Qin Jiang was here, and he had just fallen from the third floor. This incident was like a thunderclap, causing the scene to fall silent for several seconds.
Ye Sangsang was the first to recognize that the person who had fallen was Qin Jiang. She quickly approached to confirm his identity and assess his injuries.
"He has a head injury and a fractured leg. Call 120!" After crouching down to confirm, she swiftly directed someone to call for an ambulance. She then adjusted Qin Jiang's position to prevent further contact between his head wound and the ground.
Even though Zheng He was experienced, he stood frozen for a few seconds. After Ye Sangsang spoke, he quickly snapped back to reality. "Call 120! Does anyone know first aid? Come and watch over him! The rest of you, follow me upstairs."
He quickly gave orders, and a police officer with basic first aid training stepped forward.
Ye Sangsang raised her gun and rushed toward the staircase beside the three-story building with Zheng He.
[Ahhh, why so sudden! Why did Qin Jiang fall from the building?]
[Was he thrown down by a criminal? Is he in critical condition?]
[For some reason, this case feels familiar, like I've heard about it somewhere before.]
The live stream was shocked by the sudden turn of events, and the viewers felt a sense of panic as they watched.
Everyone was filled with questions. Although they knew Qin Jiang had left earlier, no one expected him to suddenly appear here in such a tragic state.
The case became even more mysterious.
The scene didn’t stop moving forward despite the discussions. Ye Sangsang and Zheng He took the lead, preparing to go upstairs and seize the opportunity to apprehend the suspect.
The third floor had been illegally added later, so the staircase leading up was made of exposed metal, producing a "thudding" sound with every step.
After climbing up, Ye Sangsang and Zheng He instinctively lightened their footsteps.
The fact that Qin Jiang had been thrown out of the room suggested that there might be a suspect upstairs with formidable combat skills.
Although the two of them were armed, weapons had only been banned for a few years, so it was possible the suspect was also armed.
If they weren’t careful, a shootout could break out.
Ye Sangsang had never actually used her weapon before. Despite her calm demeanor, she felt a mix of emotions inside.
After reaching the top, they found a small platform on either side of the entrance. Ye Sangsang and Zheng He exchanged a glance, each raising their guns to cover both sides.
After waiting for half a minute with no movement, Ye Sangsang tried turning the old-fashioned stainless steel doorknob.
It turned halfway but wouldn’t go further, and the door wouldn’t budge.
It was locked.
The two exchanged another glance, worried that the suspect might escape through another window. Ye Sangsang and Zheng He positioned themselves in front of the door.
"Bang!"
The next second, a loud crashing sound echoed as they kicked the door together.
Since metal doors were expensive, most people used wooden ones. After years of exposure to wind and rain, the red paint on the door had mostly peeled off, and the wood had become brittle.
The combined force of two trained police officers kicked a hole in the door.
They kicked it a second time.
As the door fell, they retreated to the platform, pressing their backs against the wall and waiting for any movement inside.
Zheng He thought the suspect was quite composed and shouted inside, "You're surrounded! Put your hands on your head and kneel down! Otherwise, we won’t hesitate to use our weapons!"
"Let’s go in directly," Ye Sangsang sensed something was off and urged Zheng He.
Zheng He nodded, and the two rushed in, standing back-to-back as they scanned the room for any sign of the suspect.
If the suspect retaliated with a firearm, they would have to shoot immediately to stop them.
[This is so intense.]
[It feels like watching a movie.]
[I can’t imagine being in this kind of role-playing scenario. It gives me an inexplicable adrenaline rush.]
The live stream viewers were deeply immersed, already imagining themselves in the scene.
Ye Sangsang and Zheng He scanned the living room but found no suspicious individuals. After exchanging a glance, they headed toward the room from which Qin Jiang had fallen.
Their expressions turned grim as their eyes fell on the corpse on the floor.
They searched the other rooms but found no trace of anyone else.
In other words, the only people in the room were the corpse and Qin Jiang, who had fallen.
Ye Sangsang noticed a handgun in the corner, a domestic model from Zhongzhou Country. The one she held was standard police-issue.
She shifted her gaze and began examining the deceased.
The body was lying face down toward the window, with a gunshot wound through the right chest. A bullet casing lay scattered in the corner of the room.
"Let’s call the forensic team to examine the scene," Ye Sangsang said. Since the case involved firearms, whether from the police or the suspect, they needed to preserve the scene.
Neither of them spoke, but they both had a bad feeling, as if something worse was about to happen.
After sealing off the scene, they went downstairs.
The ambulance had arrived and driven straight into the scrapyard. The medics carefully placed Qin Jiang onto a stretcher.
Zheng He looked at Qin Jiang and volunteered, "I’ll go with him. You stay here and handle the scene."
"Alright, I’ll wrap things up here and then head to the hospital," Ye Sangsang nodded, helping to load Qin Jiang into the ambulance before it left.
Zheng He left with the ambulance.
Ye Sangsang looked up at the three-story building and the bloodstains Qin Jiang had left on the ground, her face showing a mix of emotions.
[Looking at this situation, I have a bad feeling.]
[I don’t think Qin Jiang is that kind of person. There might be some misunderstanding.]
[This is so tough!]
The live stream viewers, like Ye Sangsang, were filled with mixed emotions.
Although they hadn’t watched Qin Jiang for long, they trusted Ye Sangsang’s earlier analysis and believed he was a good person.
The forensic team could determine the trajectory and origin of the bullet. The sound of cameras clicking echoed as the entire scrapyard was cordoned off with police tape.
Ye Sangsang also inspected the scene meticulously, ensuring every possible clue was uncovered.
Aside from the gunshot wound, the victim’s face was intact. Soon, someone from the local neighborhood who had seen Zhao Tianman came to identify the body.
The person entered the room with some trepidation, took a look, and turned pale. After a moment, they said with a complicated expression, "This is Zhao Tianman, the ex-convict. I remember him clearly."
After acknowledging the identification, Ye Sangsang let the person leave.
Now, another question remained: where was Zhao Tianman’s brother?
They had originally planned to have him confirm the identity of the deceased, but he hadn’t shown up.
At that moment, a colleague approached with some documents. "We’ve found Zhao Tianman’s records. He was released from prison just a month ago after serving ten years for attempted murder during a home invasion. He also has two prior convictions for theft."
"After his release, he had conflicts with his brother, Zhao Tianqi. They couldn’t stand each other and avoided contact."
Ye Sangsang thought for a moment and asked, "Where is he now?"
Another colleague replied awkwardly, "He’s drunk on the second floor and can’t be woken up. When we tried to question him, he just muttered about taking his brother to be cremated and buying him a... urn..."
Ye Sangsang remained silent and turned back to continue examining the scene.
Since he couldn’t be roused, they would have to question him later.
After marking the victim’s death position, Ye Sangsang examined the signs of struggle in the room.
In her mind, the victim and Qin Jiang must have had an altercation before the fight broke out.
The window in the room was built low, and its surface was covered in dust. She tried peeling off an old advertisement stuck to it but only managed to tear off a half-floating piece, which crumbled into dust in her fingers.
The window hadn’t been replaced in at least five or six years.
The room showed signs of a struggle between only two people. After examining it, Ye Sangsang moved to the other rooms.
The third floor had a cement floor and rudimentary whitewashed walls. It was a three-bedroom, one-living-room layout. The room facing east was where Qin Jiang had fallen, followed by the middle room and the innermost room.
The furnishings were sparse. Dirty clothes were piled into a small mountain on the nightstand, the bedding was a mess, and empty liquor bottles and cigarette butts littered the floor.
It was clear that the deceased had lived a decadent and self-destructive life.
The other rooms were mostly empty, filled with unused items. The living room only had a tattered leopard-print sofa.
Ye Sangsang entered the bathroom, where toiletries and towels were neatly arranged on the shelf.
In contrast to the rest of the room, the bathroom was orderly. She noted this detail before leaving.
By the time she came out, the forensic team and investigators had finished their work, and the body had been removed.
Compared to other cases, the atmosphere surrounding this one was particularly heavy.
Qin Jiang was a well-known veteran detective in the entire criminal investigation division. If it weren't for his past mistakes and stubbornness, he would have long been promoted to division chief.
Now, with this incident, everyone felt a mix of emotions.
Ye Sangsang didn’t leave with the others but instead went to see Zhao Tianqi, who was still lying in bed.
As Zhao Tianman’s older brother, Zhao Tianqi should have known him best, even though the two had reached a point where they no longer spoke to each other.
The door on the second floor was slightly ajar. Ye Sangsang and a colleague knocked and entered the room.
Zhao Tianqi was lying on the bed, seemingly having finally sobered up. He sat up.
"I know what you’re here to ask about. It’s about Zhao Tianman, that heartless beast. He’s dead, and it’s not even worth investigating!" His face was filled with anger, clearly having held a grudge against his brother for a long time.
Ye Sangsang said, "Dead is dead."
Zhao Tianqi, sitting on the bed, looked at Ye Sangsang, seemingly choked by her words, and for a moment, he couldn’t respond.
[Feels like Sister Sang enjoys shutting people up.]
[Hahahaha, Zhao Tianqi: ???!]
[Zhao Tianqi probably thought Sister Sang would try to mediate and ask him what he was unhappy about, opening the door for him to vent.]
The room fell silent for two seconds before Zhao Tianqi took a deep breath. "What do you want to know?"
"Just asking, who has your brother been in contact with recently? Any strange behavior? Or even if he’s committed any crimes again," Ye Sangsang asked, listing some of her questions.
Zhao Tianqi thought for a moment. "Recently, aside from going out a couple of days ago, he’s mostly stayed at home, occasionally coming to my room to see if there’s any money."
Ye Sangsang noted down "habitual thief" and asked again, "Were there any strangers around him?"
"He’s pretty reclusive, and since he just got out, he doesn’t really know anyone," Zhao Tianqi replied.
Ye Sangsang took note of this. "Why did you two have a falling out, and when did it happen?"
Zhao Tianqi’s expression darkened at this question, his chest heaving as he recalled something. "A month ago, when he came back, he demanded the house from me, saying that this recycling plant was built by our parents for me, so since they’re gone, he should have a share. He also asked me for ten thousand yuan."
"Did you give it to him?" Ye Sangsang asked.
Zhao Tianqi shook his head. "I gave him the third floor of this building but didn’t give him any money, thinking he could at least have a place to live and become self-reliant. But I was naive. Half a month ago, while I was out, he broke into my room and stole the money I’d saved to get married."
"When I found out, he kept saying he’d pay me back once his business succeeded."
At this, Zhao Tianqi angrily punched the bed.
If it weren’t for his brother’s past antics, he wouldn’t still be single.
Finally, someone had introduced him to a woman who, though she had a child, was willing to have another child with him. But his brother ruined it.
Without the eight thousand yuan dowry, how could she marry a forty-something-year-old bachelor like him?
Ye Sangsang made a note of this and looked at Zhao Tianqi. "Did you ask where that money went?"
"I did. He said he’d already given it to his business partner, but when I asked who it was, he wouldn’t say a word," Zhao Tianqi said, his face filled with frustration.
Ye Sangsang stared at him for a moment. "If you have any leads on this person, please contact us."
She then took out the prepared statement and had him sign and fingerprint it.
Before that, she emphasized that the statement had legal effect and hoped everything he said was true.
Zhao Tianqi’s eyes flickered, but he still signed and pressed his fingerprint.
Ye Sangsang glanced at him, then stood up, ready to visit Qin Jiang in the hospital.
"A cloud made of rain in the wind… a cloud made of rain…"
As she stood up, her phone rang in her pocket. She paused for a moment upon hearing the song—it sounded quite nice.
But now wasn’t the time to think about that. She answered the call; it was from the chief of the criminal investigation division.
The chief was brief, instructing Ye Sangsang to return to the office immediately.
Ye Sangsang and her colleague exchanged glances, quickly agreed, and hurried back to the station.
Entering the office, Ye Sangsang went straight in.
The division chief, in his early forties, wore his police uniform neatly, exuding an air of authority.
Seeing Ye Sangsang enter, he smiled kindly and said, "I called you back because I want to hand your current case over to someone else."
Ye Sangsang remained silent.
The chief sighed helplessly. "The dismemberment case involves too much. You need to start with some simpler cases first."
"Even though I’m a trainee detective, I can still help out. I want to be involved in this case," Ye Sangsang tried to argue.
This case was tied to the main mission. If she didn’t take it over, how could she complete the task?
The chief rubbed his temples, looking pained. "Honestly, you’re better suited for administrative work. Handling murder cases is still too challenging for you."
"Give me a deadline. If I can’t make progress by then, I’ll step back," Ye Sangsang compromised, negotiating with the chief.
She didn’t lash out or argue aggressively, knowing it would be unconvincing.
The chief looked at Ye Sangsang’s determined eyes and eventually gave in, lowering his head in defeat. "I was planning to assign the case to Zheng He and Gu Ling. If you can convince them, I’ll allow you to join."
Now, he could only hope that Zheng He and Gu Ling would refuse, as Ye Sangsang was still a green trainee.
Even if she had some profiling skills, Zheng He and the others would likely prefer to partner with more experienced detectives.
Ye Sangsang looked at the chief, said "Okay," and left.
Not long after, Gu Ling came in and agreed to partner with Ye Sangsang.
The chief’s jaw tightened, surprised by Ye Sangsang’s efficiency.
Zheng He also called, expressing his willingness to work with Ye Sangsang.
Having failed to set up obstacles, the chief had no choice but to agree, cautioning Ye Sangsang to stay safe, not rush into dangerous situations, and learn from her colleagues.
After solemnly promising, Ye Sangsang turned and headed to the hospital.
Qin Jiang was still in critical condition. The doctor said he had hit the back of his head, causing internal bleeding, and his condition was not optimistic.
Gu Ling also arrived, and the three exchanged information.
"I don’t believe Qin Jiang would act impulsively. He wouldn’t shoot at an unarmed person," Gu Ling analyzed seriously.
Zheng He stroked his chin, calmly adding, "Now we need to figure out why Qin Jiang went to find Zhao Tianman and how he identified someone matching the profile."
"I’ll ask around later. We haven’t worked with Qin Jiang much," Gu Ling said.
Ye Sangsang looked around. No relatives of Qin Jiang had come.
She turned to the two. "Do you know anything about Qin Jiang’s family? Does he have any other relatives?"
They shook their heads, their expressions complicated.
"No, his wife and son died eight years ago, and he’s no longer in contact with other relatives," Zheng He, having been in the division longer, explained directly.
Ye Sangsang fell silent, crossing her arms and standing to the side.
Gu Ling forced a smile and sighed, saying nothing more.
Two hours later, Qin Jiang was wheeled out.
"Who’s the patient’s family?" the doctor asked, looking up at the three.
"I am."
"Me."
Zheng He and Gu Ling both spoke up.
The doctor sighed. "We’ll see if he wakes up within the next two days. If not, he might remain in a coma indefinitely."
The three visibly paled, their eyes heavy with concern.
After a series of instructions, they helped the nurses wheel Qin Jiang to his room.
The three exchanged glances and silently continued.
Shortly after entering the room, a group from the major crimes unit arrived, carrying flowers and fruit baskets.
Ye Sangsang didn’t go in, leaning against the wall outside the room, deep in thought.
The fog was thick, and she wasn’t sure where to start.
[Sister Sang is lost.]
[Everything happened too suddenly.]
[Feels like there’s a big conspiracy behind this!]
Amid the live chat’s comments, Ye Sangsang decided to investigate Qin Jiang.
She felt that Qin Jiang was definitely connected to this case.
Ye Sangsang began her investigation, trying to figure out where Qin Jiang had been recently.
Without tracking records, the investigation was difficult.
But surprisingly, some of the older detectives in the division knew something and had an idea of what he might have been doing.
Half an hour later, Ye Sangsang stood in a place filled with colorful lights.
A figure with blue-dyed hair, wildly dancing to the music and gliding back and forth across the roller rink, passed by.
The deafening music and the sea of colorful hairstyles in the venue gave Ye Sangsang a slight "shamate" shock.
[Hahaha, they’re really going wild!]
[Shamate? I’ve only seen that in old TV dramas before.]
[Not bad, giving our Sister Sang a little shock.]
Zheng He had come with Ye Sangsang, as it was standard procedure for at least two officers to work together on a case.
As for Qin Jiang, his actions were actually against protocol.
Once he woke up, he would at least receive a disciplinary action.
It was still daytime, and the crowd was sparse. Zheng He asked the owner to turn off the music and shouted into the venue, “Who’s Biaozi?”
Everyone in the room turned to look at the two of them. Ye Sangsang remained calm, her gaze sweeping the room before landing on the blue-haired shamate who had just glided past her.
A second later, the blue-haired shamate skated over to them on his rollerblades.
“What do you want with me?” he asked, hands on his hips, standing steady.
Zheng He and Ye Sangsang flashed their badges. Ye Sangsang said, “Let’s talk outside.”
The shamate sized them up, then nodded and wobbled out of the roller rink.
Their questions were simple: when had he seen Qin Jiang, and what had they talked about?
“Why should I tell you?” The shamate’s rebellious streak showed as he shook his leg, looking at them defiantly.
Zheng He’s gaze turned sharp and stern as he shot him a look.
The shamate twitched his lips. “Around one or two in the afternoon. He asked me where Lin Xue lived. I knew him, so I told him.”
“By the way, where’s Brother Qin? Why isn’t he here?” the shamate asked curiously.
Ye Sangsang shifted the topic. “Team Leader Qin treats you well, huh?”
The shamate, now distracted, looked like he had found a kindred spirit. “Of course! He doesn’t look down on us ex-cons who’ve gone astray. He even buys us drinks sometimes and encourages us to do better.”
Ye Sangsang recalled a TV drama she had watched before, where an old detective did the same. Having handled many cases, he got to know all sorts of people.
For those who had served their sentences, he feared they might not reintegrate into society and would fall back into old habits. So, he would help them find jobs or provide counseling.
When it came to these individuals, he focused on the big picture, letting minor issues slide.
Since they were often marginalized by society and could only find work in places like clubs and bars, they had access to a lot of information.
Sometimes, when they needed leads or informants, they would turn to these ex-convicts.
After finishing her thoughts, Ye Sangsang looked at the shamate. “Team Leader Qin has run into some trouble. We need to find Lin Xue to figure out what happened. Can you take us to him?”
“What?” The shamate’s expression changed, his eyes filled with urgency.
Ye Sangsang didn’t elaborate. Instead, she said, “It’s not convenient to explain now. Just take us to Lin Xue.”
The shamate looked at them, then finally nodded.
Lin Xue’s place wasn’t far, and the shamate quickly led them to his rented apartment.
But before they could even enter, dark red blood was already seeping out from under the door.
Ye Sangsang and Zheng He’s faces turned grim at the same time.
