Chapter 125 Warning: Armed Bank Robbery
In March 1999, the spring chill lingered in Yancheng.
Inside a newly vacated two-story building in the backyard of the Municipal Public Security Bureau, the air carried an unusual heat. This was the Criminal Information Data Center, into which Jiang Ling had poured countless efforts.
Pushing open the heavy security door, the low hum of machinery and the distinctive smell of cables wafted out.
The previously separate offices were combined to create a spacious area. Brand new dark gray anti-static flooring covered the floor, and two rows of silver-gray server racks stood against the wall in the center of the room. Although their large size made them look somewhat bulky, in early 1999, this was top-of-the-line equipment.
26-year-old Jiang Ling was officially appointed as the director of the data center, and Li Bin was appointed as the deputy director.
Housing, equipment procurement, installation and commissioning, database construction... every single thing requires coordination among countless units to complete.
Because of the successful investigation of the July 16th bank financial theft case, the collective support of the Economic Investigation Team, and the strong backing of Director Zhong, Jiang Ling's speech at the meeting was stunning, which led to the miracle of the data center being built in just six months.
During the winter break, Liang Jiushan, representing Xingdun Technology Company, won the database construction project by outperforming other bidders with a comprehensive "Xingdun Technology's Construction Plan for the Core Database of Yanshi Public Security". He also established a permanent technical team in Yancheng to provide 24-hour service and response to Jiang Ling's team.
Jiang Ling stood in front of the server rack, looking around. Her gaze swept over the busy figures, the brand-new equipment, and the crisscrossing cables, finally settling on her busy colleagues.
Deputy Director Li Bin, with messy hair and glasses perched on his nose, was leaning in front of a monitor, his brows furrowed: "This damn thing... the log format is wrong again? Old Zhang, didn't the data entry guidelines emphasize consistent field names yesterday?"
Next to him, a young technical police officer frantically flipped through a thick stack of printed "Detailed Rules for Initial Data Entry in Data Centers," muttering to himself, "I'm checking it, it's the 'tools of the crime' field, but the system seems to recognize the 'equipment used' field. Ugh! This data entry is really difficult."
In the corner, Liu Haoran and Zhou Wei were looking at a pile of old paper files that had just been moved in, feeling troubled.
Liu Haoran carefully flipped through a yellowed and curled-edge file, muttering, "June 1978, Dongcheng Supply and Marketing Cooperative Theft Case, the perpetrator was 28 years old, nicknamed Grasshopper... Do I have to type this in word for word? And this blurry hand-drawn topographic map of the scene, I have to scan it before I can input it, sigh! What a hassle."
Zhou Wei sighed and rubbed his sore wrists: "The team leader said that historical data is the foundation. If the foundation is not solid, the early warning analysis is just a castle in the air. Keep typing, just treat it as typing practice."
Li Zhenliang was in front of a computer, discussing with Su Xinwan and Zhuang Jianbo how to input facial data into the database: "There are 14 common eye types: peach blossom eyes, phoenix eyes, drooping eyes, willow leaf eyes, almond eyes, round eyes, and phoenix eyes... These need to be input one by one, so as not to get them mixed up."
Seeing the bustling scene before her, Jiang Ling felt a heavy emotion, a mixture of hope and pressure, surging in her chest. Her ideal of being reborn and driving technological change to prevent crime finally had a solid, tangible starting point here.
Jiang Ling vividly recalled the scene two months ago when Star Shield Technology won the bid.
Liang Jiushan and his core team moved in and quickly began deploying the core database and building the infrastructure. On those brightly lit nights, the server room was filled with the sounds of discussions, keyboard clicks, and server startup beeps... Liang Jiushan's slender figure was always busy on the front lines.
He personally explained the database architecture to Li Bin and others, and demonstrated the basic query function. His enthusiasm and confidence in technology inspired everyone present.
Today, the core database is running stably, and massive amounts of historical case information are being entered page by page, case by case. Meanwhile, the "preliminary early warning analysis module" embedded by Liang Jiushan while building the database is also waiting to be activated.
Just then, the internal phone on the console desktop suddenly rang.
Jiang Ling strode over and picked up the receiver: "Data Center, Jiang Ling."
"Sister Ling, it's me, Jiu Shan." Liang Jiu Shan's voice came through the receiver, speaking faster than usual, with a sense of tension. The background noise was very quiet, clearly indicating that it was in a private office at Star Shield Company.
“I’m listening, Jiu Shan.” Jiang Ling’s heart skipped a beat. If it were just casual conversation, Liang Jiu Shan wouldn’t be calling this internal hotline during work hours.
"The early warning system's backend logs have triggered multiple highly correlated intermediate signals consecutively. Combined risk assessment: Medium to High. Suspected premeditated major malicious crime!"
A major heinous crime? This is the first warning issued since the data center was established! Jiang Ling immediately tensed up.
Liang Jiushan continued: "Target location: Chengbei Credit Cooperative. Target individuals: Zhang Qiang, Li Meng, Wang Bing. Trigger signal details have been synchronized to the system's early warning and monitoring tab."
The data center fell into an eerie silence. Even Li Bin and Liu Haoran stopped what they were doing and stared at Jiang Ling in astonishment.
The early warning module has only been online for two days, and there's already a response?
Without any hesitation, Jiang Ling rushed to the computer by the window. She quickly logged into the system and clicked on the prominent red tab.
[Combined signal strength exceeds preset threshold; risk level assessment: medium to high]
[System notification: Suspected attempted robbery of a financial institution. We recommend immediately initiating manual verification and risk assessment.]
Upon receiving the first warning, Jiang Ling and her team members were initially caught off guard and somewhat flustered.
Liang Jiushan quickly reported the reason why the warning module was triggered: "Our database has been integrated into the bank's surveillance footage. As per your request, I set up warning screening conditions. As long as a suspicious person is found to be repeatedly appearing at the scene, facial recognition will be automatically performed to match them with the criminal record data. If the match is successful, an alarm will be triggered."
Jiang Ling said, "Send all the data over."
Liang Jiushan sent over the suspicious CCTV footage from the credit union entrance. Unlike human visual recognition, computers are more accurate and faster at identifying anomalies.
"Over the past week, surveillance footage from the entrance of the credit union shows that three young people frequently appeared within a 500-meter radius of the Chengbei Credit Union between 2 pm and 4 pm on weekdays, and their locations overlapped multiple times."
One of them lingered for extended periods on the afternoons of March 9th and 10th in an area near the employee entrance and temporary parking spot for armored trucks in the back alley of the credit union. This area is not a commercial zone, and there was no reasonable reason for their lingering.
Behavioral pattern analysis revealed that the three individuals' behavior matched the characteristics of "surveillance," choosing to conduct reconnaissance after the armored truck left, during a relatively relaxed period inside the bank, and focusing on back alleys and areas related to the cash transport.
Jiang Ling quickly scanned the text transmitted on the screen, her eyebrows furrowing into a line.
Looking at the surveillance footage again, although the quality of the footage from the 1990s is blurry, it is still clear that the three people are very young, around 20 years old. One of them is wearing a mask and changes his coat every day, which makes his behavior suspicious.
Liang Jiushan said, "Sister Ling, there are three people in the criminal record database whose appearances match the people in the surveillance footage. I'll send you their information."
Soon, three criminal records from the data center, which was still receiving new data, were retrieved and presented to Jiang Ling.
Zhang Qiang, male, 23 years old. Li Meng, male, 22 years old. Wang Bing, male, 24 years old.
Zhang Qiang, Li Meng, and Wang Bing are from the same hometown. Since their youth, they have repeatedly committed theft, fighting, and provoking trouble together, forming a stable criminal gang.
The three men stole bicycles and goods from a convenience store. Due to their young age and the minor nature of the crimes, coupled with the fact that their families, especially Zhang Qiang's grandmother and Li Meng's father, were influential and extremely indulgent in the area, they repeatedly escaped substantial punishment by compensating others and using connections. The records contain multiple notes such as "criticism and education" and "orders for parents to strictly discipline their children."
All three individuals are currently registered as "unemployed." However, legitimate access to their bank statements revealed multiple recent small-amount cash withdrawals, an unusual frequency inconsistent with their unemployed status, suggesting the funds may have been used for purchasing tools for the crime and for daily expenses.
A chill instantly shot from Jiang Ling's tailbone to the top of her head.
The keywords "Chengbei Credit Cooperative," "three-person gang," "Chengbei Credit Cooperative," and "reconnaissance in the back alley" came together and successfully awakened long-dormant memories in Jiang Ling's mind.
In my previous life, it was mid-March 1999.
At the same Chengbei Credit Cooperative, shortly after the armored truck left around 2 PM, three masked robbers armed with homemade gunpowder guns and hydraulic shears violently stormed in from a back alley. Two security guards, dutiful to their duties, were brutally shot dead at close range while attempting to stop them, their blood staining the cold marble floor. The robbers stole some cash from the counter and a cash box that hadn't been promptly deposited into the vault, then sped away on two unlicensed motorcycles.
According to news reports, the two security guards who died were surnamed Chen and had just gotten married; the other was surnamed Zhao and had a paralyzed elderly mother at home... The case shocked the entire city and became a long-lasting shadow over Yancheng.
The time, location, number of people targeted, and the behavior patterns of those who conducted the reconnaissance all highly overlap with the content of the current early warning report.
Jiang Ling couldn't pinpoint the exact date of the tragedy in her past life, but she remembered it clearly: it happened in March.
This was neither a coincidence nor a false alarm; it was the prelude to the impending bloodshed.
Thinking of this, Jiang Ling said loudly, "Jiu Shan, intelligence confirmed, extremely high risk, target is extremely dangerous, very likely to be armed, I will report immediately! You continue to monitor, and notify me immediately of any new developments."
"Understood, Sister Ling, please be careful." Liang Jiushan's reply was without the slightest hesitation, only showing complete trust and concern.
Jiang Ling slammed down the phone, her movements so fast they created a gust of wind.
She whirled around, her gaze sweeping across the still-dazed Li Bin: "Old Li, immediately use the internal line to connect Captain Zhao Tiezhu and Director Zhong's duty room. Top priority! Hurry!"
Li Bin was startled by Jiang Ling's sharp aura. He reacted instantly and realized that the seriousness of the situation far exceeded his expectations. He rushed to another red phone on the control panel, his fingers trembling slightly with nervousness, but he still accurately dialed the short number that was only used in emergencies.
"Haoran, Dawei!" Jiang Ling's instructions came in rapid succession. "Immediately retrieve all known file information, photos, social relationships, and permanent addresses of Zhang Qiang, Li Meng, and Wang Bing, and print them out. Be quick!" Her voice echoed in the empty computer room, carrying an unprecedented sense of urgency.
Liu Haoran and Zhou Wei reacted quickly, dropping the yellowed old case files they were holding and rushing to their respective computer terminals connected to the database, their fingers flying across the keyboards.
Li Bin dialed the phone and gestured for Jiang Ling to speak. Jiang Ling grabbed the red telephone receiver on the table, which was connected to the duty officer. Zhao Tiezhu's voice came through the receiver: "Hello? Data center? What's the matter that's so urgent?"
Jiang Ling spoke rapidly and clearly: "Team Leader Zhao, this is Jiang Ling. Based on concrete intelligence and the data center's early warning system, Zhang Qiang, Li Meng, and Wang Bing are plotting to rob the Chengbei Credit Cooperative in the coming days. The targets are extremely ruthless and highly suspected of possessing homemade firearms. I request immediate activation of the highest-level emergency response, mobilizing elite criminal investigation and special police forces to secretly deploy and apprehend them! Repeat, the situation is extremely urgent! Request immediate action!"
There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone.
Zhao Tiezhu was clearly stunned by the sudden and information-packed alarm. But just a second later, his deep and powerful voice rang out: "Is the intelligence source reliable? What are the criteria for judging the weapon?" This was the instinct of a veteran detective; no matter how urgent the situation, he had to grasp the core issues.
"The intelligence comes from the data center's early warning system, indicating a medium to high risk."
After a brief pause, Jiang Ling quickly analyzed, drawing on his memories from his past life: "The three men are unemployed, have long-standing violent criminal records and have repeatedly escaped. They've been frequently scouting the credit union in the north of the city, so I highly suspect they're planning a robbery of a financial institution, and there's a very high probability they're armed. Captain Zhao, it's better to be safe than sorry. If the operation is delayed, the consequences will be unimaginable! I vouch for it with my professional judgment!"
Zhao Tiezhu's heavy breathing came from the other end of the phone, followed by a decisive order: "Understood! I'll report to Director Zhong immediately. Jiang Ling, you stay at the data center and provide information support at any time. I'll personally lead a team to the North City Credit Cooperative and maintain contact!"
"Yes!" Jiang Ling slammed down the phone, her chest heaving. Fine beads of cold sweat trickled down her forehead, her fingertips were icy, but a powerful force was supporting her.
We must act quickly! We must stop this tragedy before it happens!
The battle to prevent crime is just around the corner.
Jiang Ling turned to Li Zhenliang: "Profiling team, all on standby! Prepare for target psychological and behavioral pattern analysis, and support on-site control!"
"Yes!" Li Zhenliang immediately gathered all team members to prepare for the analysis.
Jiang Ling's gaze swept over the data center again.
Li Bin was urgently transmitting warning information over another phone, Liu Haoran and Zhou Wei were quickly organizing and binding the printed materials, and Su Xinwan and Zhuang Jianbai were tidying up the documents on their desks.
On the computer screen by the window, the red warning message remained glaringly visible.
The image of the two security guards lying in pools of blood from her past life flashed through Jiang Ling's mind again. She took a deep breath, grabbed the stack of newly printed documents on the table without hesitation, and turned to the portrait team members: "Portrait analysis, begin!"
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