Chapter 862 Unexpected Gain

Leaving the noodle company, the trio hurried to the street where the workers lost their uniforms. The morning made the place appear deserted, with massage and foot care signs lining the streets, along with suspicious graphics. Lin Dongxue remarked, “As expected, it’s the red-light district during the day.”

“You see, it’s like a ghost town now, but it gets lively at night. I used to drop off passengers here,” Chen Shi said. “Notice, there are no surveillance cameras here.”

Lin Dongxue looked up. The nearest surveillance camera was on the street. She searched around. The only alley that could fit a truck’s entrance was on the right. “Why did the thief leave the car here?”

“It’s like a thief taking a whole wallet instead of just the money, then disposing of the wallet in a safe place,” Xu Xiaodong speculated.

“A car is different from a wallet,” Chen Shi scanned the surroundings. “It’s monitored. The thief drove to the intersection, realized the truck was too conspicuous and might be traced, so changed plans on the fly.”

Lin Dongxue gestured with her hand, simulating the camera angle. “Do you think the surveillance camera captured anything?”

“It wouldn’t reach that deep into the alley. It’s traffic monitoring,” Chen Shi said. “The suspect chose this place, where not even a witness can be found.”

Chen Shi looked at the rental ads on the utility pole and glanced at the nearby buildings. “Two noodle industry workers parking their car here was a coincidence. The suspect couldn’t have calculated and waited here. I believe the theft was also a coincidence.”

“So, the suspect’s residence must be in a place where this alley can be seen?” Chen Shi stared at a dark window in the distance and nodded. “Maybe he’s watching us right now!”

“Then I’ll call in more people to check if anyone’s rented recently,” Lin Dongxue said.

“Plainclothes, low-profile operation,” Chen Shi instructed.

The investigation began. The police went door-to-door asking questions. An elderly lady said, “I think I saw two men in noodle company uniforms coming out a few days ago. Yes, it was ‘Jiarimei Noodle Company.'”

Lin Dongxue and Chen Shi were thrilled. Lin Dongxue asked, “Gender?”

“Seemed like two men…”

“Where do they live?”

The elderly lady pointed. “Inside that alley, they got into a black family car.”

During the first case, a black SUV was also seen, suggesting this lead was significant. Thanking the elderly lady, Lin Dongxue called for backup. Chen Shi said, “Two or three people are enough. A sudden crowd will scare them off.”

While Lin Dongxue was on the phone, Chen Shi nudged her. A man emerged from the alley. He wore a duckbill cap with the brim pulled low and his collar turned up, hands in his pockets, exuding a suspicious aura all over.

Chen Shi gestured, and they followed. The man seemed to have eyes in the back of his head, suddenly breaking into a run.

“Stop!” Lin Dongxue drew her gun and fired into the air, alerting other policemen nearby.

Hearing the gunshot, the man ran faster. Crossing the road, he narrowly avoided a collision with a car. He leaped over the hood when the driver yelled insults. The man disappeared into the opposite alley.

As Lin Dongxue and Chen Shi pursued down the narrow alley, they fell five steps behind. Lin Dongxue aimed her phone and looked at Chen Shi. He nodded. “Shoot!”

Bang! The man stopped. He turned slightly, flashed a middle finger at Lin Dongxue, grinned, and ran off.

“Missed?” Lin Dongxue’s heart sank. Just as the man darted out of the alley, another person flew from the side, kicking him down. The two looked surprised, exchanged glances, and rushed over.

Xu Xiaodong held the suspect down, cuffing him. Lin Dongxue exclaimed, “You came just in time!”

“I happened to be nearby. Heard the gunshot and ran over. Saw this guy running out and just…” Xu Xiaodong explained.

The captured man wasn’t Zhou Xiao, but the tall assistant with “pockmarks on his face.” As they lifted him from the ground, he struggled incessantly, showing a menacing smile, swearing at Lin Dongxue, “Snitch!”

Chen Shi was indignant. He said to Xu Xiaodong, “Look over there.”

“Huh?”

As Xu Xiaodong turned, Chen Shi intended to give the suspect a lesson as an ordinary citizen. However, Lin Dongxue intervened, “Don’t do anything rash.”

Chen Shi had no choice but to comply. He searched the man and found keys, a cellphone, and a wallet. He instructed Xu Xiaodong to place the man in the police car while he and Lin Dongxue inspected his residence.

Back at the alley, they located the room where the man rented. Opening the door revealed a table, a bed, and beside it, a small refrigerator. On top of the refrigerator lay several psychology books.

Covered by a polyester cloth on the table, Chen Shi lifted it, startling them. Underneath were photographs.

“This is Xiaodong’s mother, and this is Xiao Li’s father… He secretly photographed all the relatives of the second team’s policemen. It’s terrifying!” Chen Shi opened an envelope, revealing the files of all the second team’s policemen, with several columns checked. Looking at the room’s facilities, Chen Shi said, “This man isn’t a killer; he’s in charge of collecting information and sending ‘diagnosis reports.'”

The computer was running, the screen black. Chen Shi moved the mouse, revealing three documents on the cluttered desktop: “Diagnosis Report 1,” “Diagnosis Report 2,” and “Diagnosis Report 3.”

“1” and “2” were the ones Xiao Li and Lao Zhang received. With a nervous heart, Chen Shi opened the third and saw the text inside—

“Patient: Peng Sijue;

Gender: Male;

Age: 34;

Symptoms: Selfishness.

Due to childhood experiences, the patient lacks the ability to give and receive love. In order to avoid being seen as abnormal by others, he meticulously maintains a facade of selfishness and coldness. He often deeply despises himself, yet refuses to make any changes, believing himself to be a victim of childhood, not responsible for his character formation. He wraps himself in a cocoon of loneliness and introspection, coldly observing the joys and sorrows of others.

Recommended treatment: To awaken the ability to love through a self-sacrifice.”

Chen Shi felt as if struck by lightning. He stood up, knocking over the chair behind him. Shocked, he said, “Why is it Peng Sijue! He isn’t even a member of the second team! Who was the person abducted?”

“Could it be…” Lin Dongxue was equally shocked.

With trembling hands, Chen Shi dialed Gu You’s number, but all he heard was an ominous silence…