Chapter 82 Chen Yan: Her code name is Bluebird, and she has been a police officer for 8 years.
The atmosphere was tense in the conference room of the First Brigade of the Yan City Criminal Investigation Detachment.
The walls were covered with crime scene photos, map markings, and Luo Yunchen's two striking portraits of the murderer.
Zheng Yu frowned, lost in thought.
Li Qiang's confession, the bloodstains in the alley, the killer's hometown, the preliminary sketch... the clues are slowly coming together, but the most crucial link is missing - the victim's identity.
Without victims, even the special task force could not be established.
A heavy sense of powerlessness weighed on everyone's heart.
Jiang Ling stood by the window, the city lights after the rain flickering in her calm eyes.
Her mind was still replaying Lei Xiao's words before he left the meeting room: "Based on the deductions provided by Jiang Ling, we highly suspect that the victim is a narcotics police officer. I have already made encrypted contact with the Provincial Narcotics Control Team and directly contacted the highest-ranking officer of the Yuezhou Municipal Public Security Bureau's Narcotics Control Brigade to find out if there are any undercover agents recently carrying out missions in the Yanshi area who have failed to report as agreed or have gone missing for more than 48 hours. The nature of the case is serious, and we hope they can give us a reply as soon as possible."
The investigators who carried out the investigation have not yet responded.
There was no news from the provincial department or Yuezhou.
Time ticked by, and the air seemed to freeze.
Jiang Ling couldn't help but start to doubt herself: Could it be that I was wrong?
Everything was based on her reasoning, without any supporting evidence.
The victim may not be a police officer, much less an undercover narcotics officer.
Perhaps she was just an ordinary passerby, and the reason she shouted out that half of "I am a policeman" was simply because she was desperate and wanted to scare the criminals by using her police identity.
Perhaps she was just an ordinary police officer visiting relatives in another city who happened to pass by that alley and stumbled upon the two thugs.
Even the criminal files she retrieves from her memory might not necessarily be the murderer in the alleyway murder case.
After all, the records do not explicitly state that Fan Hu and Meng Jianghao committed murder on June 24, 1994.
Thinking about this, Jiang Ling's hands began to tremble slightly.
Looking up at the suspect's portrait hanging on the wall, self-doubt slowly welled up in her heart like a cold tide, engulfing her completely.
My breathing started to become rapid.
Cold sweat seeped from his forehead.
If she really misjudged the situation, then the entire investigation was misguided!
How much manpower, material resources, and financial resources would that waste?
This case will remain unsolved, or even a wrongful conviction!
"Jiang Ling?" A clear voice rang in my ears.
Jiang Ling abruptly snapped out of her panic.
Zheng Yu noticed that something was wrong with Jiang Ling and gently placed her hand on the back of her hand, her eyes full of concern: "What's wrong? Are you low blood sugar?"
Jiang Ling's face was pale, beads of sweat were forming on her forehead, and her hands were trembling slightly—symptoms consistent with hypoglycemia. Criminal investigators often work overtime and forget to eat, so Zheng Yu was no stranger to hypoglycemia.
Jiang Ling snapped out of her daze and shook her head: "I'm fine. I just..."
At this moment, perhaps out of fear of falling into self-doubt again, or perhaps because of Zheng Yu's concerned gaze, Jiang Ling spoke up and revealed her inner vulnerability: "I'm worried that my judgment is wrong."
Without sufficient evidence, all of Jiang Ling's conclusions, including the possibility that the victim was an undercover narcotics officer and the physical appearance of the two perpetrators, are based on inference and precognition.
The fear of making mistakes is driven by a strong sense of responsibility.
Zheng Yu blinked: "Make bold assumptions, but verify them carefully."
Jiang Ling looked at her: "But don't you think my assumption is too bold? What if it's wrong? Wouldn't all our previous efforts have been in vain?"
Seeing the brilliant and capable teacher Jiang so lacking in confidence for the first time, Zheng Yu couldn't help but feel sorry for her.
Considering her age, Jiang Ling is only 21 this year, quite young for a criminal investigation team. She has outstanding professional skills, having solved several cases in a row. One would think she would become arrogant and complacent, but I never expected her to be so self-doubting today!
Zheng Yu saw another side of Jiang Ling, and felt a surge of affection for her. He put his arm around her shoulder and tried to comfort her.
"If things don't work out, we can always start over. What's there to be afraid of!"
"Being from Yizhou is correct, right? The combination of one tall and one short, one fat and one thin is correct, right? The victim must have shouted 'I'm a policeman' while struggling, right? Based on the existing evidence, there's no problem with reasoning!"
"Even if you're wrong, no one will blame you, and you don't need to blame yourself. If you're wrong, at least you know you're going in the wrong direction. We can change our approach and definitely solve the case!"
Zheng Yu's words were like a warm current flowing into Jiang Ling's body.
Jiang Ling's hands finally stopped trembling.
Zheng Yu turned to look at Jiang Ling: "Jiang Ling, don't be too hard on yourself. No one dares to say they will never make a mistake. Even our Director Zhong and Captain Qin have had cases they couldn't solve. They've taken many detours."
She suddenly lowered her voice: "If I have time, I'll tell you about some embarrassing things our Captain Lei did..."
The conference room door was suddenly pushed open. Lei Xiao's expression was solemn with a hint of something strange. Behind him was a travel-worn man, Ying Songmao.
Ying Songmao wore a slightly worn crew-neck T-shirt, his brows etched with the weariness of a long journey, but his eyes were bright and piercing. When his gaze fell upon Jiang Ling, it paused almost imperceptibly, a hint of joy flashing across his face as he saw an old friend, but it was quickly replaced by a deeper solemnity.
“Everyone,” Lei Xiao introduced, stepping aside, “this is…”
Before the introductions even began, people below exclaimed, "Isn't this an old acquaintance? What's there to introduce?"
Lei Xiao raised his hand to quell the noise below: "Comrade Ying Songmao is now the deputy captain of the Narcotics Control Detachment of the Yuezhou Public Security Bureau. It has been confirmed by the Provincial Department and Yuezhou that they have a missing undercover female police officer who may be the victim we discovered. Captain Ying came here specifically to cooperate with the investigation."
Without any formalities, Ying Songmao strode to the conference table, placed a sealed file folder on it with a dull thud.
He looked around at the crowd, his voice low and hoarse, filled with suppressed grief and indignation: "Gentlemen, I am Ying Songmao. The missing police officer is one of ours, a third-level police inspector, Chen Yan."
Ying Songmao took a deep breath, as if the name weighed a ton. "Within the Yuezhou Bureau, only the branch captain, my direct liaison officer, and I know her identity."
He looked at Jiang Ling, his voice low and somber: "She...sacrificed herself?"
Jiang Ling's heart sank. The murdered policewoman, the one who shouted out the clue before she died, was named Chen Yan.
She met Ying Songmao's gaze and, after briefly explaining the situation, said, "Captain Ying, we haven't found the body yet, so we can't confirm whether the victim is alive or dead. But judging from the bloodstains splattered on the walls of the alley, the victim's chances of survival are slim."
Ying Songmao closed his eyes briefly, then opened them again, his eyes filled with pain: "Then why did you speculate that the victim in this case was a missing undercover police officer?"
Jiang Ling explained her reasoning process.
Ying Songmao hadn't expected that in less than three months of separation, Jiang Ling had already applied her three-point investigation method to such a skillful degree.
He is insightful and logical, and also quite bold.
"This is Chen Yan." Since her identity had not been confirmed, Ying Songmao did not release Chen Yan's file. Instead, he carefully took out a color photo from his pocket. In the photo, Chen Yan was wearing casual clothes, with clear and firm eyes and a bright smile.
“Chen Yan…” Ying Songmao’s voice trembled almost imperceptibly, but he forced himself to remain calm and began to introduce his comrade-in-arms who was hidden in the darkness.
"Her codename is Bluebird. She has been a police officer for eight years. She is meticulous, bold, and careful, and is one of the best undercover investigators in the team. This mission is to infiltrate a synthetic drug distribution network codenamed 'Spider Web,' which spans Yuezhou and Yanshi. The goal is to find out its core structure, supply channels, and key contacts in Yanshi."
His words transported everyone into the untold, perilous world of the anti-drug front:
"She had been lurking on the periphery of the web for three months. Three months, nameless, identityless, living on the edge of lies and knives. She played the role of Sister Yan, a poor woman whose husband had run away due to debts and who was forced to make a living at the bottom of society, mingling in billiard halls, underground casinos, and cheap rental rooms full of all sorts of people. Every day, she was dancing under the noses of drug dealers, and a single glance or a single word could lead to her utter destruction."
Ying Songmao's fists clenched unconsciously.
“A month ago, she sent back intelligence that a distribution team leader nicknamed Scarface in Yan City had been frequently in contact with a ruthless client with an accent from out of town. The transactions often took place in the suburbs and demolition areas. She judged that this client might be involved in large-scale transactions or have connections with higher-ups, and requested that he be closely monitored.”
Ying Songmao turned his head, looked at the portrait on the whiteboard, and his eyes blazed with hatred.
"Chen Yan's appearance in that alley was no accident. She was following the clue of the scar and had been tracking the location of the drug deal that the big customer might be making. Late at night, in a remote area, in a demolition zone, in a dark alley... these are all the cover that drug dealers prefer. She was on a mission and trying to get closer to the core of the drug source."
Ying Songmao's voice suddenly rose, filled with suppressed heartache and anger.
"She shouldn't have been there alone! According to regulations, such high-risk tracking must be supported by external forces, but Scarface changed the time and place of the transaction at the last minute that day, and the message he sent was vague and delayed. In order to seize the fleeting opportunity and to avoid alerting the target, Chen Yan planned to first confirm the target's identity and movements at close range before calling for support. This was her professional judgment, but she underestimated the target's ruthlessness and counter-surveillance capabilities."
He stopped abruptly; there was no need to say anything more.
That dark alley, that unfinished cry of "I am a policeman—", that piercing scream... Under Ying Songmao's narration, the context and reasons for Chen Yan's sacrifice became crystal clear, filled with a suffocating sense of tragic grandeur.
The meeting room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Everyone was stunned by this weighty truth.
Ying Songmao's gaze swept over everyone again, finally landing on Jiang Ling's face. Deep in his eyes, besides the pain of his comrades' possible sacrifice and the deep-seated hatred for the murderer, there was also a trace of concern and worry buried deep in his heart that Jiang Ling could understand.
But he quickly composed himself, his tone regaining its composure and calmness: "Chen Yan's fate is now unknown. But she is highly connected to the June 24 alleyway murder case. On behalf of the Yuezhou Narcotics Enforcement Team, I request to join the task force."
Jiang Ling met his gaze without flinching.
The hazy memories of the past life overlap with the camaraderie of fighting side by side in this life, and at this moment, they all transform into an even more determined fighting spirit.
Lei Xiao looked at the entire room and said in a deep voice, "Following instructions from the Provincial Department, this case has a significant impact. The police in Yan City and Yuezhou are cooperating to establish a special task force."
Lei Xiao extended his right hand to Ying Songmao: "Songmao, welcome to the task force."
Next, Lei Xiao pointed to the areas on the map where the murderer might be active and Scarface's sphere of influence: "Next step, merge the cases for investigation. Merge the June 24 alleyway murder case with the Spider Web drug case, share information and resources. Lock down Scarface, with Yuezhou providing detailed information on Scarface and his possible strongholds and contacts in Yanshi. We will be responsible for monitoring and arresting him. We will primarily use Jiang Ling's psychological profile of his characteristics, supplemented by Luo Yunchen's criminal investigation sketch, focusing on investigating the two murderers from Yizhou."
Ying Songmao's finger also pointed to the map: "I'd like to add something. Chen Yan's latest intelligence indicates that Scarface's deal with the big customer may involve a new type of high-purity drug. Investigating the source of the drugs will help us catch them red-handed more quickly."
Zheng Yu suddenly stood up: "Okay, let's get started! We'll proceed immediately according to the plan devised by Team Lei and Team Ying."
Jiang Ling and Zheng Yu's eyes met.
As women working in the same public security system, the two women were worried and angry about Chen Yan's disappearance and were determined to do everything in their power to bring those two beasts to justice!
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