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墨書 Inktalez
The sound of the gunshot hit me like a punch to the chest, causing my heart to momentarily stop before it began to race uncontrollably. I ran forward desperately, unsure of what had just happened. The figure in the distance was no longer visible, and I had no idea who had fired the shot.
The beam of my flashlight flickered up and down with my movements, and gradually, I began to see more clearly. Not far ahead, a person lay still on the ground. Under the light, I could see that this person was motionless, face down. There was no one around, yet I could still feel a faint warmth in the air and smell the distinct scent of gunpowder lingering after the shot.
As I approached, my steps slowed because I noticed that this person was wearing a police uniform.
The first thought that crossed my mind was that someone had shot a police officer.
I immediately became alert, shining my flashlight around, but there was no one else in sight. Looking up, I realized I was in a closed space with no exits. Seeing no immediate danger, I rushed forward and turned the person over.
But when I flipped him over, I was met with a face covered in blood. There was a bullet hole in his temple, blood still oozing out. On the opposite side of the wound, there was a larger gash; his skull had been shattered, and brain matter clung together messily, an unsettling sight.
This was a typical gunshot wound, and judging by the injury, it had just been inflicted. The gunshot I heard moments ago must have come from here, and that bullet had struck this man's head. It was clear he was beyond saving.
However, this was a completely enclosed space. I looked around but found no place for someone to hide; the only entrance was where I had just come from. Who could have killed him? Was it suicide?
I began to search through the deceased officer's clothing and found his police badge in his pocket. Upon examining it, I discovered he was an officer from the Dongxing City Public Security Bureau. As a major city, Dongxing's police force was substantial; the Qingcheng Criminal Police Team had many divisions, and this man belonged to the Third Group—someone I had never encountered before.
I called out several times, but there was no response. Having walked into a dead end, I knew I needed to get this body out.
Just as I lifted the body onto my back, I suddenly heard something drop. Instinctively looking down, I saw that it was a gun. Reaching for the deceased officer's waist, I found another firearm holstered there.
If this handgun didn’t belong to the dead officer, then whose could it be?
My rational mind told me that this must be the weapon that fired earlier—the one involved in this incident.
I pulled gloves from my pocket and put them on before gently placing the body back on the ground. Then I reached for the fallen gun. But as soon as I picked it up, I froze.
This handgun... it couldn’t be...
Suddenly, beams of light flooded in, blinding me and making it impossible to open my eyes. Then came the familiar sound of "click-click," the unmistakable sound of a handgun being cocked.
"Don't move! Put down your gun!" someone shouted.
I frowned and shouted back, "I'm a police officer too."
But the figures across from me continued to shine their flashlights in my eyes, leaving me unable to see who they were. The voice rang out again, "This is the last time I'm telling you—put down your weapon! Otherwise, we will not hesitate to take action. I repeat, put down your gun!"
The authoritative tone made it clear that if I didn't comply, they were indeed prepared to fire.
I raised my hands and slowly crouched down, gently placing my handgun on the ground. The flashlights still illuminated me as one officer pointed his gun at me and cautiously approached. "Captain, there's someone injured here," he said as he walked.
Hearing that title suddenly reminded me; I had asked Gu Chen to call for the SWAT team's assistance. So these people must be from the SWAT team.
Realizing this, I said, "I am Captain Wu of the Dongxing City Criminal Police Force's Special Operations Group. Did Captain Shao send you?"
No one responded. The officer kicked my handgun aside and tucked his own weapon behind him while grabbing my arm with a firm grip. The force was so strong that I instinctively twisted away, and before I knew it, handcuffs were clamped around my wrists.
"I am with the Dongxing City Criminal Police Force!" I shouted hoarsely. "My credentials are in my pocket!"
Once I was cuffed, the beam of light finally moved away from my face, allowing me to see the officer clearly and recognize their uniforms. They were indeed members of the SWAT team; they had found this place after all.
"There was a gunshot just now," one of the officers said without wasting time on small talk. "We followed the sound here and only found you—along with that person at your feet. No one understands the power of bullets better than us. He’s beyond saving, and you have a gun in your hand."
The officer behind me was incredibly strong; I couldn't break free. All I could do was say, "Are you accusing me of killing this man? He’s a fellow detective from my department. Do you really think I would kill him?"
The officer waved his hand dismissively and replied, "Not necessarily. Take him away and remove the body. Remember to wear gloves when handling evidence—just like this detective here. That way, there won't be any traces left."
He emphasized the word "traces," as if implying that I was trying to eliminate witnesses to a murder.
"Not me," I said slowly.
He chuckled, "Just take the gun, the bullets, and the body back. I don't know you, and you don't know me. I'm just here to apprehend people, no need for any fuss."
As he spoke, two armed police officers lifted the body and began to carry it outside. Meanwhile, another officer was escorting me out as well.
My heart sank gradually; there had to be some conspiracy behind this. That gun was one I knew all too well.
We had just turned a corner when we encountered another group of people in a different space.
"Gu Chen? I haven't seen you in over a year since you were transferred from the armed police," one of the officers said.
"Duan Jingliang?" That was Gu Chen's voice.
Then Gu Chen continued, "Wu Meng, you're here too? And Duan Jingliang, what's going on? Why is he handcuffed?"
Duan Jingliang glanced at me and then back at Gu Chen. "I assume you heard the gunshot and came here. I led my team to this location immediately, but we didn't see anyone else along the way. Next to the body, we found him wearing gloves and holding a handgun."
I noticed Gu Chen furrowed his brow; it was clear he didn't believe I could be the murderer.
Duan Jingliang went on, "And you can check behind; it's a closed space. If he's not the murderer, then this person must have committed suicide. Of course, that's also a possibility. By your own words, he's the prime suspect—there's no denying that, right?"
"You were brought in to catch the murderer, not to apprehend us," Gu Chen said in a low voice, each word resonating with authority.
Duan Jingliang shrugged. "You've been an armed police officer for three years; how long have you been with the Criminal Police Force? You think you're one of them now? The higher-ups sent me to search for and capture the murderer, not to take orders from you. If we’re counting ranks, I'm equal to that captain behind you; you have no say over my actions."
"I'm not going to waste time arguing with you," Gu Chen replied. "Let the Criminal Police Force handle their own matters; hand him over to me."
Duan Jingliang said, "I think you know that when involved parties are relatives, lovers, friends, or even neighbors, according to procedure, you must recuse yourselves. Step aside; don’t obstruct our arrest."
Gu Chen stood his ground, saying, "There's no need to trouble the armed police for an investigation, is there?"
In that environment, with the true murderer missing and only myself and a corpse present, anyone would immediately suspect me, especially these strangers. Moreover, this situation was certainly not as simple as it appeared; there had to be some forces at play behind the scenes.
I took a few deep breaths and then said, "Alright, as the person involved, I'll take charge. First, Gu Chen, have you found Guan Zengbin?"
Gu Chen shook his head. "No, I found the background in the photo and located the Iron Bed, but I couldn't find Guan Zengbin. I did find Guan Zengbin's clothes and phone; they are still usable, but there's no signal underground."
I continued to ask, "Are there any bloodstains?"
Gu Chen shook his head again. "There are no bloodstains on the ground or on the Iron Bed. From the traces at the scene, there are no signs of a struggle. The chain that appeared to be locking Guan Zengbin in the photo is actually not a chain; it's a type of plastic that looks very much like a chain from the outside. If it were cut with a knife, it could probably be severed in about ten minutes."
I tugged at my hair with my hand and said, "If that's the case, Guan Zengbin must not be in any life-threatening danger right now."
"But where could Guan Zengbin have gone?" Gu Chen asked in confusion. "We searched this underground space thoroughly and found nothing."
I replied, "She must have been kidnapped by someone. If Guan Zengbin had escaped on her own, she would have put on her clothes and taken her phone."
"Kidnapped..."
Gu Chen repeated thoughtfully.
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