The Forensic Doctor Better Than a Detective

”However, the suspect in this case is indeed quite seasoned and has strong counter-investigation skills. Without crucial trace evidence to support, it may be hard to get him to confess truthfully, which will affect the integrity of the entire evidence chain.”

Finally, Li Jian asked, ”From the current investigation situation, how confident are you that he is the suspect?”

Jiang An pondered for a moment, then answered firmly, ”Very confident.”

”Although we don’t have direct evidence for now, multiple indirect evidences point to him, coupled with his abnormal behavior after the crime and his inability to reasonably explain his activity trajectory. I believe that as the investigation deepens, we will definitely find conclusive evidence.”

After a long pause, Li Jian said solemnly, ”I think approaching from this angle is reasonable.”

”According to normal criminal investigation logic, currently we are almost one hundred percent sure that he can be identified as the suspect.”

”But the key issue we face now is how to further gather more conclusive criminal evidence, thereby laying a solid foundation for the subsequent litigation process.”

”Just go investigate, and make sure to be meticulous and thorough.”

”If there is any new development, you must report it to me first.”

”As for communicating with the superiors, I will handle it personally, so you don’t need to be distracted.”

After saying these words, he hung up the phone.

However, soon after, Zhang Yean hurriedly returned to the office with the field investigation box.

As soon as he entered, he said urgently, ”Mr. Jiang, there’s a major discovery!”

”Oh? What discovery?”

Zhang Yean deftly handed over a transparent evidence bag, which shook lightly in her hand.

Jiang An’s gaze was immediately drawn to the item inside the bag — it was a crystal-clear shell-like object, its surface shimmering with wet light.

Strangely, its structure exhibited geometric patterns similar to ice crystals, refracting broken rainbows under the light.

”This is no ordinary shell.”

Jiang An’s partner leaned closer, lightly pointed at the surface of the bag with his fingertip, ”We initially judged that this special structure formed after being soaked underwater for a long time.”

He swiped his tablet to pull up the evidence photo: ”The location found is very hidden — the gap in the protection net under the driver’s seat. If not for the examiner’s extra caution, it would have been almost overlooked.”

”What’s even more intriguing is this: several dark stains on the car carpet faintly appeared between the fibers.”

”After comparing with the yellow soil samples collected at the scene, it was confirmed that this is not the soil from the crime scene.”

He enlarged the spectral analysis chart, ”The soil at the scene is typical yellow soil, but this is glossy black sludge.”

Jiang An suddenly tapped the evidence bag with tweezers, producing a crisp sound from the shell.

Then, looking at another evidence bag, he said, ”If it’s proven that the sludge came from the bottom of a water body, combined with this special shell that requires long-term soaking to form...”

”You can piece together the key evidence chain!”

Zhang Yean excitedly chiming in, ”This is enough to overturn the suspect’s claim of ’just fishing by the shore.’ Normal people who fish might get shore soil on them but could never bring back sludge unique to the water body depth or shells needing long-term soaking!”

She suddenly grabbed Jiang An’s arm, ”Mr. Jiang, I came up with a more clever entry point! Since these traces can remain inside the car, his shoes worn during the crime—”

Before she finished speaking, Jiang An already nodded understandingly.

”The shoes may not be completely dry yet.”

Jiang An hurried to the whiteboard to draw a quick diagram, ”Especially the shoe sole patterns, this mineral sludge is very sticky, and even with water washing traces are hard to avoid. As long as we find shoes with mud stains...”

Zhang Yean suddenly slammed the table, ”This is solid evidence!”

”Why would anyone keep water-soaked muddy shoes?”

”Even if he tries to argue in court about ’forgetting to throw it away,’ the judge will just laugh it off!”

While speaking, she grabbed the radio, ”Li, bring the evidence box and follow me! Focus on checking his home’s shoe cabinet, balcony, these easily overlooked corners—”

Jiang An added, ”Pay attention to whether the shoe sole pattern matches the carpet indentations in the car.”

”If we can also extract water body microorganisms from it... then it’s triple-ensured.”

Before the voice fell, Zhang Yean already dashed out of the office with the examiners.

The evidence bag gently rotated between Jiang An’s fingers, the icy crystal shell shimmered with eerie brilliance under the light, like silent testimony.

Thirty minutes later, Qin Feng led three criminal investigation officers back to the criminal investigation team.

Jiang An saw them coming from afar and immediately greeted them.

Upon seeing Jiang An, Qin Feng’s first sentence carried an affirmative tone, ”Mr. Jiang, your previous speculation is very feasible.”

”We visited an elderly couple in the nearby village, and according to their recollection, that vehicle indeed stopped there for a long time.”

He continued explaining in detail, ”The elderly said, the vehicle was parked there from four in the afternoon almost without moving, and there was never anyone around.”

”This information should be quite reliable — because it was dark at night and the old man almost crashed into the car’s front with his electric scooter, so the impression was particularly deep.”

”As you know, if there is a scratch on the car, compensating for it will be trouble.”

Hearing this, a glimmer of excitement flashed in Jiang An’s eyes.

If it’s possible to prove that the involved vehicle had been parked at a location for a long time, rather than as the person claimed for ”fishing,” it would substantially expose the loophole in his alibi, thereby revealing his potentially malicious intent.

At this crucial moment, the phone in Jiang An’s pocket suddenly vibrated.

He pulled out his phone and saw the incoming call from Wan.

At this moment, Wan was standing at the hotel entrance opposite the suspect Li’s house.

At the other end of the call, Wan’s voice was slightly urgent, ”Mr. Jiang, we have an important discovery here to report to you.”

He paused, then continued, ”We asked the hotel’s staff and obtained a clue.”

”On the night before the crime, two deceased individuals were seen with another man entering this restaurant.”

Jiang An immediately followed up, ”What did they go in for?”

”According to the staff’s recollection, the male deceased was already extremely drunk at the time, almost unconscious, while the female deceased and another man ordered dishes. They appeared very familiar during the meal, with the drunk man slumped over the table, while the other two ate and chatted for quite a long time.”

Jiang An immediately became alert, asking seriously, ”Can the identity of the accompanying man be confirmed?”

”Is there any video footage?”

Wan’s voice carried a sense of certainty, ”We retrieved the hotel’s surveillance; although they sat towards the inside, the footage still captured the man’s full face — it’s Li Xiang, who is now in our interrogation room.”

”Can you confirm?” Jiang An asked for confirmation again.

”Confirmed, although the angle is a bit skewed, the facial features are clearly discernible.”

”Great, bring the video backup back immediately.”

”This footage is very crucial for our upcoming interrogation, it can prove Li Xiang’s contact with the two deceased on the night before the crime.”

Jiang An’s speech sped up, ”Can you confirm the specific time?”

”They entered the restaurant around six in the evening and left around eight-thirty.”

Upon hearing this timeline, Jiang An felt an overwhelming relief—if Li was with the deceased from six to eight-thirty on the night before the crime, then his claim of ”going fishing outside” becomes even more untenable.

This time evidence will undoubtedly become a powerful tool to break through his lies.

After hanging up the phone, Jiang An could hardly contain his excitement.

The vehicle’s parking time, villagers’ testimony, and the shared meal footage from the hotel surveillance—these three pieces of evidence corroborate each other, forming a complete evidence chain.

He took a deep breath, eyes filled with determination.

Next is the time to launch the final assault on Li Xiang.