Chapter 9

Tsim Sha Tsui Police Station.

CID Investigation Department Hall.

The entire CID department, except for the team leader Man Kin-yin, who had his own private office, all other CID officers worked in the investigation hall. Some newly arrived CID officers didn't even have a fixed desk and just sat on benches to help with data entry and other tasks.

Li Er, due to Man Kin-yin's special attention, had his own small desk as soon as he reported to the CID department, right next to Li Xianying's desk.

"Li Er, you and Ah B, go to Yangping Lower Village immediately, there's been a murder," Man Kin-yin rushed out of his office, urgently commanding Li Er and Li Xianying.

"Sir Man, do you know who the victim is?" Li Xianying asked.

Man Kin-yin said irritably, "Who do I ask if you ask me? I only have this much information. You two get there as fast as possible, I and the others will be right behind you. Remember, try to stop those reporters."

"Understood!" Li Er could guess the reason for Man Kin-yin's anxiety. Man Kin-yin had just been praised by the senior management at a press conference two days ago, and a promotion was imminent. A murder at this critical moment could bring uncertainty to his promotion.

"Let's go, get in the car!" Li Xianying had an old, beat-up car. Li Er had ridden in it a few times and felt that the suspension could shake the crap out of a person.

Li Er didn't have a car, and even if he did, he wouldn't drive it. Li Er's driver's license from his previous life was for a left-hand drive car, but here, the driver's seat was on the right. If Li Er really wanted to drive, he would need a long time to adapt.

Li Xianying drove very fast, and Li Er's face was pale.

"Damn, you almost shook out my last night's dinner," Li Er cursed as soon as he got out of the car. Li Xianying's old, beat-up car didn't even have an air conditioner, and the fan was broken. Li Er felt dizzy and swore he would never ride in Li Xianying's car again.

Li Er and Li Xianying were clearly a step too late. The crime scene had already been cordoned off by uniformed police, and many reporters were on tiptoe, trying to take more photos for their news. Man Kin-yin's wish to minimize the impact was likely to be in vain.

"This area has been cordoned off," a uniformed police officer said, stopping Li Er and Li Xianying.

"We're colleagues, we're from CID," Li Er and Li Xianying showed their police IDs.

The victim's body was found in the sewage channel. The fire department, to avoid disturbing the scene, did not lift the body out.

Li Xianying was very responsible. He didn't mind the stench of the sewage channel and jumped down into it immediately. Li Er had no choice but to hold his nose and follow.

"Brother Dao!" Li Xianying said, looking at the victim in shock.

Li Er also recognized the person who died in the sewage channel—it was Li Xianying's informant, Brother Dao.

Brother Dao had probably died not long ago. The body hadn't started to decompose, but it had swollen from the sewage water, with eyes bulging out, making it look very terrifying.

Li Er was scared white by Brother Dao's body, instinctively stepping back two steps, his heart pounding. This couldn't be blamed on Li Er. In his previous life, he had lived in a peaceful era and had never seen a real dead body, so it was natural for him to be scared.

"Ah B, let's go up!"

Before Li Er finished speaking, Li Xianying had already unbuttoned Brother Dao's coat. This was actually very irregular. Examining the body was the job of the forensics team, and ordinary police officers, lacking the necessary expertise, could easily disrupt the scene.

However, to find clues quickly, they couldn't wait for the forensics team. Those rigid and slow forensics people often took a week to provide a formal written report, by which time the murderer would be long gone.

When Li Xianying unbuttoned Brother Dao's shirt, he saw multiple physical trauma marks, clearly new injuries.

"Li Er, help me look outside!" Li Xianying turned to see Li Er's pale face and pointed to the top of the sewage channel.

"Ah, Li Er was acting very cowardly. He was so scared that his legs were weak, and he couldn't climb up the sewage channel, which was more than a person's height, even after several attempts.

"Li Er." Li Xianying said sternly, "We are police officers, we act with integrity and honesty. What are you afraid of?"

"Help me up!" Li Er glanced at Li Xianying. Li Xianying acted with a clear conscience, but Li Er wasn't so sure.

Li Er stepped on Li Xianying's hands for leverage, jumped up the sewage channel, and quickly gave Li Xianying a hand signal.

"No one, move quickly!"

Li Xianying picked up a plastic bag to cover his hand, then pressed it on Brother Dao's chest. He soon felt that several of Brother Dao's ribs were broken, which might have been the fatal injury.

Li Xianying looked up and checked the walls around the sewage channel, finding no signs of a struggle. The sewage channel was so foul-smelling that no one would jump down here to kill someone. Brother Dao was likely murdered elsewhere and then dumped here, so this wasn't the first crime scene.

"What did you find? Any clues?" Li Er asked after pulling Li Xianying up.

Li Xianying shook his head.

"I've known Brother Dao since we were kids, we grew up in the same housing estate. He was very much a survivor and would never commit suicide," Li Xianying said solemnly.

Li Er nodded. If it wasn't suicide, it had to be murder.

At this moment, Man Kin-yin and other CID officers arrived, looking grim.

"Sir Man, the reporters were already here when we arrived," Li Er explained quickly.

Man Kin-yin nodded silently, realizing he had given them the information too late.

"Did you find anything?" Man Kin-yin stood above the sewage channel, looked at Brother Dao's body, and turned to Li Xianying, who he trusted in solving cases.

"The victim was a drug addict. I knew him; he often worked as my informant, but he usually moved around in Yangping Upper Village," Li Xianying said.

Man Kin-yin's eyes flashed. "Could he have overdosed or fallen into the sewage channel while high? These drug addicts, their deaths are a blessing to society," he asked.

"Sir Man, the sewage channel cover was closed when we arrived," Li Xianying shot Man Kin-yin a disdainful look. It was simple logic: Brother Dao couldn't have opened the cover, fallen in, and then closed it again.

"You—!" Man Kin-yin angrily pointed at Li Xianying.

"Sir Man, this case has already attracted the attention of the reporters. We mustn't be careless," Li Er whispered.

Man Kin-yin was startled and immediately understood.

"Right, right, right. Li Er, you're right. We must investigate this case thoroughly," Man Kin-yin looked at Li Er gratefully and turned to a police officer behind him, shouting, "Da Fan, hurry and call the forensics team."

"Li Er, what do you think about this case?" Man Kin-yin asked Li Er, somewhat expectantly.

"Uh—!" Li Er rubbed his nose. Although he hadn't been a police officer, he had seen plenty of movies and detective shows.

Li Er said seriously, "Perhaps we can investigate if the victim had any enemies or recent conflicts."

Man Kin-yin shook his head in disappointment. Anyone could say such a standard answer.

Li Xianying, however, nodded. While this standard method wasn't innovative, it was very practical. Ninety percent of murder cases were due to grudges, but for someone like Brother Dao, a two-faced drug addict, there were too many potential enemies.

"Ah B, round up all the gangsters in Lower Village. I want all the gang leaders to explain themselves," Man Kin-yin's method was brutal.

Li Xianying loudly objected, "What? Are you kidding? There are eleven housing estates in Lower Village, with at least eight hundred gangsters. I can only get the leaders of each gang."

No wonder Li Xianying hadn't been promoted in three years. With dozens of CID officers present, he still dared to challenge Man Kin-yin, giving him no face. No matter how magnanimous Man Kin-yin was, he couldn't help but have thoughts.

Man Kin-yin needed Li Xianying for this case, so despite his anger, he could only turn his head and huff, "Then what do you suggest?"

Li Xianying didn't have a better plan.

Li Er suddenly pointed to the sewage channel, "Ah B, doesn't the water in this sewage channel come from Upper Village?"

Li Xianying's eyes lit up.

"Li Er, you stay here, I'll follow the sewage upstream!" Li Xianying said, already jumping back into the sewage channel.

Man Kin-yin also realized that Brother Dao's body might have been washed downstream by the sewage.

Man Kin-yin called two more officers to jump into the sewage channel and search upstream with Li Xianying, hoping to find the first crime scene.

'Li Er, this young man is quite sharp,' Man Kin-yin thought, looking at Li Er's back.

...

Li Er followed the sewage channel upstream, walking for about four to five hundred meters, sweating profusely. Finally, he saw a sewage manhole cover that wasn't fully closed. Under the scorching sun, Li Er searched around the manhole cover and found some bloodstains. He quickly crouched down and shouted to Li Xianying in the sewage channel.

"Stop! Ah B, stop!"

"What is it?" Li Xianying shouted from the sewage channel.

Li Er, who was searching outside, was only exposed to the sun, while Li Xianying and the others were in the foul-smelling sewage channel, which was much worse.

"There's something! Wait a moment!" Li Er took off his jacket, wrapped it around the manhole cover, and moved it aside, then reached out to pull Li Xianying and the others up.

"Look quickly, this might be where the body was dumped!"

The murderer was clearly not very meticulous. After climbing up, Li Xianying found a lot of struggle marks around the manhole cover.

"This is likely the first crime scene. Notify Sir Man and cordon off this area," Li Xianying said, giving Li Er a thumbs up.

Li Er smiled. It seemed being a police officer wasn't so easy. He needed to read more case files in the police station when he had time, since it wouldn't hurt to do so.