SOTC Chapter 21

Night fell.

Yulin, bustling throughout the day, gradually quieted down as the sun set.

Sun Tao finished his day’s work and took the bus back to his home.

At that moment, he keenly noticed something amiss.

The position of the lock seemed to have been altered.

Because he always deadbolted the door before leaving for work each day, when he removed the key after deadbolting, the lock cylinder would stop at a specific angle.

If this angle had changed, it meant someone had tampered with his door lock.

Moreover, ordinary touching wouldn’t change the lock’s position; only inserting a key or opening tool into the lock could do that.

Sun Tao’s expression grew serious. He frowned slightly, stood at the door, and pondered for ten seconds before taking out his key from his bag and inserting it into the lock.

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The door was finally opened. Sun Tao didn’t move forward as he pushed the door open.

He cautiously observed the situation outside the room through the gap provided by the opening door.

Only after confirming that there was nothing unusual did he slowly step inside.

However, the instant Sun Tao stepped into the room, a white hand suddenly reached out towards him, about to touch his shoulder.

In that split second, Sun Tao dodged the hand as nimbly as if he had eyes in the back of his head. Then, with a sudden turn, he seized the opponent’s wrist. Using a grappling technique, he pressed the opponent’s arm towards their chest along the joint, seemingly about to subdue them. Unexpectedly, the opponent grabbed the point where Sun Tao was exerting force in the dark, resulting in a stalemate.

“Not bad, aren’t you? Who would have thought that Team Sun, who always stays in the office, is actually the most skilled in the Criminal Investigation Brigade.”

In the darkness, the person grappling with Sun Tao suddenly spoke.

The familiar voice made Sun Tao almost shout out in disbelief –

“Gu Zheng?!”

“I had something important to discuss with you, so I had to come find you.”

Gu Zheng relaxed his strength, casually turned on the fluorescent light behind him, and stood in front of Sun Tao.

Sun Tao felt a chill rush to his head, even a sense of dizziness assailed him.

“Old Gu, are you crazy? What do you mean by coming to my house at this time?”

“I have something important to discuss with you.”

Gu Zheng casually said, closed the door, and then smiled at Sun Tao –

“But I’m telling the truth, you are still single at such a young age. Didn’t Old Xue introduce an elementary school teacher to me? Why didn’t it work out?”

“Gu Zheng, what nonsense are you talking about?! Say what you need to say, get to the point! If you have nothing to say, come back to the team and surrender. Why are you concerned about my private life? I think you are just full!”

“Calm down, calm down, Old Sun. I know you are not the same as before. As a fugitive, you have to have the awareness of a fugitive. Everyone else in the team has a wife and children, you can’t harm them. But I am different, I’m single, and eating alone means the whole family isn’t hungry, and everything tastes the same to me, am I right?”

“Does that include prison food?”

Sun Tao glared at Gu Zheng.

“It doesn’t include that, absolutely not. When I came, I avoided all the cameras and climbed into the bedroom from the blind spot along the water pipes. You can go and see now if you don’t believe me. I taped the glass before breaking it, and I opened the latch from the outside, so even if someone finds out, I was just breaking in to rob, and it won’t hurt you, Old Sun.”

“Then what about the lock? If I climbed through the window, why would I tamper with the lock?”

“I just wanted to see if you were still as vigilant as you used to be, Old Sun.”

Gu Zheng said with a smile.

“And the result?”

Sun Tao still didn’t give Gu Zheng a good look, continuing to ask with a straight face.

“The result is, there’s no problem, and I’m relieved. If even you are overwhelmed by this case, then I really don’t know who to go to and talk about these things.”

Gu Zheng sighed and laughed self-deprecatingly.

“Recently, I feel like I’m not a police officer anymore, always doing the deeds of thieves and kidnappers. If possible, I hope this day can end sooner, and I can return to the team as soon as possible. We two used to seem not to get along, and I always said you were someone who sat in the office…”

“You are someone who sits in the office, so what? Did you solve more cases than me?”

Sun Tao interrupted Gu Zheng without hesitation, “Alright, stop talking nonsense, get to the point, what do you want?”

“I want you to release the details of Wang Nongxin’s case to the public through police reports, especially regarding the fingerprints you left behind, how many fingerprints, and what objects they’re on, all of this information should be released.”

“Do you know that doing this before the case is closed would violate discipline?”

Sun Tao asked Gu Zheng in return.

“I know.”

Gu Zheng nodded.

“I can’t do something that violates discipline for your sake. In this situation, not arresting you in person is already my greatest trust in you. If it wasn’t because I had so many doubts about the case, I would have arrested you last time.”

“Then let me put it another way.”

Gu Zheng didn’t have any emotional fluctuations because of Sun Tao’s words.

“Without violating discipline, can I help you with this favor?”

“Regarding the details of Wang Nongxin’s case, I think you knew about them earlier than I did, otherwise, how could you have run away before the police wanted to investigate you? This is a bit strange, you clearly know but want me to release this information, what are you up to?”

“It’s definitely not poison, you know I would never do anything illegal or undisciplined, so…”

“This life?”

Before Gu Zheng finished speaking, Sun Tao interrupted him.

“Did you forget how you entered my house? And you dare to say you haven’t violated discipline?”

“Old Sun, are you going to cut me off completely?!”

Gu Zheng was stunned, and immediately blurted out.

Sun Tao couldn’t help but smile slightly, then put on a straight face again and said –

“How about this, you say something I want to hear, and then I’ll consider whether or not to help you with this favor. But there’s one thing I want to say first, I can’t use a police report to release Wang Nongxin’s case to the public, and it’s not something I can decide. Without Director Li and Captain Liu’s approval, I can’t do this. And I don’t want to talk about this now, unless you say what I want to hear first.”

“I should have known, everyone says your first team captain is actually from Shandong, and never makes a losing deal, I’ve finally seen it today.”

Gu Zheng shook his head helplessly, sat down at the dining table next to him, looked up at Sun Tao, and continued –

“Then how did the Zhao Yangfu thing I asked you to investigate turn out?”

“Speaking of this, Old Gu, have you personally contacted Zhao Yangfu?”

Sun Tao finally became serious. He moved a chair and sat opposite Gu Zheng, then solemnly asked him.

“No, what’s wrong?”

Gu Zheng looked at Sun Tao’s expression, frowned, and felt that this matter seemed to be a bit complicated.

“Let me put it this way, I’m thirty-three this year, and although I haven’t found a wife yet, I still want to in essence, it’s just that the actual situation doesn’t allow it, and I can’t take care of a family, so I’ve put it aside. But Zhao Yangfu, his outstanding trait is that he has no desires or demands.”

“No desires or demands?”

Gu Zheng’s eyes widened when he heard this, “What do you mean?”

“Doesn’t smoke, doesn’t drink, isn’t interested in women, doesn’t take a cent of his salary except for the essential expenses, doesn’t do financial management, doesn’t buy property, and even the car is provided by the company. You can’t even find a weakness in Zhao Yangfu. But it’s this kind of person who was involved in a high-interest loan debt collection murder case back then. I think everyone’s behavior should have a demand, just like you and I are talking here, you hope to learn more detailed information about this series of cases from me, and I hope to achieve what I need through you. But I don’t understand where Zhao Yangfu’s demand is.”

Sun Tao slowly told Gu Zheng the results of Xue Yan’s preliminary investigation of Zhao Yangfu, but he didn’t mention Xue Yan.

Gu Zheng looked at Sun Tao for a long time before saying –

“High-interest loan debt collection murder? When did this happen?”

“Eight years ago.”

Sun Tao answered without thinking.

“So, Zhao Yangfu was working for high-interest loans before joining Yuzhou Cultural Media. Then, according to what you said earlier, what is his demand?”

Gu Zheng asked.

“I also want to know, Old Gu, you know I’m good at criminal psychology, but I’m not completely ignorant about this thing. As a gray industry, ordinary people participating in private high-interest loans will definitely weigh the benefits and risks. If Zhao Yangfu is really as uninterested as he looks on the surface, he can completely find a normal job, anyway, besides his daily expenses, his assets are all in the bank, is that correct?”

“That’s right.”

Gu Zheng nodded.

“So this person definitely has a problem. I don’t know where you got the information that he is related to Chen Fan’s murder, but from my point of view, there must be something we don’t know hidden behind this person. But with just these guesses, I can’t file a case to investigate him.”

“The illegal high-interest loan industry is generally connected with local criminal forces. In other words, compared to Yang Xu, an ordinary person with no background and only relying on writing to maintain his daily expenses, Zhao Yangfu obviously has more credibility in killing Chen Fan.”

Gu Zheng looked at Sun Tao thoughtfully and said.

“I can think that way, but the problem is that we still don’t have any evidence, and I can’t launch an investigation into Zhao Yangfu for this reason.”

“I know, so I’m going to say something you don’t know now.”

“Something I don’t know?”

Sun Tao was stunned for a moment, then suddenly perked up and asked eagerly –

“What is it?”

“There is an employment relationship between Yang Xu and Chen Fan. The works published by Chen Fan were not written by him personally, but were completed by Yang Xu as a ghostwriter. Chen Fan would transfer money to Yang Xu every month as his income. In my opinion, this matter itself cannot give Chen Fan’s murder case a substantial breakthrough, but there is another detail here. That is, in the last half year before Chen Fan’s death, he repeatedly asked Yang Xu about the methods of blackmailing his superiors in the novel, claiming that he wanted to create his own work. And on the day Chen Fan was killed, he asked Yang Xu again about how to end this matter, and showed full fear. Old Sun, you should still remember some details of the crime scene, in addition to the large number of items being destroyed, Chen Fan’s computer was even subjected to devastating destruction, causing the hard drive to be completely damaged and even unable to be recovered. So, do you feel that the logic has come to a natural conclusion at this point?”

“Are you saying that Chen Fan asked Yang Xu for methods of blackmailing in the name of writing a book? This matter does make sense logically. It was already an incredible thing for Chen Fan, who was originally just a gangster, to suddenly become a best-selling author. If Yang Xu is a full-time ghostwriter and is particularly good at criminal investigation suspense themes, he can indeed provide some help in this regard. According to what you just said, the person Chen Fan wanted to blackmail was of course Zhao Yangfu, so Zhao Yangfu would find someone or personally kill Chen Fan, and destroy Chen Fan’s computer in the guise of a fight to destroy the information Chen Fan used to blackmail him. You can temporarily accept my reasoning, but after this, I want to answer a question first.”

Sun Tao paused when he said this, but Gu Zheng took over the conversation.

“Are you going to ask if you have already found Yang Xu?”

“You underestimate me, Old Gu.”

Sun Tao shook his head.

“It is impossible for Yang Xu to tell you these things when he accepted your routine inquiry for the first time, and if you could have said these assumptions at the time, Captain Liu would not have been able to find a reason to punish you anyway. So, the only answer is that you have launched some form of communication with Yang Xu after this. Judging from the way you entered my house, Old Gu, you have indeed given up many principles.”

“You haven’t given up any principles. Your only principle from beginning to end is to solve every case.”

Gu Zheng suddenly showed a little excitement at this time.

“That’s not the point.” Sun Tao shook his head again, “The key is that I have already found Yang Xu, but I am helping the criminal suspect evade police pursuit. In fact, it is very simple to launch a case investigation into Zhao Yangfu, as long as Yang Xu can repeat these things I said in his confession, then the judicial process can be started.”

“And then? Old Sun, I don’t believe you haven’t noticed that Chen Fan’s case was cut off halfway. How much power does a Zhao Yangfu have to block the investigation?”

“I’ve thought about it, but what do you want me to do? Just because you feel that someone is hindering the investigation, you are extra careful, so you will believe these things I said, but everything needs evidence. You can’t even investigate Zhao Yangfu now, can you still find more things? I may know a lot of things, but I don’t say it, so what do you want me to do?! Even a blind person touching an elephant has a limit, right? You are not only blind now, but even your hands and feet are broken, do you know?!”

Sun Tao suddenly raised his voice, he was really full of fire, and bore a belly of pressure, but there was no way to vent it.

Gu Zheng was silent, he couldn’t refute what Sun Tao said, but he did have his own difficulties.

“Old Sun, whether you believe it or not, I don’t know more than you. I don’t say some things not because I’m considering my own safety, but because there are too many other people’s safety that I need to consider. I trust you, so I will come to you, but I can’t trust you without reservation, I must leave a trump card to ensure that those innocent people are not harmed.”

“Okay, okay! I can do it, Old Gu!”

Sun Tao couldn’t sit still, he suddenly stood up from the seat, walked back and forth, and pointed at Gu Zheng and said –

“I want you to believe me and help me even if you violate discipline. Then I, this bastard, can’t trust you without reservation, I’m really a brother. Gu Zheng, I’ll leave this sentence here today, I’m really not even something.”

“Then do you want to help me this time?”

Gu Zheng was still sitting under that seat, looking at Sun Tao calmly.

“Help, why not help? I’m a person, how can I argue with you, this dog thing?!”

Sun Tao really had no other way but to vent his anger with harsh words.

He would not be so angry as to lose his mind, because this is the minimum quality of a police officer. No matter how angry he is, he must maintain objective reason and judgment.

At this moment, Sun Tao’s most objective reason was telling him that no criminal would repeatedly find himself to investigate the case after killing someone and robbing a money transport vehicle without dealing with the stolen money.

So, despite his anger, Sun Tao couldn’t really let himself be reckless.

“Say it, what do you want me to do, say it clearly, the next time you see me, you can arrest me in peace of mind.”

“I will arrange a reporter to interview you, and then you can tell her some details about the Wang Nongxin case.”

Gu Zheng still maintained relative calmness.

Sun Tao was a little dazed after hearing what Gu Zheng said. He looked at Gu Zheng up and down carefully, as if he had never seen Gu Zheng before, then said –

“What do you take me for? It looks like I’ve been demoted. I’ve also found Yang Xu, and I can also mobilize a reporter. Is there anything I can’t do? Is it possible that the next time you see me, I’ll be the director of your county bureau?”

“Don’t mock me, Old Sun. I know you’re not comfortable, but I’m not comfortable either. I, Gu Zheng, have been upright and aboveboard all my life, but now I’m carrying two lives on my back. If we’re comparing misery, you’re really no match for me.”

Gu Zheng smiled bitterly and said to Sun Tao.

Unexpectedly, Sun Tao’s face suddenly changed, he shook his head violently, and muttered –

“No, no.”

“What’s wrong?”

Gu Zheng was a little confused at this moment.

“Something’s wrong with you, no wonder I always felt there was a problem. You wait here!”

Sun Tao said this without rhyme or reason, and then rushed into the bedroom in a hurry. When he came out, he was holding a Legal Daily.

When Gu Zheng saw the newspaper, his face turned ugly.

He didn’t expect Sun Tao to be so shrewd, even more shrewd than a fox. He only mentioned a reporter, and that guy caught the flaw.

Sure enough, the first thing Sun Tao did after bringing the newspaper was to spread the newspaper on the table, and then point to the new column in the Legal Daily and say –

“I’ve always felt strange, why would the Legal Daily oppose the county bureau? Although you have indeed disclosed some details about the Chen Fan case, the logic in it is not something ordinary people can have. That is criminal investigation logic, and it is also very unique criminal investigation logic.”

“Unique logic? What logic?”

Gu Zheng still wanted to muddle through, but this time it was not that simple.

“Deducing from the psychology of criminals, supplemented by the scene and evidence to draw inferences, this is completely the opposite of our conventional case investigation ideas. I have never seen a second person with the same way of thinking in all these years. What a coincidence, how did I see it this time? Let me see, what is the name of this reporter?”

Sun Tao paused, looked at the name on the report carefully, and then slowly read a name –

“Xu Qing.”

“Stop talking, Old Sun. The more I know, the more I will put myself and others in greater danger. This matter is not as simple as you think, you just want me to trust you.”

“And don’t want me to ask any questions.”

Sun Tao took over the first half of Gu Zheng’s sentence.

“That’s right.”

Gu Zheng nodded to him very seriously.

After that, the two fell into silence at the same time.

Gu Zheng was unusually calm on the surface, but his heart was full of trepidation.

At this moment, his destiny was not actually in his own hands, but he needed to connect a long rope through trust.

Contrary to him, although Sun Tao had anger on his face, his heart was as clear as a mirror.

He was silent for a long time, then sighed heavily, and reached out to pat Gu Zheng on the shoulder.

“Okay, remember what I said. Be careful yourself, and… remember I’m a policeman.”

“I know.”

Compared to the lengthy argument in the process, the farewell of the two seemed particularly short.

After the sentence “I know,” they didn’t say more words, just glanced at each other in a hurry, Gu Zheng turned around and walked into Sun Tao’s bedroom, following the way he came, climbing down the floor along the water pipe, and disappeared alone into the vast night.

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