Chapter 109: Another Big Incident

“Dead?”

Xiao Yu stared in shock at the pale-faced Deputy Li when he arrived at the Criminal Investigation Brigade. He felt like his brain was spinning and jumping in disbelief.

What had shocked him so much?

The person Deputy Li had sent to the detention center for filing a false report was dead.

Can you believe it?

Not only was he dead, but he had committed suicide. But that wasn’t the worst part.

The most damning part was that before he died, the deceased had written three words on the wall with his blood, “I am wronged.”

And then, a big incident erupted.

The medical examiner arrived, and the autopsy confirmed it was indeed suicide. He died in the detention center’s isolation cell.

Why was it the isolation cell?

In the afternoon, the deceased had attempted self-harm but was stopped.

Did the detention center coddle anyone?

Definitely not, so they put him in the isolation cell.

At that time, Deputy Li had sent him to the detention center, planning to keep him there for three days.

After the deceased attempted self-harm and was stopped, the detention center just planned to scare him by putting him in an isolation cell.

But, within an hour of being put in, he was dead.

The cause of death was a ruptured carotid artery, excessive blood loss, shock, and organ failure. The suicide tool was a metal button.

Could a button cut an artery?

Yes.

Many metal buttons were made from thin metal sheets, pressed into button shapes using molds. You could bite them open and turn them back into metal sheets. While these metal sheets weren’t as sharp as blades, they were sharp and hard enough. If you cut your neck’s thin, soft skin with it, there’s no need to explain what would happen.

How was the suicide discovered?

The person had tried to self-harm in the afternoon. After stopping him, the detention center put him in the isolation cell and called Deputy Li. At that time, Xiao Yu was treating everyone to dinner. By the time Deputy Li arrived at the detention center, ready to interrogate him, the prison guard went to the isolation cell to fetch the person only to find him dead.

Both the detention center staff and Deputy Li were terrified when they discovered the death. 

A death was a serious matter, especially in a detention center, and especially with the words “I am wronged” left behind by the deceased. 

Could you imagine the repercussions?

What caused the death?

Filing a false police report, Deputy Li arrested him, sending him to the detention center, the detention center putting him in an isolation cell… leading to his death.

If responsibility was pursued, both Deputy Li and the detention center guards could be in trouble.

Why call Xiao Yu over?

Since it was confirmed that the deceased committed suicide and that those three words were written by him before his death, what did it imply? 

He was very likely truly wronged.

First of all, regardless of whether this person was mentally unstable or committed suicide over this matter, the case definitely needed to be investigated. Since the case was initially handled by Deputy Li, and now this incident had occurred, the case must be handed over and reviewed by higher authorities.

The purpose of calling Xiao Yu in was to conduct a thorough investigation. Additionally, there was another purpose. 

Deputy Li was quite unlucky, facing an unprovoked disaster. But he was still a member of the Criminal Investigation Brigade. Zhao Changshan asked Xiao Yu to speak with the higher-ups and make sure Deputy Li was protected for now. Once the case was fully investigated, they could deal with it accordingly.

Did Xiao Yu have that kind of influence? Absolutely.

Xiao Yu took out his phone and personally called the Municipal Bureau’s chief, Yun Xiangguo. 

Yun Xiangguo responded with just one sentence, “Alright, I’ll give you face, but you need to clear up the case. If it’s determined that Deputy Li has no responsibility, we won’t take any action. However, if Deputy Li is found responsible, then I’m sorry, but given the severity of this case, the minimum consequence will be an internal warning. If the responsibility is significant, prepare for removal from the force.”

Removal from the force?

That meant taking off the police uniform and leaving the police force. If any laws were broken, it could potentially lead to a criminal trial.

Was it that serious?

Yes, it was that serious. When a police officer made a mistake, the consequences were even more severe.

***

Did Xiao Yu have a magic touch?

Did he take on all kinds of work?

No, not only did he not have a magic touch, but sometimes, to catch criminals, he had to be ruthless.

However, after working in the Criminal Investigation Brigade for three months, Xiao Yu observed Deputy Li’s character. Although he could be a bit slippery at times, he was an upright veteran investigator with a strong sense of justice. Even people who keep pets, like cats and dogs, develop feelings for them. After three months of working together, Xiao Yu felt that if he could help, he certainly should.

Immediately, Xiao Yu led a team to the detention center to investigate the scene. His arrival was met by the warden himself. 

The detention center had recently faced a major incident, which caused a huge uproar and led to the removal of the previous warden. This current warden had just been newly assigned and now found himself in the middle of yet another crisis.

But everyone in the local police system knew Xiao Yu’s name. Having recently commanded the entire city’s criminal police, armed police, special police, and even national security personnel, who would dare treat Xiao Yu as just a minor police inspector? How much fake liquor would you have to drink to make that mistake?

Upon Xiao Yu’s arrival, not only did the warden welcome him, but many leaders of various ranks were present as well. Despite his low rank, Xiao Yu’s presence commanded significant respect.

“No need for formalities,” Xiao Yu smiled, “Let’s start investigating the case.”

They headed to the special detention cell, also known as the little black room. 

In plain terms, it was a solitary confinement cell, used specifically for detaining unruly suspects and prisoners. There was nothing particularly mysterious about it. However, as Xiao Yu entered the cell, he frowned, sensing a cold and eerie atmosphere.

At the beginning of spring, the weather was still chilly. Without heating, the room felt damp and had poor lighting, contributing to the eerie atmosphere. 

The body had already been removed, but there were bloodstains everywhere, which was normal.

The human circulatory system is under pressure. When a blood vessel, especially a major artery, is damaged, the blood can spray out a considerable distance, though not as dramatically as a fountain.

“Where’s the tool he used to commit suicide?” Xiao Yu asked.

Guo Qiang brought over a transparent bag. Inside was a dismantled button. In its original state, the button was small, but when unfolded, it was more than twice its size. Clear teeth marks were visible on it. The deceased had used his teeth to bite it before his death. This was evident from the tooth marks on the deceased’s teeth.

What kind of evidence? 

The button had a metallic coating, and when bitten open, it left residual particles. This was a key point in confirming that the deceased had committed suicide.

A stack of photos was placed in front of Xiao Yu. They were all photos from the crime scene, including those of the deceased’s body. Xiao Yu picked up one photo, which showed the wound on the deceased’s neck. Just one glance made his heart jolt.

It wasn’t a single scratch but multiple ones.

Imagining it, the deceased had used the thin metal piece from the button to repeatedly cut his neck until he severed the artery. Xiao Yu felt a chill in his heart.

How many normal people could do such a thing? No, even abnormal individuals, how many could endure that level of pain?

“Did the deceased have any medical history?” Xiao Yu asked gravely.

“Yes!”

Team member Li Xin handed over a tablet. Now, Xiao Yu was no longer the team leader but the deputy captain. The former team leader role was taken over by Guo Qiang, while Li Xin and Liu Hongqiao remained team members. 

However, they were still under Xiao Yu’s command because of familiarity and established working habits. Xiao Yu had brought them along to the detention center.

After looking at the tablet for a few moments, Xiao Yu raised his eyebrows.

“Autism?!”