Diary of a Criminal Investigator-Chapter 251: Sorting Through Skills

"Basic task completed: The host has completed a forensic entomology experiment by cultivating maggots parasitic on a decomposed corpse, accurately determining the time of death and laying the technical foundation for the successful resolution of the case."

The basic task related to the Bailan River corpse case was finally declared complete at this moment.

In fact, the part associated with Lu Chuan was completed long ago.

However, the completion time of this basic task was relatively long, primarily because the breeding of insect eggs must take about a week.

What Lu Chuan focused on was not the basic task, as it carried no rewards.

Coincidentally, just as the basic task was completed, the previous advanced task was also accomplished simultaneously.

"Advanced task completed: The host determined the real identity of the fraud suspect using image enhancement in the case of Lu Yao’s scam, and most of the ten million yuan Lu Yao was defrauded of has been recovered. He received heartfelt gratitude from the other party and successfully saved Lu Yao’s nearly lost childhood for thirty years."

Buzz buzz buzz!

Before Lu Yao could check the rewards for the advanced task, his phone rang.

"Chuan! I just got the money I was scammed out of!"

On the phone, Lu Yao sounded as happy as a child.

"Chuan, I owe it all to you this time!" 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

Lu Yao had heard about many people being scammed before.

Of course, cases like his, where someone gets scammed out of ten million yuan, are quite rare.

Hmm...

Sun Yuting, who scammed Lu Yao, was an exception; she was scammed out of thirty million yuan.

But Lu Yao had heard many instances of telecom fraud.

Many people around him had fallen victim, with varied processes: some were scammed through exposed chats, some through making money via fake transactions, and others through fake loans by supposed superiors.

According to Lu Yao, people need to know their worth; would a superior ever borrow money from you?

Whether it was these heard or witnessed cases, although the ways of being scammed were various,

they all shared a common point in the end: the loss was never recovered.

That’s not to say these telecom fraudsters were never caught.

Many suspects had been apprehended, but those who dared commit telecom fraud would rather go to jail than return the money.

Most of the caught suspects either squandered the money or had long transferred their assets.

In conclusion, there’s no money to be found.

Lu Yao originally did not have high hopes of recovering his money.

His thought was that catching the people who scammed him was enough.

Unexpectedly, tonight he suddenly received a transfer message, 9.68 million yuan.

Then came a call from the economic crime investigation team.

"Just now, Team Leader Li Song from the economic crime team called me and said my money had been recovered!"

Although it was still a little short of the ten million scammed, it was just 320,000 yuan, which Lu Yao didn’t care much about.

Just a matter of bumping a few more heads back then.

"Haha, they said that without your help, the case would still be unresolved!"

What Li Song didn’t say was that even if the case was solved, it wouldn’t have been this quick to return the stolen funds.

Let alone processing transfers at night.

Getting finance people to work overtime isn’t easy, but this refund is different from general public funds transactions.

Otherwise, it would only happen during regular business hours on weekdays.

"Third Brother, it’s good to have gotten it back. Are you free this week?"

"Yes, yes, yes!"

"If you have time this weekend, let’s treat Team Leader Li Song from the economic crime team to a meal."

"Yes, yes, yes! I’ll arrange it!"

Although Lu Chuan wasn’t in the economic investigation system, the work processes there and in criminal investigation shouldn’t differ much.

Completing the refund in such a short time shows Li Song and his team worked plenty of overtime.

Inviting them to a meal is only appropriate.

"Chuan, let’s leave it at that for now. The day after tomorrow is Friday, let’s do a ’one-stop service’ at the Haizhou Restaurant in the evening!"

The ’one-stop service’ at the Haizhou Restaurant isn’t cheap.

But given Lu Chuan and Li Song’s status, a ’one-stop service’ was slightly over the top.

"Let’s just do the first half, forget about the second half."

Lu Yao paused: "The interesting part is the second half..."

After hanging up, Lu Chuan checked the time and mulled things over before dialing a number.

"Old Brother Li Song... Yes, yes, it’s me, Lu Chuan."

"... The Bailan River case is almost ready for wrapping up. Haha, thank you for handling my cousin’s case."

"Weekend... Yes, yes... The day after tomorrow... Great, see you the day after tomorrow."

When it comes to social matters, Lu Chuan is quite adept.

After hanging up, Lu Chuan finally had time to check the system’s rewards.

"Task reward: One intermediate level skill card for criminal investigation. Please choose the type of reward."

Again, it was a criminal investigation skill card.

This time, Lu Chuan didn’t immediately select from the panel.

Instead, he summarized the skills he currently mastered.

First are the basic skills: crime scene investigation photography, footprint identification and analysis, and tire trace analysis, three criminal investigation skills.

Additionally, there are on-site shooting and basic fighting, two combat skills.

Altogether five basic skills.

Among these skills, on-site shooting and basic fighting are the ones Lu Chuan has the least opportunity to use.

Crime scene investigation photography is an all-purpose skill, used every time a scene is investigated.

Footprint identification and analysis have proven instrumental in several cases, helping Lu Chuan lock down crucial leads.

Though tire trace analysis isn’t frequently applied, it often produces extraordinary results in solving cases.

Among intermediate skills, Lu Chuan currently masters mid-level crime scene investigation, mid-level skeleton identification analysis, mid-level bloodstain pattern analysis, and mid-level body insect egg identification analysis, four skills.

Compared to basic skills, intermediate skills reach the level of an ordinary provincial expert.

As for advanced skills, Lu Chuan currently only possesses one: advanced fingerprint identification and analysis.

In two fingerprint battles, Lu Chuan earned two individual first-class merits, thanks entirely to this skill.

Of course, acquiring advanced skills isn’t easy.

Even though Lu Chuan has participated in many case investigations, he has only mastered one advanced skill.

But the benefits of advanced skills extend beyond the skill itself.

For example, in image enhancement, even though Lu Chuan didn’t specifically select a skill card for it, the innate capabilities from the advanced fingerprint identification and analysis skill already equipped him with proficiency in this area.

It might even rival Lu Chuan specifically choosing an intermediate skill card in image investigation.

Counting up, Lu Chuan currently masters ten skills.

Lu Chuan has been a criminal detective for over half a year now, specifically from graduation last year until now, about ten months.

Though the work duration isn’t very long, there have been plenty of cases.

Lu Chuan feels his current skills allow him to cope for the time being, so he temporarily refrains from selecting new skills.

This way, when encountering a case his current skills can’t resolve, he still has the opportunity to select targeted skills.

The next day.

Crime scene investigation office.

Just after the morning meeting, Liu Guodong received a call from Qin Yong.

After hanging up, Liu Guodong donned his police uniform: "Lu, come with me to the captain’s office."