Phi-Fic Chapter 1237 Searching for Suspect Zhou Zhiqiang
Chapter 1237 Searching for Suspect Zhou Zhiqiang
He immediately convened an emergency meeting to deploy the work: "Xiao Zhou, you continue to follow up on the investigation in Zhoujiazhuang and must find Zhou Zhiqiang's whereabouts; Xiao Wang, you lead a team to Zhoujiazhuang to check Zhou Zhiqiang's tricycle and compare the tire treads and vehicle body characteristics; Xiao Yang, you contact the technical department to enter Zhou Zhiqiang's information into the database, check if he has a criminal record, and at the same time, prioritize testing the DNA of the cigarette butts at the scene to see if it matches Zhou Zhiqiang; Xiao Zhou, you go to the places where Li Baoren worked to visit and learn about the details of his conflict with Zhou Zhiqiang."
As the sun set, the lights in the Criminal Investigation Division gradually came on. Xiao Zhou stood in the conference room, looking at the case clue diagram on the wall. The victim's identity section was finally filled with the three characters "Li Baoren," while Zhou Zhiqiang's name was circled in red, making him a new prime suspect. She knew that confirming the victim's identity was only the beginning; the subsequent investigation surrounding Zhou Zhiqiang would determine whether they could find Li Baoren's killer as soon as possible and bring justice to the deceased and his family.
Stepping out of the meeting room, Xiao Zhou took out her phone and sent a message to her teammate Xiao Chen: "Tomorrow morning, we're going to Zhoujiazhuang. We must find clues about Zhou Zhiqiang." The light from the phone screen reflected her determined gaze. She knew in her heart that every clue she accumulated brought her closer to the truth, and justice would ultimately prevail.
On the morning of August 29th, the air in Zhoujiazhuang was still cool with dew. As Xiao Wang and his team entered the village, they saw Zhou Zhiqiang's courtyard gate ajar. Several chickens wandered around the yard, but there was none of their usual activity. "Something's wrong. According to the village secretary, Zhou Zhiqiang's mother feeds the chickens in the yard every morning. Why is no one here today?" Xiao Wang gestured for his team to slow down, then gently pushed open the gate himself—the yard was empty. The door to the main room was open, and there were unfinished pickled vegetables and steamed buns on the table, indicating the owner had left in a hurry.
"Quickly search! See if any clues have been left!" At Xiao Wang's command, the team members immediately began searching the house. In the bedroom wardrobe, the team found a black cotton jacket with a small amount of mud on the cuffs and a tear in the left breast pocket, which was highly similar to the jacket worn by Li Baoren; under the bed, a blue canvas bag was hidden in a corner, and inside was a rusty shovel with damp mud on the shovel head, which was initially determined to be consistent with the composition of the soil from the cornfield.
"Zhou Zhiqiang has run away!" Xiao Wang picked up the walkie-talkie and reported the situation to Li Ming. "There were suspected murder tools and a jacket matching the victim's clothing at his house. He's missing, and we suspect he fled to avoid punishment." At this time, Xiao Zhou also received news from the village secretary of Zhoujiazhuang Village: "The village secretary said that around 10 p.m. last night, he saw Zhou Zhiqiang leave the village in a black farm tricycle. The cargo bed was covered with a blue tarpaulin, and we don't know what he was carrying. He headed towards the northern mountains."
In the command room of the Criminal Investigation Detachment, Li Ming stared at the map on the wall, his finger tracing the area north of Zhoujiazhuang: "Zhou Zhiqiang is familiar with the rural environment, and there are many abandoned mines and old factories in the mountains, so he is likely hiding there. Immediately activate the emergency arrest plan, and divide into three groups: The first group, led by Xiao Wang, will track Zhou Zhiqiang along his escape route, focusing on searching the abandoned mines in the mountains; the second group, led by Xiao Zhou, will block off the main intersections around Zhoujiazhuang and check passing vehicles to prevent Zhou Zhiqiang from driving back or escaping to other villages and towns; the third group, led by Xiao Yang and Xiao Sun, will carry thermal imaging cameras and drones to conduct a joint aerial and ground search of the mountains to look for suspicious heat sources and vehicle tracks."
He emphasized: "Zhou Zhiqiang has a prior criminal record and may be carrying tools such as shovels. Safety must be taken into account during the arrest. A warning should be issued before any action is taken to avoid any casualties. In addition, the technical department will immediately test the jacket and shovel found in Zhou Zhiqiang's home, and extract DNA and soil samples to confirm whether they are related to the crime scene."
At 9 a.m., three police teams set off simultaneously. The first team, led by Xiao Wang, followed the trail north from Zhoujiazhuang along a country road. The road was rough and uneven, and occasionally they could see tire tracks left by farm tricycles—the tire treads were longitudinal stripes, perfectly matching the tire tracks at the crime scene. "Following these tracks, we'll definitely find his trail!" team member Xiao Li shouted excitedly, quickening his pace.
When they reached a fork in the road, the tire tracks suddenly disappeared. One road led to an abandoned mine deep in the mountains, while the other led to a highway to a neighboring town. "Split into two teams, one towards the mine and the other towards the highway. Stay in touch!" Xiao Wang made a decisive decision, leading two team members towards the mine.
The abandoned mine shaft was located halfway up the mountain. The entrance was covered by weeds and vines, and a black farm tricycle could be vaguely seen parked not far from the entrance. The blue tarpaulin on the truck bed had been lifted, and the inside was empty. "Zhou Zhiqiang must be inside!" Xiao Wang signaled his team members to turn off their flashlights and slowly approached the entrance in the morning light. Faint footsteps and the sound of metal clashing could be heard from inside the mine.
"Zhou Zhiqiang! We're from the Criminal Investigation Division. You're surrounded! Come out and surrender immediately!" Xiao Wang shouted towards the entrance, his voice echoing through the empty mine. The footsteps inside suddenly stopped. After a few seconds, Zhou Zhiqiang's voice rang out: "I didn't kill anyone! Don't come any closer, or I'll... I'll chop people up with a shovel!"
Xiao Wang softened his tone, trying to calm him down: "Zhou Zhiqiang, we have evidence. Li Baoren's body was found in the cornfield, and the coat and shovel found in your house bear his marks. If you come out and turn yourself in now, you can still get lenient treatment. If you resist, your punishment will only be more severe!"
Just then, a loud clang came from inside the mine, like a shovel falling to the ground. Xiao Wang seized the opportunity, gave a signal to his teammate, and the three of them rushed into the mine—Zhou Zhiqiang was huddled in a corner deep inside, clutching a shovel, his eyes filled with fear and despair. "Put down the shovel! Hands over your head!" The team members raised their batons, approaching step by step.
Zhou Zhiqiang looked at the police officer in front of him, then at the shovel in his hand. Suddenly, he threw the shovel to the ground, covered his head with his hands, and squatted down: "I was wrong... I shouldn't have killed him... He forced me to..."
Meanwhile, the second group led by Xiao Zhou stopped a suspicious motorcycle at the intersection leading from Zhoujiazhuang to the neighboring town. The driver, wearing a helmet and mask, tried to bypass the checkpoint. "Stop for inspection!" Xiao Zhou signaled, but the driver suddenly accelerated and tried to break through the checkpoint. Team member Xiao Chen reacted quickly, extending his baton to hook the motorcycle's handlebars. The motorcycle lost its balance, and the driver and motorcycle fell to the ground.