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墨書 Inktalez
Chapter 129: Cross-Border Pursuit 13
"Report to the command center, Team 4 has arrived at the scene..."
"Report to the command center, Team 3 has arrived at the scene, please advise..."
"Set up checkpoints along Huaihai Road and disperse the crowd..."
"At the intersection of A7 and B8, implement traffic control, prohibiting vehicles and personnel from passing..."
"Signal coordinates sent out, signal coordinates sent out, all teams pay attention, seal off all exits..."
The command channel was in chaos. Lin Qizhao paced anxiously in Rong Ying's room, feeling trapped in a city of despair. He had not anticipated that Rong Wu would actually call, nor did he expect that this deeply hidden suspect would have such a tacit understanding with the informant. For some reason, an ominous premonition lingered in his heart.
"Deputy Commissioner Shen, could that be another transfer point?" Lin Qizhao asked worriedly once again.
The advancement of modern communication technology not only propelled criminal investigation techniques but also enhanced criminal methods. Having already experienced a failed operation, even if the signal appeared at the Property Building, Lin Qizhao could not determine if the suspect was truly there.
Shen Lingchen shook his head and replied, "It's hard to say... but we already know enough."
"When did you start suspecting Xiao Zhuoli?" Lin Qizhao inquired.
"A long time ago, but we lacked evidence. The failed capture in Suzhou and Hangzhou, the appearance of stolen goods in the Wang Zihua case in Suzhou and Hangzhou, and several auction house leads being interrupted there made me suspect that there was a hidden hand close to me. The informant provided clues about this gang recruiting helpers nationwide, which confirmed my suspicion that this person is among us. The crime information database has IP registrations; unfortunately, the displayed addresses are multiple Criminal Investigation teams in Suzhou and Hangzhou. Someone is deliberately muddying the waters, preventing us from investigating further... You Bisheng refused to acknowledge Brother Five's identity until death. I think this person was his last lifeline; he must have saved him. Moreover, You Bisheng's second imprisonment was also in Suzhou and Hangzhou," Shen Lingchen explained.
Police officers do not believe in coincidences; too many coincidences can only imply that there are potentially undisclosed backroom dealings at play. Lin Qizhao said gloomily, "So yesterday's suspicion of Chen Shaoyang was just a feint to pin him down?"
"Exactly. Only by trapping him can we confine Rong Wu and possibly force them both to reveal themselves. But I didn't expect it to be so direct. Now, Suzhou and Hangzhou should be taking action," Shen Lingchen gasped for breath, as if overwhelmed with excitement.
It was so calm here that it created a chilling sense of foreboding...
The rain poured down as the team from Suzhou and Hangzhou hurriedly made their way to the substation. Several members of the Provincial Department jumped out of their vehicles, braving the downpour as they rushed toward the heavily guarded building.
Inside, the atmosphere was tense. The desk was cluttered with confiscated items, including Chen Shaoyang's phone, which buzzed incessantly, yet no one dared to answer it.
After being interrogated for an entire night, Chen Shaoyang felt a surge of excitement at the sound of his phone ringing, as if a shot of adrenaline had coursed through him.
"Whose call is that?" Xiao Zhuoli asked.
"It's mine. Are you planning to strip me of my right to receive calls too?" Chen Shaoyang replied dismissively.
"You won't be given that right until all your issues are clarified," Xiao Zhuoli stated firmly.
"Oh, I understand," Chen Shaoyang said with a sudden, strange smile. He tilted his head and added, "Captain Xiao, you could actually answer that call. It might be for you."
"What?" Xiao Zhuoli was taken aback.
At that moment, hurried footsteps echoed in the hallway. Xiao Zhuoli's brow furrowed as he became increasingly restless, while the two leaders remained oblivious to the unfolding situation. As someone stood up, Chen Shaoyang remarked, "Captain Xiao, when we captured Ma Yubing and Mao Shiping, only you and I were privy to Xu Gang's intel. I initially thought it was an insider leak, but later realized they had started moving the stolen goods in the dead of night... So, who do you think leaked it? Was it me or you?"
"You... don't act like a cornered animal," Xiao Zhuoli stammered, losing his composure.
"Don't you think it's a bit excessive to interrogate me and treat me like an insider? This whole setup seems designed to prevent certain people from acting out of desperation," Chen Shaoyang said coolly, his disdain evident. He continued with a smirk, "Deputy Commissioner Shen is quite skilled at catching thieves. After everything that's happened, do you really believe he suspects nothing about you?"
Xiao Zhuoli suddenly stood up in alarm. He listened intently as the footsteps grew closer, panic washing over him as his legs weakened and his hands trembled. The expression on his face shifted dramatically. It seemed this was indeed a conspiracy—a scheme disguised as an interrogation meant to ensnare the one being questioned.
Boom... There was no time to think as the door swung open. Several officials from the Provincial Department entered, accompanied by my supervisor. Someone stepped forward to remove the handcuffs from Chen Shaoyang, while another person stood in front of Xiao Zhuoli—it was Chen Dingli. He slowly extended his hand and said:
"Hand over your personal belongings. The latest news from the Provincial Department indicates that you are under isolation for questioning."
In an instant, Xiao Zhuoli felt dizzy, nearly fainting. His face turned ashen, lips trembling, hands shaking as he fumbled to retrieve his belongings. Chen Dingli, wearing gloves, examined his phone closely and curiously asked:
"Captain Xiao, when Shen Lingchen proposed this plan yesterday, I could hardly believe it. It seems keeping you here was the right choice... A night filled with 39 missed calls—things must be tough for you. Can you tell me who they were from?"
Zheng Kegong chimed in: "Xiao Zhuoli, no wonder you've been making three trips to Binhai a day; you wanted to know about the case situation's progress, didn't you? You accessed the crime information database through several Criminal Investigation teams' terminals, didn't you? You thought no one would suspect you just because your IP couldn't be traced? After taking out Xu Gang, are you planning to eliminate Rong Wu next?"
Xiao Zhuoli let out a deep breath and closed his eyes.
Chen Shaoyang unceremoniously snapped the removed handcuffs onto his superior's wrists and pushed him down into a seat.
"I'm borrowing your words now; once we have evidence, it'll be too late for you to confess... Let's begin, Captain Xiao."
………………………
………………………
At 7:35 AM, the Property Building on Huaihai Road was surrounded by police cars and armored vehicles from all directions. The Information Center was buzzing with activity as dozens of screens switched to live footage from the scene. Temporary checkpoints and traffic controls had been established. In just a few minutes, this area had become a virtual no-man's land. The Provincial Department's Special Operations Team was ready to update their records; it was exhilarating to think that a major case had been cracked in less than twenty-four hours—evidence recovered and the mastermind apprehended.
On every screen in Group A, figures clad in black SWAT gear moved about—deploying defenses, maintaining vigilance, searching. The signal appeared to be encircled like a fortress; so many people were involved in capturing just one individual that it made everyone tense.
On the first floor and second floor, SWAT teams advanced through elevators and emergency exits. The signal remained active throughout. A nervous SWAT member holding the signal asked, "Is this another fake base station?"
"What are you waiting for? Confirm it quickly," someone replied.
The elevator dinged as it reached the nineteenth floor near Signal. The hydraulic clamps cut the lock, and as they burst through the door, a chill ran down their spines once again. Another computer connected to circuits and a mobile phone was sending out Signal.
The information was relayed back, with SWAT reporting, "No findings... this is a fake base station."
In the observation room of the Information Center, there were sighs of disappointment. The commanding voice over the communication channel instructed, "Shut down this base station; we continue with Signal."
The cables connecting the computer were yanked out, and the tracking from the Information Center immediately followed the Signal message. Once the fake base station was shut down, Signal would begin searching anew. However, at that moment, everyone knew that the suspect had likely already escaped.
Frustration hung in the air as Lin Qizhao and Shen Lingchen listened to the voices on the command channel, feeling a sense of loss.
"Xiao Mu, it seems our leader decisively took your advice and left," Shen Lingchen remarked with a hint of bitterness.
With his eyes still closed, Xiao Mu replied, "Old Shen, your mind is in disarray; you've lost your normal judgment. Niezi and Li Derli couldn't get him to talk during interrogation, and He Shining refuses to yield. Do you really think they have a vested interest? If not for personal gain, what could make this person command such loyalty?"
"Are you suggesting that this person's character is admirable enough for his subordinates to be so devoted?" Lin Qizhao asked.
"Isn't that the case? The most despicable one here is me. I pushed him into this corner... he has no way out now; he can only sink with this ship of thieves. He will definitely not leave any future troubles for Rong Ying. Even without me, I believe he would find some way to drag Xiao Zhuoli down with him," Xiao Mu stated.
"Signal is a fake base station; he has escaped," Shen Lingchen reminded them.
"He hasn't escaped; he would only run if he had something to worry about. Now that he doesn't... Someone who harbors extreme hatred for normal society won't choose to live in hiding. Between anonymity and making a grand statement, they will choose the latter. They will design their own ending spectacularly rather than submit to anyone's will, including yours as police officers," Xiao Mu explained.
The expression on Guo Wei's face dropped in disbelief at this soothsayer's words. Lin Qizhao tapped his head and gestured to Shen Lingchen, silently asking if Xiao Mu had been affected by something last night. Unable to respond definitively, Shen Lingchen could only nod in agreement.
Unexpectedly, after several seconds of silence, the radio suddenly erupted into chaos:
"Assault team, Signal is still active; it's directly above your position..."
"Attention all teams, maintain your alert formation..."
"The position is being re-confirmed... rooftop, rooftop, he's on the rooftop."
"We're almost in position..."
Amidst the chaotic command channel, the information left those outside the situation bewildered. Lin Qizhao was slapped in the face time and again, and at this moment, he was beyond astonished. He rushed to Xiao Mu's side, watching warily. He glanced again; Xiao Mu was still holding onto Guan Yiqing's arm, while Guan Yiqing was avoiding his gaze. In that instant, the ominous feeling became clearer. He suddenly understood what Xiao Mu's sorrowful expression meant and picked up the radio to shout:
"Attention, attention, all teams... The suspect may attempt suicide. If spotted, you may shoot to injure but must capture him alive..."
He understood that Xiao Mu meant no one could stop him. For someone with such antisocial tendencies, the longer they were suppressed, the more flamboyant their outburst would be. Rong Wu had been living in hiding for over twenty years; someone like him would likely view arrest and interrogation as a form of humiliation, just like He Shi. He coordinated the police force for the encirclement and prepared for prevention.
"It's too late..."
Xiao Mu sighed softly. As his voice faded, the phone on the table lit up with a new message. Guan Yiqing picked it up, and when a few others leaned in to look, they saw a line of heart-wrenching words:
"Take care of Yingzi; she has suffered a lot since childhood."
...
The phone was thrown high into the air by Rong Wu, tracing a graceful arc before plummeting straight down to the ground.
After a night of chilling wind and rain, Rong Wu was soaked through. He adjusted his collar and wiped the rain from his forehead as if trying to appear more composed and handsome. Then he grasped the railing and stood at the edge of the building, overlooking the dizzying height. A strange excitement stirred within him—a morbid thrill following despair.
He watched below as police cars came and went and officers pointed and gestured in panic; their flustered state exhilarated him. He wondered how long this panic would last, which only fueled his excitement further. It felt like the most tense and thrilling moment of his life—like witnessing his father bound tightly with ropes and marked for execution being led to the gallows.
The feeling of fear that had once gripped him like a vice would no longer haunt him after today. He wiped the water from his face, unsure if it was rain or tears.
But he knew that from now on, he would no longer be looked down upon or ignored.
He also understood that there had once been countless paths he could have taken, but the road he chose—a road of no return—had finally reached its end. From this moment forward, he would no longer be tormented by worries or sighs; he could quietly explore the world he longed for.
That world had a father, a mother, and the warmth of happier times. There would be no more deceit or turmoil in this world. He gazed at the police officers, who moved like a swarm of ants, their stern presence stirring something deep within him, akin to the rush of drugs.
It was them; they were holding his father. He remembered vividly the glint of cold steel on the rifle and how the officers aimed their guns at his father's head.
Bang... The gunshot sent shivers through him, making his heart clench.
It wasn't a memory of gunfire; it was the sound echoing in the present. A SWAT team stormed onto the rooftop, the lead officer firing a warning shot. When he caught sight of the suspect on the ledge, he raised his hand to signal and reported over the radio, "A Group reporting, suspect is standing on the ledge."
This report was undoubtedly tricky. The commander futilely ordered, "Talk him down."
Damn it, how do you talk someone down who won't surrender? The team leader yanked on his earpiece, tossed his weapon to a partner, and stepped forward with his hands raised to show he meant no harm. He shouted, "Rong Wu, don’t do anything foolish! You’re still young; there’s still hope for you."
Hahaha... Rong Wu laughed skyward, then turned back with a few chuckles and asked, "You know my name but don’t know who I am."
"It doesn’t matter who you are; just come down and talk. Maybe your crime isn’t worth a death sentence. Think about your loved ones—do you want them to watch you like this?" The team leader tried to comfort him.
Oh boy, that was worse than not saying anything at all. Lin Qizhao urgently reminded over the radio: Don’t mention his family; his father is a Death Row Inmate.
It was too late. Rong Wu's expression turned grave as he asked the officer, "Didn’t anyone tell you my father surrendered and was sentenced to death? He didn’t kill anyone; he was just desperate."
A SWAT officer rushed over to whisper something in the team leader's ear. Upon hearing it, he shouted back, "Then you can’t do this! Don’t you have a sister? If you take your own life, what will happen to her?"
"Shut up... listen to me, you bunch of fools," Rong Wu shouted.
The team leader was startled and took two steps back, saying, "Let's talk down there; we're listening."
"What I want to say is," Rong Wu shouted hoarsely, "You want me to confess and kneel down begging for mercy? That's a delusion... I am a notorious criminal; I am utterly wicked. Do you know who my Criminal is? It's the police, ha ha ha! It's you, the police, ha ha ha... the so-called guardians of the people, the so-called public servants... ha ha ha... The Black Money they got from me is all stolen goods... ha... Tell me, isn't that funny?"
His face was drenched with rain as he laughed maniacally. His complexion shifted from pale to flushed, sometimes filled with rage and at other times bursting with joy. The group of arresting officers stood frozen in place, not daring to move.
"Ha ha, how amusing! Stealing from one person makes you a thief; stealing from hundreds makes you a bandit; stealing from thousands and millions allows you to call it a system..." Rong Wu turned around, wiped the rain from his face, and shouted to the sky, "My fate is in my hands, not in heaven's! Who can stop me? Ha ha!"
The team leader sensed something was wrong and couldn't hold back any longer. Gathering his strength, he sprinted away. Rong Wu turned back with a smile and then abandoned his last bit of balance. He leaped forcefully as if soaring into the air, rushing towards the team leader at the edge of the railing. He even saw him trying to fix his hair messed up by the rain before he shot down like an arrow, racing towards the ground along with the raindrops.
There was no time to set up an air cushion; the shadow descending grew larger. The surrounding police officers scattered quickly. With a loud thud, like a sack of broken leather, Rong Wu crashed heavily to the ground. The nearby officers clearly saw blood rapidly seeping out around his body, spreading in the rainwater until it gradually faded.
At 7:58 AM, the encirclement team reported that suspect Rong Wu had jumped from the 27th-floor rooftop to commit suicide.
...
Lin Qizhao arrived at the scene twenty minutes later. A canopy had already been set up over the body, and the coroner had just arrived. The evidence collected from him was being placed one by one into sealed bags. Lin Qizhao took a close look at Rong Wu.
He appeared refined and did not look like a vicious criminal at all. As he gazed up at the towering buildings above him, he couldn't tell whether it was fear or courage that he felt. Lost in thought, Shen Lingchen reminded him that they had found a stack of paper items on Rong Wu, tucked inside his clothing. It was also sealed in a bag that had a patch of blood on it.
"Bring that over," Lin Qizhao ordered. He put on gloves and carefully retrieved it. After quickly scanning through the elegant handwriting on each page, he stared wide-eyed at Shen Lingchen. Shen Lingchen also noticed it and sighed in relief as he said, "Xiao Mu's guess was correct; he intended to take Xiao Zhuoli down with him."
All of it pertained to Xiao Zhuoli's stolen goods—timeframes, addresses, values. Lin Qizhao silently handed back the evidence and said, "That's right; he might not have been hiding from us but rather from Xiao Zhuoli's cleanup."
Unfortunately, Xiao Zhuoli had been detained overnight and only managed to relay a message that "the informant is dead." This move seemed brilliantly calculated; too bad it couldn't stop someone who had already made up their mind about death.
"Perhaps this ending is the best for him," Shen Lingchen suddenly remarked, looking at Rong Wu lying on the ground. Strangely, he did not feel the hatred one would expect for a suspect guilty of heinous crimes; instead, he felt an inexplicable pity.
"I'm afraid Xiao Mu had already guessed this outcome... that bastard, coaxing him into death," Lin Qizhao said gloomily. His gaze fell on the evidence tray, where a photograph lay. He leaned in closer to examine it and then seemed to ponder as he headed straight towards the Property Building.
Shen Lingchen followed his steps and asked, "What's wrong, Lin Department Head?"
"I want to see what this suspect was doing before he died. Did he really do as Xiao Mu said? With the photo in hand, did he just stay here all night?" Lin Qizhao questioned with a hint of disbelief in his tone.
"That seems likely. Nie Qifeng made a mistake, and Li Derli should have informed him. He Shi committed suicide, and Li Derli's ship carrying the stolen goods didn't leave. Furthermore, Xiao Zhuoli was detained under the pretense of interrogating Chen Shaoyang. Most of the people he knew have been summoned to the Branch... I can't believe I didn't realize it sooner; Xiao Mu's foresight might surpass our imagination. This is the best strategy to ensnare everyone—no matter where Rong Wu is, he will be trapped," Shen Lingchen said, his eyes lighting up as his understanding of Xiao Mu deepened. This approach was, in some ways, even more than psychological warfare; it created a sense of isolation and betrayal wherever one turned.
"We had every opportunity to catch him," Lin Qizhao said with a hint of frustration.
"He has already warned us... Yes, he said I was confused, and I am confused. I was so focused on capturing him that I didn't consider there could be another outcome. Someone like him would never bow to us. Moreover, Xiao Mu has feelings for Rong Wu and would certainly not want to see him captured," Shen Lingchen said regretfully.
The two ascended to the rooftop, where SWAT members were stationed. One of them pointed towards the area where they suspected the suspect had been.
Lin Qizhao and Shen Lingchen stood in the rain, staring blankly at the scene as they recalled Xiao Mu's words—his judgment was spot on:
The place was littered with cigarette butts and two overturned bottles. They could almost feel Rong Wu here, smoking, drinking, and caressing an old photograph while struggling through the night.
Indeed, no one could stop him from drawing an ignoble yet sensational conclusion to his life in this manner.
On this day, dozens of unresolved cases broke through their icy barriers. The thief who never stole with his own hands detailed numerous crimes in his suicide note and recorded messages on his phone. The one providing accurate targets was none other than Squad Leader Xiao Zhuoli, who held a key position within the police force.
Li Derli had broken through; upon hearing about Rong Wu's death, his face turned ashen as he no longer concealed his actions. He was the legendary figure known as Black Kite, skilled in opening Insurance cabinets—a false identity created by Xiao Zhuoli from within the police system.
Pan Shuanglong had also broken through; his superior Li Derli constantly provided him with leads about Strange Persons of the Jianghu to contact before forming groups to commit crimes. Those leads were sourced from a criminal information database that had previously targeted criminals. The very database meant to combat crime became a resource for selecting criminals—a revelation that sent chills down the spines of the interrogating officers.
The stolen goods from the Wang Zihua and Kang Zhuang case were partially lost, partially sold, and a significant portion, as the task force assessed, had transformed into art financial instruments, quietly resting in the vaults of a certain commercial bank's Insurance department.
In an astonishing turn of events, the Case Situation provided by Rong Wu revealed several instances of unfiled cases, with numerous stolen items still unaccounted for.
Before they could verify those leads, Binhai had mobilized nearly half of the Police Force from the task force to the Branch, racing between auction houses, pawn shops, and guarantee companies to ascertain the confiscated stolen goods. During their investigations, they discovered that the debts—triangular, quadrangular, pentagonal, and even more complex—were utterly impossible to untangle. These stolen items had been mortgaged, transferred, and belonged to various individuals. The difficulty in reclaiming them was no less than capturing suspects; each one had significant connections that even led to direct inquiries at the City Bureau.
At this moment, it became clearer that the pervasive web of unspoken rules served as the best cover for Rong Wu. He navigated through these profit-driven networks with ease, leisurely selling off those illicit goods.
Attempting to verify everything would likely take an eternity.
On that same day, the City Bureau held a high-profile press conference announcing the swift resolution of a theft case involving antiques valued at sixty million from the Coastal Community. The recovery of the stolen items within twenty-four hours drew attention from all sectors of society.
Of course, a discordant piece of news also crept into a corner of the internet; it was reported that someone had jumped from the Property Building, seemingly related to yesterday's Theft Case. There were whispers of police collusion. Unofficial news had no chance of survival; the Cyber Police Unit received a notification from the City Bureau's Public Relations Department regarding this matter.
The handling notice concerning the jump from the Property Building contained only a few words:
Rumor. Delete everything.
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