Chapter 36: The Forensic Doctor Has Really Gained Some Skills

After hanging up the phone, Wang Kai's expression toward Qin Yong turned somewhat serious.

"The Criminal Investigation Detachment... recruited a new forensic pathologist?"

He was in charge of the Criminal Investigation Detachment, yet he hadn't known about a new hire. What was going on?

Had the Criminal Investigation Detachment grown so bold as to bypass their direct superior and pull a power play?!

Qin Yong was also looking bewildered. His eyes, framed by dark circles, blinked like a maiden appearing in public for the first time, his innocent expression particularly vivid. "No, it's just Wang Changjiang and Shen Yan."

"You know Old Wang's situation. When you were the captain, he was the forensic pathologist. Shen Yan has only been here for two years..."

Wang Kai gave Qin Yong a deep, searching look.

This subordinate of his was steady, hardworking, and highly responsible; one could say Wang Kai had personally promoted him.

To lie to him...

That shouldn't be the case, and there was no need for it.

"Let's go. To the Criminal Investigation Detachment!"

***

The Forensic Office.

Wang Changjiang was a Peking Opera enthusiast. In his spare time, he loved to sit in his office with a purple clay teapot and listen to a few passages.

In truth, forensic pathologists usually had nothing to do when there were no corpses.

Sometimes Shen Yan would be dragged away to assist other offices or departments, but given Wang Changjiang's seniority and age, no one would dare boss him around.

Even if they tried, they wouldn't be able to move him.

Shen Yan hadn't been called away to assist anyone today; she was busy organizing the case files from yesterday.

The office door was pushed open directly. Shen Yan looked up to see it was Qin Yong.

Beside him stood a man in a white shirt.

The young beauty quickly stood up and saluted. "Greetings, Deputy Bureau Chief Wang!"

"Greetings, Captain Qin!"

Wang Kai nodded and looked toward Wang Changjiang, who was sitting half-reclined in his chair with his back to the door, clutching a teapot and wearing headphones to listen to Peking Opera.

Don't ask how Wang Kai knew.

Setting aside the fact that Wang Changjiang had this hobby since Wang Kai was a captain in the Criminal Investigation Detachment, the humming tunes coming from him were enough to tell he was listening to opera.

Qin Yong's face darkened. He stepped forward and rapped on the desk, startling Wang Changjiang.

Wang Changjiang hurriedly set down the teapot and removed his headphones. When he turned around, he met Wang Kai's indifferent gaze.

Slacking off in front of both the current and former detachment captains—even with Wang Changjiang's thick skin, he found it hard to hold his ground.

"Deputy Bureau Chief Wang, why have you come?"

Wang Kai let out a cold snort. "What, am I not allowed to come?"

"Or do I need to report to you before I visit the Criminal Investigation Detachment?"

If it weren't for the fact that the two were classmates in university and had joined the force in the same year, Wang Kai would have...

Wang Changjiang gave an awkward laugh and quickly pulled out a chair. "Please, sit, leader. Xiao Shen, hurry and pour some tea!"

Shen Yan complied and quickly poured the tea, helping to ease the awkward atmosphere.

"Forget the tea," Qin Yong spoke up at the right moment. "Old Wang, let me ask you: were you the one who did the skeletal remains from yesterday?"

"Yes, Xiao Shen and I..." Wang Changjiang paused. "I borrowed Lu Chuan from Old Liu and had him help Xiao Shen classify the remains."

"Lu Chuan?" Qin Yong questioned.

Wang Changjiang nodded. "Back at the hotpot restaurant, I noticed that Lu Chuan was very good at distinguishing different parts of the processed skeletal remains."

"The crime scene investigation team was doing DNA extraction from the remains last night. Since they had nothing else to do, I had Lu Chuan come over to help."

"Old Liu knew about it; he agreed."

"Fine, we won't dwell on that. Let's talk about the skeletal identification and analysis report."

Qin Yong's expression turned serious. "Old Wang, since you two have already completed the skeletal identification and analysis report and submitted it to the Provincial Department via the technical platform for review, why did you have me ask Bureau Chief Wang to request support from the Provincial Department for the analysis?"

Huh?

"What analysis report?"

Wang Changjiang was utterly bewildered. "Bureau Chief Wang, Captain Qin, don't you two know my level of expertise?"

"Standard autopsies are no problem, but skeletal identification and analysis... forget me, there are probably only two or three people in the entire province who can do it."

Wang Kai and Qin Yong exchanged a glance. "It really wasn't you?"

Wang Changjiang grew anxious. "It really wasn't me. If you don't believe me, ask Xiao Shen."

Shen Yan quickly spoke up, "Bureau Chief Wang, Captain Qin, it really wasn't my master who did it."

Wang Changjiang's expression didn't look like he was lying, and there was no reason for him to.

If he had that kind of skill, it would be a good thing.

But if it wasn't him, then who could it be?

"Old Wang, we just received a call from Forensic Pathologist Zhang Yuanchao at the Provincial Technical Identification Center."

"He said that our Haizhou Criminal Investigation Detachment submitted a skeletal identification and analysis report via the technical platform last night for expert review."

"Performing skeletal identification and analysis definitely requires the instruments in the detachment. Since it wasn't you, tell me: who used those instruments last night?"

Eh?

At this point, how could Wang Changjiang not realize what was happening?

Beside him, Shen Yan's face also changed drastically.

Last night, the only person who had used the instruments was Lu Chuan.

Could something have happened?

Wang Changjiang now somewhat regretted letting Lu Chuan touch those instruments yesterday.

Looking at it now, something had definitely been triggered.

Otherwise, why would Wang Kai show up here?

But, to just throw Lu Chuan under the bus like this?

How could Wang Changjiang do such a thing?

Lu Chuan had come to help the forensic team last night. If something went wrong and he was sold out in an instant, how would Wang Changjiang ever be able to show his face again?

Who would ever dare to help the forensic team?

"Bureau Chief Wang, Captain Qin," Wang Changjiang stepped forward, his expression solemn. "The incident happened in the forensic office. Whatever the problem is, it is my responsibility."

"If the higher-ups want to conduct an evaluation or issue a disciplinary action, I have no objections."

Hearing Wang Changjiang's words, Wang Kai and Qin Yong knew exactly what he was thinking.

Even though he was a bit weary, Wang Changjiang was indeed a good man.

Qin Yong patted Wang Changjiang on the shoulder. "Old Wang, this is a good thing. You don't need to hide it."

A good thing?

Wang Changjiang looked at Wang Kai with confusion. Wang Kai nodded. "It really is a good thing. Now, tell us, what happened yesterday?"

"It was like this. Yesterday..."

Wang Changjiang gave a rough account of Lu Chuan performing the skeletal identification and analysis yesterday.

"Lu Chuan?!" Qin Yong's tone was full of doubt.

If you said Lu Chuan did some fingerprint analysis or footprint analysis, he wouldn't be surprised.

But skeletal identification...

That was forensic work.

"It really was Lu Chuan. He said he studied this a bit in university. I figured since our instruments weren't being used anyway, I'd let him practice."

"Bureau Chief Wang, Captain Qin, is it possible that Lu Chuan's identification analysis was used, and some of the data was adopted?"

Adopted?

Wang Kai smiled. "It's not as simple as just 'adopting data'."

Zhang Yuanchao's exact words were: *It is no inferior to my own work; it is fully capable of serving as judicial evidence.*

Who was Zhang Yuanchao?

The number one forensic pathologist in the province, an honorary professor at the Police University, a recipient of provincial high-level expert subsidies, and a man whose name carried weight even at the highest levels.

For such a man to give Lu Chuan's skeletal identification and analysis report an evaluation of "no inferior to my own"!

It seemed that the Haizhou Criminal Investigation Detachment had truly produced a talent.

"Let's go. To the Crime Scene Investigation office!"