Chapter 430: The First Gun

Early in the morning on July 17th, officers from Units Two and Three were called to an emergency meeting. The case at hand was unprecedented: the previous night, a truck smuggling guns for a gang had been run off the road, the two drivers’ throats were slashed, and the guns had disappeared.

The police learned about this so quickly because the brazen criminals had left a letter at the scene, stating that these guns would be “distributed” to random strangers.

The gang responsible had already been on the police’s radar. The specialized anti-gang unit was mobilized to apprehend the gang members, determine the number of missing guns, and investigate if the incident was an inside job.

Lin Qiupu addressed the gathered officers, “Everyone, we need to drop all other cases and focus entirely on finding these lost guns. If these real guns fall into the hands of ordinary citizens, every minute poses a potential threat. Do your utmost!”

Despite mobilizing two full units, the task still felt overwhelming—like finding a needle in a haystack. The only strategy was to start canvassing the area around the crime scene.

From the paint and tire tracks left behind, the team deduced that the criminals drove a high-clearance off-road vehicle. Surveillance footage from nearby intersections eventually identified the vehicle owner by the afternoon. However, the owner claimed his car had been stolen a few days prior and had a solid alibi for the previous night.

That afternoon, the police received a report of a gunshot in a secluded urban village. Lin Qiupu led the team to the scene. The area was filled with dense, unauthorized buildings. Residents quickly retreated inside their homes upon seeing the police. Lin Qiupu knew most of them likely lacked temporary residence permits. He ordered his men to start questioning the locals. After a while, Officer Zhang pointed to a building, “Residents said the gunshot came from there.”

“Call everyone back. We’re going in!”

Lin Qiupu found the landlord and asked about the tenants. “A young couple. The wife seems to be sick and bedridden, while the husband is out working most of the time. They owe me three months’ rent.”

“Did you hear the gunshot?”

“I thought it was a car backfiring… Are they criminals?”

“That’s confidential. We need you to help us get in.”

“If he has a gun, he might shoot me! I won’t do it.”

“Then give me the key.”

The landlord handed over the key. The officers climbed the narrow stairs to the top floor, feeling the stifling heat even before entering. Lin Qiupu ordered, “Go to the car and get your bulletproof vests!”

“It’s too hot for that,” one officer complained.

“Is your life not worth it? Put on the vests!”

They donned the heavy vests, immediately starting to sweat, and returned to the sweltering top floor. Lin Qiupu, also tense, knocked on the door. Receiving no response, he used the key to unlock the door and barged in, guns ready. The room was empty.

One by one, the officers entered the cramped, chaotic living room. The place reeked of filth; there was no bathroom, only a smelly chamber pot. Lin Qiupu thought about the desperate situation of tenants who couldn’t afford even 500 yuan a month in rent.

As the officers began removing their vests due to the heat, Lin Qiupu opened a window, letting in a cool breeze. He noticed a plastic bucket in the corner with a metallic object inside. Reaching in, he pulled out a brass bullet. Just then, someone called, “Captain Lin, there’s someone in the bedroom!”

He rushed in to find a frail woman lying on the bed, covered with a thin blanket. Hearing the commotion, she opened her eyes but couldn’t get up. Her skin was covered with rashes, suggesting a skin disease. Lin Qiupu saw a bottle with straws and smelled it, “It’s a bong! These two are drug users. Notify the narcotics unit.”

“No… no…” The woman panicked at the mention of the narcotics unit, struggling to get up and almost falling off the bed.

Her body was covered in drug sores. The landlord had mistaken her condition for an illness.

Lin Qiupu asked, “Where’s your husband?”

“No… please don’t arrest me… please…”

“Did you hear a gunshot?”

“I don’t know… I don’t know…”

Seeing communication was futile, Lin Qiupu signaled his team to withdraw, leaving one officer to guard the place. He speculated, “He probably tested the gun and realized it was real. He might have traded it for drugs.”

Officer Zhang noted, “A real gun would fetch a high price on the black market.”

“We need to find him before things get worse!”

Lin Qiupu notified headquarters to trace the man’s phone number and contacted the narcotics unit for leads.

After a while, the tech unit reported, “We’ve traced his number. He’s on Victory East Street!”

“Let’s move!”

Half an hour later, their car arrived on Victory East Street. The tech unit updated, “He’s moving slowly, probably on foot, heading south from the intersection.”

Then a call from the narcotics unit came, “Captain Lin, there’s a known drug den on Victory East Street. We’ve been monitoring a dealer there to catch his supplier.”

“Give me the exact address…”

Before he could finish, a gunshot rang out nearby, followed by screams from the street…