Chapter 28: Shooting Case Solved

As the first rays of morning sun pierced the mist, Kakeshiku International Airport gradually became bustling with activity. Passengers, some dragging suitcases, some carrying packages, hurried through the terminal hall. Beneath this seemingly calm surface, an invisible net had already been quietly spread, with hunters intently waiting for their prey to fall into the trap.

The members of the Kakeshiku City Criminal Police Detachment were already in position. To avoid being spotted by Lan Renxuan, Ji Feng hid in the airport surveillance room, watching the various surveillance screens intently, waiting for Lan Renxuan to pass through security. The female detective posing as a security inspector would then quietly send a notification message, and all participating officers would immediately execute the arrest.

At this time, with two hours left before the flight departed, check-in had already begun. Passengers arrived from all directions and formed a long line in front of the check-in counter, patiently waiting for their luggage to be checked and security checked.

The plainclothes officers at various locations have entered combat status, especially the two plainclothes special police officers who are already sitting in the cabin. They have been carefully selected. Not only are they extraordinary in skills and have the ability to defeat the enemy with one move, but they are also brave and careful and remain calm in times of crisis.

From their command vehicle, Captain Aiermuhe and his peripheral surveillance team closely monitored the incoming and outgoing passengers, responding to any emergencies. At the boarding gate, several plainclothes officers, dragging suitcases, chatted casually. These officers were, in reality, the mobile team, ready to act at any moment.

Ji Feng quietly waited in the monitoring room for a message from the "security inspector." He knew full well that success or failure depended on this single move. He kept reminding himself that the more critical the moment, the more he needed to remain calm and composed. He kept telling himself, "You're no longer a young man in your twenties. You're a mature, steady middle-aged man. It's time to hone yourself and test yourself. You have a responsibility to Dean Lu, to Jiang Bo, to Hua Ailing, and most importantly, to yourself. Stay calm, stay composed, and don't act rashly..."

Time ticked by. With 20 minutes left before check-in for the flight closed, Lan Renxuan still hadn't appeared. He stared at the surveillance screen, eliminating one passenger after another who resembled Lan Renxuan.

He slowly walked to the window, a sense of unease rising from the depths of his heart. He began to worry that his judgment had been wrong. This massive operation, involving so many officials and police officers, might ultimately be fruitless. He even began to doubt that this "Ri'en Martial Arts Temple" was actually Lan Renxuan, despite his absolute certainty yesterday.

"Beep, beep, beep..." The message alert finally rang rapidly. Ji Feng quickly glanced at the message. It was indeed from "Security." The moment had finally arrived, and a wave of relief washed over him, instantly calming his nerves. He adjusted his collar, exhaled, put on his sunglasses and hat, and pretended to stroll out leisurely. He knew that Lan Renxuan had already passed security and was walking down the boarding bridge. Soon, he would enter the cabin and take his seat... and then, it would be time to close the net.

Ji Feng walked at a leisurely pace, like an ordinary passenger at the airport. His sunglasses hid the sharp glint in his eyes, and his hat, pulled down slightly, masked the subtle tension between his brows. His right hand remained in his pocket, sweat dripping from his fingertips.

The jet bridge leading to the cabin felt like a time tunnel. Sunlight filtered through the glass onto the ground, casting dappled shadows. Every step felt like a heartbeat: boom, boom, boom, the rhythm quickening. He knew Lan Renxuan was up ahead, sitting in that window seat, waiting for takeoff. And he, himself, would end his journey.

"Calm down, stay calm." He repeated Dean Lu's words in his heart, "Things will be resolved if you take it easy." He remembered the promise he made before leaving, which earned him the approving looks of Dean Lu and Hua Ailing.

But the closer he got to the gate, the harder it was to calm the suppressed excitement in his chest. He took a deep breath, deliberately slowing his pace, a barely perceptible smile playing at the corner of his mouth. This was his moment of triumph. After countless days of investigation, visits, and surveillance in the freezing snow, hunched over his desk under the solitary lamp in the cold night, reasoning, and deep contemplation, now, at last, the time had come to close the loop. Failure was a must. This was the final battle, this one!

Suddenly, there was a noise in front. Ji Feng's heart tightened and he groaned inwardly, "What I feared is what will come true." He subconsciously tensed his nerves and then whispered in his heart: Stay calm and adapt to the situation.

Ahead, several passengers appeared to be scuffling, three or four surrounding one. Shouts, curses, and screams filled the air. The bolder passengers watched curiously from the sidelines, while the more timid ones avoided them. Each one looked astonished, and no one dared to intervene. His brow furrowed slightly beneath the brim of his hat. At this crucial moment, as he was about to make his arrest, any unexpected disturbance could alert his target. He quickly gathered his composure, his mind racing, calculating the best course of action for this unforeseen situation.

Suddenly, a familiar figure appeared and disappeared. The fight ahead seemed to have concluded, with a yellow-haired man struggling hard, but his struggle was in vain.

At this time, a hurried call came from the headset: "Teacher Ji, Teacher Ji, did you hear it?" It was the voice of Maitiwuzi.

He turned around, covered his mouth with one hand, and responded in a low voice: "I heard it. What's going on up ahead?"

"We've caught him, Teacher Ji! Lan Renxuan has been caught, and we're escorting him out."

"What? Caught? Where?" He almost subconsciously walked towards the cabin, but suddenly came to his senses, quickly hung up the phone, separated the crowd, and ran quickly towards the group of people who had just fought, almost bumping into Maitiwuzi who was running towards him.

Wearing a Uyghur round-top flower hat, Maitiwuzi pointed at the people fighting and shouted to Jifeng, "Caught Lan Renxuan!" Maybe he was running too fast or too excited, but his chest under his Uyghur clothes was heaving violently, and he was panting so hard that he could hardly speak a complete sentence.

The yellow-haired man who was tightly held was Lan Renxuan.

At this moment, he was still struggling frantically, shouting in a thick Lan Gu accent: "Who are you? Get out of here! Let me go! I'm going to kill you bastards!"

Jifeng's tall figure blocked Lan Renxuan's way like a mountain reaching into the sky.

"Lan Renxuan, long time no see." Ji Feng took off his sunglasses and hat, and looked down at him with sharp eyes. He felt like his heart was about to jump out.

Lan Renxuan was stunned at first when two pairs of big hands pressed his shoulders. When he saw that it was Ji Feng, he roared again: "Ji Feng! Why did you arrest me? I am a law-abiding citizen! You are arresting innocent people indiscriminately! I will sue you!" His roar was particularly harsh in the waiting hall, attracting the attention of all the passengers.

A criminal police officer stepped forward, flashed an arrest warrant, and said sternly, "You are suspected of illegal possession of a firearm. You are now under arrest in accordance with the law."

Lan Renxuan sneered and retorted, "Guns? What a joke! I don't have anything on me, what law are you using to arrest me?"

"This isn't the place to talk. Let's talk somewhere else," Ji Feng said coldly. Then, with a wave of his hand, several strong men escorted Lan Renxuan to the police car parked outside the terminal. This ordinary police car had been temporarily converted into a simple interrogation room.

Amidst the clamor, Lan Renxuan was shoved into the car. Wang Ping, an experienced pre-trial examiner from the pre-trial department, sat across from him, his gaze sharp as a knife as he stared at Lan Renxuan, who was still screaming furiously.

"Lan Renxuan, I'm warning you, whether you are guilty or not cannot be changed by shouting. You have only one way out, tell the truth about your problem." Wang Ping said seriously.

"I'm innocent, why are you arresting me?"

Lan Renxuan's roar was piercing in the cramped interrogation vehicle. Veins bulged on his forehead, and his eyes were bloodshot. Wang Ping silently observed every subtle change in his expression. His years of pre-trial experience had enabled him to keenly detect the flicker of panic in his eyes.

The police car, sirens blaring, drove toward the city. "Lan Renxuan," Wang Ping's voice was deep and powerful, cutting in like a blunt knife. "Do you think we can just arrest people without evidence?"

"Think about it carefully. If no one came to explain the problem before you, how would we know that you were illegally possessing a gun?" Ji Feng asked Lan Renxuan with his sharp eyes.

This question obviously caught Lan Renxuan off guard. He was speechless and at a loss for words for a moment.

"Tell me, where is the gun?" Ji Feng struck while the iron was hot.

"What gun? I don't have a gun." Lan Renxuan still had illusions at this time.

"I'm warning you, guns are strictly controlled in our country. Those who illegally possess guns will be held criminally liable. Do you understand?" Wang Ping stared at Lan Renxuan and said.

"I said, I don't have a gun, let me go!" The roar continued, but the difference was that he was obviously less confident.

"I'm asking you this question to give you a chance to confess and receive leniency. You need to think clearly and answer the questions. There are so many people at the airport, why are we arresting you alone?"

"This is my last warning to you. Illegal possession of firearms is a felony in our country. Think about it carefully." Ji Feng said sternly.

"Actually, even if you didn't tell us, we could still trace back through the surveillance cameras at various intersections and find your residence. I think the gun is hidden there." Wang Ping's attitude instantly became gentle, and he spoke slowly.

"If you take the initiative to confess and tell us what you have found, the treatment you will receive will be very different. Think it over carefully." Wang Ping and Ji Feng sang in unison, causing Lan Renxuan to calm down instantly.

Wang Ping and Ji Feng exchanged a glance, and Ji Feng said, "To tell you the truth, your accomplice confessed to more than just the illegal possession of a firearm. He's already secured a chance for leniency. It all depends on your choice from now on."

Lan Renxuan's shoulders trembled noticeably, and he slowly lowered his head.

Ji Feng continued to strike while the iron was hot, "If you don't think about yourself, you should at least think about your family."

"It will also be good for your family if you take the initiative to explain the problem."

At this time, Lan Renxuan's psychological defenses had begun to collapse. In the icy police car, beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, and he seemed to be suffocating under the invisible pressure.

"Lan Renxuan!" Wang Ping suddenly shouted, his voice was like thunder, full of energy, scaring Lan Renxuan so much that he almost fell off his seat. Even Ji Feng was startled and thought to himself, this pre-trial level is really beyond reproach.

"I'm warning you, our patience has its limits. If you confess before this car arrives at the police station, you'll be given leniency. Otherwise, you don't have to confess. We'll check the surveillance footage at every intersection at the traffic police station. I don't believe we can't find your address!"

Wang Ping's words completely broke Lan Renxuan's mental defenses. His face turned pale, his lips trembling, and he finally spoke, "I said... give me a cigarette."

Wang Ping fished out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, took out one, handed it to Lan Renxuan, and lit it for him. "Tell me, where's the gun?"

After a long silence, Lan Renxuan said in a trembling voice, "Under the floor tiles in my room." The cigarette in his hand was also shaking.

"address!"

"No. 55, Shengli North Street, Kakeshiku City."

"Okay, we'll go now. If you find the gun, I'll give you a fair shake for your confession."

Ji Feng quickly said to the police officer driving ahead, "Go to Shengli North Street."

The police car drove towards Shengli North Street with sirens blaring.

Under Lan Renxuan's identification, the Kakeshiku City Criminal Investigation Detachment successfully seized an imitation "Type 64" pistol and 22 bullets.

Seeing this, Ji Feng couldn't suppress his inner ecstasy. Lan Renxuan's crime was finally confirmed. It was as if a huge rock that had been pressing on his heart suddenly fell to the ground, giving him a rare moment of respite.