Chapter 11: The Vanished Her (4)

Chapter 11: The Vanished Her (4)

Teng Fei said, "It was around noon, I don't remember the exact time, but it was at a store near the entrance. I can't recall its name."

Tang Xiaochuan nodded, "Alright, continue."

As Teng Fei spoke, he drew, sometimes pausing as if in thought, and other times drawing quickly. The resulting map was crooked but roughly followed the route into the mountains.

He circled a spot on the map, "We probably stayed here that night? The exact coordinates are a bit fuzzy."

"Once you got there, what happened?"

"Sleep. What else do you think?"

Tang Xiaochuan smiled awkwardly, "Did you make a fire?"

"No, it's not easy to make a fire there. Usually, when I go hiking, I worry about fire safety. We brought flashlights, food, and a small tent for a simple overnight stay."

"Anything unusual happen that night? Did you hear anything strange?"

"Besides the sounds of wild animals and the wind..." Teng Fei said slowly, "and my snoring."

"Teng Fei, be serious," Feng Shaomin said coldly.

"It's a writer's description. Generally, when I'm tired, I sleep deeply. Besides, I had a slight cold that night."

After a moment of silence, Tang Xiaochuan asked, "So, the next morning you found Liu Yuwei missing."

"Yes, at first, I thought she had gone out early to collect flower dew because I mentioned that boiling some might help with my cough. I didn't think much of it, assuming she was nearby collecting dew. My belongings were untouched. But later, I realized something was wrong and searched within a kilometer. Finding nothing, I contacted the rescue team. Then we found one of her shoes by the waterfall..."

At this point, Teng Fei stopped, seemingly overcome with sadness, holding his forehead with his fist, motionless.

Seeing no more information could be extracted, Feng Shaomin, who was cautious, had him draw the map again, confirming it multiple times before letting him go.

In the office, everyone seemed downcast. Han Changlin leaned against the table, examining the two maps Teng Fei had drawn. The routes were slightly different, but the camping coordinates matched. He glanced at everyone and said, "At least we have a direction."

If Teng Fei killed Liu Yuwei, all the evidence seems to point away from him; if he didn't kill her, his actions still seem suspicious.

Han Changlin thought that as a writer, Teng Fei could fill in gaps with imagination, making everything appear seamless. But any action leaves traces.

Putting down the map, he instructed, "Feng, Chuan, you two check with the insurance company to verify the details of the policy Teng Fei took out for Liu Yuwei, and confirm whether Dr. Song Ren'ai exists."

"Understood, Captain Han."

"Zhao and Meng, investigate the cigarette purchase Teng Fei mentioned before entering the mountains."

"Understood, Captain Han." They both responded in unison.

After a moment of silence, Han Changlin picked up the map, speaking firmly, "This map is our breakthrough. To find real evidence, we need to locate Liu Yuwei's body."

The body is the most direct evidence. Finding it would provide the key clue.

But Liu Yuwei has been missing for seven months. Where is she? Or is there nothing left behind, given the uncertainties in those woods?

Finding evidence in the Qin Dong Gorge would be like searching for a needle in a haystack. Moreover, the rescue team had conducted thorough searches, leading to the conclusion of an accidental death.

Everyone understood the difficulty. Han Changlin was no exception. Looking around, he gave orders, "This mission must be completed!"

His tone was firm, and everyone nodded seriously.

Tang Xiaochuan said, "Captain Han, with the map Teng Fei drew, I believe we can find her."

"Meeting adjourned," Han Changlin said, "I'll contact the Qin Dong City Public Security Bureau for assistance."

"Get to work," Han Changlin waved them off and left.

The next morning, Meng Siqi and Zhao Leiting arrived at the entrance of the Qin Dong Gorge. As they stepped out of the car, Meng Siqi felt a rush of fresh air. In front of them lay lush green mountains and distant white mist, creating a picturesque scene. From this angle, the charm of the Qin Dong Gorge was evident.

The entrance was essentially an open-air parking lot with a gas station and a few scattered stores nearby.

Holding photos of Teng Fei and Liu Yuwei, they visited each store. Finally, at a small supermarket, the owner recognized the people in the photos. She said confidently, "I remember him."

"Why are you so sure?" Zhao Leiting asked.

"That day, the young man came to buy cigarettes but accidentally broke a bottle of pear juice, shattering glass everywhere. I demanded compensation, but he insisted it was due to the shelf being unstable. We argued. Later, his girlfriend intervened..."

"Do you mean this girl?" Zhao Leiting showed her Liu Yuwei's photo for confirmation.

The owner studied it for a moment and nodded, "Looks like her. It's been a long time, so my memory of the girl is vague, but she seems familiar."

"What happened next?"

"Where did I leave off?" the owner asked.

"You mentioned arguing with the young man until the girl intervened."

"Oh, right." The owner continued enthusiastically, "The girl said something along the lines of 'let it go.' The young man listened to her and even gave me extra money..." She went on, summarizing that she had a strong impression of the young man.

They asked about the time and their attire, but due to the long interval, the owner only remembered it was midday. Meng Siqi took detailed notes, filling a page.

Leaving the store, Zhao Leiting said, "Don't you think Teng Fei was deliberately trying to be remembered?"

"You mean he staged the argument to make himself memorable. Why would he do that?"

"To prove he went to the gorge?"

"But he doesn't really need to prove it," Meng Siqi noted, reviewing the statements. Everyone who knew Liu Yuwei and Teng Fei could confirm they went to the Qin Dong Gorge.

Zhao Leiting nodded, "True." Then he shook his head, "Let's wait until we search the mountains."

Apart from investigating the store, the two of them also had another task: to find an outdoor enthusiast familiar with the Qin Dongzi Canyon.

Without much effort, they found a teacher and outdoor sports enthusiast who had been to the Qin Dongzi Canyon more than once, based on the recommendation of the staff at Teng Fei's former outdoor store.

Three days later in the morning, several police cars wailed as they arrived at the parking lot at the entrance of the Qin Dongzi Canyon. About seven or eight investigators got out, accompanied by four police dogs.

Meng Siqi and Zhao Leiting were in one car, having picked up Li Ping, the outdoor sports enthusiast, early that morning.

As soon as she got out of the car, she saw over a dozen imposing officers in standard uniforms and several fierce-looking police dogs lined up, which instantly intimidated her. It seemed this time they were really serious.

She was actually quite afraid of German Shepherds, and these police dogs, with their earthy black backs, looked like wolves. Especially when their beady eyes stared at her. However, they appeared very disciplined, sitting still without moving, giving off an illusion of gentleness.

Han Changlin was discussing something with a stranger. She guessed that the man must be the person in charge of assisting the investigation from the Qin Dong City Public Security Bureau, since the case occurred in Qin Dong City, indicating cooperation between departments.

While Han Changlin was talking, his gaze lingered on Meng Siqi for a moment. Soon, he ended the conversation and walked over to them.

Zhao Leiting said, "Captain Han, let me introduce you to Li Ping, the outdoor sports expert."

Li Ping took the initiative to shake hands, "Captain Han, it’s an honor to meet you. I’m just an outdoor enthusiast who has visited this canyon a few times."

After exchanging pleasantries, Han Changlin asked, "Mr. Li, what do you think about the route provided by the suspect?"

Li Ping, in his thirties, had the scholarly demeanor of a teacher and a calm appearance. Holding the map he had received in advance, he explained, "Captain Han, I’ve reviewed the map, and it generally matches the route into the mountains. Given that there was a woman with no outdoor experience among the two, it would be difficult to choose any other route. Considering the accuracy of the map, after entering the mountains, I will make judgments based on the actual situation."

"Great, that’s perfect."

Meng Siqi wore hiking boots and a thick, sturdy windbreaker over her police uniform, following Zhao Leiting’s strong suggestion. Only after entering the mountains did she realize the importance of his advice.

The route into the mountains could hardly be called a path; it was more like a thorny trail. There was no clear path, only branches, thorns, vines, and leaves everywhere. Almost every step involved brushing against various thorns and insects. She still couldn’t understand why hikers enjoyed this.

She finally understood Feng Shaomin’s foresight in trying to prevent her from entering the mountains. He had said, "Why does a girl need to go into the mountains?" She had thought he was biased, but now she realized he wasn’t.

Fortunately, the team was large, and the investigators cleared the way ahead, making the path somewhat wider. Although it was just the entry route, Han Changlin was cautious, instructing everyone to expand their search area. The team was divided into three groups, conducting a thorough search.

If there was anything that made Meng Siqi feel good, it was the birdsong and floral fragrance in the forest, the fresh air that city buildings couldn’t provide.

Along the way, the police dogs occasionally made discoveries, though they were mostly animal bones.

Meng Siqi walked alongside Zhao Leiting and asked, "Zhao Leiting, do you think the police dogs can find the body?"

Zhao Leiting smiled and said, "These police dogs are not ordinary. They are Kunming dogs, specially trained with great endurance and keen senses. Even if the remains are buried underground, they can detect them."

"Really? That impressive?"

"You’ll see."

Focused on seeing the results, Meng Siqi quickened her pace. The route, which should have taken about two hours, became much slower due to the search. After covering only half the distance, Meng Siqi felt her energy draining, so she began to slow down, taking breaks frequently.

Zhao Leiting kept pace with her, concerned about her condition, "I told you, you insisted on coming..."

In fact, the original owner was from a Police Academy background and had good physical fitness. Meng Siqi simply didn’t know how to manage her energy, which made her look so clumsy. She was determined to keep going, gritting her teeth and saying, "Forget it, aren’t you breathing hard too?"

Zhao Leiting didn’t say anything, just laughed.

After walking for a while, Meng Siqi wanted to rest again. This time, she leaned against a small tree with dense foliage to conserve some energy.

Suddenly, Zhao Leiting rushed forward, and before she knew what was happening, he grabbed her arm.