kingnovel Chapter 898 Major Clue, Suspect Identified
Chapter 898 Major Clue, Suspect Identified
Li Ming and Xiao Zhao's hearts sank instantly, but they were unwilling to give up. Li Ming said sincerely, "Master Wang, this video is very important to our case; it concerns a life. Please think of another way to see if we can find the video from that day."
Mr. Wang hesitated for a moment and said, "Then I'll go back to the company and ask the technicians if they can fix it."
The next day, Mr. Wang called excitedly, saying, "Officers, the technicians say they have a way to recover part of the video footage. Please come and take a look!"
Li Ming and Xiao Zhao rushed to the taxi company. The technicians worked at the computer for a while, and finally, part of the video footage from the night of the incident appeared on the screen. Although the image was somewhat blurry, it was clear that Lin Yueyue got out of the taxi and met a man on the roadside. The man was tall, wearing a black coat and a hat, making his face obscured.
"Master Wang, thank you so much! You've been a great help!" Li Ming excitedly grasped Master Wang's hand.
Back at the police station, Li Ming immediately organized technicians to analyze the video footage, attempting to use technical means to clarify the man's face. At the same time, he reported this situation to Qin Chuan.
"Director Qin, although we can't see the man's face clearly yet, this is the most crucial clue right now. We will do our utmost to confirm the man's identity as soon as possible," Li Ming said firmly.
Qin Chuan nodded: "Okay, continue to investigate. This man is very likely the murderer, we must find him as soon as possible. At the same time, expand the scope of the investigation and see if the surrounding surveillance can capture any other traces of the man."
The atmosphere in the police station's technical analysis room was heavy and oppressive. Officers stared intently at the computer screens, their eyes bloodshot, yet dared not slacken their focus. With the investigation into Lin Yueyue's case at a standstill, reviewing nearby surveillance footage became their last hope. Li Ming stood to the side, his gaze sweeping back and forth between the various screens, his brow furrowed, silently praying that he could find a crucial clue among the complex images.
"Everyone, pay attention. Don't overlook any details, especially suspicious individuals who appeared in Lin Yueyue's residential area and surrounding roads around the time of the incident. Focus on people whose clothing resembles the man in the video." Li Ming's voice was deep but firm, echoing in the room.
The officers retrieved surveillance footage from nearby supermarkets and roads on the night of the incident and in the days before and after, examining it frame by frame. The footage showed crowds of people coming and going, and a constant flow of vehicles; each frame required considerable effort to analyze. Time ticked by, their eyes grew sore and tired, some rubbed their eyes, and after a short rest, quickly returned to work.
Suddenly, Xiao Zhang, who was in charge of checking the surveillance footage of a certain section of the road, shouted, "Captain Li, come and look at this!" Li Ming immediately walked quickly behind Xiao Zhang. On the screen, a tall man wearing a black coat was getting off a truck and walking towards a convenience store on the side of the road. Although the image was a bit blurry and the man was wearing a hat, making his face unclear, his clothing was extremely similar to the man who appeared in the footage outside Lin Yueyue's residential area earlier.
"Take a screenshot of this image and sharpen it. Also, track the truck's route and see which other surveillance cameras it appears in," Li Ming quickly ordered. Technicians immediately sprang into action, using specialized software to process the screenshot in an attempt to reconstruct the man's facial features. Meanwhile, another team of officers began checking other nearby surveillance footage, searching for the truck's trail.
After several hours of effort, the truck's trajectory gradually became clear. It appeared near Lin Yueyue's residential area on the night of the incident, and then headed towards the suburbs. By comparing multiple surveillance videos along the truck's route, the police discovered that the truck eventually entered a village near the mine.
“It seems this village is crucial; it’s very likely the suspect’s hideout,” Li Ming said. “Let’s dig deeper and see if we can get more information about the truck and the man from these surveillance videos.”
The officers continued their arduous work through massive amounts of surveillance data. Finally, in a surveillance video at the village entrance, they captured partial information about the truck's license plate. Using this information, the police conducted a search through the vehicle management system and identified a truck registered under Li Song's name.
"Li Song, male, 35 years old, truck driver, lives in a village near the mine." Li Ming looked at the information in his hand, his eyes revealing excitement and determination. "It's him, he's very likely the criminal suspect we're looking for."
The police acted swiftly, launching a full investigation into Li Song. Through interviews with Li Song's neighbors and friends, they learned that his recent behavior had been somewhat unusual; he often left early and returned late, and appeared extremely haggard. These clues further deepened the police's suspicions about Li Song.
Having gathered sufficient clues, Li Ming decisively ordered the arrest operation. As night fell, sirens pierced the silence as several police cars sped towards Li Song's village. Upon arrival, the officers quickly disembarked, spreading out in a fan shape and silently surrounding Li Song's house. Li Ming made a gesture, and two officers swiftly stepped forward, kicking open the door and shouting, "Police, don't move!"
Inside the room, Li Song sat in a chair, staring in astonishment at the police who had suddenly burst in. Before he could react, the officers swarmed him and subdued him. "Li Song, you are hereby formally arrested for your involvement in the Lin Yueyue death case," Li Ming said sternly, then handcuffed Li Song and escorted him to the police car.
Back at the police station, in the interrogation room, Li Song sat in a chair, head bowed, silent. Li Ming and Officer Liu sat opposite him, their eyes fixed on him. "Li Song, we have gathered substantial evidence proving your involvement in Lin Yueyue's death. Now, confess your crimes truthfully and we will strive for leniency," Li Ming spoke first, his voice deep and authoritative.
Li Song raised his head, a flicker of panic crossing his eyes, but he quickly regained his composure, keeping his lips tightly shut and offering no response. Seeing this, Xiao Liu slammed his hand on the table: "Li Song, don't be delusional. Since we were able to bring you back, we were absolutely certain. If you confess now, you might receive a lighter sentence; if you continue to resist, it will only worsen your crime."
Li Song sat in the interrogation chair, his hands cuffed to the table. His head was lowered, his hair was messy, and his expression was not visible, but his slightly trembling shoulders revealed his inner tension and unease.
Li Ming and Officer Zhao sat opposite him, their eyes fixed on Li Song. Li Ming spoke, his voice low but carrying an undeniable authority: "Li Song, you have been arrested for your involvement in the Lin Yueyue death case. The evidence is right in front of you. You had better confess to the crime truthfully."