National Forensic Doctor-Chapter 1195 - 1125: The Difficult Sutra

"These three people haven’t left any facial recognition information to confirm their identities."

Cui Xiaohu’s call came back, with a serious tone.

The law enforcement agencies have become very proficient in using face recognition systems. Common places, such as high-speed rail stations and airports, require face recognition not only to pass but with cameras above constantly operating. Those with experiences being checked by traffic police also know that with just a scan, their handheld device can obtain personal IDs, driving licenses, and even hotel records.

Similarly, facial information faces both database and permission issues, but regardless of calculations, when Cui Xiaohu finds no relevant information, it means these three people are essentially outside the mainstream system.

If those kind of people are extremely poor, it’s relatively normal. Some have never ridden a high-speed rail or airplane in their lives, nor have they entered strange venues, so leaving a blank is understandable.

But these three driving an Audi, even if just a second-hand car, or rather, because they are driving a second-hand car with blank faces, makes them appear suspicious.

"Are they professionals?" Jiang Yuan held the phone, immediately recalling various cases he handled.

"Very likely." Cui Xiaohu sounded excited. "Looks like you’ve uncovered a major case again. I’ll report to the bureau later and register it for you."

"Uh, alright. Thank you, Mr. Cui." It’s something that grassroots police officers dream of, so Jiang Yuan responded without pretension.

Cui Xiaohu laughed heartily, "It’s not about me... the key is that you can solve the case. Otherwise, if I register the case for you and it remains unsolved, or solved halfway, it won’t look good for anyone. Well, back to the case, if they are professional criminals, what type do you think they are?"

"Zhang Lei himself is a professional criminal, it’s hard to say, maybe he offended someone or there’s a conflict of interest..." Jiang Yuan said casually, recalling Liu Wenkai’s speculation, an idea struck him, "Maybe he had an affair with some big shot’s woman, leading them to send people over, or hire someone."

"Messed with someone’s woman? Is Zhang Lei that daring? Isn’t their Binren Gang already into vice operations, lacking women?" Cui Xiaohu, being in the department, clearly didn’t have the detailed imagination of grassroots police officers.

Jiang Yuan recalled Liu Wenkai’s previous words and explained, "Maybe Zhang Lei is particularly skilled at seducing women, so he attracted a big shot’s woman?"

"She threw herself at him? That’s impressive!" Cui Xiaohu was astonished again, then wiped his mouth, "What you say makes sense, if it’s not that big shot’s woman taking the initiative, he wouldn’t dare."

"Not quite to that extent..."

"You mean..."

"In any case, we should consider the factors of hired assassins." Jiang Yuan mentioned so much to emphasize the term hired assassins.

Though it’s a common trope in movies, for police, "hired assassin" is rather unfamiliar terminology.

Actually, for someone willing to murder, it basically means they’re ready to take on the highest risk, and at this point, it’s just about finding the project yielding the greatest benefit.

Guidance from books or predecessors is unnecessary; it’s a choice instinctive to humans, where smarter individuals are more likely to find high return projects.

For someone resorting to killing for hire, it’s almost the lowest class of choices. Normally, this should not be an option. A very reasonable scenario description: wouldn’t a hired assassin require a deposit? So, what’s the correct choice for the assassin upon receiving this deposit? Could it be to adhere to contractual spirit and start killing in violation of societal contracts?

Killing leads to a life sentence, while fraud results in only a few years imprisonment. Intelligent hired assassins should run away once they get the deposit.

If purely for money, wouldn’t scamming a few bad, dumb, cowardly financiers be a better option?

However, to say hired assassins don’t exist at all is exaggerating.

The world is vast, with countless people, and all kinds of bizarre occurrences are present.

If a person uses reason, understands analysis, loves detective novels, and knows how to weigh pros and cons in real life, typically, they don’t need to agonize over becoming a hired killer.

But as a police officer, to utter "hired assassin," Jiang Yuan still needs some pretext.

Cui Xiaohu could completely understand Jiang Yuan’s reservations, and said thoughtfully, "The dark web?"

"It might also be some big shot hiring them," Jiang Yuan added. He didn’t think Binren Gang’s leader hired them, although they could, but as mentioned in interrogations, there’s no need.

Cui Xiaohu became serious, "This situation must be taken seriously. We absolutely cannot let them form a pattern."

"Indeed, we’ll expedite the investigation. Additionally, Director Liu is considering whether it’s a new drug route, given these three raced over 1000 kilometers, and is seeking related intelligence."

Jiang Yuan mentioned the second purpose for his call.

"Understood, I’ll immediately call for inquiries." Cui Xiaohu promised promptly.

The transportation of drugs both domestically and internationally actually follows predetermined routes, most of which are known by the police. It’s just that due to certain limitations, they cannot be completely blocked. Or rather, it is because they are difficult to block that they become drug routes. If any drug syndicate or group can establish a new drug route, they will immediately possess the resource of a king.

For instance, the traditional drug route to Japan involves landing at Fukuoka, then transporting by road to Tokyo. This is a route known to all police, with high risk factors. But due to the large traffic volume and lack of specific drug transport information, the police can at most conduct random checks, hence the route remains in use to this day.

The emerging route to Japan goes from Hui Province to Hu City, then directly by human carriers flying to Narita Airport, using grease to combat sniffer dogs. They win in Kabukicho, but lose in Fuchu Qingjian Town.

Larger-scale drug cartels handle even more extensive drug networks. Not to mention the traditional "Golden Triangle" and "Golden Crescent," the slightly newer "Silver Triangle" routes from Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, and Brazil’s Andes and Amazon areas, exporting via ocean freight containers or ship structures directly to China. Not to mention, there are numerous 100,000-ton freighters coming from Brazil alone.

The newer Black Triangle follows the "Atlantic-Guinea" corridor, composed of the borders of Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Sudan, and South Africa, as well as Guinea Bay.

These transport corridors are also tested by drug dealers through their lives, and the police’s task, at least for now, is only to increase the costs of drug cartels, making them pay with more human lives.

Organizations like Interpol are primarily there to deal with such transnational crime organizations.

For Cui Xiaohu and other department police officers, this is also the type of case they focus on the most.

Speaking of the request to call upon surveillance video along the route, Cui Xiaohu readily agreed.

Jiang Yuan put down the phone, smiled at Liu Jinghui and others nearby, and said, "Mr. Cui is quite proactive."

"You’ve already raised the request, how could they not be proactive?" Liu Jinghui said with a hint of resentment. In similar situations, if he were the one to propose it, even the provincial department would have to think twice.

Though Jiang Yuan always manages to provide a substantial amount of objective evidence, in this case, Jiang Yuan hasn’t actually offered any evidence.

"It’s also the case type that’s gaining more attention," Jiang Yuan replied.

"That’s also true... Whether it’s a contract killing or a drug-related case, they tend to be more complex. The follow-up investigation will probably not be easy," Liu Jinghui refrained from using terms like professional hitman. Temporary killers are more common than lifelong ones.

"Looking at the surveillance videos along the route? The workload is indeed heavy, but the difficulty should be manageable," Jiang Yuan smiled.

Liu Jinghui shook his head with a laugh and said, "You find watching surveillance difficult not too high, but getting the police bureaus along the way to cooperate... Even if Cui Xiaohu steps in, people at most would give the department a face, and when it comes to actually calling the data, not to mention anything else, they’d need time, and someone willing to help you, right?"

"This... is true," Jiang Yuan, not being a newcomer, naturally understood this truth. In fact, if other units demanded the Ningtai County Bureau to cooperate with investigating certain data, the Ningtai County Bureau would definitely prioritize Jiang Yuan and then respond to other demands.

"We can first find some acquaintances; with a little smoothing over, the actions of the relevant provincial or city bureaus should be faster."

"Alright, then let’s first prepare a list."

"Sure. If we can’t find connections in certain provinces or cities later, just have acquaintances seek out acquaintances. With your current reputation, finding people should be no problem," Liu Jinghui felt gratified to see the Dragon nodding, as the value of a Dragon Knight is to point the way for the Dragon.

"Swallow the storm, kiss the rain, bury the sunset without ever hesitating, deceive the mountains, chase the sea, tread the snowy paths without despair..."

Jiang Yuan’s phone ringtone sounded.

"Unknown number," Jiang Yuan said as he answered, "Hello, yes... Oh, oh, thank you, alright... Much appreciated..."

Jiang Yuan quickly ended the call, then looked up, saying, "It’s the Image Reconnaissance Brigade of the Ping Meng City Bureau, saying they heard we wanted to retrieve the video database and are sending people over to cooperate with us now."

"Cooperate with us?" Liu Jinghui was puzzled, thinking at first, did some bureau go broke, or is there some odd local policy again...

"That’s what they said," Jiang Yuan said, as his phone rang again.

Jiang Yuan answered and exchanged greetings before putting it down.

Before he could speak, the phone vibrated again: Swallow the storm, kiss the...

Jiang Yuan switched to speaker mode this time.

Soon, a police-like bass came through the call: "Director Jiang? I’m Wang Jian from the Zhanqiu Investigation Team’s Political Committee. I heard you need our support in providing some surveillance data. How about this, I will arrange for our professional policemen to bring the computer and key over first, he’s already on his way, should take about an hour by high-speed rail, including travel time, he should arrive in about two hours..."

Liu Jinghui couldn’t help but look at Pang Jidong.

Are the brains on this side borrowing each other?