Chapter One: Zhang Heng

“Your name is Zhang Heng, correct?”
At that moment, Professor Li—a middle-aged man dressed with formality and bearing the unmistakable air of authority—held a résumé in his hand, glancing over it as he addressed the young university student before him.
“Yes.”
Zhang Heng, the student, replied.
“Why did you choose to pursue further studies in our criminal investigation program?”
“Professor Li, ever since I was young, I admired criminal police officers; my dream has always been to become one myself. I wish to contribute to our country’s criminal investigation efforts and help combat illegal activities.”
“Young man, mere passion is far from enough. You must also—”
Just then, someone burst in, interrupting Professor Li.
“Professor Li, there’s an emergency meeting at the ministry that requires your attendance. The car is ready, and the leadership has said you may bring an assistant.”
“No, no, where’s the car?”
“It’s waiting downstairs.”
“Alright, give me a moment.”
Professor Li turned to Zhang Heng.
“Comrade Zhang Heng, please wait here for me.”
“Understood.”
Zhang Heng nodded.
Professor Li and the newcomer then left, heading downstairs.
Watching the departure of Professor Li—more precisely, the country’s seasoned and top-tier case expert, a master investigator—Zhang Heng felt a sense of relief.
He realized he hadn’t been rejected outright by this renowned officer, which meant his dream of becoming an esteemed criminal police officer was still within reach.
This dream, to become a distinguished criminal investigator, had been established since childhood.
But why did he have such a dream? There was a story behind it…
He still remembered, back in the first grade, when his teacher asked the class,
“What are your dreams for when you grow up?”
His classmates replied in rapid succession:
“Astronaut, superstar, singer, big boss, host, scientist, writer, director, manager…”
A long list.

When the teacher asked Zhang Heng, he hesitated for a moment, unsure what his dream should be, but he spoke without hesitation, naming the profession he had admired since childhood: a respected criminal police officer.
He recalled that during his kindergarten days, his father often took him along and shared stories of society’s heroes—scientists, firefighters, public security officers.
His father’s most frequent words were, “I don’t ask for fame or fortune, but I hope you’ll be respected by everyone when you grow up.”
Among these tales, his father spoke especially of public security officers, highly respected in society, sparking Zhang Heng’s fascination. Seeing his son’s enthusiasm for stories of revered police officers and positive role models, his father searched online for more stories of police heroism to share.
Gradually, Zhang Heng grew curious about, and came to admire, criminal investigators.
Indeed, since kindergarten, he had idolized police officers, especially those in criminal investigation. Learning that such officers were respected by society and contributed to national security only strengthened his resolve to pursue this path.
As he grew older, through middle school, high school, and now university, he always noticed how police officers and public security officials were held in high esteem.
They were guardians of peace and order, heroes protecting ordinary citizens, and the nemesis of criminals.
When he told his father and family about his ambition to become a police officer, particularly a criminal investigator, during high school and university, he received their wholehearted support.
With his family’s backing, he excelled in his studies.
He remembered his outstanding performance in the college entrance exam, ranking first in his school and being admitted to numerous top universities—Tsinghua, Peking University, Shanghai Jiaotong, Fudan—but he chose instead to apply to the China People’s Public Security University, directly under the Ministry of Public Security.
Many found his choice incredible; he could have attended a prestigious school and secured a high-paying job at a renowned company, yet he opted for a university that, in some eyes, wasn’t especially famous.
But he paid no heed to such opinions, determined to become a police officer, a criminal investigator, and a person respected by all.
During university, he diligently studied all knowledge essential for police work, especially criminal investigation. He also kept abreast of developments in the police community in his spare time.
His dedication before class and effort after class set him apart; his academic performance, knowledge, and responsiveness far exceeded his peers.
Thus, upon graduation, he was fortunate to earn an opportunity to intern and further his studies with Professor Li’s team, renowned as a group of star investigators.
Professor Li’s team was among the most elite criminal investigation units in the country, with extraordinary officers. Cases that local police or detective teams couldn’t solve were often resolved by them.
Over decades, they had cracked everything from international crime syndicates to local gangs. No matter how deep or difficult the case, when it fell to their team, it was never insurmountable.
Their unwavering principle never to wrong an innocent person made them the pinnacle of the police force.
They were the model team of the national police, a thorn in the side of criminals, and the beloved guardians of the people.
The law’s net is wide, but nothing escapes it—this phrase suited them perfectly.
…
After waiting in Professor Li’s office for some time, Zhang Heng saw Professor Li return.
No sooner had Professor Li arrived than his phone rang again.

Professor Li took out his phone, saw it was a call from his superiors, and was about to step into the corridor, but seeing it crowded, he returned to the room, glanced at Zhang Heng, who immediately understood and left the room, standing by the door. Inside, Professor Li answered the call.
After the conversation ended, Professor Li called out to Zhang Heng,
“Come in.”
Zhang Heng entered, and Professor Li spoke,
“Comrade Zhang Heng, are you available today? If so, we have a case to investigate right now. Would you be willing to accompany me to the scene?”
“Professor Li, I’m certainly available. May I ask what sort of case it is?”
Zhang Heng asked.
“You’ll see when we get there,” Professor Li replied.
Then the two of them went downstairs, donned their police uniforms, and got into the police car, heading straight to the crime scene.
The police car sped through the city streets, red lights flashing.
Soon, they arrived at a cordoned-off area—clearly the crime scene—surrounded by onlookers and journalists, cameras flashing and recording interviews.
Several police cars identical to theirs were already parked, their lights ablaze, and uniformed officers and auxiliary police held the crowd at bay behind the police line.
After parking, Professor Li retrieved a toolkit used in crime scene investigations, filled with equipment: a small law enforcement recorder, gloves, tweezers, clean transparent bags, and more.
Carrying the toolkit, Professor Li led the way.
Zhang Heng followed closely, and together they approached the cordoned-off scene.
The auxiliary police guarding the line recognized them and let them through.
They entered the cordoned area.
At that moment, the reporters and camera operators began frantically filming and photographing them.
A female presenter, microphone in hand, addressed the camera,
“Dear viewers, a bag suspected to contain dismembered human organs has been discovered in a passageway of a shopping mall in Chaoyang District. The municipal public security bureau has opened an investigation and dispatched expert criminal investigators to the scene. As you can see, two specialist investigators are now heading upstairs. We will continue to follow the developments…”