“What?” In the office, Mao Wei was asking in shock, “Bureau Chief Luan wants the Key Case Investigation Unit in Rongyang to take charge of the case, but…. It’s out of our coverage area, right?”
“Out of what coverage area?” Li Beini said. “Moyang Branch is already at such a state, it’s not like you don’t know anything about it. It’s a matter of life and death. Do you… Do you want them to take care of this?”
“Because it is a life and death matter, so… The responsibility is heavy!” Mao Wei said nervously. “Plus, the kidnapper was a prison breaker. This… This is too knotty!”
“We have to deal with it, even if it is knotty!” Li Beini said again. “Bureau Chief Luan said that you, Team Lead Mao, have handled quite a number of kidnapping cases, and that you are very experienced, so for the mission this time, you have to act as lead captain. You are the commander-in-chief!”
“Okay, alright!” Mao Wei steadied and said, “As the leaders entrusted us, we have to give it our all! Zhao…” He turned around and spoke to Zhao Yu, “This time, the two of us have to co-operate, and try to save the child!”
“Mm…. Okay, alright!” Zhao Yu nodded in agreement.
Actually, regarding this kind of kidnapping case, he had no experience at all. Hence, he had no objection towards the leader’s arrangements. Mao Wei was more experienced after all.
After receiving the mission, the police detective didn’t even have time to have lunch, but immediately held an emergency meeting with the entire Key Case Investigation Team instead. During the meeting, through collective wisdom and concerted efforts, the police detectives finalized the counter measures regarding the kidnapping case.
Firstly, they segregated the job. As the police detectives from team B were stronger in flexibility, Mao Wei led Team B to run all the fieldwork. On the other hand, Zhao Yu led Team A, tasked with being in charge of investigation and information gathering.
As this situation of the kidnapping case was special, the Key Case Investigation Unit decided that the kidnapping should be kept secret and out of the public, and that all investigating had to be done secretly. They couldn’t let the kidnapper find out that Lan Shuping had lodged a police report.
On the other hand, regarding the special request of the kidnapper, Feng Kuo, the Key Case Investigation Unit decided to go along with the plan, and temporarily treat Lan Shuping as the true murderer in the Flat Murder Case. At necessary times, the police station would even announce the fake news to the public, in order to trick Feng Kuo into dropping his guard.
From Feng Kuo’s intentions, the reason why he kidnapped Lan Shuping’s daughter, was because he was certain that Lan Shuping was the murderer that had killed Liu Jiao in the past! Once he found out that Lan Shuping had turned himself in, and that his injustice had been redressed, she would have no reason to hurt the hostage.
However, everything couldn’t be dealt with so hastily. If one were to announce too quickly, it would make Feng Kuo suspicious. So, the police had to take control strictly, and take action carefully.
After the meeting, the police detectives started working tensely, but orderly. Zhao Yu, as the team lead for team A, was naturally duty bound. He returned to the office and gathered the team for a small meeting.
“Zhang!” Zhang Yu asked someone to pull the whiteboard over, in order to write down all the information, while he ordered Zhang Jingfeng, “I need a complete informational run-down on Feng Kuo now, and be as detailed as possible!”
“No problem, I’ll get it done in five minutes!” Zhang Jingfeng agreed quickly. “This person was in prison for ten years, so it is going to be very easy to get his information!”
“Then, get Lan Shuping’s information for me, as well!” Zhang Yu took the opportunity and said, to which Zhang Jingfeng agreed readily.
“Da Fei, Xiao Li!” Zhao Yu continued, “Find out about the case back then. Get all the clues, evidence, witness statements, verbal confessions, anything related to the case. Find them all, and stick them on the whiteboard!”
“Yes!”
“Team Lead….” Listening to Zhao Yu’s commands, Liu Xueshan couldn’t help but ask, “The case is definitely a little complicated, but it is a kidnapping case after all! Shouldn’t we… Head over to the scene, to take a look?”
“Alright, you go then!” Zhang Yu immediately told Liu Xueshan. “You are more experienced in this. Bring a few men along with you, to look for clues at the scene! Remember, be cautious, and do not let anyone know that you are policemen! But… I have a feeling, that it will be difficult to find something there!”
“Why?” Liu Xueshan was surprised.
“Even if the prison break could be done solo, kidnapping the child naturally was planned ahead. So, there shouldn’t be too big of a chance for us!” Zhao Yu said, “I dare bet my annual salary that Feng Kuo definitely had a partner-in-crime, and most likely, more than one!”
“Partner?” Zhang Jingfeng said. “True also. Otherwise, right after he escaped from the prison, he could not have so successfully kidnapped a hostage. This would be too difficult!”
“Bei Ni!” Zhao Yu turned around to tell Li Beini, “Then, help me contact Yunzhou Prison, to see if you can ask about Feng Kuo’s situation in the prison!”
“This person had been in the prison for ten years. If he really had a partner, they should be among his prison friends that were recently freed. I understand these people, the friendships formed in prison are way more profound than mere comrades!”
“So, you look along this direction. See who would most likely be among Feng Kuo’s partners.”
“Okay!” Li Beini nodded in agreement.
“Oh yeah!” Zhao Yu quickly exhorted, “Beat around the bush, when you speak. Don’t let Yunzhou police find out that Feng Kuo might have come to Qinshan. That would be unfavourable to us in saving the hostage!”
“Understood!”
“Liang!” Zhang Yu told Liang Huan again, “Look at all the details from the side about Feng Kuo’s prison break. See how this bastard could have escaped from the prison. That is definitely a very difficult topic!”
“Hehe, no problem!” Liang Huan agreed readily.
Then, Zhao Yu snapped his fingers, and everyone went hustling to their assigned tasks. That very moment, there were already people from Mao Wei’s side, who were trying to get to the know situation from Lan Shuping, including discovering how his child had gotten kidnapped, how Feng Kuo had gotten in touch with him to threaten him, and so on.
Although some of the information had yet to be confirmed, to Zhao Yu, he felt that the kidnapping case was very fishy! There seemed to be a lot of unreasonable facets involved!
From Zhao Yu’s standpoint, Feng Kuo was more than willing to take the risk of being imprisoned for life in order to kidnap Lan Shuping’s daughter, and force him to admit his crime This, in his mind, revealed two points:
Firstly, Feng Kuo was most probably wrongly accused. If he were the murderer, he could wait another nine years to return to normal life. Why would he cause more trouble?
Secondly, Feng Kuo found Lan Shuping, which meant that he was very sure that Lan Shuping was the real murderer of Liu Jiao, and had framed himself! But, from Lan Shuping’s actions and response, it looked the total opposite. He didn’t look like the real murderer at all!
Could it be… Lan Shuping was pretending? He intentionally revealed a flaw, so that the police would think that he was irrelevant? If so, this man was indeed cunning!
Tsk tsk…
Zhao Yu subconsciously pouted his lips and thought: The case is quite interesting! A kidnapping case that looked so normal, but involves a prison break and a murder case that happened ten years ago!
Then… What is the truth behind this?