Solving the case: Combining the police dog's olfactory genes at the beginning

Luo Fei immediately sent a message in the special case team group: "The holiday is ending early. Everyone, head to Shanghai immediately. There is a murder case that needs to be investigated."

Upon seeing the message, Yuan Bingyan immediately called: "Captain Luo, what happened? How come there's suddenly a murder case?"

Luo Fei explained simply: "A female corpse was found under the bed in my hotel room. She was 18 years old and her name was Du Xiaowan. The case is not simple and requires the intervention of the special task force."

Yuan Bingyan exclaimed in shock, "Oh my god! It's in your room? That's terrifying!"

Meanwhile, in the hotel, Chen Xuanran and Zhu Ke'er were discussing the "misunderstanding" that happened at the food street earlier.

"It seems we really misjudged the situation." Chen Xuanran shook his head. "How could Luo Fei possibly be in Shanghai?"

Zhu Ke'er still had some doubts: "But that person really looks too much like him."

Just then, Luo Fei called. Chen Xuanran deliberately pressed speakerphone: "Hello? Luo Fei, where are you right now? You're not on Huanghe Road in Shanghai, are you?"

Luo Fei's voice came from the other end of the phone: "How did you know? I'm at the Huanghe Road Police Station right now. There's been a murder here, and the special task force is coming over tomorrow."

Chen Xuanran and Zhu Ke'er looked at each other, both stunned.

"You...you're really in Shanghai?" Chen Xuanran stammered.

Luo Fei explained, "Yes, we're here to handle a case. A body was found in a hotel room, so we've temporarily assembled the special case team."

Chen Xuanran suddenly said, "Then I want to join the special case team too! I'm on Huanghe Road right now!"

Luo Fei asked in surprise, "What are you doing in Shanghai?"

"I came here to play with Ke'er," Chen Xuanran insisted. "Let me join the Special Case Team! I can help!"

Luo Fei said hesitantly, "I'll have to ask Grandpa Lei first. I'm not very familiar with the situation at Guoan either."

Chen Xuanran said understandingly, "Okay, then you go ahead with your work. Ke'er and I are going to Disneyland tomorrow and will be back tonight, so we won't disturb your work."

After hanging up the phone, Zhu Ke'er's eyes widened: "Oh my god! He's actually in Shanghai! That was him we saw before!"

Chen Xuanran's expression was not good: "But he said he was here to handle a case. It's probably just a coincidence."

Zhu Ke'er said suspiciously, "Does handling a case require shopping with female colleagues? Xuanran, you need to ask clearly!"

Chen Xuanran was silent for a moment, then shook his head: "Let's not talk about this for now. Since he's here to investigate a case, let's not disturb him."

Meanwhile, Luo Fei began to deploy the investigation. He first asked the police station to retrieve the hotel's recent surveillance footage, focusing on those who had entered and exited room 1408 a week prior.

"Chief Liu, please send someone to the hotel to investigate the deceased Du Xiaowan's work situation and find out about her social relationships and connections," Luo Fei instructed.

Liu Yong immediately arranged for police to carry out the order.

Yuan Bingyan rushed to the police station: "Captain Luo, what did you find during the on-site investigation?"

Luo Fei shook his head: "The body has been sent for an autopsy. But based on the preliminary findings, the deceased was likely strangled and hidden under the bed. The time of death was approximately one week ago."

Yuan Bingyan frowned: "A week? The hotel didn't even notice? Their management is terrible!"

Luo Fei pondered, "I suspect someone inside the hotel is involved. Otherwise, it's impossible that the body would have been hidden in a guest room for a week without anyone noticing."

At this moment, the technical officer reported: "Team Leader Luo, we have retrieved the surveillance footage. But unfortunately, the surveillance camera at the door of room 1408 broke down a week ago and has not been repaired yet."

Luo Fei and Yuan Bingyan exchanged a glance, both realizing that this was no coincidence.

"The surveillance cameras just had to break down at this exact moment," Yuan Bingyan said thoughtfully. "It's too suspicious."

Luo Fei immediately ordered: "Check the hotel's maintenance records to see when the maintenance was reported and who was responsible for it, based on the surveillance footage."

He said to Liu Yong, "Chief Liu, please send someone to seal off room 1408 and protect the scene. We need to re-examine the area when the special case team arrives tomorrow."

Liu Yong nodded repeatedly: "Understood! I'll arrange it right away!"

The next morning, members of the special task force arrived in Shanghai one after another. Yuan Bingyan also came from home to join them. Luo Fei originally planned to contact the Shanghai National Security Bureau as a temporary office location, but Yuan Bingyan offered a better suggestion.

“I have a large house of over 300 square meters near Huanghe Road. It’s just been renovated and I haven’t lived in it yet,” Yuan Bingyan said. “It’s big enough for the seven of us to work in. It’s much more convenient than going to the National Security Bureau.”

Luo Fei thought for a moment and nodded in agreement: "Okay, then I'll go to your place."

When everyone arrived at Yuan Bingyan's house, they were stunned by what they saw. It was a luxuriously decorated, spacious apartment with a wide view and complete facilities.

"My God! This house is amazing!" Wang Feifei exclaimed.

Chen Yifan couldn't help but exclaim, "Bingyan, your family is so rich!"

Yuan Bingyan smiled and said, "Please make yourselves at home. I'll have the housekeeper come over and cook for everyone."

Luo Fei asked everyone to sit down in the living room and began to introduce the case: "Around 10 p.m. on April 3, Du Xiaowan was strangled to death in a hotel room and her body was hidden under the bed. Surveillance footage shows that she checked in with a man at 10 a.m. that day, but only her ID card was registered."

He pulled up the surveillance footage: "The man only stayed in the room for half a minute before leaving. Afterwards, Du Xiaowan went downstairs to buy cigarettes, and after returning to the room, she never came out again."

Zhou Xiaobei interjected: "Because she only paid for one day's room, the front desk found out at noon on April 4 that she hadn't checked out. When the cleaning lady went in, she found no one there and assumed she had left, so she cleaned up and continued to rent it out."

Chen Yifan frowned and asked, "That's strange. If only Du Xiaowan went in and out, how did the murderer get in to kill her? And how did she leave?"

Wang Feifei joked, "Could it be a ghost killing someone? Or does the murderer have the ability to become invisible?"

Luo Fei shook his head seriously: "Don't let your imagination run wild. We need to solve the case from a scientific perspective. I suspect the murderer may have used some special method."

Wu Peixiong analyzed, "Could it be that the murderer has been hiding in the room all along, waiting for Du Xiaowan to come back before making a move?"

Su Muchen retorted, "But the surveillance footage shows that Du Xiaowan didn't go out again after returning. How could the murderer leave after killing someone?"

Chen Yifan suddenly thought: "Perhaps the murderer didn't need to leave at all? Maybe they were someone working at the hotel?"

Luo Fei nodded: "That's very likely. I've already asked the police station to investigate the hotel staff."

Yuan Bingyan added, "There's another question: Who was the man who checked in with Du Xiaowan? Why did he only stay for half a minute before leaving?"

Zhou Xiaobei pulled up the surveillance footage: "This man is very cautious, he keeps his head down, so we can't see his face." Luo Fei pondered for a moment: "Okay, let's split up. Yifan and Xiaobei go to the hotel to re-examine the scene; Peixiong and Muchen investigate Du Xiaowan's social connections; Feifei contact the Municipal Bureau to retrieve surveillance footage from the surrounding area; Bingyan will be in charge of logistical support."

Everyone sprang into action immediately. Luo Fei added, "Remember, this case is not simple. The fact that the killer was able to perfectly evade the surveillance cameras means they are very familiar with the hotel and may have an inside man."

Chen Yifan suddenly said, "Captain Luo, I have an idea. Could the murderer have entered and exited through the air conditioning ducts or ventilation openings?"

Luo Fei's eyes lit up: "That's a good idea! Yifan, you should focus on checking the room's ventilation system."

Wang Feifei joked, "Chen Yifan, have you been reading too many detective novels?"

Luo Fei said seriously, "No, Yifan's speculation makes sense. Many old hotels do indeed have this kind of safety hazard."

Yuan Bingyan brought over some tea: "Everyone, please have some water first. I've already asked the housekeeper to prepare lunch."

Luo Fei stood up: "Alright, we'll go to the hotel for an on-site investigation this afternoon. Let's organize the existing clues first."

Zhou Xiaobei suddenly said, "Captain Luo, I've noticed a detail. After Du Xiaowan came back from buying cigarettes, the elevator surveillance showed that she went upstairs alone. But the stairwell surveillance cameras are broken, so we can't be sure if anyone followed her down the stairs."

Luo Fei frowned: "The stairwell surveillance camera is broken? When did it break?"

“Hotel records show that it has been broken for a week,” Zhou Xiaobei replied. “It was reported for repair on the same day as the security camera outside room 1408.”

Luo Fei's eyes narrowed: "What a coincidence. It seems the murderer is very familiar with the hotel's surveillance system."

Zhou Xiaobei frowned and said, "Captain Luo, I think the surveillance video might have been tampered with. Or... the murderer might be the hotel owner?"

Luo Fei nodded: "This direction is worth investigating. Xiao Bei, go and look into it."

Then he turned to Su Muchen: "Muchen, what's your opinion?"

Su Muchen thought for a moment: "I think the murderer may have come down from the top floor. There is a small balcony outside room 1408, so it is entirely possible to descend from the roof using a rope."

Luo Fei's eyes lit up: "That's very likely! Mu Chen, go to the Municipal Criminal Investigation Center to find out about the autopsy. Fei Fei, go investigate the deceased's information. Pei Xiong, go investigate the man who entered the hotel with the deceased. Bing Yan, Yi Fan, and I will go to the hotel to re-examine the premises."

Upon arriving at the hotel, they found that room 1408 had been sealed off by the police, the hotel was partially closed, and many guests were checking out.

The hotel owner anxiously peered around near the crime scene, but was stopped by the police. Luo Fei stepped forward and asked, "Are you the hotel owner? What are you doing here?"

The owner complained, "I'm the boss. The hotel was just renovated and this happened, ruining all my business! How can I not be anxious?"

Luo Fei showed his identification: "I am Luo Fei from the National Security Special Case Team. Please cooperate with the investigation."

He scanned his boss with his "genius eye," found nothing unusual about the top of his head, and then let him leave.

Luo Fei and Chen Yifan entered room 1408 for a thorough inspection. Chen Yifan suddenly pointed to the balcony ceiling: "Captain Luo, look here! There are friction marks!"

Luo Fei leaned closer to examine it: "Indeed! It looks like marks left by the friction of a rope."

They immediately went up to the roof and found it covered with sheets and duvet covers. They also found similar friction marks in the same spot along the edge of the roof.

"It's confirmed!" Luo Fei said definitively, "The murderer went down from here!"

He observed the surrounding environment: "This building is the tallest in the vicinity, and the surrounding buildings are relatively short. The murderer has limited options for leaving, either by taking the stairs or by using a glider."

Chen Yifan analyzed: "It's unlikely to be possible to use a paraglider, the altitude is not high enough, and it's too dangerous."

Luo Fei requested to view the lobby surveillance footage, but no suspicious persons were found leaving via the stairs.

"Strange," Luo Fei frowned, "How did the murderer leave?"

He carefully observed the surveillance footage in the lobby and suddenly noticed a problem: "The surveillance camera is pointed at the main entrance, but the stairwell is in a blind spot!"

They immediately went to the stairwell and found an unclosed window nearby. Luo Fei noticed shoe scuff marks on the windowsill.

"Found it!" Luo Fei said excitedly, "The murderer climbed over the wall from here! He went up the stairs to the top floor, used a rope to rappel down to room 1408 to commit the crime, and then returned the same way!"

Chen Yifan suddenly realized: "That's why the surveillance cameras couldn't capture him coming in and out! This murderer is too cunning!"

Luo Fei immediately ordered: "Retrieve all surveillance footage from the surrounding area, focusing on suspicious individuals near the time of the incident. The perpetrator must have been loitering in the vicinity!"

Yuan Bingyan added, "We also need to investigate who is so familiar with the hotel's layout. It could be an insider or someone who stays there frequently."

Luo Fei nodded: "Yes! Check the hotel's recent check-in records, especially those of frequent guests!"

Just then, Zhou Xiaobei called: "Captain Luo! We've found something! The hotel's surveillance system was upgraded a week ago, and the owner of the company that did the upgrade is Du Xiaowan's uncle!"

Luo Fei's eyes sharpened: "Immediately take control of this uncle! He's a prime suspect!"

Luo Fei led Chen Yifan and Yuan Bingyan to visit the shops opposite the hotel, and finally found a convenience store with a security camera. The owner cooperated by showing them the surveillance footage from the evening of April 3rd.

"Look here!" Chen Yifan pointed to the screen, "At 9:32 PM, a person dressed in black, wearing glasses and a mask entered the alley!"

Yuan Bingyan checked the time: "Leaving in twenty minutes will coincide with the time of Du Xiaowan's death."

Luo Fei frowned: "It's a pity that the disguise is too good. We can't see their faces clearly, and we can't even tell if they are male or female."

They checked the surveillance footage at several nearby intersections, but found no trace of the suspicious person. Luo Fei had no choice but to lead his team back to the temporary command center.

Back in Yuan Bingyan's penthouse, the special case team members began reporting their respective investigation results.

Zhou Xiaobei reported first: "The hotel's surveillance system has been checked, and there are no signs of editing, nor has the content of the cameras been tampered with."

Wang Feifei continued her report: "The deceased, Du Xiaowan, was born on April 3, 2006, in Fuyuan County, Yunnan Province. She was a freshman at the Shanghai Theatre Academy, worked part-time as a print model, and had acted in some short plays. Her classmates said that her family was of average means, but she was beautiful and had many suitors. It was rumored that she was dating Ouyang Xiu, the heir of the Huaxiong Group."

Wu Peixiong added: "The man who checked into the hotel with Du Xiaowan is named Xu Dongchuan, 28 years old, an employee of the planning and marketing department of Huaxiong Group. He said he did not know Du Xiaowan and was asked by Ouyang Xiu to take her to the hotel to check in."

Luo Fei used his "Genius Eye" to confirm: "Xu Dongchuan is telling the truth; he has nothing to do with the case."

Chen Yifan exclaimed in surprise, "Huaxion Group? That's a leading enterprise in Shanghai! Its total market value is 6800 billion yuan, and its CEO, Ouyang Zhenghua, ranked eighth among the top ten richest people in China in 2014!"

Yuan Bingyan chimed in, "I've heard that Ouyang Zhenghua has very close ties with both the business and political circles in Shanghai." (End of Chapter)