Chapter 661: The Hideout

The next morning, Chen Shi persuaded Peng Sijue to join him at Zhuoyuan Corporation for another inspection of the site. He knew Cao Man was cunning and that he couldn’t take his words at face value.

In Dong Xiao’s office, Chen Shi discovered a hidden compartment behind a cigar box, perfectly sized for a USB drive. He thought to himself, “This liar, he did take something.”

Peng Sijue made another discovery: a set of footprints on the floor. Using a film agent, he extracted the print, which appeared to belong to a woman. Chen Shi was skeptical, “This office sees a lot of traffic. Footprints aren’t unusual.”

“No, I’ve been here three times and inspected every inch. These prints are new,” Peng Sijue insisted.

Considering the distance between the footprints and the bookshelf, Chen Shi recalled the subtle smile on Cao Man’s face during their conversation last night. He wondered if something had happened here, preventing Cao Man from getting the documents he sought.

Perhaps someone else got to them first. As long as the files weren’t in police hands, Cao Man still had a chance, which explained his calm demeanor.

Who could it be?

“Captain, we found a gun!” an officer shouted.

After the office search, Chen Shi checked the back door, the one Dong Xiao had supposedly escaped through. It was locked and showed no signs of tampering. Last night, only Cao Man had come down this way.

As he left the building, Chen Shi glanced up, catching sight of something. “To the rooftop!” he said.

“Why the rooftop?” Peng Sijue asked, exasperated.

“Please, trust me!”

With a sigh, Peng Sijue followed him to the roof. At the edge, they found a bolt driven into the concrete, securing a wire leading to the building opposite. After a brief inspection, Peng Sijue concluded, “Someone used this wire to slide over to the other building. There was fresh snowfall the night before last, but this wire is clean, so it was set up yesterday.”

“Got it. A woman came here last night and took the documents…” From this height, the view was dizzying. Chen Shi mused, “She’s quite skilled to ‘fly’ over like this. Could it be Su Chan?”

She was the only woman involved in the case, so Chen Shi naturally suspected her.

“Unlikely. She should be on the run with Lü Qi, not sneaking back here alone,” Peng Sijue argued.

“Check the surveillance footage!”

Chen Shi reviewed all the surveillance footage they could find, spotting a car that stopped nearby the night before. A person in a trench coat got out, resembling Su Chan in height and build.

The person returned from the opposite direction, suggesting they had indeed “flown” across from Zhuoyuan Corporation. The path matched perfectly.

This case was getting more intriguing, with every participant having their own agenda.

Chen Shi shared his findings with Lin Qiupu, hoping it might lead them to Lü Qi’s hideout. Lin Qiupu organized the team to start tracking, focusing on the car’s license plate and more surveillance footage.

The mention of “checking surveillance” made everyone groan. It meant sifting through footage from various intersections, pouring in manpower and time. It was exhausting but effective.

The car belonged to Dong Xiao. After days of relentless work, they traced it to a factory through key roads like Linyang Road, Andong Road, and Binhe Road.

Chen Shi was surprised that Lü Qi would hide in such a large place. The police rushed to the factory, now abandoned but owned by Dong Xiao. He had bought the land, though its intended use was unclear.

As they walked through the factory, they saw disused machinery and empty workshops.

There were no cameras, but footage had shown Su Chan driving here. After all the effort, finding the factory empty was disheartening. The air was thick with frustration.

Lin Qiupu was about to call it off when he noticed Chen Shi was missing. He called him, and Chen Shi replied, “Come to the east side of the factory. I found something.”

Renewed with determination, they found Chen Shi in a corner studying a nest of stray cats. A mother cat lay on a tattered blanket, her kittens nursing.

“Is this your big discovery?” Lin Qiupu asked.

“No, look at the bushes…” Chen Shi pointed.

Lin Qiupu saw cat food, chicken bones, and fish bones. “Someone’s been feeding these cats?”

Chen Shi picked up a piece of cat food, sniffed it, and had Xu Xiaodong taste it. Xu Xiaodong chewed thoughtfully, “This is imported cat food, pretty expensive… And it’s fresh.”

“Search the place! Leave no stone unturned!” Lin Qiupu ordered.

Eventually, they found a hidden basement entrance in a warehouse. Inside, it was spacious, with lathes and tools recently oiled, indicating use. The computer was still on, and the router was hot. The room was clean, and the fridge stocked with food. Someone had been living there but left in a hurry.

“Could it be Lü Qi and Su Chan?” Lin Qiupu wondered.

“Why hide here? This setup looks like they were manufacturing something,” Chen Shi speculated.

“They’re not planning to build a rocket to escape, are they?” Xu Xiaodong joked, earning scornful looks. “Some telecom companies have launched rockets.”

“That’s to launch satellites. Where would they go, the moon?” Lin Qiupu retorted. “Check what this place was used for. It looks like more than just hiding two people. Peng, bring your team to investigate.”

They split up. Lin Qiupu went to check the company records, while Chen Shi and Lin Dongxue stayed to help Peng Sijue gather evidence. They found numerous footprints and fingerprints, mostly on tools. Clearly, something was being made, but without expertise, the purpose was unclear. Peng Sijue listed everything for expert analysis.

In a small room, they found liquor, cigarettes, and food. A bed with evidence suggested Lü Qi and Su Chan had been there, living comfortably.

A computer had its hard drive wiped, as did the others in the workshop, needing time for data recovery.

Lü Qi was cautious, moving before the police arrived. Another significant find was a sack in the trash containing Dong Xiao’s DNA.

This confirmed Dong Xiao’s death, and that Lü Qi was fleeing with his body.