Chapter 409: Narrowing Down the Scope

Chen Shi and Lin Dongxue arrived at the meteorological bureau, where an expert had created a mathematical model to estimate the starting point of the released balloons. After some calculations, the expert gave Chen Shi a rough area on the map. Chen Shi looked at it and said, “This area is huge, almost an entire district.”

The expert replied, “There’s no way to predict the coordinates accurately due to the unpredictable nature of high-altitude air currents. The balloons landed in different locations around the city, indicating they were not released simultaneously. The time span between the first and the last balloon could range from a whole night to less than an hour. Considering all these variables, we ended up with such a large area.”

“Was the wind direction that chaotic that night?”

“Extremely chaotic.”

“If you were the perpetrator, how would you release the balloons to avoid being tracked?”

The expert waved his hands, “I can’t imagine that!”

“Let’s discuss it,” Chen Shi insisted.

Everyone began to brainstorm. Initially, they were reserved, but then ideas started flowing freely. Someone suggested coating the balloons with a layer of glue to slow down leakage. Another mentioned putting dry ice in the bag; as it melted, the balloon would rise higher and travel further.

Listening to the discussion, Lin Dongxue questioned, “Could the perpetrator be that clever?”

“I always assume the perpetrator is very intelligent. In desperate situations, people often exhibit extraordinary resourcefulness,” Chen Shi responded.

“But some perpetrators make more mistakes the more panicked they become.”

Chen Shi smiled, “Those kinds of perpetrators can be handled by the police. The ones that come to me are always the difficult cases.”

“That makes sense.”

Chen Shi called Peng Siyue, asking him to re-examine the balloons and the bags for any clues and to send a photo of the expert’s calculations.

Chen Shi then took Lin Dongxue to the gymnasium where the balloons were stolen. As they parked outside, Lin Dongxue asked, “Why are we here? The local police are already investigating this case.”

Indeed, several police cars were parked outside the venue. Checking his phone, Chen Shi said, “I’m calculating the distance. Let’s get out.”

They walked to the warehouse and back, taking a total of twenty minutes. Chen Shi then drove to the designated search area. Two hours later, they arrived within the expert’s calculated range.

Chen Shi drove another four hours, parked by the roadside, and took out the map. “Four hours is the limit. It’s around five now. If the perpetrator didn’t retrieve the balloons by 4 AM, their disposal plan would have to be postponed for a day.”

“But there aren’t many people on the streets in the early morning.”

“The perpetrator wouldn’t release the balloons after dawn. It’s a body. Even a street sweeper spotting it would be a problem!” Chen Shi drew a large circle on the map, marking the radius from the gymnasium.

“My brother is checking the traffic bureau’s surveillance,” Lin Dongxue mentioned.

“Perfect, we’ll cover both angles.”

Just then, Peng Siyue sent several messages. He noted that the balloons had various pollutants on them, likely from high-altitude air, and that each bag had a small hole at the bottom, suggesting the perpetrator had added water, which slowly leaked during flight. “Based on the balloon’s maximum load capacity of ten kilograms and assuming there were three kilograms of water inside at launch, I used the formula you sent and calculated a radius of about ten kilometers centered on the middle section of Hengyang Road.”

Chen Shi replied, “Thanks!”

This significantly narrowed down the search area. Chen Shi pointed to the intersection of the two circles on the map, “Let’s start here!”

After driving around all day, it was already afternoon. They grabbed some fast food on the way and continued to the designated area. Lin Dongxue asked, “Didn’t we come here yesterday?”

“Yes, the supermarket that sells folding saws is over there…” Chen Shi’s gaze shifted to a tall building in the distance, “The Dynasty Hotel. Could the balloons have been released from there?”

“Let’s check it out!”

They parked in the hotel’s parking lot and saw a group of young people holding signs that said “I love you, Luo Zuyu” and similar messages. Three black cars pulled up, and a well-dressed young man stepped out, accompanied by bodyguards and an agent. The fans cheered and surged forward, but the bodyguards pushed them back, maintaining order.

“Go Luo Zuyu, we believe in you!” someone in the crowd shouted, and others joined in. Luo Zuyu nodded to the fans and entered the hotel.

“Wow, it’s really him!” Lin Dongxue said, “He looks much worse in person, like he’s sick.”

Chen Shi remained silent, watching Luo Zuyu’s back thoughtfully.

Inside the hotel, Lin Dongxue showed her badge and requested to see the guest list for the past few days. The hotel staff replied, “I’m sorry, but we strictly protect our guests’ privacy and cannot disclose their information.”

Chen Shi thought, the people staying here must be wealthy or powerful. Lin Dongxue asked, “Not even to the police?”

“Unless you have a search warrant from the prosecutor’s office.”

“Can we see the surveillance footage?”

“No.”

Frustrated, Lin Dongxue was about to call Lin Qiupu when Chen Shi stopped her. He said to the receptionist, “I’d like to book a room, the highest floor available.”

“The floors above the twentieth are all VIP rooms. Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

“How about the twenty-second floor? The higher floors are fully booked.”

Lin Dongxue tugged on Chen Shi’s arm, whispering, “Don’t waste the money.”

“It’s fine.”

Chen Shi paid the deposit, although it pained him. A VIP room cost 5,000 yuan per night, but he had no choice for the sake of the investigation.

A bellboy escorted them to the twenty-second floor. Chen Shi said, “Let’s not rush into the room. I want to check the layout of this floor.”

The bellboy smirked condescendingly, used to seeing people pretending to be rich but behaving like country bumpkins. They walked around, noting the thick carpet, paintings on the walls, and surveillance cameras at both ends. The soundproofing was excellent; not a sound could be heard from the rooms. Chen Shi touched one of the paintings, and the bellboy cautioned, “Sir, please don’t touch that.”

Chen Shi pointed at the cameras, “How’s the security here?”

“Impeccable. The security room is staffed around the clock. Guests must approve any visitors before they’re allowed up.”

Chen Shi nodded. Suddenly, they heard a commotion. A man in a red robe was arguing with a service attendant, holding a vase, “How can you provide such lousy cleaning service? I paid a fortune for this presidential suite, and this is how you treat your guests? Look at this, someone vomited in the vase! Disgusting! Get your manager here now!”