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

Chapter 819 Conflict of Interests, Li Chenxing Arrested

In the conference room, Li Ming and the others looked dejected.

Based on the age groups, there are still quite a few clues so far. Whether it's the crime scene investigation or the forensic autopsy, there are some crucial leads. However, each of these leads has ended up in a dead end.

On the one hand, Zhao Qiang has a clear alibi; he was indeed not present at the time of the incident, as evidenced by witnesses and video surveillance. Therefore, the other party could not be the murderer. On the other hand, hallucinogenic drugs were found in the victim's stomach contents, and the source of these drugs has now been identified. Zhao Qiang's wife had purchased these drugs using his account, but the drugs were intended for her father's medical treatment.

Furthermore, Zhao Qiang's wife's whereabouts were also investigated. She was at home that day, as evidenced by her family members, and a security camera in the house also captured the footage, confirming that she did not leave.

First, Zhao Qiang had an alibi, then they found that Zhao Qiang's wife also had an alibi. Now the investigation has reached a dead end, and there seem to be no other clues pointing to the case.

At the top of the list, Qin Chuan frowned, his fingers tapping rhythmically on the table as his mind raced, pondering every detail of the case.

Currently, although the investigation into Zhao Qiang and his wife Li Fang has not made the expected progress, it does not mean that the previous investigative direction was completely wrong. Clues discovered at the crime scene and through autopsies remain the most important leads in solving the case.

Although Li Fang has clarified the source and destination of the hallucinogenic drug, the drug in the deceased's body couldn't have appeared out of thin air, and its use is extremely rare. Therefore, further investigation is needed in this direction.

After a long silence, Qin Chuan suddenly stood up and immediately instructed, "Start with those who have access to this new type of hallucinogenic drug and conduct a comprehensive and meticulous investigation. No detail can be overlooked."

The amount of medication Li Fang purchased from the platform was fixed, and there should have been no shortage of medication after it reached her. So, who else could have accessed this medication? The police quickly investigated.

Li Fang's younger brother, Li Chenxing, quickly came to the attention of the police.

The team first investigated Li Chenxing's recent whereabouts. Through surveillance videos, taxi records, and receipts, they reconstructed his movements over the past month.

Inside Li Chenxing's company office, it was noisy, with colleagues bustling about. Xiao Zhang and Xiao Li found their colleague, Xiao Wang.

Xiao Wang sat nervously in the conference room. Xiao Zhang said gently, "Xiao Wang, don't be nervous. We're just trying to get some information. Do you usually have a lot of contact with Li Chenxing?"

Xiao Wang nodded: "There are quite a few; we often run business together."

Xiao Li asked, "Have you noticed anything unusual about him lately?"

Xiao Wang thought for a moment and said, "His mood has been fluctuating a lot in the past few months. He always complains about his financial pressure, his work enthusiasm has declined, and he often sighs."

To further understand the relationship between Li Chenxing and the deceased Song Ming, the team began investigating their past interactions. After extensive inquiries and piecing together clues, they discovered that the two had partnered to open a supermarket a year prior. Initially, they were full of confidence, eager to make a name for themselves in the business world. They worked together on the supermarket's preparation, sourcing, and promotion, envisioning a bright future. However, due to a lack of experience and intense market competition, the supermarket's performance suffered, resulting in severe inventory backlog, cash flow problems, and ultimately, significant financial losses.

After the supermarket went bankrupt, the two had serious disagreements over debt sharing and the handling of remaining assets. Song Ming believed that Li Chenxing had made mistakes in the procurement process, leading to excessive costs, and should therefore bear more of the debt; while Li Chenxing accused Song Ming of mismanagement and was primarily responsible for the supermarket's losses. The conflict escalated, and the two even had several heated arguments in public, ultimately leading to a complete breakdown in their relationship.

"Director Qin, the conflict between Li Chenxing and Song Ming is likely the motive for the crime, and he had access to hallucinogenic drugs, making him a prime suspect." The officer in charge of the investigation reported to Qin Chuan, looking tired but excited.

Qin Chuan nodded slightly, his eyes revealing determination: "Continue to dig deeper, don't overlook any details, and find out everything about Li Chenxing's whereabouts and activities on the night of the incident."

Meanwhile, the on-site investigation team conducted a thorough re-examination of the crime scene. The abandoned warehouse still reeked of a mixture of decay and rust, dark and oppressive.

The investigators carefully searched every corner, conducting a second on-site investigation, leaving no possible clue unchecked. Finally, on a neglected wooden crate in a corner of the warehouse, they discovered half a fingerprint. The fingerprint was very blurry, almost impossible to identify, but thanks to their superb skills and patience, the technicians successfully matched it with Li Chenxing's fingerprint sample after several hours of analysis and comparison.

"Director Qin, this fingerprint closely matches Li Chenxing's fingerprint characteristics. Combined with the motive and drug clues from the previous investigation, we can basically confirm that Li Chenxing is the murderer." The technician excitedly reported to Qin Chuan.

Upon learning of this news, Qin Chuan decisively ordered: "Arrest Li Chenxing immediately and bring him back to the police station for investigation."

Under the meticulous planning of the police, Li Chenxing was quickly and successfully apprehended. When he was brought into the interrogation room, he feigned composure, but his eyes flickered erratically. The atmosphere in the interrogation room was tense and oppressive, and the stark white light shone on Li Chenxing's face, as if to expose the darkness within him.

Li Ming sat opposite Li Chenxing, his gaze sharp and fixed on him, and asked seriously, "Li Chenxing, do you know why I brought you here?"

Li Chenxing pursed his lips, feigning innocence: "Officer, how would I know? I've always been behaving myself."

Li Ming snorted coldly and slammed a stack of evidence on the table. "You and Song Ming opened a supermarket together a year ago, and later had constant conflicts due to debt and asset issues. You should at least admit that, right?"

Li Chenxing's expression changed slightly, but he still argued, "That's true, but what does it have to do with me? Business conflicts are normal."

Li Ming then presented Li Chenxing with evidence of his suspicious theft of drugs at the hospital and his movements on the night of the incident, laying it out before him one by one. Fine beads of sweat began to appear on Li Chenxing's forehead, and his hands clenched involuntarily, but he still forced himself to stay upright.

At this moment, Li Ming produced the most crucial evidence—the half-fingerprint report found on the wooden box at the crime scene—and slowly said, "This fingerprint matches yours very closely. How do you explain that?"

The moment Li Chenxing saw the fingerprint report, his face turned deathly pale, and his body began to tremble slightly. He remained silent for a long time, and finally, under the intense psychological pressure from the police, he lowered his head and confessed to his crimes.

It turned out that he had been harboring resentment towards Song Ming for his actions after the supermarket went bankrupt, believing that Song Ming had deliberately concealed some of his assets, causing him to incur excessive debt. On the night of the incident, he lured Song Ming to an abandoned warehouse under the pretext of reconciliation, laced his drink with hallucinogenic drugs beforehand, and brutally murdered him with a knife he had prepared in advance while Song Ming was unconscious.