Qindao City Hospital No. 3.
These past few days, there hadn't been any new cases for the criminal investigation team. Detective Li Hui, feeling unwell, had taken a leave of absence to visit the hospital.
As soon as he entered, he became irritated. The hospital was packed with people, shoulder to shoulder, making it difficult to walk without stepping on someone.
He wasn't sure if it was due to trauma from childhood injections, but hospitals always made him uncomfortable—his whole body felt weak the moment he stepped inside.
After waiting in line for ages, it was finally his turn.
At the registration window, a young nurse asked, "What's the issue?"
"Uh, please help me register for the proctology department."
"I asked what the problem is."
"Hemorrhoids."
"Regular or specialist appointment?"
"Specialist."
Perhaps to respect patient privacy, the proctology department was on the fourth floor.
Li Hui had originally planned to take the elevator, but saw a crowd gathered around it—elderly people, patients, and more.
As a police officer, he felt it was improper to push through the vulnerable, so he decided to take the stairs.
Normally, this wouldn't be a problem for him—he was in good shape. But today, a certain part of his body was in serious pain, making climbing stairs a miserable experience.
By the time he reached the second floor, he was already regretting it. Damn it, I'm a patient too. Why am I trying to act like some hero?
"Just hang in there," he muttered.
He continued climbing, but the pain altered his posture, making him look odd.
At a stairway corner, someone was smoking. They noticed Li Hui's strange movement, gave him a few curious looks, and barely held back a laugh.
Li Hui felt even more embarrassed.
He finally reached the fourth floor. This area housed departments for less common ailments, so it was relatively quiet.
Glancing at the signs, he saw the finance office on this floor as well. The proctology department was further down the hall—still a bit of a walk.
As he walked, he began to notice some strange noises. His police instincts kicked in. He paused and listened closely—it was coming from the finance office. As he approached, the sounds got louder.
"Sobs…"
"Thuds…"
Li Hui raised an eyebrow. Something's up!
….
Qindao City Sub-Bureau.
There hadn't been any cases recently.
Detective Han Bin actually found the quiet days rather boring. Glancing at the wall clock, he saw it was past 5 PM—almost time to clock out.
His micro-expression analysis skill had been acquired through an installment plan—it cost 10 merit points per month.
The pressure was real.
Currently, he had three skills:
Reward Skill: Footprint Identification (Advanced), Proficiency +7
Installment Skill: Micro-Expression Analysis (Beginner), Proficiency +2; Remaining Installment: 120 Merit Points
Life Skill: Shandong Cuisine (Intermediate), Proficiency +3
[Total Merit Points: 16]
Micro-expression skill's proficiency (+2) could be converted into 2 merit points, just enough to cover next month's installment.
"Living in debt sucks," he muttered.
Slap, slap—the sound of clapping broke the silence.
Team Leader Zeng Ping entered the office. "Everyone, gather up. We've got a case."
"What kind of case?" Han Bin perked up.
With cases came opportunities to earn merit points—he was eager to pay off that debt.
"Robbery."
"Bank or jewelry store?" Han Bin asked.
"Neither," Zeng Ping replied. "Get in the car, I'll explain on the way."
"Should we notify the forensics team?"
"I've already contacted them. They'll meet us there."
The team grabbed their gear and boarded a police SUV. Zhao Ming took the wheel.
"Where to?" Zhao asked.
"Hospital No. 3," Zeng Ping answered.
"A robbery at a hospital? That's rare," Tian Li remarked.
"These days, besides banks, hospitals are the most cash-rich places," Zeng Ping scoffed.
"Hospitals are crowded with strangers," Han Bin added. "And with people wearing white coats and masks, it's easier to disguise yourself."
"Not to mention how outdated their systems are—no mobile payments," Zhao said after checking the fastest route. "That forces patients to carry cash, making them easy targets."
"Hopefully they'll learn from this," Zeng Ping sighed.
"Should we call Li Hui for backup?" Tian Li asked.
"No need. He's already there—and he's done something useful,"
Zeng Ping replied.
"What do you mean?"
"He's a bigmouth. Let him explain it himself when we arrive. Saves me the trouble of repeating."
At the hospital, the team went straight to the fourth floor.
The finance office was already cordoned off with police tape. Officers from the local precinct were maintaining order.
"Zeng Team," Li Hui called out.
Han Bin asked curiously, "Li Hui, how'd you end up here?"
"Heh, long story."
"Make it short," Zeng Ping interrupted—he knew Li Hui's tendency to ramble.
"I came here for treatment. On my way past the finance office, I heard noises—someone sobbing, followed by loud banging. The sobs sounded like someone gagged trying to cry for help. The bangs were like someone kicking the wall…"
"Li Hui, focus," Zeng Ping warned again.
"I asked around. The noises got louder, so I called a nurse and a deputy director. We used a spare key to open the office. Inside, we found a middle-aged woman tied up, and the safe was open."
"Who is she?" Han Bin asked, taking out his notebook.
"Her name's Zhang Xin. She's an accountant in the finance department."
"What time exactly did it happen?"
"She had a head injury. We didn't get much detail before she was taken away for treatment."
"How much money was stolen?"
Li Hui thought for a moment. "Over 400,000 yuan in cash."
Han Bin analyzed, "That's a significant amount. If someone walked out with that, it should be noticeable."
"I checked on the way in," Zhao Ming added. "The hospital hallways and lobbies have surveillance cameras. We might catch the suspect on video."
"Everyone's up to speed," Zeng Ping said. "Let's split up and gather clues."
"Tian Li, take the victim's statement—get a description of the suspect and the robbery details."
"Han Bin, stay at the scene. Look for footprints or other clues."
"Li Hui, check the hospital's surveillance footage."
"Zhao Ming, interview the staff and see if there were any eyewitnesses."
"Yes, sir," they responded.
Han Bin put on gloves and shoe covers, then entered the finance office. Forensics expert Lu Wen and his team were already collecting evidence.
Han Bin glanced around. The safe was open. A bloodstain was on the floor, presumably from the injured accountant.
But there were no footprints, no tools, nothing obvious.
"Lu Wen, find any fingerprints?" Han Bin asked.
"None." "Any other clues?"
Lu Wen adjusted his glasses. "The scene's been cleaned. Not even the victim's prints are left."
(End of Chapter)