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墨書 Inktalez
Chapter 142: Deep Affection Like Fear
After dusk, the sky gradually darkened, and Lin Qizhao and Shen Lingchen stepped into the Fourth Detention Center under the first rays of evening light.
High walls, iron gates, and sentinels surrounded them. Inside this concrete cage, it felt like a raw and primitive ecosystem. Neither Lin Qizhao nor Shen Lingchen could fathom how the mindset of a criminal, who roamed free outside the law, would change when locked away like an animal in such a prison.
After verifying their identities three times, the prison guard led them down the final corridor, which was the center of the entire detention facility, where security was most stringent. Armed guards patrolled every hour, inspecting each of the serious offenders.
"The Fourth Detention Center is a maximum-security facility; our city has three such centers, all with high standards of management," Lin Qizhao remarked, noticing his mentor's distracted demeanor.
"A half-broken man can't stir up much trouble," Shen Lingchen replied dismissively, having lost all respect for Nie Qifeng, who was once considered highly dangerous.
Lin Qizhao chuckled and said, "This guy was a runner-up in kickboxing during his glory days. The competitive sports system has its flaws; according to our extensive research, retired athletes have a crime rate as high as eleven percent, especially in martial arts, boxing, and kickboxing. Their employment opportunities are extremely limited."
"That's not a valid excuse for turning to crime," Shen Lingchen countered. He then asked the prison guard, "How has the suspect been behaving?"
"Death Row Inmate—what kind of behavior do you expect?" the guard retorted. Regardless of their behavior, it all led to the same dead end; no one cared about their conduct.
"Yes, I'm specifically asking about their behavior before execution," Shen Lingchen clarified.
"This one has a strong will; I haven't seen much of him. He eats and sleeps as usual and doesn't talk much. Most people sentenced to death tend to lose control emotionally—they either cry and scream or desperately write appeals. Some even become so frightened that they suffer from insomnia or incontinence... This person is different; none of those situations apply to him. I can't say for sure," the guard explained.
Shen Lingchen and Lin Qizhao exchanged glances, understanding each other’s thoughts.
People with such antisocial personalities might view death differently than ordinary individuals.
As they reached the entrance to a cell block, the guard reminded them while opening the door: "Five minutes. No discussions regarding the verdict for safety reasons. Your conversation will be recorded; I hope that's not an issue?"
The criminal investigation team operates under a different system than that of prison management; the guard maintained a professional demeanor. As both men nodded in agreement, the heavy iron door creaked open with a loud clang. Shen Lingchen and Lin Qizhao stood at a safe distance from the entrance while armed guards outside watched them intently.
Shen Lingchen felt that the situation was somewhat exaggerated. Sitting cross-legged on the bed, Nie Qifeng had his eyes closed. If he remained still, one would not notice his disability. A person who once took pride in his strength had ended up like this; even a mortal enemy could not help but feel a twinge of sympathy.
“Nie Qifeng,” the prison guard knocked on the iron door, signaling him to pay attention. “Meeting, five minutes.”
Nie Qifeng opened his eyes and glanced at Shen Lingchen. The anger within him was still palpable. He swallowed hard and said ominously, “It’s you?”
“Good memory, you still remember me?” Shen Lingchen replied. He had not participated in the interrogation; they had only met once after their gunfight.
“You are… Shen Lingchen?” Nie Qifeng asked.
Shen Lingchen was not surprised at all. “It seems Brother Five warned you to be careful of me finding you in Binhai?”
“That’s your internal matter… What do you want? I’m in need of two mourners right now; you two wouldn’t volunteer, would you?” Nie Qifeng sneered, living up to his reputation as a killer who made You Bisheng tremble with fear. The murderous glint in his eyes could still send shivers down one’s spine.
Shen Lingchen ignored the provocation and continued, “I’m here to tell you a few things, just like sinking a corpse into the sea; I have no psychological barriers when it comes to dealing with enemies.”
Nie Qifeng did not respond. He turned his head aside and spat, expressing his disdain.
“The first thing is that Rong Wu entrusted Xiao Mu to take care of his sister, Rong Ying, before he died,” Shen Lingchen stated.
“Bullshit,” Nie Qifeng retorted directly.
“I have no reason to lie to you; that’s the truth. He made this condition in exchange for Rong Wu revealing everything about Brother Five… To be honest, he was being redundant. In fact, in Rong Wu’s will after his death, he had already clarified everything. He wouldn’t leave any troubles for his only family member,” Shen Lingchen explained.
Nie Qifeng's expression turned cold, revealing no emotion.
“As far as I know, he has been taking care of Rong Ying for over a year… Even Rong Wu’s funeral arrangements were handled by him; his ashes were sent back to Huainan… You’re quite unfortunate too; having a Death Row Inmate in the family isn’t something to be proud of. Your old father in rural Su Bei probably won’t recognize you anymore,” Shen Lingchen added.
Nie Qifeng laughed, a strange, almost mad laugh that left others unsure whether he was sorrowful or simply indifferent.
"Rong Ying is working at a bakery now. Although I still harbor resentment towards you all, this innocent girl is quite admirable. She has lost everything yet continues to struggle to rise again, and she is very sentimental. I've heard she has visited you many times," Shen Lingchen said.
"Are you protecting that grandson?" Nie Qifeng replied coldly.
"No, I'm protecting Rong Ying. You know better than anyone how formidable that grandson is. Take care of yourself; your days are numbered, so don't stir up more trouble," Shen Lingchen warned.
"Bah!" Nie Qifeng spat, aiming directly at Shen Lingchen, the saliva landing on his clothes. Discipline opened his mouth to speak but was stopped by Shen Lingchen, who then heard Nie Qifeng's other response: "Get lost."
"Just go. Think it over before you act; don’t ruin her life," Shen Lingchen said. He and Lin Qizhao quietly stepped back while Discipline slammed the door shut. At the moment the door closed, Lin Qizhao caught a glimpse of a fierce change in Nie Qifeng's expression as he clenched his fist and struck the plywood on the concrete floor with a dull thud, the sound drowned out by the iron door.
"People like him should just die; they bring bad luck to everyone around them. No reasoning with them," the prison guard sighed as he led the two out.
The brief meeting concluded, and the two remained silent until they exited the detention center. It was only when they got into the car that Lin Qizhao finally voiced what had been on his mind for a long time: "Master, I think this is unnecessary. Rong Ying poses no threat; we've basically captured everyone involved."
"Wrong. Rong Ying is actually the biggest threat. Xiao Mu already has feelings for Rong Wu and feels compelled to betray him. Taking care of Rong Ying for such a long time says something about his guilt... What if Rong Ying finds out? Can you guarantee there won't be any trouble?" Shen Lingchen explained.
"But this guy is completely unyielding," Lin Qizhao replied.
"No, he has already been affected; he will think it through," Shen Lingchen said. Seeing Lin Qizhao's confusion, he elaborated: "I learned from Xiao Mu that those with antisocial personalities value even the little familial ties they have. Just like Rong Wu accepting Xiao Mu's conditions—he may not believe it but has no choice but to accept it because... that is his only connection to the normal world."
"Haha, it seems I still have a lot to learn," Lin Qizhao said as he drove away. Just as they pulled out, his phone rang. He answered it through his headset, responding with a few affirmations before hitting the brakes. After finishing the call, Shen Lingchen vaguely heard a voice and asked, "Is it that Party Instructor again?"
"Yes, he will arrive in Binhai in two hours; he's already on his way," Lin Qizhao replied.
Shen Lingchen glanced at him curiously as he noticed Lin Qizhao's surprised expression and asked, "Is something going on?"
Lin Qizhao suddenly smiled and said, "It's strange. The online fugitive number 00239h, Wang Shou and Xiao Mu looked into a few of his cases and determined that this person has been hurt by a woman, or that his beloved woman has been harmed. They believe this is his trigger and motive for committing crimes."
"Oh... what does that mean? Just by not seeing the person, can you tell he has been hurt by a woman?" Shen Lingchen asked curiously.
"Indeed, it was verified that he has indeed been hurt by a woman. Wang Shou was rejected after getting engaged, and the 888 dowry was never returned. As a result, this Trafficker King ended up trafficking his fiancée's cousin," Lin Qizhao replied with a smile.
"Haha, what kind of situation is this... Well then, let's go pick up the Party Instructor; we can talk on the way," Shen Lingchen said.
"Alright, it seems like the divine power hasn't diminished over the years. Actually, I have my doubts about this judgment," Lin Qizhao chuckled.
However, Shen Lingchen was pondering an uncertain plan. He asked tentatively, "Lin Department Head, I have an idea... do you think we could somehow push Xiao Mu towards the Party Instructor for a while?"
"Ah, right! That's a good idea... Once this matter is settled, we'll see how it goes," Lin Qizhao agreed.
The two conspired along the way. There was no need to mention Aeming's intentions; being troubled by a Trafficker King meant he would definitely need an expert to guide him. After discussing it, they decided to do their utmost to assist Aeming in making this happen...
Another morning arrived as Xiao Mu walked briskly into the neighborhood, feeling great and in high spirits. A night of indulgence had allowed him to rediscover joy. The tenderness of a woman's affection was completely different from the feeling of casual encounters.
The distinction between passion and love lies in the former being merely lustful desire, while the latter is rooted in genuine affection.
"Damn it, I've lived this long only to realize I never understood before."
He thought to himself, unsure when he had planted this seed—was it when he looked at Rong Ying in despair with pity or when he hesitated to extend a helping hand to her? Or perhaps it was in that unguarded moment when they accepted each other?
He couldn't articulate it clearly, but he felt it deeply—the kind of attachment that was always tangled and never quite severed. He didn't know when it had taken a different turn. He couldn't bear to meet her gaze, nor could he dare to make any inappropriate moves toward her. Even the occasional sight of her laundry hanging out to dry would make him blush. Over the course of more than a year, he had watched as Rong Ying transformed from someone helpless and lost into who she was today. It was the first time he had given her money, the first time he had taught her how to find a job, the first time he had shown her how to cook. Looking back now, it felt so warm. Xiao Mu never expected he would have such patience, sticking with something for so long.
"Has she really fallen for me?"
Xiao Mu paused to think. They had just parted ways yesterday afternoon, and by evening, her calls had started coming in like clockwork. The two of them were savoring the taste of their newfound intimacy, reluctant to say goodbye. There was a new sense of attachment; why did it feel so good?
Her laughter, her hugs, her sweet kisses filled Xiao Mu's mind, making it hard for him to let go. Once resolute in his decision to reveal the truth one day, he now found himself wavering. After all this time, that shadow had grown smaller and smaller. Xiao Mu thought hopefully that perhaps remaining oblivious would be the best outcome.
But the shadow still lingered; his vision darkened momentarily... then he was jolted awake by the sight of Aeming's ugly face grinning at him, asking, "What are you thinking about? You look so lost in thought."
"What are you doing here? Damn it, every time I'm in a good mood, you show up and ruin it." Xiao Mu snapped, ignoring him as he walked away. Aeming followed closely behind: "Hey, hey, don't be like that! I came all this way just to see you. If you want something to eat, just say the word... Plus, I've got a bunch of Police Flowers I want to introduce you to. Hey, what’s up with you? Did you eat something bad last night? Your mood stinks."
"Baldy, don’t joke around with me right now; I’m not in the mood... Just get lost." Xiao Mu said bluntly as he opened the unit door and stepped inside. Aeming quickly slipped in after him, still wearing that annoying grin: "Alright, alright, I won't tease you... Hey, guess what I did on my trip back?"
"You probably went to verify whether that policewoman who looks like your sister believes you or not and found out that the truth is on my side. Then you hurried all the way back here just to ask me about it—am I right?" Xiao Mu replied Zhang Quan ly.
"Exactly! Even your punctuation marks are spot on... I came all this way just to flatter you." Aeming chuckled shamelessly.
Having been an undercover agent before, these SWAT members often lacked even more dignity than street thugs. Xiao Mu knew his personality well enough by now and retorted: "Baldy, you're a police officer for crying out loud; can’t you have some self-respect? Handle your own business instead of coming here to listen to me say unpleasant things."
"Exactly! If I'm going to lose face here, do you really need to say harsh things to me? We’ve fought together after all." Aeming twisted the conversation around.
Xiao Mu turned back and poked him in exasperation: "Alright, alright, I really don’t have the energy for this... I’m not getting paid and I don’t have an official position; how can you bother me with work matters?"
"No no no... This is personal business; you have to help me with it!" Aeming insisted stubbornly.
"Personal business? No way!" Xiao Mu replied skeptically.
"Really, really... This concerns my future happiness, so I absolutely need your help..." Aeming said, his reasoning not quite sufficient. He had prepared something and mysteriously told Xiao Mu, "I'm not lying to you. I could have ignored this case, but I couldn't stand seeing Saili being put in a difficult position. So I'm putting all my effort into handling this case... That, that... I've been single for so many years, and finally have my eye on this one. You can't possibly refuse to help me this time, right?"
Xiao Mu was taken aback upon hearing this. The one who looked like a mother bear was indeed a perfect match for Baldy. He smirked and asked, "You're not pulling my leg, are you? Didn't that one come back and introduce Fan Saili to me?"
"Well..." Aeming stammered, struggling to respond. He finally managed to say, "It's because there's a beautiful woman here first for you, and if you don't fancy her, then it's my turn."
Xiao Mu was stunned for a moment, then leaned against the stairs, clutching his stomach as he laughed heartily. Aeming joined in with silly laughter. After a while, Xiao Mu gasped for breath and said, "Haha... Baldy, with your taste in aesthetics, it would be unreasonable for me not to help you out. But it’s only limited to some light banter; don’t even think about dragging me into this."
Wow, he's cautious. Aeming was already prepared for this point. He chuckled slyly and reassured him, "I've already left Special Operations; even if I wanted to go back, there wouldn't be any opportunity. I'm now a Commander; no one dares to assign me the miserable job of being a Scout, let alone you."
"Well, that's good to hear. It seems you're getting promoted," Xiao Mu replied as he walked.
"Oh? Are you confirming that you're going to help me get promoted?" Aeming asked excitedly.
"You shouldn't need my help; with how well you're buttering me up, you should have been promoted long ago," Xiao Mu retorted sarcastically.
However, Aeming had skin as thick as iron and humbly replied, "Life is limited, but flattery is endless. You're too kind; I still have much to learn."
"Alright, alright, come on in," Xiao Mu said dismissively as he led Aeming into the studio. They greeted the busy staff and checked on the scheduled tattoos before asking Liu Yang to make arrangements. The two headed straight to the office filled with tattoo designs. Aeming started his flattery again, exclaiming dramatically, "Wow! From now on, I can't call you Xiao Mu anymore; I should call you Master!"
Xiao Mu sat down and smiled back, "Then Officer Dang, shall we discuss the Impressionist art style?"
"Let's put that aside for now; it's too profound for me... I'm here specifically to consult you about the Trafficker King case. The actual situation is like this..." Aeming sat down and got serious as he delved into the topic. He spoke about Wang Shou and his hometown, Wang Shou and his accomplices, as well as several investigations from Field Duty. He occasionally gave Xiao Mu a thumbs up and thought to himself: Wow! You really are something; you can even discern the motives behind a woman's hurt.
"That's obvious. To be able to win a woman's heart willingly means this person must have a sweet tongue. And if they have a sweet tongue but aren't ugly and have no blemishes on their record yet still commit such acts—what could be the reason? It must be due to some kind of stimulation. Just look at how they behave after being stimulated; it's clearly related to emotions," Xiao Mu explained.
Aeming gave him a thumbs up in admiration and asked, "Didn’t you say you'd come find me after verifying the facts? You usually only tell half of it; what's the other half?"
Aeming was looking forward to it. Even a fleeting remark could become a source of clues. Xiao Mu smiled, then quickly composed himself, unable to suppress his laughter. After chuckling a few times, he said, "What I didn't mention is that this person likely settled down after trafficking young women and committing crimes outside the mirror. Don't be surprised; there are three reasons. First, the methods of committing crimes have rapidly changed from targeting women to preying on innocent Migrant Workers. Second, since then, he has not targeted women again. Third, his methods have continuously upgraded, and his motivation has become clear: it's all about one thing—money."
Aeming recorded everything on his phone, but when he finished, he was left confused and asked, "What does the rapid change in methods have to do with settling down?"
"You overlooked a detail," Xiao Mu replied. "Introducing prostitution is relatively minor compared to what he did afterward. In committing crimes, a suspect tends to subconsciously choose lighter offenses over heavier ones. Yet he did the opposite—he chose more serious crimes in unfamiliar territory. He went from studying abroad and attracting investments to eventually using Counterfeit money to deceive drug dealers. Haven't you considered a reasonable explanation for this?"
"Are you saying he has a woman by his side now, and this woman has influenced his mindset?" Aeming asked.
"Exactly. The change in his targets reflects a psychological shift… What does his intense desire for money indicate? It must mean he's incurring significant expenses. Moreover, the intervals between his crimes are long, and the locations vary greatly. Each time from planning to execution must take considerable effort, which also shows his cowardice and fear of exposure and capture. Besides the natural fear of punishment, there should be other reasons… But your investigation found that he hasn't returned home at all; his father doesn't care about him, and his mother has passed away without him ever going back. What do you think could be going on?" Xiao Mu questioned.
"Oh, that makes sense." Aeming was convinced by Xiao Mu's reasoning but then thought of something else and exclaimed angrily, "But… I can't even find Trafficker King! Where am I supposed to look for his new woman? Besides, someone like him wouldn't go register for marriage at the civil affairs bureau."
"That's your problem now; I can only see this much," Xiao Mu said with a shrug, feeling helpless.
"You had to say it in two parts, making me run all this way?" Aeming was furious and waved his hand dismissively. "No way! Let me think of another plan. If all else fails, I'll take you to our guidance team."
"Hah! The farther you roll away from me, the better! I'm not interested; I got shot last time, and I don't want that karma coming back around," Xiao Mu said lightly, dismissing Aeming with a wave of his hand.
Despite his bad attitude, Aeming dared not defy him. He put away his phone and took out a stack of cash while counting it out loud. As he counted hundred-dollar bills, he glanced slyly at Xiao Mu, who was equally intrigued by the sight. Aeming smiled and said, "I'm not making you work for free; tell me how much you want—let's settle in cash."
"You… are you seriously waving around a stack of Counterfeit bills to mess with me?" Xiao Mu retorted angrily; Baldy always managed to pull off some ridiculous stunt.
Aeming replied seriously, "Really! Do you think I would lie to you given our relationship?"
"Baldy! I might not recognize my father, but I definitely know money!" Xiao Mu snapped as he tossed aside the sketchbook beside him.
Then Aeming froze. He was sitting across the table from Xiao Mu at a distance of about one meter and gestured uncertainly as he asked, "What if I'm serious? Would you come with me?"
He wiped it and threw ten US Bills on the table. They seemed to be genuine. "Test me, right? This one, and this one are real, the others are all Counterfeit, 30% of the Dollar circulating outside the United States are Counterfeit Money, let me tell you how Admit it...forget it, I won’t learn even if I tell you, do you know what I do?” The pattern cannot deceive the designer's vision. Xiao Mu smiled and told him: "A painter's vision is to observe from lines and colors. Do you know the three primary colors? Red, blue and yellow, each Digitizing the primary colors into 256 values from 0 to 255, you can get the cube of 256, which is equal to 16777216 color combinations... In fact, the color range in the real world changes even more, and the brightest value cannot be determined, and it is difficult Obtain the absolute primary color, and the change in the middle is a continuous analog quantity. Therefore, the number of color combinations is an infinite value... Do you know how many kinds of black can be distinguished by the human eye? Ordinary color palettes can reach ten? About 50%, and an experienced painter or painter can distinguish up to fifty... As for me, I can probably reach this number at least." Silly, stunned, Baldy returned to that number. The appearance of a defective IQ is what Xiao Mu likes to see the most. No, he said in shock: "Oh my god, I can't tell the difference even with a banknote detector." " Luban Counterfeit MoneyThe color is too bright, you can see it from two angles," Xiao Mu said with a smile, Aeming was moving randomly. He looked up, but he couldn't tell. Who would have thought that when he looked, Xiao Mu twitched his hand and took two of the two away, put them in his pocket, and said with a smile: "I can't give you lessons in vain. The tuition fee has been charged. ""No, I just changed two before I came here. I know you can recognize it, why should I be serious?" I really picked up two of them, spending money to prove that my IQ is still flawed. "You have to pay for teasing me." Xiao Mu said proudly. These words made Aeming crooked. He asked expectantly: "Why don't you go with me and introduce PoliceFlower? It doesn't matter if the price is higher, you mention it." "No." Interested, please stop fooling me. If you dare to do this kind of business, you are competing with the government. How different is it from a desperado?" Xiao Mu stood up and said, and when he walked to the door, he turned around and frightened Aeming. Not daring to pursue him anymore, he said seriously: "I'm warning you Baldy, I told you that Baldy will treat you as a friend. If you want to bring up business again, I will call you Officer Dang." This is to draw a clear line. What he meant was that Aeming obviously didn’t accept it, but he didn’t expect Xiao Mu to be so heartless, he slammed the door and left without looking back. At this time Aeming really felt that compared with when he was in Mental Hospital, Xiao Mu had changed, and he didn’t recognize many places, and there was a vague momentum, that It was his unquestionable and uncompromising temperament that made him unable to start... <div style="text-aliger;margin-bottom:30px"><a id="pb_shouye" .akxs6.odules article="" addbookcase.php?bid="5852&cid=3349375""> 《</a id="pb_shouye" .akxs6.odules></div style="text-aliger;margin-bottom:30px">
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