Chapter 647: Professionalism

The police cars arrived at the school gate. Old Zhang went to explain the situation to the school authorities. Lin Qiupu commanded, “Once Xu Fa’s identity is confirmed, you may shoot if necessary. Aim to disable, not to kill. We must get that poison he has.”

Xu Fa was likely still on campus. The police held off on immediate action until Old Zhang called to confirm that all dorm supervisors had been notified, and the dorm buildings were locked down to prevent any potential hostage situations.

“Let’s go!” Lin Qiupu ordered. The team started searching the campus thoroughly, checking every flower bed and corner. Suddenly, a few officers shouted, “Suspicious person spotted!”

“What are you guys seeing?” The “suspicious person” emerged from behind a dorm building, removing his helmet and brushing back his blonde hair—it was KK. “Xu Fa was here just now. I was checking the footprints on the grass.”

“KK, join us so you don’t get mistaken again,” Chen Shi said.

“Roger that!”

Chen Shi, Lin Dongxue, and KK moved toward the teaching buildings. The buildings were dark, and Lin Dongxue was tense, raising her gun at every corner. They searched each floor and confirmed Xu Fa wasn’t there.

“Building 4 is clear,” Lin Dongxue reported over the radio.

“Shall we check there?” KK pointed to a small grove near a lake.

“We’re heading to the grove opposite Building 4 to investigate,” Lin Dongxue reported.

“Be careful!” Lin Qiupu cautioned.

The trio moved toward the grove. The area was eerily quiet at night. KK chatted to steady his nerves but suddenly fell silent at some suspicious noises. They approached the sound, pushing through bushes to find two frightened boys huddled together.

With Lin Dongxue’s gun pointed at them, the boys were even more scared. “Don’t shoot, we’re students!”

“University students these days!” KK commented.

“Cut it out,” Chen Shi said.

“Get back to your dorms. There’s a criminal on campus,” Lin Dongxue instructed the boys.

“Thanks, ma’am…” the boys said, preparing to leave. Lin Dongxue stopped them, “Wait, don’t go alone. Stay with us for safety in case you run into the suspect.”

“Have you seen anyone suspicious?” Chen Shi asked.

The first boy shook his head, but the second pointed toward the lake. “I think I heard water splashing.”

They moved to the lake. The aquatic plants had withered in the season. KK tossed a pebble into the water. Chen Shi remarked, “If someone’s hiding, they won’t come out just because you threw a rock.”

“What now? Should I fire a warning shot?” KK suggested.

“Wouldn’t that scare the students?” Lin Dongxue asked the second boy, “Are you sure you heard someone in the water?”

“Not sure, just heard splashing. There are no ducks in the lake. Could be the wind.”

Lin Dongxue requested permission from Lin Qiupu, who authorized a warning shot. Just then, Chen Shi spotted a shadowy figure moving across the woods on the opposite bank. He shouted, “Stop!”

The figure bolted. KK and Chen Shi gave chase, with KK quickly closing in, “Chen, it’s Xu Fa!”

“Fire!”

Lin Dongxue fired a shot into the air. The gunshot echoed across the campus, drawing all officers’ attention. Xu Fa ran fast but was soon surrounded by police.

As Chen Shi got closer, he saw Xu Fa’s panicked face. This was his first time seeing Xu Fa in person—a nondescript middle-aged man with a receding hairline.

“Don’t move! We will shoot!” Lin Qiupu shouted as he approached from another direction.

Xu Fa stood a few steps away from Chen Shi. Chen Shi didn’t dare move closer. “Surrender. There’s no escape.”

“Caught by you in the end!” Xu Fa gritted his teeth, muttered something, then suddenly injected himself in the leg with a syringe before smashing it on the ground. He collapsed, smirking as the poison took effect.

The surrounding officers were shocked by Xu Fa’s suicide. Chen Shi, equally stunned, noted Xu Fa’s last words. From his lip movements, it seemed like he said, “Professionalism.”

Xu Fa, a poison dealer, sold undetectable toxins. By injecting himself, he destroyed the last piece of evidence. Without that poison, there was no way to convict Wang Mengqi.

Such professionalism!

“He killed himself just like that,” KK exclaimed. “I thought he’d put up a fight.”

“A fitting end for a chemical criminal mastermind,” Chen Shi remarked.

Later, Peng Siyue and his team arrived to collect evidence. Xu Fa’s death was confirmed, and his condition matched the previous victims. The syringe was crushed and contaminated, making analysis impossible.

Police thoroughly searched Xu Fa’s residence but found no evidence related to the poison.

On November 27th, Wang Mengqi was summoned again to discuss the chat logs found on Xu Fa’s computer. Wang Mengqi denied any connection, stating the messaging app didn’t require real names. Without solid proof, the police couldn’t hold him.

Due to insufficient evidence, the prosecutor’s office didn’t issue an arrest warrant, and Wang Mengqi was released. Before he left, Chen Shi told him, “Do you know why you’re walking out free today? Xu Fa destroyed the evidence by injecting himself with the last dose of poison. You should thank him for his professionalism!”

Wang Mengqi paused, then smiled and shook his head, “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Mr. Chen. I doubt we’ll meet again.”

“Even if you avoid justice, there are no secrets forever. Geng Qing—your sister—will one day learn the truth. How will she handle it, especially if you plan to stay together? This isn’t a warning, it’s advice. If you care about her, you should leave.”

Wang Mengqi earnestly replied, “Without Geng Qing, nothing in the world matters. Since the day I found out the truth, I’ve been lost. But so what? I can’t live without her.”

“Good luck,” Chen Shi said, watching Wang Mengqi’s departing figure.