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墨書 Inktalez
I carefully studied the materials that had been sent over. Zhang Ningning's life was very regular. Madam Zhang was a full-time housewife, accompanying her daughter to and from school every day, and attending all her extracurricular classes.
What was strange was that Zhang Ningning had gone missing on her way to tutoring after school.
And Madam Zhang was not accompanying her that day. It seemed she had quarreled with Zhang Zong and, feeling slightly feverish, decided not to pick up her daughter.
Madam Zhang's statement corroborated this. I stroked my chin, puzzled by this detail.
According to Madam Zhang, out of the three hundred sixty-five days in a year, she estimated that she had accompanied her daughter for three hundred sixty-four of them.
So how patient must these kidnappers be to wait for just this one gap?
Moreover, although Zhang Zong was wealthy, he still fell short compared to Jiang Zong. In H City, there were not many like Zhang Zong; there were a few hundreds or thousands, but not many.
Therefore, if the motive was kidnapping for ransom, it wouldn’t make sense. Besides, it had already been a week without any calls from the kidnappers.
Excluding this factor, there was only one explanation: the person who acted was likely opportunistic and took Zhang Ningning along as an afterthought.
As for the reason behind it, that remained unclear for now!
I had no acquaintances at the police station and no connections. After thinking it over, I decided to call an old man.
Upon hearing my speculation, the old man took it seriously and immediately called the chief of police in H City.
I quickly summoned Ruo Yu and headed to the police station. If my speculation were confirmed, then Zhang Ningning's life would be in grave danger!
When I hurried to the police station, I spotted a familiar face at the entrance.
Solemn—Officer Zhuang! I had dealt with him during Wang Jun's company case; he could be considered an acquaintance.
Solemn stood slightly behind while a middle-aged man with a receding hairline and a protruding belly stood in front of him. With a smile on his face, he walked towards me and warmly extended his hands. "You must be Ling Feng, the young talent mentioned by An Old Man! Truly, heroes emerge from youth. Impressive, impressive..."
I reached out to shake his hand, but he familiarly patted my back instead, and a few people ushered me into the room.
We walked all the way to a conference room before taking our seats one by one.
"Solemn" introduced, "This is Shi Ju from the City Bureau!"
Shi Ju spoke in an official tone, "This matter is of great importance to our headquarters. We have established a special task force specifically for this case. Solemn here is the head of the task force. I didn't expect the Special Investigation Bureau to take notice as well. With their involvement, I believe we will solve this case in no time!"
As soon as Shi Ju finished speaking, applause erupted around the room, and I joined in with a few claps, just to fit in. Noticing my unchanged expression, Shi Ju turned to Solemn and said, "Zhuang, let's get started! Please introduce the clues you have gathered to Ling Feng!"
Solemn nodded in agreement, closed the windows, and plunged the room into darkness as images began to appear on the projector.
Holding a stick, Solemn pointed at the images and said, "Since last year, our city has received reports of missing persons cases. All of these missing individuals share a common trait: they are children, ranging from four to ten years old. Geographically speaking, they are scattered across various corners of H City—north to south, east to west, from urban areas to rural ones."
Listening to Solemn's analysis confirmed my previous suspicions! Moreover, based on the methods used in these cases, it seemed like they were being committed by a mobile perpetrator.
The widespread nature of these crimes was likely intended to avoid causing too much panic. They struck here and there without drawing too much attention.
However, their motives remained unclear!
"You've been investigating for so long and still have no leads?" I asked, somewhat displeased; their efficiency was certainly not reassuring.
Shi Ju chuckled lightly and replied, "These individuals are quite cunning; they plan their actions meticulously. Additionally, our police force is limited. So..."
I hadn't expected that Old Man's influence would be so significant; a single phone call could make Shi Ju cautious around someone as young as me.
I began to understand what it meant to have the privileges of the Special Investigation Bureau.
Solemn continued explaining, "We have gathered some clues so far, but for safety's sake, we have been casting a wide net! If we're going to take action, we must do it thoroughly; otherwise, catching just a few fish won't address the root of the problem."
Solemn's words carried a hint of impatience, perhaps feeling that as an outsider, I had no right to speak.
I realized I was getting a bit anxious. "You all have leads and plans, right? Let me know how I can assist!"
Shi Ju seemed unable to sit still any longer. He stood up and said, "Zhuang, make sure to cooperate well with Ling Feng. Let's aim to solve this case quickly and bring clear skies back to H City!"
Solemn nodded in agreement. Shi Ju turned to me and added, "Ling Feng, if you have any requests, just let me know. If they don't comply, you tell me!"
I smiled in response, thinking to myself that if it weren't for my business, who would want to be in this place?
After seeing Shi Ju off, Solemn seemed a bit less restrained. Sitting across from me, he said, "A while ago, we received a tip-off about a group of people renting houses in the rural area below F County. They don't seem to have any jobs but are spending money freely! I suspect it might be related to the child trafficking case."
I listened carefully, pondering the implications. Renting houses in a mountain village while acting suspiciously—whether or not it was connected to this case, it certainly didn't bode well.
"Have you sent someone to keep an eye on them?"
Solemn rolled his eyes. "Do you even need to ask? We've already sent someone to watch them. But I've instructed them to keep their distance and not to alert the snakes in the grass."
I continued, "I'll prepare on my end. You should also get ready; we’ll head over there first thing tomorrow morning!"
Solemn looked surprised. "What are you going there for?"
"You've been casting your net for so long; it's time to reel it in!" I said with a smile as I stood up.
Solemn clearly disagreed with my reckless approach and followed closely behind me. "Ling Feng, what are you thinking? You want to reel it in without knowing anything? Who will take responsibility if something goes wrong? Can you handle that? We're talking about the lives of over a dozen children!"
Solemn was panting slightly as he blocked my path.
I responded earnestly, "I truly believe that every moment we delay means one less child saved! Don't ask me how I know; just tell me—are you willing to gamble? Will you bet on waiting longer or cutting through the chaos decisively?"
I was taken aback, as no one knew the purpose behind the children's abduction. Was it for money? It didn't seem so. None of the families of the missing children had received any ransom calls.
Was it human trafficking? That didn't seem to fit either, as there were no signs of ransom demands coming in quickly.
So what were they planning to do with these children?
After pondering for a moment, I felt that my thoughts had some validity. "Let me take you back. You can tell me your plan along the way. If it's unclear, I still won't agree to such a hasty conclusion!"
I took the car keys and drove a police car to drop me off.
It was my first time riding in a police car, and I enjoyed this treatment. I felt a surge of pride!
But just thinking about those missing children made my heart sink again.
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