Chapter 29: Motive for Murder

The work of the Criminal Investigation Brigade continued.

The onlookers finally realized what was happening: the murderer had been apprehended right at the scene, and by a young officer, no less. The efficiency was staggering. People whispered among themselves, wondering what the suspect had been thinking—returning to the scene after committing a murder instead of running as far away as possible. It was practically handing himself over on a silver platter.

On the second floor, the First Squadron investigators were having the man with the crew cut re-enact the crime. The Technical Squadron was still processing the scene, hoping to uncover more leads. When they saw the suspect led in, handcuffed, everyone paused, stunned and bewildered. They had heard the commotion downstairs just moments ago.

"He's been caught?" the lead forensic pathologist asked. The scene investigation had barely begun.

The investigator nodded. "Caught him right in the crowd of onlookers."

The head pathologist was a middle-aged man with extensive experience in homicide cases, but it was incredibly rare to capture a suspect while the crime scene investigation was still underway. "He actually dared to linger at the scene? How was he discovered?"

"Han Ling from the local precinct's criminal investigation unit spotted him," the investigator replied. "He pointed him out, the guy tried to run, and Captain Ji, who was nearby, tackled him against the wall."

The man with the crew cut kept his head bowed, looking even more dejected. Perhaps if he hadn't run, he could have just claimed he was a passerby.

"Han Ling?" Yang Rui asked in surprise. "He's my classmate from the police training exercise—the one who escaped the film base during the fire drill."

"Tsk, tsk," the chief pathologist marveled. "I remember now. I thought he was just a show-off back then, but it turns out he's actually capable. Tell me, you, what did you use to strangle her? A nylon rope?"

The forensics team had been discussing it earlier and suspected it was likely a nylon rope, commonly found in seafood shops for bundling vacuum-packed boxes. Because nylon rope is stiff and tough, it would have bitten into the palms during the struggle, likely causing abrasions. He had been planning to mention this to Ji Bowei.

"Yeah..." the man muttered, admitting it.

The pathologist shook his head with a sigh. "What kind of grudge is this?" It wasn't a question, just a mutter to himself.

The suspect, taking it as a question, suddenly flared up. "Who told her to sell me expired seafood? Something that expensive! What’s wrong with me wanting an exchange? Damn her to hell!"

The chief pathologist ignored him. "Enough talk, show us the scene! How did you kill her?" a squadron detective urged.

Nearby, the detectives from the Criminal Technical Squadron had heard the entire exchange and were equally amazed by the drama of the case. Among them was Sun Yujie. He had initially been impressed by his classmate's performance, but suddenly, for reasons unknown, he felt a spark of insecurity. *Damn, is Yang Rui starting to admire Han Ling? If she admires him for too long, will it turn into attraction?*

If Han Ling knew what Sun Yujie was thinking, he would surely call him a hopeless romantic fool with a hole in his head.

Time passed slowly. The suspect was taken to the precinct for a detailed interrogation, while the victim's body and family were also en route. The outer police tape was removed, but the inner perimeter remained as forensics continued their work. Once finished, the shop would be sealed. Since the suspect was already in custody and evidence collection was straightforward, the seal would likely be removed soon; any tampering in the meantime would result in administrative penalties.

At the Gu'an District Precinct interrogation room, Fang Zhou was in charge, with his apprentice Tong Feng sitting by his side to gain experience. The suspect had already confessed at the scene, so the questioning was easy. He admitted to the murder, citing a motive involving a box of vacuum-packed seafood.

It was an expensive box of seafood he had bought to give to his father-in-law, hoping to ease the older man's dissatisfaction and prejudice toward him. It had turned out to be expired. It hadn't been expired when he bought it—it was a near-expiry product—but he hadn't checked the date, and when he went to deliver it a week later, it had just passed. The suspect was furious and demanded an exchange, but the shop owner refused, arguing that it had been fresh when sold. An argument ensued while the shop owner's husband was away.

"Selling me near-expiry seafood and then acting like she's in the right? I..." The suspect launched into a verbal barrage, cursing the woman's ancestors. If it weren't for this, he wouldn't be a murderer now.

Fang Zhou remained calm, his emotions unswayed, but Tong Feng sighed inwardly. It was such a senseless waste—a life lost over such a petty dispute. Neither the victim nor the perpetrator had gained anything. How much was the seafood really worth? Nothing was worth more than a human life.

No one can predict the future. The shop owner hadn't wanted to take the loss, never imagining she was dealing with a volatile man with a criminal record. Had she just apologized or offered an exchange, none of this would have happened. The suspect hadn't planned on murder either, but the woman's attitude had ignited his rage, causing him to lose his mind. By the time he came to his senses, it was too late; both families were ruined.

The interrogation concluded. The suspect was formally detained, and once the evidence was secured, the case would be submitted to the procuratorate for arrest and subsequent prosecution. Once the procuratorate decided no further investigation was needed, the Criminal Investigation Brigade's mission would be complete.

Ji Bowei called Wu Bin first to inform him of Han Ling's pivotal role. "Captain Wu, you've got a good eye. His success at the film base wasn't a fluke," he said, giving Han Ling a positive review.

"Noted," Wu Bin replied. "Let your precinct handle it. Old Zhao isn't blind." He was referring to Zhao Xingbang, the deputy chief of the Gu'an District Public Security Bureau in charge of criminal investigation. To a deputy chief, a cop with the ability to nab a suspect like that was a treasure.

"As of now, I doubt Chief Zhao will be interested," Ji Bowei remarked. Han Ling's performance—simply spotting someone in a crowd—was commendable, but it wasn't enough to judge the full range of skills required of a qualified criminal investigator. Internal selection might be possible, but an extraordinary promotion seemed premature.

In Qingchang City, there was a service requirement for internal selection to the criminal investigation unit: five years of service at a precinct.

"No rush," Wu Bin said. "It's only been half a year. He hasn't even finished his probation."

"He was promoted to regular status early," Ji Bowei noted. "I heard it from the political department. He received his law enforcement credentials, solved a few cases, and passed the comprehensive assessment."

Wu Bin was surprised. "Oh? That's good." Early promotion was difficult; the requirements for new recruits were often harsh, and usually, there was no need to rush it since it was only a one-year process anyway. Anyone who could earn an early promotion was truly exceptional.

After hanging up, Ji Bowei walked into the case hall and saw three people whispering together. "What are you chatting about? Is your work finished?"

Seeing their captain, Tong Feng, Sun Yujie, and Yang Rui immediately fell silent.

"Talking about Han Ling? The guy's already been made a regular, and he might even get a third-class merit award. You three are still on probation—don't you think you should be working harder?" Ji Bowei chided them. It was infuriating to him that a rookie from a local precinct was outshining his own new recruits in every way.

Under Ji Bowei's gaze, the three didn't dare say a word, acting like obedient kittens as they listened to the lecture.

*A third-class merit?* they wondered. *Is that for real?*