Chapter 24 - The Murder Report

While the entire world embraced the New Year with firecrackers and loud church bells, the imperial city entered into a new era with the alarming horns of ambulances and police vehicles running across the city.

As soon as the dawn broke, the headquarters of the imperial police force plummeted into absolute chaos as the phone calls rang without any break.

Everyone was blaming the police for the attack that happened at 

the Rising Ravens, which has been popping up on the news as a crime hub.

Media houses have portrayed the police force accountable for the culprit on the loose and even made a huge fuss that the capital city is no longer safe.

"Captain, chief Wu has called in for a meeting to present the FIR in ten minutes." Lao Yating reported to Wan Yi Jun, who was busy going through the CCTV records with Bing Wen.

"Yes, we are almost done with this." Bing Wen answered on the behalf of his senior officer, whose eyes were glued to the screen. He only came to the office in the morning and saw his captain inspecting the CCTV footage from the crime scene. He was a bit surprised to know that Wan Yi Jun was the first officer to arrive at the crime scene even though it was the general police officer's duty to report.

Since most of the police detectives were off-duty on new year eve, Wan Yi Jun volunteered to lead the small group of police officers to take care of the crime scene, and gather the details regarding the same.

"Bing Wen, copy this and take it to the conference hall, I will join in a bit." Wan Yi Jun instructed as he rose from the seat and gently stretched his hands. "You too, inform officer Meng to join the meeting. He was in charge of the patrolling duty near the club." He added before walking out of the office in steady steps.

"Yes, sir." Lao Yating replied as he picked up the sheets of paper coming out of the printer and looked in the direction where his captain has gone. It was the first information report of the crime scene.

Normally, these were written by junior officers, and he couldn't believe that it was captain Wan who typed all these?

"It seems like he didn't go home, last night too." Bing Wen, who noticed the conflicted look on Lao Yating's face, added as a matter of fact. 

"And Sir Lao, why did they even appoint us in charge of this case? It is not something we usually don't do."

"How do I know? I passed out last night after getting home and heard about the murder in the morning, that too from the news." Lao Yating answered while clipping the report in a paper file.

"By the way, where is the rest of the team? I haven't seen them either." Bing Wen asked as he stood up from the seat while carrying the pen drive where he copied the major pieces of evidence that Wan Yi Jun has gathered from the CCTV footage.

"Captain asked senior Fei and Shen Junru to go to the crime scene." Lao Yating added and checked the time on his wrist watch before turning towards, " Xiao Bing, times up. Let's go." 

"Yes. sir." 

Both of them quickly run towards the conference hall to set up the presentation of the primary investigative report before the meeting starts. 

Once the clock struck 9, Wu Feng almost barged into the conference room with a few other officers and took seats. 

"Wan Yi Jun, I got no time, so cut the chase." He instructed the man who was standing next to the projector.

"Yes, chief." Wan Yi Jun turned towards Bing Wen and gestured him to start the powerpoint presentation. The next moment, the lights in the hall dimmed and the smiling photo of a girl appeared on the screen. 

"Victim, 24 years old Shu Li Li, a fashion designing student at Jing university. She is actually from West Gui Xiang but stays in an apartment next to the university. She is a frequent visitor of the rising Raven club, and last night also she went there to celebrate with her friends."

The picture on the screen changed, and a video of a man wearing black hoodie entering the private room started playing.

"Due to privacy concerns, there are no CCTV cameras inside the room. So we could only rely on the statements of witnesses,  around 11.30, the culprit barged in and dragged the victim, Shu-Li Li, who actually dropped drunk, out of the private room. Though all of her friends were drunk, they tried to stop him, but the culprit attacked them with the alcohol bottles and even managed to slice the victim's throat. The victim tried to run out in panic but collapsed on the stairs, where he stabbed her with bottles.

Hearing her cries, the crowd got panicked and the culprit escaped between the commotion. So far, one death and twenty casualties are recorded. Five of them got injured while trying to stop the culprit, whereas the rest of the casualties happened during a stampede after the crime." Wan Yi Jun concluded and waited for the questions from his senior officers.

"Any information regarding the culprit? Eyewitnesses or anyone who would do this?" One of the officers asked while the screen showed the picture of an unclear masked man on the screen.

"Witnesses says that Shu Li Li is not a person who would like to have any enemies who would create such a mess and as we can see that the culprit was at least 177 cm in height, well built man, so we are looking for people in her friend list or acquaintances at the moment."

"Does this club keep a visitor's list? Or anything that could narrow down our work?" Chief Wu asked as a question that obviously showed that he wasn't familiar how clubs work nowadays. Most of the clubs only check the identity proofs of the visitors, but not really keep a record of it. However, due to continuous trouble that was happening in the rising Ravens, the management has decided to save the records of visitors as if they foresaw such a disaster. 

"Luckily, they do and we even checked the CCTV's but there is no direct evidence that someone like him entered the club." With a disappointed look smeared on his face, Wan Yi Jun added and pursed his lips together as the lights in the room came back.

"What you mean...?" Wu Feng asked in startlement. "How can someone enter without getting caught by anyone. There will be someone who have seen him." It was evident that Wan Yi Jun's statement has pulled the officers into confusion.

"We couldn't find anyone wearing the same clothes entering the club through the CCTV footage where as the exit was perfectly recorded. He used the commotion as his exit path and escaped into the crowd who gathered to watch the fireworks."

"Do you think it is an insider job? Someone from the club, itself?" Another officer asked to clear his doubt. 

"No, sir. all the staff got alibi." Wan Yi Jun looked at the case file that was on his hand and began to read.

"There are 55 permanent staff and 20 part timers. 30 among them works in the kitchen. Apart from two part-timers who called in for sick leave, all others were present in the club and have solid alibi,"

Hearing Wan Yi Jun's inferences, Bing Wen almost gaped like a goldfish and turned to face Lao Yating who had an equally shocked face. 

When did their captain collected these many information within the short amount time and lack of man power.

"What about the chances that culprit entered the club by disguising into someone else?"

"I have sent someone to check into it."

"This is the third time we are receiving a case that involves Rising Ravens. As the officer who investigated the previous case happened at the club, do you have anything to add more? Is there any connections between these cases?" Going through the primary report, one of the senior officer asked to the man who confidently answered their questions without any flaw, even though it wasn't really his branch of expertise. Most of the time, the primary investigative reports always have assumptions and hypothetic answers than solid proofs, but however, Wan Yi Jun presented his inferences without relaying on the doubts.

"Based on the primary evidence, it seems like a first degree murder where the victim is stabbed in the middle of the public, but with proper planning and deliberate intentions. However, the chances of Rising Ravens getting involved in the same is a bit questionable."

"Why do you think like that?"

"It is true that someone is targeting Rising Ravens by going against their strict policy of no drug usage inside the club and previous quarrels with the dealers. Though it seems like that this murder got nothing to do with the club in first look, I do feel that there is some connection." He paused for a minute and signaled Lao Yating to pass another case report.

"The majority of the injured people were found to be under the effect of drugs, with no distinction between men and women as well as the victim. So it is true that there was someone selling drugs over there despite the high security checking and all. Anyway, once we are done checking the rest of the footages across the street and visitor's list we can find the culprit. So I request you some more time for it." Wan Yi Jun concluded and moved away from the projector as if he hot nothing else to say.

"Since you want to take charge of this case, let's transfer the Long Wei case to another team." Wu Feng suggested as he stood up from the seat. He was supposed to give an official report to the press to turn down the uproar that was created by media.

"Yes. sir." Wan Yi Jun attentively agreed, only to get frustrated the next moment.

"But Han Ze Min will be joining the team, too."

"That's not necessary." With a bitter smile, he rejected the offer without even considering the merits or most importantly, the place he was currently stood. He was supposed to agree with his senior officers but he ended up doing the opposite as soon as Wu Feng mentioned a name he doesn't want to hear.

"You are not dealing with a case that needs closer evaluation and an immediate result. So it's better to increase the manpower of the team that handles this case."

"Give us a proper office, instead of adding more team members." Wan Yi Jun gritted as he made a remark that boiled Wu Feng's anger. "At least I won't be seeing him every time."

"Are you serious, is that your biggest concern now? I told you several times that don't mix your personal life into your profession."

"Yes. sir." Wan Yi Jun agreed in an aloof tone that clearly showed that he was going to do the opposite. 

And at the very moment, Lao Yating and Bing Wen understood why their team got the task of investigating a murder instead of dealing cases that questions the national security and integrity.

Captain Wan Yi Jun just wanted to free himself from the responsibility of working on HK Long Wei case and the excruciating part of working with his cousin.

But somehow his plan got backfired.