At this moment, the friendship between the detectives from the two places deepened amid the lively atmosphere of the celebration banquet, laying a more solid foundation for future cooperation.

When the waiter placed the last steaming dish on the rotating table, the entire round table was instantly adorned with a colorful array of delicious dishes.

Mr. Wang held a sparkling glass goblet in both hands, slowly stood up, and looked sincerely across at Captain Jiang An.

"Captain Jiang, comrades of Jiangcheng Criminal Investigation,"

Mr. Wang's voice was loud and full of emotion, "Though this meal is simple, it carries the sincerest gratitude from all of us in Chuan City's criminal investigation team."

"It was a rare opportunity to fight alongside the elites of Jiangcheng's criminal investigation team. For us, it was not only a precious learning opportunity but also an unforgettable experience of growth."

He looked around at each team member present and continued, "Especially during the case investigation, the professionalism and dedication shown by the team led by Captain Jiang deeply moved us."

"You not only shared your case-solving experience without reservation but also treated the case in Chuan City as your own. This 'one big family in criminal investigation' spirit is exactly the valuable treasure we need to inherit."

Mr. Wang raised his glass higher: "Come, brothers of Chuan City, let us raise our glasses together and thank the experts from Jiangcheng for their tremendous support despite the great distance!"

As the saying goes, 'many hands make light work.' The successful resolution of this case would not have been possible without the contributions of our friends from Jiangcheng.

"Without your professional guidance and full cooperation, this case could have easily ended up at a stalemate or even become a backlog case."

With the crisp sound of clinking glasses, the room was immediately filled with a joyful atmosphere.

Everyone drank their wine to the last drop, with smiles of understanding appearing on their faces.

As the wine flowed and the flavors mingled.

Mr. Wang turned to Captain Jiang An next to him and said, "Captain Jiang, as the lead of this joint case, shouldn't you also say a few words to the brothers here? Everyone is looking forward to hearing your insightful words."

Jiang An nodded with a smile and calmly stood up, his gaze sweeping over each of his colleagues present.

"Since Mr. Wang has said so, I'll take this opportunity to say a few heartfelt words."

His voice was steady and strong, "First of all, I want to especially thank the Chuan City Criminal Investigation Team for their warm reception."

"Speaking of which, our Jiangcheng Criminal Investigation Team has quite a fate with Chuan City."

"I remember that cross-provincial fraud case last year. It was only with the assistance of our counterparts in Chuan City that we were able to wrap it up smoothly. This camaraderie of mutual aid is something we should always cherish."

He paused for a moment and continued, "As for the current case, the suspect indeed had strong counter-investigation capabilities and was very skilled in their criminal methods."

"But as the saying goes, 'the devil may be one foot tall, but the law is ten feet tall.' With our combined efforts from the two police departments, we finally cleared the fog to see the moon."

"During this joint case investigation, the professional abilities and tenacity displayed by our colleagues in Chuan City have equally inspired us."

"The facts have proven that as long as the comrades in law enforcement think in unison and work in one direction, there is no case that cannot be solved!"

Jiang An raised his wine glass again, now refilled: "Come, for the long-term cooperation between our two police departments in the future and for the excellent tradition of 'one big family in criminal investigation,' cheers!"

"Cheers!"

Everyone responded in unison, with the sound of clinking glasses echoing intermittently.

Several young officers at the table exclaimed excitedly, "Captain Jiang spoke so well! Studying with you this time was truly enlightening!"

"Indeed, your case-solving ideas and interrogation techniques will keep us pondering for quite a while!"

...

The atmosphere in the room grew more enthusiastic as the detectives from the two areas exchanged glasses of wine, sharing not only case-solving experiences but also forging deep friendships through heartfelt conversations.

Next, Zhou Yong solemnly lifted his glass, glanced at everyone, and slowly began, "Having just listened to Mr. Wang's words, as a fellow professional, I indeed have a lot of thoughts I wish to share with everyone."

"Although I, like Captain Jiang, work in forensic science, over the years in frontline criminal investigation work, I've interacted with countless colleagues, yet talents like Jiang An, who perfectly combine forensic expertise with criminal investigation, are rare gems."

He paused slightly, his tone becoming increasingly sincere, "As we all know, in the traditional criminal investigation system, forensic work is often limited to forensic examination and analysis."

"However, Captain Jiang has completely broken this barrier, innovatively integrating forensic techniques into every stage of case investigation."

"Especially in the solving of this particular case, he not only leveraged the unique advantages of forensic science but also organically linked site survey, trace analysis, and injury assessment to build a complete chain of evidence."

"What impressed me deeply was,"

Zhou Yong's voice gradually rose, "in the analysis of the non-natural death cases, the professional competence exhibited by Captain Jiang was truly admirable."

"From the slightest superficial injuries to the complex reconstruction of the scene, he handled every step perfectly. This ability to combine theoretical knowledge with practical experience is something every one of us should learn."

Reaching this point, Zhou Yong's expression became particularly solemn, "Having worked in forensics for many years, it has been an honor to work alongside Captain Jiang."

"In this case, his precise analysis of the 'triple injury' in the traffic accident provided me with a vivid lesson."

"Frankly speaking, I used to only see this special injury pattern in textbooks. It was Captain Jiang's professional guidance that allowed me to identify and apply this feature accurately in practice for the first time, providing decisive grounds for the case's characterization."

He raised his glass high, his voice booming, "Therefore, I propose that everyone raise their glass together, and offer the sincerest respect to Captain Jiang!" 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

"Thank him for bringing new ideas to criminal investigation work and for showing us the infinite possibilities of forensic science!"

No sooner had he finished speaking than thunderous applause filled the banquet.

"So professional!"

"Captain Jiang is truly exceptional!"

Amidst the chorus of praises, everyone stood and clinked glasses. In the midst of the celebration, the young officers' faces were full of admiration and excitement.

Next, the banquet moved into a stage of free exchange, yet whether new or old colleagues, the first toast always went to Jiang An, and then to core members of the task force like Wang Junjie and Zhang Yean.

Wan and Zhang Yean, the two young officers, were particularly excited—they never imagined that tagging along on a routine case could yield such abundant professional results, let alone that they would also gain their share in this professional feast.

Previously, there had been hardly any deep interaction between the Jiangcheng Criminal Investigation Team and the Chuan City Criminal Investigation Brigade.

Even though they had each other's contact information in their directories, it was only for official business, and even the most basic business exchanges were few and far between.

However, the experience of this joint case, especially tonight's celebration banquet, completely changed this situation.

As they exchanged glasses and socialized, any unfamiliarity and barriers quickly dissolved in the rich aroma of the wine.

Thirty minutes later, in the executive suite of the five-star hotel.

Jiang An was gazing at the night view of the entire city through the floor-to-ceiling window.

"Captain Jiang, what are you so engrossed in looking at?"

Zhang Yean walked over, carrying a tea tray, the Emei Snow Bud tea in the blue porcelain cup was subtly fragrant.

Jiang An suddenly smiled as he took the teacup, "Thank you."

The tea leaves in the glass gently unfolded, just like their gradually clarifying train of thought when solving a case.

Jiang An, rubbing the rim of the cup, suddenly asked, "What do you think we are working so hard for?"

"For this."

Zhang Yean suddenly pointed outside the window where, in the distance, a window in the residential building was lit with warm yellow lights, faintly showing the silhouette of a mother coaxing her child to sleep.

"My mentor said when he retired, every case we solve adds an extra layer of security to a window like that."

Wan suddenly lowered his voice, "Speaking of which."

"Captain Jiang, when you go back, you might have to move positions."

"What do you mean?"

Seeing Jiang An raise an eyebrow, he hastily explained, "With Mr. Li's promotion, the vacant Criminal Investigation Team Leader position has been unofficially hinted by Mr. Ma as being meant for none other than you."

Then, Wan added, "Promotion in the detective field is never a celebration, it means you have to carry more people forward."

"Let's toast to the future."

Jiang An suddenly raised his cup, and the three teacups clinked resonantly under the light.