Chapter One: The Born Criminal

Following the successful resolution of a missing boy case that spanned eight years and involved five separate incidents, the Major Crimes Unit entered a rare period of "stagnation." Unlike in the business world, the detectives were quite pleased with this "Great Depression" in their workload. It allowed them to loosen their tightly coiled nerves and let their exhausted bodies rest and recover; furthermore, a decline in criminal cases signified an improvement in public order, which was, both professionally and personally, a welcome development.

However, that afternoon, the unit received an "uninvited guest."

Lu Xiangdong, who should have been busy preparing for his wedding, suddenly appeared. Upon entering, he headed straight for Qin Ruonan’s desk and said, "There is a 'born criminal.' He has specifically requested to see you."

"What 'born criminal'?" Qin Ruonan, who had been organizing some paperwork, was caught off guard by his sudden visit. Her brain failed to process the information in his statement for a moment.

Lu Xiangdong frowned. "Did you return everything you read in university back to your professors?"

"That doesn't seem to have much to do with anything. Who did you say requested to see me?" Although Qin Ruonan had little contact with Lu Xiangdong, she had heard plenty from others about his eccentric personality and temperament, which allowed her to keep her composure and not get angry at his caustic remark.

"Follow me." Lu Xiangdong did not answer her question directly. He tilted his head toward the door and cast a glance at An Changpu, who sat at the desk opposite Qin Ruonan. "Changpu, come along too. Aren't you two partners?"

Qin Ruonan looked at An Changpu, who was equally confused. He gave a slight shake of his head and rose first to follow Lu Xiangdong. At times like this, aimless guessing was pointless, and trying to pry information from Lu Xiangdong would be an even greater waste of breath. Following him was the most efficient way to understand what was going on.

Lu Xiangdong did not lead them far; he simply brought them into Cheng Feng’s office.

Cheng Feng was already waiting for them. Seeing the three enter, he gestured for them to sit and turned to Lu Xiangdong. "Have you explained the situation to them?"

"Not yet. You have all the documents here. Why should I waste my breath when I have no evidence on me?" Lu Xiangdong shook his head.

Cheng Feng offered a helpless smile. Of everyone in the Major Crimes Unit, he probably understood Lu Xiangdong’s personality best. If he had actually managed to explain the situation clearly before bringing the others over, it would be a miracle.

"Here is the situation: we have received a report of intentional homicide. The case seems straightforward, and we have already brought the primary suspect in for temporary detention. However, there is a problem. The suspect had a dispute with the victim, providing a motive, and was seen following the victim into the residential complex where the crime occurred. Yet, there is currently insufficient evidence to convict him." Cheng Feng summarized the situation for his two subordinates.

Neither An Changpu nor Qin Ruonan was surprised; if there weren't a tricky aspect to it, the case wouldn't have landed in the hands of the Major Crimes Unit.

"So, what about the 'born criminal' Dr. Lu mentioned, and why did he specifically ask for Ruonan?" An Changpu was not one to hesitate in getting to the bottom of things, especially in front of Cheng Feng, whose patience was far greater than Lu Xiangdong’s.

"How are you related to Cui Lidong?" Cheng Feng asked Qin Ruonan.

The name made Qin Ruonan pause for a moment before she recalled that she indeed knew someone by that name.

"He's not anyone special. Just a barber at a shop near where I live. I go there to get my hair cut often, so I happen to know him. Is he the one involved in the incident?" she asked.

"He is," replied Lu Xiangdong. He was now leaning against Cheng Feng’s desk with his arms folded. "In the 19th century, the famous Italian criminologist and psychiatrist Cesare Lombroso proposed that one could determine who would become a perpetrator of criminal acts based on their heredity and physical appearance. This theory later became known as the 'born criminal' theory."

Qin Ruonan looked at him, confused, wondering why he was discussing academic theories while talking about Cui Lidong.

Lu Xiangdong reached over to Cheng Feng’s desk, picked up a photo, and handed it to Qin Ruonan. The man in the photo was none other than Cui Lidong. "Lombroso’s 'born criminal' is characterized by a flat forehead, a prominent brow, deep-set eyes, a massive jaw, high cheekbones, irregular teeth, unusually large or small ears, facial asymmetry, and sparse body hair. Unfortunately, Cui Lidong fits several of these: a flat forehead, high brow, deep-set eyes, a wide jaw, unfortunate teeth, and large ears."

"So?" Qin Ruonan frowned. She felt that the previously lauded genius of criminology was spouting nonsense. At the same time, she realized that Cui Lidong was clearly not playing the role of the victim in this matter. "If we could identify potential criminals just by looking at their faces, wouldn't we police officers just have to go out on the street and read faces every day? Or perhaps we should just have the fortune tellers change careers and become police."

Her words were sharp, but Lu Xiangdong did not seem offended. He laughed, nodded, and continued, "You are quite right. That is why the theory was later expanded to include mental state and upbringing as reference factors. How much do you know about Cui Lidong’s background?"

Qin Ruonan couldn't answer. "I’m not close to him; we are only acquaintances. I don't know anything specific."

"Then take this opportunity to learn," Cheng Feng said, handing the personal files of Cui Lidong to An Changpu and Qin Ruonan. "His family background is the reason I brought Xiangdong here."

His words made them even more curious. They quickly read through the documents, their expressions growing surprised.

Cui Lidong was 24 years old, but since he was about 10, his record of mischief had been constant. It ranged from stealing snacks at shops to forming gangs to extort money at school. In his teens, he almost faced prison time for a serious case of intentional injury; had he not been under 16, he would have had a criminal record. He spent the following years in a special school, and even after reaching adulthood, he had several records for public order offenses, only settling down in the last two years.

More surprisingly, the materials Cheng Feng and Lu Xiangdong had gathered revealed that in his extended family, almost every direct blood relative had a criminal record. Most of their crimes involved physical violence, with the occasional minor theft or robbery.

This was, quite literally, a "criminal family."

"The situation is unfavorable for Cui Lidong. Although the 'born criminal' theory has always been controversial, his personal history and family environment are negative factors in his current predicament," Cheng Feng added. "He likely realizes this himself. After being brought to the police station and failing to provide a credible alibi, he proactively requested that you—the only person he feels he can trust—take charge of the investigation, fearing that the rest of us would view him through a biased lens due to his record."

Qin Ruonan was stunned and didn't know what to say. An Changpu asked hesitantly, "But... is such an arrangement appropriate?"

"I don't see any problem. First, you and Cui Lidong are not relatives, nor are you close friends—just mere acquaintances. It hasn't reached a level that requires recusal. Besides, don't you two have nothing on your plates right now?" In fact, by calling them into the office, Cheng Feng had already agreed to the request. "Furthermore, this isn't just for Ruonan to handle; An Changpu will be with you, and Tian Yang and the others will provide support. It’s completely within procedure; you don't need to have any concerns."

"Fine. Since the leadership has decided, I have no objections. Whether I know the person or not, I will follow procedure and investigate thoroughly," Qin Ruonan promised solemnly. Even though they weren't close and had no personal ties, her instinct was still to avoid any conflict of interest.

"So, Dr. Lu, since you came here specially, is there something fishy about this case?" An Changpu felt a bit uneasy about the case because of Lu Xiangdong’s presence.

Cheng Feng looked at Lu Xiangdong, who had no intention of speaking, and explained on his behalf, "We don't know yet if there is something fishy. The main reason Xiangdong is here is that this Cui Lidong is a very rare 'born criminal,' and since none of us have encountered one before, we had to ask him, the expert, to take a look."

"As an expert in this field, do you think Cui Lidong is the perpetrator?" Qin Ruonan asked Lu Xiangdong.

Since he kept calling Cui Lidong a "born criminal," did he already have a preliminary judgment?

"I am not a banknote counter, and he is not a banknote. Whether it's lie detection or profiling, there is no universal standard for lies and crimes, and it's impossible to tell at a glance who is a villain," Lu Xiangdong said, deflecting the question back to her. "You are the officer in charge of this case. I am waiting for you to tell me the answer to that question."

"Very well. I will investigate thoroughly and give you an answer," Qin Ruonan said, taking the files from Cheng Feng.

After leaving the office, she and An Changpu planned to first get a necessary understanding of the homicide case involving Cui Lidong before facing him in person.

While flipping through the transcripts, An Changpu suddenly looked up at Qin Ruonan and asked, "You said you were just acquaintances with this Cui Lidong. Why would he distrust all other police officers but trust you, and specifically ask for you to be in charge?"

Qin Ruonan froze. She couldn't answer that question herself.

Yes, why would he specifically request her?