Soul Patch

Chapter 325 Annotations
A moment later, he crossed the cordon and walked toward Xiao Zhang, who was conducting an on-site investigation.

Xiao Zhang is his capable assistant, calm, quick-witted and decisive.

Working in criminal investigation requires talent, and among his subordinates, he felt that Xiao Zhang was the most talented and a promising talent.

"Team Leader Wu, what are your instructions?" Xiao Zhang stopped his work as soon as he saw Team Leader Wu approaching with a serious expression.

“I’ll oversee things on-site,” Captain Wu said, turning his gaze to Wei Jun, who was sitting in the living room.

At this moment, the Wei army was listless and somewhat absent-minded.

Team Leader Wu winked at Xiao Zhang: "Take Wei Jun, the one who reported the case, to the branch office to give a statement. Jia Nan, the one who reported the case, should also come to the branch office in a bit."

After a moment's thought, Xiao Zhang nodded vigorously, "Yes, Captain Wu!"

After saying that, he turned around and walked towards the Wei army. At this moment, Captain Wu thought for a moment and reached out to grab him.

Xiao Zhang turned his head and quietly looked at Captain Wu, waiting for his boss's instructions.

“I always felt that Wei Jun and this Jia Nan…” Captain Wu smacked his lips as he spoke:

"Something seems fishy. Be careful when you give your statement."

Xiao Zhang paused for a moment, nodded thoughtfully, and turned to leave.

Watching Xiao Zhang's departing figure, Captain Wu recalled the situation when he asked Wei Jun to provide an alibi. This grown man stammered that he was with his buddies.

Where is he?
At first, they said it was at the night market, but soon after, they said it was at their friend's house.

I can't quite put my finger on it, but I feel like they're hiding something.

He had been to the scene countless times and had seen all sorts of people reporting crimes. He remembered Wei Jun's evasive eyes and how he had just been sitting on the sofa frantically texting on his phone.

If I'm not mistaken, he was probably colluding with Jia Nan to fabricate a story.

This is what's puzzling. If Wei Jun didn't want to be suspected, he could have simply not reported the case!
After reporting the crime, why are they frantically giving conflicting statements? What are they doing?
And then there's Jia Nan, who was so aloof when she answered the phone, not even bothering to say a single word.

But upon hearing that it was the police calling, he instantly became breathless, and the sounds of movement and typing could be heard over the phone...

Captain Wu glanced again at the victim Zhang Meng's side, where criminal investigation, forensic, and technical officers were methodically collecting evidence and taking photos at the scene.

Police tape was put up outside the house, but the neighbors upstairs and downstairs still crowded the area. "Make way, make way!" Captain Wu shouted to the chaotic crowd crammed into the doorway.

With the assistance of the police officers at the entrance, a path was cleared, and Captain Wu squeezed through the crowd.

He glanced at the onlookers, his eyes filled with barely suppressed irritation.

He climbed several floors, leaving the noisy crowd behind.

Zhang Meng's house was close to the top floor, so he reached the rooftop after climbing only a few floors.

Seeing an ashtray on the windowsill in the stairwell, he took out a cigarette and lit it.

A cloud of smoke billowed from his nostrils, spreading through the air, along with the jumbled thoughts in his mind.

Looking out the window of the top-floor hallway, the people and cars seem so small.

A champagne-colored minivan was weaving through the traffic, traveling from west to east. Many small vendors were doing business on both sides of the street in the residential area, and at this time of day, they were starting to pack up their things and prepare to close up shop.

Just then, footsteps sounded behind him. He didn't turn around, took a drag of his cigarette, and exhaled a smoke ring, saying, "So, you've finished the on-site investigation?"

"Yes, we've seen everything we needed to. It was a murder, but we can't find the killer. How do you plan to report it?"

A hoarse voice rang out in the hallway; it was Old Li from the technical department.

"Hehe, solving cases is my job, so what..." Captain Wu turned his head, facing Old Li behind him, and said:

"This is because they're worried about me!"

"That's right, I don't know why, but this case feels kind of sinister." Old Li spat on the ground.

Captain Wu slowly puffed on his cigarette, took out a shrunken cigarette pack from his pocket, and handed it to Old Li:

"Have one! Maybe a puff will spark some ideas."

Old Li took the cigarette case, weighed it in his hand, took out a cigarette, and sighed:
"Is this the second pack today? Captain Wu, I'm telling you, you need to control your smoking!"

(End of this chapter)