Municipal Bureau, Criminal Investigation Division!
After a full day of investigation, various pieces of evidence related to the murder of Tan Yuanqiao gradually came to light.
Not only was the victim, Tan Yuanqiao, finally identified, but many leads also began to surface.
The conference room was still filled with cigarette smoke.
Wang Anguo tapped the table and said, “Everyone, share your findings!”
Zhou Daqiang from Criminal Investigation Unit 1 spoke first: “Captain Wang, this morning we interviewed colleagues from the victim’s former workplace and found that most employees don’t really believe Tan Yuanqiao absconded with the money.”
“Several of his supervisors and colleagues mentioned that although Tan Yuanqiao liked to have a drink now and then, he was not only diligent and responsible at work but also very loyal to others—it’s impossible for him to have done something like this. Plus, he and his wife had a very strong relationship; he wouldn’t have absconded with the money just for a mere few tens of thousands of yuan!”
“Not to mention, they also pointed out that the month Tan Yuanqiao went missing was one of the months with the lowest payroll this year. If you look back a few months, the factory once paid out over 50,000 yuan in wages in a single month. If he really had such malicious intent, why would he specifically target the month with the lowest payout?”
After listening to Zhou Daqiang’s words, Wang Anguo said in a low voice, “This only further proves that Tan Yuanqiao was murdered for his money, and the direction of the investigation back then was flawed!”
“Hmm.”
Next, Li Yuanqing from Criminal Investigation Unit 2 stood up and said, “Captain Wang, we’ve urgently interviewed Tan Yuanqiao’s wife and other relatives and obtained a lot of useful information! One of the leads is particularly crucial!”
“Oh? What’s the lead?”
“According to Tan Yuanqiao’s wife, her husband had many friends before the incident. They often got together to drink and socialize, and among them was indeed someone who worked at a local oil storage station. His name is Zhou Guoyong, and he is currently the station manager of the city’s Third Oil Storage Station.”
Li Yuanqing continued, “According to Tan Yuanqiao’s wife, Zhou Guoyong was her husband’s best friend. Even after her husband’s death, he has continued to support them over the years. The two families have a very close relationship—they were even planning to have their children marry.”
Wang Anguo’s eyes lit up instantly, and he asked immediately, “Have you investigated this Zhou Guoyong? Have there been any changes in his family’s life over the past ten years?”
“We have. There have been significant changes!”
“Be more specific!”
“Over a decade ago, Zhou Guoyong was just an ordinary employee at the oil storage depot. His reputation was mediocre, and he used to gamble frequently. But later, he suddenly turned over a new leaf, settled down at his job, and after more than ten years of hard work, he’s now the station manager!”
Li Yuanqing continued, “And over the past decade, Zhou Guoyong’s family has not only built a brick-and-tile house, but their lifestyle—in terms of food, clothing, and daily necessities—has also changed considerably. In short, their life has undergone a major transformation!”
Wang Anguo immediately replied, “Based on the information we currently have, Tan Yuanqiao went missing and was killed on the very day he went to the bank to withdraw money. It’s highly likely that the motive was robbery and murder. And the only person who could have known exactly when Tan Yuanqiao was going to withdraw money must have been someone he knew!”
“Secondly, judging by the victim’s remains, he was attacked from behind while completely off guard. This makes it even more likely that the perpetrator was someone he knew!”
“Finally, there’s one more point: after Tan Yuanqiao’s death, his body was stuffed into an oil drum and taken to the outskirts to be buried. The oil drum and the method of transport warrant closer examination. Carrying it by hand wouldn’t work—a vehicle would be necessary. And because of his job, Zhou Guoyong has exactly the right resources for that!”
“So, based on these factors, Zhou Guoyong is a prime suspect!”
Li Yuanqing immediately asked, “Should we arrest Zhou Guoyong right away?”
“No. First, we lack concrete evidence and can’t arrest him outright. Second, he’s currently the manager of the oil storage facility—we can’t just arrest him on a whim!” Wang Anguo said solemnly.
“Then what should we do?”
“Summon Zhou Guoyong immediately tomorrow, have him cooperate with the investigation, and then keep a close watch on him!”
“Team Leader Wang, are we just asking him to cooperate with the investigation? No coercive measures?”
“That’s right, just a summons for questioning!” Wang Anguo said.
“But won’t that tip him off?”
“Heh, that’s exactly the effect we’re going for. We have to throw him off balance so he slips up!”
Wang Anguo continued, “In addition to treating Zhou Guoyong as a prime suspect, we also need to investigate Tan Yuanqiao’s other associates to ensure we don’t miss any crucial leads!”
“Also, we need to investigate the people around Zhou Guoyong. A case this meticulously planned couldn’t possibly be carried out by just one person!”
“Yes!”
……
By this point, Li Yi had also learned about the oil drum murder case; he’d heard about it from others during dinner that evening.
Since there were quite a few workers in the vicinity when the body was discovered, Wang Anguo and his team were unable to contain the news, even if they had wanted to.
Consequently, word of the incident quickly spread throughout the city.
Moreover, after two days of brewing, the situation was showing signs of escalating.
Upon hearing the news, Li Yi was stunned.
He knew the case had been uncovered recently, but he hadn’t expected such a coincidence—it had happened on Wang Anguo’s very first day in office.
He really didn’t know if this was a good thing or a bad thing for him!
If anything, it was actually a good thing, because the case wasn’t complicated.
In his previous life, the police had meticulously pieced together the case, relying solely on the victim’s remains and other evidence to conduct a thorough investigation. They eventually identified the suspect and solved this cold case in less than a month.
And with Wang Anguo’s extensive investigative experience, coupled with my guidance, I don’t foresee any major issues.
If he could crack the case in a short time, it would indeed be a major achievement and help him establish himself at the Municipal Bureau.
But it’s also true that this situation isn’t all good. Due to the arrival of Huang Lixing and his delegation, the Regional Committee has tightened security measures in the city.
With an incident like this, the Municipal Bureau would inevitably be given a deadline to solve the case, and all they could do was put pressure on Wang Anguo’s criminal investigation team.
The question is how efficient Wang Anguo and his team are—whether they can crack the case within the stipulated timeframe.
Otherwise, even if they do eventually solve the case, it might still draw the displeasure of higher-ups.
In short, this matter is both a challenge and an opportunity for Wang Anguo.
However, Li Yi has no intention of intervening for the time being. For one thing, he believes in Wang Anguo’s capabilities; after all, Wang is not a typical “second-generation official.”
Setting aside the fact that he spent so many years in the military and is a combat hero,
The fact that he rose to the position of county criminal investigation team captain in just a few short years alone demonstrates his considerable investigative skills.
Secondly, although Li Yi was keen to align himself with someone influential, he had no desire to become Wang Anguo’s subordinate.
After all, his own journey was bound for the stars and the vast ocean, and Wang Anguo clearly couldn’t keep up with his pace.
How high Wang Anguo ultimately climbs depends entirely on his own efforts.
Li Yi didn’t want to get too involved; doing so would be detrimental to both Wang Anguo and himself, with no benefits whatsoever!
Besides, Li Yi had more important matters on his mind right now—he certainly didn’t have time to meddle in such trivial affairs!