National Forensic Doctor

That night, many people had not yet fallen asleep.

Huang Qiangmin tossed and turned in bed for a long time, like practicing the rolls of death alone, or like simulating the tension on the line when big fish are hooked.

Huang Qiangmin put himself in the shoes of others, considering what he would be willing to give if there were a major unresolved case on his list.

First, the twenty or thirty main forces of the special case team, the so-called officers, would forget about going home or sleeping. If there was something pressing, they would take leave; if not, they would stay and work. There was no need to talk about overtime—the concept didn’t even exist for police, as it wasn’t supported by laws or regulations!

Next, other police officers in the criminal investigation brigade would have to bear two to three times their usual workload while still being ready to assist the special case team at any moment.

In this state, Huang Qiangmin could hold on for upwards of four months, spending up to 90 percent of the team’s funds!

And what about if it were a major cold case? Huang Qiangmin felt that he could conscientiously persist for half a year without a problem—provided that the case could be solved.

The crux of the problem was actually being able to solve the case. If everyone expected the case to be solved, then hard and selfless work was worth the sacrifice of one’s spouse and children.

But without such expectations, no matter how loudly those above shouted, the officers below knew plenty of ways to slack off.

This was exactly the problem with Longli County—the lower the criminal case clearance rate, the weaker everyone’s motivation, creating a vicious cycle in the end.