Chapter 24: The Sunken Bank! Silt!

Xiong Beibei and Xu Xinyi had both reviewed the case files. Naturally, they knew that the pond had been designated a priority search area back then and had been thoroughly combed through multiple times. This was precisely why they could not understand why Shen Ting insisted on returning to it. When they heard him suggest that it might be the location where the vehicle was discarded, they lost their composure.

Had that pond not been thoroughly cleared of all suspicion? How could it possibly be the dumping site? Hadn't the conclusions of both the original investigation team and the subsequent special task force been that the perpetrators had driven the Hummer out of the suspicious area via a hidden trail? This was why both of them felt that Shen Ting had been completely wasting his time over the past few days. Searching this area again, and with such meticulous care, seemed entirely unnecessary.

Shen Ting understood their point of confusion, but in truth, he could not say with 100% certainty that the pond was the dumping site. It was not that he doubted the keen eyes of Yoshikage Kira and the others, but rather, he questioned whether the criminals could truly have pulled off an operation as perilous as walking a tightrope over a cliff.

"It is merely a hypothesis!" Shen Ting replied with a dismissive brush.

The two officers’ brows furrowed even deeper. Just like their moods, the car ride back to the pond seemed bumpier than before. Half an hour later, they pulled up beside the water.

As Shen Ting stepped out of the car, an abnormal odor immediately assaulted his nostrils. It was difficult to pinpoint exactly what it smelled like, but it was somewhat akin to diluted pesticides. Although the industrial zone upstream had relocated to the neighboring district nearly twenty years ago, the residual pollution had clearly not fully dissipated. Along the edges of the pond, abnormal white foam was visible in many places. Under the sunlight, the water did not sparkle; instead, it shimmered with the rainbow hues of oil slicks. It was beautiful, yet dangerous.

Xu Xinyi stood at the edge of the pond, looking at the water. Even where it was quite shallow, the bottom was obscured; the water appeared pitch black. "The metabolic capacity of a natural environment is quite strong. After so many years, the pond should have cleared up by now. It shouldn't still be this filthy!"

Xiong Beibei remarked, "You aren't a local of Dajing, so you might not know. The poor water quality here isn't just because of the industrial zone's discharge. It’s mainly because of a sewage leak that occurred here. It seems like it was a copper or steel smelter; high-temperature liquid metal leaked and melted through a sewage storage tank. All the waste flowed into the upstream river! It was quite a scandal back then. I was young, though, so I don't remember it too clearly."

So that was it. Shen Ting really hadn't known about that; the memories he inherited from his predecessor were very limited. Xu Xinyi and Xiong Beibei both looked at him. "So... what now? Do we contact the bureau and have them send frogmen to salvage it?"

"Would the bureau agree?" Whether they were asking for frogmen or regular officers, they needed a reason. If they just said they suspected this was the dumping site for the Luoshui kidnapping case, Xiong Beibei and Xu Xinyi felt they would certainly be ridiculed for being brainless.

Shen Ting hesitated as well. He knew that many people were already unconvinced by his position as a consultant. If this went poorly, it was not impossible that he could be "brought down."

Just then, his phone vibrated; there was a new message in the crime-solving group.

Shen Xu: "Group leader, take a look at the opposite side of the pond. The shoreline over there has a problem."

The opposite bank? Shen Ting looked toward it from afar, seeing only a stretch of slender, withered yellow grass swaying in the westerly wind.

kikO: "(,,•́ . •̀,,) Great artist, what kind of problem?"

Tang Ren: "It’s just a normal shoreline, isn't it~~~"

Shen Xu: "No, that riverbank seems a bit lower. It is lower than it was over a decade ago when the investigation team searched this area."

Hmm? He could tell that? Shen Ting looked at the dense wild grass on the opposite side, feeling somewhat surprised. If it were exposed soil, noticing a difference in elevation would be normal. But it was covered in wild grass, and it was currently winter. The crime had occurred in the spring! The growth state of the grass was obviously different. How could one distinguish the difference?

Shen Xu directly uploaded two hand-drawn sketches to the group. They were, naturally, of the opposite riverbank.

Shen Xu: "This is the exposed riverbank with the vegetation removed. The bank from 12 years ago is clearly more indented than it is today."

Guan Hongyu: "That’s normal, isn't it? After all, 12 years have passed. Rain erosion, bank collapse, etc., could all cause differences. It doesn't prove anything, right?"

Shen Xu: "Those possibilities certainly exist! The problem is that the indentation is too abrupt. It looks like a steamed bun that has been bitten by a dog. A depression caused by natural factors should have a much smoother transition area."

Tang Detective Qin Feng: "You mean, someone... tampered with that riverbank? Combining it with the case, perhaps after the criminals sank the Hummer, they used an excavator or other equipment to dig up the soil on the bank to... conceal the Hummer?"

Shen Xu: "Exactly, that is my hypothesis."

Tang Ren: "No way, that would be way too cautious~~ And at the time, there were so many police officers in this area. Would they dare to bring an excavator here?"

Guan Hongfeng (Elder Brother): "Then it wasn't done while the police were conducting their large-scale search. Perhaps after the police cleared the pond of suspicion, the criminals sank the Hummer here. Once the investigation team disbanded and the area was no longer under control, they brought in an excavator to further bury it."

Yoshikage Kira: "Interesting, truly interesting. This criminal is cautious to the extreme. Sinking the car in an area already cleared of suspicion is one thing, but they were so worried they actually came back later to bury the car. No wonder they haven't been caught in twelve years."

Shen Ting clearly sensed Yoshikage Kira's admiration and excitement. It was as if he had encountered a kindred spirit! But Shen Ting was even more hesitant. With all these interlocking steps, would the criminals really think so far ahead and act so thoroughly?

He stepped onto the withered grass and quickly reached the opposite bank, at the spot where the indentation was located. Xiong Beibei and Xu Xinyi, not understanding what madness had taken hold of Shen Ting again, hurriedly followed.

This side was indeed more secluded than the other.

Hannibal: "Looking at the pond as a whole, this place is better suited for sinking a car."

Jigsaw: "I would have chosen this position as well."

Shen Ting crouched down, grabbed a handful of soil, and examined it carefully. "Huh, this soil seems to have a bit of... silt in it!"

Silt and the soil of a riverbank differ significantly in smell, color, and texture. The "Forensic Geology" knowledge Shen Ting had previously acquired contained much information on this. Even after twelve years, he could easily distinguish it.

"The killer didn't just dig to bury the car; they actually first removed the silt from the bottom of the pond, dug a hole, pushed the Hummer into it, and then covered it with soil?" Shen Ting speculated as he stood up from the bank.

It was noon now, and the sun was brilliant. The rippling water reflected the sunlight in a dazzling, colorful display. Shen Ting enjoyed the warmth of the sun, a mysterious smile playing on his face. Interesting! Just as Yoshikage Kira had said, this case and its perpetrator were truly fascinating.

"No wonder those great detectives are obsessed with solving cases." Encountering a case like the Luoshui kidnapping, Shen Ting felt a genuine sense of being unable to stop. Even if he were to exceed the time limit for solving the case in three days, he did not want to give up on it.

After a moment of thought, he looked at Xiong Beibei and Xu Xinyi and pointed to the pond in front of him. "Can our bureau arrange for an excavator and a crane? I suspect that Liu Furen's Hummer is indeed hidden here."

This... Xiong Beibei and Xu Xinyi exchanged a glance, both seeing the confusion in the other's eyes. Was what they had said before not clear enough? Or had Shen Ting not seen the relevant files? This place had clearly been searched several times back then! If the Hummer were truly sunk here, such a large vehicle could not have gone undiscovered.

Shen Ting noticed their doubt. "It is a bit complicated to explain. The criminals in this kidnapping case are perhaps more cautious than anyone realizes. If getting an excavator and a crane is too much trouble, sending a few experienced frogmen first will suffice. Don't forget to have them bring excavating tools."

"Fine!" Seeing Shen Ting’s persistence, Xu Xinyi took out his phone and dialed Zheng Yuanqiao’s number. "Captain Zheng, it’s Xiao Xu."

"Xiao Xu, what is it? I heard you’ve been out in the field with Shen Ting recently?" Zheng Yuanqiao’s voice was calm and steady.

"It’s like this, I want to request a few frogmen. Shen Ting suspects that in the Luoshui kidnapping case, Liu Furen's Hummer is hidden in the pond at Sanyapo..."

Hm? On the other end of the line, Zheng Yuanqiao wondered if he had misheard. "Xiao Xu, you’re still investigating the kidnapping of the tycoon Liu Furen? The pond—is that the polluted one at Sanyapo? Don't you know that place was searched several times back then? It was confirmed the car was not in there!"

"Captain Zheng, I’ve already mentioned that! But, but Consultant Shen insists on sending people to salvage it."

I see... Zheng Yuanqiao’s brows knit together. He was all too familiar with the Sanyapo pond. He had been one of the officers involved in the investigation of the Luoshui kidnapping. Back then, he hadn't been a captain yet; he had only recently been promoted to a squad leader. Along with four or five other squads, he had participated in the salvage operations at the Sanyapo pond. Because of that, he knew just how thoroughly that pond had been searched.

"There's no need to waste any more time at that pond, is there?"

But Zheng Yuanqiao recalled the previous case, where Shen Ting had likely identified the location of the hidden body. He was the one who had identified the killer, too! Perhaps he had discovered something fishy?

"Sending a few people over wouldn't hurt. Consider it a last-ditch effort. In any case, if we don't find the Hummer, we haven't lost anything. But if we do find it..." Zheng Yuanqiao shook his head, not daring to think further, as he didn't like daydreaming. "Wait there; I’ll contact the frogmen immediately."

...

By the Sanyapo pond! Xu Xinyi hung up the phone and looked at Shen Ting. "It’s done, Captain Zheng has arranged for the frogmen. They should be here in about half an hour."

"Then let's wait." Shen Ting nodded.

Beside him, Xiong Beibei was scratching his head, clearly anxious. "Shen Ting, is the Hummer really in this pond?"

"In these matters, no one can say with one-hundred-percent certainty. I’d say there is at least an eighty-percent chance!"

The suspicions here were too numerous. The riverbank that was lower than it used to be, the silt on the shore, and the unanimous validation of the three great criminals like Jigsaw. As for the remaining twenty percent of possibility, it stemmed largely from Shen Ting’s doubt regarding the criminals' capabilities, and the fact that they had managed to drive the Hummer out of the blocked area via a mysterious trail.

As Shen Ting pondered, he was surprised to see Xiong Beibei quickly stripping off his police uniform. "What are you doing?"