Chapter 17: A Shocking Command in the Investigation Team

Criminal Investigation Team meeting room.

Zhao Changshan issued an order that left everyone dumbfounded.

Demote Vice-Captain Gou Qinghua from leading the special task force and reassign him as a rank-and-file member.

Appoint rookie officer Xiao Yu as the head of the special task force investigating the Storage Room murder case.

While everyone was shocked, no one was entirely surprised.

After all, Xiao Yu had just reported to the Criminal Investigation Team yesterday.

Yet that very night, he had already located the murder weapon used by the killer.

Everyone had witnessed his exceptional investigative methods.

The young officer’s knack for cracking cases was astonishing, his mind extraordinarily agile.

Now, with the higher-ups giving him scant time and enormous pressure mounting,

seniority was cast aside – whoever could handle it would rise to the challenge.

There was no room for disputes; all that mattered was uniting to bring this case to a close.

Still, it was odd for a team of veteran investigators to be commanded by an apprentice who wasn’t even a full-fledged officer.

It left them feeling a bit unsettled.

Could Xiao Yu really lead them?

Then, an astonishing turn of events unfolded.

Originally, the special task force consisted of seven people – one vice-captain and six veteran detectives.

But Xiao Yu not only assigned clear roles to everyone, he also showcased his leadership skills.

He promptly organized all seven veterans, including the vice-captain, into specific groups.

Every task was meticulously allocated by Xiao Yu.

Time was running out for the Criminal Investigation Team.

And even more so for Xiao Yu.

There were less than a day and a half left until the system’s task deadline.

It wasn’t about whether the system would grant or revoke skills anymore,

nor whether it would withdraw his abilities.

The killer was taunting him!

Up on the rooftop at the crime scene,

Xiao Yu stood like a spear, gazing upward at the grey sky, where snowflakes drifted slowly. His eyes shone with a razor-sharp intensity.

“Who gave you that kind of nerve?” he challenged.

……

Verifying if a person has additional social media accounts or phone numbers is simple.

Half an hour is more than enough.

In this day and age, both the world and Xiao Yu’s previous life exist in parallel universes.

Even registering accounts requires real-name authentication.

One veteran detective had already produced results.

The victim had no other accounts or phone numbers!

Heh, that’s all there is to it… Xiao Yu sneered.

Soon, two more veteran detectives joined him.

They checked the social media accounts and phone numbers registered under the victim’s dormitory workmate’s name.

No extra accounts were found there either.

A small smile curled on Xiao Yu’s lips.

It wasn’t over yet!

Until 4 p.m.

Vice-Captain Gou Qinghua and two veteran detectives approached Xiao Yu, their faces lighting up, exclaiming, “We’ve got it!”

Xiao Yu fixed his gaze on the vice-captain, saying, “Hmm?”

“The victim’s mother registered two phone numbers along with two WeChat accounts,” the vice-captain explained.

He continued, “One of the accounts is used mainly for chatting with friends and family, but the other has only two friends. Strangely, even though the victim’s mother has rarely left H City, all the registered locations for those friends are in Penang. One of them even frequently transfers money to her. It’s highly likely this is the victim’s hidden account.”

Xiao Yu quirked a smile, “Registration details?”

“A woman,” Gou Qinghua replied.

Gou Qinghua’s expression turned odd as he revealed, “Zuo Hongyu, 34, a local with no job, married – and the boss’s wife at the factory where the victim worked!”

Xiao Yu paused, “Hmm?”

Shortly after, a look of dawning realization spread across his face, a mix of surprise and understanding.

So the victim had been having an affair with his own boss’s wife?

No wonder they couldn’t track his other phone.

Both the account and phone number were provided by her, right?

It must be that the killer confiscated the victim’s second phone.

That made sense – someone as clever as you couldn’t possibly be ordinary.

With your intelligence, even managing a small business shouldn’t be a stretch.

So when did you first discover your wife was having an affair with an employee?

It must have been a long time ago, right?

You pretended to know nothing while planning every detail of this murder, didn’t you?

You accounted for everything – except the victim.

No wonder the guard never reported you.

And you still had free rein of the staff dormitory.

When your boss threatened you, upper management’s crackdown meant the victim had to follow your lead.

Once your mind was made up, committing murder became all too easy.

But the body couldn’t have been transported to the Storage Room by you alone.

Who did you threaten to ensure their cooperation?

Everything fit together perfectly.

Now, with the direction set, we can trace the clues to uncover your accomplices.

It’s time to wrap this up!

“Request a search warrant, arrest warrant, and execute the capture!”

Xiao Yu issued the order, “If he dares flee, initiate an internet alert and put out a nationwide manhunt!”

Who are we arresting?

The factory boss!

“Yes!” The team members dispersed.

But as they left, the looks they cast at Xiao Yu had changed.

There was a newfound respect and genuine admiration in their eyes.

From today onward, no one would ever regard Xiao Yu as just an apprentice officer again.

Some people are born to shine brightly.

They come like shooting stars!