freenovelworld Chapter 850 The Murder at the Victory Celebration
Chapter 850 The Murder at the Victory Celebration
The conference room of the Dongchuan City Public Security Bureau had been meticulously decorated, a far cry from its usual serious and rigid atmosphere. Colorful streamers hung from the ceiling like vibrant ribbons, giving the space a festive feel. Bright lights streamed down, illuminating the faces of every attendee, their eyes filled with the satisfaction of overcoming fatigue and the joy of victory. The officers, dressed in neat uniforms, sat in orderly rows, conversing quietly, their words brimming with reflection on the successful resolution of the dismemberment case.
Qin Chuan walked steadily onto the stage, his posture upright and his gaze resolute. He scanned the entire room, and the conference room instantly fell silent, all eyes focused on him. "Comrades, today we gather here to celebrate the successful resolution of the dismemberment case. From the initial complete lack of clues to finally bringing the murderer to justice, every step of this case embodies everyone's hard work."
He picked up the case file on the table and slowly said, "At the beginning of the case, we faced extremely complex clues. The body was brutally dismembered, and the disposal sites were scattered, which brought huge challenges to our investigation. However, our crime scene investigators, with their solid professional knowledge and rigorous work attitude, extracted as many clues as possible from every trash can and every piece of body parts. In the harsh environment, they carefully examined every trace, laying a solid foundation for the subsequent investigation."
"During the lead-tracking phase, we faced a massive amount of information and a cunning suspect. The suspect deliberately concealed his whereabouts and destroyed evidence, but our investigation team did not back down in the slightest. Through frame-by-frame analysis of surveillance videos, screening of massive amounts of communication records, and in-depth investigation of the suspect's social relationships, we painstakingly pieced together the clues and gradually outlined the suspect's profile. In particular, Comrade Li Ming from the Criminal Investigation Detachment led his team to work day and night, leaving no detail overlooked. When investigating the suspect's whereabouts, they worked tirelessly, visiting countless locations, and finally successfully locked onto the key clues."
"The interrogation phase was equally difficult, with the suspect denying everything and attempting to evade legal punishment. However, our interrogators, with their rich experience and superb interrogation skills, broke through the suspect's psychological defenses step by step, bringing the truth to light. The entire case investigation process fully demonstrated our team's strong collaborative ability and unwavering spirit. Close cooperation and information sharing among various departments formed a powerful force for solving the case."
Next, the awards ceremony began. The ceremonial staff, carrying neatly arranged certificates of honor and medals, walked onto the stage with light yet solemn steps. Li Ming was the first to be invited up; he stood ramrod straight and looked humble. Qin Chuan solemnly handed Li Ming the certificate and medal for second-class merit. Their eyes met, conveying trust and affirmation. Li Ming bowed slightly, accepting this weighty honor. A warm and prolonged applause erupted from the audience, the highest praise for his hard work.
Following this, the comrades who received the Third-Class Merit Award took turns to the stage to receive their awards. Some were technicians who discovered crucial evidence during crime scene investigations; some were investigators who worked tirelessly to follow leads; and some were interrogation experts who skillfully broke through the psychological defenses of suspects during interrogations. Each comrade who went on stage to receive their award beamed with pride and joy—an honor earned through their sweat and hard work.
Just as the celebration began, a sudden, urgent phone call shattered the cheerful atmosphere of the meeting room. Qin Chuan's expression instantly turned serious. He quickly answered the phone and listened attentively to the report on the other end. After a brief silence, he turned to face his comrades below the stage, his voice low and powerful: "Comrades, a murder has occurred at a grape-growing base in the western suburbs of Dongchuan City. Workers discovered a decomposing body while harvesting grapes. We are dispatched to the scene immediately."
The conference room, which had been filled with joy, instantly fell silent, the atmosphere becoming serious and tense. The core members of the Criminal Investigation Division quickly stood up, expertly picking up their equipment, their eyes revealing determination and resolve. They lined up neatly and followed Qin Chuan out of the conference room. Just moments before, they had been basking in the joy of victory; now, they were ready to face new challenges.
Police cars drove out of the police station compound in neat rows, their flashing lights and sirens breaking the city's tranquility.
The police car sped along, quickly arriving at the grape plantation on the western outskirts of Dongchuan City. The scene had already been cordoned off by local police officers, and a group of panicked workers had gathered around, whispering amongst themselves, their eyes filled with fear and curiosity. Qin Chuan quickly got out of the car, scanned the surroundings, and began to coordinate the operation. "Li Ming, you lead a team to search the area around the scene for any suspicious persons or clues; Zhang Lin, you take the forensic team and conduct a preliminary examination of the body as soon as possible."
Li Ming quickly organized the police officers, dividing them into several groups to search all entrances and exits of the planting base, the surrounding paths, and the nearby woods. They left no corner unchecked, carefully examining for any leftover items, suspicious footprints, or other traces. Meanwhile, Zhang Lin led the forensic team, dressed in professional protective suits and carrying various investigation equipment, cautiously approaching the location of the body.
From a distance, the body was found amidst a dense patch of grapevines, the vines somewhat disheveled, suggesting someone had struggled there. The body was lying supine, and due to its advanced decomposition, it emitted a pungent stench. Zhang Lin frowned, put on a mask and gloves, and began a meticulous examination.
She first walked around the body, observing it from different angles, while simultaneously recording the overall condition of the body and its surroundings with a small video camera she carried. "The body is highly decomposed, and the initial assessment is that the time of death was more than a week ago. Judging from the degree of swelling and skin color, it is consistent with the characteristics of putrefactive gigantism," Zhang Lin observed and dictated to her assistant beside her.
The police officers responsible for taking photos at the scene used professional SLR cameras to photograph the body and its surroundings from all angles, from a distance to close up. For each photo, they meticulously recorded the angle, time, and relevant scene information. "Pay close attention to photographing the body's face, limbs, wounds, and surrounding traces; don't miss a single detail," Zhang Lin instructed.
Next, Zhang Lin squatted down and began to examine the surface of the body. She first carefully examined the skin with a magnifying glass. "There are multiple areas of skin peeling off the body, which may have been caused by external pulling or friction before death. On the neck of the body, an irregular ligature mark was found, about 2.5 centimeters wide and quite deep. There are skin abrasions at the edges of the ligature mark. The preliminary judgment is that this may be the cause of death." As Zhang Lin spoke, she used a ruler to measure the length and width of the ligature mark and recorded the data.