Chapter 562: Chapter 562: The Foot-Licking Dilemma

Book Chapter 562: The Foot-Licking Dilemma (Update 5)

Yue Jianbai, Male, 43… Technician at the XX Ordnance Factory Ammunition Workshop!

When Wang Dong recited a personal file, his mouth felt dry and bitter. Lin

Zhao Long’s expression was sullen, as cold as a block of ice.

Only Xiao Yu remained calm.

They also learned that a classified ordnance factory was nestled in a mountainous area of F City.

Is Yue Jianbai a soldier?

No.

Are there any civilians working in the ordnance factory?

Actually, that’s a misconception—the majority of workers in the ordnance factory are ordinary civilians.

Apart from a handful of military representatives stationed at the factory, they were all employees of a state-owned enterprise.

But it’s highly classified, so the personnel numbers are low!

However, suspect Yue Jianbai’s father was a soldier.

The factory’s workforce and management comprise children of retired military-industrial workers, military personnel transitioning to civilian life, and college or technical school graduates. They seldom hire directly from outside…

Isn’t that rather fascinating?

Not really, since the ordnance factory doesn’t fall under military jurisdiction.

Yet once it receives classified status, its security level shoots through the roof.

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Because it produces not only ordinary weapons but also some specialized ones.

This ordnance factory in F City is classified—it specializes in manufacturing bullets.

Standard bullets, special bullets, exclusive rounds, and grenade launchers… and more.

A factory that only makes bullets?

Exactly—the ordnance factory is essentially a manufacturer.

It doesn’t handle R&D; there’s a dedicated facility for that.

Once a bullet design is finalized, for example…

They simply assign the task—instructing the factory to produce it.

It specializes in bullets, shells, missiles, landmines, firearms… and more.

It’s simple logic: can one factory handle everything if it tried?

‘Our battalion once ordered custom bullets from here,’

Zhao Long sighed, ‘I never would have imagined…’

Who would’ve thought that a gunpowder formula leaked from here?

In such cases, anyone caught would face a military tribunal.

The death penalty would be considered a light sentence.

If the leak is confirmed, the entire factory—from top to bottom and inside out—will be overhauled in one fell swoop!

‘It hasn’t been confirmed yet.’

Xiao Yu shook his head, ‘Let’s go apprehend someone first.’

‘I’ll go,’ Wang Dong said as he headed off to make the arrest.

About twenty minutes later, Xiao Yu’s phone rang.

On the phone, Wang Dong said, ‘He’s dead—suicide!’

Xiao Yu: ???

In an instant, a torrent of thoughts flashed through his mind.

His head was filled with countless grievances, leaving him at a loss for words.

Xiao Yu’s tone grew odd as he asked, ‘You weren’t the one behind this, were you?’

Why would he suspect that?

Once someone dies, the entire gunpowder leak incident could easily be swept under the rug.

This kind of maneuver… well, those in the know understand!

‘…’

On the other end of the line, Wang Dong nearly lost his composure, his face clouded with confusion. After a moment of exasperation, he muttered, ‘Get the hell over here! How can you say that with a clear conscience? Hurry up and die already!’

Xiao Yu let out a sigh of relief. ‘That’s a relief,’ he thought.

…

Soon, Xiao Yu and Zhao Jun arrived at the scene—a closed residential complex.

The complex had only five buildings, all serving as dormitories for the factory workers.

Inside one of the residences.

A woman was wailing in grief, and in the restroom, a body lay in the bathtub.

The water-filled tub had turned a dark crimson, exuding a nauseating, bloody stench.

Xiao Yu stared intently at the dead man’s face.

He had to admit, the deceased was a very attractive man.

Anyone with a penchant for good looks would naturally be drawn to him.

Unfortunately, he was now nothing more than a corpse.

The preliminary cause of death seemed to be wrist-cutting, leading to excessive blood loss.

The scene had been thoroughly examined with no irregularities detected.

But then… Xiao Yu continued scrutinizing the body.

Was he completely naked?

What was so wrong about that?

Absolutely wrong!

From a normal perspective.

In this world, 99% of those who commit suicide wouldn’t do so naked.

What logic is that?

It’s all about human nature’s sense of modesty.

Committing suicide in a bathtub is a common method!

But based on Xiao Yu’s experience with suicide cases,

and his encounters with bathtub suicides,

he had never seen a case of someone committing suicide completely naked!

It’s simple logic—when dying, one is expected to maintain some semblance of dignity.

Do you really want people to see you stripped bare after death?

Not to mention, it’s absurd to fear being naked even in death.

That’s not how it works.

Sometimes, the fear of shame is even more terrifying than death itself.

In psychology, that irreversible sense of shame is a fundamental part of human nature!

“Something’s off!”

Xiao Yu shook his head and ordered the two team members preparing to move the body to stop, ‘Don’t disturb the scene.’

The others: ???

Hadn’t they already finished examining the scene?

“The scene’s not right,” Xiao Yu stated.

Wang Dong and Zhao Long looked at Little Brother in puzzled silence.

“You two, keep quiet and don’t disturb me.”

Xiao Yu narrowed his eyes.

“Falcon’s Eye, Wangdie’s Nose… Activate!”

A close inspection of the body indicated that death had occurred approximately 3 to 5 hours prior.

This was deduced from the condition of the skin and eyes.

Besides the scents of National Security personnel and Zhao Long, there were traces of three other individuals.

The dead man, his wife… who was the third?

The restroom floor had been mopped spotless.

If it were suicide, entering the restroom in slippers would have left prints.

But there were no traces of slipper prints.

543 It had been cleared so meticulously that no traces remained.

Then, the water in the tub—it didn’t add up.

The water level was low, filling barely half the tub.

That measurement corresponds to the water level when the body was inside.

Without a body, the tub would only hold a scant half tub.

Assuming the deceased was aware of bathtub suicide methods and sought to ease the chill after wrist-cutting…

the water should have covered the body; hardly any of the upper body should have been exposed.

Most people wouldn’t tolerate such a chilling effect due to excessive blood loss.

Lastly, his facial expression on the corpse.

There was no trace of pain; his mouth hung open as if he were in a deep, drowsy sleep.

His lips and complexion were pallid, displaying signs of oxygen deprivation, while his skin and mucous membranes showed a cherry red hue.

Notably, the muscles on his chest appeared unusually red…

“How could it be…”

After a long pause, Xiao Yu’s expression turned strange. “Carbon monoxide poisoning?”

Wang Dong and Zhao Long, who had remained silent, were dumbfounded.

What the hell is carbon monoxide poisoning?

Is Little Brother off his rocker?

This clearly seems like death by excessive blood loss, doesn’t it?

He looked at the two brothers, their expressions filled with bewilderment.

Xiao Yu nearly laughed out loud.

I stand corrected—when it comes to criminal investigations, you’re no pushovers.

You’re amateur foot-lickers!

…

PS: It’s 5.20. If it weren’t for platform censorship, I would have unleashed a torrent of passionate words. For now, I simply wish all our dear readers a perfect 5.20!

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