National Forensic Doctor
Chapter 705 - 648 Search

Chapter 705: Chapter 648 Search

Flying drones in Beijing, especially those legally equipped with cameras, still poses a bit of a challenge.

However, the officers from the Zhengguang District Branch Bureau had their ways and the execution to match. A few young members of the Image Investigation team carried several drones and carefully flew them over a two-kilometer radius surrounding the donation box area.

Two kilometers might not sound like much, but in practice, it amounts to a circle with a 2-kilometer radius, covering an area of more than 12 square kilometers.

In Beijing, how many buildings are there within a 12 square kilometer area?

In this case, places like gardens, mausoleums, parks, botanical gardens, and zoos couldn’t be simply overlooked; they needed to be meticulously searched as well.

It’s just that the Beijing Bureau had sufficient manpower. Squad Leader Tao Lu mobilized more than a hundred people from three teams to watch surveillance videos, ensuring the progress wasn’t delayed. In the following days, everyone returned to their normal routines, watching videos at work and disciplining their children at home without a hitch.

For a case without a clear-cut beginning, the fact that not a single detective ended up hospitalized midway through the investigation suggested just how ample Zhengguang Bureau’s manpower was.

Over several days, the Image Investigation detectives captured thousands of pictures and identified hundreds of illegal constructions, but they found no green plants that met the criteria.

As with previous cases, as time wore on, everyone’s confidence inevitably waned.

It was clear to all that the longer it took, the less evidence there would be. Not to mention the most crucial piece of evidence in this case, the body, which could very well have been disposed of during this time, the target plants the team was searching for might have been processed too.

When Tao Lu contemplated this, he couldn’t help but find Liu Cheng before leaving work and then together, they approached Jiang Yuan to express his concerns, "Beijing has a huge population flow. If the killer fled after the murder, what if the green plants he cultivated are sold or discarded? If that’s the case, our idea of finding the killer through the type of plants may end up as rootless duckweed."

He stopped short of saying "searching for a sword at the bottom of a river," which was at least polite.

Jiang Yuan was already packing up to leave work. His task of finding pollen had essentially come to an end, and his current focus was on locating the corresponding plant communities.

Tao Lu’s question was something Jiang Yuan had obviously also considered. He took a moment to compose his thoughts and said, "Although we can’t guarantee it one hundred percent, we’ve identified so many types of pollen, and the area required is quite large. Whether the place is rented or owned, the killer must have a considerable level of economic strength. Of course, the killer could simply live or work there, in which case he’d be even less likely to dispose of the plants."

"That makes sense..." Tao Lu felt a bit relieved, though his doubts were not entirely dispelled, just as Jiang Yuan had suggested, there was no absolute guarantee.

Liu Cheng spoke up from the side, "Could two kilometers be too short?"

Tao Lu and Jiang Yuan both looked at him.

Liu Cheng, someone who didn’t stress over domestic worries, simply said, "The donation box is on a commercial street. The range should span more than two kilometers in all directions. Have we perhaps missed something by only defining a two-kilometer radius?"

Tao Lu glared at this ’unfilial son’ as if his patience was running thin and said, "It’s taken a week to survey within 2 kilometers..."

"Let’s consider it as a backup option," Jiang Yuan agreed that 2 kilometers wasn’t enough. But the reality of Beijing’s environment was such that adding another kilometer would more than double the workload—the area of a circle with a 3-kilometer radius would be 28 square kilometers, which was far larger than the current 12 square kilometers. Even with the Beijing Bureau’s Criminal Police Squad willing to take on the task, the burden felt overwhelming.

Tao Lu heaved a sigh of relief, only to become tense again soon after.

He felt like he was in Cao Cao’s position, yet without success, filled with both urgency and fear, wanting to venture ahead alone, yet afraid of being cut off from behind.

Liu Cheng, as if watching a live broadcast and not afraid to stir things up, said, "There’s also a subway near the commercial street. Could the killer, after discarding the bloody clothes, have been planning to take the subway?"

Tao Lu almost spat out blood and really wanted to address the person raising questions by giving Liu Cheng a fierce glare, "It doesn’t matter where he goes, as long as the crime scene is nearby. What’s most important now is to find the crime scene."

As he spoke, he looked at Jiang Yuan.

Jiang Yuan looked at the two men, both of whom didn’t understand Legal Botany and had plenty of worries.

So Jiang Yuan said, "I think our investigative approach is sound. Let’s continue the investigation for a while longer. After we finish the first wave of searches within the two-kilometer range, then we can decide."

There is a problem with Legal Botany: most detectives simply can’t grasp it. As a result, everyone’s anxiety becomes quite intense.

Meanwhile, the application of forensic botanics was inherently very time-consuming, which was another part of the growing anxiety.

Tao Lu could only nod and offer a strained smile, saying, "It’s time for lunch, let’s eat something together."

"No need, I brought my own food," Jiang Yuan paused, continuing, "I couldn’t be bothered to go out today, planning to get some early rest tonight."

Tao Lu politely offered, "Let me treat you to some Beijing specialties, you can eat the food you brought later."

Jiang Yuan shook his head, saying, "My dad made it and had someone specially fly it over, it’d be a waste not to eat it tonight."

Tao Lu was momentarily surprised, "Your dad is that considerate?"

"He’s been slaughtering cattle and sheep recently, also wants me to try the taste," Jiang Yuan added a few more words before heading back on his own.

Most Beijing delicacies aren’t a must-try.

The next day.

Jiang Yuan arrived early at the bureau to help review drone-captured video footage.

His team from Jiang Yuan’s Accumulated Case Team wasn’t small, and including the subsequent support that followed, they had almost 30 people by now. This number might not seem significant in the several thousand strong Zhengguang Sub-bureau, but a group of detectives seasoned in homicide cases held some value.

Even the Zhengguang Sub-bureau would find it difficult to suddenly deploy such a vigorous force.

When Wang Chuanxing and others first started following Jiang Yuan, they were indeed rookies. But now, every member of the Cold Case Squad had at least seven or eight lives on their hands, with most boasting a relaxed double digits.

Even the detective squad of the Zhengguang Sub-bureau wasn’t so well-off.

A group had taken a large conference room, set up their operation, and got busy.

Reviewing surveillance footage was work Wang Chuanxing and his colleagues were already familiar with, and accustomed to coordinating with Jiang Yuan, they didn’t struggle like the detectives from Zhengguang Bureau when encountering blurry images, they simply handed it to Jiang Yuan for feedback.

Jiang Yuan conducted the image enhancement at a swift pace.

Honestly, applying LV5 image enhancement on such quality footage was a bit of overkill, but the results were exceptionally prominent.

Soon, a potted green plant on a balcony was marked by Jiang Yuan.

"Crabapple, Chinese rose, butterfly orchid... they all match," said Jiang Yuan, circling the flowers on the printed photo and handing it to Tao Lu.

Tao Lu was thrilled, "A match? Is this the place?"

"Not certain, but many of the plants do match," Jiang Yuan said.

"Didn’t you mention that the pollen profiles are unique?" Tao Lu frowned slightly. Matters involving operations needed extreme caution.

Jiang Yuan then explained, "What we can see now is just a corner of the balcony, we can’t be sure if there are other plants on the rest of the balcony or in the room since the video doesn’t show it. But I think, with the degree of similarity we have so far, it’s worth making a visit."

"Then let’s go," Tao Lu decided immediately upon hearing this, chuckling apologetically to Jiang Yuan, "I was a bit harsh just now, an old bad habit of mine, don’t take it to heart..."

"I won’t," Jiang Yuan replied calmly, a smile on his face. Some division heads get furious after dealing with Huang Qiangmin, but what was a little temper to the head of the detective squad of Zhengguang like Tao Lu, who had good conditions.

Before long, a group of detectives had been assembled by Tao Lu.

Jiang Yuan also took Mu Zhiyang and Wang Chuanxing with him, joining Liu Cheng’s large team on their way to Huirong Building where the target was located.