Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
Chapter 91: Breaking Free
The police response involved Teams Five, Six, Eleven, and Nine, with a total of one hundred forty officers and thirty-one police vehicles. Eagle Logistics and a Car Rental Company detained thirty-four suspects, including key figures such as Ma Yubing, Mao Shiping, and Xu Gang. The detention took place at the Criminal Investigation Team's equipment training base in Suzhou and Hangzhou, a relatively remote location suitable for concentrated interrogations of this type of organized crime suspects.
Upon arriving in Suzhou and Hangzhou, it became clear that the position of Deputy Political Commissar was quite awkward. The central work did not fall under the purview of the Political Commissar, and specific tasks were not delegated to the deputy. Moreover, it was a taboo for uninvolved personnel to inquire about the case situation. Shen Lingchen paused at the entrance of the unit but did not enter; instead, he drove directly to the equipment training center.
Located in the West Suburb, this training center had been partially converted into residential buildings by a former director. That director had since fallen from grace, and it was only after his downfall that it was discovered half of the residential units had been sold to outsiders, leaving very few police officers actually residing there. In fact, matters within the police force could sometimes be more troubling than those related to cases.
Shen Lingchen entered through coordination with the Binhai police and was greeted by Squad Leader Xiao Zhuoli, an old colleague. They shook hands, and Captain Xiao invited him inside. Having been in the force for a long time, Shen could read the outcome from Xiao's expression: it was not good.
"What’s going on? How did you get involved? Deputy Commissioner Shen, I’m not trying to lecture you, but the formal notice for your reinstatement hasn’t come through yet. You need to be careful; if you can avoid trouble, do so," Xiao Zhuoli said with concern.
Shen Lingchen smiled lightly. "Thank you for your concern, but you know my nature; I’m passionate about this work. If I really stepped back, I wouldn’t know what to do with myself... Following Binhai Criminal Investigation Bureau's request, I’m here to report on a case situation. Pan Shuanglong, who was being pursued by the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Police, has just been apprehended in Binhai. However, another woman with him is a key witness in a major theft case in Binhai; their paths may have crossed. What about here?"
"Here… well, take a look for yourself," Xiao Zhuoli said hesitantly as he pointed towards the area where suspects were being held. He then called over an investigating officer to brief Shen Lingchen on the details.
Information within the police is typically concise. It was suspected that Mao Shiping and Ma Yubing’s group were involved in significant hiding and trafficking activities. Based on intelligence reports, they conducted a raid on their business premises this morning. However, aside from discovering over ten makeshift knives, no other illegal items were found. The stolen goods mentioned in reports were confirmed to be normal shipments from clients.
So they had missed their target.
Shen Lingchen casually asked, "Is the informant reliable? They aren’t colluding with the suspects, are they?"
This question was directed at Captain Xiao, who grimaced and shot back: "You know the rules; how can I tell you?"
"Oh, sorry," Shen Lingchen apologized. The identity of an informant is sensitive; every officer considers it a valuable asset that should not be easily disclosed. He changed the subject: "Where did we go wrong?"
"I don’t know… This time we’re going to look foolish; the City Bureau is waiting for a report. I can’t just walk in there with a dozen seized watermelon knives and explain," Captain Xiao gritted his teeth in frustration.
"Then is this group finished?" Shen Lingchen asked again.
"No, they've all turned into something else. There's an old cripple named He Shi, closely connected with Ma Yubing and Mao Shiping. He's involved in quite a few shady cases, and since him, dozens of people have vanished without a trace. We haven't been able to find out where they went," Captain Xiao said.
"Is he an important figure?" Shen Lingchen asked deliberately.
"According to the intel, Old Cripple He Shi has a newcomer under him named Young Master Mu, who is closely associated with Pan Shuanglong, Ma Yubing, and Mao Shiping. He is one of the handlers of stolen goods. The intel indicated he would be at the unloading site today, but he slipped away... Not only did he slip away, but all of He Shi's men have disappeared as well," Xiao Zhuoli replied.
Shen Lingchen didn't know what was happening, but his heart suddenly felt lighter and more relaxed.
This "newcomer" was undoubtedly Xiao Mu. The fact that he had entered the police's radar meant he was doing quite well for himself.
The two walked side by side into the detention area where the interrogation had already begun. Since no stolen goods had been found, the standards had been lowered, and at this point, they could only hope for a breakthrough from Binhai.
Thus, the interrogation was one-sidedly harsh. In room A1, Ma Yubing was banging on the table and shouting at the officers, "Where's the evidence? Show me the evidence! What’s the deal with bringing me here for no reason? Don’t glare at me; I’ve seen deep prisons before. Trying to scare me with this... hmph!"
The officers felt intimidated just looking at him.
In room A2, Mao Shiping didn’t shout but was equally rude. He smiled slyly and said indifferently, "Police uncle, what do a few knives matter? In the logistics business, fights happen all the time... Why waste your breath? The knives are mine; I’ve committed multiple offenses; you decide... What? Stolen goods? Are you idiots? You catch someone in the act or catch a thief with stolen goods... When did our cargo become stolen goods?"
The officers were left speechless by his taunts.
These hardened criminals forged in deep prisons were not going to be easily intimidated. The fact that they hadn't violently resisted arrest showed they understood the law quite well.
A significant error in intelligence had turned this case into a farce. However, Pan Shuanglong was definitely nailed down; there was plenty of evidence against him from Shenzhen-Hong Kong. Xiao Zhuoli cautiously asked Shen Lingchen, "Shen Lingchen, you're on loan here; you can't just stand by and do nothing."
"Aren't I rushing back?" Shen Lingchen replied, indicating his intentions.
"What’s going on over there? Can we turn it around?" Xiao Zhuoli asked.
With both cases running parallel, if Pan Shuanglong spoke up, it could force a breakthrough in this interrogation. Shen Lingchen pondered for a moment and shook his head. Xiao Zhuoli's expression darkened as Shen Lingchen reminded him, "Captain Xiao, trust me; that bone is tougher to chew than these pieces."
"Is that so?" Xiao Zhuoli said skeptically.
"The five-person team almost failed to capture him. If it weren't for the two surveillance teams sent by Binhai being coincidentally present, he might have gotten away..." Shen Lingchen whispered, surprised himself at how skilled Pan Shuanglong was. If he had faced ordinary police officers, they would have been no match for him. Even then, they had to fire several shots to subdue him, and now he was lying in the hospital playing dead.
Xiao Zhuoli's expression grew even more serious. Shen Lingchen counted on his fingers, "Do you know where these people come from? Pan Shuanglong, Ma Yubing, Mao Shiping, and the potential gang members are all from Haigang. They were raised in an environment like Courtyard, small gangs that have been stealing since childhood. Their connections are extraordinary. Do you know about the You Bisheng Black Society case? You Bisheng was once hacked down on several streets by them; we can't afford to mess with this group."
So, we must proceed cautiously; we need to set aside our prejudices... After this round of persuasion, cooperation between Su and Hai regions became seamless. Shen Lingchen sat down and wrote a situation report for Squad Leader, which included phrases like:
...Due to a tip-off error during this operation, we did not seize any stolen goods on-site. However, the main suspects have all been apprehended, and we are currently conducting in-depth investigations... Given the complexity of the case situation and the fact that the suspects all come from former Haigang enterprises, I recommend our team collaborate with Binhai on this case.
He handed the written report to Captain Xiao. As Captain Xiao read it, he smiled and said to Shen Lingchen, "Shen Lingchen, you've become quite smooth."
"This should be called... political maturity. Alright, Captain Xiao, I'll take my leave now. Let's keep each other updated on the progress of both case situations. Trust me; collaboration will yield greater results than going solo. Don't worry; I will persuade Director Zheng from Binhai to make a proactive request," Shen Lingchen said as he stood up to leave.
Captain Xiao saw him off and felt a significant burden lifted from his heart. He awkwardly said, "Shen Lingchen, I owe you an apology. I've been wanting to find an opportunity to formally give it to you. Haha, look at that—before I could apologize, I've already accumulated another debt of gratitude."
"Then let it be; you'll eventually feel embarrassed enough to repay it," Shen Lingchen replied with a smile.
After sending off Shen Lingchen, Squad Leader stared for a long time at the door. He recalled how just a year ago he had unceremoniously announced Shen Lingchen's suspension during a team meeting. Comparing the two situations left him with a strange mix of emotions.
Meanwhile, Shen Lingchen felt half of his worries lift. Xiao Mu was nowhere to be found, but he discovered an advantageous quality in Xiao Mu: the ability to seek benefits while avoiding harm. Just like those criminal suspects; describing them as startled birds is actually a compliment—they possess an instinct for avoiding danger that not everyone has.
Setting aside his concerns for now, as he drove through familiar streets in the west of the city, his mood shifted with the environment—the bustling market and noisy crowd filled with citizens too busy to notice anything else made everything seem so beautiful in his eyes.
"I certainly regret it, just like you all might regret missing out on being ordinary people after becoming police officers."
He inexplicably recalled Xiao Mu's words and felt a deep appreciation for what that little guy had said.
He found a place to park and continued along familiar streets deeper into the city, looking around as he searched for that other half of his life.
Oh, there she was—a middle-aged woman, her figure somewhat out of shape and her voice booming, arguing with a small shop owner along the street. In a fit of anger, she rolled up her sleeves and shouted a few words, causing the shop owner to soften and obediently hand over the money. When the woman caught sight of Shen Lingchen, she suddenly panicked, handing her ledger to a colleague and hurriedly rushing over.
"Another argument?" Shen Lingchen asked with a smile.
"Oh dear, the Street Office is collecting ten yuan for sanitation fees, and no one wants to pay. There's really nothing we can do about them... Oh Shen Lingchen, when did you get back?" The woman asked, affectionately adjusting his collar. But when she noticed the sweat stains on it, her expression changed.
This was his wife; she could detect even the slightest details about what her husband was up to. The collar of his shirt was soaked in sweat. She scolded him, "Out on another case? I told you not to do this! Your suspension hasn't been lifted yet. With that hanging over you, what hope do you have for the future?"
"I didn't go out on a case; didn't I tell you? I'm at Coastal Concentrated Learning... How's our son?" Shen Lingchen tried to cover up.
"Aside from you giving people heart palpitations, who else could be doing poorly? Come on, let's go home and change your clothes; you're all sweaty." His wife pulled him along. Shen Lingchen hadn't expected the storm to come so quickly. He quietly asked, "Aren't you supposed to be at work?"
"No rush; I'll continue arguing with them this afternoon... Perfect timing! Come with me to the market; let's make something delicious."
"Alright then... Let's call our son back."
"Oh... You can still remember our son? He said that the most unfortunate profession in the world is being a police officer, which leads to the most unfortunate life: being a police officer's family."
"Haha... That little brat talks a lot for someone with so little skill."
"Just like you—little skill but always trying to show off."
"Haha..."
In front of his wife, Shen Lingchen felt no need to maintain his intelligence. Once they entered the market, she took charge of picking and bargaining while he carried a bag of vegetables, following closely behind her. He savored the feeling of being an ordinary person. After a year on suspension, he found himself somewhat attached to this feeling.
And why did it feel so good?
…………………………
Returning to Binhai, Xiao Mu felt a sense of unease.
By the time they arrived, it was almost noon. They found a mid-range restaurant, and by the time they started eating, it was already lunchtime.
As soon as the meal began, things took a turn. Big Gourd insisted on drinking, declaring he wouldn't stop until he was completely intoxicated. Someone reminded him to be cautious, but Erhu Lu chimed in, saying, "What does it mean to live in drunkenness and dream of death? Being drunk while alive and dreaming of death is what we call a happy life. We must drink!" This attitude seemed to appeal to several of the Madams present, who encouraged him to drink as usual.
These individuals were a unique combination—Madam and little rascals leveraging each other. Their long history of street struggles had forged deep connections among them… Yes, deep connections. At the very least, Xiao Mu knew that Erhu Lu had been involved with the three women who had come along. When called upon, he had informed these lovely companions to join him.
However, today was different. Xiao Mu calmly stated, “Don’t drink; it’s an extraordinary time.”
Indeed, his words had an immediate effect. Everyone fell silent and turned their attention to Xiao Mu—from the Liuying Guerrilla Team to the Monk Extortion Team and the Beautiful Women’s Lottery Team. A certain unspoken authority had been established. As soon as the drinks arrived, Red Sister waved her hand dismissively, signaling that they should refrain from drinking.
The atmosphere grew tense again. They had escaped and avoided trouble, but the future looked bleak. What would they do for a living now? Moreover, they still didn’t know how severe this situation was or if there was any chance of continuing their previous livelihoods. This was a place where survival was paramount.
Red Sister exchanged glances with her two companions—one named Big Li from Northeast China and the other West Phoenix from Shaanxi Province. Both women had a good rapport with Erhu Lu and were silently asking him what Young Master Mu intended to do.
Yes, what should they do?
The few madams were unconcerned; they were seasoned women who could navigate any situation as long as they weren’t caught by the police. However, having a group of rascals with them posed a significant risk. If the police were determined to make arrests, being in a crowd could become increasingly dangerous.
Erhu Lu quietly asked what was going on, but Xiao Mu ignored him, lost in thought.
Seeing that things weren’t progressing, Red Sister decided to speak directly: “Mu, when we left, everyone had some spare cash. I think we should find a suitable place to hide for a while. What do you think?”
“Young Master Mu, you’re familiar with Binhai; I have an idea,” Big Li said. “I can gather some girls for us to work together under your leadership.” West Phoenix nodded in agreement: “Yes, Young Master Mu; we can only do this now. If Lame Brother is really in trouble, we need someone to lead us.”
Xiao Mu glanced around thoughtfully as everyone eagerly agreed with the suggestion.
"Nima Di," it was only natural that he would go from being a Big Teapot to a chicken head.
Xiaomu slammed the bowl down and said, "Are you all out of your minds? When the police come looking for people like us, the first place they think of is somewhere like that. Why would anyone want to walk right into a trap? Let me just say this: without solid information, we should avoid going back to our old business for now. Whether it's Ma Ye or Brother Mao, they have good connections with Lame Brother. If things get serious and related personnel get arrested, you could be stuck in Check for months. Can you explain that?"
Indeed, this was crucial. Having dealt with the police before, who could outsmart them? They could interrogate you endlessly, and even if you had nothing wrong, that wouldn’t matter. What about the issues of others?
Everyone was intimidated. Big Gourd cautiously asked, "Wood Master, where are we supposed to go? Others might be fine, but we brothers can’t just walk around; we’d be recognized in no time."
He was referring to the obvious physical traits of the Gourd Brothers, which made everyone laugh. Xiao Mu chuckled and said, "I just thought of a great place where we can safely ride out this dangerous period. Trust me, just follow me... If you don’t trust me, go on your own."
Without further ado, after their meal, the group of nineteen—men, women, and children—followed Xiao Mu without leaving anyone behind.
Xiao Mu walked ahead, secretly amused as he thought of a place that was absolutely safe and one that the police would never consider.
In the next moment, as they split into several black cars heading to their destination, everyone stared in disbelief at where they were going:
Binhai City Vocational Training School (Nanhui Branch School).
Red Sister paid for the ride and looked dumbfounded. She chased after Xiao Mu and asked, "Is it really here?"
"What’s wrong?" Xiao Mu replied.
"It’s too remote," Red Sister said awkwardly. The surrounding area was an old residential district or barren land; it was far from the city center.
"Remote means it’s safe," Xiao Mu laughed, recalling his first impression of this place—it was surprisingly similar to Red Sister's.
Yes, it was a good place with no alcohol, no girls, and no entertainment. Just thinking about those days made Xiao Mu's left finger throb with pain.
This was the destination. Xiao Mu thought of this place where ruffians and police never ventured: Culinary School.
He left everyone waiting downstairs while he headed straight for the Enrollment office. Inside the school, he saw a balding man rushing over to greet him. The man started talking about how strong their faculty was but quickly shifted to how low their fees were. Not believing him, he added that they guaranteed job placement after graduation. Xiao Mu interrupted him and said, "You mentioned advertisements; how about a trial month with no tuition fees?"
"You have to pay something, right? There must be a deposit, just in case you leave after a month of training. We can't afford to take a big loss," the Enrollment officer glanced at Xiao Mu, who didn't look like an apprentice.
Xiao Mu smiled and said, "Don't look at me; I'm not here to learn... but I did bring a team."
"Oh, so many of you?" The Enrollment officer's eyes lit up; that was a significant tuition fee.
"You may be able to take advantage of customers because your shop is big, but since I’m a big customer, can we negotiate?" Xiao Mu suggested.
"Of course, anything can be discussed," the Enrollment officer replied excitedly.
"Let’s do a trial month. If there are results after a month, I’ll pay you the tuition... but I won’t pay in full until graduation. As for this group, they will be under military-style management and won't have any outside contact during their learning period," Xiao Mu stated.
"That’s fine; our management is quite strict... Wait, are there women too?" the Enrollment officer asked.
Xiao Mu had already thought this through. He pulled him aside and explained, "That's the boss's wife. You all better treat her well; who knows, she might take a liking to your little chef and take away a batch. Isn’t that still money?"
"Right, right," the Enrollment officer nodded eagerly and accepted immediately.
"Go on, arrange accommodations for them. I'll pay you in advance for food and lodging; we can defer the tuition... You don’t have to worry about me not paying; just don’t let them go," Xiao Mu urged. The officer nodded again and hurried off.
Once downstairs, he waved his hand and led his little group into the school’s teaching area. However, he didn’t expect it to be like this. Big Li and several women were unhappy. Xiao Mu reassured them, "Sister, there are so many strong and handsome men here; there will definitely be opportunities to satisfy your needs. It’s better than going back to the city and living in fear; just think of it as a vacation."
Some young ruffians didn’t understand, so Xiao Mu gave one a slap as a lesson. "You get food and lodging without spending a dime; what else could you possibly complain about?" The Gourd Brothers were confused too, so Xiao Mu scolded them, "You two dare to run? I bet they’d issue a wanted notice for you. With looks like yours, do you think you could escape?"
Using both intimidation and persuasion, he managed to keep everyone in line and arranged their accommodations. There were indeed hundreds of students here. When the Madams saw so many strong young men, their eyes lit up; they really didn’t want to leave anymore. The men were assigned six dormitories and brought back bedding.
Xiao Mu gathered everyone together and began instructing them as if he were on the streets inciting them for a job. The first thing he asked was if anyone had money on them. When they confirmed they did, he said, "Alright then, all of it goes into my custody."
The second thing was about their phones. When they admitted they had those too, he ordered them all to be handed over.
He entrusted everything to Big Gourd for safekeeping and issued orders: "Keep an eye on them! Anyone who doesn’t study hard will find themselves unable to eat what they cook in two months—beat them hard! Don’t think about anything else; just stay put. Once it's safe, I’ll take you all out to make some money."
The young ruffians were not very old but had already gotten used to following orders under Xiao Mu's authority and the Gourd Brothers' intimidation. Besides, with food, clothing, and shelter taken care of, they weren’t inclined to think too much about anything else.
But the situation was still unresolved, which made it difficult for the Gourd Brothers to manage. Chasing after Xiao Mu, the elder brother complained, "No drinking, no soliciting, it's unbearable!" The younger brother added, "No fighting, no stealing, it's worse than death!" Together they lamented, "We’ve worked so hard to get from the old society to where we are today; you can't just throw us back to square one! How many years have we fought to rule the streets?"
Xiao Mu was furious and turned around to shout, "Are you ungrateful or what? I risked getting arrested by the police to save you all, and you just want to lounge around here for a few days... Do you want to end up in a detention center feeding mosquitoes?"
That threat was enough; the brothers were particularly afraid of that possibility, especially with summer approaching. If they really got locked up, the conditions would surely be worse than here.
"Just stay put. I'm going to gather some information... And keep an eye on your sisters too; don’t let them wander off and cause trouble."
With that, Xiao Mu left them behind and walked away resolutely.
Once outside the school gate, he squatted down and started laughing. He couldn't hold it in for long; this sudden idea had solved a major problem. He didn't have to pay tuition for now, and the cost of food and lodging was cheap—only thirty-five bucks a day per person. Even he couldn't help but praise himself for being so clever...
Comment 0 Comment Count