The Remaining Third Chapter 25: Focus of the Investigation

There’s a saying that old ginger is spicier, but there’s another that a young fist is to be feared.

Though Zhang Xiaoman used his counter-surveillance skills to tail Wang Chao, ultimately his strength failed him. After following Wang Chao up and down through the mall several times, his old ailment flared up. Whether it was a matter of will or ability, when he saw Wang Chao enter a women’s clothing store, Zhang Xiaoman chose to give up. The shop was in the most conspicuous part of the mall, with three entrances and exits—Wang Chao’s movements were obvious enough, and his own would be even more so if he followed.

He memorized Wang Chao’s figure, then left the mall, hailed a taxi by the roadside, and hurried back to the police bureau. Time was slipping by, the deadline he’d set for himself was drawing near, and he could not afford to waste another moment on surveillance.

No matter how suspicious the person he was tailing, even if he was the one who killed Yang Hai, without evidence there could be no conviction. The urgent task was to find proof. Whether clearing his two apprentices’ names, or bringing the real killer to justice, he needed ironclad evidence.

He had barely stepped through the police station’s door before He Wei grabbed him and hustled him toward the meeting room. Only then did he remember the task force’s scheduled case analysis meeting.

The case was a tangled mess. What began as a villa burglary and murder had, upon investigation, revealed ties to a dismemberment case that also occurred at the villa. Now, with the addition of Yang Qingqing’s case, which seemed connected to the lady of the villa, the task force was split.

Some wanted to focus on the original burglary-murder, others thought the dismemberment case was more likely to cause public panic and should be prioritized, and still others believed that the murderer targeting Yang Qingqing was the most dangerous and merited immediate attention.

The moment Zhang Xiaoman pushed open the glass door, the previously clamorous room fell silent, as if someone had pressed a mute button. He felt an invisible pressure sweep over him.

He Wei promptly sat at the table’s front left, leaving the head seat for Zhang Xiaoman, and along with the others, greeted him with attentive eyes.

Sun Tiantian pursed her lips, stood, and cleared her throat. “Uncle Man, I performed another autopsy on Yang Hai.” She handed Zhang Xiaoman a report, summarizing concisely, “The cause of death is simple: carotid artery damage, massive blood loss. Estimated time of death is between 11 p.m. five days ago and 3 a.m. the following morning.”

Zhang Xiaoman skimmed the autopsy report. “Did Nie Yi and Li Jun say when they entered the villa?”

He Wei answered immediately, “Yes, they claim they entered around midnight, waiting for everyone to fall asleep. I checked surveillance near the villa complex—they were still 1.2 kilometers away at 11:35 that night, so their timeline holds up.”

“Then it’s simple. We just need to confirm if Yang Hai died before midnight.” Zhang Xiaoman looked at Sun Tiantian. “Is there a way to narrow it down further?”

“There is,” Sun Tiantian replied with confidence, arms folded across her chest. “There’s a new method called vitreous potassium testing. After death, red blood cells rupture in a predictable pattern, releasing potassium ions into the vitreous humor of the eye. By measuring the potassium levels, we can calculate the precise time of death. This method isn’t affected by environmental temperature and is much more accurate.”

Zhang Xiaoman nodded approvingly. “Then please run the test as soon as possible.” He swept his eyes over the rest of the task force, released a slow breath, and spoke in a steady voice, “I know everyone has their own views on the latest cases, which is good—it shows you’re dedicated and thinking seriously. But just as a meal is eaten one bite at a time, cases must be solved one by one. Some matters are more urgent than others.”

Chang Ping, seated at the table’s far end, gave a cold snort. “So your apprentice’s case is the priority, and the rest are sidelined?”

“Chang Ping!” He Wei shot up, voice sharp with anger. “What’s that supposed to mean? The task force was formed because of the villa burglary-murder. Of course that’s our main case—stop stirring up trouble!”

Zhang Xiaoman coughed, waved his hand, and sipped tea to moisten his throat before replying unhurriedly, “Who said the villa burglary-murder must be our focus? For now, we wait for Tiantian’s death-time results. With both sides giving conflicting stories, all we need is to prove one is lying, and the rest will unravel.”

Chang Ping blinked, frowning. “So we’re shifting focus to the dismemberment case?”

Zhang Xiaoman slowly shook his head.

He Wei considered, then asked, “Or are you suggesting we use the Yang Qingqing case as a breakthrough? But the person who tried to kill her might not be connected to the other two cases…”

Again, Zhang Xiaoman shook his head. He quietly said, “Neither.”

The room fell into confusion. All eyes turned to Zhang Xiaoman, puzzled by his intentions.

Zhang Xiaoman held up four fingers. “First, let’s be clear: there are four cases before us.”

“Four cases?” murmured several voices, surprised.

“Dismemberment case. Villa burglary-murder. The distillation case at the abandoned factory.” He put down a finger for each. “And one small case hidden among them—an indoor theft.”

He Wei instantly understood. “But according to Huang Mao, those two idiots were obvious amateurs. They only got the fake jewels by sheer dumb luck. Even if we find them, it won’t help solve the other cases.”

Zhang Xiaoman placed photos on the whiteboard—one of the black duffel containing the jewels, the other from the dismemberment case. “Take another look. Are you sure it’s useless?”

He Wei slapped his forehead in frustration. “I can’t believe I missed that. So, we can basically confirm the dismemberment also happened at the villa. That villa was really busy that night…”

“All right,” Zhang Xiaoman tapped the table, gaze passing over each earnest member of the task force. He spoke with finality, “From now on, our focus is simple: find people. Find the living, find the dead. Within two days, locate those two thieves, recover the remaining third of the dismembered body, and find either Aunt Cai, the maid, or something with her DNA. Let’s move—time is tight, we can’t waste it arguing.”

“Yes, sir!” the room thundered with assent. All members stood, saluted, and marched out, full of renewed determination.

As Sun Tiantian, hands in her pockets, headed for the door, Zhang Xiaoman called her back in a low voice, “Tiantian, let’s go together. I have something else to discuss with you…”