Chapter 38: Stacking Buffs

Outside the forensic laboratory, Zheng Yuanqiao looked at the trajectory map on Shen Ting’s phone. Instead of giving an answer directly, he encouraged his subordinates to think for themselves.

"Elevate your perspective!"
"Look at the big picture?"

The officers all appeared lost in thought. Some, like Xiong Beibei, furrowed their brows and scratched their heads incessantly. Others, upon receiving the hint, reacted quickly.

Xu Xinyi exclaimed in surprise, "I understand now! It’s the old industrial zone! This is the most crucial part of the entire trajectory map."

The old industrial zone?

Seeing Shen Ting and Zheng Yuanqiao nodding with smiles, the officers turned their gaze toward the old industrial zone on the map. Unlike the "colorful" spots in other areas, there were very few color circles near the old industrial zone.

This was naturally to be expected. The old industrial zone had been heavily polluted; although the factories had relocated some seventeen or eighteen years ago and the area had been abandoned, five or six years—the time elapsed by the time the crime occurred—was clearly not enough for the ecosystem to fully recover. Just like the pond at Sanyapo, it remained severely polluted even now. The area around the old industrial zone was not suitable for parks or scenic spots, so natural or human-cultivated flowering plants, fungi, and the like were extremely scarce. Naturally, there were very few color circles.

"I think I understand too!" Xiong Beibei realized. "The old industrial zone is the key, but it’s not really about the number of color circles. Look at all the Hummer’s tracks—they weave back and forth, appearing complex. But when viewed as a whole, these tracks are centered on the old industrial zone, aren't they?"

The remaining officers also suddenly saw the light. It was true! Although it wasn't immediately obvious, a closer look revealed that the old industrial zone was indeed the area where the tracks intersected most densely. This was the core of the Hummer’s entire route! In all likelihood, it was the base where the criminals had stopped and resupplied back then.

"My god, did we really find it?"
"Amazing, simply amazing."
"If the tracks Shen Ting drew are correct, the old industrial zone is definitely a major suspect."
"Look at Director Ma; even he seems to have been won over by Shen Ting. Shen Ting’s palynology skills might be even more impressive than we imagined."
"Is he really a palynology expert?"
"Still, the old industrial zone is such a vast area and so desolate. Didn't the investigation team search it back then?"

Amidst the officers' excited discussion, Captain Zheng Yuanqiao took out his phone and immediately dialed the number of Branch Captain Qin Shan.

"Captain Qin, it’s Xiao Zheng..."

Inside the Branch Captain's office, Qin Shan sat in his chair, dark circles under his eyes, staring intently at his computer screen. He was carefully reviewing the files of the Luojiang kidnapping case from years ago. He had already read the forensic autopsy reports and the technical identification reports; he knew that the existing physical evidence was insufficient to support further investigation. He could only re-examine the case files to see if he could find any clues.

However, after staying up all night, he had failed to find a breakthrough.

"Is this case going to hit a dead end again? Does finding the Hummer mean nothing?" Qin Shan frowned slightly and lit a cigarette.

Just then, his phone rang. *Is that Yuanqiao?* He answered immediately, his weary eyes widening.

"What? You’re saying Shen Ting actually completed the palynological analysis? Not only did he determine the Hummer’s driving trajectory, but he also identified the suspects' suspected base? This..."

Qin Shan’s face was filled with shock; for a moment, he didn't even know how to describe his feelings. Previously, when he agreed to let Shen Ting perform the palynological analysis, his mindset was much like Zheng Yuanqiao’s. He knew Shen Ting had been a food delivery rider, so he hadn't had high expectations, thinking it was just a shot in the dark. He hadn't expected that Shen Ting would actually pull it off!

Qin Shan opened the photo of the trajectory that Zheng Yuanqiao had sent him. As a veteran criminal investigator with decades of experience who had handled many major cases, he saw at a glance that the core of the trajectory was indeed the old industrial zone.

"Interesting! Could the murderer have been hiding here back then?"
"Yuanqiao, take your team and go to the old industrial zone for a search immediately..." Qin Shan paused, then changed his mind: "No, wait, I’ll lead this team myself!"

...

Ten o'clock in the morning. The sun was shining, and a gentle breeze was blowing. The speeding police cars, however, seemed unusually urgent. In the lead car, Qin Shan, sitting in the passenger seat, looked at Director Ma in the back row.

"Xiao Ma, you handled the entire palynological analysis. Do you think there were any issues with the process? Can you ensure that the color circles and the driving trajectory Shen Ting marked on the map are accurate?"

He clearly had his reservations. If the color circles and trajectory on the map were correct and the core was the old industrial zone, then there would be no problem. His fear was that the most difficult and crucial step—identifying the pollen clusters to determine the color circles—might be flawed. After all, identifying the pollen clusters was the foundation, the bedrock. If the foundation was skewed, then no matter how astonishing the subsequent conclusions were, they would be meaningless.

"The analysis process was certainly sound," Director Ma said, deep in thought. "But the conclusions are hard to say. How should I put it? The equipment, instruments, and methods used in the process are fairly standard. For me, it wasn't particularly difficult. The difficulty lies in determining the species of the pollen and spores through analytical data, spectral maps, energy spectra, and so on. That step holds the highest value."

"Even if you gave me all the data and images right now, I couldn't determine which species a particular pollen or spore belongs to, or which area the corresponding pollen cluster corresponds to. Those pollen grains were simply too fragmented. In my view, the characteristics needed to determine the species were severely lacking. But Shen Ting... he seemed capable of it. From his brief remarks during the process, it’s clear he is indeed very proficient in palynology. He used very professional and profound terminology. It’s just that this knowledge was somewhat beyond my limits. As for whether his color circles and trajectory are correct, I naturally cannot judge."

Director Ma offered a bitter smile. Before the analysis, he had thought it was absurd for a food delivery rider like Shen Ting, who had only been a consultant for two days, to interfere with the work of the forensic laboratory. But now, he was thoroughly convinced. During the analysis, the palynological knowledge Shen Ting mentioned and the methods he used specifically for pollen identification had truly opened his eyes. In fact, he still had many questions he wanted to ask Shen Ting.

After hearing Director Ma’s words, Qin Shan nodded. This was not the answer he had hoped for, but it was a very reasonable one. If Director Ma could understand how Shen Ting identified the pollen clusters and marked the color circles, then they wouldn't have had to wait until now to perform the analysis!

"So, we can’t get too carried away. The color circles aren't necessarily correct, the trajectory isn't necessarily accurate, and the old industrial zone isn't necessarily the kidnappers' base."

"Even if it is the base, we might not find any clues. The criminals probably didn't stay at the base for very long back then, because the investigation team searched the old industrial zone at the time. And they searched it more than once! Even if we find clues there, we might not be able to lock onto the killer. There are obstacles at every step! We'll just have to take it one step at a time."

Qin Shan muttered to himself. He had seen too many cases. He had experienced too many instances where he thought he had found a breakthrough clue, only for the investigation to yield nothing. Until the evidence was 100% certain, all expectations were merely beautiful hopes that could easily turn into illusions. Therefore, he was now accustomed to facing clues with a pessimistic attitude. It wasn't that he was truly pessimistic, but rather a way of "buffing" himself—much like how many students claim they did poorly on an exam before the results are released!

Zheng Yuanqiao heard his self-talk and smiled. "Branch Captain, if the old industrial zone isn't necessarily the base, why are you coming along yourself? You rarely lead teams on missions in person these days. This is your first time this year, isn't it?"