Chapter 477: Following the Trail

Chen Shi and Lin Dongxue went back to deliver the evidence they had collected to Peng Sijue. Peng examined it for a moment and said, “This isn’t human tissue. To be precise, it’s insect feces.”

“Can you extract DNA from it?” Chen Shi asked.

“It’ll be difficult. I might need to go back and resample the site.”

“Sigh, you don’t understand the situation. A family of three lives there. If you’re not afraid of the hassle, go ahead and negotiate. I’m done with it,” Chen Shi said.

Just then, a call came in from the traffic management bureau. They had traced the license plate numbers to a health club. Hearing the name and address, Chen Shi understood immediately. He turned to Lin Dongxue and said, “You don’t need to go. It’s a seedy place. I’ll go undercover.”

“What? Undercover?” Lin Dongxue was taken aback.

“Don’t give me that look. You think I’d actually go there for fun? The last time I got caught there, it was because of Wang Daji. It wasn’t me. Don’t you believe me?”

“I didn’t say anything. Why are you explaining yourself? Feeling guilty?”

“Fine, I surrender!” Chen Shi laughed. “You rest here. I’ll be right back.”

“Everyone is busy. How could I just rest? I’ll go with you,” Lin Dongxue insisted.

Chen Shi had no choice but to agree. On the way, Lin Dongxue asked, “How did you know it’s that kind of place just from the name?”

“Don’t forget, I’m a driver. I know Long’an better than anyone. Late at night, many male passengers head to these places. It’s not hard to guess.”

“Should we call the local police to bust the place?”

Chen Shi shook his head. “Let’s not rush it. We’ll take a peek first. After we investigate, we can consider a bust.”

Lin Dongxue thought for a moment and said, “Could the missing person be a sex worker? When Peng Sijue mentioned the victim had syphilis this morning, I thought she might be. I also thought of a case.”

“I know, the 714 case.”

“Exactly!”

The 714 case was notorious citywide and even nationwide. It happened two years ago when a gang specialized in kidnapping sex workers, torturing them to extract their bank card PINs, emptying their accounts, and then brutally killing and dismembering them.

The gang roamed from place to place, killing a total of six sex workers. They targeted these women because most were from out of town. If they disappeared, no one who knew them would report it. Moreover, these women generally had some savings. The gang’s plan was both cunning and sinister.

The gang was eventually caught in Long’an. Song Lang hadn’t been involved in the case, so Chen Shi didn’t know the details.

He parked outside the health club and told Lin Dongxue he’d be right back. Inside, a waiter asked what service he wanted. Chen Shi said, “What services do you offer?”

“Foot massages, full-body massages, health and wellness treatments,” the waiter replied.

“Anything more… special?” Chen Shi asked with a knowing smile.

“Did a friend refer you?” the waiter whispered, sensing Chen Shi’s hint.

“Yes, a friend told me about this place.”

“Then you should know what we offer,” the waiter said suggestively.

“How much?” Chen Shi inquired.

“One hour, one thousand yuan,” the waiter replied.

“That’s a bit steep.”

“It’s worth it. We have great services, a nice environment, and high-quality girls. Want to see a room?” the waiter offered.

“Can I ask for a specific girl?” Chen Shi asked.

“Sure.”

“I’d like to see a girl named Xiaoli,” Chen Shi said.

The waiter’s expression changed slightly. He ushered Chen Shi into a room. Minutes later, instead of a girl, several burly men entered, surrounding Chen Shi. The leader, a man with a ponytail, grabbed Chen Shi’s shirt and demanded, “Where is she?”

“Not with me. I’m looking for her too,” Chen Shi calmly replied.

“Don’t play games with me!” the man snarled, tightening his grip.

Chen Shi pulled out his badge and showed it to the man. Seeing the “Police” insignia, the man quickly let go, smoothing out Chen Shi’s shirt and apologizing, “Officer, what brings you here?”

“As I said, I’m looking for someone. You guys went to Anhui Community a month ago looking for Xiaoli. How did you know she was there?”

“Uh, we didn’t—” the man stammered.

“Stop pretending. We wouldn’t be here without evidence. Xiaoli might be dead. We’re investigating a murder. Whether you run a shady business is none of my concern. Just cooperate if you want to find her.”

The ponytailed man hesitated, then signaled his men to leave and asked Chen Shi to place his phone on the table, wary of being recorded.

He began, “Officer, Xiaoli’s real name is Li Qiuli. She worked here as a hostess for over a year. She suddenly stopped showing up at the end of May, and her phone went dead. So, we started looking for her.”

“Why were you so keen on finding her? Afraid she ran off?”

“Not at all. We don’t force anyone. Everyone here is voluntary. Think about it, how much could you earn working outside versus here? We’re a business. We care about our brand and our employees. If a girl goes missing, it affects our reputation. Who would want to work here after that?”

“I see. So how did you find her at that community?”

“We tracked her phone.”

“Tracked her phone? Sounds like you monitor all your girls to prevent them from running away,” Chen Shi thought to himself but didn’t say aloud.

“Got it. You were worried about her safety,” Chen Shi said.

“Exactly. We’re a business, so we look out for our staff… Have you found Xiaoli? Alive or dead?”

“We might have found her, but we’re not sure yet. Do you have her details? Her ID number would help.”

The man covered his mouth, distressed. “Is she really dead? Who did it?”

“We’re still investigating. It’s definitely not the guy living there now. He knows nothing, just like you.”

The ponytailed man nodded. “Wait here. I’ll get Xiaoli’s personal information for you.”