The Forensic Doctor Better Than a Detective

Chapter 643: Chapter 355: This Is the Backup Plan! (Part 2)

”Faced with someone who can poison even his own flesh and blood, he probably has a heart of stone long ago.”

”Trying to change him with affection is futile unless he suddenly has a pang of conscience, otherwise...”

The instructor extinguished the cigarette butt, took a sip of the now cold tea, and nodded, ”Behind closed doors, my concerns are about the same as yours.”

”The psychological defense of such a desperado is probably not easy to break through.”

”However, Jiang An always has many ideas. Maybe he can really have some breakthrough.”

Li Jian stood up and walked to the window, ”I think we need to prepare a backup plan. We can’t put all our hopes on one plan.”

”You mean...”

Zhang Chao, the instructor, pushed up his glasses and keenly caught the implication in his words.

”Seeking a second investigative route?”

Just as Li Jian was about to answer, a crisp and rhythmic knock on the door suddenly sounded, interrupting their conversation.

”Come in.”

The two spoke in unison.

The door opened, and Mr. Ma walked in with a thick notebook under his arm.

Li Jian and Zhang Chao hurriedly got up to greet him.

Li Jian smiled and stepped forward quickly, ”Mr. Ma, as a leader, you can come straight in without knocking.”

”Why knock, it seems so distant.”

Mr. Ma waved his hand, sat down on the old leather sofa beside the coffee table, and placed the notebook on it.

”It’s basic courtesy. Besides,” he glanced around the smoke-filled office.

”What if you are discussing some confidential case?”

He put down the notebook, his expression turning serious, ”So, any progress on that case?”

”I just returned from a city meeting and wanted to hear about your next investigation plan.”

Li Jian and Zhang Chao exchanged a meaningful glance.

He began, ”Mr. Ma, you are the team leader of the special task force, and Jiang An is the deputy team leader.”

”We just discussed it, and Mr. Jiang advocates using a psychological breakthrough.”

Mr. Ma nodded thoughtfully, ”Psychological warfare is one direction.”

”However, can’t we start with objective evidence on this case?”

He lifted his head to look at the two, ”For example, that watch found at the scene...”

He flipped to a page and stopped, ”Can we prove through technical means that the watch fell off during the struggle at the time of the crime?”

Zhang Chao squinted slightly, ”To confirm that, we probably need to send it to a higher-level identification institute.”

”I remember the Dragon Country’s Evidence Identification Center can handle aged evidence with special treatments to extract residual cells, but...”

He looked embarrassed as his fingers unconsciously twirled a pen, ”First, the journey is long, and second, the success rate is not guaranteed.”

”Last year, a case from a neighboring city was sent for examination, and results took two months.”

Mr. Ma frowned slightly, took off his glasses, and rubbed the bridge of his nose, ”Besides the Dragon Country’s top identification institution, have you considered a third-party testing agency?”

”Last week at a provincial meeting, I heard that some private agencies now have equipment more advanced than ours, with shorter testing cycles.”

”Indeed, there are.”

Zhang Chao nodded, quickly noting down in his notebook.

”But the cost is high. I’ve inquired, processing a single piece of evidence costs 40,000, and the results are still not guaranteed.”

”Last month, one precinct sent it out, spent 60,000, and ultimately didn’t find effective DNA.”

Upon hearing this figure, Mr. Ma tapped his finger lightly on the coffee table, the rhythm growing faster.

Two minutes later, Mr. Ma made a firm decision, voice resolute, ”I’ll figure out the money issue.”

”Our duty as police is to uphold justice. How many times have the relatives of the deceased complained? This year, we must give an explanation!”

”No matter what the result is, we must go all out.”

He turned, looking at Zhang Chao with a piercing gaze, ”Immediately contact a genetic testing company, clarify the specific requirements and procedures. I’ll approve whatever documents are needed.”

”Understood, I’ll handle it right away.”

Zhang Chao swiftly noted the key points, closed his notebook, and prepared to stand up.

Mr. Ma then looked at Li Jian, his tone softening a bit, ”I have another idea.”

”Aside from Jiang An’s psychological breakthrough plan, should we consider using a lie detector?”

”You mean...”

Li Jian’s eyes lit up, and he leaned forward slightly, ”Conduct a polygraph on the suspect to find a psychological breakthrough?”

”Exactly.”

Mr. Ma sat back down and opened to a page in his notebook, ”I looked up relevant materials. In such familial homicide cases, the perpetrator often has strong psychological fluctuations. A polygraph might have unexpected effects.”

Li Jian immediately understood, pulling out his phone, ”I’ll contact the provincial department’s technical division right away to request a polygraph expert assistance.”

”It’s indeed a good idea; last year’s case in the development zone was cracked thanks to a polygraph breakthrough.”

The three discussed some more details, and the office quieted down once again.

Mr. Ma suddenly spoke, with a trace of hesitance in his tone, ”If it doesn’t work out, I have a backup plan — ask my old classmate at the Criminal Investigation Bureau in Yue Province to help out.”

”Old classmate?”

Li Jian and Zhang Chao both showed curious expressions, sitting up straight simultaneously.

Mr. Ma’s face showed a hint of nostalgia, and his fingers gently caressed the notebook cover.

”A former police academy classmate, now an expert in the criminal investigation bureau of Yue Province, Zhou Jun.”

”He’s solved countless difficult cases; most legendary was a case with only body fragments as evidence, solved in 3 days, later earning him the name ’Detective Old Zhou.’

”That’s incredible!”

Li Jian energetically slapped his thigh, ”Having such an expert would be a great asset!”

Mr. Ma sighed, his expression complex, ”But he’s close to retiring now; not sure if he’d be willing to come out of retirement.”

”And...” He hesitated but ultimately just shook his head, ”We haven’t been in contact for many years.”

After a moment of silence, Mr. Ma stood up, adjusting his suit.

”In that case, we’ll divide into three teams.”

”Jiang An will continue with his psychological breakthrough plan, and we’ll prepare the evidence identification and polygraph plans.”

He particularly emphasized, his gaze sweeping across their faces, ”Remember, don’t discourage Jiang An. We are merely offering more possibilities.”

”Young people need opportunities to grow.”

”Understood!” Li Jian and Zhang Chao responded in unison, standing up as well.

Once Mr. Ma quickly left with his notebook, only the two of them remained in the office.

Zhang Chao, deep in thought, said while tidying the files on the table, ”The lie detector plan proposed by Mr. Ma seems very feasible to me.”

Li Jian lit another cigarette, grimacing as he shook his head, ”It’s just very taxing on personal relationships.”

He took a long drag, his expression becoming determined amidst the smoke, ”But... this case is not just a thorn in our side, it’s also Mr. Ma’s burden.”

”I understand why he gets personally involved.”

He stubbed out his cigarette and stood up, ”Let’s go, contact quickly, strive for an early breakthrough to bring the perpetrator to justice. The family has waited too long for this day already.”

While they were discussing, Jiang An, along with Wan and Zhang Yean, had just completed a visit to the victim’s family.

As Wan started the car to leave, Jiang An suddenly said, ”Wan, turn around and drive near Li Chuang’s house.”

”Going now?”

Wan’s hand paused on the steering wheel, looking at Jiang An through the rearview mirror.

”Won’t this alert them?”

Jiang An explained, fingers gently tapping on the car window, ”Just observing his house from a distance.”

”I want to see what kind of life his family leads daily.”

Wan still wanted to say something but saw Jiang An’s determined gaze through the rearview mirror.

”Alright.” With a turn of the wheel, the car slowly turned around on the narrow village road and headed in another direction.

Ten minutes later, their car slowly drove past Li Chuang’s house at normal speed.

Through the wrought-iron fence, they could clearly see the scene in the yard.

An elderly man with white hair was struggling to do rehabilitation exercises in the living room with a cane, each step looking so laborious;

Beside the dining table, a haggard-faced young mother was tutoring her child with homework, occasionally rubbing her temples;

The clothes hanging in the yard swayed gently in the breeze.

”It just looks like an ordinary family,” Zhang Yean murmured softly, her fingers unconsciously gripping the camera.

Wan lowered his voice, eyes still fixed on the road ahead.

”Want to get out and take a closer look? I can find a place to park.”

Jiang An shook his head, his gaze still lingering on the yard.

”No need, let’s go.”