Accidental Hero: The Rookie Who Outshines the Force - Chapter 54

Wu Hao had jumped out the window because he was backed into a corner.

Lu Cheng jumped out the window purely out of recklessness.

By the time anyone thought about chasing him downstairs, both suspects had already vanished. The few officers on the first floor who tried to follow had lost sight of them long ago.

The most efficient option? Jump!

Third floor—roughly six to seven meters high.

Lu Cheng leaped down. He didn’t land in a trash bin; that was too disgusting. Instead, he jumped to the side, rolled on impact, and sprang back to his feet, continuing the pursuit.

Xiao Hu, peering out the window, was dumbstruck, blurting several “What the—!”s in rapid succession.

Wu Hao landed in a trash bin. The soft garbage cushioned his fall, but his legs were wobbly, clearly injured.

Lu Cheng, meanwhile, hit the ground directly and continued running as if nothing had happened.

Everyone inside the room froze. That was the third floor!

Are you shooting a movie or what?!

Xiao Hu quickly radioed in: “Wu Hao jumped from the third floor, running toward the back street!”

Then he added, “Lu Cheng followed him down!”

Su Qingwu: “!”

Chen Weimin: “!!”

Everyone else: “!!!”

Third floor! That kid is chasing a criminal with zero regard for his own life!

Chen Weimin recalled the other day when Lu Cheng had given chase on foot. Every time, this kid had to create a heart-stopping scene.

Su Qingwu was already sprinting after him, with Chen Weimin and a few others following.

With so many officers, catching one criminal should’ve been easy—but they never expected him to jump out a window.

Were these guys all trained stuntmen or what?

By the time they reached the back alley, Lu Cheng and Wu Hao hadn’t even reached the main street yet.

Wu Hao was already on the ground, handcuffed behind his back, lying like a salted fish—completely immobile.

Chen Weimin and the others exhaled in relief. At least the suspect was in custody.

But Lu Cheng frowned, flailing his hands as if trying to shake off something. Concerned, everyone approached him.

Just as Chen Weimin was about to speak, Su Qingwu’s cool voice cut in: “Are you hurt?”

Well, his girlfriend was right here—no need for outsiders to worry!

“Hurt? No, it’s just… this guy stinks to high heaven, drenched in trash water.”

Lu Cheng realized this wasn’t something you could just wash off at a sink; a proper bath was needed.

“Can you not be so impulsive?”

Su Qingwu’s tone was cool, but anyone perceptive could detect a hint of concern.

Those present were perceptive.

Huh… was there a faint sweetness in the air?

Turns out even this could be a moment for a little “shipping” fun.

Lu Cheng picked up on it. Su Qingwu’s words sounded like a scolding, but they weren’t.

He paused for a moment, then smiled:

“I couldn’t help it—jumped without thinking. I’ll be careful next time.”

Wang Guodong and the others rolled their eyes. You just jumped off the third floor like it was nothing?

Chen Weimin glared at Lu Cheng: “You better not have a next time! When we get back, write me a 2,000-word self-criticism!”

“Xiao Su, explain it to him properly. He ignores what I say, but he’ll listen to you.”

Chen Weimin had given up trying to reason with this reckless “madman.” Even though he had survived every stunt, one misstep could be fatal. Best let his “wife” handle him.

Su Qingwu’s expression turned slightly awkward, and Lu Cheng gave a wry smile.

“Take him away!”

Xiao Zheng and Xiao Hu grimaced as they grabbed Wu Hao. The suspect stank horribly.

Back alleys like this were rarely cleaned; the trash had fermented multiple times, practically a chemical hazard.

Wu Hao didn’t speak a word, his expression sullen.

He looked exactly like a caught criminal, utterly resigned.

Yet Lu Cheng’s mind was racing.

From the fingerprint on the window latch, the real killer should be a third person.

So why did Wu Hao look like he was confessing?

Moreover, the [Flycatcher] skill hadn’t triggered—meaning Wu Hao wasn’t the actual murderer.

What was going on?

Everything was contradictory.

Su Qingwu, Chen Weimin, and the others, however, were convinced: Wu Hao was 99% the killer. Bring him in for questioning, and the case would be closed.

Even if he denied it, the murder weapon had been found. Fingerprints and blood evidence would seal the case.

And judging by Wu Hao’s current expression, he seemed ready to confess, making interrogation almost unnecessary.

Qin Mian, upon hearing the news, relaxed. He hadn’t expected the case to be solved so quickly.

The week-long deadline given by Director Yang had been far more than necessary.

Back at the CID office, Yang Zheng arrived as well.

His expression radiated pleasure. Solving a murder this quickly gave closure to the victim’s family and showcased police efficiency, improving public trust.

“Well done! Solving this case so quickly and efficiently—beyond my expectations! The CID team deserves a reward!”

Cheers erupted from the team. Some joked, “Director Yang, how about a bonus too?”

…

The murder weapon had been sent for testing, and Wu Hao was in the interrogation room.

Qin Mian conducted the questioning personally. With the team leader present, everyone else knew it wouldn’t take more than fifteen minutes.

Yang Zheng, learning that Lu Cheng had played a pivotal role in finding the weapon and catching the suspect, nodded in satisfaction.

However, a small problem remained: the promised rewards and bonuses hadn’t been distributed yet. Lu Cheng had caught gang members, nabbed the thief king, and now performed impressively in a murder case.

The merits list could barely keep up.

This kid…

In the interrogation room, Wu Hao still reeked of trash water, wrapped only in a towel.

Qin Mian lit a cigarette, exhaling with a composed, confident air, as if he had already collected all the evidence and was just waiting for Wu Hao to confess.

“Come clean,” he said. “Why did you kill her? And with what weapon?”

In front of the monitors, Yang Zheng sat, with Su Qingwu, Lu Cheng, Xiao Zheng, and others standing behind him.

Yang Zheng whispered to the young officers, “Watch Qin Mian’s interrogation technique carefully.”

Inside, Wu Hao looked deeply regretful and pained, his head down as if recalling the events or memories of Lin Xiaoman.

After a long pause, he lifted his head, his voice hoarse: “I didn’t mean to kill her.”

That one sentence eased Qin Mian’s mind. A confession—even if partial—was enough.

“That night, I owed money from gambling and went to Xiaoman for a loan. This wasn’t the first time. She refused, we argued, and in a moment of anger, I grabbed…”

Wu Hao confessed everything in detail. The timeline matched the convenience store surveillance.

The murder weapon? A crowbar.

The forensics team brought the bloody crowbar to the interrogation room. Tests confirmed the blood belonged to Lin Xiaoman, with Wu Hao’s fingerprints on the handle.

Qin Mian asked, “Is this the hammer?”

Wu Hao nodded. “Yes.”

“You struck Lin Xiaoman on the back of her head repeatedly until she stopped breathing, right?”

Wu Hao looked puzzled. “N-No… I only hit her once. She bled so much that I panicked and ran, leaving the hammer behind!”

Qin Mian’s expression darkened. “At this point, you still lie? Confess properly!”