Insights Chapter 5: Special Criminal Division

Chapter 5: Special Criminal Division

Translated by Addis of Exiled Rebels Scanlations

Editor: Karai

At half-past five in the afternoon, Penang City Bureau, Director Ding called the two of them into the director’s office and personally poured them tea, “I apologize sincerely. I initially thought the drill would end earlier, but Doctor Shen had to wait for quite a while,” Director Ding continued. “As introduced earlier, let’s get straight to the point. This time, I organized the Special Criminal Division and selected two individuals as the backbone of the department. Gu Yanchen is the head of the department and also the team leader. Shen Junci was transferred from the provincial office, serving as the medical examiner for the Special Criminal Division, mainly handling cases for the division.”

Gu Yanchen sat in his chair and nodded. Shen Junci picked up his tea cup and took a sip.

Director Ding got to the point, “You may have questions. Penang City Bureau already has five criminal investigation teams. Why establish a separate unit?”

Posing the question, the old director waited for the two young subordinates to respond, glancing over their faces. Shen Junci shook his head, indicating he had no idea.

Gu Yanchen said, “The leadership must have considered something.”

Director Ding went on to explain, “Before we start working, I believe it’s important to communicate my thoughts and approach with you. Ever since I took charge at the City Bureau last year, I initiated a series of reforms. I think we still have some issues in our work, especially in criminal investigations. While outsiders might say to take it slow and steady to prevent wrongful convictions, deep down, we know that a lot of time is being wasted. Many past cases were either due to limited abilities of the investigators or insufficient authority, requiring layers of approvals. 

“Officers were hesitant, and interdepartmental coordination felt like crossing a mountain. The actual efficiency of solving cases was low. Sometimes, a homicide faced difficulties, and several departments passing the buck turned into a prolonged game. Reviewing surveillance footage alone could take a whole day or even weeks, and it could take months to solve a case. But times have changed. With the internet so advanced, we are investigating cases under the public’s scrutiny. The old pace of criminal investigations is no longer suitable; the police must solve cases quickly, reveal the truth, and gain public trust, preventing disappointment.”

Shen Junci and Gu Yanchen listened as Director Ding spoke about the current state of criminal investigations. In today’s highly connected world, some cases are exposed online right after they occur. Police announcements have to catch up with the media. People not only share and watch, but also voice their opinions on the internet, and tensions rise. If not handled properly, it can lead to public opinion influencing the case.

“In the face of modern advancements in criminal investigations, our scientific and technological methods are becoming more progressive. For certain cases that the public is highly concerned about, we must solve them quickly, reduce unnecessary delays, and provide explanations to the public. While pursuing speed, we must also be meticulous, avoiding wrongful convictions. Later, I had an idea. You all know that in the past, when faced with major cases, criminal investigation teams would form special task forces, drawing talented individuals from various units to focus on solving the case. So, I thought of adopting this model and establishing a unit called the Special Criminal Division. It’s a small-scale task force equipped to handle cases that garner high public attention.”

Director Ding sat up straight, “Therefore, I went against the majority opinion and established the Special Criminal Division to break down the barriers and obstacles between various departments. After a criminal case occurs, we can eliminate all kinds of factors, fear no influences, and thoroughly investigate. Whether it’s a major or minor case, we must quickly uncover all the facts, verify them accurately, and then promptly make them public.”

Gu Yanchen and Shen Junci nodded, understanding Director Ding’s purpose in establishing this unit.

Director Ding smiled bitterly, “But this is just my idea, and achieving it is quite challenging. This unit doesn’t handle ordinary criminal cases. When there are no cases, it can be quite idle, but once there’s a case, it requires high-intensity work, working around the clock. Moreover, it’s under constant public scrutiny. Many people, upon hearing about this idea, got scared and avoided it. It took me quite an effort to bring you two here.”

This type of work demands excellence and comes with significant dangers; it’s not a job for everyone.

Director Ding looked at Gu Yanchen and said, “I happened to come across your resume, Captain Gu. Despite your previous work in logistics, I believe your investigative skills are outstanding, making you a rare good detective. You shouldn’t be confined to a support role in the second line. This time, the position I’m giving you has a high rank and considerable authority. The Special Criminal Division is structured above several criminal investigation teams, and you can coordinate the forces of multiple teams to aid in your investigations.”

Gu Yanchen said, “Alright.”

Director Ding adopted an official tone, “We often say ‘combat crime, establish law and order,’ but I understand deeply that to fight against darkness, we must equip our officers with corresponding powers to face the sharp claws of the beasts. The team allows you to use some special means, including firearms, monitoring, and surveillance. The process is extremely simplified, and you don’t need to go through the entire team; you just need approval directly from Deputy Director Dong. Among the rules and limits, Gu Yanchen, it’s your responsibility to oversee.”

After explaining everything, Director Ding discussed the work arrangements with them. Next, he introduced details such as personnel configuration and equipment. Throughout the meeting, it was mainly Gu Yanchen and Director Ding discussing, while Shen Junci listened on the side. In the end, Director Ding felt a bit uneasy. Although the meeting was primarily for Gu Yanchen, Shen Junci was also important.

“If medical examiners and criminal investigators are not on the same page, many things won’t work with just the efforts of the criminal police,” Director Ding expressed. Concerned that Shen Junci had been waiting for a while, he directly asked him, “Doctor Shen, as the exclusive medical examiner for the Special Criminal Division, do you have any opinions?”

Shen Junci replied, “No, you’ve considered everything thoroughly. I’m just afraid I might not be skilled enough and would slow down the team.”

Director Ding chuckled, “No problem at all. Being able to recruit a dedicated medical examiner for the team, I am already quite satisfied. If there’s anything you can’t solve in your work, I’ve informed Director Lu, and you can ask him anytime.”

The meeting ended, and the two went downstairs. One headed to Building 3 for the medical examiner, and the other went to Building 1 for the criminal investigation team. Shen Junci went to his office, where Qi Yi’an, noticing he had been in a meeting for a while, asked, “Teacher, is there anything special?”

Shen Junci summarized the key points and said, “We have a meeting early tomorrow to meet the new colleagues.”

After discussing work, Shen Junci rinsed his tea set and, realizing it was almost time to leave, prepared to go home. Since there were no pressing matters today, as soon as it was time to leave, Shen Junci packed up and bid farewell to Qi Yi’an. He came down from the medical examiner building, ready to take a taxi.

As soon as he exited the gate, he heard a Lexus honking by the roadside. To his surprise, Gu Yanchen leaned out.

“Team Leader,” Shen Junci greeted.

“Where are you headed?” Gu Yanchen asked.

“I live in Meijing Garden.”

“Same way,” Gu Yanchen said, “I’ll give you a ride.”

Shen Junci followed and sat in the front passenger seat. Gu Yanchen started the car, swiftly leaving the City Bureau gate.

In the car, Shen Junci observed Gu Yanchen. At this point, Gu Yanchen had changed into casual clothes, with the collar of his shirt unbuttoned, giving a relaxed appearance.

Meijing Garden wasn’t far, just about ten minutes’ drive from the City Bureau. As they approached a junction, Gu Yanchen spoke, “I’ve read your resume.”

Shen Junci turned and modestly said, “My university grades were average, but I gained some work experience later.”

“I think it’s good enough; it should be sufficient,” Gu Yanchen commented.

After a few words, silence fell between them. The car reached the entrance of Meijing Garden, and Shen Junci said, “You can drop me off at the entrance.”

Gu Yanchen, however, asked, “No problem. Which building?”

“Building 10,” Shen Junci replied. Gu Yanchen then drove straight in without any intention of stopping. Upon reaching the building, he skillfully found a parking space.

Shen Junci hastily waved his hand, “It’s really fine here.”

Unexpectedly, Gu Yanchen pointed upstairs, “I live here too.”

This was too coincidental. Shen Junci looked at him, seemingly disbelieving. Gu Yanchen added, “I’m in 501.”

Shen Junci lived in 502, and he was surprised. “Could it be that you’re the landlord who claimed to be too busy, leaving everything to the agent?”

Gu Yanchen nodded, “That should be me.” Then he added, “If you ever find walking or taking a taxi troublesome, feel free to ride with me.”

The two walked upstairs together, and Shen Junci went to open his door. Gu Yanchen didn’t rush to use the fingerprint lock. He suddenly turned to Shen Junci and asked, “By the way, do you know Director Lin?”

Shen Junci’s hand with the keys paused. “Which one?” He hesitated for a moment and added, “There’s no leader surnamed Lin in the City Bureau, right?”

Gu Yanchen explained, “He was Director Ding’s predecessor, Lin Xianglan.”

Shen Junci looked down, avoiding eye contact. He inserted the key into the lock, pretending to be nonchalant. “Oh, I just arrived; how could I know? Is there something?”

“Nothing. Director Lin passed away a few years ago. His son is named Lin Luo, and he looks a bit like you.” Cold sweat formed in Shen Junci’s palms, and his heart raced. Gu Yanchen continued, “But he has also passed away.”

For some reason, since the moment he saw Shen Junci, he suddenly thought of this name. Shen Junci responded with a casual, “Condolences.”

Finally, Gu Yanchen said, “See you tomorrow.”

Shen Junci opened the door, closed it firmly, and leaned against it, trying to steady his emotions.