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墨書 Inktalez
Chapter 87: Actions Speak Louder Than Words
"Dressing is a person's second skin."
"From one's attire, one can reflect a person's emotional changes."
"Dressing is closely related to a person's behavioral habits."
Guo Wei was cramming a large amount of printed and electronic books filled with such trivia. It was likely that even finding this information would be difficult, as many were in English. After reading all night, he still felt somewhat lost.
"Scholar, have you made any progress?" Guan Yiqing asked, tapping away at the computer as she worked to repair the few photos and videos of the Female Suspect.
Guo Wei handed her a piece of paper with his notes, saying, "Theoretically, it holds up, but that's only in theory. I can't find any similar cases."
Guan Yiqing took the paper and glanced at it. It contained several foreign names and some obscure psychological theories, which left her puzzled. She furrowed her brow and fell silent for a moment. Guo Wei quietly asked, "You and your master went to Suzhou and Hangzhou. How come you've come back looking different?"
Seeing that a few newly arrived colleagues were still dazed, Guan Yiqing leaned in and whispered a few words to Guo Wei. Guo Wei's expression changed dramatically as he stared blankly for a while before asking in disbelief, "Wasn't it supposed to be over?"
"I thought it was over too. Who knew I had to meet him? It would have been better not to meet at all. This guy used me as a reference; after just a few glances, he said that this suspect might be a civil servant," Guan Yiqing explained, pointing at the screen where the only clue about the suspect's mysterious identity remained.
"That can't be right. He's a pimp! Does he have sharper instincts than our Scout?" Guo Wei questioned skeptically.
"Precisely because he's a pimp. My master said his ability to read people is on another level compared to us... Let me test you; can you figure it out?" Guan Yiqing adjusted the computer so Guo Wei could see.
The video of two cars parking lasted less than a minute and was shot from a distance with a standard-definition camera, making the footage quite poor; however, one precious frame from an apartment building remained, showing only a side profile. Guo Wei bit his finger and stared for a long time. The confused expression looked nothing like Xiao Mu from yesterday. After watching for some time, he muttered, "Why do I feel like this guy is deliberately slandering our civil servants? There's no way we can determine his identity from this! Why didn't you ask him where he works? We could have summoned him directly."
"I knew you wouldn't get it," Guan Yiqing said with a smile as she adjusted the screen again.
"You can't act recklessly, the master is a little obsessed." Guo Wei was a little frustrated. Guan Yiqing glanced at the young man's embarrassed appearance and reminded: "Then don't forget that the source of this important clue is also him. If he doesn't remind us, I'm afraid we will still be spinning in circles." "I admit this, but who It's impossible to be correct all the time... He can't say he's a civil servant, let's just look for the suspect among the civil servants, right?" Guo Wei said, this kind of file classification does not belong to the scope of police work. Guan Yiqing smiled, didn't say much, raised his head and signaled, Guo Wei was looking, Shen Lingchen came in a hurry, raised his head and took a few shots to attract attention, and said loudly: "Today's search direction has been slightly adjusted. Now, we are divided into three groups. Yi Qing, Guo Wei and I each take A Group to the provincial and municipal labor and social security departments to extract personnel information: the detailed information is done with Guan Yiqing The template shall prevail. The height is 1.64 meters and the age is between 25 and 35 years old. Let’s increase the age to 40 years old. Use the extracted information as a template to compare people with similar facial contours... Now we are walking in the dark. , if you can take one step forward, it counts as one step... By the way, Yi Qing, you arrange for the Information Center to extract the driver's license information and see if you find anything... Okay, it's eight forty, nine o'clock Zhong is ready to leave, each group will solve the lunch problem by itself, and come back in the evening to report together and prepare." After setting up, he and Captain Xu Fei walked away in a hurry, but Guo Wei looked at it blankly and asked Guan Yiqing in a low voice. : "Are you really planning to investigate from this group?" "Of course, my master and I have further developed his theory. Since she is such a dull, old-school woman, she should have information in her social security records. "Since I can drive, there should be clues in the driver's license record..." Guan Yiqing maintained a high work attitude, but Guo Wei said awkwardly: "You know what's in the province's social security records?" , How many people of this age group are there? It will take several days to search for a Galaxy processor. It’s just a broken computer in our team. It’s weird if it doesn’t crash." Guan Yiqing glanced at him. , answering with a question: "Do you know why Master and I believed in him and did not consider your opinion?" "Why?" Guo Wei was stunned for a moment. "He has been doing it, the master has been trying and making mistakes, and you have been sitting and waiting. Moreover, as a person who can solve the livelihood problem in a short time by pimping, I would rather believe that his vision is right." Guan Yiqing xiaoxiao said, packed up his things, uploaded information to the mobile phones of each group of people, got up and left. Guo Wei stared blankly for a long time, and was speechless………………………………………………………………… “Keep your eyes…eyes…focused on this place. " Panzi is training some newcomers. There is a lighter on the back of his hand, just leaving it there. The content of the assessment is very simple. No matter what method you use, take the lighter away.
Right in front of them, just behind the back of the opponent's hand, yet no one could take it away. Every time they reached out, they were just a hair's breadth away, and the four delinquents were already sweating profusely.
When they reached Liu Yang, he didn’t wait to get settled before swiftly reaching out. Unexpectedly, Panzi slightly lifted his hand, leaving Liu Yang empty-handed. He quickly turned his hand to grab again, but Panzi shrank back just in time. As Liu Yang reached out once more, there was a click as he froze in place. Panzi held a lighter against his throat, his gaze fixed on Liu Yang’s form.
It was tilted, awkwardly so. Panzi tapped the lighter against Liu Yang's head and scolded, “You’re only paying attention to one side while ignoring the other. What good is quick reflexes if you don’t know how to move? This isn’t a fight; you need to use your whole body’s strength. So aside from the hand that needs to move, everything else can stay still… even your gaze doesn’t need to shift… Pay attention; I’m about to throw it now. Watch my hand…”
With only a few dozen centimeters between them, Panzi switched hands and flicked the yo-yo attached to a rubber band toward the delinquents. The task was simple: determine where the ball came from and then avoid it… If you think you can catch it, forget it; if you can catch it, then you’ve graduated.
The delinquents were in agony as they struggled with his technique. They thought he was throwing at their groin, but he flipped his hand and hit their shoulder instead. They thought it was aimed at their arm, but he turned and struck their face instead. Each of them ended up with hits on their faces, foreheads, noses, and arms; the more they tried to dodge, the worse it got.
“Don’t think that just because you’ve been singled out means you’ve made it; you’re far from it.”
“Don’t think that being clever makes you special; there are plenty of experts in this world.”
“Starting tomorrow, training begins. If after three months you still can’t avoid my hand or take anything from me, then you might as well roll back to where you came from.”
“Endure some hardship now so you’ll suffer less later. A person who can steal isn’t necessarily a thief; a true thief is someone who can steal without being detected.”
“A successful thief isn’t measured by how valuable the items they steal are but by how no one even knows what they took…”
With nimble steps and a wildly spinning yo-yo, the delinquents couldn’t withstand it at all. Some were already showing signs of fear, covering their faces in case their eyes or noses got hit again. Panzi showed no mercy for this kind of trash; he kicked one several meters away. When he finally faced Liu Yang again, the young man barely managed to dodge the yo-yo aimed at his face. At last, Panzi smiled; he stopped moving his hand and placed it behind his back, standing still as if he had never moved at all.
The four were left in disarray; the best among them could barely stand still. Getting hit by the glass ball on soft spots wasn’t pleasant either; one had tears streaming down his face from the blows. Panzi shook his head, seemingly dissatisfied with their performance.
At that moment, Panzi’s phone rang. He took out his phone and saw it was Xiao Mu calling. He answered and said, “What’s up? What? How is that possible? No one here knows… What? They really went to the airport to steal luggage? Hahaha… This can’t be blamed on me; I just said it casually… Hahaha… Alright, I’ll head over soon…”
His mood instantly brightened upon hearing some good news: those Gourd Brothers actually went to steal luggage at the airport! Panzi thought for a moment and called for the four delinquents to follow him while educating them along the way: “I just got word that those two Gourd Brothers went to steal luggage at the airport. Regardless of anything else, these two have some serious guts… Let’s go watch; I’ll show you what happens when thieves get caught.”
They left the early morning training park in a line of four and got into a dilapidated van. Liu Yang sat in the co-driver's seat, looking restless as he pleaded with Panzi, "Brother Pan, you have to save them."
"What's the reason?" Panzi asked calmly.
"Gourd Brother is a good guy; he has helped us a lot," Liu Yang replied, with a few small thugs chiming in behind him.
"So do you think they can steal anything?" Panzi questioned.
Impossible, the group thought, shaking their heads vigorously. It was absolutely out of the question. Places like high-end hotels, government offices, and airports were tightly secured. In the realm of thugs, not only would they not attempt to steal from such locations, but they wouldn't even consider begging there.
"So this isn't about getting things done; it's downright foolishness. Let me give you some advice: when you encounter someone doing something stupid, what you need to do is not save them but... run fast and get far away."
Panzi twisted the car key, and the engine roared to life as they sped away...
…………………………
They got out in front of the airport terminal, tossed some cash for the fare, and Xiao Mu looked around, searching for the familiar figures of his troublesome companions.
Typically, people wouldn’t be up this early unless Red Sister was asking why Erhu Lu hadn’t gone to the lottery event. With no sight of fake monks at the temple and unable to reach them by phone, Xiao Mu grew anxious. Having spent enough time with Small Gourd and Big Gourd, he understood them well; their eagerness to stand out and get rich was intense, yet their lack of quality and connections was evident. Otherwise, they wouldn’t hesitate to rob a bank. Xiao Mu recalled their admiration for Panzi and thought they might genuinely dare to steal luggage as a way to prove themselves.
He dashed into one exit of the airport terminal, glanced around, then rushed out another exit. The humid weather quickly made him sweat. As he walked aimlessly, Xiao Mu suddenly had a strange thought:
Why did he care so much about these two lowly thugs? Wouldn't it be better if they got caught by the police?
Yet he found himself not wanting to see that scene. Arriving in Suzhou and Hangzhou during his worst days, he encountered these two even worse individuals who would shamelessly extort a few bucks from clients every day. They threatened street girls for higher cuts and could easily resort to violence over trivial disagreements. In this extreme lifestyle filled with desperation, what Xiao Mu felt more than anything was the deep trust between the two brothers.
Yes, trust—a luxury that unexpectedly revealed itself to Xiao Mu.
They showed no restraint in their greed, lust, filthiness, as well as their despicable and shameless behavior. They lived with a raw authenticity that was utterly shocking. Compared to his previous melancholy and aimlessness, Xiao Mu would rather deal with these two fools.
Where are the people? Damn it... Xiao Mu spotted Erhu Lu sneaking around a patrol point and hurriedly dashed over.
Next to a trash can, two travelers were smoking beside their luggage. It seemed that Erhu Lu was planning to make a move. Xiao Mu rushed up and kicked Erhu Lu in the backside. With a yelp, Erhu Lu turned around in fury but then laughed. However, the deal had gone sour, and just as he was about to explode, Xiao Mu grabbed him and pulled him away, kicking and cursing as he walked: "Where's Big Gourd? You two idiots, have you forgotten about this after drinking? Can't you tell the difference between truth and joke? Is this a place for stealing? Are you trying to get yourselves killed?"
"Oh, right, it's really hard to make a move here," Erhu Lu realized, suddenly enlightened. It was indeed difficult; there were too many security guards inside, and with all the cameras outside, they had searched for two hours without finding an opportunity.
After taking a few more kicks from Xiao Mu, this fool just laughed it off and led Xiao Mu to a blind spot near the airport where Big Gourd was squatting with a few other rascals, waiting for news. Upon seeing Xiao Mu arrive, Big Gourd exclaimed joyfully: "Look at this! I told you all that only Young Master Mu truly cares about us... everyone else is just fake."
Xiao Mu had initially prepared to scold them but found his anger dissipating upon seeing Big Gourd's silly face; it was hard to stay mad at him.
However, unexpectedly, this guy took advantage of the situation. After praising Xiao Mu a couple of times, he started asking for help: "Young Master Mu, Wood Master... you have to help us this time. We've been looking for two hours and still can't make a move."
"I've only dealt with pulling strings; I've never handled luggage," Xiao Mu replied plainly to the Gourd Brothers.
Today’s straightforwardness didn’t work either. Big Gourd said: "Isn't it the same? Pulling strings means taking people away; stealing means taking luggage. How could that possibly stump you?"
"Come on! That's not the same thing!" Xiao Mu couldn't help but laugh and cry at the same time.
"In your eyes it's nothing, but I believe you can do it," Erhu Lu urged.
The group of rascals began pleading with Xiao Mu. He realized that Panzi only returned once a year, and those who had gotten rich under him had become almost mythical figures. Since they were myths now, it was hard for these struggling brothers not to be envious. Just think about it—who wouldn’t want to live a life free of worries while drifting around on the streets?
Xiao Mu never expected Panzi held such weight in their minds. This task seemed simple enough; Big Gourd mentioned that there had once been an opportunity in front of him. The first time he met Panzi, he actually had a chance to follow him but ended up missing it because he got drunk and slept with a girl instead. As a result, another small-time thug took advantage of the situation. That guy was now on equal footing with Panzi... Thinking back on it made him regret so much that he felt like cutting off his own...
Erhu Lu also mentioned that our bleak lives need a change; we can't let others see us and immediately think we're just thugs.
"Then change to Rascal? Achieve your life value?" Xiao Mu asked, half laughing, half crying.
"No, no, no, definitely not Rascal. What they do are safe jobs, just like Lame Brother's big brother, Old Master. He has been doing it for years without any issues... Really, I heard it from Lame Brother while drinking. What was his big brother's name... right, Brother Five, the so-called master of crime," Big Gourd said dreamily.
Xiao Mu was momentarily stunned. Erhu Lu said, "Really, if a Panzi is this impressive, how formidable must the higher-ups be? If something were to go wrong, could Panzi come back year after year? Don't be fooled by their ordinary looks; they are quite something."
Indeed, that confidence and dominance felt like a low-key person carrying immense wealth while dressed plainly—exactly the style of a figure from the underworld. Xiao Mu was lost in thought for a few seconds as images of the stolen goods he had handled flashed before his eyes, suddenly gaining a moment of clarity.
"Oh, I understand."
Xiao Mu thought solemnly, his mind drifting back to carefree days when he viewed piles of cases as a student. Back then, he was just like the small-time thugs around him now, fascinated by the notorious villains in those cases. This mysterious yet uncomplicated organization likely operated like this: a group stealing goods, transferring stolen items to sell elsewhere—a seamless chain of theft, transport, and sale—similar to an international case he had observed where a gang stole high-end electronics but sold them abroad. For many years, the police were at a loss because they couldn't even gather basic evidence.
Interesting—too interesting. These lawbreakers seemed to live far more exciting lives than those enforcing the law. Xiao Mu felt a thrill at the thought; his expression bore a sickly smile as curiosity and surprise about these uniquely crafted crimes overshadowed any remaining sense of justice he held.
"Hey, Wood Master... what's wrong with you?" Erhu Lu waved his fingers, trying to rouse Xiao Mu.
"Don't disturb him; when Wood Master zones out, ideas come," Big Gourd nudged the second brother.
Xiao Mu collected himself and smiled warmly at the Gourd Brothers and the few thugs they brought along. They all looked at him expectantly. Xiao Mu said, "Have you all thought this through? Panzi might just say something as a joke; can we take it seriously?"
"Of course not! He's such an important figure; how could he not mean what he says?" Erhu Lu replied skeptically.
"Even if it's a joke, he has to acknowledge it. Just like how we deal with those one-night stands; he's in the wrong and has to pay up," Big Gourd added, pleading with Xiao Mu. "Wood Master... Brothers have always regarded you as our god of wealth; please give us some advice on this matter."
"I wasn't keen on helping at first, but since someone claims to be a master of crime, I can't let that slide. Gathering a bunch of experienced hands isn't impressive; if a group of fools can pull it off, that's real skill," Xiao Mu stated.
"Yes, we are the idiots. What do you suggest we do?" Big Gourd patted his chest confidently.
Xiao Mu looked up at the bustling airport, where taxis, private cars, and buses were bringing in and sending off throngs of travelers. Countless ideas swirled in his mind, and one particularly suitable plan for this group of fools emerged from his memory, slowly forming a smile on his face.
He beckoned with his hand, and several heads leaned in closer.
With a wave of his hand, five or six people scattered in different directions.
Their destination was surprisingly the bus that carried the most passengers.
Could they steal a suitcase from there? Xiao Mu felt no worry at all. He calmly sat down and took out his phone to snap pictures from a distance. It was a brand new mode of operation, and he suddenly felt as if he was born for this. Otherwise, why would committing a crime feel more exhilarating than anything else?
The five individuals moved towards the bus from different directions...
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