I'm not a genius detective

Chapter 156 Attack
"What do you want to ask me this time? I've already told you everything I know last time."

Liao Xue brought up the serious matter. She knew the police wouldn't come without a reason; perhaps they had found new clues.

Han Ling: "I want to talk to you again about Xiong Chuan. Were you surprised that he was suddenly murdered?"

Liao Xue asked in surprise, "What kind of question is this? What are you trying to say?"

She thought the police were starting to suspect her.

Han Ling: "Just chatting, nothing more."

Liao Xue thought for a moment and replied, "I wouldn't call it an accident. His actions already put him in a high-risk group, so it's not surprising that something happened."

I just didn't expect him to die; it would have been easier to accept if he had gone to the hospital.

Han Ling: "I don't know Xiong Chuan. Based on my investigation over the past few days, he doesn't seem like the kind of person who would cause trouble. Do you agree?"

“I agree.” Liao Xue nodded. “Don’t be fooled by the fact that he’s been in and out of detention several times. He’s not actually that brave and it’s unlikely that he would deliberately cause trouble.”

Han Ling: "What do you think are his shortcomings, or what aspect of him do you find most unacceptable?"

Liao Xue thought for a moment and said, "He likes to avoid and delay things. He really likes to use the cold shoulder approach."

On a smaller scale, when we used to argue, he was never willing to actually solve the problem. He just wanted us to calm down and make up naturally, as if nothing had happened. This caused those unresolved conflicts to be like hidden reefs beneath the surface of a lake. They may seem calm on the surface, but they could actually stir up trouble again at any time, bringing repeated pain.

On a larger scale, when it comes to buying a car or a house, getting sick and hospitalized, and other important life decisions, he tends to procrastinate or gloss over them whenever possible. If he can't procrastinate or gloss over them, he either avoids them or dumps everything on me.

After listening to Liao Xue's words, Han Ling said, "This seems to be a kind of 'lying down' mentality, a kind of psychological laziness."

"Mental laziness?" Liao Xue agreed with those five words. "The police speak with such skill. Not wanting to move is physical laziness, but not wanting to solve problems is mental laziness."

The brief conversation allowed Han Ling to gain a deeper understanding of Xiong Chuan's personality. Such a person is very unlikely to form a life-or-death feud and will not have any fatal conflicts with others.

But Xiong Chuan died, and he was murdered, stabbed three times in the heart, each stab seemingly filled with hatred.

Since the possibility of a subjective enmity is not high, the scope can be narrowed down to objective factors, namely, unintentional.

This aligns with the direction of the current investigation.

Xiong Chuan unintentionally made an enemy of someone without his knowledge, or rather, he knew he had offended someone but never expected that the other party would be so ruthless as to directly attempt murder.

"He really didn't mention anything about having conflicts with others to you?" Han Ling asked.

The police have asked this question at least twice.

Liao Xue sighed helplessly, "I really don't have any. I spent several hours trying to recall last night, but I have no recollection. Maybe... give me some more time, and I might remember something someday."

It's clear that as a wife, she desperately wants to know how her husband died. You could say it's out of curiosity, or it could be out of a wife's final sense of responsibility. After this incident, the mother and daughter will start a new life.

She may feel relieved that Xiong Chuan is dead, but since there were feelings involved, it's impossible for her to be so cold-blooded as to completely ignore him.

After chatting for more than half an hour, the two left Xiong Chuan's house and prepared to conduct a detailed investigation of the surrounding area.

"This case is troublesome." Han Ling felt that it wouldn't be easy to find out the truth.

The main issue is that if the murderer's motive stemmed from venting his anger, who knows how long he waited?
Things that happened recently are relatively easy to investigate, but things that happened months or even years ago are much more difficult to handle.

Tong Feng said, "Just investigate whatever the captain says. Anyway, the pressure isn't on us. Do you expect to turn the tide like you did with the Weijiazhuang Village case? Don't leave me behind this time!"

He had a "psychological trauma" and gave Han Ling a heads-up in advance.

In the previous case in Weijiazhuang Village, Han Ling left him alone in the hotel to investigate the case by himself. When he woke up in bed and received a text message, the case was already closed.

In his sleep, Han Ling experienced a life-or-death crisis and was awarded a first-class merit for it.

He will never forget this incident.

Han Ling casually replied, "No, no, the suspect in this case isn't very dangerous and shouldn't be capable of assaulting a police officer."

Tong Feng corrected, "Even if it's dangerous, you can't abandon me! I'm a criminal investigator too. See the halo above my head? That's the light of the police badge!"

Han Ling was helpless.

That kid really holds a grudge.

The comprehensive visits have begun.

The two went into a convenience store to inquire about Xiong Chuan. The owner had a deep impression of Xiong Chuan for a simple reason: he often came to buy cigarettes and alcohol.

Xiong Chuan has a heavy smoking habit, smoking two packs a day. He's okay with alcohol, buying two bottles twice a week, both cheap everyday liquor and cigarettes, which indirectly proves that his financial situation isn't very good.

When asked about other things, the boss claimed to know nothing.

"Has anything happened around here recently that has left a deep impression on you? Preferably something involving conflict." Han Ling casually bought a pack of Yunyan cigarettes and chatted with the shopkeeper while smoking.

When faced with the police, the boss was very patient and polite, thinking carefully: "No, right? I really can't remember right now that you're asking me this. Does the car accident count?"

"A car accident?" Han Ling slowly exhaled a puff of smoke. "When?"

Boss: "It's been about three years."

Han Ling: "Is it serious?"

Boss: "It's serious. I heard someone died in a car accident that happened late at night. I heard about it from other people the next morning."

An elderly man died; he was hit by a motorcycle.

Han Ling recalled the victim's information to determine whether the case might be related to the car accident.

Xiong Chuan doesn't have a motorcycle; Wu Cuicui rides an electric scooter.

Causing death while fully responsible for a car accident is a criminal offense, and those who bear secondary responsibility are also liable for civil compensation. However, there are no relevant records for either of them.

After leaving the convenience store, Han Ling cautiously called her team and learned that a car accident had indeed occurred nearby three years ago. The deceased was an elderly man in his seventies. The perpetrator was driving under the influence of alcohol and had his driver's license revoked. Ultimately, due to his good attitude of repentance and active compensation to the victim's family, he obtained their forgiveness and was given a suspended sentence.

This case was handled jointly by the traffic police team and the fourth squadron of the criminal investigation brigade.

Han Ling obtained the perpetrator's phone number and called him directly.

The call was answered quickly.

"Hello? Is this Edward Li?"

The other person: "Yes, who are you?"

Han Ling: "This is a Hyundai 4S store. Do you have any plans to buy a car recently?"

The other person replied impatiently, "No, no."

The phone hangs up.

Tong Feng watched Han Ling's actions from the side, and after a moment's thought, he understood: "Are you trying to determine whether Li Dechang is alive or dead? Are you suspecting the murderer is avenging that old man? What does this have to do with Xiong Chuan and Wu Cuicui?"

Han Ling put away her phone: "We shouldn't overlook any possibility. It won't hurt to ask, and what if there's a connection?"

Tong Feng: "I think you're wrong this time, absolutely wrong."

"Hmm?" Han Ling noticed Tong Feng's rare skepticism and became interested. "Why?"

Tong Feng: "Even if the old man's death is related to Xiong Chuan and Wu Cuicui, it was still Li Dechang who hit and killed him. He is the culprit. The murderer will definitely kill Li Dechang first."

Han Ling laughed and said, "You're wrong. If Li Dechang were killed first, the police would find out about the car accident immediately, and then quickly identify the suspect by speculating on the motive. How could he continue committing crimes then?" Tong Feng was stunned and fell silent. It seemed to make some sense.

"So what? Should we investigate this car accident thoroughly?" he asked.

Han Ling: "The special task force command center is faster than us. They just need to report it. Chief Gao is a very capable person. I trust him completely."

Tong Feng blinked: "Does that mean you don't trust Captain Feng and Captain Ji?"

Han Ling: "Don't try to sow discord."

……

Municipal Bureau.

A conference room was converted into the task force office. Although Gao Bingyang, the team leader, was not on the front line, he was not idle. Investigators reported new clues every hour, and he needed to work with Wu Bin to integrate and analyze them to gradually advance the case.

At this moment, the large screen displays a map on the left and a detailed case file of a car accident on the right.

"Do you think there's a problem with the car accident reported by Han Ling and Tong Feng's investigation team?" Gao Bingyang asked Wu Bin. "The perpetrator's name is Li Dechang. Han Ling has already called to confirm that he is still alive, but being alive doesn't mean he's safe. If the murderer's motive is related to the car accident, Li Dechang could be the final target."

Wu Bin nodded slightly: "Yes, if we kill Li Dechang first, the motive will be exposed immediately, but... Xiong Chuan and Wu Cuicui's names are not in the case file. I think this case should be unrelated to the car accident."

It was a very simple car accident. Late at night, a drunk man on a motorcycle hit an elderly woman. The driver didn't flee; he called 120 (emergency services) and the police. Unfortunately, the elderly woman died despite all efforts to save her.

There is no responsibility on the part of a third party.

Unfortunately, the location of the incident was somewhat remote and lacked surveillance cameras, so the incident could only be roughly reconstructed based on the perpetrator's account and the traffic police's on-site investigation.

Gao Bingyang stared at the screen for a while and said, "December 3, 2007, 11:20 pm. Confirm the whereabouts of Wu Cuicui and Xiong Chuan around this time."

Too much time has passed, and family members may not remember anymore.

As the head of the task force, Gao Bingyang would not overlook any possibility.

Not only Han Ling provided this clue, but the Municipal Bureau also conducted in-depth verification and directional analysis of the information reported by other investigation teams.

This is the role of the project command center.

The clues that investigators painstakingly uncover on foot, braving wind and sun, will not be ignored by a competent task force leader. Even if the possibility is slim, they must be investigated and dealt with.

"Does Gao Zhi mean that Xiong Chuan and Wu Cuicui may have indirectly caused this car accident?" Wu Bin asked.

Gao Bingyang: "Is it impossible? Look at the location of the car accident. Wu Cuicui takes that road every month, it's a necessary route. As for Xiong Chuan, his home is nearby, he could take any road."

"Go and find out immediately whether Wu Cuicui came to Gu'an District on December 3, 2007, and whether Xiong Chuan was at home or out before 11:20 PM."

Wu Bin: "Okay."

Two phone calls were made, one to Qiao Yuanqi and the other to Han Ling. The former was responsible for contacting Wu Cuicui, while the latter, who lived closest to Xiong Chuan's house, was responsible for contacting Xiong Chuan.

Meanwhile, Han Ling, who had hung up the phone, returned and knocked on Xiong Chuan's door again.

"The child is asleep," Liao Xue whispered.

Han Ling did not enter the house, but asked if Xiong Chuan was home around 11:20 pm on December 3, 2007.

There's no other way but to ask this.

Liao Xue was somewhat bewildered. How could she possibly know about something that happened three years ago, down to the minute?

"I'm so sorry, I really forgot."

"fine."

Han Ling knew that Liao Xue had most likely forgotten, and he was just going through the motions.

The results were then reported to the task force command center.

Qiao Yuanqi acted quickly, instructing the police officers from the Criminal Investigation Brigade of the Languang Branch to immediately inquire with Wu Cuicui's family. They learned that Wu Cuicui had indeed been to Gu'an District on December 3, 2007.

The reason she could remember it clearly was because December 2nd was her father's birthday, which she had forgotten. Feeling guilty, she rushed over to have dinner with her father the next day and didn't return until very late.

Wu Cuicui's husband had a deep impression of this incident.

“There are no coincidences in the investigation.” Upon learning that Wu Cuicui had visited Gu’an District on December 3, Gao Bingyang immediately gave the order: “Select four highly capable police officers to take turns protecting Li Dechang 12 hours a day. Before a new direction of the investigation is determined, assume that the murderer will continue to kill, and assume that the third victim is Li Dechang.”

He had no illusions and immediately activated victim protection measures upon receiving a lead.

Even if there's only a one in ten thousand chance, we can't gamble on it. In any case, four police officers won't affect the investigation for the task force.

Upon receiving the order, the four officers immediately set off, first calling Li Dechang to confirm the location, and then driving there.

Li Dechang works at a construction site as a materials clerk. His job is to transport loose materials such as screws and wires to and from the building materials market, as well as to inventory and verify some of the site's materials.

"Wu Bin, go and investigate the interpersonal relationships of the car accident victims to see if there are any suspects who fit the criteria, with a focus on their immediate family members," Gao Bingyang said.

Wu Bin: "Okay."

Car accidents are unforeseen events and rarely lead to retaliation. If someone were to kill someone because of a car accident, that would be quite paranoid.

Moreover, it was an old person who died.

If the deceased are children, the probability of a revenge attack is relatively high.

After Wu Bin left, Gao Bingyang stopped paying attention to the car accident and continued to review and analyze the information reported by other exploration teams.

He also did not believe the case was related to the car accident, but the investigation should be comprehensive, and no suspicious clues should be overlooked, regardless of their validity.

7:30 p.m.

Li Dechang had just left the building materials market when he received the call from the police, and he was now riding his electric bike back to the construction site.

His driver's license was revoked, so he can only ride an electric bike now.

"What do the police want with me?" On the way, Li Dechang was a little distracted. He could only think of the car accident after thinking for a long time, but three years had passed.

He admitted that he caused the accident while riding a bicycle intoxicated, but he paid compensation, received a suspended sentence, and the victim's family forgave him. The matter is now in the past.

"I haven't done anything lately."

He was about to reach the construction site, so he took a shortcut along an unpaved path with waist-high weeds on both sides.

At 7:30, it was almost dark, and the electric scooter was moving slowly.

Just as they were about to approach the construction site, a figure suddenly emerged from the weeds, swung a stick at them, and struck Li Dechang squarely on the head.

Caught off guard with no time to react, Li Dechang felt everything go black before he fell off the electric scooter.

Bang!

The electric vehicle lost control, tilted and slid for several meters before falling over on the side of the road.

"You..." Li Dechang was still somewhat conscious, staring at the approaching figure with dizzy eyes.

The figure raised the stick in its hand again.

The second blow caused Li Dechang to fall into a complete coma.

(End of this chapter)