Everyone, not just Tong Meng, but also Hu Jia and Li Yang, harbored the same suspicion. A sense of unease settled upon them.
However, to their surprise, Tong Meng simply offered a brief greeting and then departed, not looking back.
This unexpected move left Lü Qingqing and the others bewildered.
"Was she poisoning us?"
"Poison my foot," Hu Jia kicked Li Yang. "Go and check who she interacted with earlier."
Li Yang scurried away. Lü Qingqing and Hu Jia then went to find Tang Bing.
Seeing them enter, Tang Bing was taken aback, knowing that their presence usually meant trouble.
But upon hearing that they were merely inquiring about Fan Yafu's work situation and arrangements, he quickly pulled up the attendance records.
"Fan Yafu is an outside operative, specifically responsible for escorting prisoners. His team has eight members, and the cell that Zhang Hangjiang was confined in falls under Fan Yafu's management."
According to Tang Bing, Fan Yafu had been assigned to the East Wing two years ago, and all operations there were handled by Fan Yafu's team. It happened to be Fan Yafu's duty that day, so the task of escorting Zhang Hangjiang naturally fell to him.
Tang Bing's account led Hu Jia to a realization. Fan Yafu had been in the East Wing for two years, and the assignment was merely due to his being on duty that day. Therefore, Tang Bing had acted strictly according to procedure, with no trace of premeditation. Suspicion against him began to fade.
If the mastermind wasn't Tang Bing, then who could it be?
Just then, Li Yang returned with his findings. Tong Meng had only gone to the office to submit an application and then had breakfast in the cafeteria. Nothing else.
Huh...
Could Tong Meng's visit have been a mere coincidence?
For the first time, Hu Jia found the case incredibly perplexing, utterly baffling.
They then interviewed several individuals who were close to Fan Yafu, but still, no leads emerged.
"If we can't find any clues from Fan Yafu, let's change our approach," Lü Qingqing suggested. Since Fan Yafu was already dead before he fell, the primary crime scene wasn't the rooftop, as no bloodstains were found there.
"So, let's cast a wide net. There aren't that many fish in the sea; we'll catch the one with teeth eventually," Lü Qingqing said. Since someone impersonated Fan Yafu walking around on the roof, the people standing below on the day of the fall could be ruled out.
There were forty-eight people in the prison, and eleven were near the building's base. After cross-referencing alibis for positions like cafeteria staff, guards, and overseers, twelve people remained as suspects.
They would investigate them one by one.
First, Hu Jia and the others meticulously searched everyone's rooms. The reasoning was simple: to transport a corpse to the rooftop without attracting attention, the dormitory building would be the most logical location for the crime.
However, to their disappointment, no suspicious items were found despite a thorough search of every corner. Not only was there no murder weapon, but there wasn't even a trace of blood.
Consequently, they had to expand their search area.
Yet, the more they investigated, the less plausible it seemed. The incident occurred at noon. Moving a corpse within the prison grounds and up to the dormitory building during the day seemed impossible. This wasn't a marketplace; it was a prison. Every guard's eyes were like searching spotlights.
Therefore, the first crime scene could only be within the dormitory building.
As Hu Jia and his team busied themselves, the prison guards also discussed the case amongst themselves, none of them wanting a murderer hidden among them.
"Huh? Whose photos are these? Why are they on the notice board?" someone noticed several black and white photos pinned to the bulletin board.
One showed a middle-aged woman, seemingly grocery shopping. Another depicted a woman holding an infant, apparently lulling it to sleep.
"Found them in the cafeteria. Don't know who dropped them. Since no owner could be found, they were put on the board," someone chimed in.
No one objected to this course of action. After all, the prison population was small, and the notice board was used for all requests and announcements. Furthermore, taking a photo was a significant matter, and the owner would surely be anxious.
Shortly after, a man approached the notice board. He looked at the two photos, his eyes narrowing, and reached out to take them down.
"Are these yours?"
"Yes, my mother and my wife and child."
The others offered a few casual remarks and dispersed. The man who took the photos quickly moved away from the crowd. If one looked closely, their fists were clenched.
...
The case had entered its third day. Hu Jia never expected to be detained at Xicheng Prison for such an extended period.
"I didn't bring any spare clothes. I'll go home this afternoon to get some toiletries. Do you need anything too?" Lü Qingqing and the others had been staying in the office, looking disheveled and grimy.
"Ah, men are usually like this when investigating cases on the road. I can't be bothered to make the trip; solving the case is more important," Hu Jia said nonchalantly.
Lü Qingqing shrugged indifferently, "Then I'll handle it as I see fit."
"Wait..." Hu Jia called out to Lü Qingqing. "You haven't rested well these past few days, and the sleeping arrangements aren't ideal. Running back and forth must be tiring. Let Li Yang go."
Li Yang thought, *Don't I get tired?* But he didn't dare voice it.
Lü Qingqing quickly declined, and as Hu Jia insisted, Li Yang finally perceived Lü Qingqing's discomfort.
"If Sister-in-law wants to go back, let her. It's only twenty to thirty miles; an afternoon is enough for a round trip."
"Shut up! At a crucial moment, I can't count on you at all," Hu Jia glared at Li Yang.
Li Yang was speechless. *What a straightforward guy!* He pulled Hu Jia aside. "If Sister-in-law wants to go back, she must have her reasons. What do you mean by asking me to get her clothes? The outerwear is fine, but what about her undergarments?"
Uh...
Lü Qingqing shot Hu Jia a glare.
Awkward!
However, the awkwardness was short-lived. Soon, Hu Jia reverted to his usual goofy demeanor and began scurrying around the prison.
...
Not long after Lü Qingqing left, Ouyang Wen also arrived at Xicheng Prison.
Shortly after, Ouyang Wen contacted the Municipal Bureau to issue a wanted notice. He was furious that the violent actions of a few thugs had led to Liang Yingzhang's death, demanding severe punishment for the culprits.
Subsequently, the Liang family raised white banners, and a cacophony of wailing filled the air.
...
"Why hasn't Qingqing returned yet?" Hu Jia felt a twinge of worry, thinking of how long Lü Qingqing had been gone.
Li Yang rolled his eyes. "Don't forget, she's still a student at the vocational institute. She doesn't have the luxury of trailing you around every day."
Hu Jia felt dejected. Working alone was so boring.
"Boss, do you miss Sister-in-law?"
"Mind your own business."
Li Yang, seizing a rare opportunity, teased Hu Jia. "If you miss Sister-in-law, why don't you go see her? You made things so awkward for her this morning."
Recalling the morning's events, Li Yang also blushed slightly. "It's fortunate you reminded me."
"These things don't just need my reminder; you need to use your brain too."
Li Yang's mouth wouldn't stop, and he continued to lecture Hu Jia, as such an opportunity was infrequent. "What are you using that brain for? Hmm? Is it just for decoration?"
Li Yang got more animated as he spoke until he noticed Hu Jia standing motionless. He suddenly realized he might have gotten carried away.
"Heh heh, Boss, you..." Li Yang forced a smile.
"Be quiet," Hu Jia cut him off. "If it takes Qingqing so long to go back to the city, how much time would it take for Fan Yafu to relay intelligence?"
Hu Jia's mind began to churn. They seemed to have overlooked a crucial issue: if Fan Yafu was a mole, how did he transmit information? What channels and time did he have?