Chapter 1080 - 553: Sensitive Spot on the Neck

At this moment, the interrogation room fell silent once again.

For Jiang An and Qin Feng, they both knew very well—this was the suspect’s final moment of resistance.

Once, everyone who stepped into this interrogation room held on to a lucky thought, always thinking that as long as they remained silent and refused to confess, they could escape the punishment of the law.

However, in reality, everyone who came here eventually left disheartened, escorted in silence to their next place of detainment.

At this time, Director Hou stood on the other side of the one-way glass, experiencing a silent upheaval internally.

His gaze wasn’t entirely on the suspect at the interrogation table; instead, it focused more on Jiang An.

Director Hou had long heard of Jiang An’s ability to solve cases, but it wasn’t until today, witnessing it firsthand, that he truly sensed that almost instinctive investigative talent.

He could pinpoint a highly concealed bloodstain in the narrow car cabin with precision;

Even more astonishing, he could deduce the motion of reaching out, the possible tools used, and even touch upon the suspect’s psychological state at that moment, merely from the form and position of damaged fingers.

This series of interconnected deductions seemed to link scattered clues in the dark, weaving into a clear net.

Director Hou had always hoped to reach such a level himself but didn’t expect to first witness such masterful performance in Jiang An today.

Of course, regarding this case, Director Hou understood in his heart that the overall situation was essentially settled.

Even if the suspect remained silent, subsequent testimonies from dormitory drinkers would be enough to confirm the criminal act.

Just as his mind was stirred, the low conversation between two young officers beside him gently pulled his thoughts back.

He heard one of them ask, in a tone filled with confusion and admiration, "How exactly did Captain Zhang determine that the key fell there, and that the suspect was injured while reaching for it?

This is like going from point A to point B, a road we can’t even imagine, yet he stepped right on it..."

The other also quietly agreed, "Yes, it’s amazing, as if he saw it with his own eyes."

These fragmented conversations, like stones on the still surface of a lake, inevitably drew Director Hou’s gaze back to Jiang An on the other side of the glass.

In this seemingly near-conclusion case, some abilities perhaps extend beyond experience and logic, stemming from a profound insight into human nature and traces.

That was the realm he had been pursuing for years but still felt far from fully grasping.

Upon hearing this, Director Hou slowly turned his head, his gaze lingering on the two of them for a moment, with a subtle, meaningful smile at the corner of his mouth, he said, "Didn’t you listen carefully to what he just said? There’s a keyhole directly above.

"If the suspect reached out in a panic, then he was very likely searching for that key."

"Moreover, that key was probably not obtained through normal means."

He paused, his tone growing more solemn: "Because it was obtained in an unusual manner, he would be anxious, fearful of losing the key, fearful of the exposure of the situation."

Before he finished speaking, a young officer beside him leaned forward slightly, tentatively interjecting, "Director Hou, do you mean... at that time he might have taken advantage of when the excavator driver was unaware during drinking, to swipe the key from him, then slipped out... to commit the crime?"

Director Hou took a deep breath and sighed slowly, "That possibility is very high."

"To be honest, deep down—deep in my heart—I lean toward this deduction."

"Otherwise, how would you explain his inexplicable act of taking the key?"

"In the dead of night, with the construction site not in operation, why go to such lengths?"

The young policewoman said, "This way, the entire logic makes sense. However..."

She paused slightly, her tone filled with admiration, "The way Jiang analyzed and deduced this time really broadened my perspective."

"It’s like playing chess, some can foresee ten moves ahead with just one step; while we ordinary people often only see the very next move."

Ten minutes later, Li Xu slightly raised his head, his shoulders slumped as if the last bit of strength holding up his body was drained away.

His Adam’s apple moved, and he said, "Alright, I’ll confess... it was all my doing."

Those few words dropped like a long-awaited gate finally coming down.

As the words fell, he closed his eyes, exhaling a long breath, as if unloading the burden of a thousand pounds that had weighed on his back for so long.

Across the long table, Jiang An and Qin Feng simultaneously relaxed their tense shoulders.

The two exchanged a glance, a tacit gleam passing through their eyes.

As long as he was willing to speak, the breakthrough would only be a matter of time.

Soon, Jiang An and Qin Feng sat down at the interrogator’s seat.

Qin Feng picked up the pen, gently tapped it on the paper, "Now, please start from the beginning and describe in detail the crime process at that time, along with your motive."

Li Xu lowered his head.

After a long while, he tugged at the corner of his mouth, letting out a very faint bitter laugh.

"It’s a long story... Actually, from last year, things between Li Yong and me... started to not feel right."

"I operated the excavator, my salary was a bit higher than his. He was just a laborer carrying bricks and mixing cement on the construction site, probably... feeling a bit imbalanced in his heart."

Qin Feng fixed his gaze on him: "What exactly sparked the conflict?"

"Once, I had a thousand yuan in cash in my pants pocket—that was my recently paid wages. Too tired before bed, I just draped my pants over the end of the bed."

"The next morning, the money was gone."