Animal Detective

Yang Zeran puffed out his chest, wearing a chest brace, and slowly turned his body like a zombie.

He was undergoing conservative treatment, and the doctor had told him not to engage in strenuous activity. The kid was afraid of lasting complications, so he was being exceptionally careful.

Next to him, Zhao Tianxing had his nose stuffed with cotton and could only breathe through his mouth. His speech came out in broken fragments. "Holy crap, this is insane."

Shen Xin nodded subconsciously.

Indeed. What Zhang Zhanhui did wasn’t just insane—it had once again lowered the moral baseline for humanity.

Li Siyu was strangled to death, and then... that was done to her after she died. What would her family think if they found out?

After nodding a couple of times, Shen Xin quickly had to steady his own head.

Zhang Hancheng curiously asked Shen Xin what he was doing.

Shen Xin said glumly, "It feels like there’s water in my brain. If I don’t hold it, it sloshes around."

He knew it was inappropriate to laugh in this situation, but Zhang Hancheng still couldn’t quite hold it in.

Just as he was about to say more, the hospital room door was suddenly pushed open. A head poked in, and a cheerful voice said, "So everyone’s here."

Zhang Hancheng turned his head and froze.

Qian Zidan!

"Old Qian, what are you doing here?" Zhang Hancheng frowned.

Qian Zidan, carrying a fruit basket in one hand and flowers in the other, walked in as if he owned the place. "Senior, that’s not the right way to put it. What do you mean, ’what am I doing here?’"

"Think about it. Xiaoshen and the others helped us catch a spy and even got injured in the process. By all rights, isn’t it proper for me to come and visit?"

There was nothing wrong with his words.

But to Zhang Hancheng, it sounded so awkward. He had a feeling this guy was up to no good.

He set down the fruit basket and flowers. Before Shen Xin could even ask, Qian Zidan had already enthusiastically squeezed his way over, grasped Shen Xin’s hand, and said with a smile, "You must be Xiaoshen. I’ve heard so much about you. So young and promising, with outstanding work abilities. Impressive."

"My name is Qian Zidan. I’m the section chief of the First Investigation Section at the Ministry of State Security. Just call me Old Qian."

With that, he cheerfully greeted Yang Zeran and the others.

Zhang Hancheng had already mentioned that the captured Mao Ruiqiang was a spy, so the four of them knew the Ministry of State Security had joined the investigation.

They just hadn’t expected Qian Zidan to make a special trip to visit.

Besides, this was the MSS.

Back when Shen Xin was at the police academy, he’d heard from classmates that there was an opportunity to join the Ministry of State Security.

At the time, Shen Xin had wondered if he should apply too.

After all, it was the covert front, which naturally came with a certain halo. The thought of being an unsung hero protecting the country was enough to make one’s blood boil with excitement.

But their standards were high, and Shen Xin’s major wasn’t a good fit. He wanted to apply but didn’t even know how.

They handpicked students with clean backgrounds.

It wasn’t a public recruitment, either. The name wouldn’t even be listed as "Ministry of State Security" but as "a certain political and legal unit."

As soon as the greetings were over, Zhang Hancheng stood up and said, "Alright, you’ve seen them. Can’t you see they’re all injured? Let them get some rest. We should go."

As he spoke, he started pulling Qian Zidan toward the door.

That morning, when he was on the phone with Zhao Hongjie reporting on the case, Zhao Hongjie had suddenly added at the very end that Zhang Hancheng should be vigilant and not let the Ministry of State Security get close to Shen Xin.

The meaning was self-evident.

’If I can see that Qian Zidan is up to no good, how could Zhao Hongjie not see through Liu Mingyi’s intentions?’

"Senior, I just got here." Qian Zidan subtly broke free and added, "Besides, I’m not just here to see Shen Xin and the others. I have official business. There’s something I need to confirm with Shen Xin."

Zhang Hancheng still tried to block him, saying they could talk about official business later.

There was no reason to disturb someone who was recuperating.

"Senior, look, I really do have business." Instead of backing down, Qian Zidan pushed forward and sat right down on the edge of Shen Xin’s bed.

’This thick-skinned bastard,’ Zhang Hancheng cursed inwardly. But what could he do? The man’s reason was legitimate, so he had no choice but to tell him to get on with it.

Qian Zidan’s gaze shifted, and he gestured with his eyes toward the door.

"What’s that supposed to mean?" Zhang Hancheng was taken aback.

Qian Zidan said seriously, "Senior, this is a confidential investigation."

The implication was that Zhang Hancheng couldn’t listen and had to leave.

Zhang Hancheng retorted irritably, "Get lost. Say it or don’t. If you’re not going to talk, then leave."

Qian Zidan, being rather thick-skinned, wasn’t bothered at all. He quickly said, "Senior, look at you. It’s been so many years, and your temper is still the same. I was just saying. Why are you getting angry?"

Zhang Hancheng couldn’t be bothered to argue and waved his hand for him to ask his questions quickly.

Only then did Qian Zidan turn to face Shen Xin, his eyes curving into crescents as he smiled.

It made Shen Xin feel a bit uncomfortable. He quickly asked Qian Zidan what he wanted to ask.

"Shen Xin, how old are you this year?"

The moment Qian Zidan finished asking, Zhang Hancheng, who was beside them, burst into a fit of coughing.

’What’s with the small talk? What does his age have to do with you?’

Qian Zidan shot a speechless glare at Zhang Hancheng. ’Seriously? Won’t even let me make small talk.’

"Alright, Shen Xin, about that matter... I know you used a police dog to trace Mao Ruiqiang’s movements after he stole the video recorder. And you determined that he left by car, is that right?"

He was actually asking about official business.

Zhang Hancheng perked up. This was a question he had been mulling over himself.

Just now, when Zhang Hancheng had described the case, he’d only given a rough summary, leaving out many of the finer details.

So, Shen Xin wasn’t sure why Qian Zidan was asking this question.

But on this point, Shen Xin stuck to his own judgment—or rather, his trust in Celestial Skill’s ability.

Shen Xin said, "Section Chief Qian, that’s right. I can confirm that Mao Ruiqiang must have gotten into a car and left."

After speaking, Shen Xin thought of something else and asked in return, "I remember that for the period after the fire started, we did a screening. In the time frame we designated, a total of 47 vehicles entered and exited the parking garage."

"Before we knew about Mao Ruiqiang, it’s possible he was ruled out as having no suspicion, just like Yang Ziqi. But haven’t they found him by now?"

It was one thing when they didn’t know about him, but now that they did, they should have been able to find some connection and single him out.

Qian Zidan immediately gave a thumbs-up and praised him, "Shen Xin, it seems I was right. Your professional skills are truly strong. Look at you—injured, with a concussion, and you can still notice this issue."

The praise seemed overly deliberate.

Zhang Hancheng curled his lip in disdain and asked, "Old Qian, didn’t you guys screen them again? What were the results?"

After interrogating Zhang Zhanhui, he had noticed this problem.

So he had someone re-check those 47 cars, as well as the screening records for all vehicles after the search range was expanded.

They hadn’t found Mao Ruiqiang among them.

Of course, it was also possible it was a situation like Yang Ziqi’s, where an accomplice helped cover for him.

Therefore, the subsequent in-depth investigation was handed over to the MSS.

Qian Zidan’s answer was direct: "We checked. We haven’t found anything yet."

Nearby, Yang Zeran interjected, "Section Chief Qian, since you didn’t find him, is it possible he was picked up by an accomplice in a car?"

’Qian Zidan is from the MSS,’ he thought. ’Their screening methods must be even more rigorous than the police’s. If they didn’t find anything, it must mean there’s nothing to find.’

And yet, Shen Xin was certain that Mao Ruiqiang had left in a car.

But they couldn’t find any entry or exit records for a car driven by Mao Ruiqiang. And he had stayed there long enough that he would have had to pay for parking, which would have left a record.

As Yang Zeran saw it, to leave without a trace, he either didn’t drive into the parking garage at all, or an accomplice came and picked him up.

"That’s not right."

Shen Xin immediately waved his hand. "Think about it. Mao Ruiqiang could handle things by himself. Why would he need to call an accomplice just to act as a getaway driver?"

"Anyone who appears near the crime scene could potentially enter our line of sight. This would undoubtedly increase their chances of being exposed, so I don’t think that’s possible."

If the task was too complicated and required two people, that would be fine.

But Mao Ruiqiang handled the whole thing beautifully by himself. Why would another person show up just to pick him up?

And drive into the parking garage, leaving an entry and exit record.

Yang Zeran paused, then fell silent.

Zhang Hancheng nodded thoughtfully, agreeing that Shen Xin’s judgment was logical.

Qian Zidan, however, was a little surprised.

That earlier comment had been forced praise, just to build rapport.

But Shen Xin’s words now gave him a flash of inspiration, making him think that Shen Xin’s mind worked quite fast.

Qian Zidan smiled. "We still need to continue screening the cars. The reason I asked this question was to first confirm with you whether Mao Ruiqiang actually drove or not."

"And at the same time, to confirm an idea I had. It seems now my thinking was probably correct."

Shen Xin subconsciously asked what idea.

The others also turned to look at him in unison.

Qian Zidan didn’t rush to explain. He first laid out two points: "First, according to Zhang Zhanhui’s confession, he called Mao Ruiqiang at 11:30."

"Then at 11:37, he turned off his phone. From this, we can make a simple deduction: at 11:37, Mao Ruiqiang was preparing to set out."

"Zhang Zhanhui confessed that at 12:10, Mao Ruiqiang arrived wearing a delivery uniform. Then he left at 12:22. This much is certain."

"There’s a gap of about half an hour in between. I had someone test it out. Riding an electric scooter from Tongquan Garden to Orange Apartment takes about twenty-odd minutes."

"If you drive, even accounting for traffic lights, it only takes about 10 minutes."

Zhang Hancheng had already sat down silently, listening intently.

Qian Zidan continued, "Second, we investigated Tongquan Garden. The surveillance camera outside Unit 27, where Mao Ruiqiang lives, was knocked askew and wasn’t pointed at the unit entrance. He probably did that."

"But the cameras at the three exits of Phase One are working fine. We checked, and during that time frame, we didn’t see him leaving on an electric scooter."

"So, the most logical scenario is that he drove. Not his CT4—he has another car, parked right in the residential complex. When he left, he concealed his face, so the cameras didn’t capture it."

"So here’s the question: if I were him, wouldn’t it be easier to hide my tracks on the road with an electric scooter? Because when you drive, there are cameras everywhere, especially at intersections. You’re bound to be filmed."

"The risk with an electric scooter would be smaller. He could even use the sidewalk, making it easier to hide his movements. So why did he insist on driving?"

"If we say he chose the faster car to save time, then why did he drive into the parking garage? Didn’t he know it would leave a record?"

"Even if he parked on a street on the outskirts of the apartment complex, he would still fall within our search parameters. There’s still a risk."

"So why would he do it?"

Zhang Hancheng folded his arms and fell into deep thought.

Zhao Tianxing said blankly, "Yeah, why?"

Yang Zeran also subconsciously folded his arms, wincing in pain. He ignored it and furrowed his brow in thought.

For a moment, Shen Xin couldn’t figure it out either.

According to Qian Zidan’s analysis, it was indeed very abnormal. Something was wrong.

Zhang Hancheng couldn’t figure it out. "Old Qian, stop being dramatic. Shen Xin has a concussion. Don’t make him think so hard."

Shen Xin nodded slightly and quickly asked Qian Zidan for his thoughts.

Qian Zidan said, "If you consider it from your perspective of handling cases, then this behavior is very strange."

"But if you consider it from our MSS way of thinking, there’s actually an explanation: Mao Ruiqiang has already been made a sacrificial pawn."