121: Open conflict

“Officer Gao, you should have already figured it out.”

“Although the middle-aged man in the video is wearing a mask and a hat, he can still be recognized as Chen Zhending!”

“The pair of brown patterned leather shoes on his feet are clearly visible under the surveillance!”

Han Minghan and the Jinghai District Criminal Police looked at the images on the surveillance video, each revealing a relaxed smile.

“And look at the large travel case he’s pushing; what’s inside it?”

“That case should have no problem fitting Yu Meichan’s body.

Furthermore, at 00:45 AM, almost no one would be leaving the community at that time. Chen Zhending choosing to leave with a travel case at that moment clearly indicates his intention to dispose of the body!”

Gao Ze nodded. Han Minghan’s deduction was logical and made a lot of sense.

“It seems Officer Gao agrees with my judgment. How about we go to Chen Zhending’s company now?”

Han Minghan said to Gao Ze, “I searched Chen Zhending’s name online, and there are traces on the internet. The entry shows that Chen Zhending is the chairman of Donghai City Hengli Company, with a net worth of three to four billion yuan. He’s a wealthy man!”

A wealthy man with a net worth of three to four billion yuan.

Clearly, his wealth and influence are far greater than Qin Wenyi’s, and he could offer much more.

However, Gao Ze refused, saying, “I still want to examine the crime scene, and I also want a backup of the surveillance video from that day!”

“Why, Officer Gao, do you doubt my judgment?”

After the prime suspect appeared, Gao Ze did not choose to investigate Chen Zhending with him and still wanted a backup of the surveillance video, which Han Minghan found difficult to understand.

“Of course not!”

Gao Ze shook his head and said directly, “Chen Zhending is the prime suspect in Yu Meichan’s death, and I agree with that, but I also have my own judgment!”

“Without aOn-site inspection and without enough clues, I won’t easily conclude that Chen Zhending is the murderer!”

In an instant.

Lu Ling and the Jinghai District Criminal Police all widened their eyes in surprise.

Disagreement is normal, but Gao Ze dared to openly refute Han Minghan, the Captain of the Criminal Police Brigade, leading to a direct confrontation.

In the officialdom of Xia Country, the top leader holds absolute authority. Although Han Minghan cannot be called the top leader of the Jinghai District police force, his position is not far from it. In terms of rank, his position is higher than Gao Ze’s.

“Officer Gao, you…”

Han Minghan’s face showed anger, but he knew he had no right to be angry with Gao Ze.

In terms of rank and position, he was superior to Gao Ze, but Gao Ze was from the Shanghai Public Security Bureau, and he had no authority to command or transfer him.

Moreover, given the importance Gao Ze held in the eyes of the Municipal Bureau leaders, and his numerous achievements and merits, Han Police Officer had to speak to him as an equal, without putting on airs of a superior.

Furthermore, Gao Ze had helped him by resolving the Xingsheng Bank robbery incident. His criminal investigation capabilities had not yet been verified in Donghai City, while Gao Ze’s reputation in criminal investigation was much greater than his.

“Alright then, Officer Gao, we’ll investigate separately!”

Han Minghan took a deep breath, suppressing the emotions that welled up in his heart.

It was normal for a police officer like Gao Ze, who had achieved so many merits and honors at such a young age, to have his own opinions and pride.

As long as he solved Yu Meichan’s death case, Gao Ze would naturally be convinced.

“However, I still need to remind Officer Gao, this house has been thoroughly examined and searched by me and my Jinghai District colleagues. Besides the broken wine bottle glass shards and dried bloodstains, there are no other valuable clues!”

Han Minghan led most of the criminal police away, stopping at the doorway and turning his back to say:

“Officer Gao, at such a young age, you have achieved many accomplishments and are indeed more outstanding than many criminal police officers I have seen. However, there are always people better than you, and there is always something higher than you. You should always encourage and reflect on yourself, and not be impetuous because of your youth!”

“You helped me in the Xingsheng Bank robbery incident, and I remember that favor. After I solve the Yu Meichan case, when I submit the report to the Municipal Bureau, I will record Officer Gao’s merit!”

With that, Han Minghan left with the criminal police.

“Officer Gao, the direct conflict between you two just now really scared me.”

Lu Ling felt the still tense and solidified atmosphere in the air, stuck out her tongue, and asked with lingering fear, “You don’t agree with Captain Han’s deduction?”

“Han Police Officer’s reasoning is logical and has no issues, but I have my own judgment and investigation methods!”

Gao Ze only agreed in part, having other doubts in his mind, and vaguely felt that the Yu Meichan case was not that simple.

That’s why he proposed the need for detailed evidence collection and on-site investigation.

“Officer Gao, Captain Han’s rank and position are higher than yours, and he seemed angry. Aren’t you worried?”

Witnessing the anger and confrontation between leaders, Lu Ling’s face was full of curiosity as she looked at Gao Ze’s calm expression and asked, “You don’t even seem angry. Why is that?”

“As a doctor, being so gossipy and curious, do you enjoy seeing conflicts and arguments between leaders?”

Gao Ze smiled slightly. He was indeed not worried, nor was he angry.

His rank and police grade were indeed two levels lower than Han Minghan’s, but having solved the serial murder case of young girls, the sensational Xingsheng Bank robbery, and other cases, his rank should be promoted and would not be much weaker than Han Minghan’s.

He would know what kind of promotion he received after the commendation ceremony two days later.

Moreover, he could understand Han Minghan’s anger.

As a leader, being unable to deter and manage subordinates, and even having subordinates express different opinions, meant that his own authority was challenged. If it were Gao Ze, he would also be angry.

Furthermore, if there was no anger or action at all, other subordinates might follow suit, thinking he was weak and easily bullied, or ineffective in governance.

However, understanding is one thing; he still had to express his stance.

He simply did not believe that Han Minghan’s investigative direction could find the killer faster.

“Yes, yes, yes!”

Lu Ling nodded repeatedly like a pecking chick, her eyes filled with intense curiosity: “Officer Gao, can you tell me!”

“A doctor should care about the medical profession. Why I’m not afraid of Captain Han, you’ll find out online then!”

Anyway, director Chen Si and netizens would dig it out, so Gao Ze didn’t explain more and walked into the living room to continue examining the crime scene.

However, just as Han Minghan said.

At the crime scene of Yu Meichan’s death, besides the broken wine bottle glass shards and bloodstains, there were very few valuable clues.

Many things in the living room had been intentionally cleaned up.

Gao Ze had already checked the kitchen and bedroom, but found no clues.

“At the victim’s crime scene, there can’t be only these clues. Yu Meichan should have been killed in the living room!”

“The red wine glass bottle and bloodstains can all prove it!”

Gao Ze closed his eyes, using deductive reasoning to put himself in the perspectives of the killer and the victim.

“If Chen Zhending was the killer, the two should have been drinking, and one of them picked up the wine bottle to strike the other on the head.”

“Yu Meichan’s fractured left rear skull, this area should be where Chen Zhending picked up the red wine from the table and angrily smashed it forcefully at Yu Meichan, leading to Yu Meichan’s death!”

Images flashed through Gao Ze’s mind, and he paced step by step on the living room floor.

Then he suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze fixed on the European cashmere rug under the living room table.

There were dried crimson bloodstains on that rug, and also some pinkish stains, causing the upright cashmere fibers to knot.

“This pink color is different from the dark red of dried blood. This should be red wine spilled from the bursting wine bottle.”

Gao Ze bent down, took a clump of pink-stained cashmere, and brought it to his nose, smelling a faint, unique phenolic fragrance of red wine.

“Is it just red wine?”

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