Chapter 452: The Fallen Cop

The interrogation dragged on until 8 PM. Chen Shi and Lin Dongxue waited anxiously outside. Lin Dongxue asked, “Will they really go to jail?”

“It’s hard to say. They were only guilty of not reporting what they knew. They didn’t harbor criminals or destroy evidence. It’s up to the court.”

“The court will have a headache for sure,” Lin Dongxue chuckled.

Just then, Lin Qiupu emerged from the interrogation room. He looked exhausted but his eyes were bright. “He confessed. Let’s go arrest the people at that company!”

The police brought in everyone from the company. After a morning of questioning the next day, they finally got the key information. As Chen Shi suspected, when Ji Xingyao bought them off, she promised them several big news stories.

This list was just one of them. The loose end from the previous case had finally been tied up.

With this list, they had enough to indict Ji Xingyao.

After much turmoil, the police finally had the list. It had fifteen names. The police followed the clues and captured the remaining people one by one. The precinct was buzzing with activity, recovering one gun after another without any more shootings.

By evening, only two slots on the board remained unfilled. Lin Qiupu gathered everyone and said, “There are only fifteen names on the list. The last person is Wang Xindong. We went to his home but he wasn’t there. I suspect he’s already on the move.”

Chen Shi asked, “What’s his story?”

“He’s a big deal,” Lin Qiupu replied. “A former anti-drug cop who earned many commendations. During an undercover mission, drug dealers injected him with drugs, making him addicted. After rejoining the force, he was sent to mandatory rehab. Six months later, he returned to the anti-drug team, but his colleagues soon found him secretly using drugs. He would keep some of the drugs seized during operations. When this was discovered, he was severely punished, suspended, and expelled from the party. These details come from the anti-drug team and should be accurate. Additionally, his marksmanship is excellent. He was once the team’s sharpshooter.”

The room buzzed with surprise. No one expected the last person to be such a formidable adversary. Lin Qiupu continued, “We’ve recovered fourteen guns, so there’s no more imminent threat. Starting tomorrow, we’ll focus all efforts on finding Wang Xindong before he kills anyone.”

Chen Shi said, “Not to dampen your spirits, but he was a cop, and in the most dangerous field. If he’s not at home, he’s probably already started. I remember there were three suppressors with this batch of guns. Have they all been recovered?”

Lin Qiupu shook his head. “We’ve only found one. That means Wang Xindong definitely has a suppressed gun.”

“That makes things much harder,” Chen Shi said.

Lin Dongxue asked, “There’s still one person missing from the list. Who could it be?”

Xu Xiaodong suggested, “Could it be the perpetrator kept one for himself?”

“That’s possible. Who do you think Wang Xindong might kill?” Lin Qiupu asked.

“His colleagues or the drug dealers who wronged him,” Chen Shi speculated.

Lin Qiupu looked around the room. “Everyone’s worked hard today. Are you tired?”

The team understood the subtext and answered in unison, “No!”

“Good. Let’s go to the anti-drug team now.”

The city’s anti-drug team was housed in the same building as a local precinct. The police arrived and explained the situation to the current anti-drug team leader, who looked shocked and incredulous. “Wang Xindong left almost five years ago. We were comrades once. His addiction was initially due to the drug dealers, but after rehab, we found out he was still using secretly. It was a sad situation. He even sold his house and car, borrowing a lot of money. I think after five years of addiction, he probably doesn’t have the strength to seek revenge.”

Lin Qiupu replied, “We can’t be complacent. We’ve seen frail women and elderly people pick up guns and kill. Wang Xindong has a suppressed handgun and might kill someone. Please contact all your members, especially those who worked with him.”

The captain agreed and started making calls. When he reached one number, there was a long pause before someone answered. The call was followed by a series of rhythmic taps before the line went dead.

The captain exclaimed, “Xiaolong, Xiaolong, why aren’t you answering?” He prepared to redial, but Chen Shi stopped him.

“Wait!” Chen Shi tapped the table, mimicking the rhythm. “Is that a code?”

“Morse code… SOS. He’s calling for help!” Lin Qiupu said in surprise. “Where does this officer live?”

The captain, shocked, said, “I’ll take you there.”

They raced to the home of officer Xu Guolong. The captain kicked in the door, and a man with a black hood and a gun rushed at them. The captain raised his gun in fear.

“Don’t shoot!” Chen Shi quickly pushed the captain’s hand away. The bullet shattered a lamp. The captain yelled, “What are you doing?”

Chen Shi felt the man’s chest and pulled off the hood, revealing the officer who had sent the SOS. His hands were bound with duct tape to a toy gun. If not for Chen Shi’s quick action, the captain would have killed his own man.

Xu Guolong’s mouth drooled, his eyes were unfocused, and he babbled incoherently. The captain checked his pupils and cursed, “Damn it! He’s been injected with drugs. That bastard wants to destroy his colleagues too!”

The captain’s phone rang. He answered on speaker, and a sinister voice said, “Captain Zhang, long time no see. Let’s talk.”

Then the call ended. Lin Qiupu said, “Call back.”

The captain stared at the number. “That’s my colleague’s number, the one waiting downstairs.”

“It’s a trap. He lured us here and is waiting below!” Chen Shi exclaimed.

Everyone rushed downstairs, leaving one officer to care for Xu Guolong. At the parking lot, they found a car missing. Captain Zhang angrily asked Lin Qiupu’s men, “Where’s that car?”

A bewildered officer replied, “It just drove off. I thought it was on official business.”

“Chase it!” Lin Qiupu ordered.

They quickly piled into their cars and sped after the fleeing vehicle. On the open road, the stolen police car sped ahead, with their convoy close behind. Knowing the fugitive had a gun and a hostage, they maintained a safe distance.

The radio crackled with interference as someone tapped into their frequency. The sinister voice echoed in each police car, “Who’s leading this?”

Lin Qiupu answered, “I am. Captain Lin Qiupu of the Criminal Investigation Team 2.”

“Oh, I remember you. Back then, you were just a rookie following Song Lang around.”

“And judging by your voice, you’re in the backseat, pointing a gun at my colleagues, right?”

“Song Lang taught you well,” the voice praised.

“Let’s talk conditions.”