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墨書 Inktalez
In the world of rumors, some are absurd while others hold a grain of truth. Captain Xu Fei mobilized over a dozen members of the Police Force, scouring seventeen precincts in Binhai. They tracked down twenty-seven or twenty-eight scoundrels, either currently imprisoned or recently released. After countless phone calls, they finally confirmed the true identities of the two notorious figures known as "Widow Ma" and "Mourning Hair" that very night.
The truth was astonishing: Mourning Hair was a bald man with no hair at all, his real name being Mao Shiping. Widow Ma was a typical tough guy, with the surname Ma and given name Yubing.
Both individuals had criminal records, and even more surprisingly, according to Captain Xu Fei's investigation, they might have had a past grievance with You Bisheng. The issue stemmed from when You Bisheng, freshly released from prison, had sought to borrow money from Mourning Hair. After failing to do so, he resorted to underhanded tactics and ended up suffering significant losses. Following that incident, You Bisheng made a comeback, while these two went underground. Thus, it was not out of the question that You Bisheng might be looking to settle old scores.
Three days had passed since then, and the trio still had no leads. On that morning, they drove to the Confidential Affairs Department under the City Bureau. Along the way, they began to question their investigative direction once again.
Shen Lingchen's approach was indeed unconventional; he hadn't visited the crime scene or questioned the officers who responded to the case. Instead, he inexplicably sought out individuals in prison who had no connection to the case—Guo Wei and Guan Yiqing were increasingly uneasy about this method.
As they traveled on an elevated highway with some traffic congestion, Guan Yiqing turned to look at Shen Lingchen. He remained as he always did—pretending to doze off in the car like a monk unbothered by external distractions. Guan Yiqing finally spoke up, “Master, do you really think these two targets are correct?”
“Are you doubting my judgment?” Shen Lingchen replied casually.
“That’s not what I meant; just look at you.”
“Even if that’s what I meant, don’t hold back. Investigation is a process of trial and error; no one can guarantee they’re right all the time. In fact, you might not even achieve a one percent success rate.”
“What? Not even one percent?”
Suddenly opening his eyes, Shen Lingchen looked at Guan Yiqing and smiled again. “What do you think? Most detectives are just blowing smoke. As long as a police officer doesn’t break the law or handle wrongful cases, they’re doing their job well.”
Another strange theory left Guan Yiqing feeling increasingly disheartened; she turned away in frustration and stopped asking questions. Guo Wei seemed concerned about Guan Yiqing's mood and smiled as he addressed Shen Lingchen. “I believe Master still has a good grasp on things. Since Widow Ma and Mourning Hair have dealt with You Bisheng before, they shouldn’t be ordinary characters.”
“Yet I can’t shake off this feeling that it’s all unrelated,” Guan Yiqing interjected. “Ma Yubing—Widow Ma—and Mao Shiping—Mourning Hair—have documented criminal records from an artifact trafficking case eleven years ago. Both are criminals; one served five years while the other three and a half years. Since their release, there haven’t been any further incidents… Master, do you know where they are now?”
“Are you testing me?” Guo Wei warned.
Unexpectedly, Shen Lingchen interjected, "It could appear anywhere, but definitely not in Binhai. I think it should be very close to here."
"Is that right?" Guo Wei asked Guan Yiqing. Guan Yiqing, who had just received the news, paused for a moment before showing it to Guo Wei. It was strange; they were in the same city as Shen Lingchen—Suzhou and Hangzhou.
"Oh, it seems I guessed correctly. Let me take another guess: there must be legitimate businesses and identities involved, and all the keywords related to this case—like Antique, Locksmith, Insurance cabinets, etc.—are probably unrelated. You definitely won't find any connections on the surface," Shen Lingchen said.
"If we define the suspects this way, then half of the detention center must be related to this case," Guan Yiqing countered, though she did not deny that Shen Lingchen's guesses were quite accurate.
"There’s a theory called the six degrees of separation, which says that any two people in the world are separated by no more than six others... In fact, the criminal circle is not that large. As long as it’s not random or transient, this fixed circle will be even smaller. You can't do such things without local knowledge; it might just be locals doing it," Shen Lingchen explained.
"Then you’re sure we should focus on those two? But there’s no case basis and no orders. How do we start our investigation?" Guan Yiqing asked.
"I said it's a trial-and-error process. There have been many cases where investigators accidentally caught turtles while trying to catch a tortoise. Just check everything; what other news did Team Xu send?" Shen Lingchen inquired.
Guan Yiqing handed over her phone. As Shen Lingchen scrolled through the information, he was slightly surprised by what he found: Mao Shiping was currently running a logistics company with a registered capital of two million yuan, while Ma Yubing was even more impressive, having opened a vehicle rental company. Captain Xu had even sent back a photo of Ma Yubing's company, which provided wedding, business, and travel car rental services—quite an operation. Moreover, neither was located in Binhai City; they had established themselves in Suzhou and Hangzhou for several years now, with the earliest registration dating back six years.
Guan Yiqing observed this tough "master" closely. When she saw that he seemed to find no value in the information presented, she noticed his brow furrowed as if he had discovered something suspicious. She blurted out, "Did you find a clue?"
"Two street thugs—how did they get rich? Where did their first pot of gold come from? I refuse to believe they could sustain a business worth millions without some shady dealings," Shen Lingchen replied suspiciously as he handed back the phone.
"Ah, right! I find that suspicious too," Guo Wei said as he started the car and drove at a slow pace. Guan Yiqing pointed out indirectly, "What do you know? There are too many myths about wealth these days. Just the other day, I saw a news report about a vegetable seller in Binhai who saved up enough to buy several apartments!"
"Two slackers—could they really get rich through hard work?" Guo Wei retorted.
"That doesn’t necessarily mean they’re committing crimes," Guan Yiqing argued.
"Anyway, there's nothing good about them; who knows what they're up to?" Guo Wei said.
"Now that we presume innocence until proven guilty, you still want to throw around accusations? Where's your evidence?" Guan Yiqing replied.
She deliberately feigned concern, hoping to extract more information from Shen Lingchen. Unfortunately, Shen Lingchen seemed oblivious to her intentions and paid her no mind. It was as if he had already concluded that Ma Yubing and Mao Shiping were the suspects based solely on a single statement.
Could it be that these two wealthy bosses, running a multi-million business in Suzhou and Hangzhou, had the time to return to Binhai to stalk two former leaders and attempt to steal from their insurance cabinets? Such logic was utterly nonsensical.
"Miss, you're too anxious," came a calm voice from the back seat, startling Guan Yiqing out of her petty antics. She quickly composed herself, not turning around, but she could hear Shen Lingchen speaking calmly from the back seat. "For this bizarre case, we first need to find a detailed and reasonable explanation. This explanation will guide our thinking. It's like watching a magic show; when the magician performs, what we see is an unexpected outcome. If we don't understand his props or techniques, we'll never know how he did it."
"I understand. Your approach is to start by looking for those props and techniques? For example, criminals, tools, and possibly involved fences?" Guo Wei asked.
"Exactly. We’ll peel back the layers bit by bit. All criminals are clever; their thinking is like that in all film stories—they often portray the police as fools. I don’t mind playing the fool; even the wisest can make mistakes, while even the foolish can stumble upon truths. It doesn’t matter if we make a thousand mistakes; getting it right once is enough," Shen Lingchen replied lightly.
Perhaps lacking some confidence, but his words carried an unwavering tenacity that Guan Yiqing appreciated. She felt she could still learn something from her senior and softly said, "Master, I'm sorry. I was indeed a bit too hasty."
"Haha, it's alright. Take your time; everyone has been through that phase," Shen Lingchen reassured her.
"So what should we do next?" Guan Yiqing asked.
"We'll divide our time into two parts. One part will be spent consulting with the old crooks in the detention center and prison, focusing on habitual offenders who break into insurance cabinets. The other part will rely on you: go through all registered personnel related to lock production and sales in Binhai and surrounding cities. Pay special attention to those locksmiths who can open multiple doors in strictly managed communities—how they managed such a feat is still a mystery that needs a reasonable explanation," Shen Lingchen outlined clearly, beginning to assign tasks.
Guan Yiqing suddenly interjected with confusion, "Aren't we supposed to monitor Ma Yubing and Mao Shiping?"
"That's precisely why we're at the City Bureau. When a suspect is free, they least want to deal with the police; therefore, we need to find a few useful people," Shen Lingchen explained.
Informants?
The word surfaced simultaneously in Guan Yiqing's and Guo Wei's minds as they realized they were entering a gray area of covert investigation procedures.
As they drove into the City Bureau, accompanied by Director Zheng, they arrived at the basement level of the City Bureau office building—a place where Guan Yiqing had once worked but had never been allowed access. It was a restricted area for storing confidential files that could not be digitized and could only be maintained in paper or other physical formats.
Among them was a type of identity file that the law had never recognized: informants.
Unrecognized does not mean nonexistent. In fact, more than half of the leads in solved cases come from tips provided by various members of the public. From fugitive bounties to handling administrative detention cases at police stations, many crucial steps rely on these reports. They are the most indispensable partners alongside the police informant and handcuffs.
Upon reaching the door, Director Zheng automatically stepped back. The management of informant files is specialized; some informants may have a higher classification and benefits than police officers.
A middle-aged officer received them, carefully closing the door behind them as he led the three into the hallway, speaking as they walked: "There are one thousand one hundred and ten registered individuals, with over four hundred reported by different levels of officers. Those under special management cannot be disclosed to you."
"There are two hundred fourteen professional informants who receive benefits, but every year some disappear; this number might not be entirely accurate."
"Each police force also has a batch they manage, but most are temporary recipients of allowances and may not be available to you. Those detectives are particularly sensitive about anyone daring to touch their people."
"For non-professional types who report and are registered, you can choose from them, but they may not necessarily be usable. These individuals are not bound by any discipline; whether they are willing to act as your eyes depends on your abilities."
His words were quite pessimistic and not very polite. It seemed that whether they could provide help was uncertain, and even if they did, it was questionable whether it would be useful. Guan Yiqing recognized this officer and muttered, "Uncle Wu, you haven't even made a selection yet, and you're already pouring cold water on us?"
"Little girl, how long have you been a police officer? Informants are a double-edged sword; they can harm others as well as themselves. Moreover, their situation can be more dangerous than that of undercover agents. If their identities are exposed in life-threatening cases, they could lose their lives." The old cop scolded Guan Yiqing, causing her to stick out her tongue in response and refrain from arguing back. The old cop then glanced at Shen Lingchen and suddenly asked, "Have you ever used informants?"
"Frequently," Shen Lingchen replied.
"How do you use them?" the old cop asked.
"Most of the time just once. Our cases aren't very high-risk," Shen Lingchen explained.
"Ah, looks like you're an expert; that puts my mind at ease," the old cop chuckled before leading everyone into a small office. He turned on the light, revealing a musty smell from an old computer that had likely been running for many years. It took a while for it to boot up and enter the interface. Guo Wei's eyes widened in disbelief; it was still running on a DOS system—black screen with white text was truly classic.
"Kid, don't complain about being behind. The more behind you are, the less likely it is for secrets to leak... So, tell me, what kind of person do you want? I can give you three to five candidates," the Old Cop said as he settled in, placing his hands on the keyboard, which was so outdated that it seemed no one could use it anymore.
Shen Lingchen paced around the cramped room and began, "Under thirty years old, male."
"No criminal record, but not too clean either; it's best if there's some minor public security violation."
"Must have a family—no single guys."
"Anyone with experience in government agencies or state-owned enterprises is out."
"Stable job and income? Forget it."
"A bit of education is necessary; we can't have someone with no cultural foundation or low quality."
"It would be best if they have some artistic background and can discern antiques... just search for these criteria."
As Shen Lingchen listed off his requirements, Guo Wei couldn't help but laugh. Guan Yiqing asked what was funny, and Guo Wei replied with a chuckle that this sounded more like a son-in-law than an informant; the standards were too high. Guan Yiqing laughed as well, realizing that such a person would indeed be hard to find. Even Officer Wu found it challenging as he typed away at the code, saying, "This is definitely a bit tough. Who would want to be an informant without any past offenses? The allowance isn't high either. Most informants we have are coerced into this line of work... Let me search... Huh?"
"What’s wrong?" Shen Lingchen leaned in.
"This is strange; it's almost tailor-made. I actually have one here," Officer Wu said in surprise.
"Really? I was worried my criteria were too high. Ideally, they should be from Binhai and have experience handling case-related clues; voluntary ones are best," Shen Lingchen replied.
"All criteria met," Officer Wu said as he tapped on the computer, displaying a stark black-and-white table that outsiders wouldn't understand. He pointed out the meaning of the codes and carefully retrieved a thick stack of files from a tightly locked cabinet, handing them to Shen Lingchen with a serious warning: "Look at this here; it can't leave this room or be photographed. You can interact with him but don't force him. He's in the Red Line Informant files; people like him are nearly extinct. If something goes wrong, we'll regret it for life."
Shen Lingchen took the files solemnly; they felt heavy in his hands. As he flipped through a few pages, his eyes lit up more and more. Suddenly, someone chuckled lightly. He turned around and shot a fierce glare at Guan Yiqing, who quickly explained, "Master, I know this person."
"It wouldn't be that second-generation rich kid, would it?" Guo Wei chimed in as he leaned closer to take a look and laughed. "Master, we really know him! Last year in the 402 Project Team, we were looking for this person's file in Shaanxi Province. Later on, the City Bureau investigated through the Provincial Department's Foreign Affairs Office; I even brought back his file. But what happened afterward is beyond us; all we know is that Shaanxi Province's crackdown on illegal pyramid schemes received recognition from the department."
"It seems that it's truly fate," Shen Lingchen said with a smile as he spread out the files with the other two. They flipped through the pages, and at several points, Guan Yiqing and Guo Wei gasped in surprise. It wasn't just about providing clues; they had worked together with the Field Duty team to track down key suspects Lu Hongbo and Yang Yun, who had been on the run.
"Wow, I thought he was going to be in trouble back then," Guan Yiqing exclaimed.
"And he even received a Heroic Act medal? A bonus of thirty thousand!" Guo Wei added, equally astonished.
"Look at this; he can draw. He sketched portraits of over a dozen suspects," Guan Yiqing exclaimed.
"He wasn't caught up in a Pyramid Scheme; instead, he became a general manager. That's quite bizarre," Guo Wei remarked.
"Don't forget, he studied... right, Abnormal Psychology."
"I haven't forgotten. Abnormal Psychology, Judicial and Criminal Psychology, and he even faked a diploma to deceive his father."
"By the way, what happened later? He won't inherit his father's hotel, will he? Master, this guy is the son of a billionaire. I really don't know how the police in Shaanxi Province managed to recruit him. We only offer a few thousand a month in allowances; you can't afford to hire him."
The two chattered away when Officer Wu began collecting the files. He mentioned that it would be easier if they got to know each other, so they should make contact with him. Following the rules of Discipline, details needed to be reported to the City Bureau. He reached out for Shen Lingchen, who smiled and handed several pages with photos and resumes to Officer Wu, politely saying thank you.
The man's portrait was deeply etched in his mind.
His surname was Mu, and his name was Lin Shen.
This person made him feel excited as he said, "That's him! Find out where he is now."
"Follow me to the Information Center. We checked his background before; we even know where he lives," Guan Yiqing replied.
She hurriedly led the two of them away, forgetting to greet Officer Wu. The three quickly ascended the stairs and found an internet-connected computer at Guan Yiqing's former workplace. They dismissed the staff, and Guan Yiqing quickly entered the reverse search criteria. The eccentric character's dubious activities surfaced again. Guan Yiqing stared at the results in disbelief and said, "How strange! When we checked before, there were a ton of credit card transaction records. Why are there none for these past few months?"
"What about flights? He wouldn't have gone abroad, would he?" Shen Lingchen asked with some regret.
Guan Yiqing checked again, feeling puzzled as he said, "There's nothing."
"What about the car? There should at least be a record for violations or payments," Guo Wei reminded him.
"There's just one record of insurance payment from last September... No records of violations or changes." Guan Yiqing checked again, growing more confused. It seemed as if this person had completely withdrawn from the world, but someone like him shouldn’t be capable of that.
"Check if any crimes have been committed, and expand the search to nearby cities. Look directly in the networked data," Shen Lingchen suggested suddenly.
After entering the query, results appeared quickly. On February 24th, the West Lake Police Station's network record revealed Mulin Shen, who had been elusive, had shown up here after getting into a fight with the boss of a foreign trade company over trivial matters. The police's handling of the situation resulted in a fine of one thousand yuan and an educational reprimand.
Not sure what struck them as funny, the three shared a moment of understanding as they looked at the dejected photo of Mulin Shen displayed on the network, and they all laughed together.
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