I'm not a genius detective

Chapter 158 Discovery of a Corpse (Updates resumed)
Dark clouds obscured the moonlight, making the sky even darker.

On a cloudy night, the area within five kilometers of the fire site seemed to be suddenly tightened by an invisible giant net, and traffic cones were clearly visible at every intersection, large and small, under the illumination of police lights.

They even brought roadblocks and tire deflation devices to prevent accidents.

The police officers at the local police station and the traffic police were ordered to conduct thorough checks on passing vehicles and personnel, as there might be highly dangerous criminals among them, so they dared not be careless.

If someone forcibly breaks through the checkpoint, a response must be given within a short period of time to prevent injury while also ensuring the person who broke through is not allowed to escape.

As a result, almost every police officer in a local police station is now armed.

Gao Bingyang once said that if anyone attacks the police, they can be shot directly, but every effort must be made to capture them alive.

In criminal cases, especially homicide cases, it is difficult to reconstruct the complete truth without a confession. Relying solely on clues, evidence, and speculation is insufficient and may even lead to wrongful convictions.

Passing vehicles slowed down and rolled down their windows. People habitually stuck their heads out to blow on the air, only to be told that it wasn't a DUI check.

Last year, the Ministry of Public Security launched a nationwide campaign to crack down on drunk driving, marking the beginning of strict enforcement against drunk driving. In the next two years, relevant legal amendments will be introduced accordingly, and in larger cities, the public has become aware of the importance of not drinking and driving.

"Isn't this a DUI checkpoint?" the driver asked, puzzled.

The police officer was relatively polite: "Please show your ID card. Everyone in the car needs it. If you don't have it, please give your ID number."

The driver didn't understand but didn't ask any questions. He just cooperated and handed over his ID card.

The police officers went closer to look inside the car and saw a woman and a child sitting in the back seat.

This scene played out at multiple intersections, where anyone trying to leave the cordon was subject to inspection and had their personal information recorded.

This includes electric vehicles and bicycles.

"Stop for a moment." Police officers from the local police station stopped an oncoming electric scooter.

The electric scooter driver was a middle-aged man who was not wearing a helmet. Under the light, you could see that he had a full head of gray hair with silver strands mixed in. His face looked haggard, and even his lips were a little pale.

The police officer glanced at him and said, "Please show me your ID card."

The middle-aged man rummaged through his pockets for a while, then took out his ID card and handed it over.

The police officer took it, checked it, and then made a record.

Zhang Zhenhua, 48 years old, is a native of Qingchang and lives in Gu'an District.

"Gu'an District isn't close to here. What are you doing here so late?" The police officer returned the ID card and asked routine questions.

The middle-aged man replied, "I have a relative in Xijiang Village who had minor surgery yesterday, so I came to visit."

Upon hearing this, the police officer nodded slightly, then looked at the man again. He felt that the man's condition was a bit off. He didn't suspect that there was anything wrong with him, but he just felt that the man's health was not very good.

"Are you alright? You look so pale, are you sick?" the police officer asked.

The middle-aged man smiled optimistically and did not hide anything: "I do have a disease, it's... a terminal illness, I guess. I only have two years left."

He meant that he would die within the next two years.

The police officer paused for a moment, then softened his expression and didn't ask any further questions: "Maintain a good mindset; mindset is the most important thing."

The middle-aged man smiled and said, "Thank you, officer. May I go now?"

"Okay." The police officer stepped aside, and just as the man was about to speed away, he asked again, "What's your relative's name?"

Zhang Zhenhua turned around and smiled, "Zhang Shouyi, a distant cousin of mine."

Watching Zhang Zhenhua walk away, the police officer stood there for a moment, pondered, and then took out his phone to call his colleagues in the Xijiang Village area to confirm the details.

He was not an ordinary police officer, but a team leader at the police station with many years of work experience and strong execution ability. Although he believed Zhang Zhenhua's words, he would not listen to only one side of the story and would still implement what needed to be implemented.

Soon, colleagues at the local police station in Xijiang Village confirmed that Zhang Shouyi was indeed a person.

The police officer recorded the information and moved on to the next vehicle.

Tonight, all three team leaders have arrived and are waiting for the search to conclude. If a body is found, a temporary tent will be set up as a command center.

"Go and remind them again." Gao Bingyang looked at the faintly visible lights ahead and ordered, "Everyone who leaves must have a reasonable whereabouts. If they cannot explain why they came here, detain them immediately."

Wu Bin: "Okay."

He agreed with the squad leader's caution. This place was already considered relatively remote, and late at night, the vehicles coming and going certainly couldn't just be wandering around aimlessly; they must have a reason that could withstand investigation.

If a driver claims to be driving aimlessly, they won't be allowed to leave and will definitely face a thorough investigation.

"We're really just strolling around," a young driver kept explaining at the intersection, with his girlfriend in the passenger seat.

The police wouldn't let them leave: "Your home is on Penghua Road in Tianning District, which is far from here. What are you doing here so late at night?"

The young man said helplessly, "Just browsing, really!"

Police officer: "What's there to see here?"

Young man: "The scenery is beautiful, the scenery along the river is so nice."

"You've been to the river?" The police officer's expression hardened slightly, and he waved, "Get out of the car, quickly!"

"No, no!" The young man panicked, ignoring his girlfriend's attempts to stop him. He unbuckled his seatbelt, got up, and rummaged through the back seat for a while before finally pulling out a used condom.

The police officer glanced at her, then looked at the embarrassed girl in the passenger seat, his eyes twitching slightly.

Summer is hot and dry, but the nights are cool. This temperature is just right for a couple to stroll in the countryside—neither too hot nor too cold. The other officers looked at them strangely, but that's understandable given they're young.

"Go on, go on," the police officer in charge urged them to leave.

The young man breathed a sigh of relief, stepped on the gas and sped away, deciding in his heart that he would never come out again. Wasn't the hotel better?
If the police yell "What are you doing?" halfway through, he'd probably be impotent.

The search along the river is ongoing, and the area is gradually expanding.

Twenty minutes later.

A voice crackled to life on the walkie-talkie: "We've found Li Dechang! He's dead!"

The search was abruptly halted, and everyone rushed toward the location where Li Dechang had been found, including the three team leaders.

Gao Bingyang's face was grim. Although he had anticipated the outcome, his negative emotions still erupted the moment he actually discovered Li Dechang's body.

The fact that people keep dying in the serial murders is the hardest thing to accept.

Wu Bin issued the order over the walkie-talkie: "Set up a cordon, one inner circle, one middle circle, and one outer circle. The technical team will get to work immediately!"

Li Dechang's body was about 20 meters from the riverbank. There were no fishermen nearby, and the dense shrubs along the roadside provided good cover, making it a near-perfect crime scene.

Gao Bingyang put on shoe covers and went to the body to take a look. The wounds were all on the heart, and it seemed to be three stab wounds.

Without saying a word, he handed the scene over to Wu Bin, then went to a distance to take out his phone and call Zheng Hongyi to report the situation.

From discovering the car accident to taking notice of Li Dechang, to sending people to protect him, and then to his disappearance and murder, he reported in great detail and was mentally prepared to be scolded.

After a long silence on the other end of the phone, Zheng Hongyi finally spoke: "Gao Bingyang, how did you become a branch captain? How did you become the head of the special task force? Just twenty minutes before someone died?"

Gao Bingyang did not neglect his duties. He handled every clue flawlessly. After learning of the car accident, even without any evidence pointing to it, he immediately sent people to monitor Li Dechang without wasting a single second.

However, the killer was even faster.

There's no way around it.

"I'm sorry, Director Zheng." Gao Bingyang didn't explain. A dead man is a dead man; explaining would just be making excuses.

Zheng Hongyi: "Is there a fourth victim? How many people does he intend to kill?"

Gao Bingyang: "It's hard to say."

The connection between the murder and the car accident is currently just speculation. No one can guarantee that the murderer was really seeking revenge for Zhu Guilan. If the motive is misjudged, the consequences are unpredictable.

Zheng Hongyi: "Are there any doubters?"

Gao Bingyang: No, we're still investigating.

Zheng Hongyi: "If a fourth victim appears, you can quit your job as the head of the task force and make way for me."

Gao Bingyang: "Yes, Director Zheng, I will do my best."

He understood what Zheng Hongyi meant.

The other party only said that the head of the task force should quit, not that he should be the branch captain. If people continued to die, the head of the task force would become Zheng Hongyi, and the deputy director would personally take charge.

The situation is not out of control. In fact, Zheng Hongyi himself understands that no matter who is in charge of this group, it will be difficult to prevent Li Dechang's death.

This is not Gao Bingyang's fault.

After hanging up the phone, Gao Bingyang returned to the crime scene with a grim face. The autopsy had already begun, and was being conducted by the forensic doctor from the Municipal Public Security Bureau's Criminal Technology Brigade. The Gu'an Branch and the Languang Branch were not involved.

Normally, the skill level of forensic doctors and that of physicians are essentially similar, with each level representing a different level. Doctors in city hospitals are definitely better than those in county hospitals, and doctors in provincial hospitals are definitely better than those in city hospitals; otherwise, it wouldn't be so difficult to get an appointment at those well-known hospitals.

Except in special circumstances.

Wu Bin received a phone call and came to Gao Bingyang's side, saying, "We have results from the construction site. There are tire tracks at the attack site, and the tire tracks match the model of the van's tires."

There were drag marks at the scene.

Gao Bingyang: "Where are the footprints? Are they there this time?"

Wu Bin: "I've got it, size 43. The ground is hard soil with no depressions, so I can't accurately judge the weight. As for the height, based on the length of the footprint, I estimate it to be around 180 cm."

Gao Bingyang: "Any other clues?"

Wu Bin: "The investigation is still ongoing. By the way, we searched the inside and outside of the burned van, but we didn't find the murder weapon."

Gao Bingyang frowned: "Took them away again?"

Taking the weapon doesn't mean the killer will continue killing, and not taking it doesn't mean the killer will stop killing. But statistically speaking, the likelihood of a serial killer taking the murder weapon and continuing to kill is relatively higher. Gao Bingyang would prefer to see the murder weapon appear—even if it doesn't have fingerprints or the killer's DNA on it.

Wu Bin: "Probably, they're probably worried the police will find something on it."

Gao Bingyang: "Let's search this area later, and don't forget the river either, just in case we threw something away."

Wu Bin: "Okay."

At this moment, Han Ling and Tong Feng's group were waiting at the central cordon. After the body was discovered, it would not be as simple as setting up checkpoints and searching within a radius of several kilometers. They would definitely have to conduct a large-scale investigation, especially in Xijiang Village, which is relatively close by.

It is possible that the suspect is still within the encirclement and has not left.

(End of this chapter)