Chapter 424
Luke picked up his wine glass and took a low sip of the bamboo leaf green, with no thoughts of getting up to go to the bathroom.
Luke had run out of patience with this cousin, looking for him because he was a part of the family, and only for the sake of his father and uncle did he not completely give up on him.
But it wasn’t exactly true to say how attached Luke was.
Luke wasn’t interested in talking to him alone, much less educating him.
If he didn’t even listen to his old man, he could expect him to listen to himself, and Luke didn’t have Naruto’s mouth-breathing masterstroke.
By finding him, Luke had done his job.
He took out his cell phone and texted his uncle and continued eating.
The pigeon at this restaurant was genuinely good and went down well.
It was a while before Will came out of the restroom, his face a little hard.
An earring-wearing accomplice snickered, ”What took you kid so long to come back, I thought you fell in.
We were thinking of having a guessing game to decide who was going to save you.”
“Fuck you, you’re the one who fell in.” Will laughed and cursed, hooking up with his companion and sitting down.
The waiter served the food and a few of the men began to chow down.
From time to time Will would scan Luke, but Luke didn’t even respond.
Will was a little distracted, drinking a lot of wine and eating a tasteless meal.
An hour later, the group had gotten two drunk, helped each other to stand up, and left the restaurant.
At this moment, the little girl who was sitting in the cash register and yawning said, “Mom, they haven’t settled the bill yet.”
The boss’s wife was counting the bills and looked up, “Don’t bother with them.”
“I remember they didn’t even settle the bill last time, why don’t they settle it this time? Our children all know that we have to pay for our meals, they’re still reneging on the bill when they’re this old, didn’t their teachers teach them that?”
The boss’s wife glanced in the direction of the door, as if she was afraid that the group would hear, “You remembered wrongly, last time an uncle gave money.”
The little girl hummed, “Even if I remembered wrongly last time. Then why don’t you give money this time?”
The little girl’s voice was not small, Luke took a look at it, and I don’t know if it was a mental effect, but he felt that Will’s cheeks were a little red.
If Will really joined the Flying Dragon Gang in order to find a backer, then what was the difference between this kind of renegade behavior they were doing now and Wo Sheng Tang?
However, the name of the gang was changed, and Will also changed from a victim to an accomplice.
Fortunately, a few punks had drunk too much and their ears were not working well, they did not hear the little girl’s words and walked out of the restaurant in a group.
Of course, it was possible that they had heard it and just didn’t care a long time ago.
Leaving the restaurant, Will breathed a long sigh of relief, he would have liked to leave quickly, but there was a drunken companion assisting him next to him.
“Will!
Will Lee!” Two familiar shouts rang out, causing Will’s body to jolt and the few moments of drunkenness that he hadn’t had completely dissipated.
Will looked up and it was none other than his father and mother.
What were they doing here?
Right, it must be Luke who ratted them out.
Li Zhaonian quickly stepped forward and pointed at Will’s nose and cursed, ”Bastard boy, you’re still alive.
Refusing to go home for such a long time, we followed you in fear, but your kid is eating and drinking at the restaurant.
We’re worrying for nothing.”
Yao Xin grabbed her son’s shoulder and looked him up and down, “Will, where have you been these days, you’ve made us so anxious.
Let’s go home.
Zhaonian, you don’t say anything, take your son home first.”
The man with a tattoo on his arm asked, “Will, are these your parents?”
“Yes, Brother Wolf. I haven’t been home for a long time, so I’ll go back with them first, and I’ll see you guys tomorrow.”
Brother Wolf nodded and said to Li Zhaofeng and Yao Xin, “Uncle and Auntie, don’t worry.
With me covering Will, he can’t suffer any losses.
You guys put your hearts in your stomachs and wait to enjoy yourselves!”
Li Zhaonian cursed in his heart, “I’m enjoying a tofu, you guys are not good at all, Will will definitely be led astray if he follows you.
At the same time, he also blamed Will is not good, just a few days ago with the Wo Sheng Tang conflict, this how to hook up with the gangsters again?
What kind of people are these?
Flower-armed Wolf Brother greeted and left with the three punks.
Will asked, “Mom and Dad, did my cousin ask you to come?”
Yao Xin asked, “If Luke hadn’t told us, how long were you planning to hide it?”
“I didn’t plan to hide it from you guys, I’ll go back after a while.”
Li Zhaonian pointed at the back of Wolf’s group, “Who are they?”
“My friends.”
“Friends?
Look at that group of people, they are all dressed up in a sleazy manner, can they be serious people.
Why are you with these people?
You want to piss us off.” Li Zhaonian hated the iron is not steel, if not afraid of this kid to run away again, really want to slap him.
“Mom and dad, you guys don’t care, I’ve grown up and have my own ideas.”
Li Zhaonian shouted, “Idea, what idea do you have? Say it out for us to hear.
If you can convince us, we’ll leave now and never care about you again.”
Yao Xin persuaded: “Zhaonian, don’t say angry words.
Will, let’s go home first and talk about it at home.”
Li Zhaonian said, “Go back to where? Can we still go back?”
“Then take Will to mom and dad.”
“They are all old, we still go to the house to quarrel, will not be angry with them.”
Will was surprised, “Mom and Dad, what are you talking about? Why can’t we go home?”
“You still have the face to ask, let me ask you, does Zhang Qilong’s death have anything to do with you?”
Will’s face was a bit ugly, “Mom and Dad, this ……
group of assholes from Wo Sheng Tang came after you.”
Li Zhaonian grunted, “You kid is dashing, running away by yourself.
This is your idea, this is your ability.”
“I …… “Will opened his mouth to speak, “I didn’t expect this either.”
“Alright, come home with us first.” Yao Xin tightly grabbed her son’s arm, afraid that he would run away.
Will was a bit helpless and turned his head to look at the restaurant, “Where’s Luke? Why isn’t he coming out?”
Li Zhaonian asked, “Luke is in this restaurant?”
“Yeah.”
“I’ll go in and say hi to him and we’ll go.”
Will said, “I’ll go too.”
Li Zhaonian looked at his son and urged, “Don’t be a jerk if you go, Luke didn’t do much to help you out.
You have to thank him properly.”
Yao Xin also said, “Yes, Luke is a good boy. If it wasn’t for him being there that day, your father …… and I would definitely have to suffer.
In order to find you, he was also busy and had to make many connections to find you.”
“Mom and Dad, you eat what loss ah, what is going on ah?”
Li Zhaonian waved his hand, “Don’t ask first, go back and talk about it.”
A family of three to the restaurant, Luke at this time also happened to check out, the two sides walked to meet: “Uncle, Aunt.”
“Luke, we blocked this kid.
I’ve worked hard for you this time.
Tomorrow go to your grandparents’ house, uncle will make you a delicious meal.” Li Zhaonian revealed a look of gratitude and patted Luke’s shoulder hard.
“OK.
It’s good that Will is back.” Luke smiled and answered, then said to Will at the side, “Older brother, don’t mind me being nosy.
Second Uncle and Aunt are anxious for you every day, and if you toss and turn for a few more days, your body won’t be able to carry it anymore.”
“Brother, I want to talk to you.”
“Some other day, you go back with Second Uncle first.
I’ll visit you guys when I have time.” After Luke finished speaking, he greeted Li Zhaonian and his wife and left directly.
Luke knew that Will must still have a bunch of bullshit, but he was a cousin, not a real brother, so it was better to let Li Zhaonian break it up.
People’s own parents were here, and it wasn’t his turn to educate them.
Even if he wanted to help, it would have to be Li Zhaonian who asked, Will didn’t have the face for it yet.
The next morning.
Fobler’s New York office.
Criminal Investigation Department office.
Luke walked into the office and Michael Jeter greeted him, “Hey man, just waiting for your meeting.”
Luke sat down at a desk and asked, “Did Mo Shaoxiong confess?”
Michael Jett laughed, “Yes.
He has confessed.”
Luke was a little curious, “How did you pry his mouth open, he was tough as nails yesterday.”
“I had a serious talk with him, did him some small favors, promised to help him convert to a tainted witness, give him a new identity, a new city, a new development.
I made the best offer I could, and as long as he wasn’t stupid, he naturally agreed.” Michael Jett spoke seven parts truth and three parts falsehood, concealing some inconvenient to say.
“According to Mo Shaoxiong’s confession, Ma Jiansheng was indeed killed by him, with the purpose of forcing the whereabouts of the King of Gamblers, Zhou Tiancheng.
And the person who instructed him to do so was the Flying Dragon Gang’s Hall Master, Zheng Lagong.” Michael Jett then took out a piece of information and introduced.
“Zheng Lagong is the Flying Dragon Gang’s Iron Blood Hall’s deputy hall master, forty-six years old this year, and spent his early years mixing around Southeast Asia.
He immigrated to New York fifteen years ago.
He has always had ties with Southeast Asian gangs, and it is rumored that he has always had a good relationship with the King of Gamblers, Zhou Tiancheng.
There’s even a rumor that the King of Gamblers, Chow Tin Shing, used to hang out with him, and after he came to New York, Chow Tin Shing took over his Southeast Asian crew before he gradually got bigger.
In addition, according to the information we got, after Chow Tin Seng was wanted by the Malay police, it might be Cheng Lak Kung who helped him to sneak into New York.
Just don’t know what the reason is, the two fell out.
It was only then that Zheng Lagong dispatched his man Mo Shaoxiong to look for Zhou Tiancheng’s whereabouts.”
Luke asked, “Did Mo Shaoxiong ask about Zhou Tiancheng’s whereabouts?”
“Mo Shaoxiong tortured Ma Jiansheng, and Ma Jiansheng admitted to being an accountant for Zhou Tiancheng, and additionally took out an account book that recorded Zhou Tiancheng’s assets, and Mo Shaoxiong gave that account book to Vice Hall Master Zheng Lagong.
In addition, Ma Jiansheng also gave up Zhou Tiancheng’s address, and Mo Shaoxiong also told Zheng Lagong.”
Luke said, “Ma Jiansheng confessed Zhou Tiancheng’s address on the night of January 23rd, and Mo Shaoxiong told Zheng Lagong the address, and Zheng Lagong could kill Zhou Tiancheng at any time.
And today is already January 27th, Zhou Tiancheng is likely to have been killed.”
Michael Jet said, “Let’s split up before it’s too late.
I’ll lead the men to arrest Zheng Lagong, and you lead the men to search Zhou Tiancheng’s address.”
Luke nodded, these two missions, how to look at it, it was more dangerous to capture Zheng Lagong, of course, the harvest could be greater.
Michael Jett said, “Louise, you take the people and go with Counselor Li, all actions are under Counselor Li’s command.”
The white girl agent next to him nodded and said, “I know.”
Inside a Chevrolet SUV car.
White girl agent Lois was driving and Luke was sitting in the passenger side with half-squinted eyes.
This is the right way to open it, how can Luke, a criminal investigation consultant, drive the car himself.
“Counselor Lee, are you from New York or Los Angeles?”
Luke smiled, “I grew up living in New York, then my parents got divorced.
I went to college and lived in Los Angeles, so it’s hard to say where I’m from.”
Lois laughed, “Then I think you’re from New York.”
“No problem, as long as you’re happy.”
“Have you ever thought about going back to live in New York?” Actually, Lois wanted to ask him if he would officially join Fobler, but didn’t want to ask too directly.
Luke perfunctorily said, “Are you going to introduce me to a girlfriend?”
Seeing that Luke didn’t want to answer positively, Louise didn’t pursue the question and laughed, “You don’t look like you’re lacking a girlfriend.”
“I’m too busy.”
“Understood. If you didn’t work hard, you wouldn’t have the achievements you have now at such a young age.
What kind of girl do you like, I’ll introduce you to the right one.”
Luke thought very seriously, “Good looking, good figure, it would be better if she can be a little more considerate.”
“Any requirements in terms of personality and interests?”
“No.”
“Are you serious? Thought you’d like the kind of women with substance and shared hobbies and values.”
“I’m looking for a girlfriend, not a female teacher.
I think the first glance is important, the rest can be spent slowly.
We can be ordinary friends even if we don’t fit.”
In Louise’s experience, a man who only focused on a woman’s appearance and not her inner qualities or character was either a particularly shallow person or hadn’t settled on an idea yet.
She hadn’t been in contact with Luke for a long time, but she could sense that Luke was definitely not the first, so it would be the second.
Lois didn’t see anything wrong with that, it was normal for Luke to be fun-loving at his age, her brother was of a similar mindset and often begged her to introduce him to pretty girls.
Lois usually sent him a message to go to hell.
“Lois, what are your usual duties?”
“External liaison.
Like liaising with the police in the area where the crime took place, the victim’s family, and occasionally acting as a press spokesperson.”
“Does that include me?”
“No, you’re one of our own.
I was just curious about you and offered to partner with you.”
“You have an important job.”
“That’s what I thought.”
Luke wasn’t being polite; Fobler’s remit was much broader than the LAPD’s, and it wasn’t easy to be constantly working on cases off-site, coordinating and communicating with various departments.
Many police officers are resistant to Fobler, and the role of the liaison person is very critical at this time. If the liaison person communicates well, Fobler and the police can work closely together to solve the case.
On the other hand, if Fobler and the police have contradictions, each with their own mind, then the case may be done badly.
In the middle of the conversation, the car drove into the Mario neighborhood and stopped next to a white villa.
This community was located in the far outskirts of New York, and although it was far away from the city center, the villas were large, and each home had a separate courtyard.
Luke entered the courtyard with a couple of Fobler agents, his eyes scanning around the area, the doors to the houses and garages were all closed.
He walked over to the window to check it out and frowned slightly, pulling out his pistol and gesturing as Lois walked over to check it out as well.
The two exchanged a few whispers and called a few more agents over to discuss the situation, and then a couple of Fobler agents walked over to either side of the door, and one of them slammed the door open with a door breaker.
“Bang!”
“Fobler!”
“Ahem ……” One of the Fobol agents had just burst into the house when he choked, coughed, and gagged.
A strong odor of corpses wafted through the house.
The odor was no less lethal than a chemical weapon, and staying for a while could smoke a person over, Luke felt that it was unlikely that the house was hiding a living person.
“Retreat!”
Luke chirped, motioning for the agents to retreat farther away.
Turning to the two agents, Lois said, “Open the back door as well to dissipate the smell.
The rest of you keep an eye on the perimeter in case anyone in the villa escapes.”
Luke laughed, “It doesn’t matter even if someone escapes, that smell on your body can be smelled from a dozen meters away.”
Lois rolled her eyes, “Jesus Christ, I don’t want to go into this house.
I’m supposed to be catching Jung Lagoon, not here.”
“Huh.” Luke glanced at his watch, “Thanks for the reminder, it looks like I’m almost done with work.”
“No, you’re needed here.”
In order to dissipate the odor as quickly as possible, a Vorpal agent entered the room wearing a protective suit and opened all the doors and windows to ventilate the room.
After the better part of an hour, the odor in the room had pretty much dissipated before Luke, wearing a mask, entered the villa to investigate.
There was a lot of dried blood spilled in the living room, a body bound to the living room radiator that was badly decomposed and mangled.
The body’s head and face had been hit hard, and coupled with the corrosion and deformation of the body, the original appearance was already unrecognizable.
The body was not wearing clothes on top, only wearing a pair of pants, and the fingers were also beaten and deformed, the fingerprints on the fingers were also damaged.
Luke searched around the body and found no identification (including, but not limited to, driver’s license, social security card), and could only tell that the body was an Asian man.
Lois also came over and frowned, “Do you think this is the body of Zhou Tiancheng?”
Luke shook his head slightly, not wanting to judge easily.
“Let’s wait for the DNA identification results.”
He had only seen Zhou Tiancheng’s photo, not in person, and the body was so damaged and decayed that it was almost unrecognizable, “However, judging from the injuries on his body, he had suffered abuse before his death, and may have suffered torture and forced interrogation just like Ma Jiansheng.”
Louise said, “From the clues that the Intelligence Department has gotten, it is possible that he is one of Zhou Tiancheng or Song Jinbao.
If the corpse was Song Jinbao, that murderer should have forced him to ask about Zhou Tiancheng’s whereabouts.
If the corpse is Zhou Tiancheng, the murderer could be pressing him about his property.”
Luke agreed with this analysis, the body was rotting like this, and he couldn’t see too many clues, he turned around to check the rest of the place.
The room showed signs of being rummaged through, the murderer seemed to be looking for something.
The dining room was also a bit messy, there were some leftovers on the table, these leftovers were not on plates but in plastic packaging boxes, there were no signs of cooking in the dining room, most likely they were ordered as takeout.
Luke approached to check, vaguely distinguish a few dishes, roasted pigeon, steamed grouper, white cut chicken, white burnt choy sum, boiled rice.
This table was typical Cantonese cuisine, but there was no visible restaurant logo on the lunch box, nor was there a takeout bag.
If it was an order for takeout, the deliveryman had probably seen the deceased when he delivered the food, and would have been able to identify the deceased.
Luke took out his cell phone and clicked on the takeout ordering software, searching for Cantonese cuisine.
But to Luke’s surprise, there were no Cantonese restaurants in this neighborhood, and he didn’t even see any Chinese restaurants.
This was a far suburb, farther away from Chinatown, while there were few Cantonese restaurants in other places, and the Chinese restaurants in Chinatown were already beyond the delivery distance.
Luke looked at the few dishes on the table again and had a sense of déjà vu, especially the box containing the dishes, which he had also seen before.
Yesterday, Luke went to Yue Lai Yue Hao Restaurant for dinner and ordered the same dishes, in addition, Luke also packed a roasted pigeon for his father when he left, and the packing box was also the same as the box on the table.
Coincidence?
Or was it a takeaway delivered at the Cantonese Lai Lai restaurant?
Or maybe the deceased had been to Yue Lai Yue Good Restaurant?