Chapter 860: A Night of Intense Battle

At 1 AM, the large office was brightly lit. Occasionally, a police officer would lean back from their computer, drop some eye drops into their eyes, and then continue working at the screen.

Outside, a light drizzle began to fall.

Footsteps echoed in the corridor. Lin Qiupu went out to meet two officers who had just returned, drenched. “We’ve checked several nearby flour mills, no suspicious activity,” they reported.

“Got it. Dry off and rest for a bit,” Lin Qiupu suggested.

“No need. Is there anything we can help with?” they insisted.

“Then join the team monitoring the surveillance footage,” Lin Qiupu directed.

The two officers agreed and joined the surveillance team. Despite their fatigue, everyone was determined to push through.

Lin Qiupu considered expanding the search area. He consulted Chen Shi, who advised, “No need. We’ve confirmed the person disappeared at 3 PM, and the phone was delivered at 5 PM. With Dragon City’s usual afternoon traffic, the location where they are holding the person shouldn’t be more than 20 kilometers from the disappearance point.”

Lin Dongxue raised a concern, “What if the kidnapped person was still on the move when the phone was delivered?”

Chen Shi pondered, “Good point, I didn’t consider that. How do you think this deadly choice will be executed? Remotely detonated bombs?”

“Most likely,” Lin Qiupu said, “The 1 and 2 keys on this Nokia phone are set to speed dial. Both numbers are unregistered burner phones, likely controlling two bombs.”

“Can we track the signal without making a call?” Chen Shi asked.

“We can track it using the phone’s PIN code,” Lin Qiupu replied, though not optimistically. “I’ve tried already. The phones are off. They might only turn them on at the last moment.”

“Clever!” Lin Dongxue exclaimed. “If there are bombs, they must be placed in secluded spots, right?”

“No, don’t assume they’re that considerate. They wouldn’t avoid civilian casualties,” Lin Qiupu countered.

“Can we trace the explosives?” Lin Dongxue suggested.

“Too slow, we won’t make it in time,” Lin Qiupu shook his head, having dismissed this idea earlier.

“Even if we could trace them, bombs that can kill don’t need much power and can be made with common household items. Zhou Xiao likely knows how,” Chen Shi said.

“How do you know that?” Lin Qiupu asked. “Zhou Xiao is a serial killer, and Ling Shuang is a psychologist. How do you know they have such skills?”

“Just a hunch,” Chen Shi shrugged. “I’ll make some calls.”

Chen Shi called KK and Sun Zhen for help, thinking that more manpower would increase their chances. Finding someone in this situation was all about relentless effort and persistence.

By 4 AM, some officers were exhausted, trying to stay awake with cigarettes and coffee, while others dozed at their desks. Lin Qiupu, his eyes red from staring at screens, was reviewing surveillance footage around the police station. The suspect had approached the area at least twice, once to deliver the “diagnosis” and once to deliver the phone.

Surveillance did catch a suspicious figure, heavily covered to the point that even their gender couldn’t be discerned. Lin Qiupu selected the clearest image and printed it out.

“Sigh!” someone yawned and stretched.

“Stop sighing!” Lin Qiupu scolded loudly. “You know how demoralizing that can be for others? Stay positive!”

“Yes, Captain!” came the quick response.

“Where’s Chen Shi?” Lin Qiupu asked.

“He’s with Captain Peng,” someone replied.

Chen Shi was taking a break. Watching surveillance footage all day had nearly driven him mad. He went to Peng Sijue’s lab for a coffee and a mental break. The tech team had already gone home, leaving Peng Sijue working alone in the quiet lab, with only the sounds of rain and machines.

While waiting for reagents to take effect, Peng Sijue poured himself a cup of coffee and sat opposite Chen Shi, who was yawning. “Weren’t you a night owl? When did you change your habits?”

“No matter what kind of owl, this kind of intense mental work is too much… How are things with Miss Gu?” Chen Shi asked.

“You’re prying into my personal life again?”

“Just concerned about you.”

“Thanks for your concern.”

Footsteps in the corridor announced Lin Qiupu’s arrival. Seeing Chen Shi with a coffee cup, he said, “Sorry to keep you up all night, Captain Peng.”

“It’s okay. I’m doing my part. I don’t want anything to happen to Old Zhang’s family.”

“Any results yet?”

“Almost there,” Peng Sijue said.

Lin Qiupu sat opposite Chen Shi, who said, “Don’t glare at me. I’m not your subordinate. I’m really exhausted today.”

“When we need your brilliance, you’re of no use,” Lin Qiupu retorted.

“Do you know how hard it is to find someone?”

“I do!” Lin Qiupu remembered past experiences.

Peng Sijue turned from his experiment table. “Should we try geographic profiling? The evidence center has experts in that.”

“Not useful. The suspect’s kidnapping is purposeful, and the area predicted by big data can’t be searched within 24 hours,” Chen Shi said.

“We need more manpower. I’ll contact the SWAT team and local police first thing in the morning,” Lin Qiupu said.

Peng Sijue, looking at the mass spectrometer results, said, “Today’s samples are still flour and lime.”

“The suspect’s hideout must have contact with these materials,” Lin Qiupu mused.

“What if it’s another deliberate mislead, like today’s abandoned car?” Chen Shi suggested.

“We have no clues and can’t afford to play mind games. We must follow every lead, whether it proves true or false,” Lin Qiupu asserted.

“Flour, lime… not just flour mills. Small workshops, noodle shops, warehouses… they need parking spaces and a place that doesn’t arouse suspicion,” Chen Shi considered.

“There’s also some salt, but it’s too common,” Peng Sijue noted.

“Is it table salt?”

“Judging by the iodine content, it’s industrial salt.”

“Many food processing places use industrial salt because it’s cheap. It could be a food processing workshop… They might disguise themselves as workers there. Maybe someone at the crime scene saw people in such work clothes,” Chen Shi stood up.

“Where are you going?” Lin Qiupu asked.

“To sleep in the car. I’ll go back to the crime scene early in the morning… You should rest too. You’re not made of iron,” Chen Shi said as he walked out.

Lin Qiupu checked his watch. It was already 5 AM. It was time to let everyone rest a bit; a tough battle awaited them tomorrow.