Chapter 656: The Fire at Fengyi Pavilion

Lin Qiupu gathered a team of officers to officially arrest Dong Xiao. As they were about to leave, journalist Chen Gong appeared out of nowhere and asked, “Officers, are you going to arrest someone? Can I tag along and take some photos?”

“How did you know?” Lin Qiupu questioned.

“You’re in uniform. Usually, you wear plain clothes,” Chen Gong replied with a grin.

Thinking it wouldn’t hurt to have a journalist along, especially since there would be a press conference later, Lin Qiupu agreed and let him ride with Chen Shi.

Hearing that Secretary Jia had implicated Dong Xiao, Chen Gong was excited, chattering nonstop about avenging Cao Man.

However, when the police arrived at Zhuoyuan Company, they were told that the CEO was not in his office. Lin Qiupu immediately called over the officers stationed at the entrance and demanded, “How did you lose sight of him? At this critical moment, the suspect has escaped?”

“We didn’t see him leave the building.”

“Yeah, with his size, we couldn’t have missed him,” the two officers defended themselves.

Given that Jia had been taken into custody, Dong Xiao must have known his fate and decided to hide. Lin Qiupu ordered the team to search the company while he, Chen Shi, Lin Dongxue, and Peng Sijue examined Dong Xiao’s office.

In the office, they found bloodstains on a trophy, likely the weapon used to kill Cao Man. Peng Sijue bagged the evidence. Chen Shi noticed Chen Gong at Dong Xiao’s computer, fiddling with it.

“What are you doing?” Chen Shi asked.

“Just helping you get it started. There might be some evidence on it,” Chen Gong replied.

“Thanks, but we’ll handle it,” Lin Qiupu said, confirming that no files had been opened on the computer. “Step aside, let us search.”

“Can I take a photo?” Chen Gong asked with a smile.

“Wait until we find Dong Xiao, but show me the photos afterward.”

“Of course, I’m a professional,” Chen Gong said, glancing at the smoking room. “Can I pay my respects to my friend who was killed there?”

“Don’t touch anything. We still need to collect evidence. You might leave footprints,” Lin Qiupu warned, finding Chen Gong’s restless behavior troubling.

The officers searching for Dong Xiao returned, reporting they couldn’t find him anywhere. Notably, Lü Qi and Su Chan were also missing, along with Dong Xiao’s personal secretary, Li.

“It seems he sensed trouble and fled,” Chen Shi said. “Dongxue, let’s go check downstairs.”

A few minutes later, Chen Shi called Lin Qiupu to the first floor. He and Lin Dongxue stood by an inconspicuous side door.

“We asked the employees, and they said this door is used for deliveries. It was open when we came down. Dong Xiao might have escaped through here,” Chen Shi explained.

“Check the surveillance footage!”

The footage showed Dong Xiao and Secretary Li rushing downstairs and exiting through the door two hours earlier, outside the monitoring range of the stationed officers. Lin Qiupu called the station, asking the tech team to track Dong Xiao’s phone.

Dong Xiao’s phone was off, but they located Secretary Li’s phone signal on Chenggao Road, heading quickly towards the company, likely in a car.

The team immediately set off in pursuit. On Chenggao Road, they spotted a car driving erratically, heavily damaged as if it had been in multiple collisions. The driver, covered in blood, was screaming hysterically. It was Secretary Li.

“Stop him!” Lin Qiupu ordered.

Secretary Li drove wildly, crashing into several police cars trying to block him. Chen Shi swerved and finally forced Li’s car off the road. The officers pulled the frantic Secretary Li from the car and handcuffed him. He screamed, “Fire, such a big fire! Everything burned, hahaha!”

“Where is Dong Xiao?” Lin Qiupu demanded.

Secretary Li laughed maniacally, “Did you see the fire? Such a big fire!”

“He’s gone mad,” Chen Shi remarked.

“Why now, of all times?” Lin Qiupu wondered.

“Do you smell that?” Chen Shi noticed smoke in the distance. “There’s a fire over there!”

The fire seemed to be coming from Fengyi Pavilion, the suburban villa Dong Xiao built for Su Chan. They all had a bad feeling. Lin Qiupu ordered two officers to take Secretary Li back while the rest headed to Fengyi Pavilion, calling the fire department en route.

As they approached, the air grew warmer, and the forest ahead blazed with flames. Ash floated in the air, and it became clear this was no ordinary house fire but a forest fire. Lin Dongxue was stunned by the sight, and Chen Gong eagerly snapped photos with his camera.

“Did you know Fengyi Pavilion isn’t just a villa? It’s practically a garden. Dong Xiao tore down an old warehouse and built this place, covering hundreds of square meters with a three-story European-style building and exotic plants, all for Su Chan,” Chen Gong explained.

“You know a lot,” Lin Dongxue said.

“Su Chan is a famous beauty. We tried to get photos of her, but security was too tight. The only thing online is a report about a ‘tycoon’s mistress,’ with just one back view of her,” Chen Gong continued.

“The fire is spreading to the forest. We can’t go further,” Chen Shi noted, stopping the car. If they went deeper, the fire could trap them.

They got out, watching the forest burn fiercely. The smoke and flames made it look like twilight had fallen prematurely. Each wondered what had happened after Dong Xiao arrived at the villa.

The fire department arrived, but the fire was too intense. With no nearby hydrants, they used the water from their tanks, but it wasn’t enough. They had to create firebreaks and let the fire burn out on its own. The police helped. Lin Dongxue and Chen Shi shared a chainsaw, cutting down trees to stop the fire’s spread. It was grueling work, and they had to cut and move each tree.

The fire department’s reinforcements arrived continuously, tirelessly creating firebreaks. A firefighting helicopter dumped tons of water on the fire’s perimeter. Chen Gong eagerly captured the action with his camera.

By nightfall, the fire was under control. Everyone was exhausted, covered in soot. The firefighters moved their trucks in for the final extinguishing.

As they approached the remnants of Fengyi Pavilion, a grim realization dawned on them all. What exactly had happened there after Dong Xiao arrived?