"On this point, I am confident that I can help the police solve their doubts." I do have a draft on this issue, but I have to consult Cheng Cheng on this matter, because I have to enter the police station to meet the survivors, which requires considerable permission.

Cheng Cheng hesitated slightly: "This incident is too serious, and many leaders above are staring at our police station - are you really confident?" ”

I nodded.

Cheng Cheng looked at me fixedly, and finally sighed: "If it weren't for the fact that things had driven me into a corner, I wouldn't have turned to you for help-Mr. Ji, after all, I have been a policeman for so many years, and asking you for help is equivalent to me denying my worldview, do you understand?" ”

"Our knowledge of the world comes from many sources, and our ability to make discoveries is constrained by technology, as are the rules that are derived from our discoveries. In a sense, the history of human civilization is a history of constantly overturning preconceived notions, that is, some things may not be able to be rationally explained now, but this does not mean that they are necessarily fallacious. I tapped my finger on the top of my desk, "Everyone's worldview has been formed over a long period of time, it is like an enchantment, implying that we are safe within the enchantment, and it is one of the basic conditions for us to maintain a normal life - therefore, I don't agree with your use of the word 'denial', it is more appropriate to use 'complement' or 'expansion'." ”

I paused and looked Cheng Cheng in the eyes: "After all, the inexplicable event has really happened in front of your eyes, isn't it?" ”

Cheng Cheng's movements froze for a moment, and then he pulled the corners of his mouth bitterly: "There are other coincidences in this matter, so that ...... Originally, I was supposed to withdraw from the investigation in accordance with the police regulations of 'party recusal', but the stakes were so high that the old leader allowed me to make an exception - but I know my own situation best, and if the truth is revealed to a certain extent, maybe I can't keep calm......"

He paused for a moment and took a deep breath: "When I was a trainee police officer, Lao Dao was my senior, I trusted him, so I also believed in his recommendation, and your performance did not disappoint me too much - so, from now on, I formally invite you to serve as a temporary advisor to the Criminal Investigation Division of the Chengnan Branch of the Jinguancheng Police Bureau, to participate in the investigation of this case, and I will do my best to let you share all the information obtained by the police." ”

"Thank you." I replied solemnly, "I formally accept the invitation of the police. ”

Cheng Cheng nodded, took out an envelope and a file bag from his arms, and he pushed the envelope in front of me first: "In the envelope is my consultation fee - I know you charge a lot of money, but I've been having trouble with it lately, I'm sorry." ”

"Team Cheng, that's too polite." I pushed the envelope back, "Regardless of the face of the old knife, this case is so tragic, I can do my part for the city's 12 million citizens, and by the way, I can help the Cheng team, which is already a blessing, where do you dare to ask for any consulting fees." ”

My fee standard is indeed very high, but in most cases, I practice "casual sponsorship" like a temple, and sometimes I don't even charge a penny, so it is not a good choice for me to dare to accept money from the chief of the criminal investigation section of the police bureau in the jurisdiction.

But Cheng Cheng didn't seem to understand my words, and he frowned and said, "Mr. Ji is too little?" ”

"That'...... I was disrespectful. I saw that Cheng Cheng's face was unhappy, so I had to put the envelope in the desk drawer.

"Three days ago, there was a burglary in my house, my wife went missing, and Xiao Zi was frightened...... At the time of the incident, she was being hospitalized. Cheng Cheng put the file bag he was holding in his other hand on my desk and pushed it in front of me, "This is part of the file of the murder that happened in my house." ”

When I came into contact with Cheng Cheng's eyes, it was just a moment, and I suddenly realized that what was sitting in front of me was not a sophisticated and capable criminal investigation captain, but a husband and father who were in extreme despair.

And his last hope is in me.

In an instant, I understood why he wanted me to take the money—he was afraid that I would think he was using his authority to force me to do things, so I might not be willing to do my best.

I began to worry a little about whether Cheng Cheng's identity and the tragic incident at his home and Shinan Hospital would really make it impossible for him to keep his cool and turn his anger on me, if I couldn't settle the commission in the end.

I really don't want to have a holiday with the head of the criminal investigation team in the area, because there are so many crimes in my commission, and many times I have to deal with the police, get permission to assist in the investigation, act as a temporary consultant, and even need police assistance.

However, it was too late to regret it, not to mention that this incident did arouse my interest, so I solemnly took the file bag, opened it and read it carefully, which was to the effect that it was as follows:

"On May 14, at about 9 o'clock in the morning, a crime occurred in the riverside villa complex in the southern suburbs of Jinguancheng City, and one person was missing.

The identity of the missing person is the wife of Cheng Cheng, the captain of the Criminal Investigation Brigade of the Chengnan Police Bureau, Li Xue, 32 years old, a housewife.

There were traces of a fight at the scene of the incident, but there were no signs of a violent break-in. A large amount of blood was found, as well as human tissue fragments and brain tissue residues, and blood samples from the scene matched the blood type of the missing person.

Li Xue's seven-year-old daughter Cheng Xiaozi was present at the time, but fortunately she was not discovered by the murderer and escaped. Cheng Xiaozi was severely mentally stimulated, showing autistic mental trauma syndrome, and refused to communicate with anyone, so she was unable to provide useful clues for the time being.

The search for additional evidence is ongoing.

Now the police suspect that they are an acquaintance, and are investigating Li Xue's interpersonal relationships and looking at the city's recent entry and exit records. ”

###

I basically agree with the reasoning on the file: this is an acquaintance who committed the crime.

And I would add that the offender most likely did not commit a premeditated crime — that is, a crime of passion.

As far as I am concerned, I am more inclined to the reasoning that Li Xue is dead, and further inferences based on this show that the criminal hastily took Li Xue's body and disposed of it.

On the other hand, judging from Cheng Xiaozi's mental trauma, it is very likely that she witnessed the entire criminal process.

I talked to Cheng Cheng about my views in a calmest tone as much as possible: first, since it was an acquaintance who committed the crime and it was a crime of passion, we should start looking for the suspect from Li Xue's social circle; Second, I bluntly stated my assertion that there was a great probability that Li Xue had died, and that the criminal took Li Xue's body and disposed of it.

Regarding my first opinion, Cheng Cheng replied: "We immediately checked the relatives and friends that my wife often contacted, but we did not get any useful information. ”

"No, no, no, this is an extremely valuable piece of information in itself." I don't agree with Cheng Cheng's words, "An acquaintance who has disappeared from the social circle, a crime of passion, maybe two pieces of information have completed a large part of the criminal puzzle." ”