I'm not a genius detective

Chapter 28 He Has a Problem
Judging from the position of the body and the fixed struggling movements after death, the murderer should have strangled the person from behind.

The time of death was very short; the body had not even completely cooled down. By measuring rectal temperature and taking into account the seasonal ambient temperature, the accurate time of death was estimated to be three to four hours, with virtually no error.

This wasn't Yang Rui's first time seeing a dead person, so she remained calm and learned from the sidelines to assist.

On the other side, Sun Yujie, a forensic investigator, was working with his mentor, wearing shoe covers, to carefully search and extract physical evidence such as footprints and fingerprints from the scene.

There were no signs of easy damage at the site, so no foam boards were laid.

click!
click!
Criminal investigators took photos, and the entire scene investigation was carried out in an orderly manner.

"Go find the murder weapon."

Fang Zhou stood with Squadron Leader Hu Lihui and Deputy Battalion Leader Ji Bowei, and at that moment he gave orders to the criminal police officers of the squadron.

No rope-like objects were found on or around the body.

"Yes!"

The crowd slowly dispersed, including Tong Feng.

Tong Feng's expression was somewhat unnatural. He had seen a corpse in the six months since he joined the company, but he still couldn't remain calm. This matter required time for him to process.

Fang Zhou was a good person; he was very patient with him and treated him with no airs as a senior student. He felt very lucky.

The second floor wasn't large; it seemed to be a temporary resting place for the shop owner, with one bedroom, one living room, and one bathroom. The search was quick, and nothing resembling the murder weapon was found.

It seems that the perpetrator took it away or hid it.

"Go check the first floor too, look carefully, there's also a warehouse," Fangzhou said.

All investigation teams of the Major Crimes Unit received orders and entered a state of comprehensive, thorough search.

Excluding the leaders, the three investigation teams consisted of nine criminal police officers. These were all the members of the First Squadron under the Criminal Investigation Brigade of the branch bureau, responsible for investigating and collecting evidence in major cases.

Of course, other squadrons are also responsible for the eight types of cases, but they are mostly robbery and theft, which are more frequent than murder cases. For example, they can handle several cases of stolen valuables from cars in a single day.

The First Squadron is more like a "reinforced squad" that handles major, complex, and difficult cases. This arrangement is conducive to concentrating professional capabilities and is highly targeted.

Pool our resources and focus on one thing.

"I'll go and talk to the deceased's family."

Fang Zhou wasn't idle either. Without orders from the company commander and deputy battalion commander, he knew what to do at this moment.

If the wife dies, the husband will definitely be investigated first; other matters can wait, there's no rush.

The forensic and trace evidence examination work takes time, so Ji Bowen and Hu Lihui did not stay at the scene and also went downstairs.

The two stood together at the shop entrance, and Hu Lihui offered Ji Bowei a cigarette.

Hu Lihui is older than Ji Bowei, almost forty.

Age is not important for frontline positions; ability is the most important factor. As long as you have strong business skills, you can be promoted quickly.

Leaders appreciate subordinates who can solve cases, partly because they value talent, and partly because the case-solving rate is directly related to their own abilities.

If there are too many unsolved cases in the bureau, forget about promotion, even a disciplinary action is too lenient; you're lucky if you're not dismissed.

It varies from city to city; let's take Qingchang City as an example.

Qingchang City has a three-tiered color-coded warning system for the homicide clearance rate in each district, with yellow, orange, and red indicating the severity from low to high.

Yellow indicates a homicide detection rate below 80%. In this case, the deputy director in charge will be interviewed by the director.

Orange indicates a homicide clearance rate below 60%. At this point, the deputy director in charge will leave the office and go directly to the front line to direct the investigation.

Red indicates a homicide case clearance rate below 50%. After two consecutive years, administrative penalties of varying degrees will be imposed based on the severity of the case.

When leaders are under pressure, those below them will be under even greater pressure, because if the leader is held accountable, those below him will also be held responsible.

There's a line in the TV series "Bright Sword" that goes like this: "I swear on my life to my superiors, if I lose my head, I'll have to kill you first."

The principle is the same.

"Captain Ji, this doesn't seem like a good idea. It'll take some effort. What do you think?" Hu Lihui said, taking a drag of his cigarette.

Ji Bowei: "I just arrived, no rush, let me call the captain first to report."

Feng Yao, the captain of the Criminal Investigation Brigade of the branch bureau, coordinates the work of the entire team and will only be present in special circumstances, such as when the case is serious and has a great impact, or when the deputy captain Ji Bowei is unable to handle the situation and needs support.

If a particularly serious case occurs, the deputy director in charge will also come.

Feng Yao is getting a bit older and rarely goes to the front lines. In a few years, he may be transferred to the legal department, the office, or other non-leadership positions (high rank but no real power).

On the other side, Fangzhou arrived in front of the deceased's husband, who was still standing there in a daze, his eyes red.

Fang Zhou sat down next to him, took out a cigarette from his pocket, pulled one out and offered it to him: "Want one?"

Actually, he wasn't a big smoker; he hadn't touched a cigarette during his four years at police academy. But after graduating and joining the criminal investigation team of the branch office, he became more accepting of secondhand smoke.

If I'm inhaling secondhand smoke every day, I might as well just inhale firsthand smoke directly. What's the difference?
Moreover, while staking out suspects, he discovered that when he felt sleepy, a nicotine-fueled cigarette could indeed stimulate the release of dopamine, providing a more direct and rapid boost than coffee—besides, who had the opportunity to drink coffee? As for the downsides, he didn't care. Which of his predecessors didn't have occupational diseases like pancreatitis, chronic gastritis, and high blood pressure? He would inevitably suffer from them in the future; it was all up to fate.

The deceased's husband took the cigarette, and Fangzhou lit it for him.

After taking a few deep drags, the deceased's husband seemed a little more alert.

"Shall we chat?" Fang Zhou asked.

"Go ahead and ask," the other person said slowly, sounding dejected.

On the other side, Han Ling, who was on guard duty, focused his gaze on a certain man in the crowd. He had been staring at him intermittently for almost ten minutes. In his opinion, there was something quite wrong with the man's expression and his level of attention to the murder case.

There's a line in the movie: 81% of murderers will return to the crime scene after committing the crime to enjoy the thrill of the work.

Is it reasonable? No, it's not reasonable; these lines were designed for dramatic effect.

In reality, only some perpetrators might return to the scene, such as those with narcissistic or controlling personalities.

However, another group of perpetrators also return to the scene. This group is more normal, driven by psychological stress or curiosity.

After committing a crime, the perpetrator will experience a tremendous psychological shock, leading to a brief period of mental confusion as they attempt to ascertain the situation at the scene and escape their inner fears.

What kind of killer would dare to come back? A stranger is more likely.

In his past life, Han Ling often returned to the scene after finishing his business. He belonged to the "irrational" group. At first, it was driven by curiosity, but later it was because he was confident that he could control the outcome.

The only circumstances that would allow him to return are when the targets are strangers.

If it's someone he knows, he runs faster than anyone else, partly due to the emotional stress in psychology.

"Strangulation?"

Han Ling recalled Zhu Yue's words, then looked down at the man's hands.

The man had a buzz cut and a slightly nervous expression. He mingled in the crowd, observing the situation inside the shops, and showed no concern for the deceased's husband or the police officers on duty.

It was late autumn, and the man seemed to have sweat on his forehead. He raised his hand to wipe it, using the back of his hand, in an unnatural posture, with his palm spread wide open.

Han Ling squinted to get a clearer view and could vaguely see the difference in skin color on the other person's palm.

"It seems to be a crime of passion," Han Ling concluded.

At this moment, Ji Bowei finished his phone call and saw Han Ling standing guard there, so he walked over to her.

Since this is someone Wu Zhi is interested in, he should pay more attention to him. If he runs into him, he should exchange a few words and get to know him better.

"Han Ling, you..."

As soon as the voice rang out, Han Ling suddenly pointed at the crew-cut man in the crowd: "He's suspicious."

"Huh?" Ji Bowei was taken aback and subconsciously turned his head.

When the man with the buzz cut saw Han Ling pointing at him, his expression changed drastically, and he turned and ran without any hesitation.

The crowd was startled and scattered in a flash.

"Eh?"

"Stand there!!!"

Ji Bowei rushed out as if by reflex, jumping over the cordon. Hu Lihui, who was nearby, saw his captain's actions and joined in without thinking.

The scene suddenly became chaotic. Fang Zhou, who was questioning the deceased's husband, suddenly stood up and rushed to help at top speed.

As she passed by Han Ling, she couldn't help but glance at him, her fleeting look filled with surprise.

The fact that the person ran away indicates there's definitely a problem; the question is whether it's related to this case.

The criminal police officers who were searching inside the shop were also alerted and filed out. By the time they caught up with the three captains, the man with the buzz cut had already been pinned against the wall by Ji Bowei.

Ji Bowei is a key figure in the criminal investigation department. His years of experience as a police officer have honed his speed, endurance, and combat skills to their peak. Once he is within sight, it is generally difficult for a suspect to escape.

"Why are you running? Huh?!"

The man with the buzz cut shouted, "I didn't do anything!!"

Ji Bowei shouted, "Then why are you running?"
"Keep an eye on him!"

Two detectives apprehended the man with the buzz cut from either side, and the group returned to the shop where the incident occurred.

On the way back, Fangzhou deliberately observed the man's hands and found that there were abrasions and bruises of varying degrees on his palms, consistent with the reaction force of strangulation.

This person is highly suspicious.

That guy from the police station was able to pinpoint a location in a crowd so quickly; he's impressive. Judging by his age, he must be a new officer.

I remember Tong Feng mentioning that there was a new recruit at Wanglou Police Station this year who performed well in police drills. Is that him?
(End of this chapter)