Diary of a Criminal Investigator

Chapter 657: The First Person to Die at Chen Kai’s Hands

Binzhou Road 189.The entrance to Dafu Real Estate Company has already been cordoned off.

The entire field service of the Binzhou Road police station was deployed, maintaining order and evacuating the crowd.

Just two hours ago, a fire broke out on the 12th floor of Dafu Real Estate Company.

The exact cause of the fire is still unclear.

At this moment, Qin Yong is leading the team, and many key members of the Criminal Investigation Team are all present at the scene.

The head of Binzhou Road police station, Zhang Jianguo, quickly approached to report the relevant situation to Qin Yong.

"Captain Qin, after the fire alarm went off, the sprinkler system in the building was activated, and then everyone in the building started running out."

"Someone called 119 to report the fire, and within half an hour after the fire broke out, they arrived at the scene to extinguish the fire on the 12th floor using a water jet."

"We received the report 15 minutes ago."

"The report came from a firefighter who was involved in the rescue."

"After the fire was under control, the firefighters entered the building’s 12th floor via the stairs from the 1st floor, but found the body of the deceased at the stairway between the 11th and 12th floors."

"Confirmed that it wasn’t death by burning?"

Zhang Jianguo shook his head, "The deceased had their throat slit, rupturing the carotid artery, and died from excessive blood loss."

Sun Jun listened carefully to Zhang Jianguo’s report from the side.

Just during the case analysis meeting, an important reason the call came to his phone was that the victim was one of Sun Jun’s key investigation targets.

After returning, Sun Jun left two people on site to continue the investigation.

"Let’s go up and see the body first."

"Yes!"

Just now, Sun Jun had already reported the investigation situation on his side to Qin Yong.

The deceased was Dafu Real Estate Company’s General Manager, Chen Baojun.

Chen Baojun was the number two figure in Chen Kai’s criminal gang back in the day.

That year, he was captured in Tianzhou City and sentenced to ten years in prison, but later had two years reduced due to good behavior.

Eight years ago, after being released, he did not return to Tianzhou City but came to Haizhou City instead.

He founded Dafu Real Estate Company.

This person was once Chen Kai’s right-hand man.

Together with a few other trusted aides of Chen Kai, they were known as the Four Heavenly Kings.

In the investigation into Chen Kai’s interpersonal relationships, these people were focal points for Song Jun.

Given the relationship between Chen Kai and Chen Baojun, if Chen Kai returned from abroad, it’s highly possible he would rely on him.

Therefore, Sun Jun left two people outside Dafu Real Estate Company to monitor Chen Baojun’s movements 24/7.

But unfortunately, the people on surveillance never saw Chen Kai contact Chen Baojun, only receiving news of Chen Baojun’s death.

The inside of the building was essentially a mess.

The fire on the 12th floor wasn’t particularly large.

According to the firefighters’ inspection, it was initially judged that a garbage bin in the restroom caught fire, igniting the floor fire.

However, since the firefighters arrived promptly, the fire was quickly extinguished.

Due to the activation of the sprinklers and the firefighting water, there was quite a bit of accumulated water in the hallway.

The group climbed up the stairs to the corridor between the 11th and 12th floors.

Lu Chuan went forward to examine first.

"A transverse cut on the carotid artery...the killer is very professional, one strike, fatal."

"Analyzing the angle of entry...the killer struck from behind."

"With no obstruction to the direction of the blood spray, the perpetrator left immediately after succeeding."

The ground was all water, and footprints couldn’t be distinguished anymore.

"The killer probably took the opportunity to strike after the fire started and everyone was rushing downstairs amidst the chaos."

"It could be considered arson, with the purpose of creating confusion and then killing Chen Baojun."

The murder scene wasn’t particularly complex, the cause of death and time of death for Chen Baojun were very clear.

The traces of arson found in the men’s restroom on the 12th floor were also quite evident by the firefighters.

Someone had placed gasoline in the garbage bin and then ignited it.

The bin was originally beside the storeroom, but after being set alight, it was moved outside.

Being close to the partition board, the fire spread into the hallway when it started.

However, the fire wasn’t extensive, and after the sprinkler system activated, it was basically extinguished.

Moreover, with the timely arrival of the firefighters, other than being soaked by water, the 12th floor itself didn’t suffer any significant damage.

"Since being released from prison, even though Chen Baojun no longer involved himself with crime, his usual demeanor was still rather domineering."

"During our investigations, we found that he always had two bodyguards following him around."

"The killer set the fire likely to divert the bodyguards, making it easier to target Chen Baojun."

Sun Jun gave his opinion.

"Was the surveillance checked?"

Zhang Jianguo and others were the first to arrive, and they definitely wouldn’t overlook the monitoring room as an important site for collecting evidence.

But unfortunately.

"We have checked the monitoring room, but starting an hour before the fire, the entire surveillance system malfunctioned, only recovering after the fire ended."

Malfunction?

Isn’t this just like the surveillance at Azalea Mall?

...

One hour later.

Some staff members of Dafu Real Estate Company were being questioned.

Particularly Chen Baojun’s two bodyguards.

"Actually, being Chen Baojun’s bodyguard is just for show, to put on airs."

"In the past two years, while he did offend quite a few people in business as we know, no one really bothered him."

"When going downstairs, we ran out with him, but since there was a crowd, after exiting the staircase on the 12th floor, we got separated."

"Later, when we got out, we realized President Chen didn’t follow us."

"But at the time, we didn’t pay much attention either, after all, there were so many people coming out of the building, nobody knew where everyone was."

"Moreover, nobody dared to go up amid the fire."

In another interrogation room, the answer from the other bodyguard was similar.

The whole process happened just as Lu Chuan and the others suspected.

However, this bodyguard provided some personal information about Chen Baojun.

"Once, I heard President Chen say when he was drunk that he had someone behind him, and whatever he did, the police wouldn’t touch him."

"I guess it might have been related to that case back in Tianzhou City, he seemed to have revealed quite a bit of information to the police."

"Because I also spent some time in Tianzhou back then, I know what President Chen was into."

"He was the leader of the Four Heavenly Kings back in the day, but after being caught, he served the shortest time inside."

"Logically speaking, with his heavier crimes, he should have served longer, one of the other Three Heavenly Kings still hasn’t come out."

"People in the underworld all said Chen Baojun was a police informant."

"But now nobody cares about those things, everyone is busy making money, fighting and killing are things of the past."

Qin Yong’s office.

"Chen Baojun...an informant?"

It was Lu Chuan who interrogated the second bodyguard.

"Yes, after getting this information, I immediately called over to Tianzhou City’s Criminal Investigation Team to verify."