Chapter 32: The Bizarre Victims
The driver in front was a team of members who were dressed up. He replied, "One price, five yuan."
Yingjie withdrew her gaze from him and muttered, "It's getting more and more expensive. It only cost three yuan in the first two years."
"Now even a tricycle costs three yuan and fifty cents," the driver said impatiently. "If you think it's too expensive, get off."
Sister Ying changed her expression quickly, took out five yuan and stuffed it in front of her, saying, "Then take one more step forward, to Chang'an Jiayuan, just drop me off at the door."
Hearing the words "Chang'an Jiayuan," Shen Zhenzhu realized that this was the real address of Yingjie, whom she had been following. The place she had mentioned earlier was just a cover.
Shen Zhenzhu didn't know if there was a cellar or a basement over there, but she certainly understood the dangers there better than anyone else.
My colleague, pretending to be a taxi driver, drove forward cursing and swearing. She pretended to look out the window at the scenery, noticing the cars that kept changing "external" behind her. When they reached the entrance of Chang'an Jiayuan residential area, the cars following behind changed from Santana, Dongfeng, and Hongqi to a majestic Cherokee.
Feeling a little more at ease, she held hands with Sister Ying and realized that Sister Ying hadn't led her through the main gate of the residential area.
"There's a shortcut here." Yingjie didn't want the security guard at the gate to see her frequently bringing women home, so she led Chen Zhenzhu to a broken iron fence on the north side: "Go inside, that white-painted fence is my house."
To celebrate her success once again today, and as her husband had requested, she brought along a girl who suited her taste. She carried a bottle of red wine in her bag, intending to savor it while watching her husband's atrocities that night.
Shen Zhenzhu followed Yingjie into the courtyard. After she went in, Yingjie closed the iron gate and locked it with a chain: "We play mahjong for big stakes, and we're afraid someone will call the police and say we're gambling."
Despite saying that, Sister Ying didn't put the key in a conspicuous place; instead, she clipped it to her belt.
Shen Zhenzhu boldly entered the one-bedroom apartment, whose layout was quite strange.
The bathroom is in the yard. Upon entering, there's a double bed, and to the right are a table and chairs. Further in are the living room and kitchen. The entire house has a long, narrow, cylindrical layout, and you can see the concrete yard in front from the back of the house.
"Come on, sit here and wait a bit, they'll be here soon." Sister Ying successfully brought the person over, her smile widening. She took a bottle of soda from the refrigerator and gave it to Chen Zhenzhu: "You drink first."
Chen Zhenzhu put down her soda and said with a smile, "My period is coming soon, I don't drink cold drinks."
A hint of regret flashed across Yingjie's face as she sat down at the mahjong table and began setting up the tiles, asking, "How old are you? How much do you earn a month?"
She wanted to know how much money Shen Zhenzhu had, and if things went smoothly later, she would naturally hand it over.
Shen Zhenzhu did not mention money, only saying, "It hasn't even been a year yet."
Yingjie considered it for a moment and didn't press the matter; in their line of work, it was the least they could do. Hearing footsteps ahead, she stood up, glanced at the sound, and said, "Hurry up, they're here."
Shen Zhenzhu also stood up and looked ahead. The courtyard was clearly locked, but Huangya Lao had appeared in the bedroom at some point.
He came over with a frown and a cigarette dangling from his lips, leaving a trail of smoke in his wake. But when he saw Chen Zhenzhu, the satisfaction in his eyes was undisguised.
That old lecher.
Yingjie understood her husband's expression all too well; she had done a great job today.
“We’re still one short.” Chen Zhenzhu was not happy and gave the yellow-toothed man an unfriendly look. “Otherwise, I’ll call a boy over to play with us.”
Yellow-toothed Guy walked over to the mahjong table and closed the back door: "What's the rush? Let me chat with you first. Come on, let's chat and pass the time, everyone will be here soon."
Shen Zhenzhu sat down at the mahjong table. The man with yellow teeth asked her nothing more than her age, her zodiac sign, and whether she had ever been in a relationship.
Yingjie chimed in from the side, "She's exceptionally capable; even Young Master Bai is eager to be with her."
Yellow-toothed Guy licked his lips, quite satisfied with his prey. If a playboy like Young Master Bai could fall for her, he'd better figure out how to enjoy her.
Chen Zhenzhu tried her best to ignore the sticky gaze on her body. After almost an hour, having fooled her enough, she got up and said, "I need to go to the toilet."
Yingjie subconsciously looked at Huangya Lao, who smiled and said, "It's in the yard, it's dark outside, let her go with you."
Yingjie obediently got up and accompanied Chen Zhenzhu outside. Suddenly, she heard Chen Zhenzhu say, "Oh no, Yingjie, do you have any sanitary napkins? I think I'm getting my period."
Sister Ying was stunned and blurted out, "Why did you come now of all times?"
Chen Zhenzhu asked anxiously, "Is there any?"
Yingjie said helplessly, "The toilet is over there. Go ahead, I'll find it for you."
Shen Zhenzhu walked into the bathroom, which stood alone outside the courtyard, in her line of sight. After she left, Shen Zhenzhu tiptoed out of it.
The living room doesn't have a view of the yard, and it's unclear whether they were certain she couldn't escape.
They definitely still have hostages; if they're not in the room, they must be outside.
Shen Zhenzhu remembered the small, smelly space in the Heavenly Eye's retrospective, which was about the same size as this courtyard, and contained a white tube about the thickness of a forearm.
The neighbors all had vegetables planted in their yards, but this one was sealed off with cement. Chen Zhenzhu knew what was going on. She searched around the yard and finally, holding her nose, she found the pipe opening in the soil behind the storage shed behind the smelly toilet. It looked similar to a regular drain.
It turns out the stench wasn't coming from the bathroom, but from inside here. No wonder the search team didn't find it; they deliberately built the bathroom separately outside, probably to cover up the smell.
Having found the white pipe, and with the help of "Sky Eye Retrospection," Shen Zhenzhu was absolutely certain that the place where he and Sister Ying imprisoned women was definitely down there.
She stomped her foot, then lay down on the ground and heard a faint sound of wind coming from the pipe opening.
Footsteps approached from inside the house. Just as she was about to sneak back to the bathroom in the dark, a tall, dark figure flashed past her: "This place is now surrounded. Act according to the situation and use force if necessary."
Gu Yanzheng couldn't be sure if there were any other suspects hiding. He saw Shen Zhenzhu quickly point to the floor of the storage shed and asked in surprise, "Down there? Are you sure?"
Shen Zhenzhu nodded: "There must be space below."
Gu Yanzheng's figure quickly disappeared into the darkness: "Understood."
The people lurking behind the house had already set their sights on Brother Ying. Meanwhile, Sister Ying brought over a sanitary napkin in a displeased tone and knocked on the bathroom door: "Are you really here?"
Chen Zhenzhu said in a muffled voice from inside, "I think your death is coming."
The sound was too soft for Yingjie to hear. Just as she saw the bathroom door open and reached out her arm, a sudden, immense force pulled her into the toilet bowl, followed by a kneecap pressing down on her back, rendering her unable to lift herself!
"What are you doing? Ah—" A sharp pain swept over him.
哢哒.
With a crisp snap, Chen Zhenzhu handcuffed Yingjie's wrist.
Almost simultaneously, a dark figure descended from the sky and rushed into the room, suppressing the yellow-toothed man who had suddenly charged out like lightning. In an instant, the cleaver in the yellow-toothed man's hand was thrown aside, and then he himself was slammed heavily to the ground, one of his front teeth breaking off.
He stretched out his leg to kick Gu Yanzheng, but a figure rushed out from the side and kicked him in the stomach!
"Ahhh!!—"
The pearl exploded again.
During the busy arrest, Gu Yanzheng even had a moment of distraction, thinking, "This kid is obsessed with exploding eggs."
"Aaaaaah, I'm going to kill you! Kill you!" Yellow-toothed man rolled around in excruciating pain, already knowing he had brought trouble upon himself.
He stared maliciously at Chen Zhenzhu, his words spitting out from his yellowed teeth like a snake: "So it was you! No matter what you're looking for, you won't find it."
He dug his cellar five years ago, and he was confident that no one would discover it except his wife and a few women living below.
To avoid being detected by police dogs, he even deliberately built the toilet near the entrance and would conduct a deep cleaning there every few days.
"Is that so?" Shen Zhenzhu withdrew her leg, standing a step away with her eyes full of indifference.
Led by Lu Ye and Zhou Chuanxi, criminal investigators poured into the small courtyard, which was less than 20 square meters, from all directions.
"No problems found." Two of the criminal investigators walked around the storage shed, turning over everything inside, but found nothing wrong.
Shen Zhenzhu carefully examined her feet. After about ten minutes, she went to an old bedside table in the storage shed, pushed it aside, and rubbed it on the ground.
Gu Yanzheng ordered his men to put the man with yellow teeth into the car. He originally wanted to search for him, but Shen Zhenzhu quickly said, "Captain Gu, we've found something."
Gu Yanzheng squatted down and touched the ground with his finger; there was a small crack. He felt relieved and waved his hand: "There's a secret passage here, open it."
Lu Ye walked forward and examined it carefully for a while before lifting the wooden board covering it. But when he tried to push open the board below, he found that it was locked.
Wu Zhongguo searched the man with yellow teeth and found a bunch of keys on him. He handed them to Lu Ye, who tried them all and found one of the keys to open the lock.
Lifting the perfectly concealed wooden plank, a downward-facing passageway appeared before them. A crime documentary reporter, carrying a massive camera, filmed the scene from behind.
Gu Yanzheng took out his pistol and walked in front, followed by Lu Ye, Shen Zhenzhu and the others.
The passageway was barely shoulder-width wide, and the turns were almost ninety degrees. After walking a dozen steps, they found another iron gate. Lu Ye handed over the key, and Gu Yanzheng, holding a flashlight in his mouth, tried to open the gate.
The exposed passage was almost vertical, with a staircase carved out of the damp soil, barely wide enough for one person to go up and down.
Below, there was another iron gate. He cleared a path, opening four iron gates in a row before reaching the horizontal passage. And at the end of the passage, there was one last iron gate.
Gu Yanzheng estimated that the distance to the ground was at least ten meters. Before he could even open the door, a woman excitedly said through it, "Brother Ying, why are you here so early! Have your new sisters arrived yet?"
The last iron gate was pushed open, and in the dim light, the documentary reporter, who had followed criminal investigators up mountains and down to the sea to solve cases for so long, felt a chill and terror for the first time.
The cellar in the camera footage contained six women, and another woman tied to the corner, covered in wounds and seemingly dead.
The strangest thing is that they were unmoved by the powerful rescue efforts and the police IDs displayed in front of them, and even showed disgust.
“We’re not leaving. We’re staying here willingly.” One of the women pushed Gu Yanzheng, trying to get him to leave with his people.
As soon as Gu Yanzheng came down, he smelled the stench of rotting corpses inside. Before he could act, the six women grabbed hammers, shovels, and other weapons to "defend themselves" and try to drive away the police officers who had come to rescue them from hell.
Shen Zhenzhu spotted the woman tied up in the corner from behind; it was her sister who had helped her retrieve her wallet. Without hesitation, she pushed aside the woman blocking her way, used her small silver knife to cut the ropes, and turned to leave the treatment area.
The women inside went berserk, trying to stop them from leaving, screaming, "She's trying to escape! Brother Ying, Brother Ying, come quick!!"
The investigators had never heard of such a thing before. While trying their best not to harm them, they had no choice but to temporarily handcuff their wrists and drag them up one by one with great difficulty.
The red and blue lights of the police car illuminated this hell on earth. Chen Zhenzhu crawled to the ground, ignoring the flashing lights in front of her: "Please help me."
"They're here!" Immediately, someone took over and lifted the person onto a stretcher.
Gu Yanzheng was still in the cellar, looking around at the stench-filled environment, and discovered that the air here was entirely maintained by a white plastic pipe.
It turns out she discovered this first.
A rope was tied to the damp wall, with washed underwear hanging on it, and a half-finished mahjong set lay on the floor.
"They've settled down here?" More than one person was bewildered by the women's resistance, and one of the young police officers even doubted whether he had come to rescue them.
The investigators arrived quickly and found that the sticky, black ground had been soaked in blood.
Qin An could still smell the stench through his mask. He whispered to Gu Yanzheng, "Captain Gu, it's the typical smell of corpses. A lot of people have died here."
"Captain Gu, a body has been found!"
"There are internal organs in the water tank!"
......
The reporter who was filming had seen his share of storms, but even this outrageous scene made him put down his camera and scramble to climb out of the ground with his colleagues to vomit uncontrollably.
The neighbors and other residents who heard the news surrounded the place in layers, finding it hard to believe that such a bizarre thing could happen around them.
Buckets of entrails were brought to the ground by the detectives. Gu Yanzheng handed the scene over to them and took a deep breath after coming up.
Zhou Chuanxi hesitated and said, "The victims who were taken away are claiming that they were there voluntarily, which may cause obstacles during the interrogation."
Gu Yanzheng gritted his teeth and said after a long while, "Hurry up and interrogate Huang Yingfeng. I don't believe we can't pry his mouth open."
Shen Zhenzhu watched the women being taken away in police cars with a sorrowful expression. Some of them were still shouting, "Don't let me leave him, I love him!!"
***
Lu Ye returned from the infirmary in a fit of rage, his rolled-up sleeves wrapped in gauze: "A bunch of lunatics, daring to bite the police, don't they know we're there to rescue them?"
Wu Zhonghai finished his cigarette at the window and stubbed it out on the trash can in the corridor: "Didn't you see that they not only attacked the police, but they also fought among themselves? I've never seen victims like this in all my years of handling cases."
They refused to be rescued, were jealous of each other, and kept shouting that they loved Brother Ying and didn't want to leave him. All of this was their own choice.
Given the seriousness of the case, Gu Yanzheng served as the chief interrogator, while Shen Zhenzhu accompanied him and took notes.
After going around in circles for a while, Yingjie realized she had made a mistake and shamelessly said, "Miss Zhuzhu, I've already made myself very clear. It's the sisters who are jealous of each other; they all like my husband. You've talked to him and know he's patient and charming. What do you want me to do? I can only accept it."
Charming my ass.
She was afraid of contaminating herself by touching that soft, ugly skin.
Shen Zhenzhu recorded every word she said without expression, finding it hard to believe that Yingjie could still maintain the demeanor of a first wife.
Gu Yanzheng pointed to the forensic report: "According to biological and chemical tests, the mold, blood type, and tools used to dismember the body found a few days ago all match those found in the cellar. How do you explain that?"
Yingjie's heavy makeup was all ruined. She smiled mysteriously and said, "Of course, they killed each other because they were jealous of each other."
While learning Gu Yanzheng's methodical interrogation techniques, Shen Zhenzhu was also shocked by what Gu Yanzheng said.
The interrogation did not yield ideal results, and Gu Yanzheng was soon taken to Huang Yingfeng's interrogation room.
What he said was almost identical to what Sister Ying said, and even more shameless.
"They insist on having children with me, what can I do? If I favor one of them more, the other will get jealous, and that will be difficult for me. To be honest, I'm also afraid they'll kill me."
Gu Yanzheng said coldly, "Then why lock the passageway? If they all volunteered, why are you afraid they'll escape?"
Huang Yingfeng smiled proudly and said, "It's our fun. Everyone says that men should have three wives and four concubines. I learned it from my ancestors. Actually, I was forced into it. Look at them, they're like wolves and tigers. I can't take care of them all by myself. If they were as young and healthy as you, it would be even better. We could have sex several times a night."
"Be honest, did I ask you these questions?" Zhou Chuanxi slammed his fist on the table, interrupting his arrogant remarks: "Did you kill the four people who were dismembered? And whose organs were found in the cellar?!"
Huang Yingfeng has only one response: "They killed all the people. They were just jealous that I was good to the dead. I didn't do anything. If you don't believe me, go ask them."
As he expected, the rescued women vehemently denied that Huang Yingfeng had committed murder, and even the cellar where they were imprisoned, which had been revealed to the world, was considered their "home."
“They all say they love Huang Yingfeng and even take the blame for him.” Lu Ye felt like he had seen a ghost and said incredulously, “How could a man like that bewitch these hostesses? He must have been drugged.”
Shen Zhenzhu was deep in thought in her office when she suddenly stood up and said to Wu Zhongguo, "I'm going to the reading room; I need to find some documents."
Wu Zhongguo knew she had a plan, so he nodded, took out a cigarette, and said, "We're short-handed, hurry back." He then went to the corner of the corridor and smoked by the window. Since Chen Zhenzhu arrived, he had stopped smoking in the office.
Gu Yanzheng interrogated the couple separately. The first 24 hours after their arrest were the best time to find a breakthrough. If it went on longer, they would have gained experience in interrogation and it would be more difficult to interrogate them later.
Gu Yanzheng had them take turns studying the eagles' testimonies, while he himself stayed up all night researching the statements of the six female victims. The testimonies contained terms such as "extremely uncooperative," "confessed," and "recounted the murders."
However, their eagerness to save lives led them to claim that they were the ones who killed the people, which made their testimonies less convincing.
“We’ve contacted their families, but some of them simply don’t want to come,” Zhou Chuanxi said helplessly after hanging up the phone. “Some of them are from rural areas and feel ashamed that she’s selling herself outside. Judging from their tone, they’d rather let her die out there than be rescued.”
"Some are orphans, lacking love, and no one cares even after they die. Others have brothers waiting to get married and raise dowries, asking about compensation before even considering the victim's situation..."
Lu Ye returned to his office and Zhou Chuanxi took over the interrogation. He scratched his head in frustration: "Have they all been drugged? Didn't you see Huang Yingfeng's smug face, like he's about to be released from the criminal investigation team?"
As dawn broke outside the window, Gu Yanzheng faced the blackboard covered with mind maps and an idea came to him. However, this idea was quite rare in this era, and its implementation would be somewhat difficult.
"Captain Gu!!" Chen Zhenzhu ran back from the next building, panting. To verify her guess, she climbed through the window into the reading room. Her nose was still covered in dust, but she excitedly placed "A New Compilation of Annotations on Overseas Mysteries" on Gu Yanzheng's desk.
Gu Yanzheng laughed as expected: "Your reaction is faster than mine."
Shen Zhenzhu saw similar crime dramas in her later life and learned about such cases from many media outlets. But Gu Yanzheng was able to think of the same thing under such circumstances; he was the truly remarkable one.
But this wasn't the time for mutual flattery; she lowered her head and quickly flipped through the pages.
Lu Ye knew that Shen Zhenzhu must have discovered something again, so he quickly came over and said, "What is it? Tell me quickly! If you can pin Huang Yingfeng down, I'll go through fire and water for you!"
Shen Zhenzhu opened the book to the page tucked inside, "A New Compilation of Annotations on Overseas Cases," and pointed it out to him: "In August 1973, a bank in Stockholm, Sweden, was attacked by robbers, and the bank employees were held hostage for six days. After they were rescued, these hostages defended the robbers and refused to confess to their crimes!"
Lu Ye was shocked: "They've been bewitched too?"
Zhou Chuanxi thought it wasn't that simple, so he pursed his lips and looked closely.
Gu Yanzheng's lips curled slightly, and the fingertips that were tapping the table stopped.
Shen Zhenzhu turned to the next page and said, "In 1974, Patty, the daughter of a California media mogul, was kidnapped. The rescue failed, and two months later, the victim changed her name and participated in a San Francisco bank robbery with a gun, supposedly as a voluntary act. During her escape, she participated in making bombs and robbing banks. When she was caught, her IQ plummeted. After psychological research, her behavior after inhuman imprisonment and rape was consistent with 'coercive psychological control,' becoming a classic case of 'Stockholm Syndrome.'"
Wu Zhongguo came in from outside, staring in disbelief, and said, "What syndrome?"
Gu Yanzheng stood up and wrote the eight characters "Stockholm Syndrome" on the blackboard, explaining: "Also known as hostage identification syndrome. It is a mental illness in which victims develop feelings for their perpetrators during the crime and form a dependent and sympathetic relationship. After being rescued, they turn around and help the perpetrators. Usually, they do not hate the perpetrators, but most of them develop good feelings for the perpetrators and may even fall in love with them."
I knew Captain Gu would understand! Shen Zhenzhu stared at Gu Yanzheng with bright, sparkling eyes.
"So it's called 'Stockholm Syndrome'." Zhou Chuanxi gasped. "There's such a disease? I knew they couldn't possibly be in love with Huang Yingfeng."
Shen Zhenzhu said excitedly, "In criminal behavior, the victim's attraction to the perpetrator is a special type of psychological illness that occurs under great physiological and emotional stress. The key is that this condition can be alleviated through psychological treatment! As long as they receive timely treatment, it will be of great help to the subsequent interrogation once they regain their senses!"
"Damn, he's been drugged!" Lu Ye finally found the root of the problem, although he didn't understand it thoroughly, he felt that he had caught Huang Yingfeng's weakness.
As a veteran frontline criminal investigator, Wu Zhonghai hesitated and said, "We've never heard of such a mental illness before. I'm afraid we'll have to bring in a psychology expert from the provincial department to treat it?"
Gu Yanzheng strode to the door and said, "A psychological expert's assessment needs to be legally certified to be used as evidence. There's no precedent for this case in China, so I'm afraid it won't be recognized by the two courts. I'll go find Director Liu now and see if he can find a psychological expert who meets the standards of the two courts to provide treatment."
Stockholm syndrome is unlike any other mental illness; without the intervention of an inexperienced psychiatrist, it could easily backfire.
Gu Yanzheng took a few steps, then turned back and said, "Old Shen, explain 'Stockholm Syndrome' to the case-handling colleagues again, so they have a clear understanding of it."
"Yes!" Shen Zhenzhu stood at attention and accepted the order. Gu Yanzheng stopped, nodded and smiled, "Quick reaction, your studies have paid off."
After receiving verbal praise from Captain Gu, Shen Zhenzhu happily returned to her office and called her colleagues over for a meeting.
This time, Chen Zhenzhu stood in front of the blackboard instead of sitting below.
As dawn broke outside, Gu Yanzheng emerged from Director Liu's office, finally bringing good news: "Director Liu, through connections in the provincial department, invited a psychology expert from Gangcheng International, whose assessment has been accepted by the public security, procuratorate, and judicial authorities."
Shen Zhenzhu asked worriedly, "Has he taken on any similar cases before?"
Gu Yanzheng said, "With clinical experience, the 1988 Causeway Bay kidnapping case and the 1989 Sham Shui Po imprisonment case both involved 'Stockholm syndrome.' After this psychology professor's assessment, the victims' testimonies that were helpful to the suspects were deemed invalid, and some victims were able to go to court to identify the suspects' crimes after treatment."
“This must be considered a highly skilled technical expert,” Wu Zhongguo said enviously. “I wish we in the mainland could have such outstanding experts to keep up with international standards.”
Lu Ye said, "Let's implement the fingerprinting program that the boss wants to push forward first. The fingerprint files only contain criminals who have committed crimes before. If it's a stranger committing a crime for the first time, even if there are fingerprints, we can't find the person, which is a waste of clues."
Shen Zhenzhu had no idea that Gu Yanzheng was doing such a thing. It was not like now, when the Internet was more widespread and developed. Fingerprint comparison could be verified in all directions online. Now, the Internet and computers had only been around for two years, and there were very few people in the criminal investigation team who knew how to use a computer.
If a nationwide fingerprinting system can be implemented, coupled with the subsequent adoption of DNA technology, the difficulty of finding criminals will be greatly reduced! It would be a great thing for the country and its people!
Even without Gu Yanzheng mentioning it, she knew from her experience at the police station during the fourth national census that the total number of urban and rural residents in China reached 1.16 billion. Implementing a universal fingerprinting system would be extremely difficult.
"It can't be accomplished overnight; it can only radiate from points, lines, and surfaces." Gu Yanzheng's first goal is to establish the Liancheng fingerprint system. Once there are results, it will be much easier to promote it externally.
The implementation of the system is not something that can be accomplished overnight, and Gu Yanzheng has to be very patient in dealing with it.
"Go back and rest first. We'll have the meeting again this afternoon when the experts arrive." Gu Yanzheng's stubble was already starting to appear. He rubbed his face and said, "Old Shen, bring everyone something to eat when you come over."
Just as Shen Zhenzhu was about to reply, she heard Wu Fuwang's voice coming from the corridor: "Food delivery! Food delivery! The meals for Team Four have arrived."
Shen Zhenzhu followed Lu Ye and the others, peeking outside. Wu Fuwang, who was carrying a foam box for insulation, waved frantically to them. He walked to the door, squatted down, opened the box, and said, "I won't go in. There are big steamed vegetable buns made by Sixth Sister, as well as green bean and clam noodles, three-delicacy stew, and sugar triangles. Anyone who wants them can take them. There are even baby abalone in the clam noodles. I'll come back at noon to bring you stir-fried dishes."
After being arrested and released last time, Wu Fuwang lived in constant fear at home. He was deeply moved when he learned that Shen Zhenzhu had assured him that he was not a suspect.
What moved him even more was that the cunning reporter that day didn't publish any of the reports, greatly protecting his safety and privacy.
This morning, when I saw Liancheng News Broadcast, I saw Shen Zhenzhu and Captain Gu rescue the victims in the cellar. My first thought was that the case was about to be solved.
He waited at Sixth Sister's shop for a long time but Shen Zhenzhu didn't return, so he simply came over under the guise of delivering food to thank them.
"Did you treat me to these or did Sixth Sister give them to me?" Lu Ye grabbed two large vegetable buns and took a bite. His mother's cooking was still the best. "If they were Sixth Sister's, I would eat them. But if they were yours, we can't accept them without having done anything for them."
Facing his two-faced expression, Wu Fuwang said with a grin, "It was given to me by Sixth Sister. I'm penniless, and my only diligence is in my two legs."
His trip was worthwhile. The four teams quickly finished their breakfast in the boxes. After a busy night, they were full and relaxed, and Chen Zhenzhu gradually felt tired.
"Go back and get some sleep before coming back?" Wu Fuwang said, "We're going the same way anyway."
Little did anyone know that Chen Zhenzhu was a workaholic. After gulping down a cup of warm tea, she said, "I'll find a place to rest myself. Thank you for coming over. Tell my mom that I want to eat sweet and sour pork for lunch, and I want it made with pork tenderloin."
Wu Fuwang would never say something like, "Do I look like a piece of sweet and sour pork?" He was busy going back to let his sixth sister know he was safe.
Although Sixth Sister outwardly believed in Shen Zhenzhu's abilities, how could a mother not worry about her daughter? This morning, she saw on the news that her regular customers were saying Shen Zhenzhu had solved another major case and congratulated her on appearing on television.
Seeing her own daughter on TV carrying the victim out of the house, her face covered in dirt, only Sixth Sister smiled on the surface, but she was actually worried inside.
Gu Yanzheng asked curiously, "Your home is so close, going back to rest for a few hours won't delay anything."
Shen Zhenzhu pointed upstairs and said, "I'm going to find Sister Zhang."
Gu Yanzheng was also about to go out, so he nodded and said, "Go ahead."
The two reached the end of the corridor, one wanting to go up and the other down. Gu Yanzheng took two steps down, looked up at the large, melancholy eyes staring at him, and couldn't help but ask, "What's wrong?"
Shen Zhenzhu asked worriedly, "How is the sister who was rescued?"
Gu Yanzheng said, "He has multiple fractures and signs of severe abuse. His condition is not good, and he is currently undergoing emergency treatment."
Shen Zhenzhu pursed her lips and gripped the railing tightly: "If I had found out earlier, would she have been so badly injured? I saw her covered in wounds from the torture, she was afraid of me and didn't even recognize me... We had spoken before."
Gu Yanzheng lowered his eyes in thought, then looked up and said, "Not every crime can be nipped in the bud. You saved not only her, but also the soul of a past victim and the life of a future victim. All sorts of women on the streets may become targets of crime, but because you solved the case and caught Huang Yingfeng, he can no longer harm the next victim, or the one after that. This is your achievement, and it's the scene every frontline police officer hopes to see after solving a case. Pressure is a good thing; you can turn that pressure into motivation for the next case."
Shen Zhenzhu knew that Gu Yanzheng was trying to comfort her. She squeezed the railing and said, "I know, but I feel sorry for her. I can't stand seeing girls get hurt."
"We are fulfilling our duty of justice, and solving cases is never just about what's in front of us," Gu Yanzheng said. "With the weapon of law in hand, our pace may be fast or slow, but that doesn't diminish the far-reaching impact of justice. If she could regain her senses, do you think she would blame you for being late, or be grateful that you saved her?"
She must have been grateful for being saved. In such a hellish situation, even the last straw could be a source of hope, let alone a real rescue.
"I understand, Captain Gu, thank you." After her internal struggles subsided, Shen Zhenzhu finally understood and revealed her dimples, saying, "Solve more cases and ensure the peace and tranquility of the people. No one is a god; we can't go wrong by persisting in fighting crime."
“Yes, don’t waste your emotions,” Gu Yanzheng said. “You’re definitely not the one who should be wasting your time.”
When Shen Zhenzhu arrived at the archives, Zhang Jie had just finished sweeping the floor. Seeing Shen Zhenzhu looking happy and travel-worn, she smiled and said, "You caught someone? Look how sleepy you are, you have to prop your eyelids up with a stick."
She turned around and pulled out a folding cot from the doorway. It was the cot she had prepared for herself to take a nap, and now she was using it for Chen Zhenzhu.
The folding bed was placed behind the table to block the wind. Covered with Sister Zhang's police coat, and thanks to her idol's few words, Chen Zhenzhu, who had just lain down, drifted off to sleep.
In my dream, she was majestic and powerful, and the big bad guys were so scared that they ran away with their tails between their legs, hahaha.
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Author's note: See you tomorrow! I hope the rankings will be good today, and I also hope everyone has a happy day!
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The Stockholm case abroad is based on real events found online, with slight modifications.
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