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墨書 Inktalez
Chapter 136: Old Feelings Slowly Unfold
Fan Saili gently closed the notebook, Lin Qizhao's notebook. She had been reading the overview of the "Flame Action," and even from her observer's position, the ups and downs of the case situation stirred her emotions. Of course, what weighed most heavily on her mind was the injured Red Line Informant and his deceased companion, along with the final fourth hand that emerged from within the police ranks.
"This is the whole story. Perhaps his initial motives were not pure, but in the end, he accomplished what many of us could not," Lin Qizhao said softly.
"He was involved in the major Pyramid Scheme case in Shaanxi Province. It took a long time for us to realize that we had such a deeply hidden informant among our Party Instructors. I didn't expect him to play a role in his hometown again," Fan Saili mused thoughtfully. After signing a confidentiality agreement and reviewing the case situation, her doubts about its feasibility grew even stronger.
Lin Qizhao noticed her thoughts and smiled, saying, "That's exactly it. I can tell you that more than one brother unit wants to recruit this person; you are quite late to act. Don't think we can't find him; even if we do find him, would it be appropriate to place him back in an informant's position?"
"He can do much more than just be an informant. Based on what you just mentioned—his experience, knowledge, and dealings with suspects—he might be even more effective than a Public Safety Expert," Fan Saili replied. Such individuals are very similar to undercover agents; they understand suspects better than anyone else and often yield results that are far more efficient in investigations.
Upon hearing this, Lin Qizhao chuckled helplessly and told Fan Saili, "The problem is that he only wants to mingle with suspects and refuses to stand with the police. We suspect he is nearby in several cities; his old subordinates from Flame Action seem to be living quite well. Yet he remains hidden from view. We can't just put him on the list of suspects for investigation, can we?"
"Actually, you don't really expect him to be found?" Fan Saili suddenly asked.
Lin Qizhao was taken aback for a moment before laughing and nodding, "Yes, it's a contradictory mindset. Just like most of the time when we feel powerless and have to resort to some special methods to find clues, our true intention is still to solve things ourselves as best as we can."
Fan Saili chewed her lips thoughtfully, speechless. It truly was this contradictory mindset that fueled her anxiety, hesitation, and indecision.
"Moreover, what you need him for is indeed beyond his capabilities. Flame Action involves most of the suspects he has encountered before; this person is unique—just one meeting is enough for him to guess your background, identity, and preferences almost perfectly... But your problem is that you have no idea where the Trafficker King is. You wouldn't think he is Skynet or even stronger than Skynet, would you?" Lin Qizhao remarked, noting how the Anhui Province police were clearly at their wit's end.
"Alas..." Fan Saili sighed deeply, her expression filled with frustration as she said, "It's been three months now. Our team members have spent their New Year in small guesthouses while dealing with old case suspects and Public Safety Experts invited by the Provincial Department—all consultations have yielded no breakthroughs... I believe you should know a bit about the Counterfeiting Case; if we don't find the source in time and control the electronic version, it won't just be my problem—it could lead to disastrous consequences for the entire financial livelihood."
"The production precision of r7 is extremely high; higher quality production indicates a more intelligent criminal organization. We should put more effort into analyzing big data instead of having detectives participate in such outdated methods of chasing down suspects for clues," Lin Qizhao questioned. The other party had considerable influence but employed methods that were hardly up to par; nowadays, using police resources like this to tail a suspect for clues was rare unless it was an ordinary criminal case.
Fan Saili smiled slightly and said, "Would you be surprised if I told you that there are supervisors from our department commanding operations at the Economic Investigation Bureau in our province?"
"Wow, the specifications seem to be higher than I thought." Lin Qizhao was really surprised. He asked curiously: "Is there no result?" "Ink, paper, color matching, imaging, offset printing, every one of them may be used We have worked hard on every detail involved in printing money, but strangely, we just can’t find the source.” Fan Saili said, she briefly introduced this mysterious case, as if it fell from the sky, based on peripheral clues. , can’t find any relevant news. "It seems that I am ignorant." Lin Qizhao sneered. The crime industry is too deep. I am afraid that a policeman will not be able to fully understand the darkness of human nature even if he spends his entire life. "It's really like what you said about seeking medical treatment in a hurry. Party Instructor made such a suggestion to the task force, and it was actually accepted. Then the two of us..." Fan Saili curled his lips and spread his hands. Of course, I came all the way here and got so many disappointments. While he was talking, the phone rang. Lin Qizhao saw that it was Shen Lingchen's call. He apologized and picked up the phone. When he put down the phone, he looked at Fan Saili in shock. "What's wrong?" Fan Saili asked in surprise. "I actually found him. You guys deserve to be partners with him. You actually found him." Lin Qizhao was surprised, and Shen Lingchen told him on the phone that Xiao Mu had been found. "Then... shall we meet?" Fan Saili was even more curious at this time. "Let's go... Oh, by the way, a reminder, be mentally prepared. This person is really not as famous as the one you meet." Lin Qizhao said anxiously. He still remembered Xiao Mu's pair of evil eyes. new. The two of them left the unit and hurried to City First Hospital…………………………………………………………… Strange people have their own strange things, the strange person who jumped off the building met Xiao Mu This is a weird scam, one thing will be reduced to another, and everything will be fine at first sight.
First, he embraced Xiao Mu in anguish, and then Xiao Mu, unsure of how to comfort him, surprisingly wiped away his tears and stopped crying. After a while of comforting, suddenly it became quiet. Xiao Mu called the nurse to bring food, and Sun Qinghua actually started eating. His appetite was astonishing; after finishing one portion, he asked for another, as if he had been injected with two doses of adrenaline, his spirits instantly revived.
Outside, the few people waiting were wide-eyed and confused, unable to comprehend the intricacies of the situation. It took over an hour before Xiao Mu finally left the ward. He kindly suggested that Aidi let Brother Hua rest. Sun Qinghua said nothing and fell asleep immediately. Guo Wei quietly spoke with the others outside, “This guy must have improved his skills; he’s even learned hypnosis now.”
“That’s not a good thing; once he wakes up from hypnosis, won’t he just jump?” Guan Yiqing remarked.
In this situation, Shen Lingchen wisely chose to remain silent. The peculiar thing about Xiao Mu was that the more one speculated about his actions, the greater the chance of being proven wrong later. When he emerged, Lezi and Guan Guan surrounded him, both giving Xiao Mu a thumbs-up. Guan Xiangdong said, “Impressive! This trick is amazing; it made him so mad that he didn’t even jump off the building.”
“His emotional turmoil is tied to his wife,” Xiao Mu replied. Lezi curiously asked, “How did you manage to make Brother Hua laugh?”
“That’s simple. I promised him that if he gives me some time, I’ll help him get his wife back,” Xiao Mu declared boldly.
Lezi initially smiled but then froze in disbelief. Guan Guan was stunned as well, while the others were skeptical. Xiao Mu disdainfully said, “What are you surprised about? First, we need to secure him; otherwise, who can handle the daily chaos of him wanting to jump off buildings? Let’s go talk somewhere else.”
“But… but that’s impossible! If you can’t get her back later, won’t he still jump? I heard Dai Qiongshi is no longer in Binhai,” Guan Xiangdong pointed out.
“Think of other ways… Hey Lezi, you handle this,” Xiao Mu said. Lezi jumped in shock and exclaimed, “Me? You might as well push me off the building!”
“It’s simple. You take a trip to Suzhou and Hangzhou and find Big Gourd… Try to find several girls who look similar to Dai Qiongshi. Show more care in daily life and put in some psychological effort to gradually lessen his longing for Class Flower,” Xiao Mu explained carefully.
Once he started being careful with his words, Lezi couldn’t understand and asked, “What do you mean by psychological effort?”
“Don’t make me say it plainly; Big Gourd is a pimp! Don’t pretend you don’t know what that means!” Xiao Mu snapped.
Lezi was also angry now and shouted back, “Why are you trying to scare me? Just say it plainly instead of acting all cultured!”
The group behind laughed together, and Xiao Mu awkwardly said, "Right, right, I was wrong. You two should spend more time with Brother Hua... I'll just go say hello to them... Go on, go on."
As the fun was being urged away, Guan Xiangdong walked off with his head down, feeling a bit embarrassed. Guo Wei and Guan Yiqing had previously asked him about Xiao Mu's whereabouts, and now it was clear that not telling the truth was unavoidable.
Once the two left, it was the turn of the others. After finally reuniting, the sense of estrangement was surprisingly strong. Most people remembered Xiao Mu as a melancholic handsome guy, but now his image had undergone a drastic transformation. His long hair hung loosely, almost shoulder-length, with a streak of gray across his forehead. The once creamy-white face now sported a short beard, giving him a more rugged appearance that made him look more like a man rather than the boy who used to rely on his father.
Indeed, the change was significant. In Shen Lingchen's eyes, this kid resembled Little Rogue even more. He smiled but hadn't spoken yet when Xiao Mu pointed at him and said, "Old Shen, you’ve achieved success and retired to live in seclusion. Old man, you’re quite the ghost; you’ve bravely withdrawn from the fray."
Shen Lingchen was momentarily taken aback; the guess was spot on. Perhaps his relaxed expression had already given away the answer. Guo Wei was about to say something in defense of his master when Xiao Mu turned his attention to him and teased, "Oh, after more than a year apart, it seems you haven't made any progress at all. Sigh..."
Guo Wei froze for a moment and quickly pleaded, "Alright, alright, don’t push me to jump off a building in shame."
He couldn't understand how Xiao Mu could see through him so easily; in reality, it was true—his relationship with Guan Yiqing had only deepened without any development.
Seeing Guan Yiqing, she shyly spoke up first: "I'm quite foolish, so please don’t mock me. My master and I have looked for you many times; you’ve clearly been avoiding us."
"Let go of your inner turmoil; things will be better if you go with the flow. The reason I’ve been avoiding you... well, you see it now; meeting face-to-face would be even more awkward. What if something happens and I can’t handle it? Wouldn’t that just leave you feeling ashamed and disappointed?" Xiao Mu replied.
His words cleared the air. Shen Lingchen sighed deeply while Guan Yiqing pondered over what he had said—inner turmoil? What turmoil? Was he talking about her? She seemed fine before, but with Xiao Mu’s comment, well... there it was.
Upon seeing Aeming, Aeming scrutinized him for a long time before smiling like an old friend reunited after ages apart. Xiao Mu tilted his head and asked, "Baldy, do men laugh wickedly while women laugh slyly? Which one are you?"
Aeming was taken aback by the question and scowled fiercely as he replied, "If you keep making sarcastic remarks like that, I’ll make sure to take care of you."
"You’re like a dog; wherever you show up, there’s bound to be trouble. You don’t want to kill me; you need something from me instead," Xiao Mu said.
More than forty people laughed, and Aeming grinned awkwardly, showing his teeth for a while before finally breaking into a bright smile. He said, "No, no, really not! This is what I promised you before—to treat you to a meal and introduce you to a Police Flower. I can't go back on my word; I'm here to fulfill my promise."
"Really?" Xiao Mu was excited, seemingly moved by such deep friendship.
"Absolutely true. What kind of relationship did we have back in the day?" Aeming pulled him closer.
"Let's eat!" Xiao Mu snapped his fingers and boldly declared, "Westin, it's on me; Baldy pays."
With that, Aeming happily agreed, but then he noticed everyone else looking at him with sympathy. He asked in surprise, "What... what's wrong?"
"Nothing. I'm just happy for you," Shen Lingchen told him sympathetically. This somewhat rustic colleague probably had no idea how shady the places that overcharge customers in the big city could be.
Despite being mentally prepared, Aeming was still teased. When Xiao Mu ordered, he mentioned foie gras and asked if it was too expensive for so many people to afford. Aeming shook his head vigorously, insisting it was fine. Then Xiao Mu ordered oysters and inquired if they were a bit pricey. Again, Aeming shook his head, saying they weren't expensive at all and encouraged everyone to try them. Xiao Mu chimed in, "Oh, then let's have two per person... What about king crab? Is that available?"
"Yes, but it seems a bit pricey," Aeming quickly replied.
"It's not expensive at all! Order whatever you want; it's rare for everyone to gather like this; let's enjoy ourselves!"
"Oh," Xiao Mu said as if enlightened and proceeded to order three pounds.
After a while, Shen Lingchen finally realized that Aeming wasn't being stingy; he simply had no idea about the prices. Xiao Mu's teasing was a bit harsh. Fortunately, Fan Saili was understanding; once the waiter left, he handed the menu to Aeming for a quick glance. The moment he looked at it, Aeming felt as if he had been struck by lightning; his facial muscles twitched in an expression of helplessness mixed with sorrow, yet he still had to force a smile.
"Hey, Baldy, are you feeling unwell?" Xiao Mu asked with concern.
“It's fine, it's fine.” Aeming quickly waved his hand, trying to maintain his composure. After all, he needed to save face in front of so many colleagues from Binhai.
“Baldy... what kind of name is that?” Fan Saili asked, puzzled.
This female officer resembled Baldy’s sister, stocky with a voice that was even rougher than her appearance. Xiao Mu chuckled, “That's him.”
“Oh.” Fan Saili understood; it was probably just a nickname from his undercover days. She scrutinized the informant they had been searching for days and felt a bit disappointed. No matter how she looked at it, he seemed like a Little Rogue to her, and his attire was simply out of place.
Yet this guy was completely oblivious, sitting there smugly and eating as if no one else mattered. The colleagues from Binhai were eating with little appetite; the conversation was sparse, with few mentions of the case and even fewer about personal matters. The atmosphere was incredibly awkward, and the most uncomfortable one among them was likely Aeming. The food didn't suit his taste, and he felt a pang in his heart with every bite—each mouthful costing hundreds. Who could bear that?
The one enjoying the meal the most was probably Xiao Mu, who rambled on about the flavors of the food without caring about anyone else's feelings. After finishing, he wiped his mouth and snapped his fingers. “Waiter, check please.”
“Oh, let me handle it!” Aeming stood up in a panic.
“Yes, let him take care of it.” Xiao Mu pointed at Aeming, whose face had turned as red as a pan-fried bun. Even Xiao Mu couldn't help but chuckle at the sight.
In such an elegant setting, even crude words seemed to get stuck in their throats. The meal cost over eleven thousand for just food and drinks. Aeming had to swipe two cards to cover it all, leaving his female colleague looking green with envy; this single meal equated to two months' salary.
It seemed like no one appreciated his generosity as they swaggered away from the table. Aeming hurried after them like a lackey, while Lin Qizhao stopped the others behind him and said, “Let’s not follow anymore; we just need to know he’s safe.”
“I feel bad for him,” Guo Wei said apologetically.
“This is giving him face… Everyone, let’s plan to meet Xiao Mu again later,” Shen Lingchen suggested.
A few of them lagged behind as Aeming rushed ahead. “Hey! You just ate over ten thousand from me and walked away like that?”
"Have some decency. Who's forcing you to invite me?" Xiao Mu replied, turning around.
"Hey, I wanted to tell you..." Aeming chased after him, but suddenly Xiao Mu shot back, "Is it a case that's got you stuck? Come to me for help again? I knew you weren't here just to see me."
Stung by Xiao Mu's words, Aeming quickly corrected himself, "No, no... absolutely not about a case. Do you think you're someone I would seek help from? There are plenty of Police Force members."
"Then what were you going to say just now?" Xiao Mu countered.
"Well... wasn't I supposed to introduce you to the Police Flower? I brought her along. This is Fan Saili, a first-class constable, thirty years old, unmarried..." Aeming tugged at Fan Saili, finally finding the perfect excuse. Fan Saili's face turned bright red.
This left Xiao Mu at a loss for words. No matter how twisted things got, he couldn't spark any romantic feelings with Baldy's sister. He stammered, "What the hell... Baldy... you've evolved into something ridiculous."
"Of course! As your brother, I had to introduce you to the Police Flower. You can't turn her down... Hey, don’t run away! Are you looking down on me?" Aeming was excited and hurried after him. But Fan Saili didn't follow and stood there fuming, saying, "Party Instructor, are you trying to disgust me?"
"Listen to me; this guy is a bit twisted. Normal methods won't work... If we can manage to annoy him, then there's a good chance this will work out... Come on, anyway, he wouldn't be interested in you... Oh wait, you wouldn't be interested in him either."
Aeming dragged Fan Saili and continued chasing after Xiao Mu.
The few who came down later saw that Aeming was not an easy person to deal with. How could he be so intimate with Xiao Mu? It was so close that he directly shoved him into the car. In a flash, the car sped away, leaving the others staring at each other in disbelief.
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