Chapter 28 The Importance of Personality
Inside the Special Investigation Bureau's bunker, the atmosphere was tense and everyone was in danger, fearing that a tiny spark could ignite the still pool of water.
Everyone stared at the screen with their ears perked up, wishing they could stick their ears to the door of the conference room so they could hear clearly what the four captains were saying inside and be prepared to escape at any time.
Wang Zheng sat at the head of the long round table, his right leg trembling rhythmically as he raised his chin and questioned Yun Lou, "I heard you forcibly brought Li Xiaogou back to the bureau. You're quite powerful, aren't you? Our Special Investigation Bureau may have more authority than the local police station, but the tacit understanding we've had for so many years of peaceful coexistence won't let you break it like this!"
Baili Meng was wearing a maroon vintage outfit that accentuated her slender figure. She glared at Wang Zheng with a seductive look, "Captain Yun brought the person back. He must have some secrets. Do you think Captain Yun is like you, someone who doesn't care about anything?"
Wang Zheng snorted coldly, "Secrets? We're all on the same page now. I'm all ears."
The two of them sang in unison, one playing the good cop and the other the bad cop. Yunlou's expression did not fluctuate at all, like a bystander watching a play.
After the two of them finished speaking, he spoke slowly, "I haven't violated any regulations. Since the higher-ups have given me this authority, why not use it?"
"You kid—" Wang Zhengben was annoyed by the talk. He was choked and wanted to roll up his sleeves to attack, but was stopped by Du Tu who was silent beside him.
Du Tu forced a smile, the wrinkles on his face becoming more pronounced. "We're also concerned about the reputation of the Special Investigation Bureau. Everyone knows that Captain Yunlou Yun may seem the strictest with his subordinates, but in reality, he's the most protective. You want him back, but I'm afraid you'll be soft-hearted."
"Why don't you focus more on your own team? Last quarter's performance evaluations, the team that led the way in terms of crime clearance rate and complaint rate seem to be ours? Protecting them? That's a bit too much. My team members are working hard, so I naturally want to make sure they feel at ease."
"Stop your verbal attacks." Wang Zheng couldn't stand the back-and-forth between the two men anymore. He said bluntly, "All the evidence in Su Min and Pan Rong's case points to Li Xiaogou. As Li Xiaogou's team leader, you should avoid suspicion. Hand him and the case over to us. We won't wrongly accuse him."
Yunlou didn't answer, but looked at Li Xiaogou who was concentrating on drawing circles with his toes in the corner.
Li Xiaogou suddenly felt a burning sensation on his head and raised his head.
Yunlou: "Are you willing to go with them?"
Is this even necessary to think about?
Li Xiaogou shook his head.
"He's just an intern, what right does he have to speak?" Wang Zheng said angrily.
Du Tu chuckled, "Of course he'd choose your Yunlou. Help him get Professor Yu to be his guarantor. Even a stone would be warmed. Whoever treats him well is most likely to help him get out of the crime. Isn't this little rascal's mind as clear as a mirror?"
Li Xiaogou had a complicated expression. Why did Yunlou's normal behavior sound weird when he said it?
Li Xiaogou: "Captain Du, there's a reason why I don't want to follow you."
Few people could remain calm in the face of several captains. Baili Meng smiled and said, "What's the reason? Tell me."
Li Xiaogou: "I didn't commit any crime, so how can I get away with it? Captain Du, if you say that, it means you subconsciously don't trust me. How can I trust my case and my future to Captain Du?"
"That makes sense." Baili Meng smiled and glanced at Du Tu, then tilted his head and said, "What about Captain Wang? If I remember correctly, you wanted to join his team before, right? You probably admired his character. After all, he doesn't have any other strengths."
Wang Zheng silently said to himself that he should not hit a woman.
"That's how it should be." Li Xiaogou shrugged helplessly, "But Captain Wang didn't come here for me."
Baili Meng's smile froze and she looked at Wang Zheng in confusion.
He put down his raised feet and his eyes were evasive... Wang Zheng couldn't lie or act.
Baili Meng: ...
"Bringing Li Xiaogou here is just a side job, the main thing is to bring that kid Wang Bo back!"
It has to be said that Li Xiaogou has a talent for imitation. Anyone can tell at a glance that he is imitating Wang Zheng's manner of speaking.
Wang Zheng coughed twice: "Why are you looking at me? It's normal to have some selfish thoughts..."
Li Xiaogou raised the corners of his lips.
The melon-eating system is used on Wang Zheng, and it is completely visible. What does this mean? It means that Wang Zheng has no influence on the world line at all!
As the captain of the Special Investigation Bureau, he has no influence on the world line at all. In a way, it is strange.
Wang Zheng moved his butt to avoid the sight of Du Tu and Baili Meng, and took the opportunity to sneak a glance at Li Xiaogou, and met his teasing eyes.
He touched his nose. Why did he feel like he was being looked down upon?
The three of them had discussed it before coming. He was responsible for taking the lead, while Du Tu and Baili Meng supported him.
Now he has no chance, but Du Tu and Bai Li Meng both refuse to respond. What cowards they are!
Wang Zheng looked at the two of them with disdain, not knowing that Du Tu and Baili Meng had their own plans.
If we really take Li Xiaogou back, and fail to help him find evidence to prove his innocence, Yunlou, who is narrow-minded, will definitely hold a grudge for the rest of his life and will take revenge sooner or later.
Apart from the young and inexperienced Wang Zheng, no one was willing to take on this thankless job.
"It's okay for us not to take Li Xiaogou back, but we have to give an explanation to the local police station. We can't drag it on indefinitely. How about this, your team signs a military order and tells you when you can find the real murderer?" Du Tu said the most sinister words in the most gentle tone.
Yunlou's eyes flickered slightly: "Two weeks."
Baili Meng: "What if it can't be done?"
"I am willing to hand over the authority of the Information Department." Yunlou answered very straightforwardly.
Upon hearing this, Li Xiaogou raised his head in shock.
It is rumored that each of the four captains holds a key, and only when all four keys are gathered can a confidential document of the Ministry of Information be opened.
Yunlou actually handed over such an important "power" so lightly.
He had clearly achieved his goal, but Yunlou answered so straightforwardly and readily... I felt as if everything was within his expectations... I inexplicably felt as if I had stepped into a trap.
Du Tu and Baili Meng looked at each other, and both understood that the other felt the same as they did. When they left the meeting room, their faces were gloomy.
The door to the conference room was finally opened, and the tables and chairs were not destroyed, and everyone outside breathed a sigh of relief.
"Thank you." Li Xiaogou said seriously as he walked at the end.
Yunlou paused slightly. "You are a member of the team. If I hand you over to them, how can the people in the team trust me with their lives in the future?"
"Besides, not everyone in this Special Investigation Bureau is a comrade."
Yunlou left after leaving behind these ambiguous words.
The mission was set, Li Xiaogou needed to catch the puppeteer within two weeks.
At present, apart from Li Xiaogou's testimony, there is no evidence to prove that the murder was committed by the puppeteer, so the bureau's resources cannot be used to arrest the puppeteer this time.
Li Xiaogou didn't know whether he should be happy that Yunlou trusted him so much or cry because he had to rely on himself, an intern, to capture a captain-level figure in the organization.
Yunlou simply gave him two weeks of leave and let him go back to figure out a solution on his own.
After opening the door of the villa, the first thing Li Xiaogou did was to rush to the bathroom. He had not had time to take a shower since he was taken to the police station.
The hot water ironed his body and he almost fell asleep in the bathtub. He walked out of the bathroom in his bathrobe, steaming up, and saw three grown men sitting in front of him with serious expressions. His hand that was wiping his hair stopped awkwardly.
Wang Bo glanced at him, his eyes lingering on the open part of his bathrobe, and frowned indignantly: "You're doing chest exercises behind my back!"
…
Li Xiaogou straightened his bathrobe and looked out the window at the brightly lit sky. "Is the Special Investigation Bureau so free today?"
"You're asking even though you already know the answer. Captain Yun gave us all a day off and said he'd find you and figure out what's going on. Yet you're still acting so high and mighty."
Mo Shang corrected Wang Bo: "He's not asking knowingly, he's just being arrogant because of the favor he's received."
"What are you talking about?" Li Xiaogou muttered, looking for help at Jiang Mu, the only reliable person present.
Jiang Mu smiled warmly, "Captain Yun didn't really say what happened. He just called us to his office, told us it was time for our annual leave, and then kicked us out."
"Tell me quickly, does Team Yun have any special tasks for us?" Wang Bo urged.
After the initial shock, Li Xiaogou told several people the whole story and that he would catch the puppeteer within two weeks.
Mo Shang was typing away as he listened. By the time Li Xiaogou finished speaking, he had finished his schedule.
"After a thorough analysis, we only have one day to gather information and three days to prepare." He pushed his glasses. "What do you know about the puppeteer's activities?"
…
"Not even one???" Mo Shang was shocked.
Li Xiaogou blinked.
"However—I have a guess about the puppeteer's identity. Please wait for me for a day, no, half a day, while I verify it."
"Then how can we help you now?" Jiang Mu asked.
Li Xiaogou took Wang Bo's shoulder and patted his head: "You two should have a good rest and be well-rested. You will have to be very strong when catching people."
At 5 a.m. the next day, the villa was quiet and Li Xiaogou had already gotten up and washed up.
He put on a black sweatshirt and a baseball cap and went out.
It's still dark at this time, but there are already people jogging along the roadside.
Li Xiaogou saw someone from afar, and decisively changed a path, riding a shared motorcycle all the way to Cheng Man's community at lightning speed. By then, the sky had already brightened.
Cheng Man’s agent was waiting for him at the entrance of the community.
As soon as they met, Li Xiaogou took off his mask. The agent found it hard to mistake this highly recognizable face. He nodded, said something to the property management, took out two ID cards and registered before leading Li Xiaogou into the community.
"Your security is very strict." Li Xiaogou took the initiative to say.
Cheng Man's agent is a man in his forties. Perhaps because he has been exhausted recently, his face looks much older, with a dark forehead, and he looks very old.
He sighed, "I bought the house here because it was safe, but it wasn't so strict back then. This is all because of the reporters making a fuss these past two days."
"There are always a bunch of people with cameras and guns hanging around in the bushes. Cheng Man isn't the only artist living in the complex. They've all complained to the property management. Isn't that strict management?"
The wedding scandal has long been overshadowed by updated gossip. The entertainment industry is so ruthless that the popularity of being black and red is not permanent.
Li Xiaogou was even more curious about what the reporters were doing here.
"It's all Jiang Cheng's fault!" The agent burst into tears. "Cheng Man was just blinded by his choices, falling for this guy. Who knows how many people he's offended! Now he's been murdered and the murderer can't be found. His fans, on the other hand, are saying it was Cheng Man! They don't even think about it. Cheng Man weighs less than 90 pounds and could be blown away by a strong wind. How could he kill a grown man?!"
The puppeteer is actually a slender type, so if I want to kill him, I can actually kill him...
"We're here." While Li Xiaogou was daydreaming, they had already arrived at Cheng Man's residence. The agent lowered his voice and reminded her, "Cheng Man has been a bit nervous lately. Don't provoke her."
"Okay." Li Xiaogou agreed immediately.
The agent sniffed, his eyes red. "They say it's easy to add icing on the cake, but difficult to help someone in need. This time, I've experienced that. Thank you for this. If Cheng Man ever makes a comeback, I'll definitely ask her to repay you!"
"The case is more important now."
"Yes, yes, you go now."
The agent opened the door and stood guard outside.
When it comes to being in the entertainment industry, personal image is quite important.
When Li Xiaogou contacted Cheng Man's agent, he said that he had connections in the police station. There were some doubts in the case and the answers might be found from Cheng Man. Considering her identity, he wanted to ask her privately.
It was hard to convince people of his empty words, but considering his judge persona and various conspiracy theories on the Internet, his agent actually believed it.
The house was dim and Li Xiaogou did not turn on the lights because he was not sure what to do to irritate Cheng Man.
Boom boom boom——
A sound like a basketball hitting the floor came from the roof.
"Cheng Man? I'm Li Xiaogou." He called out, but not surprisingly, there was no response from the other party.
There was a pause of about a minute, and then the sound started again.
He followed the sound upstairs.
"Cheng Man? I'm Li Xiaogou, and I'm here to investigate the case in Jiang Cheng."
After saying that, he listened attentively.
The banging sounds in the room paused for a moment.
Obviously Cheng Man had heard it.
He carefully pushed the door open a crack.
The first thing that caught my eye was a table full of wine bottles, scattered all over the place. There were all kinds of wine. Perhaps all of Cheng Man’s collections were here.
There was an indescribable smell in the room, a mixture of alcohol and mold.
In the corner of his eye, he saw a bulge under the curtains, revealing half of Cheng Man's body uncovered. She was wearing a nightgown and her feet were bare. The source of the noise was her repeatedly banging her head against the wall.
When she banged her head against the wall again, Li Xiaogou reached out his hand.
The red and swollen skin on her forehead touched the warm palm, and Cheng Man finally raised her head in a daze.
Li Xiaogou immediately started to watch the show.
Fortunately, although Cheng Man behaved crazily, she did not lose her mind, and the melon-eating system was useful to her.
He quickly found the information he wanted.
The whole process took only two or three minutes.
Having achieved his goal, Li Xiaogou could have pulled away, but when he met Cheng Man's eyes, he pursed his lips and said, "Your biggest mistake was trying to use Jiang Cheng, but he did the same to you, so you don't owe him anything."
"Looking like you are now, no one will feel sorry for you except for your fans who still believe in you. And those fans are the last kindness this world has for you. Are you sure you want to let them down?"
Before leaving, Cheng Man had stopped self-harming, but her eyes were still blank, and it was unclear whether she had heard anything or not.
Li Xiaogou had no time to care about them. On the way back, he bought some soy milk and fried dough sticks. When he arrived at the villa, he happened to catch up with several people waking up.
Jiang Mu opened the door and saw him, his eyes widened in surprise.
Li Xiaogou raised the breakfast in his hand and said, "Hurry up and brush your teeth and eat it while it's hot."
He set out breakfast and said calmly, "Oh, by the way, I've confirmed the identity of the puppeteer and know who her next target will be."
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