Human relationships and worldly affairs exist everywhere.
Even though Liu Guodong doesn't have real power and only manages three people in the Crime Scene Investigation Office, it handles both crime scene investigation and fingerprint analysis, which makes a difference.
Under the Criminal Investigation Team of Haizhou City, there are several investigation teams, and they also have their own action units with cases happening every day.
Nowadays, apart from the rare cases caught on the scene, the resolution of other cases requires crime scene investigation and fingerprint analysis to secure evidence.
For example, the footprint analysis done by Lu Chuan earlier.
Compared to footprint analysis, fingerprint comparison is a more common method for solving cases.
In the Crime Scene Investigation Office, Liu Guodong, Yang Sen, and Old Bai are all experts in this field.
Of course, the so-called experts here are within the scope of the Criminal Investigation Team of Haizhou City.
Fingerprint comparison is actually a basic compulsory course for any detective, even local police officers can say a bit about it.
Some experienced auxiliary police can also do some work in this area.
But like flexible employment workers standing in alleyways compared to the staff in luxurious clubs, there is likely a disparity in skill level or hardware facilities.
Most detectives can compare fingerprints if they're mostly intact.
But the reality is, many fingerprints collected at the crime scene are incomplete.
Or severely deformed, which requires higher technical skills.
Lu Chuan studied fingerprint comparison in Public Security University, but with one teacher and dozens of students, it's impossible for hands-on teaching.
So, even as a high-achieving graduate from Public Security University, when Lu Chuan started working, he had to follow the veterans step by step, accumulating experience bit by bit.
With plenty of cases and few technicians, the Crime Scene Investigation Office has become highly sought after.
After all, no matter which squad leader or action group leader, they have to seek help from Liu Guodong and his team.
The arson case in the South Suburb managed by the second action group is one of the major cases these days.
But it's just one among others; there are also two robbery cases with fingerprints not successfully matched, while Yang Sen and Old Bai are applying eye drops.
The leader of the second group is called Ren Qiang, who joined the police force in the same year as Liu Guodong, and most of their peers are already in leadership positions.
They're definitely the backbone of the Criminal Investigation Team. Ren Qiang took out a cigarette, distributed it to Liu Guodong and others, and personally lit one for Liu Guodong: "Just compare ten sets of fingerprints for now; we need some action clues first."
Upon hearing this, Liu Guodong's face changed, puffed out a smoke ring after a half-smoked cigarette: "Group Leader Ren, do you know how much time it takes to compare ten sets of fingerprints?"
"Look at Yang Sen and Old Bai, their eyes are almost going blind."
In Lu Chuan's view, Liu Guodong's expression seemed slightly exaggerated.
Yang Sen applying eye drops is just a habit; he only compared two sets of fingerprints the entire morning.
And both comparisons failed, not to the point of eye strain.
However, Lu Chuan certainly wouldn't interrupt, so he poured a cup of tea for Ren Qiang: "Group Leader Ren, have some tea."
To most people, Lu Chuan is no longer viewed as a newbie, and solving several cases in recent days has made him quite famous in the Criminal Investigation Team.
"Thank you," Ren Qiang took the teacup, glanced at Lu Chuan: "Old Liu, I understand your team has more work than people..."
Then Ren Qiang looked at Lu Chuan: "Why not let little Lu help with the comparison?"
Lu Chuan was a bit surprised and quickly waved his hand: "Group Leader Ren, I can't do it."
"I have some study in footprint analysis, but for fingerprint analysis, I've delved into fingerprint collection, but I'm not good at comparison."
Though a man shouldn't admit inability, Lu Chuan believes it's better to be honest.
In terms of fingerprint collection, he has intermediate skills granted by the system, confident enough to handle this level within Haizhou City Public Security Bureau.
But fingerprint comparison...
With the bit of theoretical knowledge he learned in school, forget about comparing to Liu Guodong, even a veteran auxiliary police officer would probably be better than him.
"Alright, Old Ren, I'm swamped. I've looked at the fingerprints from that case."
In fact, Liu Guodong had already checked the fingerprints from the South Suburb arson case: "A total of thirty-six sets of fingerprints were collected, aside from a few incomplete ones, the rest are basically fingerprints after being burned."
He casually pulled out a fingerprint file nearby: "Old Ren, you're an experienced investigator, see for yourself, can these even be called fingerprints?"
"Don't say I can't match them, even if you send them to the provincial office for the experts to compare, the chances of a match are low."
As the scattered fingerprint files fell into Lu Chuan's view.
A bunch of blackened fingerprints, no, they don't even look like fingerprints anymore.
This surely occurs after being subjected to smoke and fire.
Embarrassed, Ren Qiang laughed, for these fingerprints collected by their second group, he knew better than anyone the current state.
"Old Liu, there's really no choice, we spent an entire day collecting these fingerprints."
Speaking of collecting fingerprints, it's actually best for the Crime Scene Investigation people to do it.
But in reality, there are only four people in the Crime Scene Investigation Office, and they're already overwhelmed with their paperwork.
Unless it's a major case, like a homicide, Liu Guodong and his team don't go to the crime scene.
It's not that they're putting on airs; they're genuinely too busy.
So, for some cases, the scene investigation and evidence collection are done by the action group members.
The South Suburb arson case was such a situation.
"Old Liu, can you think of something?"
"Truthfully, these fingerprints are mostly worthless for comparison."
"One bottle of Luzhou Laojiao!"
"Old Ren, even if it's ten bottles, if it can't be done, it can't be done."
Knowing that even one bottle of Luzhou Laojiao couldn't fix it, Ren Qiang knew Liu Guodong was telling the truth.
Sighing, Ren Qiang was about to get up and leave; as he reached the door, he suddenly turned back to Lu Chuan: "Little Lu, did you just say you've studied fingerprint collection?"
Ah?
Lu Chuan, who was about to head to the cafeteria for a meal, was slightly stunned; he did say that just now.
But it was clear that by asking, Ren Qiang meant there was a task at hand.
As a competent professional, Lu Chuan looked towards Liu Guodong.
Ren Qiang understood Lu Chuan's implication, though Lu Chuan had studied fingerprint collection, whether he could go still depended on Liu Guodong.
"One bottle of Luzhou Laojiao, send little Lu for a trip!"
He clicked his tongue.
Liu Guodong smacked his lips: "It's not about Luzhou or not."
"Little Lu is quite new, he has some insights in footprint analysis, but lacks experience in fingerprint analysis; as for collection..."
Liu Guodong glanced at Lu Chuan: "He can give it a try, but we can't guarantee clearer fingerprints can be collected."
Ren Qiang could hear the undertone in Liu Guodong's words and patted his chest righteously: "Don't worry, if excellence is achieved, it's the Crime Scene Investigation's merit; if not, it has nothing to do with you."%
"The liquor will be delivered soon!"%
Liu Guodong nodded in satisfaction. If anyone knows how to handle things, it's Old Ren.