CHAPTER 1250: CHAPTER 1177 WAITING

3:30 AM.

The phone rang.

Zhang Dinghui immediately opened his eyes, his heart pounding fiercely, and felt his temples throbbing as if trying to break through something innate.

As the director of the Mei Yang City Bureau, Zhang Dinghui received countless calls every day, but midnight calls were rare, especially at 3 AM, a time when normal people were already asleep. Such calls came only during the time Jiang Yuan was here to investigate the explosion case, and news would often arrive at 3 AM...

Zhang Dinghui’s eyes widened, like a martial arts master contemplating before death: Jiang Yuan is indeed in Mei Yang City.

Skillfully reaching for a pill box on the bedside table, Zhang Dinghui opened it and swallowed the medication. Then he pressed his temple with his hand, took a couple of deep breaths, and pushed back the nausea from his chest and abdomen before answering the call, saying, "It’s Zhang Dinghui."

Wang Sheng knew it was late at night, so he explained quickly, "Director. Jiang Yuan has confirmed that the suspect, Ren Kuangshan, abandoned his car the day after the crime in Zhu Yuan County and walked along the railway to Zhu Yuan County Train Station, where he took a slow train to leave the area."

"Left the Mei Yang City area?" Zhang Dinghui breathed a sigh of relief.

"Yes, but the investigation in Zhu Yuan County still needs our cooperation. Jiang Yuan has already begun his journey to Zhu Yuan County. Additionally, leaders from the department have departed from Changyang City on a helicopter, expected to arrive at Zhu Yuan County Train Station in about two hours," Wang Sheng stated, getting to the main point of the call.

Zhang Dinghui steadied himself and repeated, "On a helicopter? That committed?"

"Five days have passed since the crime, and the leaders must be quite anxious," Wang Sheng, as the head of the Criminal Police Brigade, understood the excitement of a sudden breakthrough in such a major case, a feeling even more exhilarating than a wife giving birth, stronger than a mistress getting pregnant, akin to the child of the mistress not being his.

Zhang Dinghui glanced at the clock, understood Wang Sheng’s intention, and sighed, "Alright, let’s go to Zhu Yuan County as well."

"Yes." Wang Sheng paused for a moment before saying, "I’ve sent a police car to pick you up, it will arrive at your building in about 10 minutes."

"Alright. Thank you for your hard work." Zhang Dinghui had nothing more to say, so he got out of bed, washed up, and began to dress.

"Is there a case?" his wife, stirred by the noise, asked from the next room. They had been sleeping separately for a long time, otherwise the sound of Zhang Dinghui’s phone would have caused two heart attack patients.

"Yes. You go back to sleep." Zhang Dinghui didn’t elaborate on the case, dressed carefully and went out the door.

Outside, his secretary was already waiting.

The car drove steadily, with a police car leading the way, and at 3 AM, there was no need for traffic control.

He slept all the way to Zhu Yuan County, and when Zhang Dinghui opened his eyes again, it was already dawn outside.

"The leader’s helicopter will land in 10 minutes, have a drink of water, and we’ll head over," the secretary handed him a thermos cup considerately.

Zhang Dinghui drank most of it in one go, not worried at all about the water in the thermos cup burning his mouth.

Power is a cage that narrows the fluctuation of water temperature within a thermos cup, the greater the power, the narrower the fluctuation.

"Let’s go." Zhang Dinghui put on his shoes, adjusted his collar slightly, and stepped out of the car.

Outside, his subordinate colleagues were already waiting.

"Thank you all for your hard work, waking in the night must have been shocking. How’s your heart?" Zhang Dinghui acknowledged them as he chatted while walking.

"12 quick heart pills."

"16 pills."

"I used nitroglycerin."

They joked casually, and didn’t walk far before reaching the meeting place. No need for direction, everyone automatically stood at where they should be.

Whirr... Whirr...

The sound of helicopter blades was irritating, stirring up dust from the ground, as well as smiles from the people standing on it.

The helicopter landed.

Song Tiancheng opened his eyes, glanced out the window, took a sip of water, put on his shoes, and got out of the helicopter.

Outside, the local colleagues were already waiting.

...

Zhu Yuan County Railway Station Police Station.

The police station cleared out the meeting room and the chief’s office, but still couldn’t accommodate such a large group of people.

When leaders brought people out, they were there to work; leaders could hold a teacup and talk with a smile, but subordinates had to find places to write speech materials, etc.

Huang Qiangmin greeted the leaders and then said, "Jiang Yuan is on the platform reviewing the site, I’ll give him a call..."

"No rush, let him finish before we talk. We are all here to understand the situation, not to cause trouble," Song Tiancheng said as he glanced around, and continued, "The most reliable clue now is provided by Jiang Yuan. When eating, don’t blame the chef for being slow."

Turning to Zhang Dinghui, Song Tiancheng addressed him, "Director Zhang, we owe you gratitude for your help this time..."

This case is not the responsibility of the Mei Yang City Bureau; they just need to cooperate with the work. Song Tiancheng mentioned his subordinates specifically to prevent Zhang Dinghui from misunderstanding.

This time, Zhang Dinghui has been more proactive than usual, also to give face to Song Tiancheng and Jiang Yuan.

Last time, during the gambling house explosion case in Mei Yang City, it was Song Tiancheng who brought Jiang Yuan to handle it, so this is returning the favor.

At the same time, Zhang Dinghui and Song Tiancheng have known each other for a long time. Zhang Dinghui smiled broadly and said, "We’re here to assist."

"Hahaha." Song Tiancheng feigned amusement, his expression less serious now. After saying a couple more sentences, he turned to Huang Qiangmin and asked, "Why did Jiang Yuan purposely come to inspect the platform? Is the surveillance video unclear?"

If the surveillance is unclear, the reliability of the clues will also be compromised.

Huang Qiangmin shook his head: "The surveillance is appropriate. However, the train suspect Ren Kuangshan boarded is a slow train, with a long stop time of about 12 minutes. Meanwhile, a train also stops on a neighboring track, which Jiang Yuan fears might allow the suspect to secretly cross the platform and board another train."

Song Tiancheng’s eyelids twitched, this answer was like a horror story for him as the person responsible for the case, prompting him to say, "Isn’t it said that the suspect’s destination is the Northeast? He has been heading Northeast."

"That’s the normal inference, Jiang Yuan is just preparing for contingencies." Huang Qiangmin understood what Song Tiancheng was worried about; he also felt Jiang Yuan’s speculations were like horror stories.

The train beside is heading eastward; if the suspect did secretly board it, and their team mobilized to the Northeast, thinking about that scenario is chilling.

Huang Qiangmin felt if he were the task force leader and encountered such a situation, it would cast a lifelong shadow. Although Ren Kuangshan would ultimately be captured, even if he escaped now, this level of criminal is bound to be on the Interpol red notice list in the future.

Unless he quietly dies in a foreign country; otherwise, in the future when Ren Kuangshan is caught and confesses such a contradictory story, no matter how much time has passed, the investigators from that year will never have peace at heart.

Song Tiancheng also became serious: "Jiang Yuan’s thinking is rigorous. This guy is born to be a policeman."

"Now they call him a natural detective body." Zhang Dinghui said, using a newly learned term.

Song Tiancheng laughed heartily again.

Not long later, Jiang Yuan returned with a group of technicians.

"How is it?" Song Tiancheng wasn’t afraid to show his urgency. He even took a helicopter; indeed, he was anxious.

"Based on the situation, he did board this train. He boarded compartment 6." Jiang Yuan relayed the information seen in the video, not unexpected.

Song Tiancheng breathed a sigh of relief: "It’s good that it’s confirmed; good that it’s confirmed. This way, it seems the suspect indeed headed Northeast."

"Considering the time, he should have already alighted." Liu Jinghui checked his watch: "I am two days late."

Song Tiancheng’s expression shifted slightly: "Ge Zhibing has already set up defenses at the border; I’m not sure whether he can block the suspect."

His gaze turned to Jiang Yuan: "In pursuit and interception, Jiang Yuan, what do you need?"

"The train’s stop time and location are clear, and each train station’s surveillance is complete. Now, it’s about collecting surveillance from each station to see where the suspect disembarked. I’ve sent cooperation requests to the command center. I can review the video in a short time; it’s just a matter of how quickly each place can send it over."

Jiang Yuan answered quickly, clearly having thought it through.

Slow trains typically stop at every station; it’s normal to stop at twenty stations along the way. Even so, even if each station has a 10-minute stop, altogether, it’s only 200 minutes of stop time, doubling the time would mean 400 minutes of stop time. During this period, the surveillance at a train’s entrances and exits and on the platform, whether ten, eight, or more, has a limited total video length.

With the target person clearly identified, Jiang Yuan doesn’t have to watch all the videos himself; a team can be organized to watch the videos together. For competent image investigators, watching such videos is routine.

Moreover, domestic AI systems have been used for gait analysis since ten years ago. Additionally, facial recognition can be employed.

Train station or airport systems are tuned strictly; a high similarity prompts alerts. Now with determined time and location, the similarity requirements can be slightly relaxed.

Regarding why it can’t be used at gas stations, it’s due to differences in surveillance settings and clarity, while train stations have professional facial recognition setups.

For example, facial recognition surveillance isn’t simply capturing images for face comparison. Firstly, it requires high resolution; secondly, it needs supplemental lighting; thirdly, the capture angle must face the subject directly, with slight lateral and vertical rotation acceptable, but top-down or lateral captures aren’t acceptable.

Therefore, positioning of facial and vehicle recognition setups is often meticulous and requires coordination, lacking in gas station surveillance.

Lastly, extensive surveillance entails significant storage or transmission needs. If the footfall is ten thousand people, capturing over 100 thousand photos is common. Places with necessity can handle these photos without issue, but non-essential spots don’t need it.

Listening to Jiang Yuan’s light-hearted answers, Song Tiancheng felt relieved too: "Great, what’s the name, make a call and urge them, let each place report the required time, compile a list for me, I’ll contact them personally."

"Understood." The person swiftly took action.

Liu Jinghui then said softly beside them: "Anticipate suspects jumping off the train early when slow trains approach the station."

Listening to this, Song Tiancheng’s brow furrowed again.

Liu Jinghui added: "Usually they can’t jump off; train attendants are stationed at the doors. However, if something goes wrong, the attendants might not report; they must be asked individually."

"That’s good!" Song Tiancheng breathed a sigh of relief, a solution is all it takes. A train doesn’t have many attendants.

"It’s best to find some passengers, for instance, those who bought seated tickets in compartment 6 can be asked if they remember Ren Kuangshan. Train rides last several hours, even ten-plus hours, and passengers get acquainted with those around them." Liu Jinghui paused, then continued, "Ordinary people might just sleep or aren’t sensitive to those around them, special attention can be given to passengers’ occupations like veterans, those who worked in the military or police systems, including some self-employed individuals, small merchants, and former prisoners, who tend to notice those around them more, not limited to compartment 6..."

Liu Jinghui referred to traditional detective skills, not particularly novel tactics, but when actually employed, clearly demands significant human and material resources.

Song Tiancheng effortlessly made arrangements; for ordinary detective teams this is a burden, but for task forces, it’s as if parents teach children, nothing out of the ordinary.