Diary of a Criminal Investigator

The arrest team heading to Tianzhou City has already set off.

Given the relationship between the Criminal Investigation Teams of Tianzhou City and Haizhou City, there should naturally be no issue in cooperating on this task.

On the Tianhai Expressway leading from Haizhou City to Tianzhou City, Zhang Qi gazed at the rapidly retreating, mottled scenery outside the window, feelings within difficult to describe in words.

It was like the snow outside, cold and without warmth.

Yet also like magma brewing to erupt, on the brink of explosion.

Three years ago was Zhang Qi's first year as the captain of the Criminal Investigation Team in the High-speed Rail New District.

May 28th, Zhang Qi remembered the date of assuming office very clearly.

A week later, on the 7th, 8th, and 9th of June, it was the college entrance exams that year.

Zhang Qi's daughter also took the college entrance exams that year.

With his daughter's exams and his own new role as captain of the Criminal Investigation Team, Zhang Qi felt at that moment somewhat favored by fate.

Successful career, accomplished children.

However, a murder disrupted the peaceful life.

On June 20th, two weeks after the college entrance exams, a murder occurred in the jurisdiction of the High-speed Rail New District Criminal Investigation Team.

Actually, the period after the college entrance exams each year is when various cases are more frequent.

Especially fights, which occur even more often.

Many of them are committed by students freed from the constraints of the exams.

For such incidents, as long as they aren't major, they are usually minimized in severity or resolved quietly.

Who hasn't had youthful impulsiveness?

But murder is different.

Coincidentally, the victim was known to Zhang Qi, a classmate of his daughter.

Outstanding in character and academics, ranked in the top ten for exam scores in the class.

Zhang Qi also knew the victim's parents, both working at the district level.

But after three years, the case remained unsolved.

During these three years, every time Zhang Qi saw his own daughter, he thought of that high schooler killed by a beer bottle.

Now, the murderer has finally been found.

"Drive faster!"

The driver was Deputy Chief Sun Biao.

He was also a main participant in the specialized team for the case three years ago.

Upon hearing the words, he pushed harder on the pedal, nearly floored it into the gas tank.

The racing police car whipped up the snow by the roadside, speeding along.

They brought judgment to the murderer and sought closure for the victim.

196 Lishui Avenue, Tianzhou City.

Tianyi Hair Salon.

"This is the place?"

Opposite the hair salon, Zhang Qi was exchanging information with the local criminal police in Tianzhou City.

After they set off, the Lishui District Criminal Investigation Team in Tianzhou City also received directives to cooperate in the operation.

"It's confirmed. Just now, one of our people went in under the guise of a haircut and confirmed that Tian Yajun is inside."

For criminal police, coordinating such tasks is not difficult.

They can figure things out easily with any excuse.

"Are we arresting?"

This time, with the cooperation from the Lishui District Criminal Investigation Team in Tianzhou City, Zhang Qi was still commanding the arrest.

Relevant procedures had been approved, and there were no issues with enforcement rights.

"Yes, Old Tian and Zhang, you two guard the door."

"Sun Yi and I will go in and use a haircut as an excuse to make the arrest directly!"

The hair salon had only one entry and exit, block the door, and the target couldn't escape.

Everyone nodded at the command; such small operations were familiar to them.

"Boss, a haircut?"

Zhang Qi nodded; the one who came to greet him was indeed the target, Tian Yajun: "Master, can you help me decide on a hairstyle?"

While speaking, Zhang Qi took a step back, looking into the mirror at the entrance.

Tian Yajun naturally stepped forward, approaching Zhang Qi's side.

Zhang Qi made a fist gesture behind his back, and Sun Yi, following behind Zhang Qi, leapt forward.

Zhang Qi twisted Tian Yajun's right arm back.

"What's your name?"

"Damn it! What the hell are you doing, you're hurting me... damn... let go..."

"Don't move, police! Name!"

The second barber, just about to rush out, halted immediately upon hearing the shout "police."

The two guarding the door also rushed in, followed by the criminal police from the Lishui District Criminal Investigation Team in Tianzhou City.

"Tian... Yajun..."

"Do you know why you're being arrested?"

Criminal suspects are often at their most vulnerable moment when just apprehended.

If they crack then, interrogation afterwards becomes much simpler.

"I... I... don't know..."

Though claiming ignorance, Tian Yajun's face had turned deathly pale, words stuttering.

"Don't know?"

"Three years ago, Haizhou City's Hero Hotpot!"

Hero Hotpot?

Upon hearing Zhang Qi's words, Tian Yajun immediately collapsed to the ground.

"I... I... didn't know it was intentional... really... I was drunk at the time, I truly didn't mean to kill him..."

Watching Tian Yajun crumble, sobbing on the ground, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

Three years, the case finally resolved!

Meeting Room Seven, Haizhou City Public Security Bureau.

While Zhang Qi and the others were arresting in Tianzhou City, Lu Chuan continued analyzing fingerprint identification.

Of thirteen unsettled murder cases, Lu Chuan had resolved three.

And though two weren't completely solved, it was shown that the same person was responsible for both cases.

The remaining eight cases were the fortresses Lu Chuan aimed to conquer next.

Ding-dong!

On the fourth day of the fingerprint battle.

Hearing the ding-dong from the meeting room's sound system, those intensively working were somewhat numb to it.

Wang Song raised his head, looking at Lu Chuan, who had just gotten up for a stretch.

"That's... the seventh case, right?"

In the four days, the criminal police participating in the fingerprint battle had found their rhythm.

Perhaps influenced by Lu Chuan, many people performed exceptionally.

In just four days, Sun Hao from the Forensics Identification Center had resolved four cases.

On average, one per day.

Moreover, two of those were cold cases.

Though not murder cold cases, resolving any cold case was a top achievement in past years.

The achievements of others were also notable.

Among the eighteen participants in the battle, eleven achieved results.

Take Gao Wenxiang for instance; in previous years, he'd basically had zero results. This year, he resolved two cases.

This fingerprint battle could rightfully be described as a harvest.

However, this kept the field detectives busier than ever, even with the upcoming New Year's preparations.

Typically, theft cases increase around New Year, but major cases are less frequent.

Yet this time, each fingerprint match made in the office meant an arrest for the field team.

Simultaneously, the corresponding case procedures had to be followed each time.

Some, like Tianzhou City's Tian Yajun, weren't even in Haizhou City.

And among everyone, the brightest star was Lu Chuan.

Seven cold case murders!

This was Lu Chuan's accomplishment over four days!

Apart from the two cases on the first day, Lu Chuan resolved another two on the second day.

The third day, one.

The fourth day, two.

Within four days, successfully identifying seven murder cases!

This was beyond just breaking records.

Director Song Jiangguo now visited the fingerprint battle meeting room daily.

The Criminal Investigation Team and the sub-teams under it were incredibly busy these past few days.

Yet everyone's spirits were extraordinarily high, like an early New Year celebration.

Unresolved murder cases are a psychological burden for any experienced detective.

Every day, the desire to catch the suspects is there.

However, it's truly rare to actually solve a cold case.

Many go unsolved forever, or it takes ten, twenty, even more years.

Just like how some murderers openly act in TV dramas, nearly becoming an award-winning actor before being caught. It's not a rare example.

As investigating police officers put it, this is what they call "hidden in plain sight."