled how, ten years ago, when he was on summer vacation at the police academy and was assigned to the Dongzhou Kaiyuan District Criminal Investigation Department for his summer internship, he was brought here to cooperate with the criminal police officers in conducting a "special interrogation."

At that time, interrogation was already subject to strict regulations, the first of which was that violence could not be used. This was a red line that could not be crossed.

"Special interrogation" is short for special investigation. What's special about it? It means that the police are under 24-hour surveillance and can use any means of interrogation except for the use of force.

However, veteran criminal investigators who have been on the front lines of law enforcement naturally have many ways to circumvent these restrictions.

It was a murder case, but Chen Shu, who was just a plot device at the time, wasn't qualified to look into the details. However, what he cared about wasn't the murder case, but the suspect sitting in front of him who hadn't slept for three whole days.

At that time, public security work still adhered to the investigative philosophy of "confession is paramount," and concepts such as "conviction without confession" and "the fruit of the poisonous tree" remained only on paper.

After so many years, Chen Shu has selectively forgotten most of what happened back then, but the suspect's calm and profound gaze still remains in his mind.

As the police car drove out of the detention center gate, Chen Shu, sitting in the passenger seat, muttered to himself:
"You can't be soft-hearted or ruthless. Use your words to investigate cases and your heart to save them."

He always believed that most people could be saved, but were there really any people who needed to be saved?
Gongyuan Road, Zhongshan Police Station
It was already past 5 PM when Zhu Chaoran returned to the institute, just two or three minutes past dinner time at the canteen. He parked his car and, yelling, took off running towards the canteen behind the office building. His frenzy was so extreme that anyone who didn't know him would definitely think he'd experienced a sudden family tragedy.
Having made contact with Wang Chongming in the car, Chen Shu walked leisurely to the second-floor security office.

Wang Chongming sat on the sofa, took a leisurely sip of water, and said, "You've really had a tough time these past two days. Yesterday's scene almost made me want to run to the bureau and apply for another 24 hours."

Generally, the police cannot summon a suspect for more than 24 hours. However, for some complex cases, the police officers at the local police station can apply to the public security bureau for an extension of 24 hours.

Simply put, the police officers handling the case can detain a person in the station for up to 48 hours.

However, this is the unfortunate reality of police stations as grassroots law enforcement units. Perhaps the officers can extend their working hours by another 24 hours, but what if a major case breaks out in the jurisdiction during that extended period? Who will handle it?

Therefore, in actual execution, the police officers handling the case absolutely race against time. They would rather stay up all night themselves than let the case go through the procedures in the first possible moment.

Chen Shu placed the materials in his hand on the coffee table in front of Wang Chongming and let out a long sigh: "This case involving so many people has finally come to a close. By the way, Brother Wang, when we went to the branch office's legal department for approval this morning, Teacher Li asked us to review the case files again before releasing the people. I suspect there are still some minor issues left."

He did not mention that Teacher Li specifically asked Wang Chongming to review the case files, but instead attributed it to "us".

Wang Chongming was the police officer in charge, and this was his job; everyone understood that. However, Chen Shu couldn't mention it, because if he did, it would seem like he was shirking responsibility.

Wang Chongming reached out and grabbed the case file, stood up and laughed heartily, "Leave all the rest to me. You probably haven't slept a wink these past two days, go back and get some sleep."

Chen Shu nodded, tacitly agreeing. However, he still had one last thing to finish up.

Before leaving, Zheng Tianyou, the informant, had to give him a little bit of cheap "gangster" face.

The steps at the main entrance of Zhongshan Police Station

Chen Shu and trainee police officer Xu Lei stood on the steps and escorted Zheng Tianyou, Wang Hongyi, and the other two out of the station.

The four walked backwards while respectfully expressing their gratitude.

Zheng Tianyou, in particular, kept saying, "Thanks to the leader! I owe him a huge favor!"

He still remembered the few words Chen Shu had said to him in the security office on the second floor.

Today, the twenty-odd people who were originally involved in gambling had their administrative detention reduced to a fine of 500 yuan because of him.

When the last group of people signed the "Administrative Penalty Decision" in the detention room, he also made the most of the impact of this matter.

Presumably, in this small corner of the world, Zheng Tianyou, the Fatty Zheng, will become even more renowned.

Just as the two groups were about to part ways, Wang Hongyi, who had been standing quietly behind Zheng Tianyou, suddenly leaped a few steps forward and jumped in front of Chen Shu, kneeling down with a "plop".

Everyone was stunned in front of everyone.

(End of this chapter)