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墨書 Inktalez
Chapter 133: Difficult to Continue
"The situation is like this... Lin Department Head, please stop ahead."
As Shen Lingchen finished speaking, he glanced back at the two colleagues in the back seat. From the moment they met to the point of disappearance, it had not been long, yet it felt deliberately extended. The story was filled with numerous suspects involved in criminal activities, especially with two suicides. Just listening to the process made the two newcomers feel a rush of adrenaline.
"And then he disappeared?" Aeming asked, puzzled. He was a straightforward person, but even he could sense that Xiao Mu's fragile heart seemed to be hurt.
"Yes, for one year and six months, we searched for his whereabouts in various ways, but there has been no news," Shen Lingchen replied.
Fan Saili asked curiously, "At home, could it be... Oh right, he probably doesn't go home anymore."
With a young stepmother and a pair of sons, it was awkward even for outsiders to see, let alone for those involved. However, the complete lack of contact with home was hard to understand. Lin Qizhao said, "He can see through everyone, but no one can see through him. He used to drive his father to despair, forcing him to send him to a Mental Hospital. After that, his father's attitude took a complete turn; strangely enough, he changed too. When his father wanted him back, he refused; when offered money, he wouldn't take a single cent... Now when his father sees us, it's like meeting an enemy. He believes we corrupted his son."
"His personality is too strong and stubborn; once he sets his mind on something, he won't turn back even if he hits a wall," Aeming remarked. His expression was one of complex embarrassment as he recalled Xiao Mu suddenly turning around at the airport in Shaanxi Province. How he missed him so intensely!
"Party Political Commissar... we're colleagues after all; I've been a Political Commissar too. I just casually asked if you have any cases?" Shen Lingchen said.
Upon hearing this question, Fan Saili fell silent as if there were unspoken difficulties. Aeming chuckled and said, "It's a bit embarrassing to mention this; I only thought of him after this incident happened. I should have come to see him sooner... I promised him I'd take him out for a meal and lost bets more than once without ever fulfilling my promise."
"He won't mind," Lin Qizhao laughed.
"But I do mind; I feel like I owe him so much. Every time I think of him, I feel guilty... By the way, Director Shen, do you feel this way?" Aeming asked.
"You're asking what you already know," Shen Lingchen replied.
"Then think of a way to find him; I refuse to believe he could completely disappear," Aeming insisted.
"He’s an informant, not a suspect. All police methods have failed... Oh right, don’t remind me; I’ve tried that already. I staked out Western Suburb Cemetery during last year's Qingming Festival but missed him—he guessed I would look for him and went a day early, leaving me drenched all day," Shen Lingchen said.
"How do you know he went?" Aeming asked.
"I was drenched all day, and by evening, I received a call urging me to hurry back before I caught a cold... It was a VoIP call, teasing me. I asked him where he was, and he said, 'Guess.' At my age, how could I possibly compete with him?" Shen Lingchen replied.
This kind of mischief seemed to be Xiao Mu's style. Aeming remarked, "That just proves he must still be around; he just doesn't want to show himself."
"Of course he doesn't want to show himself. He doesn't want to deal with us. Speaking of this matter... how should I put it? From our position, using informants does feel a bit underhanded," Lin Qizhao said as he stopped the car and parked it.
In March, the willows in Suzhou and Hangzhou were lush and green, and the warm air carried a hint of chill. They arrived at a construction site not far from Zhengmin Road. The recently demolished Cangji Village had turned into a pile of rubble. It was here that they had begun to unravel a vast underground criminal network, leading to the shocking Flame Action that had stirred the entire police force. The suspect had already faced justice, but for Shen Lingchen and Lin Qizhao, returning to this place still stirred their emotions.
"It all started from here. The suspect He Shi's hideout was right there... At that time, when those ruffians were following He Shi's incitement to silence this informant, I brought him to this area. He went in alone; in less than five minutes, he turned the entire situation around. Those people followed him out. That night’s operation by the seaside relied entirely on this group," Shen Lingchen recounted, his heart still unsettled as he spoke.
"I understand; you mean he is most likely still with that group?" Fan Saili said.
"But it's all been torn down now," Aeming wondered aloud.
"I'll tell you... it's that guy." Lin Qizhao pointed discreetly at a chubby fellow wandering around the construction site wearing a hard hat. "The one most likely to know Xiao Mu's whereabouts is him... Hu Yiming."
"Is he Big Gourd?" Aeming blinked in surprise and asked curiously, "But this..."
Shen Lingchen quietly explained that this group of ruffians had mingled with one of Xiao Mu's friends named Su Rongle, whose family was in real estate. Somehow they managed to secure a piece of territory in this area. Boss Su handed over the specific affairs to his son, who thrived in this area due to his connections with Big Gourd, also solving employment issues for many ruffian proletarians.
Jobs like supervising construction sites, managing materials on credit—those kinds of easy jobs needed manpower, and there was no better fit than this group.
"Oh, that's good news; it's better than swindling people," Aeming said. "Have they all been brought under his wing?"
"Not entirely; some are still trying to make a living in tourist areas as Black Tour Guides, and others might have ended up as Temporary Workers at Street Offices or dealing with city management," Lin Qizhao replied.
Fan Saili chuckled lightly, while Aeming was left in a mix of laughter and frustration. This marginal way of living was likely the most familiar to Xiao Mu, a person who felt neither loved by his uncle nor cared for by his grandmother.
"What do you mean?" Aeming asked in a lowered voice.
"The situation is like this; I truly have no way out," Lin Qizhao said, and Shen Lingchen shook his head in agreement. "I can't issue a notice for investigation to every police station; his identity is classified."
Aeming inhaled sharply, his eyes darting around as he scratched the back of his head, deep in thought. After a moment, he addressed everyone, "I'll go meet Big Gourd... You all stay back and wait."
He strode purposefully toward the construction site. The others shook their heads, looking somewhat disappointed as they got into their vehicles and drove away, seemingly regretting the downfall of Xiao Mu.
Aeming appeared in casual attire, scanning the construction site as if searching for something. Standing nearly six feet three inches tall with a fierce buzz cut, he exuded an intimidating presence that made the ordinary workers wary of approaching him. As he neared Big Gourd, still several meters away, he got a clearer view. Big Gourd had a head shaped like a gourd, slightly irregular, with particularly prominent chubby cheeks. Though not short, his bulkiness overshadowed his height. He was currently smoking near some workers who were compacting soil, revealing tattoos from his wrists up.
What a clueless fool... With his undercover experience, Aeming quickly recognized the signs. Real criminals often blended in more seamlessly with ordinary people and only revealed their true nature when necessary. Unlike this fool, who seemed overly eager to prove himself as part of the Black Society.
This type of person seemed easy to handle, which puzzled Aeming; Shen Lingchen and Lin Qizhao had struggled against someone like him. Perhaps it was because they were too aware of the defenses in place. He thought this as he took a few more steps forward, finally catching Big Gourd's attention.
"Hey... who are you? Yeah, I'm talking to you! Do you think you can just waltz in here?" Big Gourd shouted angrily.
Aeming noticed that Big Gourd's eyes were slightly askew; it seemed he had been watching him for quite some time. Changing his expression to one of feigned friendliness, he smiled and said, "Big Brother, could you help me out?"
"Do I look like a good person to you?" Big Gourd retorted angrily.
"Oh, not really... But do I look like one?" Aeming asked with a grin. This idiot posed no threat to him; besides, he knew this was Xiao Mu's brother.
Big Gourd stepped closer, scrutinizing him from left to right before suddenly spitting out, "Bet a hundred bucks that I know what you're up to."
"Is that so? Let's bet," Aeming replied with a smile as he pulled out a hundred-dollar bill and waved it. "You tell me what I'm up to."
With a swift motion, Big Gourd snatched the money and tucked it into his pocket, saying, "Police."
Uh... Aeming was taken aback; this gaze seemed even more piercing than Xiao Mu's.
Hahaha... See, I guessed right.
"Who taught you that?" Aeming asked, trying to be friendly and not mentioning the hundred bucks anymore.
"Do I need to be taught? A loser like me, no one comes looking for me except the police... So, who’s in trouble? You can ask me, but I might not tell you. There are plenty of petty crimes out there. Right now, I'm the Assistant Manager at Hongyuan Land Development Company; I don't have time for your trivial matters," Big Gourd boasted, thumping his chest with pride.
It seemed this guy was too familiar with the police; no one else bothered with him. Aeming rubbed his forehead, realizing he was at a loss with this joker. He said, "Well... no one’s in trouble. I came to find you about something..."
He hesitated for a moment while Big Gourd watched him warily. Communicating with him wasn't going to be easy. Suddenly, Aeming had an idea and asked, "Do you have a phone?"
"Yeah..."
"What's your number?"
"13911... wait, why should I tell you?"
At a critical moment, Big Gourd's caution kicked in. Aeming had hoped to trick him into revealing it but ended up stumped instead. Quick on his feet, he changed tactics and said, "If you give me your number, I'll send you a photo, and you'll know."
Big Gourd paused for two seconds before giving him his number. Then Aeming sent him a photo—of a woman. Big Gourd looked at it and shook his head, saying, "Wow... You guys would arrest such a pretty girl? That's just inhumane."
"Do you know her?" Aeming asked deliberately.
"Isn't that a stupid question? How could I know her? I don’t even know you," Big Gourd replied.
“Give him this photo, he’ll know how to contact me,” Aeming suddenly said.
Big Gourd trembled all over, his words tangling up as he stared wide-eyed.
Aeming smiled knowingly.
Realizing the intention, Big Gourd looked as if someone had stepped on his tail, his expression one of great embarrassment.
“It seems we have a mutual friend, so we’re not enemies after all,” Aeming said, his tone carrying a hint of goodwill. Big Gourd stared at him for a while before nodding and saying, “Oh, in that case, I might just believe you… It’s rare to see such a pathetic cop like you. You’re ugly for sure, but it seems to be quite my taste.”
Aeming was infuriated by Big Gourd’s words, but he had to endure it since he needed something from him. He forced a smile and asked, “So… it looks like we can be friends now. Can you contact Xiao Mu and tell Baldy to come find him? He’ll definitely show up.”
“Oh, cops have stage names too? Baldy… Hahaha… What an image…” Big Gourd burst into laughter, shaking with mirth.
Ignoring him until he finished laughing, Aeming suddenly asked, “He must come back often, right?”
This time he didn’t catch Big Gourd off guard; Big Gourd was already prepared. He looked at Aeming with a smile that resembled a client eyeing a prostitute—though it should have been the other way around. Aeming couldn’t understand this kind of person; he probably found Big Gourd even more baffling than that fool Ma Tuchui from Shaanxi Province. He stared curiously for a long time before asking in confusion, “What do you mean? Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Even when coaxing a child, you need to offer a candy, right?” Big Gourd snapped back, genuinely worried about the other’s intelligence.
Aeming felt a surge of joy inside and quickly pulled out his wallet. Big Gourd eagerly reached for it, but Aeming dodged and pulled out a stack of cash, saying, “A hundred for each question.”
“Alright then, ask away,” Big Gourd said, his eyes glued to the money with excitement.
“When was the last time you saw him?” Aeming inquired.
Big Gourd rubbed his hands together and cautiously took one bill before smiling and replying, “The month before last.”
"Specifically, what date?" Aeming asked.
Big Gourd rubbed his hands together, drew two cards, and raised a finger to remind him, "The month is one question, and the day is another... Before the New Year, on the twenty-fourth day of the twelfth month."
"Oh, you're not stupid, huh?" Aeming reacted, realizing this guy was not easy to deal with.
With a flick, Big Gourd drew another card and replied, "Right, not stupid... When it comes to money, one can't be foolish. Keep asking..."
Is being foolish worth a hundred? Aeming bit his lip in frustration. After thinking for a moment, he asked, "What is he doing now?"
Big Gourd drew another card and shook his head. "I don't know."
"You don't know but still want money?" Aeming was furious.
"That's another question," Big Gourd said as he reached for the money. Aeming quickly withdrew his hand. Big Gourd frowned and said, "No money means I won't answer why I don't know... Anything else?"
Ah... It's clear that even the police are letting him toy with them. Aeming glared at Big Gourd, starting to reassess him. This guy with the slanted eyes wasn't just a loser; he was quite a terrible one. Hesitating for a moment allowed Big Gourd to take advantage; pretending to pocket the money, he turned to leave.
Aeming panicked and grabbed him firmly, blocking his way. "Alright, alright, continue."
This time he learned his lesson and told Big Gourd in advance that if he answered 'I don't know,' there would be no payment. Big Gourd nodded in agreement.
Continuing on, Aeming got straight to the point: "Does he know which city he is in now?"
"Oh, I can't say I don't know this one, right?" Big Gourd said without courtesy as he demanded a hundred before speaking. "He knows."
"Which city?" Aeming asked.
"That's another problem," Big Gourd said, reaching out.
Aeming slapped his forehead in frustration and handed him a hundred. Big Gourd stuffed it into his pocket and said, "Binhai."
"In Binhai?" Aeming asked in disbelief.
Unexpectedly, Big Gourd picked up on the questioning tone and pulled out another bill, nodding, "Correct."
Aeming was already exasperated by this shameless guy. He waved the remaining money and said, "Tell me the address and phone number; it's all yours."
Big Gourd grinned widely, his eyes squinting with amusement as if he had just heard something hilarious. Aeming insisted, "I'm serious. Tell me, and you can take it right away."
"Every month someone asks questions and sends me money. If I really let you find it, who would still send me money... Haha, do you think I'm an idiot? Haha... Go find it yourself; I'm not giving you anything," Big Gourd boasted, laughing heartily as he happily counted the small change Aeming had given him, waddling away with a satisfied belly.
It seemed this guy wasn't a fool; he was the one being played.
Aeming felt frustrated as he slapped his forehead, recalling his time spent with Xiao Mu. Every word and action highlighted his own shortcomings.
When he regrouped with a few others, he learned that he wasn't the first to be scammed. Even Shen Lingchen and Lin Qizhao had been taken advantage of by Big Gourd, who would ask for meals and pocket money. Only after fulfilling his requests did they realize that what he provided was useless—Binhai had a population of twenty million; how could one find anything with just a city name?
"I kept his phone number; can you help me look it up?" Aeming said, holding onto a number.
"We've tried that too," Lin Qizhao replied.
"Really? You guys have tried it too?" Fan Saili exclaimed in surprise. Using this method to find informants indicated the person's significance.
"We've used it plenty of times with technical investigation methods. I was puzzled; he seems like a simpleton but has become quite savvy. We couldn't find any flaws... Following this guy will leave you disappointed; during the day he's eating and drinking, at night he's gambling and whoring. His phone number is widespread; he's basically part of the rogue circles in Suzhou and Hangzhou. Most of the phone number owners can be found in police records at various precincts," Lin Qizhao explained. Small Gourd and Big Gourd turned out to be a pair; one had been killed—shot dead—which only made the other more notorious. Almost everyone, whether police or those caught by them, seemed to know him.
"Give it a try. I've passed my message to him; he might tell Xiao Mu privately," Aeming said.
Shen Lingchen accepted this suggestion and shared the number with Guan Yiqing. When he turned back, he noticed that the latter was still examining the information provided, which detailed Xiao Mu's past social connections. Of course, there were several important leads, with Big Gourd at the top, followed by Su Rongle, Guan Xiangdong, and Sun Qinghua. All of these individuals had been in contact privately, yet strangely, despite a year and a half passing, no news had surfaced.
"Financially... Director Shen, shouldn't we set up an account for the informant's fees and rewards? Have we followed the economic leads?" Fan Saili asked, drawing on her expertise.
"We checked. At that time, the Provincial Department approved an unprecedented reward of five hundred thousand for informants. However, most of this money was managed by Big Gourd. Initially, I thought his mindset would be to make a quick profit and then disappear. But Erhu Lu's death had a significant impact on him; it made him let go of things he couldn't before. Unfortunately, it also added many new burdens he couldn't shake off..." Shen Lingchen replied.
"Yes, just like us. After all this time, we still can't let go. My mindset is half about wanting to find him immediately and half about hoping... that we never find him," Lin Qizhao said. There was an unspoken sense of longing or nostalgia in her words, but it was clear she felt conflicted.
It was indeed a contradiction, and Aeming deeply agreed. He seemed to sense that Xiao Mu, who had always been solitary, was similarly entangled in contradictions.
"He hasn't gone anywhere; he's still in Binhai."
Aeming made this judgment as everyone looked at him with puzzled expressions. He didn't explain further; he couldn't articulate it. It was an inexplicable feeling, an emotion that could only be understood intuitively. Just then, his phone flipped to a page of an electronic document—an old file that had yet to be decrypted. The suspect's name read:
Rong Wu.
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