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

The sheep followed the mountain path uphill, grazing on the roadside grass and bleating occasionally. Zhang Baolu followed behind, whip in hand, his eyes casually scanning the surroundings, watching out for any sheep that might run away or step into a mountain trap. When they reached the halfway point, the lead sheep suddenly stopped, refusing to go any further, pawing the ground anxiously and emitting low bleating. The sheep behind it also became restless, huddling together, afraid to approach the abandoned cave dwelling ahead.

The cave dwelling was hidden behind a dense thicket of jujube trees and bushes, and could not be found without careful observation. The cave had fallen into disrepair over the years, and most of the entrance had collapsed, leaving only a gap about half a person's height. Vines climbed all over the gap, and the dark entrance looked like a tightly closed mouth, exuding an indescribable desolation.

Zhang Baolu felt uneasy. He usually passed by this spot while herding sheep, and the sheep had never behaved this strangely. He frowned, took a few steps closer, and wondered if any wild animals were hiding inside. Just as he reached the vicinity of the cave dwelling, a strong, nauseating stench suddenly assaulted his nostrils. The smell was both fishy and putrid, mixed with the odor of mud and mold, forcing him to immediately cover his nose and bend over, coughing violently.

That wasn't the smell of a rotting wild animal carcass, nor the smell of rotten wild fruit or withered branches from the mountains. Zhang Baolu had lived for over fifty years, spending half his life in the mountains, and he could tell at a glance that it was the smell of a person who had been dead for a long time and was highly decomposed.

His legs went weak, and he almost collapsed to the ground. Suppressing his fear, he mustered his courage and pushed aside the vines blocking the entrance to peek inside. The cave was dimly lit, the air was murky, and the stench was even stronger. By the faint light, he could vaguely see a highly decomposed male corpse lying on the floor at the far end of the cave.

The body was unrecognizable; the flesh was blackened and rotting, the outline indistinct, and insects crawled all around it. Scattered on the ground were fragments of clothing or decaying tissue. Zhang Baolu was terrified at first glance and turned to run down the mountain, abandoning his flock of sheep. He stumbled and crawled, muttering "Dead man, dead man," as he frantically ran back to the village and immediately found the village secretary.

Upon hearing this, the village secretary's face turned deathly pale. Without a moment's hesitation, he immediately took out his phone and dialed the police. On the phone, the village secretary's voice trembled as he briefly explained the location and circumstances of the discovery of the body, emphasizing that the body was in an abandoned kiln halfway up the mountain, and was already highly decomposed, suggesting an unnatural death.

The emergency call was relayed up the chain of command to the city's criminal investigation branch.

Team leader Lu Chuan was in his office reviewing the final materials from a previous case when he received the alert from the command center. His expression immediately darkened. A cave dwelling deep in the mountains, a highly decomposed male corpse, no witnesses, and no clear identity—this kind of scene often means few clues, great difficulty, and a long investigation period.

Without the slightest hesitation, he immediately stood up and grabbed the police cap and walkie-talkie from the table.

"Notify the entire team to proceed to the scene." Lu Chuan's voice was calm and powerful, carrying an unquestionable command. "Yang Lin and Yang Sen, lead the scene investigation team, bring sufficient equipment, and focus on the peripheral scene, footprints, traces, and the collection of trace evidence. Notify the technical department to bring fingerprint, DNA, and trace evidence collection equipment. Notify the local police station to send personnel to Zhangjiagou first, block the entrance to the mountain, protect the scene, and prohibit anyone from approaching the cave where the crime occurred."

"Yes, Captain Lu!"

The on-duty police officer responded immediately and quickly relayed the instructions.

A few minutes later, several police cars with flashing lights sped out of the Criminal Investigation Detachment compound and headed towards Zhangjiagou.

Lu Chuan sat in the passenger seat, his brows furrowed, his mind racing as he considered all possible scenarios.

Abandoned cave dwellings deep in the mountains are not easily entered by ordinary people. They are either homeless people, those seeking shelter from the rain, lost travelers, or someone deliberately hiding a body there. The highly decomposed body indicates that the person had been dead for a considerable time, at least days, or even longer. Such scenes are most easily obliterated by the natural environment; rain, wind, wild animals, and insects can all destroy crucial evidence.

Therefore, protecting the scene and conducting a thorough investigation as soon as possible are of paramount importance. The mountain roads are rugged, and it took the police car nearly two hours to reach the entrance to Zhangjiagou Village. Two police officers from the local police station had already arrived and set up a cordon at the entrance to the mountain path, arranging for villagers to assist in guarding the area and strictly prohibiting unauthorized personnel from entering or leaving.

Lu Chuan and his team got out of the car, quickly changed into on-site investigation uniforms, put on gloves, shoe covers, and head covers, and took their equipment.

"Team Leader Lu, the scene is halfway up the mountain, in an abandoned cave dwelling. It's in a remote location and rarely visited." The local police officer quickly stepped forward and reported in a low voice, "The first person to discover the body was Zhang Baolu, a villager from our village. He found it while grazing his livestock this morning and is already waiting nearby, ready to be questioned at any time. After we arrived, we didn't let anyone approach the cave dwelling to ensure that the original scene was not disturbed."

"Well done." Lu Chuan nodded, his tone serious. "Yang Lin, Yang Sen."

"To!"

Two young and capable detectives immediately stepped forward. Yang Lin was slender with sharp eyes and meticulous work skills; Yang Sen was calm and powerful, skilled in trace comparison and crime scene preservation. The two were Lu Chuan's most capable crime scene investigation partners.

"You two take the investigation team and go to the scene first." Lu Chuan pointed towards the mountainside. "Remember, don't touch the body or move any objects. Start with the outer perimeter of the scene. Begin 50 meters outside the cave and work your way in. Pay close attention to: any fresh footprints, drag marks, broken branches, trampled weeds, clothing fragments, cigarette butts, mineral water bottles, ropes, bloodstains—mark, photograph, and collect anything that is even slightly unusual."

Yang Lin nodded seriously: "Understood, Captain Lu. We'll work on the perimeter first, without disturbing the central site."

Yang Sen added, "We will record the entire process, register all physical evidence by number, and ensure that no detail is missed."

"Go ahead, but be careful. It smells strong inside, so take precautions."

"Yes!"

Yang Lin and Yang Sen immediately led the exploration team members, carrying their exploration kits, and carefully made their way to the cave dwelling halfway up the mountain, following the path pointed out by Zhang Baolu. They walked very lightly, avoiding stepping on the ground to prevent disturbing any possible footprints.

Lu Chuan did not go up the mountain immediately, but instead focused his main efforts on Zhang Baolu, the first eyewitness.

The breakthrough in many murder cases often lies not in the body, but in the first person to discover the crime scene, in the surrounding environment, or in the villagers' fragmented conversations. Zhang Baolu is the only eyewitness in this case and the most crucial person at present; every word he utters and every detail he reveals could become an important direction for subsequent investigations. (End of Chapter)