Chapter Ninety-Three: That thief actually stole the deputy director's bitter tea seeds.

She felt a chill run down her spine, shooting straight to the top of her head! It sent a shiver down her spine! This was the second time! This was the second time she'd smelled this stench! The first time was with Yin Shihong, whose identity had been confirmed. This security guard…could he be an accomplice too?

No! Then why doesn't the deputy director have this smell? Although he found it strange, he didn't want to think too much about it at the moment.

"A precious pearl!"

A familiar voice interrupted her thoughts. Qin Haifeng, pedaling his bicycle, came to a steady stop beside her like a gust of wind. Lin Baozhu composed herself and smiled, "I thought you weren't coming today."

Qin Haifeng's face flushed slightly: "How could I leave a girl like you to go back alone? It's too unsafe!"

"Yo~~!"

Wang Shunzheng, drawing out his words, glanced mischievously at Qin Haifeng: "Comrade Qin, you know how to seize opportunities! You have a good eye!"

This teasing made Qin Haifeng blush even more, and he even dared not look at Lin Baozhu.

Lin Baozhu didn't seem to mind at all. She cheerfully skipped two steps at a time and lightly jumped onto the back of Qin Haifeng's bicycle, giving him a loud slap on the back with her little hand: "Let's go! Let's go 'fishing' with Team Leader Wang and the others!"

As she spoke, her mischievous fingers deliberately tickled his sensitive spot on his waist... "Uh!" Qin Haifeng's body stiffened abruptly, his breathing became erratic, and even the handlebars of his bicycle wobbled!

Feeling the tension in the muscles beneath her palm, Lin Baozhu's lips curled into a sly smile. This kid... is still so easily provoked.

"...Hold on tight! Be careful not to fall."

Qin Haifeng's voice was somewhat tense as he tried his best to keep the front of the car steady.

"Don't worry, everything's fine."

Lin Baozhu responded. No sooner had she spoken than her hand gently grasped the side of his shirt.

Even through a thin cloth, the warm touch and the subtle pressure from his fingertips instantly made Qin Haifeng's ears burn! His Adam's apple bobbed violently, and countless thoughts seemed to churn and collide in his chest, making his breathing erratic.

Just as Qin Haifeng was wavering, a slow, cool voice came from the side: "Team Leader Wang—where are you going on 'official business' with all this fuss?"

Lin Baozhu turned her head at the sound, her eyes sweeping over with a hint of sarcasm. Before Wang Shunzheng could speak, she crisply reminded him, "Team Leader Wang! Pay attention to discipline! The case is still under investigation, and the details are confidential! The director has repeatedly emphasized that not a single word should be revealed to irrelevant personnel!"

She slightly raised her chin and looked meaningfully at the guardhouse: "Be careful not to make a mistake!"

Wang Shunzheng immediately understood and nodded to the gatekeeper with a stern face: "Keep a good watch on! We have urgent business to attend to!"

With that, he pushed off hard with his foot, and the wheels sped away, kicking up dust.

*

A moment later, the officers arrived at the deputy director's secluded courtyard.

However, the scene before them was unexpected—the vermilion gate of the deputy director's house was surrounded by layers upon layers of neighbors watching the spectacle!

The buzzing of voices filled the air.

"Isn't it strange? Those big wardrobes and bed boards in the Gu family's house are no small items! How could they move them quietly? But we were so close by, and we didn't hear a single sound!"

"That's right! I heard it was a burglary, but this thief... is too weird! He even took Old Gu's... cough, his underwear! What a despicable person!"

The three words "underwear" were like a small awl, precisely piercing Lin Baozhu's nerve endings!

Her cheek muscles twitched violently, and she completely lost her composure: Slander! This is blatant defamation! Lin Baozhu is an upright and honorable person; how could she have such a perverted hobby?!

Qin Haifeng, standing beside her, glanced at her silently. Although his expression was serious, there was a hint of suppressed laughter in his eyes.

This girl is really bold! She does things so "cleanly and thoroughly," isn't she afraid of attracting unwanted attention? These days, there are plenty of hidden talents, what if… It seems he needs to get his onboarding done sooner rather than later, at least to stand in front of her and clear her of any suspicion!

Wang Shunzheng cleared his throat and waved his hand authoritatively at the crowd: "Police are on duty! Bystanders, stand back immediately!"

When the onlookers saw that the police had actually arrived, they all backed away, but they still craned their necks and were reluctant to leave. Some even climbed onto the roof of their neighbor's house and onto the branches of a tree across the street.

The deputy director, who was originally standing in the center of the crowd, felt a chill run from the soles of his feet to the top of his head the moment he saw the police!

When he got home, he was terrified by the sight that resembled a locust swarm! The table where the radio transmitter was hidden... He didn't dare call the police! He just hoped that the thief didn't know its value and sold the desk as junk. As long as the item wasn't found on the spot, he would have room to deny it.

Who knew... those busybodies actually helped him report the case to the police!

Now the plan is completely messed up!

The deputy director's face was ashen, as if it had been painted with a layer of ashes.

He calmly let his right hand hang by his side, rubbing the specially made scalpel hidden in his pocket through the fabric of his trousers. If the police really found something deadly... then he would have no choice but to fight to the death, create chaos, and break out!

Thinking of this, an expression of extreme grief instantly appeared on his face, and he almost wailed as he rushed towards Wang Shunzheng: "Police officers! You must help me! Those damned thieves! Stealing all my belongings is one thing... but how... how could they even steal my wife's urn of ashes!"

His voice was filled with grief as he pounded his chest: "That's where she rests!"

"Huh—!"

The crowd erupted instantly! It was even more heated than when they were discussing "underwear" earlier!

"My God! Is this something a human being would do?!"

"This is utterly inhuman! They don't even spare ashes?!"

"This is a grave offense! You deserve to be struck by lightning!"

Amidst the rising and falling curses, Lin Baozhu's eyebrows shot up—ashes? She hadn't even left a needle behind during her thorough search today, and hadn't found an urn at all!

This beast, seeing his deeds about to be exposed, actually resorted to this tactic of shifting blame and gaining sympathy?!

"Oh."

Lin Baozhu let out a very soft, cold laugh, cleared her throat, and said loudly to the increasingly agitated crowd, "Alright, alright, everyone disperse! The situation is unusual; this 'theft' at his house is suspicious! We need to cordon off the scene for a thorough investigation! All irrelevant personnel, please move outside the yard! Pay attention to the cordon!"

Her tone was crisp and decisive, exuding an aura that left no room for argument.

Although the crowd was cursing and swearing, they were intimidated by the police's authority and reluctantly retreated outside the gate. However, none of those who had climbed up to occupy the high ground were willing to come down.

Wang Shunzheng immediately led his team to begin the search. Faced with the spotless, truly destitute room, he and his team were dumbfounded, finding no place to begin their search.

He subconsciously looked at Lin Baozhu with a questioning look in his eyes: This… Lin Baozhu gave him a very subtle, reassuring look, and then casually strolled around the courtyard to observe.

Suddenly, her gaze fell upon a small patch of slightly fresh-looking soil in the corner. "Team Leader Wang! We've found something here!"