Chapter 201: The In-Flight Case

Lin Dongxue arrived at the station, greeted by colleagues who all mentioned, “Dongxue, you’re late.” She smiled apologetically.

She sat at her desk, opened a case file, and started working. There were no urgent cases to solve, just some follow-up work on a few criminal cases… The work never seemed to end.

A few colleagues were discussing a new TV series, and Xu Xiaodong was playing on his phone, hidden behind some documents. It seemed like a peaceful day.

Suddenly, the sound of footsteps echoed down the hallway. Lin Dongxue received a group message from Lin Qiupu, instructing everyone to gather in the conference room. Everyone quickly put down their work and headed to the meeting room. Along with Lin Qiupu and Team One’s leader, Lao Geng, the usually elusive bureau chief was also present. It seemed something serious had happened.

The bureau chief clapped his hands to signal for silence and then glanced at Lao Geng.

Lao Geng said, “Sorry to gather you all so suddenly. Here’s the situation: a flight from Hainan to Long’an just made an emergency landing at Long’an Airport because of a criminal incident on board. An elderly passenger in economy class was murdered. The airline has arranged for all passengers to stay at a hotel, but they are very upset. The airline and the police have coordinated to give us six hours. The plane will take off again at 3 PM. In that time, we must solve this murder and ensure the killer doesn’t leave with the other passengers!”

Everyone whispered in shock. The bureau chief signaled for silence again. “That’s the situation. Normally, this would be Team One’s case, but given the urgency, we need to pool all our resources. Team Two has solved the most cases and demonstrated the best capability last year. You will lead the investigation while Team One handles the perimeter. I will handle procedural issues. You focus solely on solving the case.”

“Chief, do we have search warrants?” someone asked.

“Yes, I’ve already signed them. You can investigate anyone on the plane.”

“How many people are on the plane?”

“Nearly two hundred in total. There are 167 passengers in economy class and 12 crew members.”

“Is everyone a suspect?”

“You could say that. Except the victim…”

“No, even the victim could be a suspect!” Peng Siyue said. “Without examining the body, we can’t rule out suicide.”

The chief nodded. “Peng is right. Everyone is a suspect!”

The team was stunned. Could they really find the killer among over two hundred people in just six hours?

“Alright, no more delays. Grab what you need and head to the site. Remember, you have six hours to solve this case. I expect to hear good news!”

After the chief and Lao Geng left, Lin Qiupu assigned tasks. Except for a few who had crucial ongoing work or were in charge of online investigations, the entire second team was on the case. Lin Dongxue raised her hand, “Captain Lin, should I call Chen Shi?”

“Yes… Tell him to spare no effort and use all means necessary.”

While Lin Dongxue called Chen Shi, the others began to leave. On the phone, Chen Shi said, “I like a challenge! If we crack this case, Team Two will really shine.”

“Stop boasting. You haven’t even seen the scene yet. Hurry over!”

“I’ll be at the door in five minutes.”

Five minutes later, Chen Shi’s car arrived at the entrance. He waved for Lin Dongxue to get in, eager to know the case details. Lin Dongxue kept repeating that she didn’t know much. “What I just told you is all the information I have.”

“Interesting! Honestly, I’ve never been on a plane before!”

“You’ve never flown?”

“Have you?”

“Well, once for a business trip.”

As sunlight streamed through the window, Lin Dongxue grew drowsy and fell asleep. She woke to Chen Shi gently nudging her head off his shoulder. “Sleeping Beauty, we’re here.”

Ahead was the airport. Embarrassed, Lin Dongxue wiped the drool from her mouth and yawned. “Why am I so sleepy today?”

“Is it your period?”

“Shut up!” Lin Dongxue playfully punched him. “Don’t you know to respect someone’s privacy, especially about things like that?”

“Stop hitting me. You might cause a crash!”

Lin Dongxue sat properly, still feeling tired. She thought she must be exhausted from working through the entire Spring Festival without a proper break.

After parking, they walked into the airport. “It’s huge!” Chen Shi marveled.

As they looked around, they heard someone calling them. Xu Xiaodong was waving from a passageway. The airport had provided a special channel for the police, allowing them to bypass security. However, Chen Shi stopped at the door, saying, “I want to go through security. I’d like to see the normal procedure. Xiaodong, have you flown before?”

“Does a theme park ride count?”

“Let’s do it together!”

“There are too many passengers. Don’t cause trouble,” Lin Dongxue said. “I can just explain the process to you.”

“No, I need to experience it myself,” Chen Shi insisted.

“Alright then!”

The three showed their credentials and requested to go through security. “It’s really strict!” Chen Shi observed.

In the waiting area, they saw many officers in uniform. These were members of Team One. Team Two was already on the plane investigating. Chen Shi asked, “Where’s Peng?”

“Examining the body! The airport provided a place for him,” Xu Xiaodong said.

“Let’s go see.”

As they approached, Xu Xiaodong paused. “Oh, I had a salty breakfast. I need to get some water.”

Chen Shi rolled his eyes. “Just admit you don’t want to see the autopsy.”

Caught out, Xu Xiaodong gave an embarrassed grin. Lin Dongxue said, “Wait here then!”

The airport had provided a small vacant room for the autopsy. A colleague stood outside, and inside, Peng Siyue was meticulously examining the body. There was no smell, indicating the autopsy hadn’t started yet.

An elderly man lay naked on a table, his hair and beard white. His clothes were neatly laid out on waterproof fabric beside him, with a clear bloodstain on his chest.

Chen Shi examined the bloodstain. “Judging by the coagulation, he’s been dead about three hours.”

“Three and a half. I just measured liver temperature,” Peng Siyue corrected.

“How did he die?” Chen Shi asked, looking at the body.

Peng Siyue, holding a measuring tape, pointed to the man’s throat. “A sharp object pierced his throat. Due to the angle of the seat, most of the blood flowed back into his trachea, causing him to asphyxiate. Time is tight, so I don’t plan to do a full autopsy. The focus will be on finding the murder weapon.”

“A sharp object? Are there any on the plane?”

“Not only are there none, but it’s also impossible to have any. Any metal objects are detected during security checks, so no sharp objects would be allowed on the plane. Even the crew doesn’t have scissors or knives. Captain Lin already confirmed this.”

Peng Siyue showed a drawing of the weapon based on the wound shape. “The wound is 4 centimeters long, 6 centimeters deep, and cuts at a 63-degree angle. The weapon is likely something with a sharp end but not sharp edges.”

“Like an awl.”

“Exactly, a flat awl!”