Chapter 179: The Fugitive Appears

Granny Liu hesitated before asking, “Will this affect Dog Egg’s schooling or job prospects in the future?”

“No, I promise. We just need your cooperation for the investigation,” Chen Shi assured her.

“What if the bad guys retaliate? Dog Egg is my only grandson.”

“Don’t worry, with our protection, you’ll be completely safe.”

Granny Liu finally relaxed, patting Dog Egg’s head. “Dog Egg, tell the officers what you saw last night. They’re here to catch the bad guys.”

Dog Egg eyed Lin Dongxue warily. Chen Shi whispered, “He’s experiencing trauma; it will take time.”

Chen Shi then said, “Granny Liu, you and Dog Egg can stay at my place for now. Food and lodging are covered by the police. It’s free… Do you need to contact anyone?”

“I want to call my son,” Granny Liu said, holding Chen Shi’s hand. “Sir, meeting you has been a blessing. You helped us yesterday and are helping us again today. I feel so guilty.”

“Don’t mention it. I’m a friend of the police. Here, use my phone.”

After making the call, Chen Shi drove Granny Liu, Dog Egg, and Lin Dongxue back to his place. When they arrived, his cat, Maoqiu, darted under the sofa at the sight of strangers. Chen Shi cleared his bed for them and explained how to use the appliances. The only downside was the lack of a TV, but they could watch shows on the computer.

Granny Liu expressed her gratitude repeatedly. Seeing the floor was dirty, she grabbed a broom and started sweeping. Chen Shi said, “You don’t have to do that.”

“It’s okay. I can’t sit still,” Granny Liu replied with a smile.

Chen Shi let her be. Lin Dongxue remarked, “Busy all her life, just like my grandmother.”

Chen Shi gave some instructions to Tao Yueyue and left her 200 yuan for pocket money before heading back to the station. Tao Yueyue tugged at his shirt, and Chen Shi knelt down, asking, “What’s wrong?”

“I’m scared with strangers in the house,” she glanced towards the kitchen.

Chen Shi understood her anxiety from her past experiences with strangers. He said, “How about coming with us to the station and returning together tonight?”

Tao Yueyue thought for a moment, clearly hesitant. “No, I’ll stay home. I’ll manage.”

“Good girl!” Chen Shi patted her head. “Don’t bully the little brother.”

Back at the station, Lin Qiupu asked, “Where’s the eyewitness?”

“It’s a little boy. He’s too scared to speak. I’ve arranged for them to stay at my place. Oh, and here are their fingerprints. Lao Peng should be able to lift them from these.” Chen Shi handed over a plastic bag containing the lunch box Granny Liu had touched and the paper cup used by Dog Egg.

Lin Qiupu took it, “We need them quickly!”

“Have you identified the killer?”

“You won’t believe it. It’s a big name!”

“Don’t keep me in suspense.”

“Ji Chunma, have you heard of him?”

Chen Shi’s eyes widened. Ji Chunma was the mastermind behind the Lu family kidnapping case five years ago. Old Master Lu had mentioned him recently, and now he appeared in Long’an. Could it be fate?

“The Ji Chunma from the Lu family kidnapping five years ago?”

“That’s right! How do you know?”

“Old Master Lu told me. I’d like to review the case files to understand it better.”

“Dongxue, take him to the archives. When you’re done, come back. I have more tasks for you.”

From the archives, they retrieved the dusty case file. Flipping through the yellowed pages, Chen Shi saw the name “Song Lang” and felt a wave of nostalgia. Five years had passed, and he hadn’t expected the case to be reopened.

Lin Dongxue sneezed from the dust and rubbed her nose, “I hate coming here. This row is all unsolved cases. It’s unsettling knowing so many dangerous people are still out there.”

“Dongxue, if you had 5 million yuan, how would you spend it?”

“5 million!? I’d buy a house, no doubt.”

“At Long’an’s prices, you’d get a spacious one.”

“Why are you bringing this up?” Lin Dongxue laughed.

“I have something to tell you. Promise you won’t scream.”

“Do you think I’m that excitable?” But when Chen Shi explained, Lin Dongxue exclaimed, “Old Master Lu is offering you 5 million!?”

“The calm and composed Lin Dongxue, should I take it or not?”

“Of course, why not? You’re not a cop. It’s legal for two citizens to gift each other property.”

“But I don’t want to owe that old man a favor.”

“When you catch the killer, it’s him repaying you.”

“This needle-in-a-haystack case requires the whole police force’s resources. Taking personal compensation feels wrong… I need to find a more ethical way.”

“If you get rich, treat me to dinner!” Lin Dongxue poked him playfully.

“Sure, I’ll treat you to a French meal.” Chen Shi put a finger to his lips, “Don’t tell your brother!”

The archives were freezing, so Chen Shi moved to the police cafeteria to review the files. The aged papers bore the weight of time. Many officers who worked on the case had either been killed, promoted, or retired.

In the Lu family kidnapping case, the kidnappers demanded 60 million yuan in ransom. The task force planned to pretend to comply to lure out the culprits. Song Lang, a detective not on the task force, was brought in as a consultant at Old Master Lu’s insistence.

On the ransom day, the kidnappers kept changing locations, demanding the ransom be split into ten parts placed at ten different spots. Song Lang warned the task force to stop the operation, suspecting the kidnappers would take one-tenth and then kill the hostage and flee.

With limited police resources, splitting into ten groups weakened their effectiveness. Additionally, Song Lang deduced that the kidnapping might be a ruse orchestrated by the younger Lu.

The cautious task force heeded Song Lang’s advice and halted the operation until they received a severed finger with Lu’s ring. Unable to remain calm, Old Master Lu decided to handle the ransom himself, stating, “Six million, six billion, nothing is worth more than my son’s finger!”

Just as Song Lang predicted, the kidnappers took one-tenth of the ransom and vanished without a trace.

The next day, a forest ranger reported hearing gunshots. Police found three bodies in an abandoned cabin: two accomplices and the younger Lu. Evidence showed another person, Ji Chunma, had escaped. Ji Chunma, a close friend of the younger Lu, had turned the staged kidnapping into a real one for the ransom.

Reviewing the files, Chen Shi pondered the tragic irony of the case and the elusive criminal still on the loose.