Chapter 337 The person is still fine, is the intelligence reliable? The efficiency of the Zhoucheng police is faster than expected.
Xia Zhining had just finished lunch and put down her chopsticks when her phone vibrated.
The voice on the other end of the phone was familiar and capable, but the content of the call made Xia Zhining even more suspicious.
"Expert Xia, we've made contact with that blogger. Her real name is Mo Xihua."
The officer's tone carried a hint of relief: "She's alright, perfectly fine. She explained that she didn't go online last night because she went back to her hometown in the countryside with her husband, where the signal isn't very good."
Xia Zhining held the phone, her fingertips idly tracing the cool body of the device.
The sun was shining brightly outside the window, but she felt a slight chill creep up her spine.
"Expert Xia?"
There was a pause on the other end of the phone, followed by another question, "We'd like to confirm with you again regarding your previous clue about the presence of human teeth in the white quartz sand in the fish tank. Are you... sure?"
This statement seemed to have been carefully considered before being uttered.
In the background, one can faintly hear the rustling of papers and whispers—the typical atmosphere of a case discussion.
But Xia Zhining knew that the Zhoucheng police were assessing the accuracy of their intelligence.
"It's the Lunar New Year, and the brothers went on a trip but didn't find anything. They're all pretty frustrated..."
The police officer on the other end of the phone sighed, his voice filled with weariness at the approaching end of the year, a feeling that all his efforts had been in vain.
Xia Zhining's response was resolute and without the slightest hesitation: "I'm sure. I've seen her previous videos and heard Shuyu say it with my own ears."
The words "Said by the ratfish" caused a moment of silence on the other end of the phone.
When he spoke again, the officer's tone was tinged with even more confusion and professional caution: "We managed to get a sample of white quartz sand from Mo Xiaohua's house."
"The lab results have just come out. All the samples are ordinary sand and gravel, with no abnormal components."
Xia Zhining frowned: "Could it be that after the video went viral, her husband noticed something and switched the items beforehand?"
“We can’t rule out that possibility,” the officer said with a hint of helplessness. “But if that’s the case, we’re probably too late.”
"At present, without any police report or substantial evidence, based solely on an online video and... animal testimony, we have no authority to conduct any further investigation."
He paused, then lowered his voice and added, "Actually, we've already used unconventional methods to be able to come and check on things this time."
"I asked a Taoist actor I knew to come and check on the situation under the pretext of seeing the video online."
Xia Zhining blinked slightly.
This method, though seemingly roundabout, is actually ingenious, allowing them to get as close to the scene as possible without alerting the enemy.
“This is a good idea,” she said sincerely. “Thank you for your hard work.”
"When your partner came over," Xia Zhining pressed, her tone thoughtful, "did he notice Mo Xiaohua's balcony? Did he have any flowers or plants growing there, especially... those particularly lush leafy plants?"
There was a brief pause on the other end of the phone, accompanied by the soft sound of flipping through notes.
“There were indeed plants on the balcony,” the officer recalled, “but they looked like ordinary potted plants bought from the market, and their growth was… just average, nothing particularly vigorous.”
"Please wait a moment, I'll send you the photos of the environment I took at the time."
Soon, a new message notification popped up on Xia Zhining's messaging app.
She opened the photos sent by the Zhoucheng police and carefully looked through them one by one.
The balcony in the photo is tidy, with a few potted plants placed in the corner. The leaves are healthy but ordinary, showing no signs of being unusually lush.
Xia Zhining's gaze lingered on the flowerpots. The soil was of a uniform and fresh color, and the combination of plants and pots exuded a deliberate "standardized" aesthetic.
“These flowers and plants,” she said, her voice lowering, “have all been replaced.”
It's not the same as before.
Clearly, Mo Xiaohua's viral plea for help had alerted those in the shadows.
Her husband not only quickly disposed of the most suspicious quartz sand, but also replaced the plants that might have exposed soil abnormalities.
This "thoughtfulness" actually made the invisible shadow more concrete.
That's the kind of overly swift "cleanup" only someone with a guilty conscience would do.
The voice of the Zhoucheng police came through again, tinged with helplessness: "Expert Xia, we completely trust your animal intelligence."
"But right now... without any grounds for filing a case, our hands and feet are indeed tied. The investigation can only be suspended here for the time being."
It's unrealistic to mobilize police forces to stake out Mo Xiaohua's home for an extended period during the Lunar New Year, especially since there's no basis for filing a case right now.
Her husband has been alarmed by the video and will only be more cautious in his actions.
Mo Xiaohua may be safe for now, but how long can this safety last?
Where are the flowers, plants, and quartz sand that were replaced now?
The other party is so cunning, they probably won't just dump it near the villa area.
However, Zhoucheng is 300 kilometers away, and even if Xia Zhining sets off now, she will not be able to get there in time.
Moreover, if Mo Xiaohua's husband remains inactive and makes no move at this moment, what can outsiders do even if they arrive?
Forcing your way in will only alert the enemy and could even put you in a passive position.
Xia Zhining was anxious, and her fingertips unconsciously tapped the table.
A single thought, like a flash of lightning, suddenly shattered the predicament.
The police need to deploy, they need a reason, and they need to complete the necessary procedures.
But some of the "eyes" and "ears" already lived there.
"Are there any common animals near Mo Xiaohua's house?" Xia Zhining asked clearly, her voice quickening. "Like sparrows? Or bats?"
The police officer on the other end of the phone was clearly taken aback for a moment before replying, "Yes, there are quite a few sparrows in the nearby green belt, and bats often inhabit the lakeside woods in the villa area."
"Expert Xia, are you trying to... conduct remote communication?"
"Yes." Xia Zhining said decisively.
Unable to be present at the scene, she used the indigenous people as an extension of her investigative reach!
Xia Zhining quickly gathered her animal friends and recorded multiple versions of the "bounty notice" using the ultrasonic frequencies of bats, the hoarse cries of crows, the purring and hissing of felines, and the rapid trills unique to squirrels.
Those sounds, to human ears, might just be a jumble of meows or squeaks.
But in the animal world, it's an urgent "intelligence bounty"!
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