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墨書 Inktalez
Portraits, all portraits—some fat, some thin, some with fierce looks, others harmless—covered an entire wall. When Ye Tianshu saw the lifelike portrait of Lu the Madman, he couldn't contain himself.
With a hearty laugh, he slammed on the brakes and excitedly pulled Zhang Quan over, asking, "Are these... the suspects?"
Zhang Quan nodded and shushed him, gesturing towards Xiao Mu, who was still focused on painting. At that moment, Xiao Mu had transformed; he appeared solemn and concentrated, holding a palette in one hand and a brush in the other. His movements were fluid as he mixed colors and applied paint, reminiscent of the skilled officers during the police competition who expertly disassembled firearms.
"How much is the margin of error?" Ye Tianshu whispered.
Zhang Quan remained silent but pointed to several known individuals: He Yuguo, Lu Hongbo, and the duo known as Big Mouth Liu Xu and Big Head Zhang Jianqiang. Ye Tianshu pulled out his police phone and compared it to the captured images of the suspects. The photos were somewhat blurry, while Xiao Mu's paintings were much clearer. As for the resemblance, Ye Tianshu's expression said it all.
He was nearly so excited he could bite his teeth together and muttered through clenched jaws to Zhang Quan, "Incredible."
Zhang Quan smiled without speaking, a smile filled with meaning. Ye Tianshu wasn't shy either; he grabbed Zhang Quan by the collar and faced him directly, giving a solemn salute. Not satisfied with just that, he bowed deeply. This made Zhang Quan feel a bit embarrassed as he quietly said, "I didn't do anything; I just accompanied Lin around. The credit isn't mine."
The two leaned in close to each other. Ye Tianshu watched Xiao Mu intently and dared not interrupt. He quietly asked Zhang Quan, "I didn't expect he had this talent! It's amazing how lifelike it is."
"He studied oil painting in the Netherlands... I didn't believe it until he painted Lu the Madman; it shocked me—it looked just like the photo," Zhang Quan replied. He recounted their afternoon visit to an art shop, which seemed unrelated to their case until Xiao Mu produced that painting that completely captivated Zhang Quan.
"Well, this is great!" Ye Tianshu rubbed his hands together excitedly. These elusive 'General Managers' were either caught in profile shots or not photographed at all; they were clever enough to instinctively cover their faces even when passing through police surveillance. But now, with these striking portraits, they would have nowhere to hide within just a few hours.
After glancing over everything without saying a word, Ye Tianshu found himself giving his own thumbs up more times than he could count. He and Zhang Quan slowly moved to Xiao Mu's side to observe the final portrait.
It was Yang Menglu. They had captured her photo before, but the painting was even more enchanting—her noble purple gown and her smiling glance over her shoulder brought the entire image to life as if she were gracefully standing before them.
After a long pause with his brush hovering above the canvas, Xiao Mu finally made his last stroke on her skirt, adding a few more folds that enhanced the play of light and shadow. He set down his palette and brush; when he turned around, both men were giving him thumbs up in unison.
"Incredible! Our team's portrait artist can't match your level!" Ye Tianshu praised.
Zhang Quan smiled and remarked, "This is much more discreet than using surveillance equipment... Linzi, if anyone calls you a rich kid again, just throw the paint palette at their face."
"Hehe, I usually can't be bothered to explain this, but back in the day, I spent over a year at the Rotterdam Academy of Fine Arts just to appreciate those nude models," Xiao Mu said proudly.
Ye Tianshu looked puzzled and asked, "Nude models? What are those..."
"Women who are completely naked, posing for figure painting," Xiao Mu explained.
"Oh dear, that capitalist decadence," Ye Tianshu said disapprovingly. However, upon looking at the portraits again, he praised, "Regardless, one can learn from others. Thank you very much, I really appreciate it on behalf of all the comrades in the project team."
"No need to thank me. Those guys actually dared to hit me. I swear at their whole family; they think cultural people are easy to bully, but they don't know cultural people can be even more ruthless... That leader with the sideburns has the surname Tu. He probably has military service records and might have even served time. His economic condition seems decent; he drives a Lingzhi car and might be a small business owner around here," Xiao Mu pointed at the group dressed as fake police officers, specifically highlighting Tu Ge.
This left Zhang Quan and Ye Tianshu stunned; the details were too precise. If they were to investigate like this, the computer could probably retrieve information in minutes, especially regarding criminal records. Zhang Quan skeptically asked, "How did you deduce he served in the military?"
"His posture... He stands straight out of habit, military style. Of course, someone trained in a pyramid scheme could achieve that level too... But when he rolled up his sleeves to hit me, I noticed his elbows; one was rougher than the other—left bigger and right smaller... That indicates this kind of movement." Xiao Mu demonstrated the standard position for prone shooting; such training leaves marks that are hard to erase.
"And how did you figure out he served time?" Ye Tianshu inquired.
"Eczema spots on his arms and neck—these are marks that Southern climates can leave on Northern individuals. If not treated promptly, they can leave those slight spots behind. It's actually easy to treat; just leaving that place or using some medication would solve it. The only reason it leaves such deep marks is one: prison," Xiao Mu explained.
Ye Tianshu was taken aback; this insight left him in awe. If it was correct, he would truly consider it an extraordinary skill.
Zhang Quan was dumbfounded; after being undercover for so many years, he realized he was even less perceptive than a rookie. Both of them had seen things he hadn't noticed at all.
"Economic condition? Are you judging by their attire?" Zhang Quan asked.
"Exactly. He had a purple bead bracelet on his wrist. Although that fake police uniform isn't worth much, the belt is expensive. I saw his shoes; whether he's showing off or genuinely wealthy, those Italian leather shoes are quite valuable," Xiao Mu replied.
"And what about the car? You can tell what kind of car he drives just by looking at his face?" Ye Tianshu asked in astonishment.
"Ah, I can't believe how foolish you are. You have the car keys hanging from your waist; it's obvious," Xiao Mu scoffed, finding it too easy to pry into the matter.
Zhang Quan and Ye Tianshu were left speechless for a while, exchanging astonished glances. After a moment, they both burst into laughter. Whenever they asked about someone, Xiao Mu could describe their habits and preferences in detail, even down to what kind of car they drove. By the time he was halfway through, the miracle had already been confirmed.
Meanwhile, the project team in the Provincial Capital identified the man named Tu within fifteen minutes based on a photo from a mobile phone.
Tu Shenhao, male, 38 years old, Han ethnicity, served in a certain unit in 199*, and after retiring, was imprisoned for four years due to fraud in 200*. He currently resides at Room 1301, Building 13, Fuwen Community on Fuyuan Road in Tongguan City. Interestingly enough, he owned a Lingzhi sedan.
In fact, it was right under their noses; Fuwen Community was only a few kilometers away from the hotel where they were staying. It wasn't complicated at all; it was quietly hiding in the crime information database. When Ye Tianshu saw this information, he was stunned for quite some time before passing it to Zhang Quan, who stood there with his mouth agape, unable to utter a word.
Xiao Mu was laughing; he didn't even need to look because he already knew the answer...
……………………………
Deep into the night at the Tongguan Expressway Entrance.
Big Head sat in his car like a ghost waiting by the roadside. After dinner, he had just settled down when he was called out here. He had been waiting for several hours at Yang Menglu's request. Having grown accustomed to his employer's ways, Big Head didn't ask any questions; they simply waited in silence.
It was quiet and rather dull without Xiao Mu's lively presence; the atmosphere became quite oppressive.
After waiting for over two hours, he finally received a call. Yang Menglu got out of the car and waited. Soon after, a sedan exited the highway—a strange vehicle that Big Head assumed was rented. As soon as it stopped, he saw Boss He Yuguo's plump figure emerge from the car.
Yang Menglu approached him and got inside. A strong smell of alcohol wafted from the back of the car. The drunken man leaned closer to her, and she shot him an annoyed glare. Lu the Madman chuckled while Yang Menglu scolded him: "Old He, his mental issues have gotten so serious already; why are you still letting him drink?"
"Do I need to make him drink? I couldn't find him when it was time to leave; I had to drag him out of the bar," He Yuguo replied as he caught his breath outside the car. Lu Hongbo burped and said, "Toasting with wine is part of life; how many moments do we have left? This farewell is bittersweet... Lulu, do you miss me?"
"Why don't you just drink yourself to death?" Yang Menglu snapped as she opened the car door and stepped out.
Old Lu chuckled as he came down, clearly under the influence of alcohol, and it seemed there was nothing more to say. Yang Menglu asked He Yuguo, "Old He, is it still quiet over there?"
"Quiet to the point of boredom. If they don't let us get to work, we could wrap things up and leave in two months," He Yuguo replied, clearly frustrated by the slow pace of income.
Running a Pyramid Scheme was a partnership business. A first-level General Manager like Old He could take home about 30% of the total earnings, while the majority would be distributed among second- and third-level managers. The expenses were staggering. Yang Menglu scolded him, "How much more do you want after making hundreds of thousands in two months? That's enough! It's all about steady progress and safety first."
"Not much left after rent, labor, food, and lodging... Right, and we’re also supporting that big shot. By the way, we should just ask those two how things are going as we pass by," He Yuguo said.
"Not much to report. It seems Boss is still skeptical," Yang Menglu detailed what had happened. Upon hearing this, Old He became furious, slapping his hands together as he spoke to Lu Hongbo, "See, Old Lu? What did I tell you? We finally found a treasure but ended up giving it away, and they don’t even want it... With the level of people you have here applying, Old Lu is only at this level; if they don’t want him, then forget it."
"Oh come on, their business is big; they have to be cautious... Besides, it's not appropriate for me to step in. Fame brings trouble; if I show up, a swarm of police will come after me. There's no way around it," Old Lu said drunkenly, clearly aware of his situation. Yang Menglu advised him that this was Boss Jia's arrangement; if they did well here, there would be business for all of them.
Upon hearing there was business involved, He Yuguo perked up and nodded vigorously. "Got it."
His next question was, "How much can we get?"
"That depends on how many people you can bring in... Also, we must get rid of this troublemaker; his ambitions are too big. I bet wherever he goes, he’ll have a tail following him. Boss Jia said this time we're expanding significantly; there must not be any mistakes," Yang Menglu whispered to He Yuguo while Lu the Madman started to cough a bit and began to vomit.
After hastily discussing what needed to be done and the details that needed addressing, Yang Menglu noticed Lu the Madman still retching and felt a surge of irritation. She turned back and kicked him hard with her high heel before leaving.
The car drove for quite a while before Old Lu wiped his mouth and reluctantly got in. He Yuguo handed him a bottle of water with a smile, but Old Lu knew better and said, "If you all think I'm a burden, just say it outright. Damn it! We're making money now; you think I'm just dead weight."
"Come on now! The money you've spent over the years isn't less than anyone else's," He Yuguo retorted sarcastically.
"But you can't just throw me out halfway!" Lu the Madman exclaimed angrily.
"Professor! Professor! This is Boss Jia's arrangement... Just laying low for now. When it's time for another partnership meeting, we'll definitely bring you back out. Listen to me; go stay at the nursing home for a while. I'll come pick you up after some time—don’t run off before we even get there," He Yuguo said.
"Hmm... If I find it boring, I'll just leave; who can stop me?" Lu the Madman scoffed.
He Yuguo turned around and saw that he had already slumped onto the back seat and started to sleep.
The car made a turn and got back on the highway.
At four thirty in the morning, the task force monitored the vehicle as it drove out of the province, heading into unknown territory.
However, considering that the timing for the capture was not yet ripe and more important leads had emerged, the police force deployed by the task force did not disturb what seemed to be a couple who were not in a hurry to escape...
...
...
Team Leader Ye left just before five in the morning. Zhang Quan saw him off through the back door and returned to his room only after confirming that everything was safe.
The ups and downs of a day and a night left him wide awake. He got up and knocked on Xiao Mu's door. When it opened, Xiao Mu was still dressed in formal attire, clearly not having slept. Once inside, Zhang Quan noticed that this gentleman, who demanded meticulous attention to detail in life, had cleaned the room spotless. The paintings had been taken away, and tools were packed into a garbage bag, seemingly ready to be thrown out.
"You're just going to throw it away?" Zhang Quan asked, feeling a bit pained.
"Are we supposed to leave it for others to see?" Xiao Mu retorted.
That was true; during such extraordinary times, letting others know about Xiao Mu's skills could lead to trouble. Zhang Quan sat down in a chair, looking at him with a new sense of curiosity, excitement, and immense gratitude. Xiao Mu lay back on the bed and smiled, asking, "Baldy, you've lost to me twice now. I seriously doubt whether this bachelor will keep his promise."
Twice he had lost a pair of Police Flowers. Zhang Quan chuckled and said, "I will definitely keep my promise. I'm willing to lose face for this; I'll introduce you to a pair from our department... Haha."
Xiao Mu laughed. Who could predict what would happen next? Yet Zhang Quan curiously asked, "Linzi, I'm increasingly noticing how unique you are."
"Really?" Xiao Mu replied.
"Of course! Just look at your painting skills... You could be called a master," Zhang Quan praised.
"You are insulting both the master and me," Xiao Mu said, rolling his eyes.
"Really? I can understand insulting the master, but how am I insulting you?" Zhang Quan teased him. Xiao Mu raised his middle finger and replied, "From an artistic perspective, this painting is just a pile of garbage. Most people in the art field have at least a basic understanding of this, and I belong to the very poor category."
"That's because you gave up halfway. If you had persevered, you could have become a master too," Zhang Quan said.
"Wrong. Being a master would be even worse. Van Gogh, who painted sunflowers, died in poverty; the Italian painter Paolo Uccello, who invented perspective, lived a life of poverty and loneliness; throughout history, most masters can be labeled with tags like: destitute, plagued by illness, and dying in despair," Xiao Mu said with a smile. He pointed at Zhang Quan and asked, "If that's the case, calling me a master would mean you're hoping for my downfall?"
"That's true. Without suffering, it's hard to achieve greatness," Zhang Quan said while looking at Xiao Mu with a smile. He understood that it was likely the environment that stifled Xiao Mu's talent. Xiao Mu looked back at him as if he were getting to know him again. After a moment, Xiao Mu suddenly became alert and warned, "Baldy, if you try to convince me to accept your ideals, I'll cut ties with you immediately. I mean it."
Zhang Quan laughed and shook his head without speaking. He understood Xiao Mu's mindset; if he didn't show some acknowledgment, it would leave him feeling disappointed. But if he did acknowledge it, the consequences could be worse. Xiao Mu's stubbornness meant he wouldn't comply with what Zhang Quan wanted.
So Baldy said, "I understand why your father tried to send you to a mental hospital."
It was like trying to lead a stubborn donkey backward; knowing his past made Zhang Quan think about how far that poor father must have been pushed by his son to make such a harsh decision.
Mentioning this made Xiao Mu unhappy. He rolled his eyes at Zhang Quan and calmly asked him, "Don't forget that I'm somewhat of a half-baked psychologist; you have no right to judge my family... From my observations during this time, growing up to become someone as resolute and single-minded as you—a Bolshevik believer—you must have been seriously deprived of love. I can even deduce... that you've probably never experienced paternal love."
"How do you figure that?" Zhang Quan asked with a flicker of surprise in his eyes.
"The combination of simplicity and violence, loyalty and treachery—ordinary people cannot accept such extreme amalgamations. Something must have driven you to behave this way; it shouldn't just be about faith. In this materialistic age, the influence of faith is ultimately too weak," Xiao Mu said with a smile. His interest piqued as he guessed others' secrets; his excitement grew.
"And what else?" Zhang Quan asked again.
"From your extremely poor lifestyle habits, from your complete lack of understanding of care and your refusal to show concern, from your indifferent gaze towards women... you can't possibly lack maternal love too?" Xiao Mu threw down his final question. When he said this last part, Zhang Quan chuckled awkwardly.
With a slap on his thigh, Xiao Mu exclaimed excitedly, "Damn it! Looks like I was right."
A psychologist is much like a con artist; they can find the answers they seek from subtle changes in your expression. Xiao Mu eagerly pressed on with his questioning: "Come on, Baldy... we're both in this together; I'm not laughing at you."
"Speaking of jokes, I'm actually already in one. Seriously, what situation are you in to be arranging something about my dad?" Zhang Quan said, slightly awkwardly, "You guessed right, I’m an orphan."
"Ah?" Xiao Mu was taken aback, not expecting such a harsh truth. He murmured, "Oh, I'm sorry, I touched a nerve."
"It's nothing. I was abducted when I was a year and a half old. By the time I was rescued, I was already over four years old. I have no memory of my biological parents, so I don't know what parental love feels like," Zhang Quan murmured.
"Wow, that's so tragic? How pitiful," Xiao Mu said with sympathy. However, seeing Zhang Quan's demeanor made him doubt it. He asked directly, "You’re not trying to trick me, are you? Deliberately telling a sad story to gain my sympathy?"
"On the contrary, you're wrong. This isn't a tragic story; it's a happy one. I'm grateful to be the protagonist of a happy story," Zhang Quan replied.
"Happiness?" Xiao Mu was stunned. Could there really be happiness in this?
"...After being rescued, I was sent to a children's welfare institution. My biological parents were never found, so the welfare home became my home... I grew up eating food from many families and wearing clothes from many families. There are still more good people in this world than bad ones; it was those unknown kind-hearted individuals who raised me... Moreover, several police officers who rescued me were worried that I wouldn’t grow up healthily, so they took turns visiting me... The happiest memory I have is lying on the window sill, looking for uncles or aunts in police uniforms to come play with me and bring me nice things... One of those officers later became my adoptive father. He was quite old-fashioned and probably stricter than your dad. During my rebellious years, I often felt the sting of his belt," Zhang Quan said with a smile, his face radiating happiness that seemed genuine.
Xiao Mu was stunned; he could guess the surface but not the truth. Indeed, humans are the most complex creatures. What he thought was a tragic life turned out to be Zhang Quan's happiest memories; compared to his own less-than-ideal family situation, how could he see his seemingly happy family as a tragedy?
"So then he sent you to become a police officer?" Xiao Mu asked.
"You guessed wrong again. He spent his whole life as a police officer and didn't want to see me follow in his footsteps," Zhang Quan explained. Xiao Mu was confused as Zhang Quan continued with a smile, "Only those who have been through it understand its hardships and dangers. Who would want their loved ones to take on such a high-risk profession?"
"Then why do you go against his wishes?" Xiao Mu asked.
"Because I know that even though he doesn't want to see me walk his path, if I really did it, it would make him very proud. I'm not that noble, but I can't forget those people—so many who donated money and goods and helped me and the children at the welfare home. They did it out of kindness without expecting anything in return... Or if they did expect something, it was for more people to help those in need and give back... to this world that you find so messed up. So that's why I became a police officer," Zhang Quan smiled as he looked at Xiao Mu.
Xiao Mu rolled his eyes; he hated this kind of preaching. Even if it moved him slightly, he lay back down lazily and pulled up the blanket saying, "You can go now; I'm going to sleep."
"I'm leaving now, but there's one more thing: Linzi... whether it's a poor dad or a rich dad, being a father is never easy. They don't expect anything in return from their children but shouldn't seek revenge either? That's what I can't understand about you," Zhang Quan stood up and offered one last piece of advice—something he'd always wanted to say.
The effect was evident; it provoked Xiao Mu into responding with just one word: "Get lost."
Under the covers, he buried his face, and even someone who didn't understand psychology like Zhang Quan could see that something was wrong. He knew it was wrong, but he refused to repent.
The conversation faltered and naturally came to a halt. Zhang Quan turned off the light, looked at the window tightly covered to prevent any light from seeping through, removed the blanket from the window, and gently covered Xiao Mu again before closing the door behind him.
After a long time, Xiao Mu finally poked his head out from under the covers. He tugged at the corner of the blanket to wipe his eyes, as if he were upset about something. However, over the years he had developed a habit of quietly shedding tears alone when faced with sorrow.
Fortunately, it wasn't as painful as before; it felt like his heart had lightened considerably. He even found himself somewhat fond of Baldy, who had shared a story he had never heard before—so real that he couldn't find a trace of falsehood in it.
He gazed blankly out the window, seemingly lost in thoughts of home far away, of his father whom he vowed never to forgive, and of the life that had once been so different from his own. Gradually, a hint of enlightenment seemed to appear on his refined face.
Or perhaps it wasn't that; maybe it was just the dawn light filtering in from outside. A long night had passed...
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