Chapter 112: Identifying the Culprit

Ning Zhiheng was resolute in his decision. Liu Datong immediately took orders and departed. Ning loudly called over his men, summoning Wen Xingsheng and Chen Yanqing to relay his judgment to them.

Each of the two took a team and, following Ning’s instructions, conducted thorough searches of the large, secluded mansions along the streets. This time, the search was not limited to checking the household heads or residents; instead, every inch of the houses and courtyards was to be meticulously inspected. To guard against encountering the culprit, Shi Hong and Wang Shucheng also led their operational squads to accompany the search teams, ready to apprehend the suspect on the spot if found.

Once the personnel were dispatched, Ning Zhiheng’s mind never ceased working. He paced back and forth, calculating whether there were any overlooked details in his assessment.

At that moment, the sound of hurried footsteps broke through the silence. Ning looked up to see Gong Ji’an leading a group, escorting several people over.

“What’s the situation with these people?” Ning asked.

“There were quite a few pedestrians on the street when the cordon was set up, and they happened to be trapped inside. I just led a quick round of questioning and felt these few were suspicious. So I brought them over for you to take a look,” Gong Ji’an replied promptly.

Gong Ji’an was an experienced security chief with a keen eye for reading people. His judgment was usually reliable, so if he sensed something was off about these individuals, he must have had his reasons.

Ning carefully examined the six people before him and suddenly recognized one of them—a familiar face. The man also met Ning’s gaze, and their eyes locked.

“It’s you, Officer! You must speak up for me! This is all a misunderstanding, a complete misunderstanding! Officer, you can vouch for me!” the middle-aged man shouted, relief and joy evident in his voice.

Ning Zhiheng smiled wryly. The man was none other than the butler of Professor Fang Boyi, a renowned scholar at Jinling University and a master of epigraphy. This was the same man who had once accepted twenty yuan in legal currency from Ning as a token of respect.

“What are you doing here? This place isn’t exactly close to Professor Fang’s residence,” Ning asked with a chuckle.

Gong Ji’an, witnessing their familiarity, was somewhat surprised.

“Ah, it’s really unfortunate,” the middle-aged man began. “I have a relative in the countryside who couldn’t make ends meet and decided to come to the city to rely on me. Just as I was escorting him back, your men caught us in the cordon. This officer insisted we were suspicious, no matter how we explained. Luckily, I ran into you. Please, you must help us! We’re genuinely honest folk—there’s no way we’re criminals!” he protested earnestly, muttering incessantly.

Ning turned to Gong Ji’an and asked, “Do you see anything suspicious about these two?”

Gong Ji’an hesitated, unsure whether to be frank or to spare them out of respect for Ning.

“Reporting, Officer Ning, this man seems above suspicion. However, his companion looks like a rural peasant, with tattered clothes. Yet his hands lack callouses, and the skin on his wrists and neck is unusually fair—not typical for someone used to hard labor. I tried to detain this rural man, but your friend was obstinate, so I brought them both along,” Gong explained honestly. Having served as a security chief for many years, his judgment was indeed sharp.

“My relative wasn’t a laborer in the countryside,” the middle-aged man explained earnestly. “He used to be the accountant for our village landlord, Liu Caizhu, but after falling out with him, he was dismissed. His hands can’t carry, his shoulders can’t bear weight. Life was unbearable in the countryside, so he came to Nanjing to rely on me, hoping for a meal. I swear I’m telling the truth!” he pleaded.

His companion bowed repeatedly, begging pitifully, looking destitute and worn.

Ning Zhiheng smiled with a mix of amusement and irritation. “Consider yourselves lucky today. If it weren’t for me, you’d have been thrown into jail to suffer for a few days.”

Liu Datong, standing nearby, recognized the middle-aged man as the very fellow who had swindled Ning twenty yuan four days prior. His face darkened, and he growled menacingly, “So it’s you! Still trying to trick Officer Ning today? If you fall into my hands, you’ll pay dearly.”

The middle-aged man’s head throbbed with worry. His companion’s identity was not simple; they were entrusted with a crucial mission and could not afford any mistakes. At the same time, he recognized Liu Datong as Ning’s companion during the visit to Professor Fang and realized this was a grudging man. He regretted having accepted that twenty yuan bribe—it might cause trouble now.

Ning waved his hand and laughed, “I don’t even know your name, brother.”

“Oh no, I dare not be so bold. My surname is Zheng. You can just call me Dayou,” Zheng Dayou said quickly, bowing repeatedly.

“Heh, Dayou, today’s incident is just a misunderstanding. We’re on official duty and only delayed you. You’re free to go now. Send my regards to Professor Fang when you return. And if you ever help him keep an eye out for us again, I hope you’ll lend a hand,” Ning said with a smile, signaling Gong Ji’an to release them.

Gong Ji’an, of course, did not dare neglect the order. He stepped aside and waved them through.

Zheng Dayou and his companion were overjoyed, not expecting Ning Zhiheng to be so agreeable and release them so readily. They thanked him profusely, and Zheng Dayou patted his chest, promising, “If you come to see Professor Fang again, I’ll guarantee you’ll be able to meet him anytime.”

With that, they hurried away.

Liu Datong spat disdainfully at their retreating backs, cursing, “Such arrogance! If it weren’t for Officer Ning’s kindness, I’d skin him alive myself.”

Ning chuckled, “People like that are good for nothing. Perhaps one day we’ll need Professor Fang’s help again and ought to keep on good terms. It’s not a bad thing.”

Yet Ning’s mind was clear: Zheng Dayou’s ‘relative’ was no ordinary man. To be personally received by a close aide of high-ranking underground party member Fang Boyi meant his party status was significant. Luck had not favored them—they were caught right in the cordon and apprehended by Gong Ji’an. If it had been anyone else in charge, disaster was inevitable.

He turned back to Gong Ji’an. “Keep the other suspicious individuals detained. Don’t let any potential suspects escape. Release them only after verifying their identities and backgrounds.”

Gong Ji’an nodded and set about the arrangements. After this brief incident, the manhunt resumed in an orderly fashion.

The mansions fitting Ning Zhiheng’s description—large, secluded residences—were typically owned by wealthier families, and there were not many on the streets in recent days.

Soon, Chen Yanqing led a team to the residence where the Luo siblings were hiding.

Chen looked up at the house number, hesitated for a moment, then signaled a subordinate to knock on the door.

After a short wait, the gate creaked open. A timid but pretty young woman peeked out, startled to see a crowd blocking the entrance. She whispered nervously, “Wasn’t this place already inspected today? Why another search?”

Chen Yanqing’s heart sank when he saw Luo Rou’s expression, but he showed no sign of it and smiled politely. “May I ask who you are?”

A nearby policeman answered, “Earlier during the first check, we confirmed this lady is the household head, named Guo Ruxue.”

It was the same policeman who had led the initial inspection. Hearing this, Luo Rou shyly nodded. “Is there a reason for another search, officers?”

“Yes, this time we’ll conduct a thorough search of the entire residence. We’re concerned that bad people might have entered. You must understand, as a lone young woman, it’s dangerous if such people are inside. We must check to be safe,” the officer explained earnestly.

This remark weighed heavily on Luo Rou’s heart. A complete search of the estate? Had suspicion fallen upon her?

The bodies of the two thugs had already been buried in the courtyard by Luo Gang and Luo Qiang, and the bloodstains cleaned. But the time was short, and she wasn’t sure if there were any loose ends.

Moreover, explaining the presence of the two brothers was difficult. Her only hope was to claim they were rural relatives, hoping to bluff her way through.

Her mind raced, but her face betrayed no hint of unease as she softly said, “There are no bad people here. But if you insist on searching, please be careful not to damage anything in my home.”

She stepped aside graciously, inviting Chen Yanqing and the others to enter.

Yet Chen smiled and said, “Since Miss Guo says so, we won’t disturb you by going inside.”

He then looked at her delicate face and gently added, “Miss Guo, living alone in such a big house, be sure to lock your doors and windows at night for your safety.”

“Thank you for your concern, Officer. I will,” Luo Rou replied, her tense heart easing upon hearing they would not search inside.

Though there were many flaws in the room and the brothers’ backgrounds were hard to explain, she maintained a calm exterior but inwardly felt fortunate.

Her appearance was highly deceptive, and she was confident in her beauty. Most young men who saw her felt pity and affection. Over the years, she had navigated many crises thanks to her looks, always coming through unscathed.

This time was no exception. The young officer clearly held a favorable impression of her and did not want to cause her trouble, sparing her an ordeal.

With a courteous nod, Chen Yanqing led his team to leave. Luo Rou watched them depart, then slowly closed the gate.

As others quietly mocked Chen Yanqing for his apparent infatuation, his face suddenly darkened like iron.

He whispered urgently to his squad, “Report to Officer Ning immediately—suspect found!”

ps: Dear readers, I am Xun Qingteng. I recommend a free app that supports downloads, audiobooks, zero ads, and multiple reading modes. Please follow [link]. Readers, don’t miss out!