Chapter 773: Newcomer Lin

A scream shattered the stillness of the alley at night. Two patrolling detectives rushed to the scene and found a man lying on the ground with a gleaming steel knife stuck in his back. A pale-faced girl stood nearby, nervously biting her fingernails.

“A… a dead body!” the girl stammered.

“Sir, sir!” Detective Lin rushed to the man’s side and shook him. His partner, Da Chang, reminded him, “Don’t shake him. First, check if he’s breathing.”

The young and inexperienced detective put his hand under the man’s nose and immediately recoiled as if shocked. “He’s not breathing at all, just like a dead man.”

“That’s because he is dead!” Da Chang almost laughed. This new guy was really something, embarrassing them in front of a witness.

Lin suddenly remembered something and started wiping the knife handle with his sleeve. Da Chang quickly stopped him, “What are you doing? Stop it!”

“I touched the body just now. If I leave my fingerprints, won’t it affect the investigation?” Lin explained.

“But you can’t wipe it off! What if the real killer’s fingerprints are on there? Is this your first time seeing a dead body?”

Lin sheepishly admitted, “Yes, it is.”

“Sigh, unbelievable.” Da Chang turned to the girl and said, “He’s new. First day on the job. I’m sorry for the scene. Did you discover the body?”

“Yes, I was walking home from my night shift and saw someone lying here. At first, I thought he was just drunk, but then I saw the knife in his back and couldn’t help but scream.”

“Leave us your contact information. We may need to reach you again.”

“Is that necessary? I just entered the alley and didn’t see anything suspicious.”

Da Chang insisted on getting her number and then called headquarters.

The two officers guarded the scene. Lin couldn’t take his eyes off the body. Da Chang nudged him, “Stop staring. It’s just a corpse. I’ve seen worse. In that explosion case, there was blood and meat everywhere. A piece of intestine even hung from the ceiling fan, spinning around.”

Lin gulped, “Do we have to see this kind of thing every day as detectives?”

“Haha, what are you thinking? It’s usually just minor stuff. People say being a detective is dangerous, but you’ll find it’s more boring than dangerous.”

“I don’t find it boring!”

“That’s because it’s your first day. Wait until you get used to it… What do you think this guy did for a living?”

Lin examined the dead man’s clothing. The victim was around sixty, with a well-maintained physique, suggesting good habits. He wore a black wool coat and a hat, with a mark on his wrist.

“He seems wealthy, maybe a retired official. Looks like his watch was stolen, possibly a robbery.”

“Why would the killer leave the knife behind?”

“Nervous, first time, or someone interrupted.”

“Kid, you think a lot,” Da Chang praised.

“Am I right?” Lin asked eagerly.

“How would I know? I just got here with you.”

Police sirens approached. Lin straightened up as a man in a brown trench coat, with a cigarette in his mouth, walked over, followed by several officers and technicians. Lin admired him, thinking this was what a real detective should look like.

“How many times have I told you not to smoke at the scene?” Peng Siqiao reminded.

“No smoking in the car, no smoking at the scene. Are you trying to kill me?” the man retorted.

“Newbie’s watching. Remember you’re a captain.”

The captain shrugged, extinguishing the cigarette in an ashtray Peng Siqiao handed him, who carefully sealed it to avoid contaminating the scene.

The captain turned to Lin, “New here?”

Lin quickly saluted, “My name is Lin Qiupu, badge number XXXX. First day on the job. I wanted to report to you this morning, but you weren’t at the station.”

“Haha, I was sleeping in this morning.”

“Must have been working late last night.”

“No, just felt like sleeping in. Don’t follow my example, or they’ll dock your pay!”

The captain went to examine the body. Peng Siqiao said to Lin, “Captain Song is just like that. You’ll get used to it.”

“No problem. I heard his forensic science lectures at the police academy. He’s my idol!” Lin said shyly.

“Quite different from what you imagined, huh?” Peng Siqiao laughed.

Song Lang didn’t wear gloves, gesturing over the body, deep in thought one moment, looking up at the sky the next. He then walked past the body towards the end of the alley, leaving Peng Siqiao and the others to start the investigation.

Song Lang waved at Lin from the other end of the alley, “Newbie, come here!”

“Me?” Lin asked excitedly, feeling like he’d been chosen by the emperor.

Da Chang said, “Who else is the newbie here?”

Lin ran over, and Song Lang asked, “Do you smoke?”

“Uh… no.”

“Figures, my lighter is in the car.”

Lin pulled out a lighter, lit it, and handed it over with both hands. Song Lang smiled, taking a cigarette. “Not honest, huh? You do smoke.”

Lin blushed at being caught.

Song Lang exhaled a puff of smoke and asked, “How old are you?”

“Twenty-one.”

“Police officers are getting younger. No surprise, you probably have a sister in school to support.”

Lin’s eyes widened, “How did you know!?”

“Your underwear is old, and your socks have patches, so your family isn’t well-off. The lighter has a logo from a high-end hot pot restaurant, which doesn’t seem like a place you’d go, so you probably worked there, maybe this summer, judging by the gas left in the lighter. And there’s a girl’s scent on you, probably from sharing a closet. If it’s not a girlfriend, it must be a sister.”

“You’re amazing! No wonder they call you a legend!”

“Just reputation. Deduction is about statistics, mostly lucky guesses. It’s not as magical as you think.”

“Were you analyzing the case just now?”

“No, just feeling the scene’s atmosphere, trying to visualize the crime. What I see isn’t as reliable as forensic results. Solving cases isn’t about sudden inspiration but meticulous investigation. There’s no genius in this line of work.”

Lin took out a notebook to record Song Lang’s words. Song Lang asked, “What are you doing?”

“Taking notes.”

“Stop calling me ‘you.’ I’m only a few years older than you.”

“You’re my idol!”

“Haha, idol my foot. I’m your captain. I’ll be scolding, bossing, and teasing you often!”

Lin saluted respectfully, “Yes, Captain Song!”