After Li Feng was apprehended last night, he confessed that the ID card belonged to a couple he had murdered and buried in Jiangsu three years ago. Since he and his wife closely resembled the couple in age and appearance, they had been impersonating the deceased ever since. Knowing he faced certain death after his capture, Li Feng cooperated fully, providing detailed confessions for all the crimes he had committed.
His wife, Jiang Ying, quickly admitted to delivering takeout to Director Zhang, confirming that Zhang Yi'ang was home alone during the time Ye Jian was killed. Of course, it was later revealed that this was part of Director Zhang’s initiative to implement the national "Internet Plus" strategy in criminal investigations—by ordering targeted takeout deliveries, they conducted a thorough background check on Li Feng’s family to prepare for the next day’s operation.
Li Feng’s case was too significant for the Three Rivers Estuary police to handle alone. After basic interrogation, he would be transferred to Hangzhou in a few days for higher authorities to take over.
By the afternoon, the detectives who had worked through the night gradually returned to the station. Zhang Yi'ang called a meeting to briefly outline the Li Feng case, reminding everyone not to be blinded by their temporary success. The follow-up work on Li Feng’s arrest would be handled by higher authorities—their top priority now was solving Ye Jian’s murder.
After assigning tasks and dividing responsibilities among the teams, Zhang dismissed the group, keeping only Wang Ruijun, Song Xing, the forensic technicians, and the medical examiner—the core members of the task force. Naturally, Li Qian also became an indispensable part of the team.
Ye Jian, 39, was divorced and single. His ex-wife described him as hot-tempered and prone to violence, which led to their early separation. They had no children and had barely been in contact for years. Early in his career, Ye Jian had been allocated an apartment in the police residential compound, which he gave to his ex-wife during the divorce. Later, he bought a small place in an older neighborhood near his workplace, where he lived alone.
On the night of the murder, Ye Jian attended a real estate developer’s banquet. Multiple witnesses confirmed he left around 9 p.m. He then took a taxi to a riverside location a few kilometers away—the crime scene—where he was killed.
Forensic Doctor Chen had his assistant display photos of the body and the scene. Limping slightly, he walked to the projection screen and explained, "Ye Jian sustained six major stab wounds: three in the abdomen, two in the lower back, and one on his right forearm. His internal organs were severely lacerated, and the weapon was a dagger-like blade. Additionally, his ribs were fractured in multiple places from blunt force trauma. Ultimately, he died from excessive blood loss and multi-organ failure. Based on my experience, Ye Jian was likely hit by a vehicle at least twice, causing fractures in different directions, before being stabbed. However..."
Forensic Doctor Chen frowned, holding up a full-body photo of the corpse. "The stab wounds are unusual. The angles of the blade don’t align with how a normal person would attack. I’ve never seen this combination of wounds before."
Zhang Yi'ang looked puzzled. "Are you suggesting the killer was mentally ill?"
"No, I didn’t say that."
"You said the wounds weren’t inflicted by a normal person."
"Well... I meant the blade entered from varying directions. If there was only one assailant, some of the stabs would have to be backhanded. If there were multiple attackers, other details don’t support that theory. In my twenty-plus years as a medical examiner, I’ve never encountered wounds like these."From the traces at the scene, the killer appeared to be acting alone. Yet the six main stab wounds showed the blade had entered from both upward and downward directions. In this modern era, there were no martial arts masters—so who could wield a knife with such speed?
Zhang Yi'ang frowned, observing Forensic Doctor Chen limping. Suspecting his inability to determine how the wounds were inflicted stemmed from technical incompetence, he suggested, "Perhaps we should request assistance from the provincial forensic team?"
The moment these words left his mouth, those around him hurriedly signaled him to stop—but it was too late.
"Director Zhang, what exactly do you mean by that?" Forensic Doctor Chen's voice instantly turned icy. Refusing to back down, he abruptly stood up, hands on his hips, glaring at Zhang. "I've been a forensic examiner for over twenty years! In 1995, right after graduating from university—and let me tell you, getting into university back then was like a thousand troops crossing a single-log bridge! My grades at the time—my Chinese score alone was—"
Zhang Yi'ang quickly interjected, "I only meant they could assist you. Your leg—"
"It's not my leg, it's my back! What does a herniated disc have to do with autopsy results? I know what this is about—you've all had it out for me, haven't you? Want to replace me, is that it?" Forensic Doctor Chen redirected his fury toward everyone present, unleashing his temper. "Let me remind you, when I first became a police officer, you were all still children! I've handled more corpses than you've seen living people! I—"
Section Chief Xu from the Criminal Technology Division, familiar with Forensic Doctor Chen's temperament, hurried over to pull him back down, soothing him with assurances that everyone deeply respected his expertise. His autopsy reports were ironclad, beyond doubt—they were only concerned about his back. Also, perhaps he should ease up on the drinks during weekday dinners.
One by one, the others chimed in, affirming their absolute confidence in Forensic Doctor Chen's findings and dismissing any possibility of alternative conclusions. Only then was he placated.
Zhang Yi'ang wiped a mental sweat. If even the forensic examiner in a small place like Three Rivers Estuary was like this, how were they supposed to solve cases?
Fortunately, Section Chief Xu at least seemed like a reasonable person. The next step was to have him analyze the physical evidence.
The riverside grass where the body was discovered wasn't the primary crime scene. The actual location was a small path about two hundred meters away.
This was a secluded cement path by the river. For unknown reasons, Ye Jian had come here alone late at night, where he was struck twice by a car before being stabbed with a dagger. Despite his severe injuries, he fled through the roadside greenery, eventually reaching a stone arch bridge over the river and jumping in. With astonishing determination, he swam over a hundred meters before dragging himself ashore behind a large tree—the spot where his body was later found—ultimately succumbing to blood loss.
A trail of bloodstains and footprints along the path confirmed his escape route and revealed he was being pursued by a man over 1.7 meters tall.
After prolonged contemplation, Zhang Yi'ang looked around and calmly asked, "My name was left at the scene. What do you make of that?""Well..." All eyes turned to Section Chief Xu, as he was in charge of this area and had to provide the explanation. "The main tendons in Ye Jian's right arm were severed, making it impossible for him to grip and write. So, the three characters left at the scene couldn't be compared to his handwriting based on the strokes alone. However, Ye Jian's fingerprints and blood were found on the small stone used to write the characters. After discussing with Forensic Doctor Chen, we... we tend to believe the words were written by Ye Jian himself."
"You're saying Ye Jian wrote those words himself?" Zhang Yi'ang raised his eyebrows, finding the conclusion hard to accept.
Section Chief Xu nervously pulled Forensic Doctor Chen into the conversation. "This is our joint conclusion. As for why... why he wrote Director Zhang's name, that's something the detectives will need to investigate further."
The forensic team's job was only to provide conclusions; the subsequent investigation and analysis were the detectives' responsibility.
Zhang Yi'ang had no choice but to turn his gaze to Wang Ruijun and Song Xing.
Song Xing analyzed, "Even if the words were written by Ye Jian himself, it doesn't prove anything. The director has an ironclad alibi—100% not at the scene. As for why he wrote that, I think it's possible that Ye Jian didn't know the killer. During the attack, the killer might have said something to make him misunderstand the director. For example, Ye Jian might have asked, 'Why are you killing me?' and the killer deliberately replied, 'Director Zhang sent me to kill you.' Ye Jian was severely injured, and in his dying moments, his mind wasn't clear. Combined with his existing resentment toward your sudden arrival, it led him to make a wrong judgment and write your name."
His vivid description simulated the dialogue between Ye Jian and the killer and the psychological state of a dying man with remarkable accuracy. Everyone listening found his analysis quite plausible. It wasn't hard to understand that someone jealous of a new leader's sudden appointment, misled by the killer, might harbor a bit of malice toward the leader in their final moments.
All eyes turned to Zhang Yi'ang, only to find his face dark with anger. After a few seconds, he suddenly snapped coldly, "That makes no sense at all! If Ye Jian's mind was unclear and he wrote my name, why didn't he write yours or someone else's? I barely exchanged a few words with him—where would he get such intense resentment toward me? This is an extremely irresponsible judgment! You've completely missed the key point of this case!"
Song Xing, scolded into silence, lowered his head and timidly asked, "Then... what is the key point of this case?"
Wang Ruijun's eyes lit up, and he blurted out, "The director is absolutely being framed!"
"See? Ruijun gets it right away!" Zhang Yi'ang slapped the table, his face breaking into a smile as he looked at Wang Ruijun with admiration, even shortening his name affectionately. "Jun, explain it properly to everyone."
"Me... uh!" Wang Ruijun, flattered but flustered, hesitated for a long time before saying, "I just know someone behind this case is deliberately trying to frame the director, to disrupt his work. As for the specifics... I still need to sort it out further."Zhang Yi'ang curled his lips, his admiration stopping right there. Seeing that none of the analyses from the others hit the mark directly, he had no choice but to speak up himself: "Think about it—Ye Jian jumped off the bridge and swam away. If you were the killer, would you just watch him swim off without chasing after him? Could the killer be certain Ye Jian would die from his injuries? So, the words at the scene weren’t written by Ye Jian at all. Instead, the killer caught up to him, stuffed a stone into Ye Jian’s hand, and forced him to write those words—all to frame me, shake the team’s morale, and mislead the investigation. It’s even likely that Ye Jian’s tendons were deliberately severed by the killer at that moment. This would explain why the handwriting differed from Ye Jian’s usual style from a forensic perspective. Otherwise, the evidence would’ve long revealed that the words weren’t written by Ye Jian, and framing me wouldn’t have worked! This is a setup—a meticulously planned one!"
Hearing this analysis, everyone’s eyes lit up. Section Chief Xu and Forensic Doctor Chen confirmed that it was entirely feasible from a technical standpoint, and since the scene was outdoors with already chaotic footprints, distinguishing the killer’s was impossible.
From the perspective of seasoned investigators like Wang Ruijun and Song Xing, it made perfect sense. After killing someone, if the victim managed to escape over a hundred meters, the killer would surely chase after them to confirm their death. No one would be careless enough to just turn and leave.
The killer had used Ye Jian’s hand to write Director Zhang’s name. If not for Jiang Ying’s confirmation that the director was at home that night, the situation would still be unclear. If the boss became a suspect, how could the team continue the investigation? It would severely mislead the police’s direction.
Truly a vicious and insidious framing tactic! Everyone cursed the unknown killer, calling him worse than scum, venting their fury.
With the handwriting issue clarified, Section Chief Xu added, "We found Ye Jian’s wallet a few meters from his body, and his phone was in his pants pocket. A preliminary check shows nothing was stolen, indicating the killing was targeted, not a spur-of-the-moment robbery. Additionally, we discovered a card hidden inside Ye Jian’s pants."
Zhang Yi'ang asked, "What kind of card?"
"Well..." Section Chief Xu hesitated before answering directly. Instead, he took out a photo and showed it to everyone.
The photo depicted a black, bank card-like plastic card, stained with dried blood. The upper right corner bore the letters "VIP," while the center read "Spa Center" in bold characters.
Li Qian leaned in curiously and asked, "What’s this spa center for?"
"This spa center..." Wang Ruijun was about to answer when the others started coughing conspicuously—even Forensic Doctor Chen, who had a herniated disc, was coughing vigorously. He promptly shut his mouth. The group then collectively refocused on the case discussion, pretending not to hear Li Qian’s question.
Section Chief Xu continued, "I believe Ye Jian pulled this card from his wallet before dying and hid it beneath him, then threw the wallet into the distant grass. At night, the killer would’ve had a hard time noticing this small act. The card was hidden so meticulously that Ye Jian must have intended to convey some kind of message through it."
Zhang Yi'ang examined the photo closely. The spa center’s address was listed as "Parking·Maplewood Hotel, 3rd Floor."
"Parking Maplewood Hotel?"Wang Ruijun explained from the side, "This is the first five-star hotel in Three Rivers Estuary, very high-end."
Zhang Yi'ang nodded, "Parking Amidst Maple Woods at Dusk—using a poem as the hotel's name is quite interesting, though it seems like two characters are missing in the middle."
Wang Ruijun pointed at the card and whispered, "Rumor has it they're inside!"
Everyone froze for a moment, then nodded solemnly with serious expressions.
Zhang Yi'ang coughed and asked, "Who owns this place?"
"The owner of the hotel is Lu Yibo, but there are rumors that the real boss is Zhou Rong, the richest man in Three Rivers Estuary."
"Zhou Rong?!" Zhang Yi'ang and Li Qian widened their eyes simultaneously.
The others, seeing their reaction, instantly shared a common suspicion brewing in their minds, their faces flickering with varying expressions.
After a moment, Song Xing cautiously asked, "Director, did the Provincial Department transfer you here... because of Zhou Rong?"
"Why do you say that?" Zhang Yi'ang's expression turned unnatural. Director Gao had repeatedly emphasized that this matter must be handled discreetly and not be made public.
Li Qian quickly covered for him, "That's not it at all. What nonsense are you talking about?"
Song Xing gave her a strange look, "But I saw you looking into Zhou Rong's company files a few days ago."
Zhang Yi'ang glared at Li Qian, who immediately shut her mouth and lowered her head. The boss had repeatedly warned her to be careful, yet her research had been spotted by a colleague. She wanted to kick herself.
Wang Ruijun said quietly, "Director, if you're investigating Zhou Rong, we'll fully support you!"
Song Xing, Section Chief Xu, and Forensic Doctor Chen all nodded earnestly, their sincere gazes fixed on Zhang Yi'ang.
Zhang Yi'ang hesitated as he looked at them, "You all..."
Song Xing voiced their collective thoughts, "We've all worked under Director Lu for many years. He promoted us, and he privately mentioned he was investigating Zhou Rong. Then he suddenly disappeared—we strongly suspect Zhou Rong was behind it!"
One after another, they pledged their support. They understood the gravity of investigating Zhou Rong and that Director Zhang's secrecy was necessary. But they assured him they could be trusted—Wang Ruijun and Song Xing had been personally promoted by Lu Zheng, Section Chief Xu had worked closely with him for years, and Forensic Doctor Chen appreciated that Lu Zheng had always respected his autopsy skills without the usual nitpicking, proving his professionalism.
Now, all they needed was Director Zhang's nod to investigate Lu Zheng's case, and they were ready to go all the way!
Under the four men's resolute gazes, Zhang Yi'ang slowly nodded. He realized that with the unwavering support of these key members of the criminal police team, the formal investigation into Zhou Rong could finally begin.
But Director Gao had said the whistleblower from the tip-off letter would approach him directly after he arrived in Three Rivers Estuary, once the timing was right. He'd been here for over a week—what was this whistleblower playing at, still not showing up?
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