The Forensic Doctor Better Than a Detective

Jiang An’s gaze became stern: ”At a fire scene of this level, a secondary inspection is mandatory.”

”Gas pipelines, flammable chemicals, even electrical circuit hazards, no detail can be overlooked.”

He paused, his eyes sweeping over every officer present, ”I want to ensure that every colleague entering the scene can return home safely.”

Mr. Chen immediately grasped the weight of his words: ”Understood! I’ll arrange for the fire brigade to re-inspect right away.”

He pulled out his walkie-talkie and quickly headed toward the fire command vehicle.

Jiang An looked at the charred building ruins, unconsciously tightening his fist.

This seemingly ordinary fire scene was riddled with oddities.

A family of four, why was only one body found?

The fire broke out late at night, yet no neighbors heard cries for help?

…

These questions swirled in his mind, but his professionalism allowed him to maintain an outward calm.

He knew the answers lay hidden in the ruins.

What they needed to do was to uncover the truth concealed by the fire, inch by inch, like archaeologists.

After slightly organizing his thoughts, Jiang An surveyed the group, his voice steady and powerful: ”Once the inspection is complete, we’ll split into three teams to proceed.”

”The first group will be led by Zhang Yean.”

Jiang An’s gaze fell on Zhang Yean, the seasoned female detective immediately straightening her back.

”You need to conduct a thorough investigation of the scene, paying attention to three points.”

”First, inspect every corner, especially hidden areas; do not rule out the possibility of a second or even third body.”

Jiang An continued: ”Second, determining the point of origin and cause of the fire is crucial. Collect plenty of physical evidence samples, especially combustion residues and traces of accelerants.”

”Third, conduct a comprehensive examination of the body, not only checking surface wounds but also looking for signs of suffocation or other hidden injuries.”

”Understood!”

Zhang Yean closed her notebook, her black ponytail gently swaying with her motion, ”We have brought a complete set of investigation equipment, including multispectral imaging devices and trace evidence extraction tools.”

Next, Jiang An turned to the second group: ”Wan, your group’s task is to conduct interviews.”

He pointed to the red circle marked on the map, ”Visit all households within a 500-meter radius from the fire’s center.”

”Pay attention to three key points.” Jiang An raised his fingers, ”First, eyewitness testimonies need to corroborate each other, be mindful of the accuracy of time points. Second, all surveillance footage must be retrieved, including both civilian and commercial cameras. Third…” he paused, ”Be alert for any suspicious persons in the area or any unusual situations reported by residents in recent days.”

”Roger!”

Wan immediately organized the team members to start dividing tasks.

”The third group will be led by Qiao Bo.”

Jiang An turned to the last batch of team members, ”You need to focus on investigating the victims’ social connections. Not only understanding their occupational background and economic situation but also outlining their recent social activities.”

He particularly emphasized, ”Especially all activities within the 24 hours preceding the fire, including call records, electronic payments, social media activity, etc.”

After the three teams had left, Mr. Chen suddenly shifted the topic: ”By the way, I haven’t had the chance to congratulate you on your promotion to captain.”

His smile was somewhat forced, ”Although this isn’t quite the right occasion…”

Jiang An’s lips subtly lifted, but there was no hint of laughter in his eyes: ”Mr. Chen, your way of offering congratulations is truly unique.”

He pointed at the still smoldering ruins, ”On my first day in office, receiving such a ’grand gift’.”

”I didn’t want it either.”

Mr. Chen shook his head with a wry smile, ”I originally prepared a simple welcome ceremony, even had a banner made. Then, just as I was about to head out, I received the emergency call…”