Chapter 131 Distant Mountain Lighthouse: Team Leader Lei, Suspect Identified
In May, the weather began to get hot. Inside the data center, Li Bin led his technical team, searching through landline and pager data, his police uniform soaked with sweat.
Jiang Ling remained silent, quietly awaiting the outcome.
Meanwhile, Lei Xiao, Fan Wei, Zheng Yu, and others were also working through the night to develop a visitation plan and try their best to narrow down the scope of the investigation, just waiting for dawn to deploy a large number of police officers to the investigation.
Every minute, every second that passes is heart-wrenching.
An hour later, the phone rang suddenly.
Jiang Ling grabbed the receiver almost instantly: "Jiu Shan, how is it?"
Liang Jiushan's voice was visibly tired, but even more so, it was filled with barely suppressed excitement: "Sister Ling, the data recovery is complete. Tencent has given us top-level access, and all of Sun Wei's QQ chat logs have been exported!"
"Quick! Send it over!" Jiang Ling's heart was in her throat.
“It’s already being transferred. The file is large, it will take some time… but I’ll dictate the key information in real time.” Liang Jiushan knew Jiang Ling and knew she was worried about Sun Wei’s safety, so he spoke quickly, “There’s an unusual account, the username ‘Distant Mountain Lighthouse,’ that has been in contact with Sun Wei since she registered the account. The frequency of contact has exploded in the past month, and the last recorded contact was at 9:38 PM last night.”
"Wait a moment, we need to take notes here." Jiang Ling immediately gestured to Li Zhenliang to record the key points, and at the same time turned on the speakers so that the entire data center could hear it.
Liang Jiushan's voice echoed clearly in the computer room: "In the beginning, Yuanshan Lighthouse presented himself as a life mentor and a successful person who had been through it all, and helped Sun Wei with academic pressure relief and future life planning. He showed extraordinary concern and deep understanding for Sun Wei, and repeatedly emphasized that he understood her loneliness of not being understood by her family."
Li Zhenliang clenched his fists and muttered under his breath, "Bastard!"
“He deliberately guided Sun Wei’s emotional outpouring to build a sense of dependence,” Liang Jiushan continued, his tone icy. “At the same time, under seemingly caring language, he subtly belittled her, implying that her friends were immature and did not understand her depth; he focused on attacking her family, especially her father Sun Guodong, using words like authoritarian, indifferent, and unloving to constantly reinforce Sun Wei’s negative perception of her family and her desire to escape.”
The data bar on the screen finally started to move, and a huge chat log file was being transferred. But Liang Jiushan's narration had already outlined a clear picture.
“The things he said most often were ‘Only I truly understand you,’ ‘I feel your pain,’ and ‘In this world, only I can give you a safe haven.’ He was systematically destroying Sun Wei’s self-awareness and pushing her into a state of isolation and helplessness!”
Liang Jiushan's voice was filled with anger: "Recently, the chat content has escalated dramatically. Yuanshan Lighthouse has started to strongly demand to meet, proposing to take her away from that cold home and start a new life. In the last conversation, while calming Sun Wei's anxiety, he clearly instructed her on the details of last night's actions, and the timing was perfect."
"Buzz—" A notification sounded indicating that the file transfer was complete.
"Director, received!" Liu Haoran, who was in charge of receiving the message, immediately shouted.
"Analyze immediately! Focus on screening the registration information, IP address, and associated information of the Yuanshan Lighthouse," Jiang Ling ordered, while simultaneously speaking into the microphone, "Jiu Shan, can you pinpoint this Yuanshan Lighthouse?"
"I'm trying to figure something out, Sister Ling, give me five minutes." Liang Jiushan's voice was calm yet powerful, while in the background came the equally urgent commands and keyboard sounds from the Star Shield team.
Those five minutes felt like an eternity.
All eyes in the data center were fixed on Liu Haoran's screen, where the dense chat logs, like venomous snakes flicking their tongues, coiled around the helpless girl, Sun Wei. The content corroborated every word Liang Jiushan had said, even more explicit and sinister than before.
Looking at the carefully woven lies and emotional traps, and watching Sun Wei go from initially responding cautiously to later relying on her and even pleading humbly, Li Zhenliang's eyes reddened with anger, and Zhou Wei slammed his fist on the table.
"Shameless, utterly shameless! How could they deceive a little girl who knows nothing like this?"
"They mainly communicated after Sun Wei's evening self-study session, sometimes for half an hour to an hour. Judging from the address, it was at an internet cafe near the school."
"I almost forgot about the internet cafe. Quickly notify Captain Lei and have him investigate it thoroughly! Who would have thought that a top student would sneak into an internet cafe?"
Liang Jiushan finally called: "Found it! Yuanshan Lighthouse's real-name registration information: Zhou Mingyuan, male, 35 years old, ID number: XXXXXX. The current registered address is No. 37 Liulin Lane, Xicheng District, Yancheng City, but this is an old address and needs further verification."
“Okay, thank you!” Jiang Ling immediately grabbed another internal phone and dialed the duty room of the First Brigade of the Criminal Investigation Detachment. “Team Leader Lei, the suspect has been identified! Zhou Mingyuan, 35 years old, ID number XXXXXX, former address No. 37 Liulin Lane, Xicheng District. Immediately verify his current address, social relationships, and vehicle information. This person is extremely dangerous and is suspected of mentally manipulating and abducting Sun Wei.”
A thunderous roar and a loud crash as a chair overturned came from the other end of the phone: "This, so fast? Great! Zhou Mingyuan, right? Brothers, get moving! Dig three feet into the ground and dig this bastard out of here! Household registration, vehicle registration, hotel registration, check all channels simultaneously! Hurry!!"
The fact that the suspect was found so quickly ignited the enthusiasm of the criminal investigation team.
Jiang Ling's side didn't stop either.
"Jiu Shan, take your team and continue the investigation! Find out everything you can about Zhou Mingyuan's QQ login IP, frequently used login locations, whether there are other associated accounts, and his online activity patterns!"
"Understood! Tracking it!" Liang Jiushan's response was concise and powerful.
At the same time, Jiang Ling retrieved Zhou Mingyuan's personal file, which showed that his parents were deceased, he had no criminal record, and his marital status was divorced.
All the fragmented information quickly pieced together in Jiang Ling's mind like puzzle pieces. She strode to the whiteboard, picked up a black marker, and wrote the three characters "Zhou Mingyuan" in large characters next to Sun Wei's photo, and drew a heavy horizontal line below them.
"Suspect profile updated! Zhou Mingyuan, 35 years old, divorced, single, unemployed or with unstable employment. Highly narcissistic personality, skilled in verbal manipulation and psychological tactics, a typical emotional manipulator."
As Jiang Ling spoke, she quickly listed the key points on the whiteboard.
Firstly, Zhou Mingyuan had a clear goal: to accurately target young, innocent, introverted girls like Sun Wei who felt repressed and lacked love in their families of origin.
Secondly, Zhou Mingyuan achieved “absolute obedience” under mental control by creating false dependence, systematic isolation, continuously belittling and destroying self-confidence, and implementing emotional blackmail.
Third, Zhou Mingyuan was not pursuing simple sexual satisfaction or economic benefits, but rather seeking complete control over the victims' spirit, emotions, and even behavior, and enjoying the morbid sense of power in shaping independent individuals into dependent "dolls."
Jiang Ling's pen hovered heavily over the words "absolute obedience," her gaze sweeping over the crowd with a sense of urgency: "Next, let's predict Zhou Mingyuan's next move. There are a few things Zhou Mingyuan will inevitably do to consolidate his control and eliminate risks."
Liu Haoran quickly replied, "The first thing he'll do is move her away immediately. He'll take Sun Wei away from the vicinity of Yancheng No. 1 Middle School, from their initial hideout to a more remote, secluded residence that he has complete control over. It could be an independent rental house in the urban-rural fringe, or a house he rented using a false identity. This place will be a carefully crafted prison for him."
The word "cage" immediately alerted everyone: "Starting from 9:30 pm on May 12, Sun Wei has been missing for 30 hours. We need to act faster."
Jiang Ling raised her hand, signaling everyone to quiet down: "Don't rush. Compared to conventional investigation methods, we quickly found the suspect through data analysis, which is already a victory. What we need to do now is stay calm and not panic! Our data center's role is to provide technical support; Team Leader Lei and his team are on the front lines!"
As Jiang Ling spoke, the slightly anxious mood of the crowd was quickly calmed down.
Jiang Ling continued, "Haoran's analysis just now was very accurate. The first thing Zhou Mingyuan needs to do is to move her, and the second thing he needs to do next is to completely cut off all possible contact between Sun Wei and the outside world. Confiscate her communication tools, physically isolate her, and use continuous psychological pressure to make her give up the idea of calling for help."
Li Zhenliang nodded repeatedly: "Yes! That bastard will definitely not let Sun Wei contact the outside world. We can only hope that the address provided by Jiu Shan is Sun Wei's first stop, and that Team Leader Lei and his team can find witnesses to provide accurate information."
Thinking about what might happen in the future, Jiang Ling's voice became low: "The third thing Zhou Mingyuan will do next, and this is the situation we least want to see, is that his mental manipulation will transition to physical control. He will use sexual relations or other forms to physically assault Sun Wei, as proof of Sun Wei's submission and the ultimate means of asserting power. Sun Wei will face the great danger of being sexually assaulted or even more seriously harmed!"
Upon hearing this, Li Zhenliang stood up abruptly: "Director, I have written down what you just said and will send it to Captain Lei and the others immediately as a guide for their operation."
Time passed by, and the waiting was agonizing.
At five o'clock in the morning, Lei Xiao finally called. His voice was filled with barely suppressed excitement: "Director Jiang, we found Zhou Mingyuan's current address from the old address you provided. It's apartment 503, Unit 2, Building 7, Lijing Garden Community in the western suburbs. He's renting it using his own ID card. We've already contacted the landlord, who said Zhou Mingyuan usually lives alone, is very clean, and keeps to himself. My men have already gone there and are preparing to set up surveillance."
Jiang Ling immediately instructed, "Team Leader Lei, proceed with extreme caution! Zhou Mingyuan is the manipulator, a non-violent criminal, but when cornered, he might lose control and harm the hostages. Emphasize stealthy approach, choose the best moment to storm in, and prioritize Sun Wei's safety!"
"Don't worry, I know what's important!" Lei Xiao replied, then hung up the phone and began to deploy the operation.
Almost simultaneously, Sun Wei's parents, Sun Guodong and Li Shufen, accompanied by a policewoman, were taken to the Criminal Investigation Division to await further information. When Jiang Ling informed them that the suspect had been identified and that it was not a traditional kidnapping and extortion, but rather an alleged abduction of Sun Wei through "emotional deception and control," Sun Guodong's reaction was extremely complex.
It wasn't a kidnapping or extortion, at least there was no need to prepare ransom or deal with kidnappers. Sun Guodong's first reaction was to slump his shoulders and let out a long sigh of relief. But immediately afterward, an indescribable emotion, a mixture of rage and extreme shame, surged up his face, turning it a deep liver color.
"Wh...what? Emotional deception? Control?" Sun Guodong's voice suddenly rose, filled with disbelief and humiliation. "Disgraceful! Utterly disgraceful! My daughter, Sun Guodong's daughter, was actually...scammed by this kind of despicable swindler? Where will I put my face if this gets out?!"
He slammed his fist on the table, spittle flying everywhere. The timid Li Shufen shrank back in fear, wanting to say something, but was silenced by a fierce glare from Sun Guodong.
The police officer in charge tried to reassure Sun Guodong: "Mr. Sun, the most important thing now is to find Sun Wei and ensure her safety..."
"Safety? She deserves it!"
Sun Guodong's anger seemed to have found an outlet, and he cursed through gritted teeth, "Why doesn't she study properly! Instead, she gets involved with these shady characters and all this messy stuff! She's brought shame to the Sun family! If I had known she was such a shameless wretch, I should have locked her up at home from the start! I shouldn't have let her out even a step!"
His face was extremely ferocious, and his eyes were filled with a furious rage at his tarnished reputation. He showed no concern or heartache for his daughter's situation whatsoever.
Jiang Ling, who hadn't slept all night, felt a mix of emotions welling up inside her upon hearing Sun Guodong's words.
All the police officers were on tenterhooks for Sun Wei's safety, working tirelessly through the night. Even the people at Xingdun Technology Company got up from their sleep and sat in front of their computers, constantly tracking Sun Wei's information. But Sun Guodong seemed to have no regard for his daughter's safety at all; what he cared about more was his reputation!
"Lock me in the house! Don't even think about going out!" Sun Guodong's violent and controlling roar made Jiang Ling's eyes turn cold.
High-pressure control within the family, a lack of genuine care, treating the daughter as a private possession and a "face-saving project"... isn't this precisely the root cause of Zhou Mingyuan's ability to take advantage of her vulnerability and precisely strike at Sun Wei's psychological weaknesses? What Sun Guodong is revealing now is an even more undisguised latent violent and controlling personality than Zhou Mingyuan!
Jiang Ling looked at Su Xinwan sitting next to her, her expression serious, her voice low and authoritative: "Xinwan, record in detail and objectively all of Sun Guodong's remarks just now, especially the phrase 'locked at home,' and his attitude of showing extreme shame rather than concern and blaming his daughter. Create a separate file and mark it as..."
Jiang Ling's gaze swept over Sun Guodong: "Sun Guodong is a high-risk and potential concern. He is relevant to this case. Key points to note: He has a history of serious domestic violence and extreme control tendencies. His family environment is a major factor that led to the victim's suffering. We need to continue to monitor his activities and potential social risks."
"Understood, Director!" Su Xinwan's expression sharpened, and she quickly wrote it down.
Sun Guodong was stung by the sharp, cold gaze in Jiang Ling's eyes, his anger instantly extinguished. Hearing her say she wanted to create a separate file for him, and that he was some kind of high-risk, potential suspect, sent a chill down his spine. Being constantly watched by the police was definitely not a good thing!
He looked at Jiang Ling and stammered, "Um, Director, aren't you looking for Weiwei? Why are you paying attention to us victims' families? What I said just now was just an angry outburst, yes! I was just talking nonsense. I was so worried about Weiwei's safety that I panicked."
Jiang Ling glanced coldly at Sun Guodong without saying a word, but her attitude spoke volumes.
Sun Guodong shoved his wife: "You, you better talk to me. I've always treated you and the baby so well, and now Weiwei is nowhere to be found. At this time, we need to stand together against outsiders, right?"
Li Shufen nodded frantically, "Yes, yes, we're united against the enemy! Officer, where is my Weiwei? Is she in danger?"
Her voice was thick with sobs, and her eyes were filled with helplessness and sorrow, which touched everyone's hearts.
—Where are Lei's team's operations progressed? Will Zhou Mingyuan resist? Will they be able to bring Sun Wei back safely?
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