Chapter 47 Meeting: This feeling... is so intense!
Jiang Ling's criminal profiling team, starting from the criminal motive, unearthed this old story and successfully proved that Chen Mu and Zhang Yuanqiang had a close relationship. This made Lei Xiao and Jiang Chenzhou, who initially questioned Jiang Ling and insisted on speaking the truth and emphasizing evidence, feel a little embarrassed.
Jiang Chenzhou coughed twice: "Xiao Jiang, you've done a lot of investigation work."
Lei Xiao changed his tone: "Alright, it seems that Jiang Ling's initial judgment was correct. Chen Mu and Zhang Yuanqiang are old acquaintances."
Liu Haoran was a little smug and was about to say a few more words when Jiang Ling interrupted him: "Okay, Haoran, sit down."
Liu Haoran obediently sat down.
Jiang Ling pointed to the whiteboard: "Everyone, please take a look."
Li Zhenliang divided the whiteboard into two columns: the left column contained the three-point investigation method, and the other column contained a diagram of the relationships between the characters.
At the top of the relationship diagram are the names Zhang Yuanqiang and Chen Mu. Their social relationships are then explored starting from these two names.
The two had rehearsed several times at the police station, and now that they were actually doing it, Li Zhenliang cooperated very well. Following Jiang Ling's finger, he drew a red double-headed arrow between Zhang Yuanqiang and Chen Mu.
Jiang Ling said, "Chen Mu was a witness to Zhang Yuansheng's drowning. No one knows exactly what happened at the time. Chen Mu, at such a young age, carried the burden of a life, and he must have felt uneasy. His parents were too protective of him, which made his unease grow deeper and deeper. Under the long-term accumulation of emotions, when he saw Zhang Yuanqiang again, he showed a submissive attitude and tried hard to make amends and please him, and quickly fell into Zhang Yuanqiang's trap."
Li Zhenliang wrote the word "obey" above the red arrow.
Jiang Ling continued, "Zhang Yuanqiang was determined to find out the truth of what happened back then. He came prepared, using drugs to put him in a hallucinatory state, interrogating him about the truth, and further probing him in order to gain control."
Li Zhenliang wrote the word "control" below the red arrow.
Jiang Ling pointed to the word "control": "Zhang Yuanqiang is very good at controlling people's hearts. There's a term in psychology called the 'foot-in-the-door technique,' which involves making a small request first, and then gradually making larger requests after the other party agrees. Zhang Yuanqiang used this method."
Unbeknownst to them, everyone present was drawn into Jiang Ling's explanation and listened attentively.
The foot-in-the-door effect? I think I've encountered people like that who take advantage of others before. I need to be more careful in the future to avoid being controlled by them.
Jiang Ling said, "First, let Chen Mu do a small favor and give him some drug cigarettes. Once he's addicted, let Chen Mu get close to Ying Yuhua and find out about the police's activities. Then, we might lure Chen Zhigang into making drugs for his son."
At this point, someone raised their hand.
Jiang Ling raised her hand, gesturing for him to speak.
The man was tall and thin, wearing glasses and looking quite refined. He sat behind Lei Xiao and seemed to be part of a large group. He introduced himself first: "Hello, my name is Zhuang Jianbai, and I'd like to ask you a question."
Jiang Ling nodded: "Officer Zhuang, please speak."
Although Jiang Ling is only twenty-one years old and has only been working for a year, when she stands in front of the conference room, she exudes an aura of complete control, as if this is her home turf.
Zhuang Jianbai pushed up his glasses: "I've been to Phantom Disco a few times and haven't found any traces of drugs. There's no suspicious smell in the private rooms either. I'm a little suspicious. If, as you say, Zhang Yuanqiang got Chen Mu to take drugs for revenge, is it possible... I mean, possible..."
Lei Xiao turned around impatiently and cursed, "Spit it out!"
Zhuang Jianbai blushed slightly, but he was used to his captain's bluntness. He coughed and continued, "Is it possible that Zhang Yuanqiang didn't actually traffic drugs in large quantities, and that his drugs were only targeted at Chen Mu?"
Upon hearing this, the First Brigade erupted in uproar.
"Zhuang Glasses, what are you saying? We've all been involved, and now you're saying Phantom isn't a drug den?"
"That's impossible! Profit is everything. Zhang Yuanqiang is a businessman; how could he resist?"
"So all our efforts to investigate the Phantom and the transportation routes have been for nothing..."
The First Brigade's mission is to investigate the Phantom.
If Zhang Yuanqiang was only targeting Chen Mu personally and did not engage in large-scale drug trafficking, then wouldn't his efforts have been in vain?
Where's the promised great achievement?
Lei Xiao was also a little annoyed.
What was supposed to be a major case, and this is how it ends?
The crime of inducing, instigating, or deceiving others is punishable by imprisonment for up to three years.
The sentencing standards for the crime of drug trafficking are based on the type and weight of the drugs. For example, if it is methamphetamine, less than 10 grams will result in a sentence of up to three years, and more than 50 grams will result in a sentence of more than 15 years.
Even if Zhang Yuanqiang is sentenced to death, so what? Individual drug involvement and large-scale drug trafficking and gang-related crimes are not on the same level.
Jiang Ling recalled for a moment.
If Zhang Yuanqiang's retaliation was directed at Chen Mu, then why did he take his own life after Chen Mu died from drug overdose and Chen Zhigang surrendered himself to the authorities for drug production?
Since ancient times, wealth has been a powerful motivator; once you get involved with drugs, it's impossible to escape unscathed.
Thinking this through, Jiang Ling directly responded to Zhuang Jianbai: "Your guess makes some sense, but from a psychological perspective, Zhang Yuanqiang is a vengeful and ambitious man who plans meticulously step by step. His ambitions are definitely not small. Just to provide drugs for Chen Mu? Impossible. Having been in contact with drugs before, he knows how profitable they are. How could a businessman like him resist?"
Upon hearing this, the entire group of people who had been making a ruckus burst into laughter, and even Lei Xiao had a smile on his lips.
"Jiang Ling is right!"
"Humans are greedy. In all my years as a criminal investigator, I've never seen a big boss willing to just be a middleman. The final link in the drug distribution chain is risky and doesn't pay much."
“Small-scale drug dealers like this have no need to inquire about police activities. Even we didn’t know the specific time and location before the raid, let alone the technical team who spend all their time in the lab.”
People who buy and sell small quantities of drugs to drug users are often referred to as "smugglers" or "small-packet dealers" in the drug world. They break down drugs into small doses for retail.
Most of the drug traffickers arrested by the team were of this type. After layers of exploitation, the profit margin for the final distributors is low. If they were carrying a large quantity of drugs at the time, or if drug users confessed to taking drugs exceeding the legal limit, they would face the death penalty.
Therefore, those who deal in goods face high risks and earn little.
Zhang Yuanqiang, a big disco owner with cars and houses, how could he be content to be a goods distributor?
Even if he initially only intended to be a middleman, once his supplier (the person providing the goods) knew his identity, they would do everything they could to stuff the goods and people into the disco.
Discos are frequented by young people, are noisy, and are frequented by smoke and alcohol. Under the influence of lights, music, and alcohol, people's willpower weakens, making it a perfect opportunity for drugs to take advantage of the situation.
Jiang Ling's thoughts coincided with his own. Lei Xiao was in a good mood, raised his hand to suppress the whispers behind him, and said to Jiang Ling, "Continue."
Despite the pressure, Zhuang Jianbo spoke up: "Um, I have another question."
At this point, Zhuang Jianbai's colleague sitting next to him also became a little impatient.
"Glasses, why are you talking so much nonsense today?"
"Are you showing off your reasoning skills?"
"Who wants to hear what you have to say? We want to hear Jiang Ling's analysis."
Jiang Ling nodded at him: "Please speak."
The Criminal Investigation Detachment's First Brigade is mostly made up of rough men, but Zhuang Jianbai, nicknamed "Glasses," is one of the very few polite and scholarly individuals among them.
Meeting Jiang Ling's gentle and encouraging gaze, Zhuang Jianbai composed himself and said resolutely, "Zhang Yuansheng's drowning only proves that Chen Mu and Zhang Yuanqiang were old acquaintances, and does not prove that Zhang Yuanqiang hated Chen Mu and wanted to destroy him with drugs."
Jiang Ling remained silent for a moment.
Indeed, Zhuang Jianbo is right.
Jiang Ling was able to determine that Zhang Yuanqiang induced Chen Mu to take drugs out of revenge because she had seen their criminal files. However, for other criminal investigators, the two are not entirely equivalent.
Jiang Ling smiled: "Officer Zhuang graduated from police academy, right?"
Zhuang Jianbai didn't understand what she meant, but still honestly answered, "Yes."
Jiang Ling asked, "Have you taken a course on criminal investigation?"
Zhuang Jianbai felt like he was facing a police academy teacher and unconsciously became nervous: "I've studied that."
Jiang Ling: "One of the theories of investigation, the P-H-D theory, do you remember it?"
Zhuang Jianbo stammered, "I remember. Asking questions, making bold assumptions, and reasoning—these three processes cycle over and over again."
After saying that, Zhuang Jianbai finally realized, "Oh, I, I understand."
He sat down, his face flushed.
Jiang Ling raised her voice: "Yes, making bold assumptions and carefully verifying them is an important method in the early stages of investigation. The reason I said that Zhang Yuanqiang approached Chen Mu out of revenge, not only getting him to use drugs, but also instructing him to approach Ying Yuhua, and possibly even deceiving Chen Zhigang into making drugs in the future, is all an assumption based on psychology."
"Once we have a hypothesis, the next step is to carefully verify it."
Jiang Ling steered the conversation back to the Three-Fixed Investigation Method.
"Determining the nature of the crime means analyzing the motive. The April 26 drug case is not just a simple crime driven by profit, but may also be motivated by revenge."
"Defining the scope means specifying the direction of the investigation. Based on the previous reports, I suggest that the direction of the investigation be adjusted appropriately, focusing on the relationship between the Zhang Yuanqiang and Chen Mu families."
Jiang Ling looked around, her gaze landing on Lei Xiao and Jiang Chenzhou: "Team Leader Lei, Team Leader Jiang, do you agree?"
Although Lei Xiao and Jiang Chenzhou looked down on Jiang Ling because of her age and gender, they were both experienced front-line criminal investigators with the same goal: to solve cases and combat crime.
What happened to the woman?
Strong abilities are the key to success.
So what if I'm young?
All you need is a quick mind and the ability to solve cases.
After witnessing Jiang Ling's temper and abilities, the two changed their attitudes.
Lei Xiao shouted at the top of his lungs: "I agree, I agree."
Jiang Chenzhou remained silent for a while, then nodded: "Alright, then let's adjust the direction of the investigation and thoroughly investigate the relationship between Zhang Yuanqiang and Chen Mu."
Director Zhong felt that the scene before him was very harmonious.
Although he didn't speak, he smiled, satisfied with Lei Xiao and Jiang Chenzhou's change in attitude, and also pleased that Jiang Ling was able to keep up and not be intimidated in front of the veteran comrades.
"Finally, we'll define the facial features, or psychological profiles."
Jiang Ling raised her voice.
In the huge conference room, she was the only woman, yet she successfully attracted the attention of all the attendees.
Some of the detectives sitting in the back even took out their notebooks and started taking notes.
"Chen Mu suffered a major traumatic event during his childhood, in which a peer drowned, resulting in deep-seated psychological trauma. His use of drugs as an adult may be an escape from the pain of trauma, an attempt to use the hallucinogenic effects of drugs to escape reality; or it may be due to the emotional deprivation caused by childhood trauma, prompting him to seek abnormal emotional experiences and stimulation through drugs to fill the emptiness and discomfort in his heart."
"Zhang Yuansheng's death is a huge festering wound in Chen Mu's mind. If you want him to quit drugs, you should..."
At this point, Jiang Ling paused for a moment, giving everyone time to think and reflect.
Everyone's thoughts were following Jiang Ling's lead. When they heard her deliberately pause, everyone's brains raced. Some even stood up involuntarily and shouted, "Squeeze out that boil!"
Jiang Ling smiled: "Yes!"
Her smile was beautiful, full of approval and affirmation, like a ray of sunshine shining into the conference room, brightening everything.
At this point, the criminal police officers who had thoughts in their hearts but dared not express them began to speak up enthusiastically.
"Re-interrogate Chen Mu, press him for details of Zhang Yuansheng's drowning, and force him to confront his past pain."
"Yes! Repeat this process until he becomes numb."
"Tear up the wounds a few more times, don't let him hide, and then tell him Zhang Yuanqiang's purpose, let them fight like dogs!"
Jiang Ling really enjoyed the atmosphere of speaking freely and having a lively discussion, but with Director Zhong present today, as well as Captains Lei Xiao and Jiang Chenzhou, she couldn't steal too much of the limelight.
She raised her right hand and pressed her palm down slightly: "Very good, let's proceed accordingly. Next, I'd like to talk about Zhang Yuanqiang."
Everyone quieted down and listened attentively.
"Like Chen Mu, Zhang Yuanqiang also experienced severe psychological trauma. The drowning of his younger brother and the death of both his parents caused him to develop strong feelings of anger and hatred. These emotions accumulated in his heart for a long time, forming a distorted psychological state."
"After he grew up, he chose to traffic drugs, partly to make up for everything he lost in his childhood by acquiring money and power; on the other hand, it was out of a desire for revenge against his 'enemies.' He wanted to make those people taste the pain, and this desire for revenge drove him down the path of crime."
At this point, Jiang Ling sighed: "Deep down, Zhang Yuanqiang may have always had a tendency to punish himself. He felt that he was guilty for not stopping his younger brother from playing in the water, so he wanted to 'balance' his guilt and pain by committing more serious crimes."
Qiu Shi stood up: "Officer Jiang, what is the truth behind Zhang Yuansheng's drowning?"
Jiang Ling shook her head: "I don't know either."
Zhuang Jianbai also stood up: "Chen Mu was only eight years old back then, so it's unlikely that he deliberately killed him, right?"
Jiang Ling shook her head again: "If it were intentional, there would be no way to put such a heavy mental burden on Chen Mu, or even make him take a year off from school."
Lei Xiao waved his hand: "No need for guessing, just hurry up and interrogate Chen Mu, then we'll know."
Jiang Ling reminded them: "Don't forget our purpose. Our goal in investigating the truth behind Zhang Yuansheng's drowning is to bring Zhang Yuanqiang's criminal gang to justice."
Jiang Ling noticed that the criminal police officers were very gossipy, and their attention was now focused on what Chen Mu had done to make Zhang Yuanqiang hate him so much that he wanted to destroy his family.
I'm afraid they've forgotten their original purpose for the investigation.
Lei Xiao waved his hand impatiently again: "I know, I know."
He muttered to himself: Women are just so long-winded.
Jiang Chenzhou looked at Lei Xiao: "Old Lei, interrogating Chen Mu is our team's job. Your team should mainly keep an eye on Zhang Yuanqiang and Meiying."
Lei Xiao chuckled: "We're all in the same task force, why distinguish between you and me? If we can get Chen Mu to talk, won't Zhang Yuanqiang's surveillance plan go much more smoothly?"
Jiang Ling gracefully withdrew from the scene and sat back down in her original seat with Li Zhenliang.
Liu Haoran and Zhou Wei didn't speak, but Liu Haoran quietly gave her a thumbs up.
After the meeting ended, Jiang Ling was surrounded by a group of people.
They all chimed in, eager to learn more about the details of the three-pronged investigation method from her.
Li Zhenliang, Liu Haoran, and Zhou Wei quickly stood protectively beside Jiang Ling, pushing those people away.
Lei Xiao and Jiang Chenzhou arrived just in time, shouting, "What are you all pushing for?! Director Zhong said that Xiao Jiang will come over to do training after the case is over, what are you panicking for?"
After being yelled at by the captain, the enthusiastic criminal police officers dispersed, and Jiang Ling breathed a sigh of relief.
Surrounded by a bunch of men, the feeling of being enveloped by all sorts of scents was truly indescribable.
The four-person group returned to the police station.
Li Zhenliang was still trembling with excitement: "My god, this is the first time I've stood in such a big conference room. Although I didn't speak, I still made an appearance. I'm so nervous."
Liu Haoran patted his chest and said, "Speaking at a meeting isn't scary at all."
Zhou Wei punched him: "Tch! Stop bragging. You couldn't even hear your voice when you first started talking, this... that..."
"Ha ha ha ha."
All four of them laughed.
I must say, teamwork is a lot of fun.
Even when facing Lei Xiao, nicknamed "Thunder God," whose booming voice terrifies suspects during interrogations; or Jiang Chenzhou, nicknamed "Jiang the Door God," whose intelligence borders on the supernatural and whose eyes can see through even the most cunning suspects, the criminal profiling team can still speak up bravely.
Jiang Ling even guided them to adjust the direction of their investigation.
Hehe, this feeling... is so refreshing!
Li Zhenliang asked, "We've investigated for so long, and everyone says Zhang Yuansheng died by drowning. Nobody blames Chen Mu. Why does Zhang Yuanqiang hate him so much?"
Jiang Ling remained silent.
Liu Haoran said, "Who knows? I asked for more details, but the Chen family kept it a secret. They only said that Zhang Yuansheng came to their house to ask Chen Mu to go out and play together. Then came the news that Zhang Yuansheng had drowned. When Chen Zhigang and his wife arrived at the pond, Chen Mu was standing next to Zhang Yuansheng's body, soaking wet and shivering. Nearby villagers said they heard cries for help. They pulled the two children out of the water, one alive and the other dead."
Zhou Wei and Liu Haoran were in the same group. They asked several people in the know, and their accounts were all similar.
He added, "Yes, Chen Mu was terrified at the time, his mind went blank, and he couldn't remember anything. When Zhang Yuansheng's family came to the Chen family to ask for details, they weren't actually looking for trouble with Chen Mu; they were just unwilling to accept it and wanted to know exactly how their son died. Unfortunately, the Chen family was too protective of their own, desperately trying to shirk responsibility, and said some harsh things that hurt Zhang Yuansheng's parents. That's why Zhang Yuanqiang blamed the Chen family for everything."
Li Zhenliang sighed: "If we want to know the truth, we can only ask Chen Mu. Hopefully, Captain Lei and the others can get some information from him."
This question received a response very quickly.
On the morning of the third day, the phone rang in the case team's office. Jiang Ling answered it, and Lei Xiao's loud voice came from the other end, which made her ears hurt a little, so she quickly moved the receiver away.
"Xiao Jiang, this is Lei Xiao."
Jiang Ling said, "Yes, I know." Only Lei Gong could have such a loud voice and such a strong voice.
After a meeting, Lei Xiao had a very good impression of Jiang Ling.
Intelligent, quick-witted, and with a solid foundation in criminal psychology, such a young woman can be of great use in the field of criminal investigation.
Although Lei Xiao is a bit of a chauvinist and finds women troublesome, he is enthusiastic about his work and admires those who are well-educated. He is willing to work with anyone who is capable.
What he hates most are stupid people.
Sometimes, if his subordinates are slow to react, he'll yell at them, so everyone is a little afraid of him.
Lei Xiao said, "Xiao Jiang, you're also part of our task force. Why don't you come over this morning to meet us?"
Jiang Ling reacted quickly: "What problem have you encountered?"
Lei Xiao stroked his chin and suddenly realized that Jiang Ling was incredibly clever.
That just so happens that he likes intelligent, bookish people.
"There is a problem. Chen Mu is unwilling to confess. He is very eloquent and has confused us interrogators. If we press him too hard, he will pretend to have drug withdrawal symptoms. He is difficult to deal with."
After listening attentively, Jiang Ling asked a question: "Did he tell him Zhang Yuanqiang's real purpose in getting him to take drugs?"
Lei Xiao: "Of course I told him, but he wouldn't listen at all. He still insisted that he had nothing to do with Zhang Yuanqiang. So much time has passed, everyone has forgotten the past. He only knows that Zhang Yuanqiang is the boss of Phantom, and the two of them have never spoken."
Jiang Ling hummed in agreement. "What do you need me to do?"
Lei Xiao grinned and stopped beating around the bush: "Didn't you invent that handwriting lie detector? Why don't you give it another try?"
Jiang Ling said, "Chen Mu is very smart. He has experienced that method once, so it won't be very useful to do it again."
Lei Xiao smiled wryly: "I had a good plan, to let the two of them fight like dogs, but I didn't expect Chen Mu to not even bother with it. We've got people monitoring Zhang Yuanqiang right now, so we can't alert him. Are we just going to send Chen Mu back to the rehab center like this?"
Jiang Ling suggested, "If Chen Mu's path is not viable, we can try Chen Zhigang."
Chen Zhigang only has one son, Chen Mu. He was willing to make drugs for Chen Mu, turn himself in for Chen Mu, and jump off a building for Chen Mu, so he certainly couldn't bear to see Chen Mu continue to sink into depravity.
If Chen Zhigang is told that Zhang Yuanqiang is plotting to ruin Chen Mu, Chen Zhigang will definitely cooperate with the police.
Lei Xiao suddenly realized and laughed: "Xiao Jiang, you're really sharp. Let's invite Chen Zhigang for tea right now."
Jiang Ling waited for him to hang up, but after a while, the other party still didn't hang up.
Jiang Ling: "Is there anything else?"
Lei Xiao said, "Why don't you talk to Chen Zhigang? I think you have strong psychological analysis skills, much better than this roughneck like me."
Lei Xiao was quite self-aware. As the captain of a battalion, he faced mostly vicious people every day and had to overwhelm them with his imposing manner. Over time, he developed a somewhat menacing appearance, with a loud voice and a bad temper. He often yelled at people, which made his soldiers somewhat afraid of him.
How could he communicate with Chen Zhigang, that son-obsessed son? He was afraid he wouldn't be able to control his temper.
Lei Xiao suddenly had the idea of poaching people.
Every team needs someone like Jiang Ling—appearing gentle and polite, but actually ruthless and vicious. Every word she utters pierces the heart, leaving no room for the demons hidden deep within the other person's soul.
Because he wanted to recruit him, Lei Xiao's attitude underwent a complete 180-degree change, becoming warm and friendly: "Xiao Jiang, an interrogation talent like you should get more training, shouldn't you? Get ready to come to our First Brigade, I'll be waiting for you."
Jiang Ling didn't know why Lei Xiao had become so polite, but she really wanted to talk to Chen Zhigang, so she hummed in agreement. "My team members and I have prepared the interrogation outline. See you in two hours."
Lei Xiao lowered his voice: "Okay, no rush, it will take me a while to bring the person over."
Jiang Ling heard Jiang Chenzhou's voice from beside her: "Old Lei, who are you talking to? That high-pitched voice is disgusting."
Enraged, Lei Xiao yelled and hung up the phone.
Jiang Ling suppressed a laugh and looked at Li Zhenliang and the other two: "We've got work to do, hurry up and get ready."
Li Zhenliang listened intently to the phone call and excitedly asked, "Team Leader Lei wants us to go over and interrogate Chen Zhigang. Should we prepare questions for the lie detector test?"
Jiang Ling nodded: "Yes."
Upon hearing this, Liu Haoran and Zhou Wei immediately hung up a small blackboard and began drafting questions, one speaking and the other writing.
"As usual, the question is divided into three parts."
1. Small talk lowers the other person's guard.
2. Ask him for his opinion on Chen Mu's drug use.
3. Inquire about the details of Zhang Yuansheng's drowning.
Jiang Ling was very satisfied with her colleagues' enthusiasm and initiative. She sat aside and watched them work, only occasionally offering a word or two of advice.
Jiang Ling: "Chen Zhigang is a son-obsessed son."
Liu Haoran immediately understood: "Right! So we can start by talking about Chen Mu's strengths."
Jiang Ling: "We need to maximize his dislike for Zhang Yuanqiang."
Zhou Wei chimed in, "You can describe in detail the pain Chen Mu experiences during his drug withdrawal, so that he feels sorry for him."
Jiang Ling: "We need to gain his trust in the police."
Liu Haoran and Zhou Wei exchanged a glance and said in unison, "Then let's spread more about Zhang Yuanqiang's desire for revenge and scare him."
The four of them exchanged a smile.
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The PHD cycle theory, consisting of P (problem), H (hypothesis), and D (deduction), is a criminal investigation theory. It refers to the process of analyzing the initial information about a crime, raising questions, proposing hypotheses for unsupported questions, and conducting reasoning analysis. This cycle is repeated to select reasonable hypotheses and further collect evidence.
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