SFTD -Chapter 245 The Special Investigation Team

On June 10th, had just finished planning a short trip to help and the Lu family relax when Liu Da suddenly called.

Zhou Hai knew that if Liu Da was calling during his vacation, it had to be something important. He quickly answered, while the little girl beside him looked visibly unhappy.

“Liu Da, what’s up?”

“You’re still in Dongnan right now, right?”

“I was just about to take Uncle Lu, Aunt Lu, and Luoluo out for a few days to relax. You… need something?”

Liu Da paused briefly.

“Come straight to my office. We’ll talk face-to-face.”

After hanging up, Zhou Hai looked at the displeased expression on Luoluo’s face and lightly flicked her nose.

“What’s wrong, little one?”

Luoluo slapped his hand away.

“Don’t touch my nose. I’m practically a college student now. I’m an adult. Stop treating me like a child.”

Zhou Hai shrugged helplessly.

“Alright then. I need to go to the Municipal Bureau first. Our leader, Liu Da, is looking for me. No idea what it’s about. We’ll talk after I get back, okay?”

Luoluo pouted.

“So the trip is canceled?”

“No matter what happens, your vacation won’t fall through. Even if I can’t go, Uncle Lu and Aunt Lu can still take you. You could use the opportunity to go back to America and visit Teacher John.”

That immediately caught her interest.

There were still three months before university started. Going back to America now would also give her a chance to discuss with John about staying in China for school.

Thinking it over, she looked at Zhou Hai’s hopeful face and finally nodded slightly.

“I can consider it. I should discuss it with Aunt Lu first.”

Before she even finished speaking, Aunt Lu walked in from outside.

“Discuss what? We’ll do whatever you want. If we’re going, I’ll book the tickets immediately. We already have visas—we can leave anytime.”

Zhou Hai coughed lightly, interrupting her heroic declaration.

“Could you maybe wait for my update first? If time allows… I’d also like to go back and visit my teacher.”

Aunt Lu glanced at him.

“You want to go?”

Zhou Hai nodded.

Aunt Lu immediately raised her hand and began repeatedly tapping her thumb against the joints of her fingers, as though calculating something. Both Zhou Hai and Luoluo stared at her blankly, completely confused about what she was doing.

“Hehe, I just did a fortune calculation for you. You’re too busy with work. Better if the three of us go without you.”

Seeing the smug look on Aunt Lu’s face, Zhou Hai felt utterly powerless. He rubbed the top of Luoluo’s head.

“I’ll go take a look first.”

---

Twenty minutes later, at the Municipal Bureau.

After knocking on the office door, Zhou Hai heard the loud “Come in!” from inside and nearly laughed.

They called him “Liu Da” every day out of habit, but the man was actually the deputy director. Looking at the plaque reading Deputy Director’s Office, Zhou Hai pushed the door open.

“Liu Da, I’m here.”

Liu Da waved enthusiastically.

“Come in, sit down.”

He personally pushed Zhou Hai onto the sofa and even poured him a glass of water. The two sat across from each other chatting casually while drinking.

“Looks like the vacation did you some good. Your complexion’s improved quite a bit.”

Zhou Hai touched his face.

It still felt like the same scruffy, exhausted face as always. After cooking nonstop for over ten days, not turning into a worn-out househusband was already impressive enough.

Improved complexion?

Could it be…

“Liu Da, just tell me what’s going on. When you praise people like this, I get nervous.”

Liu Da gritted his teeth.

“You brat really don’t know how to chat.”

“Alright, back to business. I just returned from the Provincial Department. In response to the province’s directive about further reviewing unsolved criminal cases, I want you to lead a special investigation team.

First, you’ll cooperate with the province’s review operations and can be assigned to investigations at any time.

Second, you’ll thoroughly review all unsolved criminal cases in Dongnan from the past ten years and see if we can finally clear some cold cases.

You choose the team members yourself. Any equipment requirements—submit them. We can apply for special project funding.”

“Me? Decide?”

“Criminal investigators? Forensics? Trace analysis personnel?”

“I’ve never been a leader before. I honestly don’t know how to arrange this.”

A flock of invisible crows practically flew over Liu Da’s head.

How could this kid still not understand his intentions?

He reached over and touched Zhou Hai’s forehead.

Not feverish. In fact, cooler than his own.

Then why was he acting so muddleheaded?

“Don’t start dodging with excuses the second I bring something up.”

“Let me put it another way. We’ll split up the current Second Team. The team itself stays intact, but you’ll step out and become a separate unit above the individual chief forensic groups.

You won’t have to rotate homicide cases monthly anymore. Instead, you’ll coordinate which groups handle which cases. That’s the real way to use personnel efficiently.

Minor homicide cases and ordinary traffic accidents can go to specialists in those areas. Major homicide cases and cold cases will be supervised by you personally. At the same time, it’ll help train the other personnel. What do you think?”

Only then did Zhou Hai finally understand.

Wouldn’t that basically sideline Director Pang?

“But… isn’t that Director Pang’s responsibility?”

Liu Da shook his head.

“Let me tell you something. This whole idea was proposed by Director Pang himself.

He’ll handle overall management—laboratory work, equipment updates, and administrative services. But for the professional side of forensic autopsies and trace analysis, he wants you to take charge.

Professional management works better than one person trying to handle everything at once.

Yes, it puts pressure on you, but it’s for improving the center’s overall efficiency. That’s why he applied to appoint you as deputy director of the center, so you’ll have enough authority among the different groups.”

Zhou Hai’s face was full of disbelief, and Liu Da naturally understood why.

“Old Pang’s suggestion is excellent. I fully support it. And while we’re using this province-wide review campaign as an opportunity, we can officially establish a Special Investigation Team. That way, you won’t need to waste time verifying traffic accidents anymore. You can focus entirely on major cases and reopen long-buried investigations across all districts.”

The moment Liu Da said they could stop handling traffic accident reviews, Zhou Hai’s eyes lit up instantly.

Those endless arguments between drivers were the kind of thing he hated most. Just listening to both sides bicker every day gave him headaches.

Avoiding that work entirely?

Perfect.

Zhou Hai thought for a moment.

Xiao Liang from Second Team should stay with Fengzi since they’d worked together for a long time already.

As for trace analysis, the newly recruited Zhang Wenqi could be assigned there. If another trainee forensic examiner arrived later, they could also join Second Team. That would balance the structure fairly well.

Xu Biao, meanwhile, could continue following Zhou Hai.

As for additional personnel, it was better not to specify them yet. That would help maintain harmony between the groups.

“Then I’ll take Xu Biao with me to start the new team.

Second Team can stay under Fengzi’s leadership, with Xiao Liang as deputy. The trace analyst Zhang Wenqi that I selected last month can join them too. If new recruits arrive in July, we can assign another one there.

For now, let’s arrange it like that. What do you think, Liu Da?”

“Almost exactly what Director Pang predicted. Looks like your boss really understands you.”

“Alright, enough nonsense. Since your mental state seems pretty good, your vacation is officially canceled. Start your new position immediately. I want a complete operational proposal within a week—no, within three days. The province is waiting for my reply.”

“Vacation canceled?”

“Liu Da… are you serious? I was planning to go to America too…”

“Enough. Stop wasting my work time. Get out and go cool off somewhere.”

“Oh, and don’t forget the report in three days.”

“……”