Attending ex-girlfriend's wedding, arresting the groom's officer on the spot

"Captain Lu, what are our next steps in the investigation?" Wang Shuai asked. Lu Chuan thought for a moment and then said, "First, continue to thoroughly investigate Zhang Fenglu's social relationships, including his relatives, friends, colleagues, and all the merchants and residents in his patrol area, leaving no suspicious clue unchecked; second, intensify the review of surveillance footage, especially the footage along Zhang Fenglu's patrol route, to trace his movements before his disappearance and look for any suspicious individuals who followed or stalked him; third, based on the trace evidence collected at the scene, focus on investigating individuals wearing size 41 rubber boots, size 43 sneakers, and size 42 leather shoes, as well as those driving electric tricycles or small trucks; fourth, the technical department should expedite the testing of fingerprints, fibers, tire tracks, and other physical evidence collected at the scene to try and find information related to the suspect."

"Understood, Captain Lu!" Wang Shuai nodded in response. Although he and his team were exhausted after working for more than ten hours straight, the progress in identifying the deceased rekindled their fighting spirit. At 1:30 a.m., Wang Shuai gathered his team again, conveyed Lu Chuan's deployment requirements, and regrouped them to begin a new investigation.

The night was deep, and the Jianshe Road community and its surrounding area were quiet, but the criminal investigation team members were still busy. They moved between various monitoring rooms, shops, and residents' homes, carefully investigating every clue and verifying every detail. Wang Shuai stood in front of his rented room on Zhangfeng Road, looking at the dark night sky outside the window, and made a silent vow: he must find the suspect as soon as possible, bring him to justice, restore justice to Zhangfeng Road, and allow the community residents to return to a peaceful life.

Meanwhile, the technical staff were working overtime to examine the newly collected trace evidence. They hoped to find traces of other people besides Zhang Fenglu in the fingerprints and hair from the rented house on Zhang Fenglu; and to identify the murder weapon and the suspect from the fibers and tire tracks collected at the scene. The entire criminal investigation team was brightly lit, and everyone was going all out to solve this murder case. Although they still faced many difficulties, everyone firmly believed that as long as they persisted in focusing on evidence and following clues, they would definitely be able to uncover the truth and bring the suspect to justice.

At 2:00 AM, Wang Shuai led his team back to the Criminal Investigation Detachment. After a short rest, they convened another investigation deployment meeting at 6:00 AM. Based on Lu Chuan's instructions and the current progress of the investigation, Wang Shuai decided to adjust the investigative forces and implement a group investigation: "The deceased's identity has been confirmed as Zhang Fenglu. The core investigation will focus on his social relationships and unusual movements. I will lead one group to remain in the city, focusing on investigating Zhang Fenglu's work details at Chengxin Security Service Co., Ltd., his relationships with colleagues, and his connections with merchants and residents in his patrol area; Zhang Hui will lead the second group to Zhang Fenglu's hometown—the neighboring city of Qinghe County—to investigate his family situation, kinship, and whether he has returned home or had any unusual contact with people from his hometown. Both groups must conduct thorough investigations and exchange information promptly."

"Understood!" Zhang Huili responded, then led his three team members to pack their equipment and drive to Qinghe County. Wang Shuai left four team members behind, dividing them into two groups: one group was responsible for conducting in-depth visits to Chengxin Security Service Co., Ltd., and the other group was responsible for revisiting residents and businesses in the three communities Zhang Fenglu was responsible for patrolling: Jianshe Road Community, Xingfu Community, and Guangming Community. "During the visits, we will focus on two issues: first, whether Zhang Fenglu has any close colleagues, business owners, or residents; and second, whether Zhang Fenglu had any unusual words or actions before his resignation, especially any conflicts or disputes with others," Wang Shuai clarified the key points of the investigation to his team members.

At 8:00 AM, Wang Shuai personally led a team to Chengxin Security Service Co., Ltd. The company was already in normal working hours, and Manager Liu and several security guards were handing over shifts in the duty room. Upon seeing Wang Shuai and his team, Manager Liu immediately stepped forward to assist: "Officer Wang, is there anything else you need to know? We will fully cooperate." "Please gather all the colleagues who have worked with Zhang Fenglu; we want to understand the situation from each of them," Wang Shuai said.

Soon, eight security guards who had worked with Zhang Fenglu gathered in the company's conference room. Wang Shuai took out his notebook and asked them one by one, "Everyone, think back, during the three years Zhang Fenglu worked at the company, did he have any particularly good colleagues? Who did he usually get close to?" A brief silence fell over the room, and an older security guard spoke first: "Zhang Fenglu was too introverted. He didn't talk to us much, and he was always alone during his breaks. He rarely participated in our colleagues' gatherings. If we're talking about good relationships, it seems like he didn't have any particularly close ones."

Another security guard added, "He is indeed quite aloof, but very easygoing. He never refuses to cover for us when we need him, and he never argues with anyone. He had an argument with Li Wei once before about the division of patrol areas, which was the only time he ever clashed with anyone at the company, but they made up afterward and haven't had any conflicts since." Wang Shuai pressed further, "What were the specifics of that argument? How was Zhang Fenglu's mood at the time?"

"About two weeks ago, the company adjusted the patrol routes, assigning a secluded section on the west side of Xingfu Community to Zhang Fenglu. Li Wei felt that the road was difficult to walk on, especially in the dark at night, so he argued with Zhang Fenglu, saying that Zhang Fenglu was 'easy to bully'," the security guard recalled. "Zhang Fenglu didn't really argue back at the time; he just lowered his head and looked unhappy. Later, Manager Liu intervened and readjusted the route, and that was the end of it." Manager Liu also confirmed this: "That time it was indeed Li Wei's fault. Zhang Fenglu is honest and didn't hold it against him. After that, the two haven't had any further conflicts at work."

To further verify the allegations, Wang Shuai questioned Li Wei privately. Li Wei appeared calm: "Officer, I know you suspect me, but I really don't have any deep-seated hatred for Zhang Fenglu. Our argument last time was just a momentary impulse, and I apologized to him afterward, and he forgave me. Besides, I was definitely home at the time of the incident; my wife and neighbors can testify to that." Based on the previous investigation, Wang Shuai confirmed Li Wei's alibi was valid, and since there was no other evidence linking him to Zhang Fenglu's death, he was temporarily ruled out as a suspect.

During the questioning, a young security guard mentioned a detail: "Zhang Fenglu is always punctual for get off work, leaving at 8 am and starting at 8 pm, never late or leaving early. After get off work, he seems to go straight back to his rented room, rarely going out shopping or for entertainment. We occasionally see him buying things at a small supermarket near the company, mostly daily necessities and simple groceries, looking very frugal." Wang Shuai immediately noted this information and instructed his team to go to the small supermarket near Zhang Fenglu's rented room to verify. (End of Chapter)