freenovelworld Chapter 1436 Confirms the Deceased Zhang Baocang
Chapter 1436 Confirms the Deceased Zhang Baocang
“DNA comparison? What does that mean?” Li Mei’s eyes were filled with doubt and unease. “Could it be…could it be that the one you found…is my husband?” Xiao Zhou did not answer directly, but took out Zhang Baocang’s missing persons information form and asked, “Ms. Li, please think carefully. Before Zhang Baocang disappeared, was there a superficial scratch on his left forearm? Was his abdomen injured in an accident 10 days ago?”
Li Mei nodded, tears welling up instantly: "Yes, the scratch on his left arm was from a week before he disappeared. He accidentally scratched himself while checking equipment at the company, and he even had a band-aid on it at the time. Ten days ago, he was hit in the abdomen by an electric bike on his way home from get off work. He went to the hospital and they said there was some damage to his iliac artery. The doctor told him to rest at home for a few days, but he was worried about his work and insisted on going to work. I never expected... I never expected him to disappear."
Xiao Zhou continued, "Was there anything unusual before Zhang Baocang disappeared? For example, did he have a conflict with someone, was he depressed, or did he have any special travel plans?" Li Mei recalled, "He was indeed having some troubles at work recently. The company was bidding for a project, and he was under a lot of pressure, often working overtime. His mood was okay, just a little anxious. The night before he disappeared, he told me that he was going to inspect the property management work of a community near Nanhu Square the next day, and then he went home after get off work. After that, I couldn't contact him anymore."
"Near Nanhu Square!" A thought struck Xiao Zhou. Zhang Baocang had gone to work in a residential area near Nanhu Square before his disappearance, and the body was dumped there; there was a strong connection. However, he didn't press further, instead saying, "Ms. Li, to confirm the deceased's identity, we need to collect DNA samples from you and your son and compare them with the DNA found at the scene. If the match is successful, we will notify you immediately; if the match fails, we will continue our search for Zhang Baocang."
Although Li Mei was filled with fear, she nodded and said, "Okay, we'll cooperate. As long as we can find him, we'll accept whatever the outcome." Afterwards, staff from the technical department came and collected oral mucosal cell samples from Li Mei and Zhang Xiaoming, sending them to the laboratory for DNA typing and comparison.
In the following hours, Xiao Zhou and his team anxiously awaited the comparison results. The atmosphere in the office was extremely tense; no one spoke, only glancing occasionally towards the laboratory. Their previous fatigue seemed to vanish, and everyone was filled with anticipation. Xiao Zhou silently prayed that Zhang Baocang was indeed the deceased, as this would provide a crucial breakthrough in the case.
At 3:00 PM sharp, a staff member from the technical department quickly entered the information investigation office carrying a DNA comparison report. "The comparison results are in!" the staff member's voice broke the silence of the office. Xiao Zhou immediately went to greet them, took the report, and opened it with slightly trembling hands. The report clearly stated: "The oral mucosal cell samples submitted by Li Mei and Zhang Xiaoming completely match the DNA samples of the victims in the Nanhu Square dismemberment case at 20 STR loci, with a paternity index greater than 10 to the power of 18, confirming a mother-son and father-son relationship between the deceased and Li Mei and Zhang Xiaoming, i.e., the deceased's identity is Zhang Baocang."
"Found it! Finally found it!" Xiao Zhou couldn't help but shout, his voice choked with emotion. The team members cheered as well, and the oppressive atmosphere in the office that had lasted for days was instantly replaced by joy. Old Chen patted Xiao Zhou on the shoulder and said, "Our efforts have not been in vain! All the hard work these past few days has been worth it!" Xiao Lin's eyes were red as he said, "Yes, finally we can give the deceased an identity, and we can give her family some closure."
After calming his excitement, Xiao Zhou immediately picked up the phone and reported this important development to Li Ming: "Captain Li, good news! The deceased has been identified as Zhang Baocang, a 41-year-old manager of a property management company in this city. He is 177 cm tall and weighs 74 kg. We found that his physical characteristics matched the forensic report perfectly after checking the missing persons information. After collecting DNA samples from his family members for comparison, his identity was confirmed."
Li Ming's excited voice came from the other end of the phone: "Great! Excellent! Xiao Zhou, your team has done a great job! Thank you for your hard work! Next, you should immediately start investigating Zhang Baocang's social relationships, work situation, and activities before his disappearance. Focus on investigating his enemies, business competitors, colleagues, and people with whom he has had recent conflicts, and try to find clues about the suspect as soon as possible."
"Understood, Captain Li! We'll launch the investigation immediately!" After hanging up the phone, Xiao Zhou immediately assigned new tasks to his team: "Everyone, rest for half an hour and eat something to replenish your energy. After half an hour, we'll split into three groups: the first group will go to the property management company where Zhang Baocang works to investigate his work situation, his relationships with colleagues, and his recent work projects; the second group will visit Zhang Baocang's neighbors and friends to understand his social relationships and any unusual behavior before his disappearance; the third group will contact the transportation department to retrieve traffic surveillance footage before and after Zhang Baocang's disappearance and trace his movements. Everyone must be meticulous; don't overlook any clue!"
The team members nodded in agreement; though still exhausted, their eyes shone with determination. Half an hour later, the three teams set off to begin a new investigation into Zhang Baocang's case. Xiao Zhou stayed at the branch office to organize Zhang Baocang's information and develop a detailed plan for the subsequent investigation. He knew that identifying the deceased was only a crucial step in solving the case; the road to finding the suspect remained fraught with difficulties, but he and his team were prepared to face the new challenges.
At this point, the Criminal Investigation Division's investigation took a new turn thanks to the confirmation of the deceased's identity. Xiao Wang's team also received instructions from Li Ming to shift their focus to the residential area near Nanhu Square, where Zhang Baocang had visited before his disappearance. Combining previously gathered surveillance footage and information on suspicious vehicles, they conducted targeted investigations. The entire Criminal Investigation Division was greatly boosted by this breakthrough. Everyone firmly believed that as long as they continued their meticulous work and delved deeper into the clues related to Zhang Baocang, they would soon be able to identify the suspect, bring him to justice, bring justice to the deceased, and restore a peaceful living environment for the citizens.
The news that the deceased was identified as Zhang Baocang was like a beam of light piercing through the fog of the case investigation, instantly bringing the previously scattered investigative directions back into focus.