Lu Chuan and Zhang Hui's expressions froze.

Something happened at the Criminal Investigation Team in Tianzhou City?

You have to understand, Ren Qiang and his team were out there to cooperate with people from the Tianzhou Criminal Investigation Team. Zhang Hui urgently asked, "Brother Qiang, what happened? Did someone get into trouble?"

Having a case is called trouble, and someone getting into trouble is also called trouble.

Lu Chuan shifted his body, waiting for Ren Qiang to explain.

"Old Yu, sound the alarm, head to Cuiping Road as fast as possible."

Old Yu was a part-time driver for the Criminal Investigation Team, a very experienced auxiliary police officer.

Upon receiving the order, he sounded the alarm and floored the gas pedal.

The Jetta, with 15 years of service, roared and slowly pushed into the traffic.

"One of Zhao Ming's detectives is seriously injured and unconscious, just sent to the hospital."

"Seriously injured and unconscious?"

Zhang Hui's voice changed: "What's going on? How could he be seriously injured? Was there an accident?"

A detective from another city severely injured on the Haizhou Criminal Investigation Team's turf is no small matter.

Especially since they were here for a mission.

Lu Chuan's expression also grew tense. The police is a high-risk profession, something he knew well, having been injured catching thieves himself.

But Lu Chuan had only heard of such serious injuries, never seen them.

"It wasn't an accident. It was a stabbing, luckily discovered early, otherwise..."

Ren Qiang only had a brief understanding of the situation over the phone; he wasn't clear on specifics.

Ten minutes later, Cuiping Road, number 18, Jing Garden District.

Zhao Ming, with a grim face, described the incident to Ren Qiang.

"This morning, the suspect we had been monitoring earlier exposed himself."

In front of Unit 1, Building 3, police officers from the Cuiping Road station had already put up a caution tape.

There were visible blood stains on the ground at the entrance.

"Han Chao disguised himself as a courier to try to get close for surveillance, but was discovered by the suspect and got stabbed in the abdomen."

"He's in the hospital now and hasn't yet escaped danger."

Ren Qiang looked displeased; it was normal for Zhao Ming's team to be stationed in Haizhou City, but they had no enforcement authority.

"Old Zhao... this operation was somewhat reckless."

Zhao Ming nodded with a dark face, his eyes showing obvious regret: "I was careless; I should have informed you all in advance."

Ren Qiang waved his hand: "With our relationship, procedural issues are not a big deal."

Even though Ren Qiang didn't explicitly say so, Zhao Ming understood that it was not about failing to notify the Haizhou Criminal Investigation Team before acting.

It was about not needing to take risks.

"What's the situation with the suspect?"

"He ran."

Zhao Ming's face turned even grimmer: "He showed himself this time to meet his mistress."

"After stabbing Han Chao, he fled directly."

"At the time, I and another person were on the outskirts, and by the time we arrived, he was already gone."

"But the suspect's mistress has been detained."

The incident happened very suddenly; no one expected the suspect to stab someone without hesitation.

Moreover, if they pursued the suspect, who was already out of sight, Han Chao's treatment would have been delayed.

Compared to the life of a team member, saving a life is obviously more important.

"Do we have detailed information on the suspect? We'll issue a wanted notice from our side first."

Since the officer was attacked and injured, merely staking out was no longer enough.

Ren Qiang's team transformed from a supporting role into the main force.

The urgent task now is to capture the suspect.

"Yes, I'll send it to you right away."

Ren Qiang began arranging for the stay-behind personnel of Group Two to issue a wanted notice.

Meanwhile, Lu Chuan didn't remain idle and was surveying the scene.

Owing to rescue efforts, the scene was severely damaged.

Moreover, as the suspect's identity was already confirmed, the crime scene investigation's utility wasn't as significant.

But Lu Chuan still found something.

"Brother Qiang," Lu Chuan, wearing gloves, held a remote camera: "I found this on the windowsill of the suspect's mistress's house."

"The camera is pointed directly at the unit entrance."

Shit!

Zhao Ming couldn't help but curse; no wonder the suspect identified Han Chao as a fake courier.

No courier would be without a vehicle.

The suspect was prepared in advance.

"I just replayed the surveillance footage from the time of the incident, and the suspect's camera recorded the direction he fled."

Ren Qiang glanced at it, noting that the suspect had turned right after exiting the door.

It was the exact opposite direction from where Zhao Ming and his team were approaching.

"Old Zhao, do you have any other information on the suspect?"

Zhao Ming looked at the surveillance and shook his head: "The only place we know the suspect stayed in Haizhou was this one spot."

"However, it's highly likely he won't leave Haizhou immediately. We originally suspected Wang Jun's illegitimate daughter, Liang Qi, was kidnapped and brought here by him."

"The fact he's stayed here so long clearly indicates he hasn't obtained what he wanted, or there are other situations."

"So, I believe it's very likely the suspect will return to his hideout."

"Which is where Liang Qi is imprisoned."

Ren Qiang agreed with Zhao Ming's analysis.

"Did the suspect's mistress provide any useful information?"

Turning around, Ren Qiang looked at Zhang Hui.

Zhang Hui shook his head: "She knows nothing; the suspect usually contacts her via WeChat."

The three of them fell into a brief silence in the hallway.

The Jing Garden District is a community built 30 years ago, with outdated facilities and poor property management.

There was hardly any surveillance nearby.

After the suspect fled, finding him was like searching for a needle in a haystack.

In reality, solving cases is vastly different from how it's portrayed in TV dramas and novels.

Those scenarios where the suspect is identified directly through surveillance footage are mostly nonsense.

Compared to premeditated murder, cases involving impulsive murder followed by escape are much harder to crack.

Why? Because everything is random; without premeditation, there's no pattern.

This case is the same.

After injuring someone, the suspect decisively fled. To capture him, besides issuing a wanted notice, the only option is to inspect surveillance along potential escape routes and check with passersby, one by one.

And all of this takes time.

With this time gap, who knows where the suspect might have run off to by now.

So, it's often not a matter of not having the target locked down in major cases, but rather the suspect's ability to escape and evade capture.

"Brother Qiang, I found something that might help us locate him."

Just as Ren Qiang and the other two were silent, Lu Chuan suddenly spoke up.

Hmm?

Ren Qiang had a slight pause, looking at Lu Chuan with surprise and curiosity.

In fact, Qin Yong had Lu Chuan follow him to assist the Tianzhou Criminal Investigation Team, and he understood the intention very well.

There's no reason to send a crime scene investigator into field investigations.

It was just to give Lu Chuan the chance for growth and experience.

So, Ren Qiang never expected Lu Chuan to actually be of much help.

Technical work and investigation are two different things.

Yet, the fact is, the only current clue, the camera, was discovered by Lu Chuan.

"Lu, what did you find?"

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