Chapter 77 Clues
Liang Feng hesitated briefly before responding, "Alright, I'll take the picture and send it to you now."
"Beep, beep!" Old Hei hung up the call abruptly.
Approximately two minutes later, Xu Er gathered the people in Liang Feng's house, asking him to take a family portrait to prove that he was at home.
After taking the photo, Liang Feng sent it to Old Hei, who briefly replied, "Fine, don't turn off your phone. I'll come find you in the next few days."
Xu Er frowned at Old Hei's response, cursing, "He's quite cunning! He doesn't say when he'll come, nor whether he'll accept the job or not."
"He's been leading the team for a long time, an old hand," Liang Feng replied.
"Alright, let's just wait then," Xu Er nodded.
—---
In the urban area of Dragon City, within a police vehicle.
After making a gesture for silence, Old Yang answered the phone, "Hello?"
"It's the first day of the month, when are you coming home?" his wife's voice rang out.
"Tomorrow, I guess. I have some matters to attend to tonight," Old Yang loosened his collar and replied.
"Old Yang, are you being too much?!" his wife suddenly exploded in anger, "It's bad enough that you don't come home on regular days, but now even during the New Year celebrations, you're nowhere to be seen? Can we even continue living like this?!"
"I told you, a case came up unexpectedly these days, and I must keep an eye on it..."
"What the hell are you watching? Will the police station collapse without you? Do you know that my father is in the hospital this year, and on New Year's Eve, I have to take care of our child and go to the hospital too? Can you at least consider my feelings?!"
"Stop yelling, I'm upset too. If something goes wrong with this case, I'll lose my job, and I might even end up in prison. I understand you, but who the hell understands me?!" Old Yang's eyes turned red with anger, and he hung up the phone.
In the past three days, Old Yang hadn't even had the time to go home. On one hand, he had to deal with his superiors, and on the other, he had to figure out how to catch the culprit. He was genuinely afraid because Da Xiong, the mentally challenged suspect, was unlike ordinary people; he had no social circle and no money, making the likelihood of committing crimes during his escape very high. If something major were to happen, and the previous cases were dug up, he would be completely finished.
However, during the New Year period, the city's police department and district police offices were implementing a rotation and vacation policy, leaving very few officers at the station. Even though the department had issued a cooperation notice for investigation, and various regional units had expressed their willingness to help, the fact remained that they were the ones who had to do the legwork. How many people would actually go out and catch suspects during the New Year celebrations?
Irritation, extreme irritation weighed heavily on Old Yang's heart, his face clouded as he drove to find Tang Baiqing.
—---
At around nine in the evening, in front of an apartment building in Zhanan district, Tang Baiqing, reeking of alcohol, came downstairs and waited by the roadside.
"Squeak!"
An off-road vehicle stopped by the side of the road, and Old Yang waved his hand, calling, "Get in!"
Tang Baiqing, hearing the call, yanked open the car door and bent down to sit inside. Besides Old Yang, there were three other police officers in the vehicle.
"Did you talk to the Wu family?" Old Yang asked straightforwardly.
"We did, but the Wu family swore that Wu Shixiong had not contacted them at all," Tang Baiqing shook his head and replied.
"Could they be lying?" one officer asked skeptically, "The kid is mentally challenged and has no money. If his family doesn't harbor him, where could he go?"
"Wu Shixiong definitely didn't go home," Tang Baiqing confidently responded, "His father is even more anxious than us right now. They're just a group of people from the lower rungs of society, with simple thoughts. His family is now afraid that we'll demand a refund, and that Wu Shixiong's punishment will be increased, so they want to find him as soon as possible and send him back."
Old Yang, smoking a cigarette, said, "It's so damn annoying!"
"I'm even more annoyed! My father's gaze is murderous now," Tang Baiqing sniffled, "Although the kid didn't go home, could he be secretly observing his family? How about... I ask some gang members to attack his father or his elder brother, forcing him to come out?"
Old Yang squinted, "I think it's worth a try. No matter how stubborn the kid is, he can't possibly abandon his parents, right? Right now, there's no better solution, so..."
"Ding-a-ling!"
As the two were discussing strategies, Old Yang's phone suddenly rang in his pocket. He took it out, glanced at the caller ID, and immediately pressed the answer button, "What's up, Old Du?"
"Ah, Old Yang, about that escaped suspect, I found some clues."
"What clues?!" Old Yang instantly became alert.
"You know how the station issued a cooperation notice for investigation? You also called me, so I asked my officers to divide the area, notifying the streets, entertainment venues, and possible hiding places." The other party clearly said in a self-promoting tone, "You wouldn't believe it, but there's actually some news."
"Tell me."
"Do you know Haiyan Pit?"
"I know it!"
"There's a garbage disposal site near Sanlin Street in Haiyan Pit, with quite a few waste collection points nearby," the other party replied in a low voice, "An old watchman there reported to the local patrol point that something seemed amiss these past few days, as if things had gone missing or something..."
"Just these past few days?"
"Yes, just these two days."
"Have the patrolmen gone there yet?"
"No, they haven't. It's the New Year, and everyone's out visiting. There are only two people on duty at the patrol point," the other party replied with a chuckle, "I'm at my father-in-law's place. I just found out after answering the phone."
"Give me the address and contact information, and I'll head there right now," Old Yang said urgently.
"Alright, I'll send it to you right away."
"Thanks, Old Du."
With that, the two ended the call, and Old Yang started the car, "Let's head to Haiyan Pit."
"Did you find him?!" Tang Baiqing asked.
"No, but there's a clue. Let's check it out," Old Yang replied.
Meanwhile, on a certain coast, a man carrying a simple luggage bag descended the stairs, arriving beside an old diesel fishing boat.
From the boat, a boatman came out and greeted him familiarly, "You're leaving on the first day of the New Year?"
"Heh, the New Year and holidays are over. Time to go out and make money," the man stepped onto the boat, took out two good cigarettes and a wad of cash from his bag, and handed them to the boatman, "Let's go."
"Alright!" The boatman didn't bother counting the money, just took it leisurely and proceeded to untie the boat's rope.
The passenger lay in the cabin, squinting, opened his phone, and looked at a photo in his album.
—---
At around 10:10 PM, an off-road vehicle stopped on Sanlin Street in Haiyan Pit. After Tang Baiqing stepped out of the car, he immediately saw a familiar three-story building nearby.
This small building was all too familiar – wasn't it the very crime scene where he had beaten Xiaoying to death?
"Let's go!"
Old Yang got out of the car and led the four of them toward the garbage disposal site.
Chapter 77 Clues
Liang Feng hesitated briefly before responding, "Alright, I'll take the picture and send it to you now."
"Beep, beep!" Old Hei hung up the call abruptly.
Approximately two minutes later, Xu Er gathered the people in Liang Feng's house, asking him to take a family portrait to prove that he was at home.
After taking the photo, Liang Feng sent it to Old Hei, who briefly replied, "Fine, don't turn off your phone. I'll come find you in the next few days."
Xu Er frowned at Old Hei's response, cursing, "He's quite cunning! He doesn't say when he'll come, nor whether he'll accept the job or not."
"He's been leading the team for a long time, an old hand," Liang Feng replied.
"Alright, let's just wait then," Xu Er nodded.
—---
In the urban area of Dragon City, within a police vehicle.
After making a gesture for silence, Old Yang answered the phone, "Hello?"
"It's the first day of the month, when are you coming home?" his wife's voice rang out.
"Tomorrow, I guess. I have some matters to attend to tonight," Old Yang loosened his collar and replied.
"Old Yang, are you being too much?!" his wife suddenly exploded in anger, "It's bad enough that you don't come home on regular days, but now even during the New Year celebrations, you're nowhere to be seen? Can we even continue living like this?!"
"I told you, a case came up unexpectedly these days, and I must keep an eye on it..."
"What the hell are you watching? Will the police station collapse without you? Do you know that my father is in the hospital this year, and on New Year's Eve, I have to take care of our child and go to the hospital too? Can you at least consider my feelings?!"
"Stop yelling, I'm upset too. If something goes wrong with this case, I'll lose my job, and I might even end up in prison. I understand you, but who the hell understands me?!" Old Yang's eyes turned red with anger, and he hung up the phone.
In the past three days, Old Yang hadn't even had the time to go home. On one hand, he had to deal with his superiors, and on the other, he had to figure out how to catch the culprit. He was genuinely afraid because Da Xiong, the mentally challenged suspect, was unlike ordinary people; he had no social circle and no money, making the likelihood of committing crimes during his escape very high. If something major were to happen, and the previous cases were dug up, he would be completely finished.
However, during the New Year period, the city's police department and district police offices were implementing a rotation and vacation policy, leaving very few officers at the station. Even though the department had issued a cooperation notice for investigation, and various regional units had expressed their willingness to help, the fact remained that they were the ones who had to do the legwork. How many people would actually go out and catch suspects during the New Year celebrations?
Irritation, extreme irritation weighed heavily on Old Yang's heart, his face clouded as he drove to find Tang Baiqing.
—---
At around nine in the evening, in front of an apartment building in Zhanan district, Tang Baiqing, reeking of alcohol, came downstairs and waited by the roadside.
"Squeak!"
An off-road vehicle stopped by the side of the road, and Old Yang waved his hand, calling, "Get in!"
Tang Baiqing, hearing the call, yanked open the car door and bent down to sit inside. Besides Old Yang, there were three other police officers in the vehicle.
"Did you talk to the Wu family?" Old Yang asked straightforwardly.
"We did, but the Wu family swore that Wu Shixiong had not contacted them at all," Tang Baiqing shook his head and replied.
"Could they be lying?" one officer asked skeptically, "The kid is mentally challenged and has no money. If his family doesn't harbor him, where could he go?"
"Wu Shixiong definitely didn't go home," Tang Baiqing confidently responded, "His father is even more anxious than us right now. They're just a group of people from the lower rungs of society, with simple thoughts. His family is now afraid that we'll demand a refund, and that Wu Shixiong's punishment will be increased, so they want to find him as soon as possible and send him back."
Old Yang, smoking a cigarette, said, "It's so damn annoying!"
"I'm even more annoyed! My father's gaze is murderous now," Tang Baiqing sniffled, "Although the kid didn't go home, could he be secretly observing his family? How about... I ask some gang members to attack his father or his elder brother, forcing him to come out?"
Old Yang squinted, "I think it's worth a try. No matter how stubborn the kid is, he can't possibly abandon his parents, right? Right now, there's no better solution, so..."
"Ding-a-ling!"
As the two were discussing strategies, Old Yang's phone suddenly rang in his pocket. He took it out, glanced at the caller ID, and immediately pressed the answer button, "What's up, Old Du?"
"Ah, Old Yang, about that escaped suspect, I found some clues."
"What clues?!" Old Yang instantly became alert.
"You know how the station issued a cooperation notice for investigation? You also called me, so I asked my officers to divide the area, notifying the streets, entertainment venues, and possible hiding places." The other party clearly said in a self-promoting tone, "You wouldn't believe it, but there's actually some news."
"Tell me."
"Do you know Haiyan Pit?"
"I know it!"
"There's a garbage disposal site near Sanlin Street in Haiyan Pit, with quite a few waste collection points nearby," the other party replied in a low voice, "An old watchman there reported to the local patrol point that something seemed amiss these past few days, as if things had gone missing or something..."
"Just these past few days?"
"Yes, just these two days."
"Have the patrolmen gone there yet?"
"No, they haven't. It's the New Year, and everyone's out visiting. There are only two people on duty at the patrol point," the other party replied with a chuckle, "I'm at my father-in-law's place. I just found out after answering the phone."
"Give me the address and contact information, and I'll head there right now," Old Yang said urgently.
"Alright, I'll send it to you right away."
"Thanks, Old Du."
With that, the two ended the call, and Old Yang started the car, "Let's head to Haiyan Pit."
"Did you find him?!" Tang Baiqing asked.
"No, but there's a clue. Let's check it out," Old Yang replied.
Meanwhile, on a certain coast, a man carrying a simple luggage bag descended the stairs, arriving beside an old diesel fishing boat.
From the boat, a boatman came out and greeted him familiarly, "You're leaving on the first day of the New Year?"
"Heh, the New Year and holidays are over. Time to go out and make money," the man stepped onto the boat, took out two good cigarettes and a wad of cash from his bag, and handed them to the boatman, "Let's go."
"Alright!" The boatman didn't bother counting the money, just took it leisurely and proceeded to untie the boat's rope.
The passenger lay in the cabin, squinting, opened his phone, and looked at a photo in his album.
—---
At around 10:10 PM, an off-road vehicle stopped on Sanlin Street in Haiyan Pit. After Tang Baiqing stepped out of the car, he immediately saw a familiar three-story building nearby.
This small building was all too familiar – wasn't it the very crime scene where he had beaten Xiaoying to death?
"Let's go!"
Old Yang got out of the car and led the four of them toward the garbage disposal site.
