Diary of a Criminal Investigator

Chapter 717: Lu Chuan Feels Great Pressure

Lu Chuan sat in the chief seat, continuing to lay out the next steps.First, focus on individuals without fixed employment, because if they had a job, their absence would likely be reported by colleagues.

Second, focus on individuals living alone, as a cohabiting person would likely report them missing.

Third, the victim might have no relatives in Haizhou City, likely an outsider.

Based on past case experience, some women working in special venues often fit this profile.

"Understood."

"Unit Three, your team will mainly check hotels and restaurants near where the body parts were found, as well as all tattoo parlors."

"The deceased’s bones were cut with a bone saw, commonly found in these nearby hotels and restaurants."

"Normally, front desk staff rarely come into contact with it, but kitchen staff often do."

"So your focus should be on checking the chefs in these places for any recent abnormal behavior."

The case analysis meeting wrapped up quickly.

Lu Chuan organized some existing information and clues about the case and headed straight to the sub-bureau.

It’s been less than a week since Lu Chuan took office as head of the High-tech Zone Criminal Investigation Team.

This is the first homicide case Lu Chuan has encountered in his new position.

Unlike previous cases, where Lu Chuan handled homicides in the Criminal Investigation Team, he only managed his own tasks.

Conducting thorough scene investigations, data analyses, and evidence preservation.

Within his domain, he provided Qin Yong with insights, ideas, or speculations regarding the crime scene investigation.

Initially, Lu Chuan’s role was purely technical, with Liu Guodong delivering all related reports.

Gradually, as he spent more time in the Criminal Investigation Team, Liu Guodong consciously assigned the crime scene office work to Lu Chuan.

Gradually, Lu Chuan began reporting directly on crime scene work at case analysis meetings.

Now, with the change in his position, the method, audience, and level of reporting have changed as well.

When a homicide occurs in the jurisdiction, Lu Chuan’s first report needs to be to Chen Weiguo, the director of the High-tech Zone sub-bureau.

Chen Weiguo’s office.

The other party actually had already received the news, and Chen Weiguo was initially going to visit the scene.

Although being on site might not make much difference, showing an attitude is crucial in a homicide case.

However, yesterday afternoon Chen Weiguo was outside the jurisdiction, assisting with another drug-related case.

He had just returned this morning.

He called Lu Chuan first thing.

"How is the situation now?"

This wasn’t the time for pleasantries; Chen Weiguo directly asked about the progress of the case investigation.

"The situation is currently not optimistic, with very few clues discovered."

Lu Chuan didn’t hold back; there were no higher-level leaders present, and thus he spoke frankly about the High-tech Zone sub-bureau’s internal matters.

"The first issue is the victim’s identity, which has still not been confirmed."

"We have compared it with recent missing persons in Haizhou City, but haven’t found any potential targets. The Criminal Investigation Team is currently expanding the search range."

Chen Weiguo frowned deeply upon hearing this.

Although he wasn’t originally from a criminal police background, he has been a sub-bureau director for many years and has been involved in numerous investigations.

The first step in a homicide case is to confirm the victim’s identity.

Without knowing who the victim is, other aspects can’t even be discussed.

"What other updates do you have?"

"Based on DNA testing and the parts we’ve found, the victim’s basic information is relatively certain: female, approximately 165 cm tall, with no history of childbirth..."

Lu Chuan shared a brief overview of the victim’s profile.

Then he reported on the work currently being conducted by the Criminal Investigation Team.

"We strongly suspect the victim didn’t have a stable job, and we’re currently screening entertainment venues in the jurisdiction. We’ve also issued collaboration notices to the Criminal Investigation Teams in other districts."

"How’s the tattoo investigation going?"

After hearing Lu Chuan’s report, Chen Weiguo keenly caught onto a point.

Tattoos can be quite unique.

This clue might help trace the victim’s identity.

"We’ve noted that. An investigation of tattoo parlors is underway."

In fact, since the case began, the Criminal Investigation Team has done a lot of work.

Given that the body was only discovered last night, having these clues by this morning is quite impressive.

However, regardless of whether the Criminal Investigation Team had to work overtime or stay up all night, Chen Weiguo needed results.

As the director of the High-tech Zone sub-bureau, he’s tasked with solving the case as swiftly as possible.

An unsolved case... wouldn’t be acceptable.

"Lu Chuan, I’ll be reporting to the municipal bureau later. You need to speed up, as fast as possible, understand?"

Lu Chuan nodded, his expression was grave.

Previously, when collaborating on cases in the Criminal Investigation Team, Lu Chuan’s pressure wasn’t particularly intense.

Handling cases involved conducting crime scene examinations, fingerprint verification, footprint identification, bloodstain analysis, etc.

It was technical work involving standard procedures and working from offices or labs.

Once the analysis was done and reported to the leaders, the job was considered complete.

Failure to find results could be attributed to either insufficient materials or lack of new discoveries, making the outcome somewhat unimportant.

In the Criminal Investigation Team, Lu Chuan’s pressure primarily stemmed from technical responsibilities.

Now, the situation is different.

As head of the Criminal Investigation Team, this case falls directly under him, making him the one directly responsible.

For the first time, Lu Chuan experienced the weight and pressure that were upon Qin Yong.

Yet, there was no alternative.

The case had to be solved, and preferably quickly!

After leaving the High-tech Zone sub-bureau, Lu Chuan didn’t return to the Criminal Investigation Team but headed directly to the alley where Chen Shuxian discovered the black plastic bag.

Standing at the alley’s entrance, Lu Chuan looked into its extension.

The so-called alley was merely a narrow passage between two rows of buildings.

The Haiman Hotel side faced the street and was bustling with business.

The other side was a wall. Unlike the lively hotel side, this wall had little foot traffic as it was the back wall of a company, with no exits there.

Meaning, there were essentially two ways for the perpetrator to enter the alley.

Either through the alley entrances on either side, or via the restaurant’s back kitchen.

Since yesterday, the entire alley has been thoroughly searched. Every trash can, every box, every possible hiding place thoroughly scoured.

Yet, the victim’s head remains missing.

The perpetrator’s motive is likely to conceal the victim’s identity.

However, if they intended to hide the identity, why dispose of the body parts together?