National Forensic Doctor
Chapter 801 - 744: Breakthrough

Chapter 801: Chapter 744: Breakthrough

"Lu Zhi, you might need to get ready on your side too," Tao Lu whispered to the commander of the long spear soldiers alongside him as he watched the police officer advance to negotiate again.

Lu Zhi grunted in acknowledgment, "No problem here. Just make your decision, and we are ready to go into action at any time."

"Let’s opt for non-lethal weapons first, right?" Tao Lu confirmed. "We might still have undiscovered bodies, and we really need these suspects’ testimonies."

After receiving Liu Jinghui’s call, Tao Lu had headed to the air-raid shelter immediately. Compared to reopening Xu Taining’s case, he’d rather be the first one in, wearing a bulletproof vest and rushing into the bunker.

Funds weren’t something you couldn’t burn through, but after the burning, you had to leave some embers, right?

If, as Jiang Yuan and Liu Jinghui had analyzed, they were to find another batch of bodies, considering the complexity of Beijing’s water system, the cost would definitely surpass Zhengguang Bureau’s investigative budget limit.

Tao Lu could even imagine the scene when Xu Taining hired all the city’s divers.

The hourly fees would probably shoot up to the extent that he’d consider diving in himself.

Thus, compared to Xu Taining, Tao Lu hoped that these fringe religious followers could resolve their own issues—logically, this might be their only genuinely successful attempt at solving a problem.

Lu Zhi looked at Tao Lu and seriously said, "If we have enough time, it’s possible. But it mainly depends on the resistance will of the other party. If their will to resist isn’t that strong, we’ll use tear gas, and you try psychologically persuading them to see if they’d surrender. But if their will to resist is quite strong, I’d advise against using tear gas and go straight for shock bombs."

"Are shock bombs more effective?" Tao Lu asked.

"It’s about catching them off guard," Lu Zhi paused and said in a slightly lowered voice, "Firing a gun also requires mental preparation. Throw in a shock bomb, and our assault team can storm in immediately, just needing to control the armed individuals— the main issue would be resolved."

Controlling, naturally, included shooting to kill, though this option’s risk was slightly higher compared to detaining everyone, Tao Lu could still accept it.

"Then let’s do as you suggest," Tao Lu quickly made a decision.

This kind of environment required the involvement of long spear soldiers; although detectives were fine with making arrests, they were somewhat unreliable in a head-on confrontation.

Needless to mention, detectives like Tao Lu, Cui Qishan, and Liu Cheng, all above the age of 35, were still employed as civil servants without the worry of being laid off; however, when speaking of physical fitness, they couldn’t compare to long spear soldiers around the age of 20. The length and content of their training were fundamentally different.

Lu Zhi didn’t say much else and simply acknowledged, then began to organize his men.

Although they were always ready, when it came time to enter combat, a proper pre-battle briefing was needed.

Tao Lu turned and went back, first informed the negotiation specialists, then started donning his bulletproof vest and inserting ceramic plates.

Of course, he wouldn’t be among the first to rush in. That would merely interfere with the operation, but there were still risks involved with entering later. The police were most concerned about explosives, followed by arson involving oxidizers.

The moment either of these scenarios occurred, no matter how the police responded, significant casualties were almost inevitable.

The negotiation specialist, now fully equipped, stepped forward and started shouting:

"Huang Jianzun... isn’t it suffocating in there? How about we pump some oxygen in for you?"

"Do you have any demands? Do you have enough medicine?"

"How about some water for you?"

While he shouted from the front, the stealthy long spear soldiers formed their lines.

Standing in the second line, Tao Lu listened to the shouts ahead and whispered, "In the future, dealing with anyone surnamed Huang will need extra caution."

Cui Qishan followed him, holding a newly issued gun, and said, "Being cautious won’t make a difference; they won’t sell for much."

"It’s not just about money," Tao Lu emphasized.

"What is it about then?"

"It’s about you, kid, not getting into trouble with bodies all the time," Tao Lu glanced back at Cui Qishan. I may not be able to control Huang Qiangmin, but can’t I handle one of the unlucky guys under me?

Cui Qishan only felt a cool sensation on his neck, quickly hunched his shoulders, and said quietly, "I didn’t expect it either, and besides, wasn’t it Jiang Yuan who found the body?"

"The body Jiang Yuan found was a credit to him, but you are the one who attracted the body," Tao Lu directly defined him.

Cui Qishan was speechless and said, "You are so biased that you favor people from other provinces. When it comes to bad luck, I am the unluckiest, yet you still compare me to Jiang Yuan. I can’t outdo him. Does it still need comparison? Everyone in Zhengguang Bureau cannot surpass him. Ah, in this world, there really is no one more unlucky than me..."

Boom.

A loud explosion was followed by a series of blasts, leaving Cui Qishan and the others dizzy.

The assault team ahead had already received an order and quickly charged through the opened door.

Lu Zhi, clutching the walkie-talkie, also jogged over and said, "The other side had guns when they opened the door, so the assault team went straight in."

Tao Lu was startled but soon realized. Although it was uncertain how many guns the people inside had, the meeting’s analysis earlier had guessed that one or two guns were most likely. Even if they could obtain them through illegal means, the cost was not low. In the current domestic environment, they had no reason to hold many guns.

Based on this assessment, seeing the armed person appear and directly charging was a very wise decision.

But the risk was not small at all.

Tao Lu nodded calmly, his ears perked, listening to the noises inside without speaking.

Lu Zhi also gripped the walkie-talkie in silence.

The success of the operation was irrelevant now; unexpected incidents were an unavoidable risk...

"They’re all subdued!" Suddenly, a message came through the walkie-talkie from the front.

Whew...

Lu Zhi and others all let out a breath and then started smiling.

Tao Lu, pulling a ceramic plate from his chest, chuckled and said, "It’s best not to fight desperately..."

As they spoke, people inside began to walk out.

The bunker’s space was limited, but it at least ensured two officers escorting one suspect.

At this stage of the case, manpower was purely in surplus.

"Go and check the outside, keep everyone in separate detention, and prevent any chance of collusion on the way!" Tao Lu glanced at Huang Jianzun, who seemed to be the chief suspect, without approaching to speak.

From the moment of arrest, the clash between police and criminals had turned into a kind of undercover tug of war, especially in a case which might lead to the death penalty. Expecting the suspects to spill everything like an open bamboo tube was impossible, at least at the initial stage.

How deep the interrogation could go, whether it could achieve the desired results, and how long it would take, all required attention to detail.

"There are a total of 42 people inside," reported the captain of the assault team, his voice relaxed.

"Well done!" Tao Lu immediately followed with a cost-free compliment.

As for whether 42 was a lot, it depended on how many were criminals, how many were murderers, and how many were victims caught up in the ordeal.

"Let’s go inside." Tao Lu waited until the suspects were taken out and then walked further inside.

Passing through a long narrow corridor, they entered a larger room, approximately four to five meters high and about 200 square meters in size.

The room had floor tiles laid down and the walls painted. Although there was still seepage, the room looked relatively normal.

Around this room, there were several smaller rooms, making the inside look more like a normal large apartment.

What was slightly uncomfortable was the smell in the room, a strong human scent and the odor from the shock bombs, which lingered for a long time.

Tao Lu looked around the corridor they had just passed and felt apprehensive. Then he wrinkled his nose and shook his head, "I don’t know how these people could stand this smell."

"They were living quite comfortably," Liu Cheng, who had already looked through the other rooms, came out and said, pursing his lips, "The rooms inside are all themed rooms. This sect knows how to attract people."