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墨書 Inktalez
Chapter 110: This Body is Already Suspended
As dawn broke, a BMW 7 Series pulled up in front of the Suzhou-Hangzhou Criminal Investigation Team Five. A man with a prominent forehead and wide ears, his belly protruding, stepped out of the car. Without needing to look closely, it was clear he was the father of the wrongly arrested Young Master Su from yesterday. The two looked like they were cast from the same mold. Seeing the imposing demeanor of this Boss, the officers felt a bit anxious; after all, they had made a mistake and were dealing with a private matter. If things escalated, it could lead to trouble.
They had initially hoped to keep things under wraps, but Young Master Su was throwing a fit, crying and rolling on the ground, convulsing and foaming at the mouth every few moments, which frightened the officers. They had no choice but to notify the family; if something happened to him while in custody, who would take responsibility?
Captain Chen Shaoyang stepped forward to greet them, his expression awkward as he repeatedly apologized for their error. Boss Su looked equally uncomfortable and asked, "What crime has he committed?"
"Nothing at all; we made a mistake in the arrest," Chen Shaoyang replied awkwardly.
Boss Su grabbed Chen Shaoyang and pulled him aside. Chen hurriedly apologized again, offering compensation with utmost sincerity.
However, Boss Su seemed displeased with his attitude and shook him off, saying, "You really lack insight. Do I look like someone who needs money? How about we discuss this further?"
Chen Shaoyang was startled; he couldn't meet any other demands as a poor officer. He stammered, "Discuss what?"
"How about this..." Boss Su leaned in closer and whispered, "Just pretend you didn't make a mistake and keep him for a few days? I'll pay whatever it takes."
"Uh? Is he really your son?" Chen Shaoyang was taken aback.
"Exactly because he's my son that I can't control him! If he weren't my son, it would be easier," Boss Su said angrily.
"This is really not possible. Even if we made a mistake in the arrest, that would still violate regulations. Besides, Young Master Su's health isn't great—he's had two seizures overnight; it scared us to death," Chen Shaoyang shook his head vigorously.
Just then, another officer shouted, "Captain! Young Master Su is having another seizure!"
Chen Shaoyang panicked and dragged Boss Su towards the Special Interrogation Room. Boss Su wanted to say something but held back. Inside the room, Young Master Su was rolling on the floor again, convulsing and foaming at the mouth. Several officers anxiously looked at Boss Su; after all, no one knew their child better than their parent. Boss Su remained calm and shouted, "Stop seizing; it's okay now."
Oh? The convulsions ceased immediately upon seeing his father arrive. Young Master Su quickly regained clarity in his eyes and affectionately called out, "Dad!"
What? It was all an act! The officers felt their stomachs churn with frustration.
Old Su awkwardly remarked, "You’ve been fooled. My son has been pulling this trick since he was little—rolling around and acting spoiled."
Lezi chuckled foolishly and taunted them, "Scared, huh? Haha, let's see if you dare to hit me again... Dad, I'm going to report them! They hit me so hard that my chest and butt hurt. If I don't pretend to be crazy, they'll lock me up."
The officers were both angry and frustrated, feeling helpless. Chen Shaoyang sincerely said, "Boss Su, it was our mistake. During the arrest, we mistakenly took Young Master Su for a suspect with the surname Mu."
"Mulin Shen?" Boss Su asked.
"Yes," Chen Shaoyang replied.
"Those two brats together never mean anything good... I swear I'm going to teach my son a lesson today, and no one better interfere."
Old Su rolled up his sleeves and approached, grabbing Lezi and delivering two loud slaps to his face, demanding, "Tell me, what were you doing in Suzhou and Hangzhou?"
Lezi let out a wail and rolled on the ground. Old Su stomped down twice more, continuing to press for answers: "What trouble did you get into?"
Still no answer?
Old Su grabbed him and slammed him onto the table, removing one of Lezi's shoes and mercilessly beating him on the back and buttocks while cursing, "Damn it! I've married three wives and haven't spent as much on you as I have in raising you for over twenty years. You little punk! If I had known I was wasting money on a good-for-nothing like you... Just confess already! What trouble did you get into with Xiao Mu?"
Lezi realized he couldn't escape the beating. He cried out for mercy, while the officers exchanged glances in disbelief. This was far worse than police interrogation; no wonder their methods didn’t work—he must have been trained for this.
Old Su finally stopped after panting heavily from exertion, releasing his son who was now crying uncontrollably. Chen Shaoyang stepped forward to mediate, but Old Su could only sigh in despair, "What a sin it is to raise such a debt collector."
Despite being beaten black and blue, Lezi didn’t forget to stab at his father with words: "Serves you right for being a crooked businessman."
"Do you believe I’ll strangle you?" Old Su snapped angrily.
Lezi crawled away and clung to an officer's leg, saying, "Hey! He's hitting me and you're just watching? Hurry up and arrest him!"
The officer pretended not to see, infuriating Lezi who reluctantly let go. The situation had turned into chaos; Chen Shaoyang blocked Old Su's path and spoke a flurry of kind words until the father finally relented. He kicked Lezi's shoe toward him in frustration and said, "What a disgrace! Get up and let's go."
Lezi scrambled to his feet, hastily putting on his shoe and sneaking behind his father like a thief.
As they stepped outside, Lezi didn't forget to threaten the police, saying, "Listen up, you better release my two brothers quickly. If I don't see them, I'll sue you today... ah."
Upon hearing the threat, Old Su grabbed his son and started fighting again at the door. The guard simply shut the door, locking the two lively characters outside.
After half an hour of commotion, they finally calmed down. Some officers came to ask about Hu Yiming and Li Xiaoyong. These two were no easier to deal with than the suspects. Chen Shaoyang waved his hand and said, "Let them go. If you don't, you'll have to feed them. It's not a serious case; keeping these two locked up is just a headache."
Having made no progress at all, Chen Shaoyang resorted to this desperate measure. However, the outcome was even worse. Just as he arranged for the officers who had worked all night to rest, more trouble arose. Three police cars arrived, along with an inspector's vehicle, all parked in the yard. Chen Shaoyang was startled and quickly adjusted his uniform and demeanor to salute and welcome them.
One team was from the inspectorate, another from the squadron, and the last vehicle was Shen Lingchen's team that had caught up on the road.
Things had escalated quickly. Squad Leader Xiao Zhuoli got out of the car with a stern expression and stood in the courtyard while a line of officers lined up reluctantly. Chen Shaoyang saluted and reported, but Xiao Zhuoli waved him off, saying, "Enough with that. Do you even know what you've done?"
"Yesterday we responded to a call and summoned three suspects; we've resolved it satisfactorily," Chen Shaoyang replied.
Xiao Zhuoli's face darkened as he shouted, "Not that! Think again."
"Huh? What else is there? Squad Leader, don’t wrongfully accuse me; I've never been greedy or corrupt. Feel free to investigate," Chen Shaoyang retorted angrily, unleashing his pent-up frustration.
"It's all over the internet, and you're still trying to talk your way out of it... You assaulted Ma Yubing, didn't you?" Xiao Zhuoli said furiously.
Yes, he had indeed assaulted him; Chen Shaoyang was left speechless in shock.
The Squad Leader showed him a webpage displaying a screenshot of a video—showing punches and kicks being thrown—capturing Chen Shaoyang's furious face alongside a photo of him in uniform. The comparison was undeniable evidence.
The news was even worse; it reported that the Suzhou and Hangzhou police were randomly arresting people, ruining two companies in the process while also engaging in extortion and assaulting business owners. It was infuriating to read; anyone would feel righteous anger against such actions.
"I did it," Chen Shaoyang finally admitted with a firm stance.
"And you think you have a reason?" Captain Xiao exclaimed angrily.
"I wanted to provoke him into making mistakes or retaliating or revealing some other flaw; there's definitely something hidden there. This group is definitely involved in major crimes," Chen Shaoyang explained.
"With no evidence, is this your first day as a police officer? Now the City Bureau Inspector is officially starting an investigation against you. Stand over there."
Captain Xiao shouted, announcing the investigation decision to the two dejected detectives. The Captain was suspended, and the Deputy Captain would take over directly. Then, the entire team would undergo discipline rectification, focusing on concentrated learning and self-examination.
With their firearms and badges confiscated, Chen Shaoyang looked terrifyingly grim as he lowered his head and approached the inspector's car. Shen Lingchen blocked his path in front of the vehicle. Chen Shaoyang glared at him, and Shen Lingchen said, "I’ve committed worse offenses than you, and I’m also suspended. Don’t glare at me."
"Thanks, Deputy Commissioner Shen, but I don’t need your consolation. I’ll bear the consequences of my own actions," Chen Shaoyang replied.
"I'm not here to comfort you. However, I think you're right; it's just that your approach was wrong. Don't lose heart; try a different method next time. You might escape for a moment, but you can't escape forever," Shen Lingchen said as he opened the car door for him. Chen Shaoyang gave him a complicated look before getting into the car.
After Captain Xiao dealt with this matter and left Criminal Investigation Team Five, one party returned to the City Bureau while the other went back to the sub-bureau. The two suspects captured at Zhonghai Hotel went through the normal procedures, but they were taken back to Binhai for processing.
Theoretically, such matters could be handled by the police station; however, Shen Lingchen was carrying the banner of the special task force, and the sub-bureau cooperated fully. They hurriedly completed everything, already past working hours.
The situation was not easy for these three individuals. They learned that it was Chen Shaoyang from Criminal Investigation Team Five who had gone out to prepare to detain suspect Mulin Shen while questioning Ma Yubing and He Shi about their whereabouts. As a result, Su Rongle and those two were taken by the Police Force, leading to chaos. Who would have thought that Chen Shaoyang would be embroiled in a scandal involving Ma Yubing? Now it had become a hot topic online, yet he was the first to fall.
"This actually shows that Ma Yubing's group is not simple," Guo Wei commented.
"Democracy, openness, and transparency increase the difficulty of law enforcement; however, if it’s not democratic or open, it raises the likelihood of law enforcement officers breaking the law. It's a dilemma, but the system cannot favor the police. Wrong is wrong," Guan Yiqing stated.
"Theoretical approaches won't work; civilized law enforcement is itself a false proposition. The words 'civilized' and 'law enforcement' together are inherently discordant," Guo Wei replied.
"But if you don't act according to the law, isn't that still unacceptable? You catch people but still have to release them?" Guan Yiqing countered.
Guo Wei driving fell silent as they approached a narrowing case situation that felt increasingly like entering a dead alley. Pan Shuanglong couldn't be interrogated effectively; Song Lijuan had no further evidence of involvement in the case, and they even lost their informant due to clues provided by him. Their mood had dropped to an all-time low; both began to doubt their mentor's judgment.
"Turn at the next intersection; I'll get out and walk for a bit. You two find a place for breakfast. After eating, we’ll head back to Binhai," Shen Lingchen instructed from the back seat. Upon reaching the intersection, he got out and walked away while his two disciples watched in frustration.
Wait a minute; this seems to be Zhengmin Road? Guo Wei and Guan Yiqing suddenly realized this was where their informant frequented.
"All the phone numbers have disappeared. Where are we supposed to find him?" Guo Wei asked.
"I don't know. He probably has his own ways... Let's go eat; I'm starving," Guan Yiqing replied.
The two drove to a nearby breakfast spot and hastily settled for a meal.
After finishing their food, they waited for a long time before seeing their master arrive, accompanied by two men. They chatted as they walked, and when the two men waved goodbye after dropping Shen Lingchen off, Guo Wei couldn't help but take a closer look and curiously asked, "Master, are they... Police Officers?"
"Yes, one is from the Street Office, and the other is a Police Officer. I've dealt with them in the past; one is about to be promoted to deputy director," Shen Lingchen said.
"Do they have news about Xiao Mu?" Guan Yiqing asked eagerly. Turning around, she sensed something was off; her master's expression was not good. She reluctantly said, "It seems there isn't any."
"No, there is—quite a lot," Shen Lingchen leaned slightly forward and considered his words carefully. "Right now, all the parking fees, sanitation fees, and management fees on the streets are being handled by social agents. Guess who those agents are?"
"It can't be..." Guan Yiqing's face paled.
"Big Gourd and Erhu Lu... Oh boy, this little rascal seems to have planned it out well. He's back in Suzhou and Hangzhou acting behind the scenes, collecting easy money. Even the Police Officers know that there's a Wood Master around here who's quite famous; he manages everything from drifters to thugs," Shen Lingchen said in astonishment.
Guo Wei chuckled at the dark humor in those words, but Guan Yiqing felt both amused and helpless as she asked, "So where is he now?"
"Hard to say. This money isn't easy to grab; either he's been blacked out by a newly risen small gang or suppressed by an old gang trying to make a comeback. This guy really doesn't know his limits; he dares to come back and act like a big shot," Shen Lingchen said incredulously, not expecting Xiao Mu could achieve so much in just a month. Realizing something, his eyes widened as he blurted out, "Oh no, he wants to slip away... and he wants to make some quick cash while doing it."
Huh? Both Guo Wei and Guan Yiqing were taken aback. Then they thought about it and realized it made sense; compared to Xiao Mu's familiar environment abroad, making quick money and slipping away would undoubtedly be the best choice. Moreover, this area was a vacuum zone perfect for such activities.
"So... has he slipped away?" Guo Wei asked curiously.
"Not quite; he didn't have time to escape before being caught... Last night, Azure Head's call location matched his. So he should be with that group of thieves—most likely former subordinates of Pan Shuanglong," Shen Lingchen deduced.
"Could it be that they're teaming up to commit crimes?" Guo Wei asked.
This question earned him a glare from Guan Yiqing but struck a chord with Shen Lingchen's concerns. He hesitated before saying, "Yes, that's likely the case—scouting locations and testing the waters. This is the prelude to something serious; I'm afraid an incident might really occur."
“Xiao Mu, you do have some self-awareness, don’t you? Aren’t you underestimating him?” Guan Yiqing at least spoke a good word for Xiao Mu.
“In the world of Jianghu, one is often not in control of their own fate. If it really comes down to it, there’s no turning back.”
Shen Lingchen leaned back dejectedly and said, after a long pause, “Put Azure Head and Xiao Mu’s phone numbers on the priority suspect list. Go through Pan Shuanglong’s case materials again. These people might be making their move soon.”
“Is that so? Something just happened?” Guo Wei asked.
“Yeah, Master… right now our direction seems to be drifting further away from investigating Wang Zihua’s Case Situation,” Guan Yiqing inquired.
“Maybe I overestimated myself a bit. I can’t even sort out these people’s gang affiliations. Tsk, let’s hold on a bit longer. If there’s no progress, we’ll focus on Pan Shuanglong’s case.”
Shen Lingchen said gloomily. Initially, he had hoped to gain insights from the higher-ups, but now it seemed that even achieving that was quite challenging…
……………………
……………………
Several phones were handed one by one to Nie Qifeng. Without even looking at them, Nie Qifeng raised his hand and sent the phones flying in graceful arcs into the deep blue sea, splashing up a few droplets before they disappeared from sight.
It was early morning when Xiao Mu was called awake, still rubbing his eyes. The others seemed more alert; one with a shaved head was doing push-ups on the deck, his muscular arms flexing like the Azure Head rascal who was rumored to have been taken by Panzi. Standing next to Nie Qifeng was another man with an extremely sleazy appearance—yellow teeth and a scruffy beard that made you want to steer clear at first glance. The one who woke Xiao Mu was yet another type: lean and wiry with high cheekbones and sunken eyes, his mouth spewing curses that indicated he was definitely not local.
They were quite the crew, but there was an even more striking figure among them—a beautiful woman dressed in red and blue shorts with long hair. In the midst of such rough characters, she appeared completely at ease, smiling as she greeted Panzi, suggesting they were likely acquaintances.
A gathering of skilled individuals engaged in organized crime. Just look at this setup; after a night of sailing, all that could be seen was the vast expanse of white sea surface. Xiao Mu couldn’t help but ponder whether these fools were involved in cross-border crime. He had behaved quite well during the night… Don’t ask why he was so compliant; out here on the sea, could there be a safer place than a pirate ship?
“I want to emphasize one thing: it’s not easy for brothers to come together. There are two outcomes—either we form alliances or we create enemies. To put it simply, this time we’re going for something big. If you want in, leave your thoughts here; if not, get back to your cabin and roll off when we dock… One last question: is there anyone who doesn’t want to participate?” Nie Qifeng declared.
No one; absolutely no one. The others wore excited expressions, eager to try their hand at it. The lean Southern Guy cursed, “Not much money but too much talk; let’s get to it.”
“Brother Nie, if the money isn’t much, I really wouldn’t want to do this,” Azure Head said as he got up from his push-ups. Niezi laughed and replied, “There’s plenty; just afraid you won’t have what it takes… What about you guys? Ladies?”
"I'm just a weak woman, listening to you all," the beautiful woman laughed, shrugging her shoulders and spreading her hands. The subtle glimpse of her figure beneath her clothing made the Pervert rub his eyes. With a playful smile, she unfastened a button at her chest, and as his gaze fixated on her, her hand formed a middle finger gesture.
Nie Qifeng chuckled and glanced at Xiao Mu, who was polite and composed, not looking away. He asked, "Mu, congratulations on getting on board. How was your time in Suzhou and Hangzhou? What do you think? Ready for the big leagues?"
"I'm just worried you might find it troublesome to share the spoils," Xiao Mu replied courteously, masking his true feelings.
Unfazed, the others turned their attention to Xiao Mu—three men and one woman—each with sharp eyes. Soon, their suspicious gazes shifted towards Nie Qifeng, as if blaming him for bringing along someone who might hold them back.
"Don't be blind; you don't recognize the true master before you... This is Brother Five. Let me clarify about these goods: I have no need to cheat. If he can't recognize them, I'll toss him into the sea. How's that for not holding you back?" Nie Qifeng declared, directly pushing Xiao Mu into the spotlight. The four of them slowly circled around him, examining him as if he were a prehistoric dinosaur.
His hands were fair and smooth, unlike those of his peers; he was handsome but looked like he didn't know how to fight. Could he have some other special skill? The Pervert grinned widely and leaned in closer to Xiao Mu, leering as he asked, "Guess who I am?"
"With a hunchback, ears that move, and that face people can't stand—looks like you've been holed up in your doghouse training for quite some time... Your right index finger must be nail-less," Xiao Mu replied. The Pervert was taken aback and looked at his own finger; indeed, there was no nail. As he stared at Xiao Mu in shock, Xiao Mu revealed his identity: "You're Locksmith."
"Damn," the lean man muttered in surprise.
Having guessed correctly, the Pervert stared at his finger in disbelief and murmured, "Not much difference... just a bit shorter nails... and there's more."
It seemed there was indeed a difference; years of using that finger had clearly worn it down more than usual. As he looked at Xiao Mu, Xiao Mu pointed at the tools hanging from his waist—a long string of various metal gadgets—and smiled: "The difference may not be much when your finger is down, but when you raise your arm, it's significant."
Raising his arm revealed the tools tucked into his waistband.
"Damn... how did you recognize me?" Azure Head stepped forward with crossed arms.
"You don't need to recognize me; you're originally from Cangji Village. Not many were taken away by Brother Pan," Xiao Mu said. Azure Head reluctantly stepped aside. For some reason, Xiao Mu's serious demeanor exuded an air of authority that made him hesitate to challenge him.
Nie Qifeng laughed and patted Azure Head on the shoulder: "In the Cangji area now, he's the boss. Silly fool."
"Hey... what about me?" Southern Guy asked Xiao Mu with a grin.
"You're into electronics? Your mouse hand is so obvious; do I even need to guess? You must be from an electronic lock background or something similar... Look at your outfit—it's all techie style: white on top and blue below. The color scheme is monotonous, like programming with 0s and 1s—it's either this or that."
Others were left dumbfounded, and the young woman chuckled lightly. Nie Qifeng looked at Southern Guy's awkward expression and burst into laughter, reminding Xiao Mu, "Not bad, quite impressive. His name is Mainboard... Haha... And there's a beautiful lady here, Mu, just conquer her directly."
"Oh... you scared me," the girl exaggeratedly placed a hand on her chest, and in an instant, her outfit shifted, revealing more of her figure. Even someone well-versed in women couldn't help but feel a stir in his heart. Xiao Mu thought about it; this would be quite a challenge. He slowly said, "Last night, I think I saw an office lady style... With such simple conditions, you managed to dress so exquisitely, especially in this team. You must be a makeup artist or stylist of some sort..."
As Xiao Mu spoke slowly, the woman's eyes widened. He concluded with a smile, "Not only do you do your own makeup, but you also transform their images? And you probably have other skills as well... The skin on your knees is rough, and from your palms to your wrists, it's not that smooth either... It seems like there are some tough fighters here; it looks like Azure Head is one of them..."
The girl was surprised and delighted, snapping her fingers and declaring, "Brother Nie, he's mine now."
"Hehe... You got it wrong. Everyone come over; let me formally introduce you to Brother Five... This time he’s your leader; all actions will be directed by him... Don’t be defiant; in our line of work, being quick-witted is secondary; using your brain is what makes a good leader."
Nie Qifeng introduced him, and the others quickly accepted it, nodding one by one as they stepped forward to shake hands, calling him Brother Five. Nie Qifeng introduced each of them: Pervert was called Locksmith; indeed he was Locksmith; Southern Guy was Mainboard, responsible for electronic locks and circuits; Azure Head was paired with Thug and seemed to have a close relationship with Locksmith. The girl was introduced as Lani by Niezi; she was in her twenties and surprisingly a seasoned female thief whose specialty was makeup.
The rapid advancement of technology had led to thefts, especially targeted ones that had to consider the most troublesome cameras. Disguising one's appearance during a crime was more important than the technique itself. It seemed this was indeed a big case.
"Brothers, let's go have breakfast. From now on, we have a day for preparation. Same old rules: work well together; when it comes to money, everyone goes their own way. No one is allowed to inquire about real names among ourselves; once we dock, no one is allowed to act alone until the job is done... Understood?" Nie Qifeng moved ahead while giving instructions.
More than forty people took it lightly. Lani teased Nie Qifeng about how he never changed his nagging nature whenever they met.
There were even harsher words from Niezi: Brother Five would formulate the plan; he had full command. Anyone who disobeyed would be thrown into the big pool to feed the fish.
It was over; judging by their accents, they were seasoned thieves who had collaborated multiple times before. Xiao Mu's heart raced as he realized he would be directly involved as a suspect this time and even as the leader. His heart raced uncontrollably; he felt helpless but had to maintain an air of confidence when others looked at him. He calmly said:
"No problem; making plans is a piece of cake for me."
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