Chapter 57 How on Earth Did You Investigate This Case?

After bidding farewell to Wang Xin and leaving the beverage shop, Han Ling drove with Tong Feng through the streets of Yifeng City.

Both of them were somewhat silent.

After a long while, Tong Feng broke the silence: "Um... Han Ling, how did you know there was a problem?"

Recalling the entire case investigation process, he hadn't noticed anything amiss at all.

Han Ling remained relatively calm, though his expression was slightly stern: "I didn't know there was a problem, I just had doubts. It would have gnawed at me if I hadn't checked it out. I didn't expect to actually find an issue."

Tong Feng tried to rationalize: "Maybe Hou Jiarou changed? Wanted a divorce? How she talked to Wang Xin is one thing, what she did is another. What do you think?"

Han Ling rarely expressed dissatisfaction with Tong Feng: "Fengzi, as a criminal police officer, talking yourself into complacency is a major taboo. You have to be responsible for the victim."

Tong Feng looked abashed and did not dare to talk back.

The car drove for twenty minutes and parked at the entrance of a residential complex. Han Ling got out and strode inside.

Tong Feng followed behind: "Where is this, Han Ling!"

Han Ling: "Li Hui's home."

Tong Feng: "Huh?"

There was no underground parking garage in the complex. Han Ling led Tong Feng to search the parking lot of the entire community, finally stopping in front of a red Chevrolet.

Judging by the license plate, it was indeed Li Hui's car. He had already checked before coming and was well-prepared.

Choosing to come to Yifeng City naturally meant including Li Hui in the scope of the investigation, not just to see Hou Jiarou's friend Wang Xin.

Han Ling leaned over the driver's side window and looked inside.

The Chevrolet's sun film was not of the private privacy type; looking closely against the glass allowed one to see the situation inside.

"Tong Feng, look at the storage rack in the middle," Han Ling said.

Tong Feng hurriedly went to the passenger side, pressed his face against the window, and widened his eyes upon seeing the items on the storage rack.

"Th... the exact same brand of wet wipes?!"

Han Ling straightened up and said, "The wet wipes might have been bought by Yang Qi's couple, or they might have been bought by Li Hui. In any case, both families used them together."

Tong Feng's expression even carried a trace of fright: "What... what are you trying to say? Don't tell me this is the body disposal vehicle? Don't tell me Hou Jiarou's mother was involved too!"

Han Ling did not speak and took out his phone.

"Wait, wait, wait!" Tong Feng ran over to stop him. "Who are you calling? Shouldn't we discuss this thoroughly? The team is probably already preparing to celebrate, and Captain Ji might be reporting in the bureau chief's office right now!"

Han Ling: "I'll take responsibility if anything goes wrong."

With that, he dialed Fang Zhou's number.

Qingchang City, Sub-bureau.

Fang Zhou's expression changed abruptly after listening to Han Ling's report. Without time to ask more, he turned and ran toward Zhao Xingbang's office, almost crashing into a desk along the way and drawing the attention of all his colleagues.

"What's wrong with Captain Fang? Another case?"

"No way? Even if there is a case, he wouldn't call Captain Fang directly like that."

Knock, knock, knock!

Fang Zhou knocked on the deputy bureau chief's office door and rushed in, only to find Zhao Xingbang smiling as he praised the criminal investigation division's case-solving efficiency and good judgment of personnel.

Locking onto the suspect in less than a week since the crime occurred was still a very fast pace.

The entire special investigation team, along with Han Ling who was transferred from the police station, would all be commended for their contributions.

Captain Feng Yao and Deputy Captain Ji Bowei were in good moods, sitting there drinking tea.

"What is it, Fang Zhou? Can't you knock a bit lighter? This door of mine can't take it," Zhao Xingbang said with a cheerful smile. He held Fang Zhou in high regard, grooming him as a future mainstay of criminal investigation.

"Uh." Fang Zhou looked at Zhao Xingbang, then at the two captains. After a two-second pause, he said, "There seems to be a problem with the case. It's very unlikely that Hou Jiarou would divorce Yang Qi; he lied about the motive for the crime!"

"What did you say?!" Feng Yao and Ji Bowei stood up simultaneously.

The smile on Zhao Xingbang's face froze, then slowly faded.

"Make it clear!" Ji Bowei said in a deep voice.

Fang Zhou roughly recounted Han Ling's earlier doubts and then mentioned that the other party was currently in Yifeng City, with the clue originating from Hou Jiarou's good friend Wang Xin.

Wang Xin knew Hou Jiarou well and was firmly convinced that given Hou Jiarou's pathological personality, she would not bring up a divorce unless Yang Qi had done something extremely outrageous.

Taking a step back, even if she did bring up a divorce, she wouldn't be so adamant as to throw a huge tantrum, let alone provoke Yang Qi's desire to kill.

Upon closer reflection, Yang Qi's confession had significant discrepancies with the information provided by Wang Xin.

Under such circumstances, the investigation definitely needed to continue.

Because the previous case had been investigated relatively quickly, the special investigation team had a very shallow understanding of Hou Jiarou and had not deeply interviewed her friends.

Ji Bowei: "..."

Feng Yao: "..."

"Han Ling had suspicions, why didn't you say so earlier!" Ji Bowei rebuked angrily.

Fang Zhou lowered his head slightly: "I'm sorry, I was overthinking it. I take full responsibility."

In front of the desk, Zhao Xingbang swept his gaze across them and finally fixed it on Feng Yao: "Captain Feng, how did you investigate this case?"

Feng Yao could not offer an explanation and cast a cold glance at Ji Bowei.

Ji Bowei could not explain either and looked over at Fang Zhou.

Fang Zhou felt terrible; he had no one else to look at.

After ten seconds of eerie silence, Ji Bowei broke the ice: "What are you standing around for? Go and ask Han Ling if he needs assistance in Yifeng City. The team will give unconditional support. Go!"

The sub-bureau's criminal investigation division welcomed talent regardless of conventional paths, which was one of the reasons why Fang Zhou became a deputy squadron leader at such a young age.

Fang Zhou: "Yes!"

After Fang Zhou left, Ji Bowei looked at Feng Yao and Zhao Xingbang: "Then... should I leave first as well?"

The two men said nothing.

Ji Bowei hurriedly slipped away. He had very important things to do right now.

"Let's go, to the detention center!"

In the sub-bureau parking lot, Ji Bowei opened the door, got into the car with a gloomy face, and prepared to interrogate Yang Qi once more.

He did not doubt Han Ling's investigation results. Since the phone call had already been made, it meant the facts existed, and Yang Qi was very likely lying. He had to go and question him.

Detention center interrogation room.

Meeting for the second time in a short period, Yang Qi wore a puzzled look on his face, gazing inquiringly at Ji Bowei.

"You lied!" Ji Bowei said nothing else and directly blurted out those four words.

Sure enough, caught completely off guard, Yang Qi's expression immediately shifted before returning to normal, and he asked strangely, "Where did I lie?"

Ji Bowei sneered: "Through our investigation, we've confirmed that it's utterly impossible for Hou Jiarou to divorce you over infidelity and prostitution. You lied about your motive for the crime.

Give me the truth! Why on earth did you murder Hou Jiarou?"

A flash of dismay crossed Yang Qi's face as he lowered his head slightly: "I didn't lie. She really wanted to divorce me. What evidence do you have to prove that she didn't want to divorce me?"

Wanting a divorce or not wanting a divorce was a highly subjective matter; it was impossible to have physical evidence.

Even if Hou Jiarou had kept a diary or similar items, it couldn't prove she didn't want a divorce, because thoughts are instantaneous and can change at any time.

On this matter, whatever Yang Qi said was treated as the narrative.

However, from the perspective of the investigators, new clues had been found, and the sudden interrogation revealed that Yang Qi's reaction genuinely had issues, indicating that he was indeed very likely lying about his motive.

Having already confessed to murder, why lie about the motive? There had to be an extremely crucial reason behind it.