Pokémon Detective Case Files.

"My irresponsible director once taught me a saying."

Azure spoke softly, her tone one of complete control—

“The most important thing in a case is never the method, but the perpetrator’s motive. A criminal may use all sorts of methods to achieve his goal, but he will never be easily swayed by any one of them. Miss Officer Jenny, random poisoning may be easy, but it does not bring any real benefit to anyone.”

"Could someone be trying to short the insecticide spray company's stock to make a profit?" Mary suddenly asked, with a whimsical thought.

"And another thing, is it possible that the criminals are trying to lure all the police officers of Feiyun City to the outskirts of the city, and then use this opportunity to launch some kind of major operation in the city center?"

"The police had already investigated the first possibility when the incident first occurred. However, looking at the stock exchanges inside and outside United States, whether it was the insect spray company or other related companies, no suspicious individuals were found to be shorting or going long on a large scale."

In response to the Hoenn reporter's question, Sera immediately replied—

"As for the latter possibility of luring the tiger away from the mountain, our Feiyun Police Station just encountered a similar case last year, so we have already left a sufficient number of elite personnel in the city. However, as of now, we have not found any suspicious signs."

"They did nothing but poison... It seems that the perpetrator really was just a poisoner who simply enjoyed harming others..."

Officer Jenny whispered.

Just then, Miss Sera's phone suddenly vibrated—

"It's a call from the police station," the deputy instinctively reported to his superior.

Answer it quickly!!!

Everyone except Sierra said the same thing.

Sierra didn't have time to turn on speakerphone and hurriedly started negotiating with the police station—

"Um... okay. Yes, we're all here... Oh, I see. I'll report back immediately. Okay, thank you for your hard work."

After a brief communication, the deputy detective put down his phone and turned to the three pairs of eyes staring at her.

“A small amount of insecticide spray toxin was found in the wound medicines that were previously identified as non-toxic. All three wound medicines tested showed the same result.”

Sera announced briefly.

The Azure Detective's theory has prevailed.

Mary curiously observed Officer Jenny's reaction, wanting to see what kind of expression this detective, who had previously denied the Azure Theory, would show upon realizing that her deduction was wrong.

The latter's reaction was—

"Everyone, come with me to the police station! There are more people there to help with the investigation! Ha! That damned poisoner, I've finally caught you red-handed!"

Miss Officer Jenny, like a springy bob pig, leaped three feet high. While calling out to the detective who was still stunned, she took the lead and rushed towards the gate of the Feather Residence.

Chapter 311 Poisonous Fog – A Successful Yet Tricky Capture Operation

"I never expected it to go so smoothly."

As evening approached, the setting sun was mostly obscured by the afterglow of the cloudy sky, and the scattered light dyed the city orange-red, making the world appear exceptionally heavy and gloomy.

On the city skyline, homing pigeons lined up in scattered rows, brushing past the bats that had just taken flight, as if symbolizing the alternation of day and night.

Outside a cheap neighborhood on the east side of Feiyun City, the encirclement of the arrest operation has narrowed to its final stage.

Plainclothes police officers silently appeared near the various entrances and exits of the community, while the police station's Pokémon, disguised as wild Pokémon, patrolled the surrounding area. Officers were also positioned in hidden corners and lurks around the apartment building where the target was located. They were just waiting for the order to launch a full-scale assault on the perpetrators of the poisoning case in Feiyun City.

"As expected, once the direction of the investigation is determined, the well-staffed police station can unleash a level of efficiency far exceeding that of individual detectives. I didn't expect that it would only take an afternoon to narrow down the suspects to this extent."

Bilan stepped out of an inconspicuous van, shading her eyes with her hand with deep emotion as she gazed at an apartment building in the community.

"Hey, don't make such obvious moves."

Officer Jenny quickly reached out and pulled the detective to the other side of the van, reminding her—

"The suspect might be using binoculars to be wary of the police right now. Even though we're far away, we still have to be careful about that possibility. If we alert the suspect and make them suspicious beforehand, the arrest will be much more difficult, and it could also drag the surrounding residents into the mess."

Azure obediently hid behind the car and saw Miss Joey who had come with them.

The temporary forensic pathologist, specializing in toxicology, was half-squatting on the ground, organizing and confirming the potent antidote he had just prepared before setting off, while simultaneously smiling and making excuses for the detective—

“Little Officer Jenny, don’t blame Azure. She’s different from us. She doesn’t have the kind of face that would scare criminals just by showing her face. It’s normal that she lacks that kind of awareness.”

"Anyone would be suspicious if they saw someone peering into their window. It has nothing to do with what they look like."

Officer Jenny kept anxiously confirming the information; the wait before the arrest was always so agonizing.

As if to pass the time, the officer reiterated to Azure the key points and challenges of the operation—

"Since the suspect recently infiltrated Flying Cloud City using a false identity, his current identity remains unknown, and we have no way to investigate the number of Pokémon he possesses. However, given his ability to poison all the discarded medicines around Flying Cloud City within just three days, he must have a considerable number of helper Pokémon."

“Yes,” Azure echoed.

"Considering that, apart from the repeatedly administered poison, the dosage of toxins in other wound medicines is basically the same, those Pokémon are very likely to have limbs that are flexible enough to at least use a syringe. Moreover, the fact that those Pokémon frequently traveled around the city of Flying Cloud over three days without arousing the suspicion of the surrounding citizens and trainers suggests that they are likely Pokémon commonly found in Flying Cloud... However, even with this kind of screening, there are still too many types of Pokémon to choose from."

"Yes, it could be Catpoo, Scrub, Slicker, or any other Pokémon whose appearance is completely unimaginable. It feels like it's going to turn into another chaotic battle like the one in the locked room incident."

Miss Officer Jenny sighed and took out her phone again to check the current time and the police station's notification messages.

"Is it really okay for us not to participate in the front lines of the capture operation? Eevee and I will definitely not hold them back," Azure asked.

“Don’t underestimate the police, you amateur detectives,” Officer Jenny said, deliberately feigning disdain.

“Even if you join the frontline operation, you can’t coordinate with your colleagues like a professionally trained detective, right? Our usual practice is for this kind of situation to come in handy. Besides, if the suspect breaks through the cordon and runs down from upstairs, we can still get there to provide support from our current distance.”

“However, Miss Officer Jenny, from what I just saw, the rooms on the target floor don’t seem to have the lights on.”

After a moment's deliberation, Azure decided to share this information, obtained in a moment of rashness, with Officer Jenny.

"It's so dark outside now. If we don't turn on the lights, it'll be completely dark inside. Isn't that a bit strange?"

"You mean the prisoner might not be in the room?"

Officer Jenny put down her phone and asked seriously. Then, as if answering her own question, she shook her head—

"That's absolutely impossible. The police checked the surveillance footage from nearby intersections beforehand, and at least today, they didn't see any footage of the suspect leaving the community. Moreover, a neighbor living next door to the suspect also testified that he saw the suspect open the door and return to his residence last night. That person did not have the opportunity or time to flee."

"Could it be that the neighbor notified the suspect, allowing him to hide in advance?" Bilan asked.

“That’s impossible,” Officer Jenny said impatiently.

"The police just questioned him and have temporarily placed the neighbor under surveillance for his safety. He won't be released until the arrest operation is over. Azure, are you sure you didn't miscount the floors?"

"Bluey Girl has a very good eye; her observation is correct."

"Joey spoke up. The forensic pathologist had already organized all the medical supplies. She handed her phone to Officer Jenny; the screen displayed a high-definition photograph that Ms. Joey had taken sometime during the procedure—"

"Look, this is the floor where the criminal lives. From the window, his apartment is indeed completely dark."

Looking at the blurred image after multiple zooms, Officer Jenny frowned deeply: "Could it be that they overslept during their afternoon nap? Or is the prisoner engaged in some kind of special activity that requires a dark environment?"

"A nap wouldn't last this long. And if it's dark inside, how can you cook? That criminal hasn't left yet; is he planning to go hungry tonight?"

With her expertise in nutrition, Miss Joy used her knowledge to astutely point out the anomalies in the current situation.

Officer Jenny's brow furrowed even deeper.

Now it was Azure who comforted Officer Jenny: "Oh, don't overthink it. Maybe it's just that the suspect has an irregular lifestyle. And even if he's not home right now, he couldn't possibly escape this community while surrounded by the police."

"I hope so." The female detective took a deep breath, but the ominous premonition in her heart could not be dispelled.

finally--

Officer Jenny and Joey's phones vibrated simultaneously. They glanced at the messages, then looked up at each other.

"The advance team has arrived at the target floor and is ready to break down the door."

Officer Jenny stepped out of the car and, just like Azure had done before, shaded her eyes with her hand as she looked towards the room where the suspect was.

Now, they no longer need to hide their whereabouts.

"Is the other person inside?" Bilan asked anxiously.

“We’ll have the results soon,” Officer Jenny said. Now that the arrest operation had officially begun, she was actually less anxious.

As if echoing what the female detective said, her phone vibrated again.

The police officer looked down at his text messages, but then, as if he had used "instant amnesia," he froze for a moment. His expression was as unpredictable as a floating bubble.

"What's wrong? What happened?"

The detective, who was excluded from the police system of Feiyun City, pressed her for answers.

"We need to go to the crime scene with Miss Joey."

"Crime scene?" Azure noticed the oddity in the officer's wording.

"Yes, the crime scene."

Officer Jenny looked at the temporary forensic doctor among the three and said with a somber expression—

"The suspect in the poisoning incident was already dead before officers broke down the door and entered the room."

Chapter 312 Poisoning - The Bizarre and Tragic Murder of the Corpse

"It is clear that the prisoner died from poisoning."

The cramped single-room rental room was filled with an unbearable stench of decay.

After donning a disposable protective suit, a mask, and shoe covers as usual, and using a plastic head covering to prevent hair from falling out, Ms. Joey opened the deceased's eyelids to check the pupils while explaining to the officers present—

"Judging from rigor mortis and body temperature, this person died approximately ten to twelve hours ago. In other words, he was poisoned last night."

The poisoner died from poisoning; is there a more ironic way to die?

The toxicologist closed the deceased's eyes, stood up, faced the head of the investigation team, and said—

"This is clearly a case of poisoning for two reasons. First, the deceased's face was severely distorted and deformed, and the pupils were paralyzed and dilated. Moreover, the furniture and items in the room were in disarray, which was very likely caused by uncoordinated convulsions of the limbs. This is a typical manifestation of muscle loss after acute poisoning. Second, the deceased had nosebleeds before death, and his face was purplish-black, indicating that his blood circulation was also impaired at the time of death."

"My initial assessment is that this death was caused by a combination of blood-circulating toxins or neurotoxins. However, to determine the specific type of toxin, we need to collect blood samples and analyze them in a laboratory. Of course, it would be even better if we could obtain the residual raw materials of the toxin directly."

"So, Miss Joey, is it possible that the toxin that killed this suspect is the same as the insecticide spray toxin detected in the discarded medical supplies?"

The simultaneous appearance of two poisons in one case was truly bizarre. But out of caution, the head of the investigation team, despite feeling the chances were slim, still asked to confirm.

Joey chuckled through his mask—

"The difference between that childish poison and the poison that killed this person is like night and day, even greater than the difference between a Wishiwashi and a Wailord. Based on my experience, this is clearly a highly potent poison concocted using the venom of one or more Poison-type Pokémon. Furthermore, the poison maker likely made specific modifications to the human body to increase its lethality and success rate..."

"The only problem right now is that we can't figure out how this deadly poison got into the victim's body. There didn't seem to be any food or containers used to ingest the poison at the scene. Were they taken away by the poisoner who arrived later?"

"There's one last question I have to ask—do you have any other forensic doctors in your police station? I'm not a professional in this field, so we need more people to carefully examine the deceased for any injection marks such as needle marks."

"Of course there's a forensic pathologist. We've already notified the coroner from the bureau; they're about a ten-minute drive away. But the sooner we start collecting evidence at the scene, the better. I'm really grateful for your help, Ms. Joey."

The officer sincerely thanked Miss Joey.

"Don't worry about it. Consider it an apology for the mistake made by the Poison Skull Frog back then. He was careless and almost misled your investigation."

Joey shook his head in response, then casually asked—

"Speaking of crime scene investigation, did Officer Jenny and the detective find anything?"

"This rental house was searched yesterday."

Officer Jenny's voice rang out behind the toxicology expert.

"The victim's suitcase and workbench showed signs of being ransacked. Someone took away all of the deceased's documents and electronic devices, as well as all the raw materials related to the insecticide spray toxin—in addition, there are no Poké Balls containing Pokémon in the room now, which were likely also taken away by that uninvited guest."

"So, this deceased person might not necessarily be the real culprit who poisoned the area around Feiyun City, but rather a scapegoat killed by the real criminal?"

The search team leader scrutinized the new criminal investigator, who was highly regarded by the chief, and asked with a frown.

“No, I don’t think so,” Officer Jenny replied decisively.

"The victim could not possibly be innocent. Previous investigations have clearly shown that although the deceased's identity is unknown, he did frequently travel to and from the vicinity of Feiyun City in the days leading up to the poisoning incident. Furthermore, the landlord of this rented house had already confirmed the suspect's appearance before the arrest operation began, confirming that it was indeed the deceased from this area. Therefore, I believe that the experimental equipment and empty syringes found here are undoubtedly the personal belongings of the poisoner—which means that the victim who rented the house from the beginning must be the real culprit in the poisoning cases around Feiyun City."

"Oh, have you found the empty syringes and chemical containers?"

"Yes, some of them still had water stains. If tested, they would likely contain the same substance as the aerosol toxin. The person who ransacked the rental house didn't seem to be targeting this stuff."

"That makes sense. But the situation is now much more complicated."

The officer narrowed his eyes, nodded hesitantly, but still pressed for more information—

"So, have you considered the possibility that the deceased had a dispute with his accomplices, which led to his poisoning?"

Officer Jenny thought for a moment and then analyzed the situation logically—

"This room was used by the deceased as a workshop for preparing poisons, but judging from the signs of habitation, it doesn't seem like two people ever lived there. Moreover, the investigation into the poisoning incident has only identified the deceased as the only suspicious and dangerous individual. If the deceased had a human accomplice, then this accomplice neither participated in the poisoning process nor in the act of distributing the poison... Although this possibility can be considered, it is still a bit low."

“I understand what you mean, it makes a lot of sense. It is a bit far-fetched to assume that the intruders who raided the scene were accomplices in the poisoning incident. The two cases cannot be so simply linked.”