001 Future Police

"The future police badge has been bound. Officer number 577533."
A voice echoed in Han Bin's mind as he toyed with the badge in his hand. This badge, which he'd acquired by chance two days prior, was narrower and more refined than the usual ones.
"What is going on?" Han Bin wondered aloud.
"The future police badge was developed in 2170. It is a new type of police auxiliary tool, capable of infusing knowledge through brainwaves for rapid skill acquisition," the badge prompted in his mind.
"2170? That's a hundred and fifty years from now! How did it come back to the present?" Han Bin exclaimed.
"A laboratory mishap allowed the badge to traverse parallel dimensions," the badge explained.
Han Bin found it unbelievable, but the prompts in his mind felt undeniably real.
"Officer number 577533, you have received a welcome package," the badge announced.
Skill: Footprint Identification
Level: Advanced
Function: Can track suspects and determine their physical features based on footprints, sock prints, shoe prints, etc.
A buzzing filled Han Bin's mind as a torrent of knowledge and data flooded in, like being struck by enlightenment.
He felt as if ages had passed, yet when he came to himself again, he was still in the office of the third criminal investigation team.
Everything in the office was exactly as before, as if only a moment had slipped by, but his mind now brimmed with expertise in footprint identification.
Han Bin knew about this skill—it was complex and required extensive observation, data, and experience to master.
Experts who truly grasped it were few and far between.
A man in his thirties entered the office with a bag under his arm and saw Han Bin lost in thought.
"Han, how are you adjusting to being transferred to our Third Team?"
Han Bin turned to look—it was Zeng Ping, leader of the second squad in the third investigation team.
"It's good," Han Bin replied.
"Once you're on the investigation team, you'll be busy enough," Zeng Ping said.
"I'm prepared," Han Bin answered.
Previously, Han Bin had been a patrol officer at the station, and had only recently transferred to the investigation team.
"In this line of work, you need to be a detective while you're young. It's tough, but there are plenty of chances to earn merit, and you'll have more opportunities for advancement," Zeng Ping spoke with the tone of one who'd been through it all.
"Yes, I'll be sure to learn well from you, Zeng," Han Bin said.
Zeng Ping also served as the deputy captain of the third investigation team.
Footsteps sounded in the corridor.
A young policewoman in her twenties strode over. "Zeng, there's been a theft at Qindao Brewery!"
She had short hair, a clean and pleasant face, tall and slender build, and carried herself briskly—it was Tian Li from the second squad.
"Any injuries?"
"None."
"What's the estimated loss?"
"At least over a million."
"Bring Li Hui to the scene," Zeng Ping instructed.
"Understood."
…

Qindao Beer was the most renowned beer brand in the country and one of Qindao's pillar industries, with several breweries established in Qindao City.
Half an hour later, the second squad arrived at the suburban brewery.
This was a branch plant, not particularly large. The factory had already been cordoned off, and officers from the local station were maintaining order.
After a brief introduction, Zeng Ping led his three colleagues straight into the facility.
"This aroma is intoxicating," Li Hui said, taking a deep breath.
"You look so greedy—if Captain Zheng saw you, he'd be heartbroken," Han Bin joked.
Zheng Kaixuan was the captain of the third investigation team.
Li Hui gave him a disdainful look. They'd graduated from the same police academy, and knew each other well.
"If you want beer, no problem. Solve the case and you'll have your fill," Zeng Ping said.
Han Bin and Li Hui exchanged awkward smiles and fell silent. Every cop knew the hidden meaning—if the case wasn't cracked, they'd better behave.
Zeng Ping approached a square-faced man in his forties standing nearby.
"Liu," he greeted.
"Zeng, you've arrived," Liu replied with a smile.
"What are the specifics?" Zeng Ping asked.
"At five this morning, the station got a call from the gatekeeper, Zhou Jianguo, reporting a theft at Qindao Brewery. We sent someone over and found the office building door and the second-floor finance room door had been broken. The safe was pried open, and the loss was substantial, so we reported it," Liu explained.
"Were there any witnesses?"
"None."
"Was Zhou Jianguo on duty last night?" Han Bin asked.
"Yes, but he didn't notice anything unusual," Liu replied.
"Tian Li, check the factory's surveillance; Li Hui, interview the employees for other clues; Han Bin, come with me to the finance room," Zeng Ping ordered.
"Yes."
…
The office building had glass doors—easy to break. Shatter the glass near the lock and the door opens. The forensic team was busy taking photos and gathering evidence.
"Any fingerprints?" Han Bin asked.
The technician shook his head. "None detected so far. The perpetrator likely wore gloves."
Han Bin nodded, slipped on shoe covers, and observed as he went up to the second-floor finance room.
The camera above the finance room's door had also been destroyed.
The finance room door had been forced open. The room was small, about fifteen square meters. In the corner stood a safe with its door wide open, containing only a stack of files, no valuables. Beside it lay a crowbar.
Han Bin put on gloves and examined the crowbar. "Very common, no distinguishing marks."
Zeng Ping shook his head. "There's plenty of these at construction sites."
He crouched, inspecting the edge of the safe. "There are lots of pry marks here. Must've taken quite a while. Looks like an amateur job."
"Prying open the safe would've been noisy. How did Zhou Jianguo not notice?" Han Bin wondered.
"We'll meet him shortly," Zeng Ping said.
…
Factory gatekeeper's office.
Zeng Ping and Han Bin arrived and paused at the door.
The room was small—a table, a bed, a cabinet, and some odds and ends. A sixty-year-old man sat at the head of the bed.
Seeing the two enter, Zhou Jianguo hurriedly stood up. "Officers."

Zeng Ping nodded slightly. He had just stepped into the room when his foot crunched.
He'd stepped on some peanut shells.
"Sorry, I haven't had time to clean up," Zhou Jianguo said.
Zeng Ping wrinkled his nose, detecting a faint smell of alcohol. "Peanuts and liquor really are a perfect match."
Han Bin caught on and searched the room, finding half a bottle of strong liquor under the bed.
"You drank quite a bit last night," Han Bin remarked, shaking the bottle.
"Not much, not much," Zhou Jianguo replied with an embarrassed smile.
"Zhou, drinking white liquor in a brewery isn't quite right," Zeng Ping said.
"I used to like beer when I was young, but now I'm older and can't stand getting up at night," Zhou Jianguo explained.
"You heard nothing unusual last night?" Zeng Ping asked.
"No, it was only when I got up in the morning that I saw the office door had been broken," Zhou Jianguo replied.
"How long have you worked here?"
"Seven or eight years."
"Any previous incidents?"
"None."
"If you remember anything, contact us," Han Bin said.
"Of course."
After questioning him, they found nothing useful and left the gatekeeper's office.
"Zeng, do you think the gatekeeper is a suspect?" Han Bin asked.
"The gatekeeper's office is nearly a hundred meters from the office building. Zhou Jianguo is old, his hearing is failing, and he drank some. It's understandable he missed something," Zeng Ping paused, then added, "But that's just a guess. We can't rule him out entirely."
"Zhou Jianguo is really irresponsible," Han Bin shook his head.
"He's an elderly man earning two thousand a month. He's fine for watching the gate, but expecting him to catch thieves is unrealistic," Zeng Ping replied, unfazed.
Tian Li walked over. "Zeng, there are five cameras in the factory—at the gate, parking lot, and three in the workshop. None caught the suspect. The cameras at the office entrance and finance room door were destroyed."
"Any signs of theft in other offices?" Zeng Ping asked.
"No."
"This suspect knows where the cameras are and went straight for the finance room. He must be familiar with the layout. Could it be an inside job?" Han Bin speculated.
"Zeng, I found some footprints," Li Hui called from near the perimeter wall.
They all walked over. The area was a patch of ground that had once been planted with flowers but was now overgrown.
On the muddy earth, a set of footprints was clearly visible, coming from the base of the wall.
"Li Hui, do you think these footprints are the suspect's?" Tian Li asked.
Li Hui shrugged. "I'm certainly not climbing over walls."
Tian Li rolled her eyes.
"The gate camera didn't spot the suspect. He must have come over the wall," Han Bin said.
Looking at the footprints, Han Bin felt his new knowledge of footprint identification surge in his mind—like a chef confronted with the freshest ingredients…