C15 He Was Lying!

Jian Chenyi reflected on Lian Peng's behavior, noting, "When he talks, his gaze shifts to the left. Psychologically speaking, that's a sign he's lying."

Hua Ning marveled, "It's clear a master of psychology operates on a different level. We certainly wouldn't have considered all that on our own."

Xiao Chennai tapped the table and instructed, "Ding Yu, look up the eldest son of the Lian family and bring him in once you have the information."

"Roger that, Leader."

The eldest son of Lian Dongsheng was named Lian Xiangsheng, bearing a slight resemblance to Lian Peng.

Dressed in a sharp suit with polished leather shoes, he hardly seemed like Lian Peng's brother.

Upon Lian Xiangsheng's arrival, his impatience was palpable. "Let's make this quick. I'm not privy to much, and I have an engagement tonight involving a multimillion-dollar deal."

"Do you know what happened to your father?" Hua Ning asked, suspecting he was unaware of Lian Dongsheng's death.

But to her surprise, Lian Xiangsheng's response was tinged with annoyance. "Of course, I know. He's dead, isn't he? Just a burden..."

He trailed off, but Hua Ning could guess the unspoken sentiment: If he's dead, then so be it.

Xiao Chennai's fingers lightly drummed on the table, remaining silent.

For a moment, Hua Ning was at a loss for what to ask next.

"Have you been in touch with Lian Peng since the incident?" Xiao Chennai finally spoke up, his tone detached.

At the mention of Lian Peng, a sneer crossed Lian Xiangsheng's face. "Yes, but all he ever wants is money."

He scowled, turning the tables, "Look, officer, are you done questioning me? I'm running late for my event."

Xiao Chennai withdrew his hand, "Lian Xiangsheng, that was your father."

His own father had died under mysterious circumstances, and yet his concerns were elsewhere.

Lian Xiangsheng had no more words to offer and rose from his chair. "Here's what we'll do: I'll have my lawyer come right over. You can direct any further questions to him."

Upon hearing the veiled threat, Hua Ning slammed her hand on the table, her voice stern, "Lian Xiangsheng, I need you to cooperate with our investigation."

Unfazed, as he was accustomed to high-pressure situations, Lian Xiangsheng didn't flinch at Hua Ning's display.

"Officer, I'm somewhat versed in the law myself. I'm neither a suspect nor a criminal; you have no authority to interrogate me." Having said his piece, he calmly sat back down. "I will not answer any more questions until my lawyer arrives."

He folded his arms across his chest, resolute in his decision to remain silent.

Hua Ning's brow furrowed, but before she could speak, Xiao Chennai gently held her arm, "That's enough for today. We appreciate you coming, Mr. Lian. Should you have any leads, please get in touch with us promptly."

With that, he stood, opened the door, and gestured to Lian Xiangsheng, "Mr. Lian, after you."

Somewhat in disbelief, Lian Xiangsheng finally got up and strutted out of the room after realizing neither Hua Ning nor Xiao Chennai were joking.

Once he was gone, Hua Ning threw the notebook onto the table, exasperated, "What is with that guy? The victim was his father!"

He showed no sign of grief, his contempt for Lian Dongshen and Lian Peng was palpable.

Xiao Chennai reached out, patting Hua Ning's shoulder in a silent gesture of comfort.

Back in the office, Cheng Sheng had just come in, clutching a file.

"What's that you've got there, Cheng?" Hua Ning inquired nonchalantly.

"Oh, this is the soil analysis report from the crime scene," he replied, passing the report to Xiao Chennai.

Xiao Chennai sat at his desk, opening the report to scrutinize its contents.

Driven by curiosity, Hua Ning edged closer, peering over Xiao Chennai's shoulder at the report.

"Hey? There are trace amounts of element hip2 in the soil?" Hua Ning, recognizing the term, couldn't help but speak up.

Ding Yu, hearing this, looked up from his files with a puzzled look, "Leader, I'm confused. It's normal for Lian Peng to handle elastic ropes at the factory. What's so unusual about finding this element at the crime scene?"

Cheng Sheng supported Ding Yu's suggestion, "Perhaps Lian Peng was in a rush and brought the elastic rope home from the factory for personal use."

Hua Ning remained silent, her large almond eyes fixed on the lab report, deep in thought.

Xiao Chennai shook his head, "I can't quite put my finger on it, but something about this feels very odd."

One clue was the trace element hip2, and the other, soy sauce. He couldn't shake the feeling that there was a link between them.

The evidence at the scene had been reconstructed, including the state of the soy sauce.

The soy sauce hadn't been spilled in one action; it had been deliberately dripped onto the floor drop by drop.

This only reinforced the idea that the presence of the soy sauce wasn't accidental, but intentional.

Hua Ning snapped out of her reverie, "Leader's doubts are certainly justified. I, too, sense something off about this case."

There were numerous oddities, yet no leads. If no further evidence surfaced, the case might have to be closed as a suicide. Hua Ning thought of Lian Xiangsheng and Lian Peng, feeling a weight in her heart.

Judging by their demeanor, Lian Dongshen likely hadn't been treated well. She couldn't bear the thought of his death remaining a mystery; what would be the point of her service otherwise?

She glanced down at Xiao Chennai's upright posture, momentarily lost in contemplation.

Leader Xiao's unwavering dedication, she realized, was probably for this reason.

It wasn't for recognition, but to ensure justice for the deceased.

During the case briefing at Snossen Community.

Wang Shengdong was poring over the case files, not looking up as he asked, "Leader Xiao, can we conclude that Lian Dongshen's death was a suicide? The evidence at hand doesn't seem to confirm a murder."

Hua Ning instinctively turned to look at Xiao Chennai.

Xiao Chennai remained silent for so long that Wang Shengdong couldn't resist glancing up at him, "Leader Xiao?"

Finally, Xiao Chennai spoke, "Captain Wang, I've identified two anomalies in this case. I believe we can't categorize it as a suicide, but..."

He paused, a subtle shift in his expression. "However, I currently lack concrete evidence, so I can't hastily label it as murder."

Not suicide, nor murder? Now that's intriguing!

Captain Wang inquired, "What are the two suspicious points you've discovered? I'd like to hear them."

He regarded Xiao Chennai with keen interest.

Initially, Captain Wang had his reservations about Sunn Limin when he was appointed the new leader of Unit 9. However, after the last case, he began to think that maybe Sunn Limin was finally ready to let go of the burden he'd been carrying.

Xiao Chennai was a detective through and through, with a sharp mind and a serious approach to his work. What mattered most was his dedication to every case and every victim.