Luo Wenwu and Ouyang Wen sat together, their brows furrowed, both contemplating Zhang Hanghai's words.
"You mean he was really kidnapped?"
"If he wasn't kidnapped, then what was the purpose of deceiving us?"
"It should be said that he had no reason to fabricate a kidnapping lie."
"So, he was really kidnapped."
Ouyang Wen felt that ever since they started investigating the shooting, one knot of mystery after another had emerged. No wonder Hu Jia had spent five years without reaching a conclusion.
Due to being implicated in a murder case and using his brother's identity, Zhang Hanghai, despite his petty thievery, was generally honest. So, in his own words, he had no enemies and no money.
He couldn't fathom why anyone would kidnap him.
Furthermore, according to Zhang Hanghai's recollection, after Lv Qingqing and Hu Jia visited him that day, a group of people arrived. They asked him about the purpose of Lv Qingqing and the other woman's visit. Of course, Zhang Hanghai was cautious and didn't tell the truth.
But less than two days later, they attacked again. Unlike the first time, when they were imposing but not threatening, this second time they threw money at him.
"They told me to leave Chongqing and come back in a week," Zhang Hanghai said. He didn't understand why they would do such a thing. Although the money was substantial, he feared he wouldn't live to spend it, so he chose to hide at his good friend's place for a few days.
But what he didn't expect was that they tracked him. When they discovered Zhang Hanghai hadn't left Chongqing, they became furious.
They not only trashed his good friend Feng Chun's home but also held a knife to his throat.
"They said since I wouldn't leave, they would send me off." Just like that, Zhang Hanghai was taken away. But fortunately, throughout that week, they didn't beat him or abuse him, and they provided him with ample food. Except for the inability to come and go freely, he suffered little else.
It wasn't until yesterday, when they told him the matter was settled and he could go home, that Zhang Hanghai was released.
After listening to Zhang Hanghai's account, Ouyang Wen first concluded that the kidnappers were the "Dao Ren organization," as only they used wood-chopping knives.
But what was perplexing was the motive behind their kidnapping of Zhang Hanghai.
"Don't you feel like we're being pushed forward by an invisible hand?" Ouyang Wen asked Luo Wenwu.
Seeing Luo Wenwu's bewildered expression, Ouyang Wen elaborated: "Think about it, if Zhang Hanghai hadn't disappeared, how would we have found the real Zhang Hangjiang? If the real Zhang Hangjiang hadn't been found, how could we have known about Mu Jixuan's past?"
Hearing this, Luo Wenwu was shocked: "You mean, Dao Ren are helping us? Because they knew the real Zhang Hangjiang was imprisoned, they forced us to look for him?"
Ouyang Wen didn't know how to answer, as it was too bizarre.
Shouldn't Dao Ren be obstructing their investigation? Why would they be helping them instead?
Was this just a coincidence?
"Could it be that they thought Zhang Hanghai was Zhang Hangjiang, and kidnapped him to prevent us from investigating the case?" Luo Wenwu proposed another hypothesis.
"No, do you remember what Zhang Hanghai said? He said they demanded he leave Chongqing and only return after a week. What does that imply? It implies they knew we would solve the case within a week." Ouyang Wen's analysis silenced Luo Wenwu.
It was baffling.
Meanwhile, Zhang Hanghai's report to the police quickly reached Tong Meng's ears.
That's right, it was she who had ordered Zhang Hanghai to be abducted.
As soon as she discovered Lv Qingqing and Hu Jia had visited Zhang Hangjiang's home, she had people investigate Zhang Hangjiang's connection to the shooting.
However, Sixth Master told her not to bother, as this person wasn't the real Zhang Hangjiang at all.
"Why didn't you just kill him? By reporting it, didn't he just tell Ouyang Wen and the others that we Dao Ren were involved?" Tong Hua didn't understand.
Tong Meng cast a contemptuous glance at him, "We Dao Ren?" He truly forgot his own identity.
Tong Meng never considered herself part of Dao Ren; she saw their relationship as purely a collaboration.
"Less bloodshed, avoid future retribution," Tong Meng said. "Sixth Master didn't kill him, yet you wanted to. Truly, you're only destined to be a subordinate."
Tong Hua was enraged. Tong Meng had been increasingly impolite to him lately, with all sorts of subtle taunts. He had initially thought he could curry favor with Sixth Master through his sister and gain power and influence, but in the end, it all benefited Tong Meng.
Tong Meng paid no mind to his displeased expression, as she was in a very good mood. Not only had she facilitated Hu Jia in finding the real Zhang Hangjiang, but more importantly, through Zhang Hangjiang, they had also found the person who had examined the gun for him back then.
According to Sixth Master's plan, they would use Hu Jia to investigate and find the treasure key, and eliminate anyone else who might expose his identity.
Liang Yingzhang was just the first, but he would not be the last.
...
Meanwhile, Hu Jia rushed to Xicheng Prison without stopping. Before he could even enter the prison gate, he saw Lv Qingqing sitting under a large tree outside the prison, seemingly lost in thought.
"Why are you here?" Lv Qingqing, surprised by Hu Jia's sudden appearance, then reacted, "Is Master Liang alright?"
"He's fine. Why are you sitting here?" Hu Jia was also puzzled. Shouldn't Lv Qingqing be engaged in the operation to find the traitor?
"I arrived too late." Lv Qingqing sounded somewhat dejected.
"What happened?" Hu Jia felt a sense of foreboding.
"He's dead, suicide," Lv Qingqing said.
Hu Jia was frustrated, having calculated everything but never expecting the person to choose suicide.
Lv Qingqing said the deceased prison guard was named Fan Yafu, who had been employed for less than two years. Perhaps it was due to the exposure of his wrongdoing that he jumped from the prison guard dormitory building around noon, dying instantly.
Many people had witnessed Fan Yafu jumping, and they had heard him shout "Freedom."
It was likely that this person was coerced by the Dao Ren organization, forcing him to act as a traitor against his will.
Hearing this, Hu Jia was speechless for a moment.
With the person dead, all evidence was likely gone. He hadn't expected Dao Ren's reach to be so extensive.
"Thank you today. If you hadn't found Liang Yingzhang in time, he might be gone," Hu Jia said to Lv Qingqing.
"Alas, I still arrived a step too late," Lv Qingqing sighed.
To find Master Liang, Lv Qingqing had planned to go to the "Daping" police station near the academy after school to inquire about residents' information.
She was fortunate enough to find an elder named Liang Yingzhang.
But by the time she got there, she saw a group of people beating an old man. She stepped in to help, quickly repelling everyone, and only then did she realize the victim of the attack was the Liang Yingzhang she was looking for.
Lv Qingqing recognized the importance of the matter and immediately notified the police to protect the elder. It was precisely because of her appearance that Liang Yingzhang was temporarily saved.
"The most hateful thing is Dao Ren, their actions are too swift," Lv Qingqing was very frustrated. Logically, Dao Ren should have received the news of Liang Yingzhang later than them, but unexpectedly, they found Liang Yingzhang first. It had to be said, their execution was truly formidable.
No wonder a shooting case had gone unsolved for ten years.
Just then, a prison guard ran up, "Officer Lv, Fan Yafu's room door has been opened. Would you like to take a look?"