Chapter 103 [VIP] Demons Among Us (2)

Chapter 103 [VIP] Demons Among Us (2)

Meng Siqi just wanted to get back to the police station as soon as possible to confirm the true situation. Yesterday afternoon, after the visit, she went straight home and could have missed some updates. If Li Muxiao had really retracted his confession in court, everyone at the police station should know about it by today.

On the way from the main entrance of the police station to the office, she felt that people were moving quickly, their faces etched with worry, but this might just be her imagination.

As she stepped into the office, the first thing she saw was Han Changlin talking to Feng Shaomin by the desk. Both wore serious expressions, probably discussing a case, possibly about Li Muxiao.

She headed towards her desk and glanced at Zhao Leiting. He raised his head, noticing her approach, and looked at her with concern in his eyes.

After sitting down, Meng Siqi found that her hands were shaking as she opened her notebook and took out her fountain pen. She didn’t know why this was happening; perhaps it was due to the stress of recent days.

After a while, Zhao Leiting tiptoed over and leaned on the pile of books on her desk, his expression grave, and whispered, “There’s something you should know, but don’t panic. Li Muxiao retracted his confession in court.”

Even though Meng Siqi had mentally prepared herself, hearing the confirmation still caused a slight internal sting.

This wasn’t just about the suspect retracting his confession; it was about the possibility that this case might take a completely different direction.

Zhao Leiting said, “On March 25th, the day the forensic examiner confirmed Ruan Mengying’s death, Li Muxiao was not in Jinyang City. He has concrete physical evidence, and the judge couldn’t convict him.”

Meng Siqi didn’t say anything, but Zhao Leiting could tell what she was thinking. “Don’t worry. The bureau is working on a solution. The court has announced a postponement of the trial, and it’s very likely that the prosecution has returned the case to the public security organs for further investigation. We’ll just have to wait for news.”

“Zhao Leiting, can we continue working on this case with Lu He?” Meng Siqi almost blurted out.

She had been involved in Li Muxiao’s case from the beginning to the end. Now that the suspect had retracted his confession in court, it meant there was a huge hidden truth behind it. She wanted to follow through to find the real truth, not just the truth according to Li Muxiao.

Zhao Leiting licked his lips, his eyes showing some hesitation. Meng Siqi urged, “Speak.”

“To be honest, we should await Director Liu’s instructions. Besides, we’re already working on the textile factory workers' disappearance case. It’s very likely that Director Liu might not require us to work together on this case. Let’s wait; we'll hear something today.”

“Zhao Leiting, I want to talk to Captain Han about this…” Meng Siqi stood up abruptly, almost creating a gust of wind with her movement. Her stubbornness sometimes got the better of her.

Just like when she was in high school, facing her father Meng Xinghai, her stubbornness, rebelliousness, and uniqueness had caused him a lot of trouble.

However, she thought her personality would change after Meng Xinghai’s passing, but today she realized she hadn’t truly changed. She didn’t know if it was because she felt compelled to see this case through or because of the sadness she had seen in Lu He’s eyes.

“Siqi, don’t be in such a hurry…” Zhao Leiting called out to her retreating figure.

Meng Siqi had already quickly walked to Han Changlin and Feng Shaomin’s side. She stood up straight and, with a firm tone, said, “Captain Han, Master Feng, can our team request to handle this case? Li Muxiao’s case, even if we have to work together with Team One.”

Both Han Changlin and Feng Shaomin looked at her silently. Feng Shaomin had a slightly somber expression and didn’t speak. After a while, Han Changlin showed a somewhat relaxed expression. “Xiao Meng, let’s wait for Director Liu’s decision. We follow the bureau’s arrangements.”

Meng Siqi insisted, “Because Lu He was handling Li Muxiao’s case before, Director Liu will definitely assign the case to Team One now. Captain Han, can we request to work together on this case?”

Han Changlin pursed his lips as if organizing his thoughts, and after a moment, said, “Xiao Meng, listen to me. This isn’t something I can decide. It’s up to the bureau. Whether the case is eventually reassigned to Lu He or me, we should follow orders.”

“Captain Han,” Meng Siqi’s eyes were slightly red, “I want to handle this case.”

“You still have the missing persons case to handle,” Han Changlin reminded her.

“We can handle both together.”

“We don’t have the capacity for that, Xiao Meng, return to your desk for now.”

“Captain Han?” Meng Siqi tried again.

“Xiao Meng!” Feng Shaomin interrupted her. “Come with me to the meeting room.”

Feng Shaomin turned towards the door, and Meng Siqi knew that she could only advocate for this through her master. She followed Feng Shaomin out of the room.

Zhao Leiting watched Meng Siqi's slim figure with a sense of discomfort. He knew that Meng Siqi must be feeling resentment, and anyone in her position would likely lose some composure.

In the meeting room, Feng Shaomin sat down with a calm expression, saying, "Sit down."

Meng Siqi sat next to him, about to make another request, but Feng Shaomin said, "Apprentice, I need to criticize you first. You shouldn't speak to Captain Han that way again. It's not just about following the rules; it's about understanding why he acts the way he does."

"Master, I was wrong, but can we apply to handle Li Muxiao's case?"

"Why do you want to handle Li Muxiao's case so badly?"

Caught off guard by Feng Shaomin's question, Meng Siqi was momentarily speechless. She couldn't quite articulate the reason; it had perhaps been a momentary impulse. At this point, she felt much calmer.

Feng Shaomin said, "I understand your resentment, but the police station is not about individuals; it's an organized and collective effort, not decided by any single person. I can tell you that once this case is reopened, it will most likely be assigned to Team One. The reason is clear: Lu He, the deputy leader of Operation Thunder, has been following this case all along, and his ability to solve cases is well-known. Of course, we still have the missing persons case from the textile factory, which Commissioner Liu also attaches great importance to."

He patiently advised, speaking in a gentle voice, "The Li Muxiao case has a significant impact, but the missing textile factory women's case is equally important. Over the past few days, you've seen the fate of those five girls, who were in the bloom of their youth. What exactly happened to them? Are they deceased? These are questions that we, as police officers, need to answer to bring solace to their parents. Apprentice, you've always been excellent, and I hope you remain calm in any situation."

As Feng Shaomin mentioned those girls, their names, and their parents' tears streaming down their faces from years of longing, Meng Siqi suddenly realized she hadn't truly understood herself. She had been too impulsive. Her eyes filled with regret, "Master, I'm sorry, I was wrong..."

"It's alright," Feng Shaomin stood up, with a comforting look, "Meng, both your master and Captain Han have high hopes for you. You are the hope of our second team and our police station. You will do better. Let's return to the office. Don't overthink this, and don't worry about Captain Han's thoughts. He's actually more anxious than you are."

"Master, I understand," Meng Siqi slowly stood up, grateful, "Thank you, Master."

That afternoon, Meng Siqi heard the official announcement from the station. The Ruan Mengying case was assigned to Team One.

Upon hearing the news, she remained calm because she knew that no matter which team was assigned the case, the station had considered it thoroughly. With Lu He's strong capabilities, he would undoubtedly uncover the truth and find the real culprit.

In the evening, Han Changlin convened a meeting. Everyone gathered around the crime board. Tang Xiaochuan, who had gathered information from their visits, had already written down various clues about the missing women from the textile factory with chalk.

He introduced, "Over this period, we've conducted extensive investigations and have gathered some clues. Let me summarize them for you."

Five textile factory women had gone missing almost simultaneously.

In addition to visiting the families of the missing girls, they had also spoken to women who had previously worked at the textile factory. These women were either married with families or had stable careers now, but none were willing to recall that period of history. Even those who had participated in the banquets refused to disclose any information because time has passed, and it was a shameful past. They were even less likely to betray their sisters, so there were virtually no more leads regarding the banquet events.

When asked about the whereabouts of Ding Yinghong and the other five women, they all claimed ignorance.

In reality, this line of inquiry had hit a dead end.

There were five leaders involved in the textile factory banquet events. Factory Director Gui Wenjin, based on information from various channels, did not directly participate as he had been unwell. He passed away not long after the factory closed.

The other leaders included Deputy Director Yao Renjun, Assistant Director and Sales Minister Liao Yuqiang, Workshop Director Huang Guibin, and Office Director Gui Xiangyang. Interestingly, there was also a female leader, the factory's Women's Director, Ma Jinlian.

Gui Xiangyang, the youngest leader, had attended banquets but had not been involved in planning the events. His testimony had always been consistent, stating that the planners were the other four leaders.

According to Gui Xiangyang's recollection, Deputy Director Yao Renjun had been the main planner, with Liao Yuqiang and Huang Guibin as accomplices, engaging with investors and soliciting investments. Women's Director Ma Jinlian primarily worked on the ideological education of the textile workers.

Assistant Director and Sales Minister Liao Yuqiang, and Workshop Director Huang Guibin had passed away. Deputy Director Yao Renjun had entered a nursing home two years ago and suffered from Alzheimer's. Office Director Gui Xiangyang had been in a coma since a car accident last year.

This meant that the only person who might still know the truth was Deputy Director Yao Renjun.

After Tang Xiaochuan finished presenting all the information, Han Changlin said, "Old Feng, take Meng and Zhao to meet Yao Renjun. Even though he suffers from dementia, I don't believe he remembers nothing."

Feng Shaomin said, "Among these individuals, Yao Renjun is middle-aged, around 65 or 66 now. It's not unusual to develop dementia at this age, but we can't rule out the possibility of someone using mental illness to evade legal responsibility."

Such instances had occurred in previous criminal cases and would require an evaluation from the psychiatric assessment center.

Feng Shaomin said, "Let's meet him first and see if we can gather any useful information."

"Alright," Han Changlin nodded. "Does anyone have anything else to add?"

Han Changlin's gaze swept across Tang Xiaochuan and Zhao Leiting's faces before finally landing on Meng Siqi's.

Meng Siqi had a thought in her mind, but it wasn't fully formed yet. She pursed her lips, hesitating to speak. Han Changlin seemed to notice her hesitation and asked, "Xiao Meng, do you have any thoughts?"

All eyes turned to her, and Meng Siqi had no choice but to voice her incomplete thought. "Captain Han, there’s one thing I haven’t figured out. Why did they say they were going to the city? What does the textile factory’s escorting event have to do with the city?"

During our investigations, the families of the five girls had all mentioned that they wanted to go to the city to find some work. At the time, this decision was understandable because, with the textile factory closed, they had lost their jobs and naturally would need to find new ones. However, what was unusual was that none of the five had given their families any specific details, which suggested that it was something they found hard to discuss.

What kind of situation would lead them to hide their plans and set off on a path with no return?

Meng Siqi’s question was straightforward, but it left everyone momentarily speechless. Their expressions froze.

In fact, Feng Shaomin had reviewed all the investigation records and shared the same doubt. However, he had always seen the escorting event as the cause and the disappearances as the effect. He had never compared these two events independently. After Meng Siqi’s question, he suddenly realized that these two incidents might not just be a simple cause-and-effect relationship.

While reflecting, he also recognized that Meng Siqi’s investigative thinking had matured. Her problem-solving skills were now on par with those of an experienced investigator, which made him very pleased. Despite his lingering doubts, he said calmly, "Xiao Meng, your question is very good. It’s precisely because we don’t know the full story that we can’t overlook any possibilities. Let’s start with Yao Renjun. Perhaps during the visit, you’ll gain new insights."

Meeting Feng Shaomin’s calm gaze, Meng Siqi nodded solemnly. Indeed, at every step, they had been exploring as they progressed, and she trusted her mentor’s judgment.

"Alright, let's finalize that. We’ll stay in touch," Han Changlin said. "Xiao Chuan and I will visit Ma Jinlian’s family. Even though she is in a vegetative state, we might still find some clues from her family."