The crackdown on organized crime began with the arrest of the mother-in-law.

Chapter 1313 North City Shanty Town

During the on-site investigation, Xiao Yang did find a dusty bicycle in the woods 15 meters away from the planting pit. After being identified by Chen Wannian's wife, Wang Xiulan, it was the same bicycle that Chen Wannian was riding when he went missing. The "shovel scratches" mentioned by Zhao Gang matched perfectly with the shovel blade marks extracted from the scene, and the soil on the shovel was also consistent with the soil composition of the planting pit - these details further solidified the chain of evidence.

Zhao Gang then described in detail the process of handling the body after burying it: "After burying the body, I found that a piece of plastic board on the bottom of the electric tricycle's cargo bed had been torn by bushes, right here." He pointed to the damaged area at the bottom of the cargo bed, which perfectly matched the black plastic fragments collected from the scene. "I was afraid that the plastic fragments would be discovered if left at the scene, so I picked them up and put them on the vehicle. Later, I took them back to Sun Qiang's house and hid them in the storage room. Also, the dark gray coat I was wearing got stained with Chen Wannian's blood when I strangled him. I washed it with laundry detergent when I got home, but it wasn't completely clean. The one you found in the closet later was this coat."

These words corresponded perfectly with the technical department's test results: the dark brown stains on Zhao Gang's coat were found to be Chen Wannian's bloodstains, and even after washing, trace amounts remained; the broken part at the bottom of the electric tricycle's cargo bed fit perfectly with the extracted black plastic fragments, and the fracture marks were completely identical.

The identification process lasted for more than two hours. Every detail of Zhao Gang's actions, from arranging the meeting, the murder, digging the pit, burying the body, to the subsequent cleanup of traces, precisely matched the results of the on-site investigation, forensic autopsy, and technical testing, without any contradictions or omissions. During the process, he broke down several times due to fear and remorse, squatting on the ground and crying, repeatedly saying, "I was wrong" and "I'm sorry, Chen Wannian."

At 11 a.m., the identification process concluded. As Zhao Gang was escorted into the police car, his head remained bowed low. Gone were his previous attempts to deny wrongdoing and his lingering sense of侥幸 (a sense of侥幸, or a feeling of getting away with something), replaced only by remorse for his crime and fear of legal punishment. Standing beside the planting pit, Xiao Zhou looked at the now-filled-in pit and said to his team members, "Every detail matches up; the chain of evidence is complete. This case can now be definitively closed."

Xiao Yang nodded, a hint of relief in his voice: "From the initial scarcity of clues when the body was first discovered to the present evidence supporting every step, this is the result of everyone's hard work. If Chen Wannian knew this in the afterlife, he could rest in peace."

That afternoon, the police compiled the on-site identification records, along with previous interrogation records, investigation reports, autopsy reports, and technical testing reports, into a complete case file. Zhao Gang was formally arrested on suspicion of intentional homicide and robbery, and the case officially entered the review and prosecution stage.

At Chen Wannian's home, Wang Xiulan received a call from Xiao Zhou, informing her that Zhao Gang had confessed to the murder and burial, and that all the evidence had been secured. She broke down in tears. Sobbing, she said into the phone, "Thank you... thank you for giving Old Chen justice. He can finally rest in peace."

As the sun sets, the lawns of Dongshan Park gradually return to tranquility, with only the traces of police tape silently telling the story of the tragedy that once unfolded there. Standing at the park entrance, watching the passing tourists, Xiao Zhou knew clearly in his heart: although the case had been solved, the pursuit of justice would never cease. They would continue to stand firm at their posts, safeguarding the peace of this city, ensuring that every victim receives the justice they deserve, and that every perpetrator faces the full force of the law.

Less than a week after the Dongshan Park case was closed, the Criminal Investigation Detachment received another report that a body had been found at the demolition site of the Chengbei shantytown.

At 9 a.m. on Tuesday, the demolition site of the shantytown in the north of the city was filled with the roar of machinery, and the smell of diesel fuel from the bulldozers mixed with dust filled the air. Qin Degui was driving a yellow bulldozer and demolishing a dilapidated two-story building according to the construction instructions. Just as the bucket hit the west wall, with a loud "bang" of bricks collapsing, he suddenly caught a glimpse of a piece of dark clothing protruding from the pile of rubble, and below it seemed to be a human figure.

"Something's wrong!" Qin Degui slammed on the brakes, his heart pounding. He turned off the engine, jumped off the bulldozer, and carefully walked around to the pile of rubble. He moved aside a few loose bricks—and there before him lay a curled-up corpse, its face obscured by disheveled hair, its body covered in broken bricks and dust. The pungent stench made his stomach churn instantly. He turned and ran towards the construction command center, shouting as he ran, "A dead body! A dead body has been found in the demolished house! Call the police!"

The construction site erupted into chaos. Workers crowded around to look, and the sounds of discussion and the roar of machinery mingled together, creating a scene of utter confusion. The construction manager quickly organized people to set up a makeshift cordon, prohibiting anyone from approaching the rubble, and simultaneously dialed 110 (the police emergency number).

Forty minutes later, Li Ming's police car broke through the dust and stopped at the entrance to the demolition site. "Seal off the scene immediately!" Li Ming pushed open the car door, his black leather shoes stepping on the gravel ground, and solemnly gave orders to the team members behind him, "Use warning tape to completely surround the building where the body was found and the surrounding 20-meter area, evacuate irrelevant personnel and construction equipment, and strictly prohibit any vehicles or personnel from entering the core area; Xiao Yang, Xiao Sun, you take the investigation tools in and conduct a preliminary investigation, focusing on the location of the body, the surrounding environment, and whether there are any obvious traces or remains. Note that the demolition site is severely damaged, so be sure to carefully identify any valid clues; Xiao Wang, come with me to question the person who reported the case, Qin Degui, and the construction supervisor to understand the process of discovering the body, the construction progress, and the recent activities of personnel on site."

Carrying investigation bags and wearing gloves, shoe covers, and masks, Xiao Yang and Xiao Sun crossed the police cordon and walked step by step towards the half-collapsed building. The scene was a mess; broken bricks, broken wood, and scattered household garbage were everywhere. The original structure of the room had been destroyed, leaving only the broken load-bearing walls. The body was buried in the rubble of the west wall, the upper body buried under the broken bricks, with only the lower half of the body, dark trousers, and a pair of worn rubber shoes visible. Judging from the outline, it should be male, about 165-170 cm tall, but the age could not be determined at the moment.

"First, clear away the loose bricks around the body, handling them gently to avoid damaging any traces." Xiao Yang turned on the high-intensity survey light, the beam penetrating the pervasive dust and illuminating the pile of rubble. "The secondary damage caused by the demolition is too severe. The broken bricks are scattered and disorderly, making it difficult to distinguish which are original burial traces and which were caused by construction collapse."

Xiao Sun took out a small shovel and tweezers and carefully removed the broken bricks above the corpse.