Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
Chapter 152: Following the Clue
"Is it her?"
Zhou Qunyi jumped up in shock.
The group of police officers gathered around Fan Saili's computer exchanged glances.
On the screen, the bus that arrived in Chaohu City had picked up Wang Shou and the delivery, and surprisingly, it was… the most inconspicuous woman in the entire case, the one who had called off her engagement, Yao Yuxia.
"Is the ex-fiancée now a criminal?"
"Wow, that makes it seem like Zhaoyuan has been wrongfully imprisoned for three months."
"No wonder Wang Shou and Fei went to such lengths to avoid us finding this out."
"This method isn't exactly brilliant; they left evidence on both ends."
"It's already quite clever. We almost missed it. If we had waited a bit longer, those surveillance recordings would have been lost; they only keep them for a week… Just watch, Chao Lake is also a transfer point."
"Right… this might just be the first clue we've stumbled upon."
The officers discussed animatedly. Each police officer focused on their own area of expertise, but these professionals tracking funds and investigating accounts felt lost when it came to finding such clues, and the discussion quickly turned challenging.
Fan Saili pulled up the latest case details on the computer and said, "Yao Yuxia married a businessman named Feng Gang in 1999. He died from a drug overdose in 2000. They had no children together. Yao Yuxia herself has a history of drug rehabilitation; she was at the Luzhou Shangyuan Village rehabilitation center in 2002."
As she spoke, she looked at Zhou Qunyi, whose expression turned grave as he swallowed hard.
This conclusion had been reached days ago; he simply hadn't given it much thought until now. He realized that the truth might not be as complicated as he initially believed. The days following Yao Yuxia's rehabilitation coincided with Wang Shou's disappearance and the timeline of the incident. It was possible that their paths had crossed during that period.
Then, the operation was halted... and shortly after, the target of the crime shifted.
"Impressive, truly remarkable," Zhou Qunyi praised.
"Heh, don't celebrate too early. Who just said that? This could also be a stepping stone; we're still a bit far from catching this pair," Fan Saili replied, consulting Zhou Qunyi. "The Party Instructor suggested we quickly send someone back to Zhaoyuan to verify whether Yao Yuxia has any connections with her family. We should keep it as confidential as possible. They should follow the leads down Chao Lake and pursue whichever side shows clues."
"Alright, let them handle it. We'll support them fully," Zhou Qunyi said.
As excitement surged with the emergence of clues, fatigue was swept away. It was true that good news often came in pairs; just as things were becoming clearer on this front, they had barely settled down when more good news arrived. The Coastal Public Security Bureau sent two coordinating officers who brought along samples of counterfeit money and case details from the other side, and they wanted to explore the possibility of joint investigations.
Thus, the r7 special investigation took a substantial step forward...
...
...
While those above were chatting, those below were running themselves ragged.
The field duty officers were not nearly as excited. Aeming, Xu Jian, and Ren Guoliang emerged from the Chao Lake Public Security Bureau, with Xu Jian and Ren Guoliang hanging their heads low. The truth was frustrating; who would have thought that one of the accomplices was Wang Shou's old lover? The two had only asked Yao Yuxia about a name in Zhaoyuan and had not pursued it further.
Aeming stopped, turned around, and raised his hand angrily, startling Xu Jian into turning his head away. However, Aeming's hand did not come down. Furious, he exclaimed, "You two idiots! Have you been sitting around for three months just to waste time? Such an easy clue, and Commander has scolded me more than once because of you!"
"Instructor, who would have thought? They broke off their engagement but didn't turn into enemies; who could have guessed they had a connection?" Xu Jian said awkwardly.
"Exactly! The task force didn't see it coming either. That Public Safety Expert last time seemed to really approve of our plan," Ren Guoliang added.
"Bah! Can you trust experts on matters like this?" Aeming shouted angrily. "They're just a bunch of pretentious people sitting in conference rooms; they haven't even seen a rascal in their lives! How can you expect them to catch seasoned con artists?"
"Indeed, the instructor is wise," Xu Jian flattered, exchanging a glance with Ren Guoliang, who smiled and added, "Yes, instructor, why look for experts? With you on the case, it will be resolved in no time."
"Stop flattering me; I don't have such convoluted thoughts. Go find a place to eat first. Once we have the results and any leads, we'll be ready to move. The support at home is being set up." The car window rolled down, revealing two heads.
Those were the instructor's secret weapons. At that moment, Xu Jian and Ren Guoliang were even more curious about the two. Xu Jian asked, "Instructor, who are these two?"
"Yeah, that long-haired one pointed out the direction. The surveillance footage from the vehicle is on a loop; if we wait another day or two, we might lose everything," Ren Guoliang replied.
"Just do your job well; don't make yourselves look more foolish than me in front of the experts," Aeming mocked before walking away.
The two exchanged glances and smiled brightly; their instructor was so straightforward that he even scolded himself.
They got into the car and drove through an unfamiliar city until they reached a small restaurant. They sat down and ordered several large bowls of noodles, watching a group of young men rubbing their eyes as they began to eat.
They were all quite young and robust, no older than thirty. They resembled the detectives from Shaanxi Province who looked like migrant workers—dressed in dirty clothes and reeking of sweat. As they sat there, some dozed off while others struggled to keep their eyes open. Their eating habits were rather unrefined; it seemed they could shove an entire bowl of food into their mouths with one chopstick.
Suddenly, a soft thud echoed as Aeming smiled and placed a bowl of meat in front of Xiao Mu and Ruhua. Xiao Mu couldn't stand Aeming's sycophantic behavior and shouted, "Hey, boss! Add two more plates of meat!"
"Hey now, are you afraid I’ll go hungry?" Aeming pretended to be angry.
Xiao Mu chuckled and said, "Everyone's invited to eat together; why create a hierarchy?"
"Your status is special," Aeming said after a moment of hesitation, smiling as he added, "It's fine; they're used to it—just like that."
"If you were sitting outside in some position right now, you'd be grumbling inside too," Xiao Mu remarked. Ruhua also disapproved of this behavior and slammed the table as he said, "Bald Brother, that's really unfair... All the brothers are here; I'm treating them. Everyone’s working hard; they deserve to eat well."
With one person consulting and another managing the meal, Aeming felt quite embarrassed. However, Xiao Mu continued, "You must want to save face; afraid others will know that this lead came from an outsider?"
"Stop talking, you know I'm always shameless," Aeming said. "It's all for your safety."
"Then be more generous; the more you hide, the more suspicious everyone gets," Xiao Mu replied.
"Damn it, it makes me seem petty... Xu Jian, bring in the bowls," Aeming shouted.
As the table filled up, the barriers naturally disappeared. When several large plates of meat were served, the friendly police officers each took a piece and placed it into Xiao Mu and Ruhua's bowls, calling them experts and making the two feel a bit embarrassed.
"First of all, I want to emphasize one thing: these two are not from our system, so... confidentiality, confidentiality, confidentiality—important things should be said three times. Secondly, what I'm doing is controversial, but I stand by my approach. My dad has been a police officer for over thirty years, and from my first day on the job, he told me that when handling cases as a police officer, you need to have reason and evidence. Reason is logic; evidence is proof," Aeming said. Whenever he was serious, he had an intimidating presence. Noticing others paying attention, he chuckled and added, "Don't be nervous; I'm not here to give you a lecture. Someone taught me a lesson instead. You know what? It turns out that having reason without evidence can work too. The first time I met him, thousands of miles away, he guessed that the Trafficker King had been hurt by a woman."
The Leftover Crowd was momentarily stunned. Xu Jian put down his chopsticks and led the applause: "Let's welcome Wood Expert and Expert Sun."
The other officers joined in. If anyone still had doubts, they were quickly dispelled that day. Xiao Mu smiled shyly while Ruhua grinned widely and said, "No need to be polite; we’re family here. It’s all good... Even though my brother is a down-and-out rich man now, he can still provide food and shelter for everyone—it's all on me! No one should fight me for it... Bald Brother has already agreed; I’ll get recruited when there’s a police hiring notice."
Aeming's reputation among the detectives was quite high. There was one called Baldy and another called Bald Brother; it had already made him lose face. He waved his hand with a chuckle and didn’t dare to respond further. Everyone could tell that the expert was someone who spoke sparingly; as for this guy, he seemed like a sidekick—like someone who gives out phone plans or free phones—not worth much.
The atmosphere became friendly as they enjoyed their meal. Aeming and the two team leaders naturally shifted to discussing the Case Situation—the disappearance of Wang Shou and the hidden Criminal at Chao Lake was now the main focus. Compared to the extensive information analysis from behind the scenes, those present were more inclined to believe in this unpredictable Wood Expert.
"Sharpening the knife doesn’t delay chopping wood; let’s sharpen our skills first. Wood, give them a lesson," Aeming urged.
While eating, the Leftover Crowd watched Xiao Mu closely. Xiao Mu smiled and said, "Actually, it's not very difficult. If we list all known details, we will find that the truth is right beside us. Let’s do this: I’ll ask questions; you answer... First, Wang Shou and that deeply hidden hideout will definitely not be in Chaohu City; Yao Yuxia must have left after picking up goods here—this is just a transit point."
Everyone nodded in agreement.
"Second, pay attention to Wang Shou's physical characteristics," Xiao Mu continued.
Some pulled out tablets while others took out their phones to take a look. With their instincts as detectives kicking in, they sensed something was off.
“Skilled in Makeup.”
“This person’s common face is really hard to pinpoint.”
“If he can evade scrutiny, it means he has been operating in this location for a long time. Over time, the people around him develop a cognitive bias. Many of the fugitives we encounter are like this; some have settled down and lived undetected for over a decade.”
“That just shows this person is very cautious and definitely avoids anything related to law enforcement.”
“This physical description has been circulated for many years, and our team has always suspected that this face has been altered.”
In the midst of the discussion, Ruhua suddenly chuckled and said, “Cars can be modified, so can faces?”
“Indeed they can,” Aeming replied with a smile. “For example, bald heads can have hair transplants; skin can be covered with a special solution; mustaches, eyebrows, eyes, and teeth can all be altered… The surveillance footage left by Wang Shou and the one from months ago during a transaction with drug dealers show the same outfit. Technical Investigation has determined that this could be a made-up face…”
Aeming adjusted his tablet and displayed two photos side by side: one in a suit and the other in postal uniform. However, the features were identical—thick eyebrows, big eyes, short cropped hair, slightly plump, with a somewhat darker complexion… As he scrolled down, there were pixel identifications of the wrist and face showing different refractive indices. This meant it could indeed be a changed face.
Ruhua was stunned; he never expected such things existed. He asked in disbelief, “Wow, this is just like what they say about disguise techniques in martial arts! That’s amazing!”
“Why do you think they call him Trafficker King? Our Technical Investigation has recovered over a hundred naked images of his facial structure, but none match this person,” Aeming explained.
“Exactly! It doesn’t matter how difficult it is; they only care about solving the case within the deadline,” Xu Jian grumbled.
As soon as Ren Guoliang spoke up, he shifted the conversation back on track. “With experts around, it shouldn’t be too difficult… Wood Expert, what do you think?”
“The Trafficker King is untraceable. Once he sheds his disguise, he must have already become someone else entirely. He’s likely been operating in this area for several years and probably won’t connect himself to any con artist… From his scams in Luzhou, it’s clear he understands human nature and social dynamics very well; that might just be his living environment,” Xiao Mu stated.
At this point, the police officers felt their morale drop as they realized the difficulty of the task ahead. If even the experts said it was impossible, then they were truly in trouble.
"He always leaves the important things for last. Don't be discouraged, Brothers," Aeming said, already familiar with Xiao Mu's way of speaking.
Xiao Mu chuckled and replied, "Right, the Trafficker King is hard to find, but this Drug Addict Woman, his former lover, should be easier to track down, right?"
"We can only wait for the investigation results. Most drug users are marginalized individuals, like moles hiding underground; they're difficult to catch."
"If she's using an alias, it complicates things."
"She definitely won't have a legitimate job and is involved with the Trafficker King. Her awareness of counter-surveillance won't be low. If we had an exact location, we could investigate, but right now, we don't even have a rough idea of where she might be. How can we search?"
Indeed, while drug users form a small group, their numbers are still considerable. Coupled with their natural tendency to hide, finding these individuals can sometimes render Skynet ineffective.
Aeming glanced at Xiao Mu again. He had learned to speak less, afraid of being criticized by Xiao Mu. Xiao Mu continued, "You can extend personality traits to behavioral habits; from behavioral habits, you can also extend to other aspects... What can you see from the surveillance footage?"
Aeming had gone through the footage at the dining table; everyone had their phones out to reinforce their memory. They found Pickup person Yao Yuxia, who had paid for and taken a box of instant noodles. She was dressed in a skirt, and the surveillance at the bus station only captured her swaying gait. She certainly didn't look like a forty-year-old woman.
Of course, this was expected; if she were a plump middle-aged woman, she probably wouldn't be Wang Shou's type. The group stared at the footage for a moment and could tell that most of them were emotionally clueless, too engrossed in the Case Situation.
"She looks pretty... there are many beautiful women among drug addicts; she's just an honest woman. Who would get involved with that stuff?" Ren Guoliang remarked.
Xiao Mu smiled slightly and countered, "But if she's been using for so long and still looks so graceful and beautiful, that's rare. It's been nearly ten years since her first attempt at rehabilitation."
Hmm? Aeming furrowed his brow as if he had caught a fleeting inspiration, but it quickly vanished.
"Am I not telling you the direction and location for the investigation? Did you not understand?" Xiao Mu asked.
No one did; the leap in logic was too great. Team leaders Ren Guoliang and Xu Jian exchanged glances, momentarily unable to respond. It was Ruhua, who had been quietly eating, who couldn't hold back any longer and reminded them, "Can't you figure this out? How far can a drug addict run?"
Bang! Several hands slammed on the table simultaneously, exclaiming in surprise, "That's right!"
"Oh no..." Ruhua exclaimed, startled, as soup splattered across her face. Someone quickly handed Brother Hua a napkin to apologize.
Excitement surged in the air as Xu Jian said, "If it's someone addicted to drugs, they won't be able to run far. Their hideout must be nearby."
This was common knowledge; most drug addicts wouldn't stray too far from home. If they were to experience withdrawal in an unfamiliar place, it would be a disaster. Carrying, hiding, and using drugs all posed significant problems, so these individuals typically had a very limited range of movement, often not leaving their homes at all.
"That narrows it down even further. The Pickup time at Chao Lake was around 5 PM, which coincides perfectly with Wang Shou's departure by train. He must have realized it was safe here before he started diverting our attention... Wang Shou is hard to track, but this drug-addicted woman should be easier to follow. She can't have gotten more than a hundred kilometers away; she should be around the counties near Chao Lake," Ren Guoliang concluded.
"There's one more thing... Going through all this trouble and taking such risks to divert attention indicates that the connection between this person and that location is very important to him. Moreover, he knows that if he delays for a few days, even the bus's driving records will automatically be erased," Aeming added, looking excitedly at Xiao Mu, practically wanting to kiss him in gratitude.
"I have an even simpler way to investigate. Do you believe me? Perhaps it's simpler and more direct than anything you've thought of," Xiao Mu said with a mischievous grin.
"Really?" Xu Jian was taken aback; after years of experience, he felt like a rookie today.
"We've been searching for three months without finding a single clue. If you have an easier method, I might as well run into a wall after I go out," Ren Guoliang remarked, filled with skepticism yet unable to resist his curiosity about what this simpler method could be.
"Stop listening to his nonsense; he's just messing with you," Aeming scoffed. Xiao Mu shot him a glare, and Aeming retorted, "I don't believe it. If I say you're fat, you'll start huffing and puffing!"
"You've never won a bet against me," Xiao Mu replied confidently.
"What are we betting on? There has to be a winning moment eventually," Aeming challenged.
"Let's bet... Don't say I tricked you; let's wager your salary for this month. Use it to improve our food and lodging... Next stop, we're staying in a hotel instead of some cheap inn," Xiao Mu suggested with a smile, clearly setting up Aeming for another trap.
Aeming scrutinized the footage from the surveillance cameras again. Based on his experience, even big data searches would take some time. He slammed his tablet down and declared, "I'm in! The information just came back; your method needs to work before we get any concrete news. Hotel stay and fine dining it is!"
Clap, clap, clap... A round of applause erupted as everyone eagerly watched Xiao Mu.
"Hey, damn it, these little brats are just waiting for me to lose, aren't they?" Aeming said, half-amused and half-exasperated.
"Instructor, if you lose, this case will be solved. That's a good thing, right everyone?" Xu Jian chimed in with a grin.
"Relying too much on luck always has its limits. Heh, kid, you might as well stick with me and eat street food," Aeming teased, partly in disbelief and partly to provoke Xiao Mu.
"Alright, let me show you the difference between a psychologist and an ordinary person. I'll start by stating a few facts. First, Yao Yuxia is addicted to drugs, and she's been using for quite some time. Most addicts end up losing everything; it's no surprise what she might do. As a helper to the Trafficker King, it makes sense that she must have sources for drugs and funds. This also explains why Wang Shou crossed over; he got played by the traffickers too. On one hand, the prices of those goods keep rising; on the other hand, he probably hates the traffickers."
"Second, most drug users are usually in a dazed state of mind, thinking about nothing but drugs. This person is a bit different; her attire is neat and clearly of good quality... Look at her hair; it's styled and dyed. The traffic surveillance caught her face from the front—she's beautiful and doesn't look like the typical emaciated addict... That indicates she takes good care of herself and must be controlling her intake."
"Third, observe how she checks her watch—very leisurely... This isn't the lifestyle of a housewife; they hardly have watches and might just glance at a cheap phone for the time. Her outfit is trendy; even now, women's desire to look good hasn't diminished because of drugs. That suggests she's not living a life of long-term confinement."
As Xiao Mu listed his observations, his expression grew more relaxed while others became increasingly confused. The seasoned detectives were accustomed to interrogating suspects but struggled to grasp the nuances behind Xiao Mu's words about women. Aeming seemed to understand something; his chopsticks froze mid-air as he pondered. With his experience, he knew Xiao Mu wouldn't speak nonsense; he just needed to figure out how to approach it.
"Expert, you... haven't said how to investigate yet?" Xu Jian asked curiously.
"Isn't this all common knowledge?"
"It can be surprising too; after all, there's a Trafficker King supporting her."
"Don't talk nonsense; listen to the expert," Ren Guoliang scolded before looking expectantly at Xiao Mu.
"Now then, I’ll make a bold guess: you can ignore her name and focus on finding her by face... In the counties around Chao Lake, primarily in cities, choose a quiet place with a good environment that isn’t a major thoroughfare. Specifically target high-end women's clothing boutiques, upscale beauty salons, and slightly higher-end entertainment venues where leisurely women spend their time. At these three places, someone will definitely recognize her. Like Wang Shou, she has already blended into ordinary people's lives," Xiao Mu concluded.
The investigation had significantly reduced the workload, making it unnecessary for detectives; a police officer could handle it with just a quick round. Ren Guoliang and Xu Jian both looked at Aeming, who seemed uncertain. He glanced at Xiao Mu, who was already pulling out his phone to check the map. He murmured, "Langxi, Mingguang, Xuancheng, Lishui, Ningguo... five cities. He was just a drug dealer who got caught last year. We need to narrow it down further—focus on cities, not counties. The Southeast Mountain Area of Anhui has mostly poverty-stricken counties that drug dealers wouldn't bother with. They would likely live in a more convenient and relatively peaceful city rather than hiding in a county where they wouldn't dress so casually... Such con artists tend to be solitary, but this kind of mindset means they can't truly live alone; only the noise around them gives them a sense of security... So we should only look at the cities—Langxi and Mingguang City near the provincial border are key targets. These third-tier cities are more suitable for living; if they want to settle down, places close to the provincial border that aren't far from scenic areas and have relatively low crime rates are the best choices. Let's go with these two cities." Xiao Mu spoke like a general commanding thousands, spotting opportunities amidst the tangled clues.
"We're searching nationwide, and he hasn't even left the province?" Xu Jian said with a frown, feeling frustrated.
"You search nationwide, but he might still be committing crimes in the Provincial Capital. The biggest trait of con artists is their audacity; their smallest trait is also their audacity. For them, this judgment holds true: the less you believe it, the more it is the truth," Xiao Mu replied.
"This will be easy to investigate; we can wrap it up in a few hours." Ren Guoliang consulted Aeming. The method was indeed simple—just mobilize the local police force through the Task Force, and with so few points to check, there wouldn't even be a need for overtime.
"Let's do it as he says," Aeming said while lowering his head to slurp his noodles, which were almost cold.
Xiao Mu looked at Aeming curiously and asked, "Oh? You seem to believe me now?"
"Don't flatter yourself; right now I don't trust anyone. Who dares to boast like that?" Aeming replied with an expression that suggested he was sick and seeking treatment, which made everyone laugh. However, Ruhua spoke seriously: "No, Bald Brother, I think it makes sense."
"Oh? This gentleman, Mr. Sun... you understand psychology too?" Xu Jian flattered him.
"It's simple: men are about food and work; women's work is just looking pretty and being charming while eating. Besides buying clothes and putting on makeup, they can't do much else," Ruhua explained.
Everyone had thought he was just an expert but didn't expect such a strong analysis. The detectives were left stunned while Xiao Mu remained expressionless. The others were unsure how to react; Aeming was choked up for a moment before finally managing to say, "Wood Expert's analysis was just nonsense. Mr. Sun's analysis is straightforward and hits the nail on the head—hahaha."
Only then did everyone burst into laughter. Ruhua grinned widely; he wasn't genuinely foolish but was intentionally trying to annoy Xiao Mu by making it seem like Xiao Mu had made a mistake...
Comment 0 Comment Count