Chapter 357: Midnight Pursuit (Part Three)

Xu Xiaodong called, “Chen, it’s urgent. I revealed my identity. I’ve caught Mr. Gao, but… some accomplices escaped. I’m afraid they’ll alert others.”

“Alert whom?”

“They split the thirty-odd students into three groups and took them to different places.”

“Tell me your location.”

“The accomplices drove south. We’re in an abandoned warehouse now, and it’s safe. I’ll send you the location on WeChat.”

After getting the address, they immediately started checking the surveillance in that direction. KK suddenly jumped up from the sofa, shouting, “Got it! A van on Xikang Road just took a bunch of kids and headed east.”

“Damn, they’re moving the students. We need to stop them,” Chen Shi said.

Lin Dongxue asked, “Should I call the police?”

KK laughed, “The police are slow as snails. I’ll chase them on my motorcycle. Leave this batch to me.”

Sun Zhen said, “I found something interesting. It seems there’s a mole among the parents.”

“We’ll discuss that later!” Chen Shi checked the time; it was already ten o’clock. Searching the vast suburbs would be too slow, and if the students didn’t sleep tonight, how could they take the exam tomorrow? “Dongxue, let’s go pick up Xiaodong and bring Mr. Gao back. Maybe we can get him to talk.”

The three went downstairs. KK sped off on his motorcycle, while Chen Shi drove, making two calls on the way: one to Gu You, and one to his driver friend, since his small car couldn’t transport all the students.

At Xu Xiaodong’s location, Mr. Gao and the bearded man were tied up on the floor, their previous arrogance gone. The students crowded around Xu Xiaodong, chattering excitedly: “Officer, you’re amazing!”, “When did you realize they were scammers?”, “Will my mom get arrested too?”

Xu Xiaodong said, “Everyone, quiet down. You and your parents are victims and won’t be held legally responsible. Someone will come to take you home soon. Rest well and take the exam tomorrow.”

Mentioning the exam made many students sigh in disappointment. Their last hope had shattered, but this experience taught them there were no shortcuts in life.

Li Mengran shook Xu Xiaodong’s arm, “I knew it! You don’t look like a high school student. How old are you?”

“Born after 2000,” Xu Xiaodong smiled.

“Yeah, right! You’re at least a ’90s kid. Can I get your QQ number?”

“Uh… okay.”

Soon, Chen Shi arrived. He asked his driver friend to take the students home while he took Xu Xiaodong and the two suspects. Xu Xiaodong said, “Sorry, Chen, I messed up again.”

“It’s fine. You did great.”

Mr. Gao, sitting in the back, coldly asked, “How did the police notice us?”

Chen Shi replied, “We’re not the police, we’re private detectives!”

“Private detectives?” Mr. Gao looked shocked, then realized, “I get it. The parents didn’t dare call the police… We’re all just trying to make money here. How about we split the money I scammed? Fifty-fifty?”

“No deal,” Chen Shi refused.

One of the vans moving the students stopped at a gas station. The kids, who were pretending to do “exam papers” just moments ago, were now frightened. One girl protested and got slapped. The students started to understand that these people were not good.

There were three men in charge. Two went across the road to smoke and urinate, while one was refueling. None of them noticed a motorcycle silently entering the gas station. A blond guy got off and walked up to the refueling man.

The blond guy pulled out a cloth and a small bottle, soaking the cloth in the liquid. Moving like a cat, he sneaked up behind the refueling man and covered his face with the cloth. The man collapsed.

KK jumped into the van, smiling, “Don’t worry, kids. Uncle is here to save you.”

The students, still in shock, whispered, “Who is this guy?”, “Do you know him?”

KK started the van and sped out of the gas station. The two accomplices threw away their cigarettes and chased after them but were quickly left behind.

KK called Chen Shi, “Got them back, so easy!”

“What about the scammers?”

“Left them at the gas station. Oh, and my motorcycle is there too. If it gets stolen, you owe me a new one.”

“How could you leave the suspects behind?”

“Hey, I’m not like you, facing them head-on. Getting the kids back is good enough.”

“Fine, head back to the city. I’ll have my driver friend wait at the toll station to take the students home.”

KK hung up and handed his phone to the noisy students in the back, “Call your parents. Uncle is taking you home. Don’t mess with Uncle’s photo album!”

By eleven o’clock, the two batches of students were safely home. Mr. Gao was tied up in the office, and the bearded man was left in the bathroom.

The third group of students was still missing, and the only hope was to get Mr. Gao to talk.

But he was tight-lipped, answering every question with a cold sneer. Chen Shi said, “You’re surprisingly loyal. Do you think that holding out until dawn will save you?”

Mr. Gao sneered, “What can you do, kill me? Let me tell you, I’m a big deal. Let me go now, and I’ll let it slide. Wait any longer, and I’ll burn this lousy office to the ground and cripple the client who hired you. That’s the price of messing with us!”

“Who do you think you are?” KK slapped him, furious.

“Don’t hit him,” Lin Dongxue intervened.

Mr. Gao’s cheek swelled, and he glared at KK with venom.

Lin Dongxue pulled Chen Shi aside, “My brother is the best at interrogations. Let’s call him.”

“First, I don’t want to use police resources. Second, this guy is set on holding out until morning. Your brother might not get through to him either.”

“You say that, but you called me and Xiaodong, didn’t you?”

“We’re friends. I’ll compensate you or treat you to dinner afterward.”

“Who cares about that? Just get the students back. A whole year of hard work wasted like this?”

Chen Shi’s phone rang. He glanced at it, “Ms. Gu is here. Let’s go meet her.”