Chapter 1: Case Summary

It is possible that due to haste, there has not yet been an opportunity for identification, or there may be other reasons; surprisingly, there is no written material explaining the cause of her death

Tang Qian handed a faxed photograph along with the information to Ouyang Zhuo, saying: "This is Zhao Haiping and Zhang Yanhua's daughter, named Zhao Pan, who is fourteen years old and a second-year junior high school student"

Ouyang Zhuo's experience is itself a legend

From the photograph, Zhao Haiping at that time appeared to be an ordinary young man, one who would be completely lost in a crowd. His family background was likely not very good. With Ouyang Zhuo's keen eye, it was easy to determine that the suit Zhao Dongping wore for his wedding photos was a cheap item worth at most fifty yuan from a street vendor. He seemed to be feeling extremely happy, with a sincere and simple smile on his face, and it looked as if his hair, less than one centimeter long, was standing up, smiling along with him. Based on Ouyang Zhuo's years of experience as a criminal police officer, such individuals are generally quite dull and honest, easily satisfied in life, and willing to be content with the status quo. He seemed to be feeling extremely happy, with a sincere and simple smile on his face, and it looked as if his hair, less than one centimeter long, was standing up, smiling along with him. Based on Ouyang Zhuo's years of experience as a criminal police officer, such individuals are generally quite dull and honest, easily satisfied in life, and willing to be content with the status quo

It is hard to imagine that such a person could become the murderer of seventeen individuals, and moreover, that these were seventeen militia members, from whom weapons were also seized

Everyone in the room nodded repeatedly. Ouyang Zhuo finally pointed to a specific location in Zhao Dongping's file and said: "Zhao Haiping joined the army at the age of eighteen, which means he enlisted in 1989 and has been a soldier ever since, without any discharge. This statement indicates that his neighbor once asked him how he was doing in the army, to which he replied that he was still just an ordinary soldier. It is inherently illogical for a soldier who has been in the army for a full seventeen years to still be merely an ordinary soldier at this point! The file also states that his neighbor asked him how he was doing in the army, and he responded that he was still just an ordinary soldier. A soldier who has been in the army for a full seventeen years should not still be just an ordinary soldier! We have no information about which unit he is currently in, what branch of the military he belongs to, what training he has received, or what kind of rewards or punishments he has faced; all this information is completely absent!"

Zhao Haiping's wife is named Zhang Yanhua, currently thirty-five years old, and she runs a small convenience store in the village

Inform them to request support from the armed police before we arrive at the scene. Also, immediately ascertain the unit to which Zhao Haiping currently belongs, and establish contact with their direct commanding officer to obtain all training records of Zhao Haiping in the unit. When contacting the county bureau, remind them that only high-ranking military personnel from institutions such as the General Political Department and the Operations Department would use the term 'grassroots'—a term imbued with condescension and superiority—to describe a company.

From the moment he graduated from the police academy and entered the book industry in his first year, he infiltrated the criminal underworld as an undercover agent, assisting the city's major case squad in dismantling an international counterfeiting syndicate. He joined the city’s criminal police force, and before he could even warm up his newly issued Type 64 pistol, he single-handedly shot dead four armed habitual offenders who had fled to Taiyuan. Over the course of six years, the bullets he fired in confrontations with criminals far exceeded those fired by others during target practice; he made more enemies than friends, but once someone became his friend, they would be like brothers willing to take a bullet for him without needing to swear brotherhood. The rooster hanging at his doorstep, its throat cut and blood still dripping, was more than what others consumed in a year; during these six years, the bullets he fired in confrontations with criminals far exceeded those fired by others during target practice; he made more enemies than friends, but once someone became his friend, they would be like brothers willing to take a bullet for him without needing to swear brotherhood. The rooster hanging at his doorstep, its throat cut and blood still dripping, was more than what others consumed in a year; the small-time thugs who smashed his windows and attempted to throw dead rats inside were caught by him more often than those who managed to escape.

As Ouyang Zhuo casually glanced over Zhao Pan's information, his body stiffened slightly, for within Zhao Pan's records, there were two words that should never have appeared, yet were likely closely related to this shocking bloodbath: deceased

First, regarding the cause of death of Zhao Haiping's daughter, Zhao Pan, only forty-eight hours after her death, Zhao Haiping, the father, suddenly erupted in violence, killing seventeen militia members from Tunkou Township. Are these two events coincidental? A mere coincidence? Or is there another reason that we need to investigate?

She has clearly inherited the beauty of Zhang Yanhua as a woman. Nowadays, children develop early; at just fourteen, she has already blossomed into a charming young lady, especially with her large, clear, and captivating eyes, which still carry the innocence and playfulness of a child unacquainted with the complexities of the world

The most ridiculous thing is this statement! Ouyang Zhuo said: "That neighbor asked Zhao Haiping what he did in the army, and Zhao Haiping's answer was that he was raising pigs in a grassroots company! Yet some people in our county bureau actually believed it and passed this statement on to me as important intelligence without any alterations!"

Sitting in the back seat of the police car, Tang Qian, who is undeniably referred to as the police flower of the municipal bureau in terms of appearance, temperament, and figure, gazed at Ouyang Zhuo's marble-like, hard facial features. She felt the absolute focus and passion that a man exudes when facing work and challenges, and she found herself utterly captivated. With an appreciative gaze, she examined Ouyang Zhuo's bronze skin, scrutinized his short hair cut like a soldier's, and observed his powerful hands that could undoubtedly support a blue sky for any woman in the world. It was only at this moment that she dared to quietly and intently assess this outstanding man, who embodied calmness, strength, sharpness, and nonchalance.

Looking at the faxed photograph, Ouyang Zhuo had to admit that Zhao Haiping's wife was indeed a beauty. Although she was already thirty-five years old and had only a junior high school education, she was still well-maintained. The subtle smile at the corner of her mouth in the photograph added a touch of maturity to her alluring feminine charm.

Not only Tang Qian, but everyone in the police car, including the speeding detective Wang Ming, perked up their ears. They knew that by following Ouyang Zhuo, they should remember every word he said. This contained not only the experience of an old detective but also the creative thinking unique to Ouyang Zhuo.

Ouyang Zhuo picked up the information that Zhao Haiping had summarized on a single thin sheet of paper and said, "Tang Qian, you must immediately get in touch with the colleagues at the county bureau. I know time is too tight, and the materials they sent must have omissions and deficiencies, but they have made two unforgivable mistakes"

The piercing sound of alarms sharply cut through the dark sky before dawn, as dozens of police cars lined up in a long row, racing towards Tunkou Township. Fifteen minutes earlier, the Municipal Public Security Bureau received a report of an unprecedented major case since the founding of the nation in Tunkou Township, where seventeen militia members were killed. The County Public Security Bureau has already initiated a preliminary investigation into the case. According to the information provided by Township Head Li Dong, the suspect Zhao Haiping brutally killed these seventeen militia members and stole one Type 85 automatic rifle, two Type 54 pistols, and an unspecified number of bullets. The County Public Security Bureau has already initiated a preliminary investigation into the case. According to the information provided by Township Head Li Dong, the suspect Zhao Haiping brutally killed these seventeen militia members and stole one Type 85 automatic rifle, two Type 54 pistols, and an unspecified number of bullets.

Ouyang Zhuo, the captain of the criminal police team at the municipal public security bureau, is only twenty-eight years old this year, yet he is already an experienced detective with six years of criminal investigation experience, having solved numerous major cases. Utilizing the small light on the car roof, Ouyang Zhuo quickly flipped through the meager intelligence materials at hand. After just a few glances, his sharp eyebrows, like swords, were furrowed deeply. In his deep eye sockets, his captivating eyes, akin to stars in the dark night, continuously sparkled with wisdom and a cold, fierce light.

Tang Qian quickly reported: "According to the information transmitted from the county public security bureau, the principal perpetrator of the largest murder case in our province since the founding of the nation is Zhao Haiping, aged 37, from Zhao Family Village in Tunkou Township. He is married and has one daughter, and both of his parents are deceased. For some unknown reason, the photo of him in the documents was actually taken in 1995, a full eleven years ago, and it is a group photo. It is possible that the colleagues from the county public security bureau simply tore it directly from his marriage certificate."

Time of death: September 21, 2006, in other words, just forty-eight hours ago