Model Student Style

"Han Bin, you've been crouching there staring for a while. Do you have any thoughts about these footprints?" Li Hui asked.

The two of them had been classmates at the police academy, had known each other for many years, and had a good relationship.

Han Bin knew Li Hui had a reputation for being sharp-tongued, so he simply ignored him.

"These footprints should have been left by the suspect," Han Bin said.

"Oh? Let's hear your thoughts," Zeng Ping prompted.

"These footprints haven't been covered up, so they must have been left recently. They lead all the way to the wall, and especially at the base of the wall, there's a pair of particularly deep prints, which suggests someone climbed over and landed here," Han Bin explained.

"The rest of the area is paved with bricks and stones. Jumping down here would provide some cushioning," Zeng Ping nodded.

Han Bin pointed at the shoe prints and continued, "Size 42, rubber-soled labor shoes with wavy patterns, symmetrical design, sealed edges, and ventilation holes in the heel."

"Those labor shoes are popular among workers. It's not easy to trace a person just by their shoes," Li Hui remarked.

"Shoe prints can offer much more than just that," Han Bin replied.

"What other clues?" Li Hui pressed.

"I estimate the suspect is male, about forty-two years old, roughly 1.74 meters tall, and has a bit of a hunchback," Han Bin said.

"How do you know that?" Tian Li asked.

Han Bin pointed at the footprints on the ground. "Just from these few prints, you can deduce all that?" Li Hui was skeptical.

"Han Bin, do you know about footprint identification?" Zeng Ping inquired.

"I know a bit," Han Bin nodded and explained, "There's a certain proportion between the length of a person's foot and their height. By measuring the length of the footprint, you can estimate the person's height."

"And the age? You can tell that from footprints too?" Tian Li asked.

"Estimating age is more complicated. It requires a comprehensive analysis of foot morphology, stride characteristics, gait, including step angle, width, length, the weight of the step, depth of the impression, lift marks, push-off marks, and so on." Han Bin spoke easily, as if these concepts were engraved in his mind.

"Han Bin, your explanation is making my head spin. Can you put it more simply?" Li Hui pleaded.

"The simplest and most common method is the pressure mark analysis. The pressure marks are closely linked with gender, age, height, and body type. The younger a person is, the more the weight is concentrated towards the front of the foot; the older they are, the more the pressure shifts backward and outward," Han Bin said, squatting down as he spoke. "Look at this footprint—the main pressure is toward the outside and the back, lighter at the front, heavier at the back, lighter inside, heavier outside. The heel has a large, distinct pressure area, with typical drag and scuff marks. Based on my experience, I'd say the person is around forty-two."

"How do you know the suspect is hunchbacked?" Tian Li followed up.

"That relates to the physiological characteristics of the human torso. When viewed from the side, the head and neck should align vertically over the shoulders, with the spine's curvature within normal limits. If it exceeds the normal range, that's a hunchback, which affects walking posture and the foot's center of gravity," Han Bin explained.

"So how can you tell from the footprints?" Li Hui asked.

"Mainly by analyzing the relationship between the forefoot's virtual point intersection—what we call the 'back point'—and the center line of the footprint. If the back point is on the center line, the person’s torso is normal. If it's shifted inward, the person tends to have a puffed chest; if it's shifted outward, the person likely has a hunchback. The greater the outward deviation, the more pronounced the hunchback," Han Bin answered with the air of a model student.

"What do you mean by 'virtual point intersection'?" Li Hui was utterly lost.

"Han Bin, that's really specialized knowledge. Where did you learn all this?" Tian Li asked.

Whether they believed him or not, just hearing these terms was impressive.

"I've been reading some materials on footprint identification lately and picked up a few insights," Han Bin replied evasively.

Zeng Ping shook his head slightly. Footprint identification was a complex field, with no comprehensive textbooks yet, and required extensive observation, data, and experience. If it were that easy to learn, he would have mastered it long ago. Not just in their criminal investigation team—even within the entire Qindao Public Security Bureau, there were probably only a handful who truly understood this skill. And here was a young fellow claiming to have gained insights just from some reading? Ridiculous.

"Captain Zeng, don't take Han Bin too seriously. He’s still green and likes to talk big. Just listen for fun," Li Hui chuckled, sounding like he was undermining Han Bin, but in fact, he was covering for him. Providing false or misleading clues could result in disciplinary action.

"Han Bin's analysis and his predictions regarding the suspect's height, age, and hunchback won't be included as official leads for now, but we can keep them in mind. If we encounter someone fitting these characteristics, we can question them," Zeng Ping decided.

Han Bin cleared his throat. This was his first time using the skills from the Future Police Badge, and he wasn't entirely confident they would hold up.

At that moment, a middle-aged man hurried over. "Captain Zeng, hello. I'm Wu Mingyong, the director of Qindao Brewery."

"Director Wu, I was just about to ask you some questions," Zeng Ping said.

Wu Mingyong offered a cigarette. "Go ahead, please."

"No need for cigarettes. Don't disturb the scene."

"Right, right."

"Director Wu, what exactly is the amount lost in the theft?" Zeng Ping asked.

"An eighty-thousand yuan check and more than three hundred thousand yuan in cash," Wu Mingyong replied.

"How many employees does your factory have?"

"Over two hundred," Wu Mingyong hesitated, "Why do you ask?"

"Based on current clues, the suspect is very familiar with the brewery. We suspect it might be an employee or someone who used to work here," Zeng Ping explained.

"Is there a lot of staff turnover at your factory?" Han Bin asked.

"Quite a bit. Just this year, more than a dozen temporary workers have left."

"Over two hundred employees, plus those who have left—that will be a big challenge to check," Tian Li remarked.

Zeng Ping frowned. This situation was indeed tricky. If too much time passed, the suspect could dispose of the stolen cash, the tools, and the shoes, which could break the chain of evidence and make it impossible to close the case.

"Director Wu, do you have any employees with a hunchback?" Han Bin asked.

Without hesitation, Wu Mingyong replied, "Yes."

"How can you remember that so clearly?"

"Just last week, a male employee left. He had a noticeable hunchback," Wu Mingyong replied.

"How old was he?"

"He looked just over forty."

"How tall?"

"About the same height as me—around 1.74 meters," Wu Mingyong gestured.

Immediately, the area fell silent.

Male, hunchbacked, forty-two, and 1.74 meters tall—the very characteristics Han Bin had deduced from the footprints.

Zeng Ping, Tian Li, and Li Hui were all stunned.

Incredible.

"Captain Zeng, I suggest making this person a primary target for investigation," Han Bin said seriously.

"Agreed," Zeng Ping replied. "Director Wu, do you know this person's name and address?"

"Ah, I can't recall offhand, but I can get it from the personnel department."

"I want all his information—the more detailed, the better," Zeng Ping instructed.

"I'll go right away," Wu Mingyong answered, hurrying off.

"Well done, Han Bin. Once we catch the suspect, you’ll get primary credit," Zeng Ping said, patting him on the shoulder.

"It's everyone's contribution," Han Bin replied with a smile.

"You're something else, Han Bin. You figured out the suspect's physical features just from a few footprints. Who needs surveillance cameras when we've got you?" Li Hui joked.

Even Li Hui was puzzled—how had Han Bin become so capable in such a short time?

Han Bin was excited as well. The footprint identification knowledge from the Future Police Badge was real; he'd truly struck it rich this time.

"Ding! First use of footprint identification in a case. Skill proficiency +1. Merit points awarded: 2."

A notification chimed in Han Bin's mind.

"What are merit points?" Han Bin wondered.

"Merit points can be exchanged for new skills!"