Chapter 46 The Mules' Blood Letter
Because it was so cold, after dark, Shen Zhenzhu and Gu Yanzheng booked a room at the Xicheng District Cadre Guesthouse.
Zhou and the others also searched for a whole day, but still couldn't find it.
“It wasn’t taken away through normal procedures.” Gu Yanzheng went to the restaurant on the first floor, took out a few grain coupons and put them on the counter. He said helplessly, “I have acquaintances at the Anfeng Municipal Bureau. I’ll give them a heads-up later and have them keep an eye out.”
Grain coupons were gradually phased out nationwide in 1992-1993, but are still in use today. Shen Zhenzhu, on her first business trip, was quite curious to see Gu Yanzheng using grain coupons.
Zhou and the others hung their heads and ate in silence.
I wouldn't have come here if it weren't to help them solve the case. After helping them solve the case, they were forced to eat poisonous mushrooms. Not only did they suffer after eating the mushrooms, but their expensive Cherokee was also stolen—apparently, it was an imported car.
They wanted to tear the car thief to pieces; their resentment was stronger than that of ghosts.
Shen Zhenzhu found them amusing.
Gu Yanzheng took out his mobile phone and made a call. Not long after, Shen Zhenzhu was struggling to stuff a potato pancake into her mouth when a newly produced fourth-generation Audi 100 pulled up outside the cadre guesthouse.
A business-class standard, understated luxury, a must-have for successful individuals.
The driver placed the car keys in front of Gu Yanzheng, greeted him politely, and left without saying a word.
After learning that Gu Yanzheng owned a gold mine, Shen Zhenzhu began to acknowledge his family's wealth. At least she was better off than the others who were dumbfounded. Chewing on her burrito, she said, "Brother Zheng, your family also has mines around here?"
Gu Yanzheng casually picked up the car keys and said, "There are no mines, but there's a port around here. My family has set up an affordable cruise ship so that ordinary people who have become wealthier can go for a ride on the sea. If you're interested, we can get you a few tickets later. It'll be a week-long round trip, and all your food, drinks, and other necessities will be covered."
Zhou and the others were invigorated and expressed their gratitude.
Shen Zhenzhu said happily, "It's me!"
Gu Yanzheng glared at him: "What do you mean 'you'? We have a ton of work to do when we get back, don't just think about playing all the time."
Shen Zhenzhu turned her head and rolled her eyes, picked up her chopsticks and continued rolling the pancakes, then rolled and ate all the leftover potato shreds on the plate.
The cook here makes delicious stir-fried potato shreds. He uses lard and pork cracklings to stir-fry the potato shreds, and they're so fragrant when rolled in a thin pancake.
Gu Yanzheng said, "I'll drive back tomorrow. If I can find it, I will; if not... then forget it."
spendthrift!
"Is this how the captain of the Liancheng Criminal Investigation Team behaves?!" Pearl clicked her tongue inwardly.
The entire police station of Zhuanghe County mobilized, but returned empty-handed; at least they had enough to eat.
After finishing her meal, Chen Zhenzhu didn't want to sleep, so she knocked on the door of the next room and shouted into the bathroom, "Brother Zheng, I want to go for a walk."
Gu Yanzheng said from inside, "Wait." He placed his hand on the door, his shadow flickering, and said to Chen Zhenzhu, "Turn around."
Chen Zhenzhu let out an "Oh" and turned around to stand at attention.
Gu Yanzheng came out wrapped in a bath towel, his muscular upper body still dripping with water. He wiped his stubble hair with a towel and said, "No need to look anymore, it's been driven long enough, I'll get a new one later."
Although Gu Yanzheng was fickle, Shen Zhenzhu still harbored feelings for the Cherokee. She was still at the police station, witnessing the Cherokee's thunderous, lightning-fast speed and imposing presence every day. She couldn't bear to just give it up like that.
Shen Zhenzhu stubbornly said, "I want to go out and play."
Gu Yanzheng laughed: "Going out to have fun is fine, but did you bring any money?"
Chen Zhenzhu said, "I brought it."
Gu Yanzheng then asked, "Did you bring your superiors?"
Chen Zhenzhu said softly, "Report, may I not bring it?"
Gu Yanzheng said, "No."
"oh."
Gu Yanzheng acted quickly. Seeing that she was wearing plain clothes, he turned his back to Chen Zhenzhu and changed into clean ones: "Let's go. There's a night market over there. We can go and have a look."
"Okay!" Shen Zhenzhu turned around sharply and saw him buttoning his shirt with it open. The deep lines of his shirt burned her palms, so she quickly turned back and stood still.
Gu Yanzheng laughed when he saw her turn around in a panic: "You and Aye are always fighting together, but I've never seen you like this."
Shen Zhenzhu thought to herself, "Can these two be the same?"
He's such a blockhead; at best, he'd be a top-notch henchman if he went into business. You, on the other hand, are absolutely stunning; you could easily make a fortune off rich women if you went into business. Besides, he's so rough I'd even find him uncomfortable to touch.
"Hmm? Let's go." Gu Yanzheng, unaware of her inner thoughts, dressed and locked the door, saying, "You're angry if I don't let you go out to play. I'll treat you to ice cream later."
"Thank you, Brother Zheng." Shen Zhenzhu walked obediently to the side, hiding her little scheme so that her boss wouldn't find out.
They strolled around the night market, and Chen Zhenzhu won a plaster chick by tossing rings. They planned to paint it with watercolors when they got home.
“Brother Zheng, there are no garbage collectors or beggars here.” Chen Zhenzhu strolled around the night market, her cloth bag filled with gifts for her sister to take back.
Gu Yanzheng also noticed this problem and said back in the car, "It can't be that we're so rich that we don't even have the wealth of a beggar."
These days, beggars are everywhere on the streets, and some even pretend to be crazy to swindle money from people with a conscience. While they can't be found everywhere in Liancheng, there are always one or two at bustling intersections in the commercial district.
But it's not here.
There are traffic lights ahead, and this time I can see them very clearly.
Gu Yanzheng drove an Audi, dressed in a casual shirt and jacket, looking like a successful businessman. Chen Zhenzhu sat in the passenger seat, fiddling with a gadget, occasionally glancing out the window.
Electricity consumption is not yet widespread enough to light up the entire city; beyond the neon signs along the roadside lies the pitch-black night.
Pedestrians came and went in a hurry, disappearing into the darkness before their faces could be clearly seen under the lamplight.
"Waaah—ah—" A man suddenly rushed out of the alleyway, desperately banging on the passenger window of the Audi, his expression terrified and frantic, constantly looking back as if there were man-eating demons behind him.
Gu Yanzheng didn't let Shen Zhenzhu open the door. He got out of the car himself, grabbed her arm, and said, "I'm a policeman. What's wrong with you? What happened?"
The person looked to be in his thirties, dressed in rags, with uneven hair and missing several teeth. If it weren't for the fear and trembling all over his body, he would have looked like a homeless, disabled person on the street, or perhaps he was.
When he saw Gu Yanzheng coming over, he was so frightened that he tried to hide under the car: "Ah ah uh uh—" He opened his mouth and made indistinct noises, while his other hand quickly made hand gestures. Tears streamed down his face and he looked extremely pitiful. He arched his knees as if he was about to kneel down and beg Gu Yanzheng to let him go.
At that moment, he saw a slender hand reach out from the car window, speaking to him in simple sign language: 'It's safe, we are the police.'
Shen Zhenzhu pulled out her police ID and showed it to him: 'Please trust us.'
The other person opened their eyes wide and slowly stopped moving under Shen Zhenzhu's sign language.
Gu Yanzheng opened the car door, hesitated for a moment before getting inside, and then walked towards the alley he had fled from.
"Old Shen's got some skills, he even knows sign language?" Gu Yanzheng searched the alleyway but didn't find any dangerous individuals. He returned to the car and asked, "Ask him what happened, was it a robbery or someone being assaulted?"
Shen Zhenzhu had a good friend at the orphanage who was a deaf-mute child. She learned some basic sign language and explained, "I learned a few phrases from watching TV."
He continued gesturing to the deaf-mute man, and to make sure Gu Yanzheng understood, he also asked, "What's wrong with you?"
The deaf-mute man huddled in the car, his face hidden behind his collar, revealing only his terrified eyes. After much hesitation, he finally extended his hand and said, "Someone is chasing me, and they killed my friend—"
Half an hour later, in the office of the Anfeng City Criminal Police Team, Tu Gang, a deaf-mute man, grabbed Shen Zhenzhu's sleeve, preventing her from leaving.
Shen Zhenzhu had no choice but to sit down again, and gestured to him, saying, "It's safe here. They're all police officers; they won't hurt you."
Gu Yanzheng spoke with the criminal police officers at the door: "It's not that we blindly believe what he says. Although Tu Gang is deaf and mentally challenged, he has basic communication skills. You can determine that he is a person with incomplete capacity for civil conduct, but can't we handle his report of murder?"
“It’s not that we don’t care, but his guardian has to come and file a case.” The criminal police captain’s surname was Yu. He knew Gu Yanzheng and they had a fairly good relationship. Gu Yanzheng understood some things without needing to be explained.
In Liancheng, it's not uncommon for individuals who are temporarily incapacitated, mentally impaired, drunk, or under the influence of drugs to report to the criminal investigation team. It's quite a spectacle, but when you go there, you usually find nothing; it's all just wishful thinking.
"Report, the victim wrote down the license plate number of the car that chased him!" Shen Zhenzhu handed Gu Yanzheng a piece of paper with the license plate number 'Ning C98374' written on it.
Gu Yanzheng showed it to Captain Yu: "It's all there, check it."
With Gu Yanzheng speaking to this extent, and the deputy captain watching beside him, Captain Ding walked back to his office, picked up the landline, and made a call.
"It's a minivan with a fake license plate; there's definitely something wrong with it." After a few phone calls, Captain Ding and his on-duty officer went out together to set up a checkpoint and inspect the vehicle.
This was a tough job, and Shen Zhenzhu had never done it before. Seeing that Tu Gang was curled up asleep, and that a sign language interpreter would be coming later, she felt relieved and went along with him.
Traffic management personnel, along with criminal investigation team members, set up checkpoints on the main roads of the city.
Following Tu Gang's instructions, Chen Zhenzhu and the traffic police officers stood guard at another intersection, looking very alert and waving at suspicious vehicles.
"We mainly check three things: abnormal appearance, suspicious behavior, and document issues." The traffic officer was a young man who, perhaps to pass the time, kept talking while standing next to Shen Zhenzhu.
Gu Yanzheng sat in a car not far away, with the driver's seat open and his long legs propped up on the door without any hesitation. He silently stared at the cars coming and going in the night, occasionally glancing at Chen Zhenzhu.
By morning, the once energetic Chen Zhenzhu could no longer stand and squatted by the roadside, yawning.
Just then, the walkie-talkie worn by the traffic officer rang. After answering it, he suddenly said, "Be alert, there's something going on."
Shen Zhenzhu suddenly stood up and looked at the van driving towards them in the distance.
The traffic police officers were still wondering if it was a fake license plate, 98374.
Chen Zhenzhu had excellent eyesight and immediately said, "98374, it's an emergency vehicle."
As soon as she finished speaking, Gu Yanzheng got out of the Audi, rubbed his tired face, and glanced at his watch: "Five in the morning, good heavens, that's enough to keep me waiting."
He used a walkie-talkie to contact Team Leader Ding: "A suspect vehicle has been spotted west of the Guichun Road intersection. People in the vicinity, please be on alert."
I put down the walkie-talkie, and the van arrived in front of me. I stopped as instructed by the traffic police officer.
"What's wrong, buddy?" At five in the morning, the van driver was still wearing glasses, and the bright gold chain around his neck was quite eye-catching.
There were three men sitting in the back of the van. Except for the man in the middle who was rather thin, the other two were also big and burly.
The traffic officer said expressionlessly, "Don't try to get on my good side. Do you have any smuggled cigarettes? Open the trunk and take out your driver's license."
The driver's expression was hidden behind his sunglasses, but Shen Zhenzhu clearly saw one of the men in the back of the car breathe a sigh of relief and then look at her warily through the window.
Chen Zhenzhu knocked on the car window, and he impatiently rolled down the window and asked, "What's wrong?"
Shen Zhenzhu said, "Open the car door, I need to check if there are any cigarettes hidden under the seats."
The driver in front shouted, "Fourth and Fifth Brothers, cooperate with the beautiful lady!"
"A few packs of cheap cigarettes can really cause trouble." Old Wu grumbled as he opened the car door, and Chen Zhenzhu smelled a strong odor of alcohol.
"Have you been drinking?"
On the other side, Lao Liu said, "They must have been playing with the girls until now. What's the point of playing if they don't drink? We've all drunk one of them under the table."
Shen Zhenzhu pretended to rummage around under the seat, then looked up at the silent man sitting in the middle.
Caught off guard, the Heavenly Eye Rewind slowly unfolded before her—
It was clearly springtime, yet the workers at the black brick factory were drenched in sweat. They walked shirtless, carrying red bricks on their backs, out of the brick-firing kiln.
The scorching heat burned his dark skin until it turned red and swollen, and the blisters broke and the skin bled, but He Kuihan did not complain.
Last month, the man with the missing arm who had complained had his tongue cut off and teeth pulled in front of them. He could no longer speak and never came back to work after leaving.
The workers here are either disabled or homeless beggars; if they got lost on the street, no one would care.
They couldn't remember how long they had worked there; some were tricked into coming, others were arrested. Thirty or forty people worked day and night carrying and making red bricks, earning only a meal and a drink of water in exchange for nothing else. They slept wherever they could find a spot on the factory floor.
Some people started clamoring to go back, but the foreman let them go, and they never returned. Later, it was said that they only made it to the abandoned warehouse, then fell asleep there and never woke up again.
He Kuihan, who cannot speak, came in with another deaf-mute man, Tu Gang, under the pretext of being introduced to a job.
The people watching over them don't know sign language, so they simply forbid them from making any physical movements except when they are working.
Human life is cheap here. If you have the strength, you work. No matter if you're sick or injured, you have to get up. If you don't obey, you get beaten first. If you still don't listen after being beaten, you'll be sent to the "pigsty" for a few days and then you'll behave when you come out.
It's terrible. Everyone is no longer human; they're just animals doing mechanical labor. Machines need refueling and rest, but these animals made of humans don't.
More than fourteen hours of labor every day, endless torture and beatings, and no sound allowed; dozens of people were kept in a red brick factory.
The guards liked to reward the livestock with a cigarette or an egg during their breaks, causing them to kill each other.
Compared to their coworkers who suffered from mental and physical disabilities, the two of them were slightly more intelligent. Over six months, they overheard a woman telling them that the abandoned warehouse was both hell and earth, and that as long as they could get through the dog hole in the back wall and avoid being electrocuted by the electric fence, they might be able to escape.
Later, they went to the wrong place and broke into another walled area, where they were discovered. He Kuihan and Tu Gang ran for their lives, fighting off the wolfhounds they had released. Surrounded by vans, they barely managed to make their way into the city streets.
He Kuihan and Tu Gang thought they had escaped and were silently cheering as they fled through the alley when a blow to the back of He Kuihan's head struck him, causing his skull to rupture and bleed profusely.
Even so, in a daze, He Kuihan clung to the foreman's leg as the familiar triangular iron pounded his body, breaking ribs and tearing flesh apart, yet he still managed to hold on and resist.
The sky is so dark, can it ever brighten again?
Before he died, He Kuihan thought, "Even if just one of them escapes, that would be fine."
***
Gu Yanzheng inspected the trunk and found a rusty triangular iron piece. He flipped open the spare tire and found two machetes wrapped in a blanket underneath.
He calmly closed the trunk and walked towards Chen Zhenzhu. Several traffic officers nearby kept giving him meaningful glances.
Before sunrise, the lights of the breakfast stalls at the street corner come on. Pots and pans clatter, and a customer will appear at least once in the morning.
Shen Zhenzhu stepped back to the car door, nodded to Gu Yanzheng, and said, "Report, no contraband was found, you can proceed."
Gu Yanzheng gave her a deep look, paused for two seconds, and said to the traffic officer blocking the road, "Let her go."
Everyone was shocked by this decision. They had been busy all night trying to find the van that was chasing the deaf-mute man. Now they had found the van and the man, and the deaf-mute man's friends were probably among them. Why were they suddenly being allowed to leave?
Under Gu Yanzheng's orders, traffic officers, despite their misunderstanding, opened the ramp and allowed the van to drive onto the main road. Ten kilometers down the main road was the suburbs; by then, it would be much harder to catch the van.
"Team Leader Ding, quickly add the cheat code," Gu Yanzheng said, taking out his walkie-talkie.
Team Leader Ding quickly arranged for vehicles to follow the van over the radio. Afterward, he said to Gu Yanzheng, "What's going on? You just release people like that?! This is my territory, not yours!"
Shen Zhenzhu took the walkie-talkie and said, "Hello, Captain Ding, this is Shen Zhenzhu. I'm here to explain to you that during the inspection of the van just now, I found that one of the men had no vital signs. In their conversation, I learned that they have a private factory where dozens of hostages are being held and enslaved. Their identities are likely those of disabled people who used to wander around Anfeng City."
Upon hearing this, not only did Team Leader Ding remain silent, but Gu Yanzheng, who was standing next to him, also fell silent.
Something was being arranged quickly on the other end of the walkie-talkie. After hanging up, Gu Yanzheng raised his chin and walked away, saying, "Come here and explain to me."
Shen Zhenzhu obediently followed behind. Because Gu Yanzheng was too tall and it was tiring for her to look up, she stood on the curb... and said while looking up:
“Brother Zheng, the person sitting in the back of the car isn’t alive, it’s a corpse. I saw livor mortis on the back of his hand, the early signs of morbidity. I touched it while looking for something, and rigor mortis appeared on his wrist. The preliminary assessment is that the time of death was within six to eight hours, which is consistent with what Tong Gang said.”
Knowing her capabilities, Gu Yanzheng, after understanding the situation, asked, "Then how did you come to the conclusion of letting them pass?"
Shen Zhenzhu said, "I heard another person say, 'Another dead mule, we don't have enough at home.' From this, I judged that they might have several disabled people in their hands. If we rashly detain and arrest them, I'm afraid they will take these people hostage."
Temporary decisions require mutual trust among law enforcement officers, and Gu Yanzheng's judgment of Shen Zhenzhu was undoubtedly based on trust.
“They’re so brazen as to commit murder in the city; I must report this case to Director Liu immediately.” Gu Yanzheng said as he walked aside to make a phone call.
Shen Zhenzhu was actually also talking about restraint. The inhuman methods used in the Heavenly Eye's retrospective, treating people like livestock, were even more terrifying than imagined.
"Go back to the meeting first." After hanging up the phone, Gu Yanzheng opened the car door for Shen Zhenzhu and said, "It involves cross-city investigations, which is a bit complicated. Director Liu needs to report to Director Tu, and Director Tu needs to coordinate with the leaders of Anfeng City Bureau."
Shen Zhenzhu didn't understand how to coordinate within the public security system. When she arrived at Anfeng City Bureau, Captain Ding was standing aggressively at the gatehouse waiting for Gu Yanzheng.
"Old Gu, you've got guts, aren't you? You want to get involved in Anfeng's case too?"
Shen Zhenzhu believed that her leader couldn't afford to lose in a fight, so she silently took two steps back to give him room to maneuver.
Gu Yanzheng lived up to expectations, warmly putting his arm around Captain Ding's shoulder and saying, "Old Ding, you're being too polite. It's not my fault. The victim who escaped reported the case to the deputy captain of our bureau, and you know that the place where the case was reported also has jurisdiction."
Team Leader Ding said, "The place where the crime occurred has more jurisdiction!"
“Didn’t you initially not want to get involved? You had cases to handle and a lot of responsibilities. How could I compare to you? I’ve solved all my cases.”
Gu Yanzheng said hypocritically, "Let's go, let's go upstairs and see Tong Gang. There are still many issues that haven't been sorted out. Has the sign language interpreter arrived yet? I need to take his statement."
Team Leader Ding was furious, the tall, thin man almost bursting with rage: "So what if you can solve cases? You think you're so great? You'll use my people and my resources to solve your cases."
Gu Yanzheng stopped and criticized him, saying, "You're wrong to say that. Wasn't this an instruction from Vice Governor Tu? Who told him to be of a higher rank than your bureau chief? We have to obey the orders of our superiors, no matter how upset we are. Actually, if you ask me, I should break the rules for you. I'd like to go back and take a vacation. Don't laugh at me, but my old comrade Shen and I were so exhausted that we ended up in the hospital."
Team Leader Ding had long heard of Shen Zhenzhu's reputation. He glanced back at the tail following Gu Yanzheng, unable to perfectly reconcile the image of the tall, infallible figure with Shen Zhenzhu. He needed some time to process this.
“Anyway, we’re going to get involved.” Team Leader Ding walked into the office, pulled out a chair, and sat down to speak frankly with Gu Yanzheng face to face: “Director Tu is furious. He said that our city bureau is blind to our own problems and suspects that there is another group of disabled hostages in the other party’s hands. I don’t know who passed on the information.”
Shen Zhenzhu stood behind without saying a word. Who else could it be? Me, of course.
Gu Yanzheng chuckled and said, "I'm not criticizing you, but I also noticed how clean your city is when I came here. Our Liancheng has been cracking down for seven months, and it's still not as clean as your place. Don't you find that strange?"
"The shortage of police force has been going on for a long time. The criminal investigation team is working harder than a mule. We can't keep up with just a few dozen pairs of eyes in the criminal investigation team."
Team Leader Ding sighed and said, "In the end, it was our oversight. Hey, you're right to criticize me, but wait, no! What gives you the right to criticize me? We're equals, so take back what you said!"
Gu Yanzheng refused to accept it, and even crossed his legs and said to Comrade Lao Shen, "Call all our family members over, and if there's time, bring me a portion of Sixth Sister's vegetable buns."
"Okay." Chen Zhenzhu also missed her mother's cooking, so she went to the side, flipped through the phone book, and made calls one by one to call people.
While Gu Yanzheng was talking to Captain Ding, he said to Shen Zhenzhu, "Remember to call Sixth Sister."
Shen Zhenzhu was stunned for a moment, then her dimples appeared: "Thank you, Brother Zheng!"
This is to let her know that she is safe and sound to her mother.
Team Leader Ding leaned to one side, propping his temples up with his hand, and stared blankly at the room full of rough-looking men whose eyes were drawn to the other team's deputy captain. They were too embarrassed to look directly at Chen Zhenzhu, and their eyes were practically crossed. They were filled with sorrow.
She's a skilled fighter, a detective, and incredibly meticulous. She's well-behaved, has a sweet voice, and a quick wit. Even when she's working late into the night, she still smells wonderful.
Then look at them, disheveled and unkempt from solving cases, their office windows always open for ventilation. Comparisons are odious!
The guy surnamed Gu really knows how to live a good life.
Team Leader Ding thought to himself, "Last year, when our bureau went to the provincial department for a meeting, I couldn't stand up straight when I saw Director Tu. The Liancheng Criminal Investigation Team's case-solving rate has been steadily rising, and they even produced an outstanding female criminal investigation officer, for which provincial leaders commended the Liancheng leaders. Before our bureau could even respond, Director Tu had already taken more than ten female veterans with him, placing them all in various positions within the Liancheng Municipal Bureau. This kind of boldness is admirable, but one can also guess that the root of the problem lies with this Section Chief Shen."
Shen Zhenzhu was unaware of the deep thoughts in Ding's mind. After finishing her call, she took out her notebook and focused intently on taking notes on Tong Gang's statement.
When Tong Gang woke up and couldn't find Shen Zhenzhu, he was on the verge of a breakdown. The sign language interpreter's attempts to comfort him were futile. Hearing that Shen Zhenzhu had returned from next door, he quickly signaled to Tong Gang with hand gestures that he could go and meet her to ask for her statement.
When Tong Gang saw Chen Zhenzhu, he walked over with a limp and sobbing.
Ding's subordinate said, "We examined his body and found that he was suffering from long-term malnutrition and overwork, and there were many signs of abuse/beating of varying depths. We need to conduct a forensic examination of his injuries."
Shen Zhenzhu pulled him by the hand and sat him down against the wall. She stood outside and gestured to him in sign language: 'I see them. Where are your companions?'
The sign language interpreter looked at her in surprise and said, "We've asked him so many times, but he just won't tell us."
As soon as he finished speaking, Tong Gang bent down, unfolded his rolled-up trouser legs, pulled open the stitches, and took out a letter.
Gu Yanzheng reached out to take it, but he quickly hugged it to his arms and whimpered.
The sign language interpreter said, "He must have been beaten and is afraid of strong men. He doesn't know the exact location, only that it's a brick factory."
Gu Yanzheng said to Shen Zhenzhu, "You come here."
Before Shen Zhenzhu could even get there, Tong Gang quickly shoved the letter, still bearing a red seal, into her hand, gesturing anxiously, "Save them! Save them!"
"Okay, I will do my best!" Chen Zhenzhu gestured.
She walked to the desk and unfolded the letter, where bloody handprints were clearly visible.
People with disabilities cannot write, and some don't even know their own names. Through the efforts of Tong Gang and He Kuihan, they bit their fingers to leave their fingerprints on the paper.
This is a wordless letter written in blood.
***
The sign language teacher works at the Disabled Persons' Federation and doesn't usually deal with criminal cases.
She sat next to Tong Gang, translating his accusations to the police, gradually becoming drenched in sweat and feeling terrified.
This was a conversation she could never have imagined in her monotonous life of going to and from get off work.
In Tu Gang's words, the Red Brick Factory should not be called a Red Brick Factory; it can be described as an eighteen-level purgatory for people with disabilities.
They swindled and deceived disabled people in the city, lured them to work as laborers at a brick factory, and subjected them to beatings, abuse, mockery, torture, and murder...
The office gradually quieted down, with only the sign language interpreter's voice echoing in the air.
After it ended, no one spoke for a long time.
Suddenly, Captain Ding stood up and kicked the chair hard, making a screeching sound: "Smoke."
He was accompanied by his colleagues from the Anfeng Municipal Public Security Bureau. At this point, they had to admit that Director Tu's criticism from afar was justified. This kind of thing actually happened right under the noses of the Anfeng Municipal Public Security Bureau! If it weren't for the fact that the colleagues from the Municipal Public Security Bureau hadn't noticed something amiss, the Red Brick Factory would have continued to exist for many more years!
Shen Zhenzhu was calmer than them because she had seen more than they had.
She held Tong Gang's hand and handed him hot water, then said to the sign language interpreter, "Ask him, if all the manual laborers are men, what about the women?"
Gu Yanzheng gritted his teeth and clenched his large hands on the back of the chair.
After the sign language interpreter asked, he said, "He said he didn't know."
Shen Zhenzhu nodded and said to Gu Yanzheng, "Brother Zheng, what do we do next?"
Gu Yanzheng said, "The case is serious. I'll let Director Liu know first. You haven't slept all night, so get some rest. I'll call you for a meeting later."
Gu Yanzheng also came out of the office and bumped into Director Liang of the Criminal Investigation Division of Anfeng City Public Security Bureau.
"Director Liang," Gu Yanzheng greeted him formally.
Director Liang and Director Liu were old friends. He was woken up by a phone call from Director Tu, who was cursing him. He looked extremely upset.
"We've already reported it to the provincial department. The provincial department leaders specifically appointed you to take charge of this case. A special task force has been established on-site, and our personnel will provide support. Come over for a meeting first."
......
Chen Zhenzhu had fallen asleep on her desk, but was awakened by the familiar smell of steamed buns: "...You're here?"
Lu Ye leaned against the table, grinning, and smugly told Zhou Chuanxi, "See? It works every time. Even if you put it in your mouth, it should still—ouch—"
The little hammer punched his thigh, then snatched the vegetable bun and took a big bite: "Wow, it's still hot!"
Lu Ye rubbed his thigh and said, "It's hot under my armpits."
That's really annoying. Little Hammer is going to punch him on the head this time.
Lu Ye quickly covered his head, stubbornly insisting, "I'll put one under each armpit. You eat it, and I'll put more for you after you finish! I promise you'll get a hot vegetable bun!"
Just as Shen Zhenzhu was about to pounce, Zhou Chuanxi spread his arms to stop her: "Let's not let outsiders see the commotion. Don't listen to Lao Shen. It was brought in a thermos. We drove all the way here, two and a half hours, so of course it's still warm."
Shen Zhenzhu was relieved and glared at Lu Ye before chewing away.
Lu Ye felt a pang of sympathy and said dejectedly, "I'm no longer your Brother Ye."
Shen Zhenzhu said, "No, you are no longer. You are my little wild child now."
Lu Ye didn't take it to heart and plopped down opposite Shen Zhenzhu.
Shen Zhenzhu asked curiously, "Just the two of you providing support?"
Zhou Chuanxi said, "Look behind you."
Shen Zhenzhu turned around and was startled to meet a pair of adoring and innocent eyes: "Hey, who are you?"
Wu Zhongguo also came over, stretching his limbs, and said, "This is Zhao Qiqi, a retired veteran, who will be filling in for you."
Shen Zhenzhu angrily said, "How come you're replacing me! I was just taking a nap, I didn't do anything wrong!"
Wu Zhongguo said, "But you got a promotion and a raise."
Shen Zhenzhu immediately laughed: "Oh, right, right, we should get another man."
Although Zhao Qiqi is a retired veteran, he is not very old, only twenty-two. He had seen the news about Shen Zhenzhu before he came here and specifically applied to join the fourth team. If it weren't for his decent skills and meritorious service, he really wouldn't have qualified.
He is 1.8 meters tall, but has kind eyes and looks like a golden retriever that makes people feel naturally good.
Lu Ye is like a strong kangaroo, very annoying.
"Welcome to Team Four. Brother Zheng is in a meeting. The case files are here." Chen Zhenzhu sat up straight, wiped her hands, and showed them Tong Gang's confession.
Lu Ye and his team realized that the case was not simple; it was at least one of the eight major cases. Otherwise, they wouldn't have gone to such lengths and would have simply had the Anfeng Municipal Public Security Bureau handle it on the spot.
After reading it, Lu Ye exuded an aura of intimidation and said in a low voice, "Trying to treat people like livestock, I think they are the livestock."
Wu Zhongguo reached into his pocket for cigarettes, unable to maintain his composure and focus on health.
When Gu Yanzheng arrived and called a meeting, one or two of them had sullen expressions and were secretly grinding their teeth.
The two team leaders sat at opposite ends of the conference room with their respective teams. Gu Yanzheng, as the head of the special task force, conveyed the instructions from his superiors: "The higher-ups require us to ensure the safety of the disabled people at the red brick factory while solving the case. This case has a huge social impact and will cause controversy and discussion regarding the protection of disabled people and their human rights. We must speed up the investigation and not waste any time."
Team Leader Ding continued, "Our tracking personnel discovered that their van was parked near a privately-owned brick factory in an abandoned factory area on the outskirts of the city. Based on Tong Gang's escape route, we can confirm that the brick factory is the location of the crime and the target address."
Shen Zhenzhu asked, "Right now, we don't know how many criminals are inside or how many people are being detained. We probably can't cover everything with just bloody handprints."
Gu Yanzheng drew a map of the red brick factory on the blackboard and said, "This place is easy to defend and difficult to attack. There are sentry posts and electric fences inside, making it difficult for outsiders to break through. I suspect that they chose this place because they have secret passages or back doors that allow them to escape in the first moment of the encirclement. After the provincial leaders decided, two people will be selected to infiltrate and find out the composition of the people and guards inside, so that we can catch them all in one fell swoop."
Shen Zhenzhu suddenly raised her hand, indicating her willingness to go undercover. This wasn't the first time; Miss Zhuzhu was very experienced.
"Let's study the methods first, and then select the personnel." Gu Yanzheng pressed his hand down and sat down.
Zhou Chuanxi came in and handed him the information he had found about the red brick factory. Gu Yanzheng glanced at it and said, "This Anju Red Brick Factory is a state-owned enterprise that has been converted into a private enterprise. The owner's surname is Zheng. He turned the red brick factory, which was on the verge of bankruptcy, into a profitable one and has won the title of tax model in Anfeng City many times. Because their red bricks are of good quality and low price, they are often in short supply."
Lu Ye scoffed, "No need to pay wages, working day and night, of course the cost is low. If you ask me, we might as well pretend to be idiots and go in, then we'll have witnesses and evidence from the inside and outside."
After he finished speaking and heard no response, he scratched his head and said, "I was just saying it casually."
Gu Yanzheng said, "No, your idea is good. What does Lao Ding think?"
Team Leader Ding thought to himself, "You guys are having such a lively conversation, you've finally remembered me."
"I have no objection."
Gu Yanzheng smiled and said, "I know you have no objections."
Team Leader Ding: "......" He's really annoying.
Lu Ye rubbed his hands together and said, "So, who should I choose? I think I'm good enough, I'd like to recommend myself."
Shen Zhenzhu raised her little hand again: "I think I'm pretty good too."
Lu Ye retorted, "There are no women working over there."
Shen Zhenzhu said, "But there are no women on the street."
Zhou Chuanxi was secretly alarmed. Could it be that not only were the men locked up and forced to work, but there was also a group of disabled women inside?
This matter is still uncertain. If it is true, I dare not even think about what kind of treatment these female disabled people will receive.
Everyone eagerly requested to infiltrate the brick factory, and Gu Yanzheng finally selected two people, one of whom was himself: "My advantage is that I have the injuries from a few days ago, and my accent from another city fits the characteristics of a homeless person."
Gu Yanzheng said, "Another potential undercover agent... Lao Shen, I suppose. She'll pose as a reporter to interview private entrepreneurs. Apparently, Boss Zheng really enjoys being on TV and in newspapers and often gets interviewed by female reporters. She can easily get in and work with me from two angles."
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Author's Note: Zhuzhu: Bad seeds, here I come!
***
See you tomorrow! There's a red envelope coming up!
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