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墨書 Inktalez
Chapter 121: Cross-Border Chase 5
"Run... run..."
Big Gourd led the way, followed by five or six thugs, rushing out of the community. Before the security guard could even ask what was happening, Big Gourd slapped him across the face and shouted, "What are you asking for? Can't you see I'm on a diet? Here, take two bills."
He casually tossed out two hundred yuan. The security guard was too busy grabbing the money to cover his face. By the time he realized that the slap was worth it and wanted to ask for another, the group of troublemakers had already run far away. As they slowed down, Big Gourd rummaged through his waistband while the thugs searched their pockets. Their hands moved quickly, pulling out jewelry, gold bars, trinkets, and a large stack of cash along with bank cards. When Big Gourd saw a bank card, he slapped it again and cursed, "What are you doing with a card? Can you get cash from it?"
The thug holding the card felt embarrassed, glancing enviously at the others' loot. Big Gourd took away their items but generously handed out cash without counting it, piling stacks into everyone's hands. He waved his hand and said, "Hurry up and find a place to have some fun; otherwise, we'll be caught by the police tomorrow and end up behind bars."
"Huh? Brother Gourd, are you joking?" one asked.
"Of course I'm joking! How could I get caught by the police after pulling off such a high-IQ job?" Big Gourd boasted. Then he suddenly remembered something and exclaimed, "The boss told me to trick her into running halfway and then grab her luggage... No, no, robbing is much easier than breaking and entering."
"Do you think Golden Treasure's wife will call the police? She might know us," one suggested.
"Call the police? Hell no! If she dares to report us, tomorrow my brothers will line up to have their way with her," Big Gourd said fiercely, though his bravado seemed tinged with unease.
Two other thugs were discussing among themselves: "That woman was quite attractive; we should have had our turn earlier."
"You can't judge by looks; I touched her and she wasn't as firm as she seemed," another replied.
Hearing this, Big Gourd grew angry again and kicked one of them. The two stared at him in confusion and asked, "Boss, what's wrong now?"
"Damn it! You two bastards didn't remind me while you were feeling her up! I was too focused on grabbing money that I forgot to enjoy myself. What a loss!" Big Gourd lamented regretfully, recalling that the woman indeed seemed appealing.
"Should we go back then?" someone suggested.
"Don't even think about it. You've already robbed once, and if you go back, what do you expect? Hurry up and leave," Big Gourd said.
The group of thugs praised him, "Damn, big brother is really smart."
Speaking of which, it wasn't easy for Big Gourd to drag his hefty body away. A few of them had split up into two groups, taking taxis to leave, while Big Gourd was weighed down by heavy thoughts. With his not-so-bright mind, he sensed that this situation was dangerous; he had never been so brazen before. After a moment of contemplation, he stopped and pulled out his phone to call Xiao Mu. One of the thugs reminded him, "Big brother, Wood Master has gone in... You’re definitely in a tight spot now."
"Shut up. Wood Master is a cat with nine lives; there's no way he got caught. They must have lost their minds," Big Gourd replied. He hesitated, wondering if he should make the call or if the police would trace him through it.
"Really, everyone left through the back door. Wood Master didn’t have time to come out before a bunch of police cars showed up... Wood Master is quite generous; he let the brothers leave first. Just think about it—we beat up the Patrol Officer and tossed their patrol car into a dumpster. If we get caught, we’ll be stuck doing hard labor on the farm for years," the thug said.
"Get lost! You have no sense of loyalty," Big Gourd cursed. The more dangerous it became, the more his sense of righteousness flared up. He dialed Xiao Mu's number but just as he did, his phone rang with an unknown number. He answered casually, "Who is this?"
"I... Big Gourd, you’ve really gotten bold, huh? Breaking into homes now?"
A cold voice echoed on the line, startling Big Gourd so much that he almost dropped his phone. It was Old Cripple—the one who had thrown him a meal and brought him back from the train station—his older brother whom he never dared to defy. He greeted warmly:
"Old Cripple... You know about this? It's not my fault; Golden Dog set me up and got the damn Police Force to beat me half to death. I didn’t even touch his wife."
"Shut your mouth! Where are you right now? Listen to me carefully: Xiao Mu is in trouble. If you don’t want to end up in prison, keep your ears open..."
Old Cripple commanded from the other end of the line. When Big Gourd hung up the phone, he looked at his fellow thugs and realized he had no choice...
………………………
At exactly 10 PM, a team of Undercover agents arrived at Kaishilong Hotel and gathered at room 1909, where Lin Qizhao, Shen Lingchen, and Guo Wei were apprehending a theft suspect named Gao Rui Suo Zi who had been caught soliciting services.
Lin Qizhao's subordinates arrived, taking photos, clearing out the money boxes, and fingerprinting the suspect. After verifying his identity, Lin Qizhao's subordinates looked at him with a hint of excitement, giving him a thumbs up. "Boss, you're about to break the record again. We caught the first suspect in less than twelve hours after taking the case."
"Haha, this record isn't mine to claim. The door is sealed and the interrogation is up to you... The stolen goods and other suspects are still unaccounted for; we're far from closing this case," Lin Qizhao replied as he led Shen Lingchen and Guo Wei out of the room.
The room had been sealed off, with the hotel cooperating with the police to clear out neighboring guests. An officer was negotiating with hotel staff, likely regarding confidentiality issues. Hotels are usually reluctant to get involved in such matters, but once they do, they can only manage as best as they can.
The three of them took the elevator down to the eighth floor. In an instant, the case situation brightened unexpectedly; no one had anticipated it would be so easy, especially Guo Wei, who vividly recalled the suspect's attire. He glanced at Shen Lingchen, who preemptively warned him, "Don't ask me; this is beyond my ability to explain."
"This guy freaked me out. All along, people have been skeptical about the psychological effectiveness in solving cases. Not to mention he’s a informant; even police officers might be on a different level than us," Lin Qizhao said in astonishment. At that moment, he was thoroughly impressed by this oddball. He asked Shen Lingchen obsessively, "How could anyone guess that? The color of his outfit and chewing gum... Haha, it's bizarre."
"Oh right, when looking for Song Lijuan, he mentioned that clothing is a person's second skin. Theoretically speaking, attire is closely related to a person's behavioral and psychological habits," Guo Wei shared a familiar theory.
"Haha, it's not that simple. Theory and practice rarely align perfectly," Shen Lingchen chuckled.
Ding! The elevator reached their floor. Lin Qizhao walked while asking, "Deputy Commissioner Shen, what's next?"
"You’re asking me?" Shen Lingchen smiled.
"Yes. How many more clues can this informant provide? According to recent news, Golden Treasure identified the so-called Brother Five as Li Derli; however, You Bisheng only knows Nie Qifeng... Ma Yubing, Mao Shiping, He Shi along with Pan Shuanglong—the Four Little Dragons—aren't much of a threat anymore. Beyond that level, we know very little," Lin Qizhao inquired.
"Today's Theft Case was orchestrated by Nie Qifeng. Can we take action based on that?" Guo Wei suggested.
"We can't. He hasn't shown his face at all; time is too tight for us to find new evidence right now. Even if we start arresting people now, we might not catch anyone... The conditions are there, but I'm worried that if we miss someone again, we'll end up with half-baked results," Shen Lingchen replied.
"The department is drafting plans overnight. I just spoke with Deputy Liu over the phone; he ordered us to find more comprehensive clues and take down this gang completely... By the way, for the informant's fee, the department has unprecedentedly prepared fifty thousand. Money isn't an issue; several insurance companies have prepaid investigation funds that exceed this amount," Lin Qizhao stated.
"Let's hold off on revealing that leverage for now," Shen Lingchen advised.
"Why?" Lin Qizhao asked.
"Trust me, he has many more cards up his sleeve; it's not that easy to get everything from him," Shen Lingchen replied with a smile.
Guo Wei, who had just swiped his card to open the door, let his smile fade and sighed in relief before entering. When the three of them walked in, they were slightly taken aback to see Xiao Mu eating while looking at the computer. On the coffee table, there was a fruit platter and a steak, half-eaten. Upon seeing them, he asked, "Are you hungry? Should I order some room service for you?"
"Save it; the stuff here is ridiculously expensive," Guo Wei chuckled.
The three of them had somewhat strange expressions, as if they wanted to say something but held back, their eyes filled with anticipation. Seeing this, Xiao Mu laughed and said, "It's not worth mentioning... A lewd, ugly, reclusive loser like him is the easiest to guess. He has a stout build, so he likes wearing vertical stripes; it makes him look slimmer and taller."
"What about chewing gum?" Guo Wei asked.
"Bad breath; those who seek out prostitutes are most afraid of being rejected by the girls... Many who go out for that have this problem," Xiao Mu replied.
"What if he wears glasses?" Lin Qizhao asked curiously.
"He has strabismus; such an obvious flaw—how could he not try to hide it?" Xiao Mu said.
They chatted casually while eating. Shen Lingchen watched the two of them in astonishment and chuckled. He sat down next to Xiao Mu, grabbed an apple, took a bite, and tossed one to Lin Qizhao and Guo Wei. As they ate, he shifted the topic. Xiao Mu's expression turned serious as he said, "What about the reward? Don't tell me you haven't consulted yet."
"I have consulted," Lin Qizhao replied.
"Two hundred thousand; the Provincial Department agreed. That's unprecedented," Shen Lingchen said with a knowing glance, as if biting down hard.
The amount was indeed not much. Xiao Mu made a face and looked at Lin Qizhao, saying, "Thank you, Lin Department Head."
"You're welcome," Lin Qizhao smiled, feeling relaxed all of a sudden.
"Isn't it supposed to be two hundred thousand?" Xiao Mu suddenly asked.
"Huh?" Lin Qizhao was taken aback.
Xiao Mu rolled his eyes at Shen Lingchen and said indignantly, "Old Shen, I knew you were up to something. You won't give me a single cent, and you're enjoying this, aren't you?"
"Let's not talk about money; it's both mundane and hurtful to our feelings. Anyway, you won't be shortchanged. By the way, have you seen the real-time updates here? Share your thoughts," Shen Lingchen said directly.
"What do you want me to say? Aren't you already preparing for the capture?" Xiao Mu replied.
"There are still challenges. The suspect known as Locksmith, Gao Rui, has been caught. He should be like you, a recruit, so he won't know much more. The whereabouts of the others are still unclear; it will take some time. Right now, the key issue is the location of the stolen goods," Lin Qizhao explained.
Xiao Mu smiled and asked, "Do you think I would know?"
"You definitely don't know, but you've seen Rong Wu, Nie Qifeng, and this deeply hidden Li Derli. I can say it plainly: there’s too little evidence to support our arresting them," Shen Lingchen said, observing Xiao Mu's expression. Xiao Mu's eyelids twitched as he glared at Shen Lingchen.
Lin Qizhao understood the crux of the matter: if suspects couldn't be eliminated, the danger from informants would never cease. Shen Lingchen intended to force Xiao Mu to come up with a solution. He remained passive; if there was a way out, it could only come from the informants.
After a long silence, Xiao Mu looked expressionlessly at Shen Lingchen and then at the other two. This feeling wasn't pleasant; even Lin Qizhao felt that Shen Lingchen was being a bit excessive. However, Shen Lingchen remained calm; he knew Xiao Mu's temperament—he might be lazier than expected and wouldn't mention putting out fires until his own behind was on fire.
After a while, it was Lin Qizhao who first couldn't hold back. He gently reassured, "Mr. Mu, please don't take it personally; we are also in a difficult position."
"I don't mind! Who said I minded?" Xiao Mu retorted.
"Then what are you?" Lin Qizhao asked in confusion.
"I'm enjoying the feeling of being in high demand; not everyone gets to experience this sense of achievement," Xiao Mu replied with a smile before his expression changed as he added, "Even though Old Shen has ulterior motives, I understand."
"Thank you for understanding," Shen Lingchen said earnestly.
Xiao Mu smiled, skipping the pleasantries as he leaned closer to tell Shen Lingchen, "Old Shen, I've been conning my dad for over ten years. You think it's that easy to con me?"
"Oh, so you've been prepared for this?" Shen Lingchen's interest was piqued.
"It's just that I know a thing or two. Come on, don't say I'm forcing you... How about I give you some news about Brother Five?" Xiao Mu suggested.
This sudden happiness nearly left Lin Qizhao and Guo Wei dizzy. Shen Lingchen looked on with curiosity as Xiao Mu counted off on his fingers, "You Bisheng thinks Nie Qifeng is Brother Five, Golden Dog thinks Li Derli is Brother Five. This time around, they even gave me a nickname: Brother Five, Old Cripple. They keep feeding everyone stories about what Brother Five is up to... Meanwhile, I thought Rong Wu was Brother Five too. The martial arts 'Wu' and the number five seem to have gotten mixed up. So the question arises: who exactly is Brother Five? Does he even exist? Or is he just a decoy? Or could they all be him, or none of them?"
Confused, Shen Lingchen remarked, "I've heard whispers about this too. There were cases before this one involving people from the Underworld with considerable influence. Honestly, I'm quite curious about the answer."
"You know the answer?" Lin Qizhao asked with intrigue.
"I don't," Xiao Mu replied bluntly. When others looked disappointed, he added, "But I could say I do."
"Then do you know or not?" Guo Wei snapped.
Xiao Mu chuckled leisurely and explained, "First of all, I don't know because I don't know who he is; secondly, I do know because I know that this person definitely exists."
"There really is such a person?" Lin Qizhao was astonished.
"Actually, you all will figure it out soon enough. I just get there faster because of my position. All along, I thought Rong Wu was Brother Five, but today I've realized I was wrong," Xiao Mu stated.
"Wrong about what?" Shen Lingchen inquired.
Xiao Mu moved to his computer and opened photos of four suspects involved in thefts. "Because of them, I've realized my mistake. Locksmith is from Hubei, Azure Head was recruited by Panzi, Mainboard is from Guangdong, and Lani is from Yunnan. These three individuals vary in age and background; their methods and locations of crime are different as well. Aside from this incident, there's hardly any overlap... So the question arises: what is their only common point?"
"All of them have a history of theft," Lin Qizhao said, his voice trailing off as he seemed to recall something terrifying, momentarily stunned by fear.
"Exactly. Who recruited them? Nie Qifeng is a usurer and also a thief; he doesn't have that capability. Li Derli, regardless of who he is, wouldn't possess such ability either. Rong Wu lives a reclusive life, not fitting the profile of someone from the underworld. However, no matter who he is, he couldn't possibly recruit such extraordinary individuals from all over the country... Of course, they could have exaggerated these people's criminal skills; in reality, they definitely did. Don't you think Locke Gao Rui's rapid escalation from stealing motorcycles to breaking into insurance cabinets is too fast?" Xiao Mu remarked.
"That makes sense. Are you suggesting that the one who can recruit these people is Brother Five? But who could possibly manage that? Their prison sentences are quite distant; it spans several provinces," Guo Wei pondered.
"Old Shen, what was your purpose in activating Chen Shaoyang?" Xiao Mu suddenly asked an unrelated question. Shen Lingchen's expression darkened as he glared at Xiao Mu; the deepest secrets he had kept hidden were being unearthed by this kid.
"I understand," Lin Qizhao said in astonishment. "You mean... he's a police officer?"
Xiao Mu smiled and replied, "What do you think?"
Guo Wei gasped in realization, suddenly understanding as well. At this juncture, only a police officer could explain things logically because only a police officer could access the criminal information network to specifically locate these hidden criminals and then recruit them for our use. He muttered in disbelief, "Then the failure to capture Ma Yubing and Mao Shiping last time can also be explained. If this person exists, he should be in Suzhou and Hangzhou, unable to control the operations in Shenzhen-Hong Kong and our Binhai... But is that even possible? It's too absurd."
"Not all bad guys have to be unemployed drifters like me," Xiao Mu teased, watching as the three of them stood there dumbfounded. He laughed heartily and said, "See? Karma is swift; ha ha! Trying to scare me ended up scaring yourselves... ha ha."
He showed no concern for others' feelings, mocking and ridiculing them until Shen Lingchen finally regained his composure and said, "You're right; this suspicion might be correct."
"So you activated Chen Shaoyang to see if he has any issues? Is it a case of the thief calling out to catch the thief? Will it cause other disturbances?" Xiao Mu asked.
"Yes, but unfortunately, there hasn't been any movement," Shen Lingchen replied.
"The remaining thieves are nothing to fear; what we dread is this particular thief... So you've been hesitant to initiate arrests," Xiao Mu stated.
Shen Lingchen finally reached his limit and suddenly shouted at Xiao Mu in anger, "Yes! You know everything! Stop making sarcastic remarks and think of a solution!"
Xiao Mu was taken aback and replied defensively, "I am already working on it!"
"What did you do?" Shen Lingchen asked, puzzled.
"I had Big Gourd steal Golden Treasure's wife," Xiao Mu replied.
"Ah?" Shen Lingchen raised his hand as if to slap him, but Xiao Mu didn't flinch. He hesitated and then angrily said, "Are you out of your mind?"
"Don't you think we need to be reckless right now?" Xiao Mu shot back, causing Shen Lingchen to pause, as if struck at his core.
"This game is played with great precision; every move has its purpose, like a layered strategy surrounding the opponent. Once you attack a certain point, that point becomes a sacrifice. Then you'll realize the reality is vastly different from your imagination. The ones captured have no idea who is pulling the strings... Even I, caught in this web, have no way of knowing what lies above me. Every step they take is calculated, almost flawless," Xiao Mu explained.
"Flawless?" Guo Wei scoffed.
"Put aside your superiority as a police officer; you'll come to appreciate his methods. Let's consider this: even if you manage to capture all four thieves, including me, what then? The four of us would identify me as Brother Five, and none would know where the stolen goods are. Even if we implicated Nie Qifeng, what about the loot? You probably won't be able to trace it. Now imagine if you catch Nie Qifeng; could he identify who Brother Five is? And even if tonight yields significant results, what will you achieve? Golden Treasure might point to Li Derli as his superior, but that's still quite a distance from Brother Five... Moreover, by the time I finish this case, both Nie Qifeng and Li Derli will likely vanish. If Brother Five exists, they must have already known they were about to be exposed when Wang Zihua fell," Xiao Mu continued.
Indeed, with insufficient evidence and fear of repercussions, capturing these two would likely lead to another dead end like Ma Yubing's case—key figures disappearing would turn it into an unsolvable mystery.
"This reckless act seems to have some effect," Shen Lingchen pondered, his thoughts drifting.
"Thank you. I suspect Old Cripple hasn't gone far; after all, he has so much hidden away. He must be waiting for an opportunity... But if news of the confiscated goods spreads, he'll surely flee," Xiao Mu said.
"Oh... So he knows that Big Gourd acted recklessly and stole Golden Treasure's family?" Lin Qizhao asked.
"Exactly. These two are troublemakers; there's nothing they wouldn't dare do. If they were involved, he should show up soon. If anything happens to Golden Treasure's wife, it would definitely threaten Toy Store's stash. I can't believe he'd just sit back," Xiao Mu stated firmly, a hint of satisfaction on his face—Big Gourd should have succeeded by now.
The three exchanged glances and reluctantly accepted this outcome. Lin Qizhao checked his messages; Gao Rui was still denying everything, and Golden Treasure's interrogation was ongoing. The police's progress would likely lag far behind the case situation.
At that moment, Xiao Mu's phone rang. He picked it up and answered on speakerphone, saying, "Big Gourd, did you succeed?"
"Brother, I've always considered you my real brother. Do you see me as a brother too?" Big Gourd suddenly became serious.
"Of course, what's wrong?" Xiao Mu sensed something was off.
"Then come to our usual place to meet me. I need to ask you something," Big Gourd said solemnly before hanging up.
This time, Xiao Mu truly felt cornered. He leaned back against the sofa and slapped his forehead, exclaiming, "This is bad. Old Cripple has directly contacted Big Gourd. He must have figured out that something is wrong. Does Old Cripple also know about the Toy Store? Is it that Big Gourd has someone planted in the shadows, or is there someone else involved?"
Things had gone awry; the connection and progression had hit a snag. He underestimated this person. The appearance of this old master and his direct contact with Big Gourd could very well sever Xiao Mu's ability to command influence in the Underworld. Moreover, if the Toy Store incident were to be exposed, Xiao Mu's identity would be revealed, and the usefulness of this informant would come to an end.
The room was so quiet that one could hear a pin drop. The three police officers looked at this all-knowing informant, witnessing such anxiety for the first time…
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