"Is that so?" Hua Qingyi watched as Director Zhao sat back into his office chair. His complexion didn't look as pale, yet it wasn't quite rosy either; rather, it was a shade of waxy yellow.
"Regarding the brickyard, don't ntion it to anyone yet, to avoid unnecessary panic." Hua Qingyi promptly made the decision. Xiao Lin's disappearance is likely tied to the secret behind the brickyard; perhaps he's discovered sothing, but I haven't yet found the signs he left behind.
"Yes! I understand, I won't be talking about it everywhere. I do have that much common sense."
"There's no one else here; you can continue." Hua Qingyi lit a cigarette and found a comfortable spot to sit, wrapping himself in clothes, feeling that this precinct had a certain chill to it.
"Wang Canghai is a branch of the Wang Family, I knew that a long ti ago, so those of us who work in the governnt tend to be a bit cautious about such relationships, hence aren't too harsh on him." Director Zhao took out his cigarette and lit it. "Big Brother opened an out-of-place hardware store in the city's famous Red Light District a year ago, after suddenly stopping his back-and-forth wandering around. At first, not many people took notice; we all thought he was out of his mind, opening a hardware store on a poultry street—wasn't that asking for trouble? We didn't think much of him, but sohow his business did well, and he had quite a few custors coming in and out." Director Zhao blew smoke into the air and leaned back into his leather chair, his cheeks inadvertently resting on the desk.
"Xiao Lin is supposedly related to Lin Zhifang, but I don't see the connection being that significant. If there were really sothing, how could they leave him in a poor place like North District?" Director Zhao didn't seem overly foolish; his perspective was quite unique. "Xiao Lin always relies on being a relative of the Public Security Bureau chief, doing those sorts of things, which I don't want to comnt on much. However, there was once he actually set his sights on Wang Canghai. Seeing soone else's pocket bulge, he gets envious. Young Master Hua, do you understand what I an?" Director Zhao suddenly asked Hua Qingyi, who was smoking by his side.
"Because envy brings them together?"
"Xiao Lin went to the hardware store and hinted there was a problem, forcibly shutting down Wang Canghai for three days, but business continued as usual, and then Xiao Lin, using his identity, moved Wang Canghai to another street, wanting his own elderly mother to open a shop."
"Haha, a classic case of abusing one's power—this is outright strong-arming!"
"Who told him to be a relative of Lin Zhifang? We're also afraid we'll lose our jobs!" Director Zhao had a clouded face; everyone has their considerations, and the poor's consideration is having no money.
"Perhaps by coincidence, Xiao Lin found out what kind of business Wang Canghai was involved in and imdiately set his sights on him, catching him red-handed during a transaction with a custor."
"Bribery involved?"
"Xiao Lin wanted to drag down with him from the start." Hearing up to this point, Hua Qingyi chuckled; this was clearly building a monunt for oneself! "Xiao Lin told about a good way to make money, which was to do nothing. When I first heard it, I thought it was ridiculous; it sounded like one could just sit back and make money—who wouldn't want such a thing!"
"Director Zhao, you knew from the start about Wang Canghai's drug dealing, and Xiao Lin dragged you in specifically so that the whole North District police station would turn a blind eye, isn't that right?" Hua Qingyi yawned; if he listened to Director Zhao any longer, he'd be hearing this all night.
"Yes, that's how it is."
"I suppose the high officials throughout the North District have a part in it too!"
"I'm not too clear on that; we can't reach such distant places—just found out people getting poisoned by drugs, and covered it up, found another way of saying it. We could do such small things, but as for other matters, we truly had no power over them."
"There were drug-related deaths?" From Director Zhao's words, it seed like there had been an accident.
"There were one or two custors who overdosed and ended up in the hospital, but luckily there were no deaths; otherwise, it wouldn't have remained so peaceful."
"Director Zhao, do you know you have big issues too?" Hua Qingyi stood up from his chair, walked to Director Zhao, and leaned over the desk. "While it's true Xiao Lin was your introducer, your downfall is your own doing. You're now telling the entire North District police station is involved; are you thinking I wouldn't dare to overturn both cases at once?"
"That's not what I ant, Young Master Hua, please don't misunderstand." Director Zhao realized he'd slipped as soon as he spoke. He rose from his chair imdiately. "When you took Xiao Lin away, I knew you would eventually track it to ; when you'd co to inquire, I thought it'd be better for to confess. Furthermore, Ah San's death was so unjust, I'm hoping Young Master Hua could do justice for that poor child—he shouldn't have died. If it weren't for that woman, he wouldn't be dead."
"Oh, that female corpse—it's now confird she died of an overdose. The deceased's na was Xiao i, a relatively notable hostess around here."
"Originally, Ah San and I relied on each other for survival; although we had no blood relations, we felt like father and son. He had nowhere to go, so I adopted him as half a son, so in the future, there'd at least be soone to see off.
Ah San was kind-hearted and, though uneducated and unskilled, helped out a bit at the inn, never committing any illegal acts. But ever since he got involved with that woman, Xiao i, he seed like a changed person, starting to have money, rarely returning, learning to drink and gamble."
"Director Zhao, you seem to really resent that woman, Xiao i. Was her death related to you? I distinctly rember that night when the body was found; your expression looked quite strange."
"Young Master Hua, how could I, as a policeman, ever get involved in anything criminal?" Director Zhao glared seriously at Hua Qingyi, as if to make his stance clear. "The day Ah San died, he suddenly ca running to the brothel I often visited, said he didn't kill her, that the woman wasn't his doing. I rember that day was pouring rain. I told Captain Wu about it. Ah San looked utterly lost, terrified out of his mind, his eyes unfocused, and didn't stay long before running off. After that… he never returned." Director Zhao choked up, revealing his deep affection for Ah San.
"Director Zhao, since you and Wang Canghai are in cahoots, you presumably know about his supply channels?"
"According to Wang Canghai, he doesn't handle the supply side; it's all arranged by the big boss. Wang Canghai rely reports the goods needed, and within a day or two, the stock arrives. For other locations, the sources were all arranged by the boss when Wang Canghai took over. Areas south of the North District are under Wang Canghai's jurisdiction, from the front lines to the second and third lines all through him. The eastern area of the North District is handled by the big boss directly, being a newly developed region, so it doesn't yet have an overseer."
"To the east of the North District? That'd be in the direction of Xuefu Road." Hua Qingyi calculated simply, showing that approximate location.
"Yes, that's correct!" Director Zhao nodded. "There are a lot of foreign students who co to study here; they are more receptive to stimulatory drugs than the locals. Wang Canghai said so people specify the drugs they want as soon as they're here."
"Director Zhao, you see, I know everything you've told —got anything else? This is your golden opportunity to redeem yourself. Make the most of it!"
"Let think!"
"Take your ti; I've got plenty. Next ti, don't regurgitate the roots of the issue; I've heard it all too many tis, understand?" Hua Qingyi smiled at Director Zhao. "Uninford chatter is more infuriating than silence."
"Yes, yes, I understand."
"Oh, by the way! The mont I got back, you sensed it; doesn't that ssage travel a bit too fast?"
"I..."
"Before our next eting, you better give an explanation; otherwise, I don't think you'll continue holding your position as director. As for your personal issues, I'm currently not interested in knowing."
"Understood, Young Master Hua, I'll devote myself entirely in the ongoing investigations." From Young Master Hua's words, he intended to spare him, but the condition was to assist. Having sold out others to preserve his own skin nurous tis, there was no remorse anymore, especially with people already deceased.
"Hmm, Director Zhao is indeed a smart one. I like working with intelligent people. I have confidence in you." Hua Qingyi bead. "It's getting late; go wash up and sleep!"
Perhaps due to geographical influences, the North District darkened exceptionally quickly; at the sa ti, darkness fell entirely. Despite that, Hua Qingyi didn't feel his outing today was wasted. He had learned so things from Director Zhao; Wang Canghai's death might have been because his superiors feared he would divulge secrets and had him silenced, implying all their operations were under soone else's watch. Now it's like their foes are in the dark while they're in the open, a clearly disadvantageous position.
"Young Master Hua!"
"Miao Shaoqing?"
"It's ! Don't turn around; keep moving forward." Hua Qingyi couldn't sense anyone following beside him and continued walking forward without hesitation, although his pace noticeably slowed, as if leisurely appreciating the evening landscape. "All you need to do is listen to ."
The voice shifted from the left to the right, and Miao Shaoqing's skills in concealnt truly seed to grow more refined. "Young Master Xiao wants to wait for your return. He's already found the direction, asking you to return to the city center right away, and not to get involved in matters of the North District anymore."
"Where is he now?"
"I'm not sure either. All he wanted to convey was that you should leave the North District as soon as possible."
"Impossible!" Hua Qingyi's firm response left no room for objection from Miao Shaoqing, who was rely a ssenger. "Elder brother is missing now; I cannot just go back."
(To be continued. If you like this work, please feel free to visit Qidian (qidian) to vote for recomndations and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)
User Comments
0 comments from readers