Reborn in 97, I solved a cold case at the Municipal Bureau

Chapter 531 Xie Ju's Hint

After leaving the Lu family compound, Zhou Yi first returned to the Hongcheng City Public Security Bureau.

The main purpose was to go back and sign the relevant documents for the temporary transfer. Only with this document, signed and stamped by the leader, could he officially report to Wu Guang.

Furthermore, Wu Yongcheng asked him to go and greet Director Xie, and to hear what instructions and teachings the leader had.

Wu Yongcheng also said that the team originally planned a farewell party, but because Zhou Yi was absent at the last minute, everyone gave a farewell party to Chen Yan instead.

So he went to say hello himself. Wu Yongcheng didn't say much, but Zhou Yi understood; it was just a matter of social etiquette.

So when he got back to the bureau, he was quite busy. He first went to the bureau chief's office.

Xie Guoqiang remained as shrewd and unmoved as ever, offering a few words of encouragement and concern.

Zhou Yi never really understood this bureau chief.

From the Long Zhiqiang case to the Hongda case, he could see that Xie Guoqiang was a strong-willed, responsible, and righteous old policeman.

The most obvious thing is that he dared to make a phone call and arm wrestle with Jiang Zhengdao in front of Wu Yongcheng, Liang Wei, and himself.

This shows that he has no fear in his heart.

But Zhou Yi always felt that he couldn't get close to Director Xie.

It wasn't because he had an aloof leadership air, but rather because he gave off a sense of vigilance, as if he were scrutinizing and guarding against everyone.

Compared to Xie Guoqiang, Zhou Yi prefers Wu Yongcheng and Liang Wei, as he gets along better with them.

Especially Liang Wei, who is the leader of the Provincial Public Security Department's Major Crimes Division. His jurisdiction is undoubtedly the department where he can best utilize his strengths, and it is also the place he wants to strive to reach.

"Zhou Yi." After exchanging a few polite words, Xie Guoqiang suddenly called out.

"Here." Zhou Yi immediately responded seriously, because he knew that Xie Guoqiang was probably about to give some important instructions.

"Your ability to handle cases is evident to all. Wu Guang's side has also heard of your reputation, and they are looking forward to your performance after you arrive."

"However, there are some things I still need to remind you of."

Zhou Yi quickly said, "Please give instructions, Director."

Xie Guoqiang did not express his opinion directly, but instead asked in return, "How long ago was your transfer?"

"Four months, just in time to come back at the end of the year."

Xie Guoqiang nodded.

But Zhou Yi knew that it wasn't that simple. How could someone as shrewd and capable as Xie Guoqiang not know this at this point?

The question likely has a deeper meaning.

"You should know how long it takes for a criminal prosecution case to go from filing to the final first-instance judgment, right?"

Zhou Yi immediately replied, "I know."

"A complete criminal prosecution case needs to go through three law enforcement departments: public security, procuratorate, and court."

"The process of the public security organs filing a case and conducting an investigation, the procuratorate reviewing and prosecuting the case, and the court accepting the case and issuing a first-instance judgment usually takes two to three months, but can be extended to six months in special circumstances."

This is actually a rather general answer, because even if we don't talk about the procuratorate and the court, just talking about the public security organs, if the case is complex and the evidence collection is difficult, then the investigation will take even longer.

In addition, some cases may include incidental civil litigation, and others may involve death penalty review, etc.

If the suspect is dissatisfied with the first-instance judgment and files an appeal for a second instance, the entire case will take even longer to be resolved.

Like the cases that Zhou Yi solved after his rebirth, most of them had not yet gone through the entire case process.

The first instance judgment in Du Xiaolin's case has been issued. Zhang Xinli had no objection to the judgment, but Zhu Xuejun disagreed with the first instance judgment and filed an appeal. The case is currently in the second instance acceptance stage.

The Zhang Hui case has been settled. The court's first-instance verdict sentenced Xu Jiaguang to death and deprived him of his political rights for life. Xu Jiaguang did not file an appeal, but the death sentence is still under review, and he has not yet been executed.

Other cases are basically going through the judicial process, especially the case of Long Zhiqiang's gang, which involved a wide range of crimes committed over a long period of time and geographical area. It is still under review by the procuratorate, and it will probably be a year before Meng Dahai and the others are actually sentenced to death.

After listening, Xie Guoqiang nodded slightly, then changed the subject, saying, "An excellent criminal investigator must not only be good at solving cases, but also be able to see the problems and impacts behind a case. If you want to achieve more in your future work, you can think about this sentence."

As Zhou Yi left the director's office, Xie Guoqiang's words kept echoing in his mind.

This sounds very high-sounding, like a set of official and cliché statements.

Given Xie Guoqiang's position, it's perfectly acceptable for him to say such a thing. Whether in public or private, it's normal for leaders to say things that sound profound or ambiguous. After all, many of a leader's words are meant for subordinates to understand.

But what's strange is that he specifically asked the first two questions.

Ask yourself how long it takes to go to Wu Guang, and then ask how long it takes for a case to go from filing to judgment.

He felt that Xie Guoqiang was hinting at something to him.

But he couldn't quite grasp the point.

He hesitated, unsure whether he should seek advice from Wu Yongcheng.

But he wasn't sure what Xie Guoqiang would think if he found out.

Just as he was hesitating to go downstairs, he saw Shi Tao and immediately called out to him.

"Team Stone."

"Hey, Zhou Yi, are you coming from Director Xie's place?" Shi Tao asked with a smile.

"Yes, I just received the leader's work instructions. By the way, Team Leader Shi, did you go to the farewell party for Brother Yan a few days ago?"

Shi Tao nodded: "Of course I'm going. There's food and drink to be had, how could I not go?"

Zhou Yi smiled; Team Leader Shi was indeed very honest.

He couldn't help but recall when he was handling Zhang Hui's case, he found Zhang Hui's crushed head in the scrap heap of the auto repair shop. When he brought it back in a bag, Captain Shi curiously thought he had bought some delicious food.

I guess that scene could be considered a death scene for Team Stone.

"Was Director Xie here at that time?" Zhou Yi asked.

"He came, said a few words, and then left."

"What did Director Xie say?"

"It's nothing, just polite talk. We told Chen Yan to make a good impression in Luohe and not embarrass Hongcheng. Oh, and Director Xie even joked that Chen Yan could go and instruct his colleagues in Luohe on their marksmanship to improve their shooting skills."

Zhou Yi nodded slightly, because these were the normal, polite words.

So what Director Xie just said wasn't just polite talk; he was hinting at something to himself.

The transfer has only lasted four months, but the judicial process for the case is very long. It's not enough to just solve the case; you also need to see the underlying issues and impacts...

As Zhou Yi pondered these words, a sudden chill ran down his spine.

Was Xie Guoqiang implying that he shouldn't take things too seriously after going to Wu Guang, and shouldn't cause any major trouble?

Could it be that the aftermath of the massive case has left him feeling overwhelmed?

That's not right either. Although the grand case in this life has undergone considerable changes due to my intervention.

However, from the police's perspective, and from Director Xie's position, he shouldn't and has no reason to believe that the problem was caused by Zhou Yi.

The political brokerage scheme that Chen Gengyun runs has absolutely nothing to do with Zhou Yi.

If it wasn't because of the massive case, then what was it because of?
People like Xie Guoqiang wouldn't deliberately say meaningless things to themselves.

Seeing that Zhou Yi didn't react, Shi Tao asked curiously, "What's wrong? What did Director Xie say to you?"

"It's nothing," Zhou Yi said with a smile. "Director Xie told me to make a good impression when I go to Wuguang."

Upon hearing this, Shi Tao laughed and said, "Of course! Let them see how amazing our Hongcheng detectives are!"

Zhou Yi smiled, because Xie Guoqiang's words made him somewhat uneasy.

After saying goodbye to Shi Tao, Zhou Yi went to greet various departments.

When they arrived at the forensic lab, they found only Song Yiming inside, so they asked, "Professor Song, isn't Xu Nian here?"

"I asked for leave, saying there was something going on at home."

"Oh, I see. Then please give her my regards, Teacher Song. I'm going to Wuguang tomorrow."

Song Yiming nodded: "Okay, have a safe trip."

After making his way around, Zhou Yi returned to the Third Brigade's office.

Upon entering the room, Zhou Yi discovered that besides Qiao Jiali and the others, Wu Yongcheng was also there. "Captain Wu, what are you doing here?" Zhou Yi asked in surprise, assuming there was some case involved.

“Why can’t I be here?” Wu Yongcheng retorted.

"No, I thought you were in your branch captain's office. Luckily, I didn't go there first."

Xiao Qiao laughed and said, "Captain Wu thinks his squad leader's office is lonely because he's all alone, so he spends most of his time here."

Zhou Yi laughed: "Captain Wu, you're sharing the joy with the people."

"That's not right. I call it remembering the bitter past to appreciate the sweet present."

In fact, Zhou Yi understood Wu Yongcheng's feelings very well. After all, he had been to Wu Yongcheng's home, which was too simple and lacked any homely atmosphere.

I go home all alone after work. Even after I got promoted, I'm still all alone in the office. No wonder I keep coming here.

Zhou Yi noticed that Lu Zhengfeng was sitting in his seat, looking down at the case file with a somewhat serious expression.

He walked over, put a hand on the other person's shoulder, and asked, "What are you looking at so intently?"

Lu Zhengfeng flipped through the manila envelope containing the case files and said, "You've handled a massive case. Wow, this case is so complicated. You guys are really amazing to have solved it."

Sitting opposite him, Jiang Biao pointed at Zhou Yi and said, "The person who deserves the most credit is right next to you."

Lu Zhengfeng looked up at Zhou Yi in surprise, somewhat incredulous.

"Brother Biao is just kidding you. I'm someone who didn't even make it into the task force at the beginning, how much of a contribution can I make?" Zhou Yi said with a smile.

Lu Zhengfeng was skeptical, but he still said something that instantly struck a chord with Zhou Yi.

"Oh, it's such a pity about this Teacher Xiao."

Zhou Yi felt a deep sense of guilt and remorse towards Xiao Bing.

It wasn't just because she had doubted him, but also because she hadn't doubted him when he first appeared.

If I had suspected him back then and secretly investigated him, I could have unearthed Dong Lu's past hidden behind Xiao Bing.

Perhaps, the entire grand scheme will become different.

Several times in the quiet of the night, Zhou Yi asked himself why he hadn't suspected Xiao Bing back then.
Apart from the fact that Xiao Bing and Lu Xiaoshuang have no social connection whatsoever.

The real reason might be that Xiao Bing simply doesn't have that criminal aura.

Such people are either like Xiao Bing, with an overly gentle personality, because kindness is written into their very genes.

Or they are so cunning that it's appalling, they've created a perfect disguise that even veteran detectives can't see through.

Thinking of Xiao Bing, Zhou Yi asked Jiang Biao for the car keys, saying that before going to Wu Guang, he wanted to visit Dong Lu at Director Sun's place.

Because Dong Lu is currently receiving psychiatric treatment at the Third Municipal Hospital, skin grafting treatment will be arranged after her mental condition improves.

Upon hearing this, Qiao Jiali immediately said she wanted to go with Zhou Yi because she had been relatively free at work recently.

The Third Brigade is responsible for major homicide cases in the city, so most routine criminal cases are handled by the district and county branches.

Take the case in Xipinggou as an example. At first, it was just that Ge Fangfang went missing, so the police station dispatched officers and reported it to the county bureau.

When clues emerge that could potentially transform a routine missing persons case into a criminal case, the county police bureau should take over.

When Ma Weichang's body was discovered, it was still under the jurisdiction of the county criminal investigation team. Since only one person had died, it was considered a general criminal case.

Of course, if the manner in which the victim was murdered is extremely cruel and heinous, the severity of the case will be assessed separately.

However, once Shi Jian's body was exhumed, the case was classified as a major criminal case because there were now two victims.

In fact, Li Linglong should have reported to the local municipal bureau and applied for the intervention of the municipal criminal investigation branch, which would have been equivalent to the case being handed over to the third brigade.

However, Miao Dongfang was already on the run at the time, so Li Linglong didn't have time to get the local municipal bureau to take over the case.

If more than three people die in a case, it is considered a major criminal case and needs to be reported to the provincial department, which means that the serious crime squad led by Liang Wei will be involved.

The case in Anyuan is an example.

Of course, just like An Yuan's approach, local authorities may delay or periodically report cases for various reasons, striving to solve the case "at home" as much as possible.

Therefore, the three teams were indeed relatively idle after the major case.

Most of the work involves sorting out case files from old and unsolved cases.

Zhou Yi was about to leave the office with Qiao Jiali, holding the keys, when Wu Yongcheng also stood up.

Zhou Yi asked, "Captain Wu, are you going too?"

"Oh, no, I'm going to the restroom, I drank too much water."

Zhou Yi was still hesitating about whether to subtly inquire about the car from Wu Yongcheng, but now she directly handed the car keys to Qiao Jiali.

"Sister Qiao, wait for me downstairs. I need to use the restroom too."

Qiao Jiali nodded and took the keys.

Zhou Yi jogged a few steps to catch up with Wu Yongcheng.

In the men's restroom, Zhou Yi and Wu Yongcheng stood at opposite ends of the urinals.

Back then, urinals weren't like the ones later on, where each person had their own stall with partitions in between, offering better privacy.

Here's a civility slogan for you: One small step forward, one giant leap for civility.

In the past, most urinals were long, narrow troughs with a platform protruding from the ground on the outside. The platform, the inside of the trough, and the walls were all tiled.

A long, horizontal water pipe is installed on the wall at about waist height. There are many holes in the pipe, from which a thin stream of water flows out continuously to rinse the sink.

So in the past, there was an unspoken agreement in the men's restroom that if there were two people, they would stand at opposite ends of the urinal.

If a third person comes, they will stand in the middle.

At this moment, Zhou Yi is on the left and Wu Yongcheng is on the right.

Zhou Yi didn't actually need to pee; he just wanted to gather some information.

"Have you met Director Xie?" Wu Yongcheng asked first.

"Well, I've seen it before."

"Oh," Wu Yongcheng replied, without asking any further questions, and then the sound of running water was heard.

Seeing that he didn't press the matter, Zhou Yi could only take the initiative and ask, "Captain Wu, are you familiar with the situation on Wu Guang's side?"

"It's so-so," Wu Yongcheng said, shaking his head twice before zipping up his jacket and walking toward the sink.

Zhou Yi quickly zipped up his jacket and went over, pretending to wash his hands.

"Captain Wu, is Wu Guang... a dangerous person?"

Wu Yongcheng glanced at Zhou Yi in the mirror and asked, "What did Director Xie say to you?"

"Director Xie said..."

Just as Zhou Yi was about to speak, Wu Yongcheng shook his head and said, "Forget it, don't tell me that he told you this privately. I won't listen."

Hey!
Zhou Yi thought to himself, "These leaders are all so shrewd."

He turned off the tap, shook his hands, and changed his question: "Captain Wu, do you know anyone in Wuguang?"

The acquaintances Zhou Yi mentioned were not just ordinary acquaintances, but rather he wanted Wu Yongcheng to give him some hints about who on Wu Guang's side he could trust.

Wu Yongcheng replied, "Yes."

"Which one?"

Wu Yongcheng chuckled: "You know him too?"

“I agree…” Zhou Yi was speechless. Ni Jianrong.

"Captain Wu, I'm being serious."

Wu Yongcheng wiped his hands and asked, "Have you heard of the 'living judge' in the Wuguang City Public Security Bureau?"

"The Judge?" Zhou Yi thought to himself, "Could it be...?"

(End of this chapter)