Reborn Cat Sheriff

Chapter 660 Nie Guoqiang's Entrustment
"Has Mimi discovered something?"

Zhu Jun's eyes lit up.

He knew bringing Mimi was the right thing to do; this cat never disappoints him! Even if Xu Sanhe uses some tricks like watching TV or watching cartoons, none of his tricks can escape Mimi's eyes and nose.

"Yes! We were lucky enough to find some evidence."

Lin Ge gave a relaxed smile.

For him, the most difficult cases to investigate are those that involve both impulsiveness and intelligence.

The perpetrator made no prior preparations, used few weapons during the attack, and did not need to do anything afterward. Moreover, the crime occurred in a busy urban area with many pedestrians and various smells. Such a case almost completely obscures his abilities.

Just like this arson case, almost all the clues were destroyed by the flames. Lin Ge couldn't smell Xu Sanhe's scent at the crime scene, nor could he find any suspicious traces left by him at the arson site.

Furthermore, there was another perpetrator in this case who was used as a stand-in but actually committed arson. This led the police and Lin Ge's investigation to focus solely on this person, almost allowing Xu Sanhe to successfully take advantage of the situation.

Overall, if Lin Ge and Zhu Jun hadn't insisted on conducting a second investigation into Xu Sanhe, and hadn't received Zheng Mingxing's support, there really might have been a chance for him to escape.

Of course, in the end, the net of justice is vast and its meshes are wide, yet nothing escapes it; no matter how cautious Xu Sanhe was, he still revealed a flaw.

shoe……

Two and a half years in prison left Xu Sanhe's shoes, which his ex-wife had left on the shoe rack, covered in dust and cobwebs. His clothes could survive in the closet, but his shoes were a different story.

If he's too lazy to even tidy up his house, how could he possibly have the patience to wash shoes?

To be honest, for many people, washing shoes is something they resist even more than cleaning their rooms.

Therefore, Xu Sanhe only had two pairs of shoes to wear. One pair was worn to the police station for questioning and temporary detention, and the other pair... was, and could only be, the pair he wore at the arson scene.

The mud stains and messy scratches on the shoe edges were the work of the technical survey police, and Lin Ge couldn't discern any details.

However, Lin Ge managed to detect the slight smell of alcohol and the even more pungent smell of gasoline on the shoes, despite the stench of foot odor.

Lin Ge now finally has a clear answer as to why the fire at the scene became so large and fierce.

If Lin Ge wasn't mistaken, he concluded that Xu Sanhe, that bastard, and Yan Yun's admirer had both set their sights on the same target; one chose to ignite it with alcohol, while the other chose gasoline or a gasoline-powered device to sabotage the car. Regardless of whether the alcohol ignited the gasoline or vice versa, the truth was that the simultaneous combustion of two flammable materials caused the fire to spread unexpectedly and rapidly, ultimately leading to the conflagration of the entire vehicle.

Several private cars and nearly ten electric vehicles were all burned.

If it were just Xu Sanhe or another person acting alone, the fire would never have escalated to this extent.

These arsonists didn't consider what to do if the fire got out of control.

And frankly, these days, major losses caused by electric bicycle fires are not uncommon. One electric bicycle is enough to burn down a house, and this time as many as eight or nine electric bicycles were ignited.

Fortunately, there were some kind-hearted people around who quickly and actively moved the cars that were not yet affected; otherwise, if the fire had continued, who knows how terrible the consequences would have been.

"The shoes! Wait a minute, doesn't Xu Sanhe have an alibi? He was playing mahjong with his three mahjong partners when the incident happened. If we don't resolve this doubt, even if these shoes prove that Xu Sanhe was at the scene, there will still be a conflict of evidence!"

Zhu Jun's eyes lit up at first, then he frowned and noticed the contradiction.

Zheng Mingxing waved his hand.

"You can tell from his alibi that he watches a lot of 'Detective Conan.' Heh... But with the development of technology and the level of surveillance in our country that is different from other countries, the cost of forging alibis is getting higher and higher, and the evidentiary value is getting lower and lower. Let's not talk about the fact that arson can be remotely controlled. Just the fact that any camera near the crime scene can show Xu Sanhe's presence makes his alibi questionable. Besides... to be honest, delayed ignition devices are not complicated. Even a mosquito coil can easily make a decent one."

After a pause, Zheng Mingxing shook his head and continued, "Xu Sanhe's attempt to escape punishment with an alibi is actually not very meaningful. The police will not abandon a target just because of a so-called alibi. Unless the entire chain of evidence and logical judgment completely eliminate the possibility of a crime, the investigation will continue. From the moment Xu Sanhe had a conflict with Yan Yun and was targeted by Mimi, there was absolutely no way he could escape the police's sight."

Zheng Mingxing glanced at Lin Ge.

In conclusion, now that clues have been found at Xu Sanhe's home, his so-called alibi is no longer valid.

This is indeed very important to those who rely on deduction, but to the police and judges, an alibi that cannot form a chain of evidence is meaningless.

"The next step is to investigate the fire scene, seek support from the fire department, and further interrogate Xu Sanhe. If Xu Sanhe's footprints can be found at the scene, and the fire department can confirm the existence of the time delay device at the fire scene, then regardless of whether Xu Sanhe admits to the crime, he will have no way to deny it."

Zhu Jun spoke excitedly, carefully placing Xu Sanhe's smelly shoes into a container to be used as evidence. After leaving Xu Sanhe's house, the group rushed to the Municipal Bureau's Technical Center, completed the registration, and then went to the fire scene.

Lin Ge couldn't go with them; Jiang Yan stopped him at the technology center.

"Mimi, come with me to see Lao Nie?"

Jiang Yan was carrying many bags and packages. When she saw Lin Ge, she casually hung a small handbag around Lin Ge's neck.

Although Nie Guoqiang didn't need anyone to accompany him, Jiang Yan, as a family member, still had many things to handle. Furthermore, Nie Guoqiang was a restless person; without Jiang Yan's restraint, he might not have stayed quietly in bed.

Although he was very unhappy about being used as a laborer by Jiang Yan, Lin Ge did not refuse Jiang Yan's invitation.

Because he was indeed worried about Nie Guoqiang's situation.

Zheng Mingxing only said that Nie Guoqiang had been hit by a motorcycle, but Lin Ge didn't know the exact extent of his injuries. Since Nie Guoqiang had been transferred to a higher position, Lin Ge guessed that the guy must have been seriously injured.

Upon arriving at the hospital, there was indeed no one in the ward.

"That old bastard didn't promise me that yesterday. Mimi, drag him out here!"

Jiang Yan sighed in annoyance and looked down at Lin Ge.

Her eyes were filled with murderous intent, and Lin Ge shuddered in fright. Without the courage to refuse, he quickly and obediently followed Nie Guoqiang's scent out of the ward, searching along the way and soon finding the self-inflicted culprit.

When Nie Guoqiang was found, he was wearing a bulky police wool coat and standing in the hospital lobby with a cold face, constantly looking around.

Despite it being the height of summer, Nie Guoqiang was bundled up tightly. This was clearly a sign of something wrong with his body, but even so, he couldn't stay still. Instead of lying in his hospital bed, he insisted on coming to the lobby to act as a warning sign.

Those thieves and thieves who intend to cause trouble probably wouldn't dare to start a fight if they saw a policeman staring at them right there.

Unlike Qian Wei, who was always on the go, secretly catching thieves, Nie Guoqiang was more accustomed to using this kind of deterrent to make those with criminal intent give up their actions. It's hard to say which method is better or worse, but at least the victims were protected.

Jiang Yan had driven up to the ward from the underground parking lot, so she didn't notice that Nie Guoqiang was actually standing in the lobby. When Lin Ge led her over and she saw Nie Guoqiang trying his best to stand like a javelin but unable to straighten his back, she immediately showed a look of both heartache and amusement.

"Old Nie!"

She forgot about being angry and quickly walked over, scolding him helplessly, "Your back injury hasn't healed yet, how can you stand like this for so long? If you really want to be discharged, then you should rest and let your injury heal. Then you can do whatever you want with the case!"

"I just can't stay idle."

Nie Guoqiang grinned, a little embarrassed, and said to his wife, "Don't worry, I didn't stand for long. I just sat down and rested for a while when I felt a little uncomfortable. Besides, it's cramped in the ward, and we're not allowed to smoke. I might as well walk around here for a bit, move around a bit, and if I feel the urge to smoke, I can go outside for a smoke. It makes me feel much better. Don't glare at me, the doctor didn't say that I have to quit smoking because of this injury. Besides, I've been smoking for so many years, how could I possibly quit?"

"You're destined for lung cancer! No, wait until you get lung cancer, you'll collapse at your job sooner or later!"

Jiang Yan was both angry and helpless, but she couldn't say anything to Nie Guoqiang.

She and Nie Guoqiang had been married for so many years, and she had never stopped him from smoking. After all, as his family member, she certainly knew how tough it was to be a policeman. Sometimes, when the pressure was high, he really couldn't handle it without a cigarette.

As for the "curse" of "falling on duty," it wasn't really a harsh word for either Jiang Yan or Nie Guoqiang. In a way, if it were such an ending, both would only feel proud of each other. Jiang Yan supported Nie Guoqiang's decision to burn himself out on duty rather than be bedridden. Although it sounded somewhat cold-blooded, as fellow members of the police force, they both considered it an honor.

"Neuropathy!"

Lin Ge gave the couple a disdainful look.

Lin Ge understood Nie Guoqiang's awareness but did not agree with it. In any case, no one in this world could make him sacrifice to such an extent, even risking his life for the police cause. In his view, this was not something to be praised.

At least Ringo himself couldn't do it; a cat's life is short, and he hadn't lived enough yet.

When he said this, Lin Ge ignored the fact that he had also been working hard for several days and hadn't closed his eyes for a moment since last night.

“Let’s go back to your ward first. I’ll have the attending physician take another look at you later. Anyway, this time, I absolutely do not agree to you being discharged halfway through like last time. You have both a back injury and rheumatism. If you don’t treat them properly, it could be fatal if both flare up at the same time.”

Although Jiang Yan couldn't persuade Nie Guoqiang otherwise, she knew the priorities. His rheumatism was like a persistent cancer, tormenting him for years. If this back injury left any lasting effects, it could truly drive him insane. Therefore, she could tolerate the bastard Nie sneaking out of the ward, but she absolutely wouldn't allow him to be discharged early! Even if it meant staying in the hospital for a hundred days, Nie Guoqiang had to stay obediently until the required number of days was reached.

“You don’t need to worry about things at the police station. Even without you, Nie Guoqiang, the Zhanghe Police Station won’t collapse! Zhang Yong has already been trained, and Zheng Mingxing can withstand the pressure from above; with them around, there won’t be any problems at the police station.”

Jiang Yan helped Nie Guoqiang into the elevator, offering him a long, rambling comforting speech.

"Oh! There's also Zhang Ke and Li Yiduo, Sun Chang and Li Siyu. Plus Hu Lijun and Xie Hua are mature and steady, and Zhao Zhigang has also matured. The police station is now full of elite officers and soldiers, and they can hold out until you recover and return."

Lin Ge also offered earnest words of comfort from the side.

Although Nie Guoqiang couldn't understand Lin Ge's words, he couldn't help but smile just by looking at the cat's serious expression.

Yes! Even if I'm not here, I still have Mimi, right?

"Mimi, I'm counting on you these next few days. I have only one thing to say: no matter what kind of criminal gang it is, they are not allowed to appear in the jurisdiction of Zhanghe Police Station! If they dare to show their faces, take them down. I'll back you up!"

Nie Guoqiang decided to give Mimi some authority, some freedom to fire, while he would support her from behind.

Lin Ge glanced at him.

"And another thing! Although everyone in the station has matured, the police station is still just a low-level organization, easily influenced by those above us in many matters. That's when you need to step in, you know? You're like a cat; no matter how recklessly you act, no one can really do anything about it. Don't waste time trying to reason with people when you need to be unreasonable. It's better for you to act out than to let Zheng Mingxing or Zhang Yong handle it. Old Yu is reliable, but given his position, he often has to follow the rules. But you can't solve cases by just following the rules; you need someone..."

The elevator slowly ascended, and soon only Nie Guoqiang, Jiang Yan, and Lin Ge remained. Nie Guoqiang finally couldn't hold back any longer and began nagging and lecturing Lin Ge, causing Jiang Yan to roll her eyes in disbelief.

This bastard, he's really using what I just said as a shield, isn't he?
I'm just saying nice things to comfort you, not telling you to actually risk your life at work. If you come to the hospital and don't focus on getting better, and instead keep worrying about all that mess at the police station, how can you possibly recover properly?
If I don't teach you a lesson, you'll really take me for granted!

"Oh, by the way! Mimi, go see Yang Xiaotong sometime. She told me yesterday that your new collar is ready. It has some extra functions and has been registered with our city bureau's technical center, so it can be used as a legal police tool. In other words, the videos your collar used to record could only be used as supplementary evidence, but now it's a type of body camera and can be used as legal evidence!"

Jiang Yan's eyes darted around, and she suddenly found an excuse to send Lin Ge away.

Lin Ge's eyes lit up, and he immediately forgot about spending more time with Nie Guoqiang. He was already tired of Nie Guoqiang's nagging, and judging from his appearance, he was definitely not going to die anytime soon. In that case, the new equipment was definitely more attractive.

"..."

For some reason, Nie Guoqiang suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.

Looking back at the smiling Jiang Yan, he desperately wanted to find an excuse to get away from this seemingly kind but actually cunning woman. Unfortunately, Jiang Yan pinched his elbow hard, and Nie Guoqiang gave up in despair.

"Bye-bye! Good luck to you!"

The elevator doors opened, and before reaching the floor Nie Guoqiang wanted to go, Lin Ge rushed out and into the opposite stairwell.

He knew that no matter how reasonable Jiang Yan's words sounded as a police officer's family member, how could she not have a temper as a wife? Moreover, this woman was a forensic doctor, and Lin Ge dared not think too deeply about the methods she used to torment Nie Guoqiang.

Yang Xiaotong's office is downstairs.

Although it would be more than ten floors down, Lin Ge knew that it was not appropriate for a cat to ride the elevator alone. He was afraid that other people riding the elevator might have thoughts or even take action, so he simply decided to climb the stairs instead.

This time, I didn't encounter anyone smoking in the stairwell.

Even the no-smoking signs that used to be posted at the entrances of each floor have been replaced with larger, more conspicuous ones. Smoke detectors can also be seen overhead, it seems that the city's central hospital is going to make a big effort to crack down on smoking this time.

"It's a pity we can't deal with Nie Guoqiang; that guy's going to get lung cancer sooner or later!"

Lin Ge complained regretfully.

Although he had gotten used to the smell of smoke in the police station, as a cat who didn't smoke, Lingo could never possibly have any fondness for it.

"Oh! Mimi, long time no see. Speaking of which, didn't you scratch someone in the stairwell the other day? Well done! That guy had just had surgery a few days ago and dared to sneak a cigarette. If you hadn't scratched him and scared him into going to the vet, I guess it would have been a few more days before anyone found out his wound was necrotic. Hehe... thankfully it was a false alarm and the person was saved. Several vets at the hospital are looking for that meritorious cat!"

As soon as Yang Xiaotong saw Lin Ge, she told him about an unexpected situation.

Lin Ge was stunned for a moment after hearing this, and it took him a while to suddenly recall what happened that day. He never imagined that rushing to stop Luo Jue from becoming a murderer would actually lead to him accidentally saving someone.

Someone secretly smoked right after surgery; is this person so addicted to cigarettes that they're risking their life?
Lin Ge couldn't understand it.

(End of this chapter)