Breaking Through The Clouds - [Author: Huai Shang (淮上)]

Volume 1: Chapter 7

Volume 1: Case 502 - The Intoxicated Frozen Corpse

Chapter 7

It was confirmed that Captain Jiang Ting of the Gongzhou Anti-drug Force's Second Detachment team sacrificed his life three years ago.

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Autumn Rain Branded Goods. Buy and Sell Second-hand Bags, Jewellery and Luxury Goods.

Yan Xie got out of the police car and slowly crossed his arms as he eyed the shop sign before his eyes.

Ma Xiang went up to greet him. "Brother Yan. The person who reported the case is over there. We just-"

Yan Xie stuck out his hand. Ma Xiang stopped what he was about to say.

"Inform all the investigators that it's not necessary to sweep through every second-hand shop anymore," he unhurriedly instructed. "The target's backpack has been found."

A couple of officers locked down the store's entrance. Looking incredibly agitated and bewildered, the shopkeeper was complaining to the investigators in a rage while the technicians placed the conspicuous black and yellow backpack into the evidence bag. They were currently doing the preliminary stage of retrieving fingerprints and comparing them.

On the sidewalk outside the store, an officer was recording statements next to Jiang Ting, who was sitting on a bench. He leaned back comfortably on the bench with his head a little raised, long and slender legs slightly apart. The posture looked as though he was sitting down languidly on a genuine leather sofa back home, so much that when Yan Xie strolled over to him, he showed no signs of wanting to stand up.

"A friend wanted to get rid of her unused bag so I was walking around with her. We happened to catch sight of the backpack placed on the sales counter. I was thinking that since it's related to the case two days ago..."

"The shop owner told us that you rummaged through the whole bag before you reported the case to the police. Mind explaining what you were doing?"

"I just wanted to see what was inside the bag." Breaking off for a moment, Jiang Ting continued, "A few pieces of tinfoil were caught in the bottom-most corner of the small front pocket of the backpack. It seemed like they were chocolate wrappers. You should ask your technicians to examine them."

It was a common sight for officers on the case to encounter members of the public making arbitrary suggestions during the investigation so the officer didn't take his words to heart, only giving non-committal sounds half-heartedly. Suddenly, someone tapped on his shoulder. "Oh! Vice-Captain Yan!"

Signalling with his hand, Yan Xie said, "Leave this to me."

The officer expressed his surprise before handing over the statement report to him, then heading off to assist the others.

Yet, when Yan Xie accepted the statement, it didn't seem like he intended to look at it. All he did was stand before Jiang Ting with his arms crossed, not saying a single work as he stared right at him.

Jiang Ting politely greeted, "Hello, Officer Yan."

"The cops have yet to offer a reward so it's such a shame that you're giving up clues this early."

"What do you mean?" Jiang Ting said, laughing a little. "I was just accompanying Yang Mei to settle some things and coincidentally saw the bag. Since I'm an eye-witness anyway, isn't it my supposed civic duty to provide clues to the police?"