The Forensic Doctor Better Than a Detective

Hearing this, everyone present couldn’t help but give a slight start.

Except for Director Hou, whose expression remained unchanged, the others all turned their eyes to Jiang An, their gazes interwoven with scrutiny and doubt.

In the logic of criminal investigation, once the facts of a case have been basically reconstructed, continuing to dig into details and raise objections is often seen as superfluous, even a waste of administrative resources.

Especially for Guangling Criminal Investigation, this case was never the kind that could be easily characterized and quickly closed—from the early-stage investigation to the current phase, although the final written conclusion differs slightly from the initial assessment, the overall investigative direction has never changed: at first they leaned toward death due to illness, and now it has been adjusted to accidental death.

Whether illness or accident, both characterizations point to the same outcome: a non-criminal case.

Within the criminal investigation system, the primary criterion for whether a case deserves attention is often simply whether it falls within the criminal category.

As for what specific accident caused the death, or how exactly the disease progressed, once it is categorized as non-criminal, that usually ceases to be a direction where investigative resources are heavily投入.

Precisely for this reason, just now when Mr. Chen received Qin Feng’s call and heard that the confession matched the scene investigation to a high degree, he did feel a wave of relief—reasoning and testimony corresponded perfectly, with no contradictions, which at the very least showed that the current direction could stand.

Besides, there was absolutely no possibility that the criminal suspect Wang Can and Jiang An had colluded in advance, yet their statements corroborated each other, which further strengthened the credibility of the current conclusion.

Yet at this very moment, Jiang An put forward another possibility, and it sounded more serious and more complicated than the existing conclusion.

This could not help but arouse doubt: what exactly was he aiming at?

Mr. Chen’s lips curved slightly, revealing a faint, restrained smile, but his tone was very calm: ”Mr. Jiang, we’ve always acknowledged your professional competence, but with this case... should you perhaps give it some more thought?”

Though the wording was tactful, the attitude conveyed was already quite clear.

He paused briefly, then slowly added, ”This case has come under considerable pressure from the petition side all along.”

”If we keep entangling ourselves in the nature and details of the case, the longer we drag it out, the harder it will be to move forward with the subsequent handling and with maintaining stability in the broader social sphere.”

After listening, Jiang An nodded lightly.

”Mr. Chen, I understand this case is extremely tricky for Guangling Criminal Investigation, and I’m well aware of the pressures from all sides.”

”But precisely because of that, I think that before the facts of the case are completely clear, we shouldn’t let go of any question at all—even if it seems insignificant.”

”The truth often hides in those gaps that people easily overlook.”

As he said this, he turned his head and looked at Director Hou beside him.

Director Hou had kept silent up to now, carefully observing each person’s expression and movements, trying to catch information from subtle details.

To be honest, even in his own mind, the new doubt Jiang An had just raised was somewhat vague and indistinct.

If the initial investigative direction contained certain uncertainties, then the new possibility that had now surfaced—

Though it brought new lines of thought, in terms of the overall characterization of the case, it seemed not to have completely departed from the original track.

Whether from the inherent nature of the case itself or from the standpoint of a criminal investigator’s professional responsibility, the current outcome might already be the most稳妥 way to wrap things up.

If a situation initially determined to be non-criminal were ultimately to turn out to be a criminal offense, then all the investigators who had participated in this case would scarcely be able to shirk responsibility.

At this moment, Director Hou nodded slightly and, in an even tone, turned to Jiang An: ”Mr. Jiang, what’s your view on this matter?”

Jiang An spoke: ”Director Hou, Mr. Chen, based on the review I just did, what we most need to clarify at this stage is what exactly happened during the period when Wang Can left Li Yong to go to the restroom.”

”I can’t shake the feeling that, at this point in the case, some links are still blurred and elusive, and there may be truths behind it that we haven’t yet touched.”

Just then, someone in the crowd muttered under his breath, ”Criminal cases are often shrouded in fog to begin with. If every single doubt has to be fully cleared up, wouldn’t our comrades in the criminal investigation team be worked to death?”

The voice was not loud, but it clearly reached the ears of Director Hou, Jiang An, and Mr. Chen.

Mr. Chen did not rebuke him after hearing this, nor did he offer any explanation.

This silence, in itself, was a kind of attitude—before the higher-level leader, a subordinate had spoken out of turn, and yet the supervising leader neither stopped him nor made any statement.

This undoubtedly showed that, in his heart, he might also be inclined to accept the current conclusion of the case.

Director Hou cast a slightly displeased glance in the direction the voice had come from, but in the end he did not speak.

He knew that at this moment, the initiative should be handed over to Jiang An.

Criminal investigation is different from other departments; it places more emphasis on logic and empirical evidence rather than on seniority.

What matters is analytical ability and the level of reasoning, not the rank of one’s position.

As long as Jiang An could produce convincing grounds and his reasoning process was rigorous and thorough, then in the end no one would be able to challenge his judgment.

Moreover, Director Hou’s gaze, almost unconsciously, shifted toward Jiang An.

In just that brief glance, he caught an unusual firmness in Jiang An’s eyes.

It was not a momentary impulse, but a composure that had settled after deep thought.