Chapter 58: Professional

“Hello.”

Qin Qing said.

Having Criminal Talent doesn’t mean one will commit crimes (really?), at least Luo Chi’a’s current Sin Value is very low, and he has a lot of Merit.

But if he wanted to commit a crime, it would become very easy.

In short, Luo Chi’a to Qin Qing.

Is a fully loaded bomb. It might explode at any time, or it might never explode.

Qin Qing decided to be vigilant, and to stay as far away as possible.

“Miss Qin hasn’t answered my question yet.” Luo Chi’a smiled, “Am I, very scary?”

Qin Qing also smiled, very sincerely: “Indeed, I’ve heard Captain Lin mention your great name, Luo Lü, more than once.” She threw the blame to Lin Feng, “Captain Lin said you’re very popular with ladies, so I should definitely keep my distance from you. It wouldn’t be good if your admirers saw me standing too close.”

“Hahaha, Miss Qin is truly amusing.”

Amusing? She didn’t think so. She even got goosebumps. Being of interest to someone with high Criminal Talent was really not something to be happy about.

“Captain Lin, weren’t we supposed to have a meeting?”

“Yes, yes, yes.” Lin Feng, holding snacks and fruits, found an empty evidence box to put them in.

This guy really doesn’t care. Maybe that box just held a murder weapon, but he can still eat.

Qin Qing felt sick to her stomach just watching.

This meeting was about the case analysis of the current murder.

Aside from the results of the on-site investigation, the technical team added: “Later, when cleaning the scene, another half footprint was found. This is a complete photo of the two footprints.”

The Forensic Team also added: “We performed an autopsy and found no signs of poisoning. The female victim showed no signs of sexual assault. Other things… are unrelated to the case.”

“The interviews also found nothing unusual. Those who run shops on the mountain either weren’t familiar with the couple or said the couple were very good people. However, there’s some exaggeration; those who praised them were a bit over the top, possibly out of fear of police suspicion.”

Lin Feng: “Have there been any transactions in the couple’s accounts these past two days?”

“We’ve monitored them, and found nothing. All the cash in the store’s cash register was stolen, but the gold jewelry on the female victim was still there.”

Lin Feng stopped looking at the slides, turned his chair around: “That’s all the information we have for now, Old Luo, what do you think?”

Luo Chi’a: “Have the distances between the two footprints been measured?”

The technical team’s reporter flipped through their notes: “69 centimeters.”

Luo Chi’a tapped his pen: “The killer is a male, short hair, between 172-175 cm tall, wears size 42 shoes, is right-handed, works in a non-physical job, has a certain fondness for food, grew up in a family where parents were overly dominant or he was long neglected. His recent social relationships have changed, very likely he’s started dating. As for the direction of investigation, I suggest starting with the store’s regular customers, and the missing dog.”

Lin Feng quickly arranged: “Technical team, retrieve the couple’s account statements, screen for duplicate payment accounts, and investigate the consumption patterns and basic information of these consumer accounts. As for that dog… according to the interviews, it weighs dozens of pounds. To take it away, he either drove or carried it. If he carried it himself, he wouldn’t have gone far. Continue to check suspicious vehicles and individuals in the surrounding surveillance footage.”

“Okay, received.”

Lin Feng asked again: “Professor Qin, anything to add?”

To be honest, those photos made Qin Qing nauseous again. She was sitting with her back to the projection screen, and suddenly being called by name felt like being caught daydreaming in class by a teacher.

“I haven’t found anything, you all continue. My approach is different from yours. If you can find that cat, you can notify me.”

“Cat?” Luo Chi’a seemed very interested.

Luo Chi’a looked at her, and everyone present looked at her.

Qin Qing faced Luo Chi’a: “I assume you already know how I became a consultant?”

Luo Chi’a didn’t answer directly, he said: “Understanding colleagues to better cooperate with work is also part of the job.”

Qin Qing: “It’s nothing, my ability isn’t very suitable for cases with deceased victims. If that cat is still alive, maybe it was a witness and survivor of that tragic incident, and maybe I can deduce something.”

“Understood.”

Just when Qin Qing thought the topic was over, she heard him say casually.

“So, Miss Qin’s fortune-teller ability can trace back the facts experienced by a certain living entity?”

His tone wasn’t even a question, it was very certain.

Qin Qing’s hand, placed under the table, instantly clenched.

This person was too sensitive.

No one had ever truly revealed the specific nature of the abilities she displayed under her “charlatan” identity.

Luo Chi’a was the first.

She said: “Fortune-telling, you know, you can always figure out important time nodes for the other party.”

“Ah, I see. When I’m not busy, I really want Miss Qin to tell my fortune too, to experience the magical ability of a fortune-teller.”

“Luo Lü’s fortune doesn’t need to be told, anyone can see that you have a good life.”

“Oh, really? You think so too?”

Lin Feng knocked on the table.

“Why are you two chatting? Should I get you two some tea and a plate of melon seeds?”

Both of them fell silent.

Qin Qing was new, so she had to give face to the captain.

But looking at Luo Chi’a, there wasn’t even a hint of emotional fluctuation.

Unable to resist, Qin Qing still opened his System Panel and took another look.

Lin Feng was actually in his Relationship Map.

True friends?

The meeting discussed for a long time, and Qin Qing felt drowsy. She had wanted to leave a long time ago; staying there wouldn’t help much.

What made her persist was the desire to understand more about the real criminal investigation methods of the police up close.

But she also tried to minimize her presence, listening and observing more, and speaking less.

The cafeteria was already closed, and the overtime supper was ordered bento boxes.

The tired officers, who had been working for half the night, swarmed to the insulated boxes to get their food.

Lin Feng came back, carrying three portions.

Besides his own, there were also ones for the two consultants.

The bento box’s dishes and rice were packed separately.

Qin Qing opened hers; the round, pearly rice was glistening. The dishes were stir-fried Shanghai bok choy and shredded potatoes.

Lin Feng: “I checked, not much oil.”

Qin Qing poked it with her chopsticks; it indeed looked like it was boiled in plain water, but looking at the bottom of the dish box, there were obvious oil slicks in the sauce.

She pushed the dish box further away.

Lin Feng was speechless: “This isn’t good either? Then you’ll just have to eat plain white rice.”

Qin Qing was on the verge of tears, but remained strong verbally.

“It’s fine, just gotta live.”

Then she heard a laugh,

It was Luo Chi’a, sitting next to her.

“Can’t stand the bloody stuff, huh? I have a little trick.”

Qin Qing didn’t expect much: “Don’t tell me it’s ‘being hungry’ again?”

Luo Chi’a glanced at Lin Feng, who was shoveling down his food: “That definitely sounds like his idea.”

Qin Qing had some hope: “Not that?”

“Of course not.” Luo Chi’a opened his bento box and carefully wiped his disposable chopsticks with a wet wipe. “My method is to drink alcohol. Drink a little before bed, and get a good night’s sleep. Your appetite will come back to you the next day.”

Qin Qing was half-believing, half-doubting.

She saw that Luo Chi’a’s bento box also contained the same two vegetarian dishes as hers.

“You’re a vegetarian?”

“No.” Luo Chi’a denied, “I just don’t like eating meat dishes made by others. If I cook it myself, I’m very happy to supplement more protein.”

Lin Feng, on the side, added: “He’s just finicky. Not only does he not eat meat dishes outside, but even for vegetarian dishes, they have to be varieties where you can see the raw ingredients and they haven’t been overcooked. He doesn’t even eat dumplings or pancakes, because he doesn’t know what’s inside. In short, he’s very difficult to please, and only I am willing to indulge him.”

Xiao Song said: “No way, Master, last year, people from the neighboring city invited Luo Lü to help, and Luo Lü refused, saying he might not be used to the food. I remember their Bureau Chief personally called and said they were willing to have the cafeteria chef cook special meals for him every day, according to Luo Lü’s preferences.”

“You know too much!” Lin Feng picked up a duck leg he had bitten into from his bowl and gave it to his apprentice, “Eat, eat, eat. I’ll cook a special meal for you too, Master.”

“…”

The nonsensical daily life at the Police Station.

Qin Qing turned her head and found Luo Chi’a still looking at her.

Her hairs stood on end.

“Well, you know, you could actually eat pizza. The toppings are all on top, you can see them.”

Luo Chi’a finally finished wiping his chopsticks and slowly began to enjoy his late-night meal.

“Hmm… that’s a good idea.”

Qin Qing held her bowl and seized the opportunity to go find the female police officer in jeans at the other end of the table.

She now knew that the other person was the core backbone of the technical team, Zhao Zhao.

A strangely cute name.

When called normally, it sounded like a nickname.

It subtly brought people closer.

Qin Qing felt that this girl’s parents had a knack for naming.

“Zhao Zhao, I see you always make your own coffee. Do you have any sugar? I want to mix it with my rice.”

“No sugar, but I have honey. I’ll get it for you.”

Qin Qing then stayed with Zhao Zhao.

This girl was also quite curious about her, quietly whispering and discussing the possibility of telling fortunes for cats with her.

That night, the people at the police station stayed to continue working overtime; it seemed they would be working through the night.

It was said that this incident had already spread online, and many rumors had expanded from it. The higher-ups had given a deadline for solving the case, hoping to close it soon to prevent the rumors from escalating.

Qin Qing returned home, opened the refrigerator to get water, and saw several bottles of fruit wine inside.

Those were given to her by her neighbor when she first moved in.

After looking for a while, she closed the refrigerator door.

She didn’t take the wine.

Who knew what Luo Chi’a’s intentions were.

Just now in the meeting room, she didn’t dare to openly take out her notebook.

Luo Chi’a was too sensitive, and his attention to her was a bit too high.

She wouldn’t stare directly at him either.

But from the initial information she browsed, this person was contradictory.

Not to mention that his Criminal Talent and Sin Value were inversely proportional in his basic information.

He was the result of his parents’ early romance, but the two elders who tasted the forbidden fruit neither wanted nor were able to take responsibility for him.

Before he was sent away, he was adopted and raised by his divorced aunt.

His aunt never remarried afterward.

He had a very good relationship with his aunt; in the few Character Relationship Maps, his aunt was the one at the very top.

The second one was Lin Feng.

He had his tender side, and also… his extremely cold and crazy side.

The first major he studied was law, not for the purpose of upholding justice, but to… thoroughly understand it, and then make his actions more comfortable within the boundaries, and also to find the ultimate goal of his actions.

The second major he studied was Forensic Medicine, a single word difference, but a world of difference.

Forensic Medicine, for him, was a kind of satisfaction. It was a way he found within the bounds of the law to satisfy a certain desire in his body.

The third major was Criminal Psychology, which was even more ridiculous. He completed this course with excellent grades, just to have a better theoretical reason to explain why he understood the criminal mind so well.