sjar Chapter 1226 Black Star of Chang'an
Chapter 1226 Black Star of Chang'an
On the other hand, they re-examined Liu Baijun's communication records and financial transactions to find his connection with the "man in the black coat" (if he had accomplices); at the same time, the technical department expedited the processing of skin tissue samples extracted from the scene, attempting to improve the match between the samples and Liu Baijun's DNA through more sophisticated testing methods.
In the evening, Xiao Wang reported the progress of the investigation to Li Ming: "It has been confirmed that the 'Liu' mentioned by Zhang Dianquan is his neighbor Liu Baijun. The two had an economic dispute over the joint purchase of an excavator, which led to multiple conflicts. Liu Baijun has the motive, the timing, and the characteristics of the vehicle used to commit the crime, and he has been out of contact since the incident. He has now been listed as a key investigation target. However, we have not yet found conclusive evidence (such as the murder weapon, direct DNA matching, or direct vehicle connection), and the chain of evidence is not yet closed. Further investigation is needed."
Li Ming nodded: "Continue to intensify the search for Liu Baijun, especially in the suburban mountainous areas, where he is likely hiding. At the same time, remind all teams to be careful. Liu Baijun has violent tendencies. If you find any trace of him, subdue him first and then report to avoid any accidents."
As night fell, the lights in the Criminal Investigation Division remained bright. Looking at Liu Baijun's photo, Xiao Wang knew that although conclusive evidence was currently lacking, Liu Baijun's suspicion was undeniable—finding his hiding place, or recovering the destroyed vehicle and tools used in the crime, would definitively prove his guilt. He picked up the walkie-talkie and told his team, "Tomorrow morning, we'll search the abandoned factory area in the suburbs. We must find Liu Baijun!"
In the darkness outside the window, police lights flashed, and a manhunt for the key suspect was underway. Xiao Wang knew that this contest was not only a race against time, but also a battle of evidence—only by finding that crucial "conclusive evidence" could the murderer be brought to justice and Zhang Dianquan's family be given a fair explanation.
On the morning of August 28th, Xiao Zhou and his team were checking auto repair shops in the suburbs one by one. The trail for the black Changan Star minivan had gone cold for three days. As per Li Ming's plan, they needed to start with the vehicle's repair records to look for any traces that might have been overlooked. When they arrived at the "Honest Auto Repair" shop, the owner's words instantly broke the deadlock: "That black Changan Star with scratches on the right side? I've repaired it. It came in last month to have its rear bumper replaced. The owner's name is Qin Huaili. He said it was his brother-in-law's car and asked him to come in for repairs."
"Qin Huaili? Who's his brother-in-law?" Xiao Zhou immediately pressed, his heart pounding at this unexpected clue. The shopkeeper pulled out the repair record and pointed to the "Owner's Signature" column: "He didn't go into details, just left a phone number, saying to contact him when it's fixed." Xiao Zhou took the record and dialed Qin Huaili's number. The phone rang for a long time before being answered, and a muffled voice came from the other end: "Who is it? So early in the morning."
"We're from the Municipal Criminal Investigation Division. We'd like to inquire about the black Chang'an Star minivan registered under your name. Who had it around August 22nd?" Xiao Zhou got straight to the point, his tone serious. Qin Huaili on the other end of the phone fell silent for a moment, then stammered after a few seconds, "The car... my brother-in-law Liu Baijun borrowed it on the afternoon of the 22nd, saying he needed to pick up some things, and he hasn't returned it to me since."
“Liu Baijun?” Xiao Zhou and his team exchanged glances, confirming that this was the key suspect they were tracking. “Did he say where he was going when he borrowed the car? Did he mention who he was meeting? When was the last time you contacted him?” Qin Huaili’s voice was panicked: “He didn’t say where he was going, he just said he’d be back soon. Around 10 p.m. on the 22nd, I called him to ask when I was going to return the car, and he said, ‘Don’t worry about it, don’t look for the car,’ and then I couldn’t get through to him. I… I don’t know what he did. If I had known he was breaking the law, I definitely wouldn’t have lent him the car!”
To verify Qin Huaili's statement, Xiao Zhou immediately led a team to his residence. Qin Huaili lived in a bungalow in the suburbs. When he saw the police officers, he was pale and his hands were trembling uncontrollably. He took out the vehicle registration certificate from the drawer, which clearly stated "Owner: Qin Huaili," the car model was a black Changan Star, and the registration date was May 2023. "I bought this car secondhand last year. I rarely drive it. Liu Baijun is my brother-in-law. When he asked to borrow the car, I couldn't refuse," Qin Huaili explained. "At 3 pm on the 22nd, he came to my house to borrow the car. He also brought a black bag that looked heavy. I asked what was inside, and he said it was 'tools,' so I didn't ask any more questions."
Xiao Zhou instructed his team to retrieve surveillance footage from the area surrounding Qin Huaili's residence. The footage showed that at 3:15 PM on August 22nd, Liu Baijun drove away in Qin Huaili's black Changan Star. Clear scratches on the right side of the vehicle were visible, perfectly matching the characteristics of the vehicle used to dispose of the body. At 4 PM, the vehicle reappeared near Jiefang West Road, coinciding closely with the timeline of Zhang Dianquan's murder. Combining Qin Huaili's testimony with the surveillance evidence, it was confirmed that Liu Baijun was driving the vehicle during the time of the incident and was a prime suspect.
At 10 a.m. that day, Xiao Zhou returned to the Criminal Investigation Detachment and reported this crucial breakthrough to Li Ming: "It has been confirmed that the owner of the black van is Qin Huaili, Liu Baijun's brother-in-law. On the afternoon of the incident, Liu Baijun borrowed the vehicle under the pretext of 'hauling things,' and has been out of contact since the incident. The vehicle has not been returned to this day. Surveillance footage shows that Liu Baijun drove the vehicle near Jiefang West Road during the time of the incident, which is completely consistent with the trajectory of the vehicle used to dump the body. It can be determined that Liu Baijun is a major suspect in this case, and it is recommended that he be arrested immediately."
Li Ming immediately convened an emergency meeting to formulate an arrest plan. "According to the confessions of Qin Huaili and Liu Baijun's friends, Liu Baijun may be hiding in an abandoned factory area in the suburbs, where he used to live in a temporary residence." Li Ming pointed to the "Dongfeng Abandoned Factory" area on the map. "This area is large, with dense factory buildings and a lot of abandoned equipment, making it easy to hide. Moreover, there is only one road in and out of the area, making it suitable for surveillance."
He looked at Xiao Zhou and Xiao Wang: "Xiao Zhou, you lead the team to block the main gate and the east wall of the factory. Arrange 5 police officers to stand guard at the gate disguised as passersby to prevent Liu Baijun from escaping through the main gate. Xiao Wang, you lead 4 police officers to be responsible for the west and north walls. Focus on investigating the escape routes by climbing over the walls and equip them with climbing equipment to prevent him from using abandoned equipment to climb over the walls."
“I’ll take three officers as a mobile team and enter through the small gate on the south side of the factory to search the interior of the factory step by step,” Li Ming continued to deploy. “The technical department will arrange two people with thermal imaging cameras to assist in checking blind spots behind abandoned equipment; in addition, we will arrange two officers to patrol within a 500-meter radius of the factory to prevent Liu Baijun from noticing in advance and escaping through the outer paths.”