Diary of a Criminal Investigator

City Garden District side entrance.

"Captain Gao, we found it!"

Lu Chuan and Gao Xiang had already rushed over from another district to City Garden District.

In the bushes by the side entrance, a worn-out motorcycle lay quietly. Checking the license plate confirmed it was Zhang Shaowu's motorcycle.

"Everyone, attention!"

Gao Xiang pulled out his walkie-talkie and issued orders to all the detectives and officers searching for Zhang Shaowu's motorcycle.

"Zhang Shaowu's motorcycle has been found in the bushes by the side entrance of City Garden District."

"The suspect may very well be nearby!"

"I repeat, the suspect Zhang Shaowu is likely near City Garden District!"

"Everyone, stay alert!"

"Report immediately upon discovery!"

The motorcycle was toppled over in the bushes.

Gao Xiang could tell at a glance that Zhang Shaowu had casually pushed the motorcycle inside.

This indicated that he didn't plan to use it to leave again.

Otherwise, the motorcycle would at least be upright.

City Garden might just be Zhang Shaowu's final target!

At the same time, at the Binzhou Criminal Investigation Brigade.

Information about Sun Tao was laid out in front of Li Donglin.

"Living in City Garden District?"

Ring ring ring!

The phone rang. Seeing it was Lu Chuan, Li Donglin immediately answered.

"Director Li, Captain Gao and I found Zhang Shaowu's motorcycle in the bushes by the side entrance of City Garden District. He should be nearby."

"Our team and some traffic officers have already started a grid search. We request backup."

City Garden again?

Two leads actually converged here.

"Lu Chuan, we've coordinated with the Provincial Bureau's Economic Investigation Department and uncovered the details about the six partners from back then."

"Zhang Shaowu and the four other suspects who have already been harmed, plus a man named Sun Tao, were partners."

"This Sun Tao lives in City Garden District, Building 3, Unit 4, 802!"

"Send someone there immediately!"

"Our backup will arrive soon!"

"Understood!"

Gao Xiang, standing next to Lu Chuan, had heard what Li Donglin said.

Time was running out, so Gao Xiang set out immediately with some officers.

"I'll take a few people ahead!"

"Okay, be careful!"

"Has Director Li been able to contact Sun Tao?"

Zhang Shaowu was currently near City Garden District, but no one knew when he would act.

If they could contact Sun Tao in advance and warn him, the likelihood of Zhang Shaowu succeeding would decrease.

"Director Li didn't say. Let's find him first, then I'll call Director Li to ask."

"Okay, let me know immediately if there's any update."

Thus, Gao Xiang led his team in diverse directions into the district.

Meanwhile, after calling Li Dongyun, Lu Chuan learned that Li Donglin had tried to contact Sun Tao, but his phone wasn't reachable.

Calling Sun Tao's wife also led to no response.

"Has Zhang Shaowu already made his move?"

"Probably not. If Zhang Shaowu had acted, he wouldn't leave the phones without a signal."

"Maybe it's just a bad signal where they are."

"You better continue the grid search; the priority is locating Zhang Shaowu!"

"Understood!"

While an intense search for Zhang Shaowu's whereabouts was on the way outside, inside a hotpot restaurant.

Zhang Shaowu was just finishing his last plate of lamb.

Taking out his phone to check the time, Zhang Shaowu realized there was no signal on his phone either.

This hotpot restaurant, located between two buildings, indeed had poor signal reception.

Neither the mobile nor the union networks worked, only telecommunication had signal here.

But Zhang Shaowu didn't care anymore.

Zhang Shaowu understood that Song Mingguang finding Fifth Mr. Wang's Village meant he was now under police scrutiny.

The police even took his hair for DNA checks.

Zhang Shaowu knew he must have left some clue at the scene.

Although he had successfully killed four people, the tricks he learned in prison were all used up.

The plan to avenge these people wasn't initially what Zhang Shaowu intended.

But in prison, he learned quite a bit by association.

Originally, Zhang Shaowu wanted to get out and live a quiet life after serving his time.

He had repaid all his debts before imprisonment.

The stolen money was returned to its owners, and he had served his sentence, rendering the matter moot.

If it weren't for the diagnosis of terminal cancer, Zhang Shaowu figured his life would just pass this way.

He savored the last piece of lamb, dipped in sesame paste, chewing it carefully.

It was his favorite bite.

The lamb was slightly gamey, but the sesame paste made it exceptionally delicious.

Pity, this would likely be his last hotpot in this life.

He used to enjoy it frequently before prison, now it had been ten years without tasting it.

But now...

Zhang Shaowu wiped his mouth and glanced at the family across the table enjoying their hotpot.

It was time to act.

Once Sun Tao was dead, all ties to events from ten years ago would be severed.

Why was he imprisoned while the other five lived well?

The six of them had partnered for a project, with him investing the most and leading the work.

In the end, they were conned, lost money, and when the workers came, the others just shrugged it off and ran.

Why?

They were supposed to share the profits, yet in trouble, they all turned their backs on him.

Zhang Shaowu stood up and slipped a dagger from his pocket.

With four murders under his belt, Zhang Shaowu was confident he could stab Sun Tao in the neck with this strike, ending his life.

This time, after killing, Zhang Shaowu didn't plan to escape.

He didn't set up a detailed plan as before because of his limited time and the need to stay undetected by the police.

But now it didn't matter; he had already killed four out of the five, and Sun Tao was the last.

He accepted whatever consequence would follow.

The harm he had done to his family, Zhang Shaowu knew he could never repay.

Imprisoned, he knew better than anyone the bleak future awaiting his son.

His son had been ruined by him.

There was no turning back.

Holding the dagger, Zhang Shaowu walked forward.

"Uncle, do you want more candy?"

The little boy at the table, who had just given Zhang Shaowu candy, turned to see him approaching.

Zhang Shaowu paused, taken aback by the boy's innocent eyes.

"Xiaohu, come over here!"

Seeing his son approaching Zhang Shaowu, Sun Tao got up to call the child over.

"Sorry, buddy, the kid's young, please excuse him."

Zhang Shaowu looked up at Sun Tao, just out of reach, and the child holding his hand.

The hand holding the dagger loosened and tightened, over and over…

Finally, a sigh escaped.

"Sun Tao, today… your son saved your life!"

"Zhang Shaowu! Stop right there!"

Just then, Lu Chuan and others charged into the hotpot restaurant with guns drawn.