Chapter 74 Red Spider Lily 13
In the next few days, the entire team worked hard to investigate the case.
No new suspects emerged regarding the deaths of Zhou Zitu and Zheng Congcong. Luo Siwei called Zheng Wanshan over for questioning twice on the pretext of investigating the situation.
As for Xu Chile's fall into the water, the police officers checked all the surveillance videos along the river.
At the same time, Luo Siwei asked Tang Xi to check some online clues about Zhou Zitu. She asked Ni Xiang to call people Zhou Zitu knew in the past, and asked Shen Qing and Huo Cunsheng to bring people to the homes of various relevant personnel to question them.
The scope of the case investigation was very wide. Among those questioned were Zhou Zitu's neighbors, junior high and high school classmates, Xu Chile's former cellmates, and even old employees of Ding Zhaomo's construction company.
The officers had no idea what Luo Siwei was investigating, so they simply followed his instructions and inquired about the situation. The information they provided was very limited.
After investigating further, Guo Zhengyao became a little anxious.
Among all the people, only Luo Siwei was neither anxious nor impatient, and even had a kind of calmness that was not disturbed.
What surprised everyone was that Huo Cunsheng didn't complain at all this time. As a veteran, he actually started working overtime.
A few days later, the results of the hair analysis finally came back. Surprisingly, the hair wasn't Xu Chile's, but Zheng Wanshan's.
Seeing this result, Guo Zhengyao frowned, while Huo Cunsheng sighed and said directly, "This situation is not good. My husband found a hair under his bed. It's hard to say when and how it fell there. This can't be used as evidence."
Luo Siwei didn't say anything, nor did he go to Zheng Wanshan to verify it. Instead, he put the report in his drawer.
Monday came again, and the city bureau's criminal investigation team held a routine meeting.
The meeting was chaired by Deputy Director Pei. As soon as he took the stage, he smoothed his remaining hair and cleared his throat. "I want to emphasize once again the importance of efficiency and time in solving cases. We must also learn from the thinking of internet companies. They strive to meet KPIs, strive for success, and work 996. For our city bureau, the KPI is our crime clearance rate. All officers must give their all. Those who slack off or do nothing must be kicked out of the police force. The people's money cannot support idlers!"
Luo Siwei had long heard from Chi Li that this was Deputy Director Pei's management style. Of course, this was not wrong. After he took over the Criminal Investigation Team, the figures of the entire Donglan City Bureau were not only improved by a level.
Each captain then reported on the case at hand.
When she arrived at Luo Siwei's place, she also reported on the progress of the investigation: "Currently, the suspect in the double homicide case is still Xu Chile. We hired a footprint expert to examine the two size 43 shoe prints and confirmed that they were left by the same person, proving that Xu Chile was present at the crime scene. As for Xu Chile's death, there is currently insufficient evidence to prove it was a homicide. We are investigating the details of all relevant personnel and looking for new leads."
After listening to the whole thing, Deputy Director Pei said, "You've been investigating this case for some time now. The city police have limited manpower. I believe the footprint evidence is irrefutable, and since the key suspect is deceased, the case can be closed for now."
The proposal made by Deputy Director Pei is the same approach that Old Huo mentioned before.
Deputy Director Pei then explained, "Of course, I don't mean to permanently seal the case. I mean to allow the team to take on new cases. If there are new leads here, you can always shift your focus and continue the investigation."
He then said, "Things are different now than they used to be. Investigating a case could take months or even years. The police force is short on manpower and is under scrutiny from all sides of society. We need to investigate cases as quickly as possible. The sooner we get results, the more proactive we are as a police force."
Hearing this, Luo Siwei couldn't help but sigh that Old Huo had a thorough understanding of the temperaments of several leaders in the Municipal Bureau. Huo Cunsheng might have guessed that Deputy Director Pei would say this, which is why he reminded her last time.
Luo Siwei was mentally prepared after her conversation with Lao Huo. She sat up straight and was about to reply to Deputy Director Pei when she heard Chi Li say, "Deputy Director Pei, I think there are still some doubts in this case. There are so many casualties in this case. It seems simple but is actually complicated. In addition, the police encountered a shooting attack during the pursuit, which means that Xu Chile may have accomplices. So, give them some more time."
Captain Chi had spoken, so Deputy Director Pei naturally had nothing more to say. He nodded and said, "Then you can continue investigating for a while. Captain Chi, you should also pay more attention."
Luo Siwei gained some time and breathed a sigh of relief.
She looked at Chi Li with some gratitude.
After Chi Li finished speaking, he noticed Luo Siwei looking at him. He nodded slightly at her, then lowered his head to concentrate on the information in his hand. He didn't say much, but each of his remarks was crucial.
The issues raised at the meeting were addressed by the leadership. In the end, Deputy Director Pei concluded, "All of you captains must take responsibility. Cases must be solved quickly and correctly. Everyone here has a voice, and you must use it. You must be able to raise your demands with your leadership and respond to any difficulties. If you're short on manpower, I'll provide it. If you're short on authority, I'll grant it. I can help create any conditions, but if the case isn't progressing, that's your fault."
"Today's meeting ends here. Everyone, work hard to investigate the case at hand as quickly as possible and report back as soon as you have any results."
Tuesday was another busy day.
The criminal investigation team received good news, that is, Ding Zhaomo's mobile phone was restored. From the recovered data, Luo Siwei found a name: Xie Chenyu.
Ding Zhaomo had called her several times, and she hurriedly asked Ni Xiang to retrieve all relevant information.
Ni Xiang quickly searched for her ID number and reported to Luo Siwei, "This is a missing person. Her family reported her to the police. She's been missing for over a decade." Then she cautiously asked, "Is she related to the case we're investigating?"
Luo Siwei said, "I found that she and Ding Zhaomo communicate frequently, and one of their mobile phone numbers is linked to a couple's account."
It happened more than ten years ago, and there are very few clues left.
Ni Xiang uttered an "oh" and handed her the information. "Do you suspect that the headband is hers? I found a few photos that her family provided when they called the police. They look a bit like the photo we found on Ding Zhaomo's phone, and also a bit like Zhou Zitu when he was young. However, the photos are too blurry and the angle is different, so we'll probably need a forensic expert to identify them."
"I called the family as well. Her mother passed away, her father has Alzheimer's, and she only has one younger brother. He said he was very young when his sister disappeared, and since it's been over a decade, there's no useful information."
"I understand. You can go ahead and do your work." Luo Siwei took the information and looked through Xie Chenyu's file carefully.
Luo Siwei filed a search request earlier today, requesting to search Zhou Zitu's old house.
By the afternoon, Director Chen still hadn't approved it. She was afraid of missing out, so she put her cell phone on the table and looked at it from time to time, but the long-awaited approval never came.
Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, it was time to get off work again. After a while, Lao Huo said he had something to do today, so he turned off his computer, said goodbye, and left. Guo Zhengyao and Luo Siwei reported on their progress, turned around, and left work. The others also got up one after another.
Luo Siwei went to get the takeout she ordered, ate it silently in front of the computer as dinner.
At seven o'clock, Ni Xiang left.
At half past seven, Shen Qing also stood up. He looked back at Luo Siwei and said apologetically, "Captain Luo, my grandfather's birthday is today, and my mother urged me to go back for dinner."
Luo Siwei waved his hand: "Go quickly, don't let your family wait for you."
In the past, Shen Qing was usually the last one to leave work every day, and she was already very grateful to him.
The office soon became quiet, and Luo Siwei was the only one left. She looked at the various information collected on the computer, her brows sometimes tightened and sometimes relaxed.
It was almost eight o'clock and Luo Siwei was feeling a little tired. She looked at her phone and was disappointed that the approval had not come down yet.
Luo Siwei stretched his body, stood up and looked back at the window behind him.
The entire city had been plunged into darkness, with lights of all colors lit up, and long lines of car lights on the road. Those tiny lights looked like falling sparks.
The scenery outside the window looked like a quiet painting, but Luo Siwei was in no mood to appreciate it. She was still thinking about the case.
At this stage of the investigation, there seemed to be little progress. There was no urgent need for police dispatch and investigation, and the police officers had lost their initial enthusiasm and a clear direction to work towards.
But Luo Siwei knew that now was the most crucial moment. It was like reaching the 4,000-meter mark in a 5,000-meter race—not quite at the peak of energy, but not quite at the sprint stage either. But at this point, the more he relied on his mentality and endurance, the more he couldn't let up and had to grit his teeth to get through it.
She was lost in thought when she heard a knock on the door behind her.
Luo Siwei turned around and saw Chi Li standing at the door of the Criminal Investigation Team. She hurriedly called out, "Captain Chi."
"I was about to get off work and saw that the light here was still on." Chi Li asked, "Is there any progress in the case?"
Luo Siwei said, "There are some directions, but there are too many assumptions. I was afraid there would be problems, so I didn't mention them in the report."
This process is like the draft stage when drawing. The paper is full of messy lines, but they have not been connected yet, so people cannot see the whole picture clearly. Saying the wrong thing at this time will cause misunderstandings and point in the wrong direction, so it is better not to say anything.
Chi Li approached him and said, "It's okay, let's wait for the investigation to confirm. Regarding the search warrant, I've urged you. Director Chen has been in a meeting at the provincial department today. He said he will help you with the process after the meeting."
Chi Li was Luo Siwei's direct supervisor, and he was the first person to review the application submitted by Luo Siwei. Fortunately, the police application process now also uses electronic remote review and approval, so there will be no delays.
As the two people said this, their cell phones rang at the same time. It was Director Chen who finally approved the search warrant.
Luo Siwei had been waiting for this process, her eyes lit up and her face showed joy. But she looked at the time, then looked out the dark window, and calmed down.
Chi Li understood her thoughts: "Do you want to go and see it now?"
Luo Siwei had been following this case for a while, and she felt that something must have happened in that house. She wanted to quickly confirm whether her idea was correct, and she wanted to fly to the old house to search it.
But she looked at Chi Li and still hesitated, and said with restraint: "Let's wait until tomorrow after work to deal with it. I will take two or three police officers with me."
Chi Li said: "If you want to go and have a look, I will accompany you. If you hurry up, you can go home at ten o'clock in the evening."
Luo Siwei couldn't believe her ears, and then she thought of another question: "Then...should I contact a locksmith?"
"No need." Chi Li said, "I can do it."
Luo Siwei: “!”
"I usually carry my tools with me." Chi Li asked her, "Don't you want to go?"
"I want to!" Luo Siwei took action immediately, "I'll turn off the computer now!"
As she was packing her things, Luo Siwei suddenly thought of something. Could Chi Li pick locks? Then why did he insist on competing with her in wall-climbing when they were in the nursing home last time?
As the two of them drove off, Chi Li asked Luo Siwei, "How did you find out where you were?"
He then asked in more detail, "I've looked at the information. This property is a self-built house, left by Zhou Zitu's parents. After they passed away, it was left in her name. No one has lived in it for more than ten years."
In normal investigations, the police would not come across information that old.
"Because..." Luo Siwei hesitated.
Hearing her concerns, Chi Li said: "We won't make a formal report now, it will only be used as a reference for the case. I know that every criminal investigator has his or her own habits during the investigation. If you feel it is inconvenient to explain, you don't have to say it."
Luo Siwei shook her head. "No, I can tell you. I didn't tell the team the details because I was afraid my judgment would mislead them and cause them to approach the case with preconceived notions." She paused and said, "I'm thinking about where to start with this matter."
Just as the two of them were talking about this, a call came in on Luo Siwei's cell phone.
Chi Li watched her answer the phone, turned around, and drove quietly.
Luo Siwei called out "Hey".
An old female voice came from the other end: "Did you make this call this morning?"
Luo Siwei remembered that she had found this number by chance before. She tried to call it with her mobile phone, but it never went through. She thought it was hopeless, but she didn't expect the other party to call her suddenly.
She hurriedly asked, "Excuse me, is this Xie Lianyun?"
"Yes, I am."
"Hello, I'm Luo Siwei, a detective from the Third Criminal Investigation Team of the Donglan City Bureau. My police number is..." Luo Siwei introduced herself and then asked, "I'd like to ask about the disappearance of your niece, Xie Chenyu."
The old man hesitated for a moment and said, "Okay, ask. But I don't know much."
Luo Siwei asked about the specific time and circumstances of Xie Chenyu's disappearance.
Some of the elderly people opposite gave answers, while others said they couldn't remember clearly.
Luo Siwei then asked another question: "I want to ask, does Xie Chenyu... have any older sisters, or younger sisters?"
When investigating the relationship between Xu Chile and Ding Zhaomo, Luo Siwei had considered this: Given their similar appearances, the first thing to rule out is siblings or twins.
But she later found out that the two people only looked alike after plastic surgery.
Later, when Luo Siwei saw photos of Xie Chenyu, she always felt that she looked very similar to Zhou Zitu when he was young.
Luo Siwei brought the previous reasoning into this. Is it possible... Xie Chenyu and Zhou Zitu are actually sisters, or there is some kind of relationship between them?
She was anxious to find the surviving relatives of the Xie family to confirm it, but those people either said they didn't know or couldn't explain it clearly.
This old woman was Xie's aunt, Xie Chenyu's father's cousin. She had a very good relationship with the Xie family and was very close to them. Perhaps this old woman knew something.
The person on the other end of the phone paused for a moment and gave an affirmative answer.
"have."
Luo Siwei immediately perked up: "I didn't see it reflected in the household registration... Can you tell me more about this?"
"Only we relatives know about that incident. That year, the Xie family gave birth to a pair of beautiful and lovely twin girls. Old Xie named them the eldest Xie Chenyu and the second Xie Luoyan. Because the family later had another son, life was really tight. Old Xie asked the child traffickers in the village to help him find a wealthy buyer in the city. The buyer picked one of the two girls." He paused, "They took Xie Luoyan away..."
After hearing the old man's explanation, many of Luo Siwei's mysteries were solved. It was very likely that Xie Luoyan had changed his name to Zhou Zitu.
She pressed, "Do you know the details of the family that bought Xie Luoyan?"
"I don't know. It was a matter of one hand handing over the person and the other hand handing over the money. And the buyer said that he would not have any further dealings with us. I just remember that the family's surname seemed to be Zhou..." The old man said this and sighed, "Those two sisters. They were originally twin flowers with the same roots, but in the end they had different fates."
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