Chapter 140: Could It Really Be This?

After returning to the station, Song Changfeng pulled out the case files again and began reading them word for word. Once he finished, he went through some of the crime scene photos and noticed that in nearly all the burglarized homes, the windows had been left open. However, since these apartments were on high floors with no nearby structures or supports, the possibility of someone entering through the windows had been ruled out early on.

But if high-tech methods were used to commit the crimes, then the windows would definitely be the entry and exit points. Song Changfeng headed to the Technical Department and requested access to all the outdoor surveillance footage from Mingyang Community.

The staff at the Technical Department had no reason to refuse. Although Song Changfeng had only been there a few months, his abilities were beyond question. The higher-ups had already given instructions that as long as he wasn’t requesting access to classified documents, he could view whatever he needed.

Song Changfeng nodded in thanks, then sat down at a computer, eyes locked on the screen as he began watching the surveillance footage at four times the normal speed.

Meanwhile, Aofeng lay in his kennel, his face full of confusion. He was trying to figure out what exactly had caused that strange smell he’d picked up at Grandpa Liu’s house earlier. That slightly damp, fishy scent—it felt so familiar.

Back when he lived in the countryside, whenever the chickens got caught in the rain, their feathers would get soaked and stick to their bodies as they slowly dried out. The smell they gave off then was exactly that kind of hot, damp stench.

Could it be that the thief who broke into Grandpa Liu’s home was some kind of bird? But on such a high floor, chickens, ducks, and geese couldn’t possibly get up there. The only plausible explanation was some species of bird. That bird had stayed in Grandpa Liu’s living room for quite a while—Aofeng had caught its scent in multiple spots. Aside from that, there were no other unfamiliar scents in the apartment besides the owner and his pet.

But… do birds steal things?

He knew that some birds had a habit of collecting objects. They liked shiny things or anything they found interesting. If they could carry it in their beaks, they’d take it back to their nests and stash it away. But what had been stolen from Grandpa Liu’s home was a fifty-yuan bill. Would a bird really be interested in that?

Even if, just hypothetically, this bird had a special liking for paper currency, the items stolen from the other homes were all over the place. Could one bird really have such a wide range of interests? And besides, would a bird know how to avoid surveillance cameras while stealing? Or maybe this particular case should be looked at separately from the others—could it have just been a one-off incident?

The more Aofeng thought about it, the more frustrated he became. He rolled around on the floor a few times, then grabbed the bone-shaped pillow next to his bed and began biting and thrashing it wildly. After a while, he finally calmed down a bit. Forget it. He was a police dog now. His job was to assist in solving cases. He’d leave the complicated thinking to Song Changfeng. If he kept going like this, he might actually grow a human brain.

The much-anticipated Song Changfeng didn’t move from his seat in the corner of the Technical Department all day. Even lunch and dinner were just instant noodles tossed to him by his colleagues. He kept watching until around ten at night before finally finishing all the outdoor surveillance footage.

After sitting still for so long and straining both his brain and eyes, even someone as physically fit as Song Changfeng felt a little unsteady on his feet. But in stark contrast to his tired body was the excitement in his eyes. Clearly, he had discovered something in the footage.

The next day, Captain Lei called another meeting and asked everyone to report their findings from the previous day. One by one, the team members took turns presenting their notes. Song Changfeng listened attentively, occasionally jotting things down. Once everyone else had finished, Lei Liming finally called his name.

When Song Changfeng took the stage, he first talked about the incident at the community the previous morning, when another report came in while he was still investigating. He emphasized the open window in Grandpa Liu’s home and Aofeng’s strange behavior when he caught that scent. He also mentioned how watching kids play with paper airplanes downstairs had given him an idea.

“…At first, I thought the culprit behind this serial theft case was using advanced technology to commit the crimes, like a drone. If you attach two mechanical arms to a drone and use remote control, it could steal things without anyone noticing,” Song Changfeng explained.

Lei Liming nodded and asked, “That theory makes sense, but you said ‘at first.’ Does that mean you’ve changed your mind?”

Song Changfeng gave a quiet “Mm” and looked around the room. “Yes, I no longer think a drone was used to commit the crimes. Yesterday, I reviewed all the recent outdoor surveillance footage from Mingyang Community. There was only one instance of a drone being tested in the area, and even then, its engine seemed faulty. It crashed less than ten minutes after takeoff. If a thief had used a drone, the surveillance cameras would definitely have caught it, and the others reviewing the footage would’ve noticed something by now.”

The others all nodded. If drones had really been appearing frequently in the neighborhood, it would definitely have drawn their attention.

“Go on,” Lei Liming prompted. “You were at it for quite a while yesterday. I doubt you ruled out only one possibility?”

Song Changfeng smiled slightly and said, “You’re right. While reviewing the surveillance footage yesterday, I kept circling around one question: What is the true motive behind this serial theft case? And how exactly did the suspect manage to avoid every household with surveillance cameras? In these cases, who is actually benefiting?”

“As for the first question, most people assume the suspect is some kind of high-IQ criminal, stealing purely for the thrill or to provoke us. But I disagree. High-IQ criminals often have a cat-and-mouse mentality. They might deliberately leave behind clues, leading investigators down the wrong path. Sometimes, they even approach the police themselves, just to enjoy watching us struggle with the puzzle they’ve created.”

Song Changfeng analyzed several high-IQ criminal cases he had studied before. Through comparison, he found clear differences between those and the current case.

“Now, the second question: how did he avoid detection? With our preconceived notions, we assumed the suspect must have had a computer capable of hacking into the neighborhood’s network, or some other high-tech device that could identify which homes had surveillance. But with such a wide area, any intrusion would have left traces. I consulted with a colleague from the Technical Department, and he confirmed there were no signs of the network being breached. Also, I’m sure you all reviewed the hallway surveillance. In the days leading up to the thefts, no one came by to scout the area. That rules out the second possibility.”

“But if it’s not a high-IQ crime, then how do you explain the fact that every household targeted had no surveillance equipment? If we chalk it up to coincidence, doesn’t that feel a bit flimsy?” someone objected.

“It’s not a coincidence,” Song Changfeng said firmly.

“Then how did he do it?” someone else asked, clearly puzzled.

“It’s actually very simple,” Song Changfeng replied. “To find out whether a home has surveillance, all you need to do is ask.”

Everyone looked at each other, unsure whether Song Changfeng was being serious or just messing with them. Just ask? That simple?

“I don’t think it’s that easy,” a police officer said, shaking his head. “If someone asked me whether I had cameras at home, I’d definitely be on alert. And if my house got robbed afterward, I’d immediately connect the dots. But we’ve visited so many households, and not a single one mentioned anything like that.” He clearly thought Song Changfeng’s theory didn’t hold water.

Song Changfeng didn’t look the least bit annoyed by the skepticism. Instead, he said, “That brings us to the third question: in this serial theft case, who is actually benefiting?”

“What do you mean?” The room buzzed with discussion. Some thought Song Changfeng was just stating the obvious. Isn’t the thief the one benefiting? Who else could it be? But others fell silent, following his line of thought, starting to get a vague sense of something deeper.

“I remember a few years ago, there was a major traffic accident on the west side of town. A chain collision involving over a dozen vehicles, with dozens of casualties. Does anyone remember that?” Song Changfeng asked.

The sudden shift in topic left everyone stunned. What did that have to do with what they were discussing?

“Of course I remember. The May 27th major traffic accident, right? That case caused a nationwide stir. I was still with the traffic bureau back then. That year nearly killed me,” one officer said.

Song Changfeng turned to him. “Do you remember what caused the accident?”

“Of course,” the man replied without hesitation. “It was a repair shop beneath that stretch of road. To drum up business, they deliberately scattered nails on the road. I remember the shop owner was executed not long after the incident. So many innocent lives lost, all because of his selfish greed…”

He continued speaking, but the expressions on everyone else’s faces shifted to sudden realization.

So that’s what this was all about?!