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

"Contact local dental hospitals and large dental clinics to check if any doctors have recently performed similar delicate resin filling procedures, especially for the upper right second molar. We might be able to find the deceased's identity information through the dentist's medical records!"

Xiao Lin excitedly said, "This idea is feasible! Dental medical records usually record the patient's detailed identity information, including name, age, address, contact information, etc. As long as we can find the corresponding dentist, we can confirm the deceased's identity!" Zhang Kai nodded: "Without delay, I will immediately report this situation to Captain Lu and arrange for personnel to contact dental institutions throughout the city to conduct an investigation."

After receiving Zhang Kai's report, Lu Chuan immediately arranged for Wang Shuai to lead a team to conduct a comprehensive investigation of all dental hospitals and large dental clinics in the city. There are 12 dental hospitals and over 30 large dental clinics in the city, making the investigation very extensive. The team members divided into five groups and conducted their investigations separately. At each dental institution, they showed the doctors photos and detailed parameters of the deceased's dental fillings and inquired whether similar surgeries had been performed.

However, the screening process did not go smoothly. Most dentists stated that resin fillings are a very common dental procedure, and many dentists perform similar delicate filling techniques. Furthermore, medical records have limited retention periods, and many earlier records have been archived or destroyed, making it impossible to screen them one by one. More importantly, many patients use aliases or do not provide their true identity information when seeking treatment, further complicating the screening process.

The team members investigated for three consecutive days, visiting more than 20 dental clinics, but found no corresponding clues. "Teacher Zhang, we've investigated so many dental clinics, but still no luck. Many doctors can't remember the specific patients, and the medical records are incomplete," Wang Shuai reported to Zhang Kai, his voice weary.

Zhang Kai was also somewhat disappointed, but he still encouraged him, "Don't give up, continue to check the remaining dental clinics. In addition, focus on checking dental clinics in and around the northern suburbs. The deceased's activity range was mainly in the northern suburbs, and he would most likely have chosen a nearby dental clinic for treatment." Wang Shuai nodded, "Okay, let's change our direction and focus on checking dental clinics in the northern suburbs."

Two days later, the investigation finally made some progress. A doctor at Ankang Dental Clinic in the northern suburbs recalled treating a male patient three months ago. The patient was about 40 years old, 175 cm tall, and of medium build. He had a cavity in his upper right second molar and needed a resin filling. The filling technique used at the time was precise, and the characteristics of the filling described by Zhang Kai were basically consistent. "That patient didn't talk much. When he came for the consultation, he only said that he lived in a nearby community, without mentioning the specific name of the community or providing an ID card. He only left a mobile phone number, but when I called it later, it showed that the number was not in service," the doctor recalled.

"Are you sure it's him? Is there a medical record?" Wang Shuai asked hurriedly. The doctor shook his head: "Because he didn't provide real identity information, I only made a simple visit record, not a detailed medical record. Moreover, three months have passed, and I can't remember his exact appearance. I can only confirm that his body type, age, and the location and technique of the dental filling are consistent with your description."

This clue gave Wang Shuai hope. He immediately asked the doctor for the invalid phone number and then relayed it to Zhang Kai and the technical department. "Teacher Zhang, we have obtained a phone number that appears to be the deceased's. Although it's invalid, the technical department might be able to find relevant identity information through this number." Zhang Kai immediately contacted the technical department and arranged for the phone number to be verified.

Technical staff discovered through the operator's system that the phone number was a temporary SIM card issued three months prior, without real-name registration. It was registered using false identity information, making it impossible to find the actual user information. Furthermore, the number had very few call records, only three calls, all to the same unregistered temporary number, making it impossible to trace any valid information.

The trail went cold again, plunging everyone into despair. Zhang Kai stared at the examination photos of the dental filling, his heart filled with helplessness: "I thought this filling could be a breakthrough, but it's still not enough. The deceased was too adept at counter-surveillance; he even used false identity information to register a phone number and didn't provide real information when seeking medical treatment. It seems he might have an identity or background he didn't want others to know."

Ten days had passed since the body was discovered, and the investigation had made no substantial progress. The autopsy had determined the time and cause of death, but not the victim's identity; the crime scene investigation yielded a large amount of physical evidence, but none pointed to a suspect; interviews and review of surveillance footage had also failed to uncover any valuable leads. The entire investigation seemed to have reached a dead end, offering no hope whatsoever. Sitting in his office at the forensic center, Zhang Kai looked at the thick stack of autopsy reports and sample test data on his desk, and silently vowed: no matter how difficult, he would find the victim's identity, uncover the truth of the case, and bring the murderer to justice.

On the fourteenth morning after the incident, just as dawn was breaking, most of the lights in the Criminal Investigation Division's office building were already on. Wang Shuai, with heavy dark circles under his eyes, gulped down a cup of freshly made instant coffee; the bitter taste cleared his muddled mind somewhat. On the progress chart on his desk, nearly ten dental clinics remained unmarked in the "Dental Institutions" section. Five days had passed since Zhang Kai proposed focusing on resin fillings, and the previously prioritized dental clinics in the northern suburbs had yielded no breakthroughs. The team's morale had plummeted.

"Team Leader Wang, today our team is going to investigate three dental clinics on the east side of the northern suburbs. One of them is called 'Little Rabbit Dental Clinic,' which is quite large and part of a chain. Their medical record management should be relatively standardized." Investigator Xiao Zhang walked into the office with a prepared investigation checklist, his face showing barely concealed fatigue. Several days of intensive investigation had left everyone physically and mentally exhausted. The daily routine of questioning, comparing, and recording had yielded no results, and many team members were beginning to doubt the feasibility of this lead.

Wang Shuai nodded, rubbing his temples vigorously. "Go ahead. Make sure to carefully check the medical records, especially those of male patients seen about three months ago who match the deceased's characteristics. Also, be mindful of your communication style when speaking with the doctors; bring all the photos and parameters of the resin filling so they can see them clearly." He paused, then added, "If you encounter any uncertainties, call me anytime, and I'll contact forensic pathologist Zhang for remote assistance." (End of Chapter)