Chapter 89 11

Chapter 89.11

That morning, at the Yuncheng Municipal Government office building.

Director Chen escorted He Lin into the third-floor conference room, a spacious chamber where several individuals were already seated.

A middle-aged man with thinning hair rose immediately upon seeing Director Chen, extending a hand in greeting.

Director Chen addressed him as "Old Han," then introduced him to He Lin: "This is Director Han of the Ecology and Environment Bureau, primarily responsible for environmental monitoring and emergency response in Yuncheng."

Director Han then introduced the other attendees, all monitoring personnel from various environmental assessment companies.

Just as Director Chen was about to inquire about the assessment results, more people entered the room. Director Chen stood to greet the leader of the new arrivals: "Good morning, Secretary-General Wang."

He then turned to the person beside Secretary-General Wang: "Oh, Director Zou, you found time to join us today? I thought this was just a briefing."

Director Zou replied in an official tone: "I heard about the death of a child, and I take this matter very seriously. I'm here to coordinate and address some issues."

Secretary Liu quietly briefed He Lin: "Secretary-General Wang heads the Municipal Party Committee's Secretariat, mainly handling communication and inter-departmental coordination. He's chairing today's meeting, but since the senior leadership isn't here, he's mostly observing, mediating, and recording. As for Director Zou... he's the director of the Yuncheng Municipal Development and Reform Commission. Both he and Director Chen hold the same rank. We often collaborate with his office on economic crime cases. You could say he's somewhat related to this matter, but not directly involved—he can only offer suggestions and has no authority over specific operations..."

He Lin nodded in understanding, glancing at Director Zou and whispering, "So it seems he was invited here for support."

Just then, another person entered the conference room. He Lin had seen him in various files—Qin Youlai, the General Manager and Chairman of Qin's Chemical.

Qin Youlai entered with a beaming smile, bowing and clasping his hands in a gesture of respect: "Good morning, leaders. Sorry I’m late."

With everyone present, they took their seats, and the meeting began.

Secretary-General Wang sat at the head of the table. Director Zou, Director Han, and the environmental assessment company personnel sat on the left, while Director Chen sat on the right, with He Lin and Secretary Liu seated beside him.

He Lin observed that, judging by the numbers, the opposing side clearly held the advantage in this "feast at Hongmen" (a reference to a historical trap).

Secretary-General Wang chaired the meeting and began by asking about the previous assessment results.

Among the assessment companies, the first to speak was a female executive wearing non-prescription glasses. She solemnly opened the sealed documents: "Our company collected samples of air, water, soil, and plants from the former site of Xixi Kindergarten and conducted assessments." As she spoke, she distributed reports and copies to everyone. "Based on the current results, no significant abnormalities were detected."

Secretary-General Wang turned to the other two companies: "What are your assessment results?"

The other two companies also submitted reports stamped with red seals—thick stacks of data, all concluding with essentially no abnormalities.

The other side's previous evasiveness, their constant "playing tai chi" without disclosing results, had led the municipal bureau to anticipate unexpected developments.

Seeing these unsurprising assessment reports, Director Chen tapped the table: "Ah, I see…"

He Lin found the other side’s blatant actions almost laughable.

He lowered his head, coughing to conceal it, though the motion sent a sharp pain through his ribs.

Director Han said, "Since the results have turned out this way, I suspect these incidents may not be environmental issues but could have other causes."

Qin Youlai chimed in, playing the victim like a wronged wife: "I’ve also heard some rumors recently, linking our company, Qin's Chemical, to environmental pollution near a private kindergarten. And last night, police officers arrested one of our technical staff from a branch."

Director Chen, knowing full well what he was doing, responded, "We’d also like to ask you, Mr. Qin, about the whereabouts of the suspect named Zhao Lunjiang."

Qin Youlai looked up and replied, "Our company has been trying to contact him as well, but Zhao Lunjiang has been missing since last night. His usual phone is unreachable. I assumed the police had already taken him in."

Seeing both sides sticking to their stories, Secretary-General Wang intervened: "Alright, let’s discuss this matter after the meeting. The public security department is urged to locate him as soon as possible."

Qin Youlai sat up straight and continued, "I came here today to clarify to all leaders that these are baseless rumors. Qin's Chemical has always placed great emphasis on environmental issues. We invest significant funds annually in handling chemical waste and have a strong reputation in the industry. We would never engage in illegal dumping of chemicals."

Secretary-General Wang turned and asked, "Director Chen, the mayor and vice mayor are both closely following this case. Let’s review the situation—what exactly are the basic facts of the case?"

Director Chen replied, "The municipal bureau recently investigated the disappearance of a journalist. During the investigation, officers discovered that before his death, he was looking into a news story related to the death of a kindergarten principal, which led to connected cases—children who attended Xixi Kindergarten several years ago have all died under mysterious circumstances. To determine the cause of these deaths, we requested the environmental department to conduct assessments."

As he spoke, he placed a stack of death certificates on the table: "These children’s deaths are a fact. As police, we hope to uncover the truth and provide answers to the parents and the deceased."

Director Han, responsible for environmental matters, added, "This case sounds quite complex. I’m deeply saddened by the children’s deaths, but there are many possible causes—not just environmental issues. For example, food, medication, vaccines, or even poisoning could have led to their deaths. Have your forensic experts examined the bodies? Are there more detailed medical reports? Only by identifying the cause and root of the problem can the investigation proceed."

Director Chen frowned at this: "The incidents happened years ago; the bodies have long been cremated." He then looked across the table and said, "Director Han, you’re quite experienced. It seems you’re not only well-versed in environmental matters but also familiar with our police work. Maybe you should take over as head of the public security bureau."

Director Han’s expression darkened at the remark.

Secretary-General Wang listened to their argument, frowning but not intervening.

Director Zou said, "Old Han didn’t mean it that way, Director Chen. Don’t take it personally." Superficially playing peacemaker, he then shifted gears: "But in my opinion, since the environmental assessment reports are out, there might be some misunderstanding. Perhaps the officers handling the case were inefficient, investigating in the wrong direction without finding sufficient clues or evidence…"

Before Director Zou could finish, Director Chen stood up abruptly, grabbing He Lin’s shirt beside him.

He Lin, engrossed in the discussion, was caught completely off guard by his superior’s sudden move.

Director Chen, despite his age, was strong. He pulled up He Lin’s shirt in one swift motion, exposing his abdomen.

All eyes turned toward them.

He Lin, always disciplined, had well-defined six-pack abs, clearly delineated, and a perfectly sculpted waist. But at that moment, what drew attention was the large bruising on his rib cage.

He Lin: "…"

He never expected to have his abs put on public display. He stood up, straightened his clothes, and quietly tucked his shirt back in.

Director Chen declared with full force: "See? He came injured. Yesterday, we indeed attempted to locate Zhao Lunjiang from Qin's Chemical’s subsidiary for questioning, but someone rammed our car in a busy street, assaulted officers, fired shots from a car with fake plates, and snatched the suspect away. Everyone has seen this morning’s internal circular, right?"

His questioning left the room in silence.

Director Chen continued his tirade: "Whether my team is competent or not is for me to judge. Justice will prevail, and the truth will come out in time. It’s not for others to question their efficiency."

With that, he sat back down, scanning the room: "Today’s meeting was supposed to be an exchange. We, the police, wanted to confirm whether environmental factors caused the children’s deaths—it’s not a conclusion or an accusation. We never said Mr. Qin’s company is at fault, did we? Mr. Qin, you’re well-informed, but you can’t play the innocent while blaming others and accuse the police of false charges during a standard investigative procedure."

His words visibly shook the opposing side.

Qin Youlai quickly said, "No, no. Director Chen, you’re overstating it."

Director Zou added, "Director Chen, calm down. We’re just trying to clarify the situation."

Director Chen wasn’t having it, snorting coldly: "How much effort has our police force put into this investigation? How much blood has been shed? How much work has been done? And you dismiss it all with a few words? Do you want us to neglect our duty when lives are at stake?"

A heavy accusation was thrown back.

Director Chen was in full form, debating everyone.

Director Zou hurriedly tried to smooth things over: "This matter is my fault. Given its seriousness, I invited Mr. Qin to the meeting, hoping to resolve everything at once. Qin's Chemical is a major tax-paying entity in our city. If rumors spread, it could affect stock prices or disrupt normal operations—that wouldn’t be good."

It seemed Director Chen wasn’t the only one who could make accusations—the other side could play that game too.

You talk about public security threats; I talk about economic impact.

A battle of titans.

He Lin was listening with great interest when his phone lit up. He quickly whispered to his superior, "Director Chen, I need to step out to pick up a package delivery."

The old man made a face at him, one hand gripping him in a vise-like grip, the unspoken message clearly saying: What's with getting a package now? And having it delivered here of all places? We're in the middle of a critical argument, and you choose this moment to go get it?

Their side was already short on people, and now with one fewer, it looked like they were deserting under fire, making them appear even weaker.

He Lin didn’t answer but patted Director Chen’s hand with a smile, gesturing reassurance. "I’ll be back quickly…"

Director Chen couldn’t stop him, and He Lin turned and left.

.

At the same time, Zhao Lunjiang, sitting with his head covered in the car, felt the vehicle turn a corner and come to a stop.

He was pulled out of the car by two men.

Then, the two practically half-dragged him forward as they walked.

They passed through some kind of area where Zhao Lunjiang heard the cries of animals and smelled a rank odor.

Shortly after, he was dragged a long way further.

After entering a room, Zhao Lunjiang heard a rhythmic scraping sound—the sound of a knife being sharpened on a whetstone.

Zhao Lunjiang was finally dropped, but his legs were too weak to stand, and he immediately collapsed to his knees, his body limp like mud as he slumped to the ground.

Qin Yuheng’s voice came: "Butcher Zheng, we’ve brought the person."

A muffled voice replied: "Oh, good, I’ll be right there."

"My dad said to make it clean, no delays."

The man called Butcher Zheng chuckled: "Why don’t you do it then?"

Qin Yuheng went quiet.

The sound of knife sharpening finally stopped, and Butcher Zheng said: "Let me take a look at today’s 'pig'."

Zhao Lunjiang flinched in fear at being called a "pig."

Footsteps approached from afar, and the next second, the hood over his head was suddenly yanked off.

In an instant, Zhao Lunjiang was blinded by the overhead light. It took him a moment to adjust before he could see clearly. Standing before him was a tall, hulking, bald man.

The man was robust and obese, like a small mountain. He had almost no neck, and his eyes were squeezed small by his fleshy face. At that moment, he was wearing a greasy apron and holding a gleaming slaughtering knife in his right hand.

The fat man looked down at him, reached out to remove the gag from his mouth, and patted his cheek with a disgusted look: "So old? I prefer younger piglets."

Terrified, Zhao Lunjiang sobbed, tears and snot running down his face: "Don’t kill me, please don’t kill me. Qin Yuheng, please plead with Boss Qin for mercy. I won’t say anything—I’ve never leaked a word all these years. I can give you money… I’ll do anything… please spare my life."

He lay on the ground, slamming his forehead against the floor until it broke and bled.

Butcher Zheng ignored his pleas, seized him by the neck, and dragged him along like a ragdoll: "A bit old, but I’m not picky. After all, it’s been months since I’ve had work—my hands are itching to get back to work…"

As soon as he finished speaking, someone came running over in a panic, shouting: "The police are here!"

Qin Yuheng’s face went pale, and he stood up: "Shit, how did the police get here?"

"Don’t panic," Butcher Zheng said calmly, running his finger along the blade. "Even if they come in to search the factory, they won’t find this place…"

As he spoke, he made a move to plunge the knife into Zhao Lunjiang’s heart...

.

Just a few minutes earlier, outside the livestock farm, several police cars had pulled up at the entrance. Over a dozen officers stepped out.

Lin Hui led the team inside, while Li Shang, having taken off his outer coat and dressed in black, followed closely behind.

As soon as they entered the livestock farm, a worker in casual clothes came up to them, trying to block their way: "Hey, who are you?"

Shortly after, two men who looked like security guards closed in: "This is a private enterprise; no entry allowed."

Without hesitation, Lin Hui presented a search warrant: "Police! Where’s your person in charge? We have evidence to suspect that wanted individuals are being harbored here. We will conduct a search in accordance with the law!"

The workers exchanged glances, but no one spoke. In the end, no one stepped forward as the responsible person, though someone slipped away toward the back.

Seeing this, Li Shang frowned and reminded: "Don't waste time with them. Leave two here to question the workers; the rest of you, split into pairs and start searching."

Lin Hui nodded, assigning tasks to each team. The livestock farm didn’t look very large from the outside, but inside, it was partitioned into many spaces, with labyrinthine pathways that made the actual search feel like navigating a maze.

Voices came through the radios one after another: "We’re in the southwest direction. There are a few old pieces of equipment here, not many people around."

"East side is indoor pig pens, about twenty or so pigs, all fully grown."

"Found an old slaughterhouse area. There’s blood on the floor—probably renovated. Not much equipment."

The entire space was covered with a roof, and the areas between workshops were separated by partitions in some places and brick walls in others.

The more Li Shang walked, the more he felt something was off. The vast breeding and slaughter farm now felt like a ghost town, eerily quiet. He passed several empty factory areas filled with dust and debris.

Li Shang coughed a few times, his brow furrowed.

As he mentally pieced together the layout of the rooms, he realized a section was missing.

Also, where were the heavy machinery needed for the slaughter area?

Thinking of this, Li Shang picked up his radio and asked: "Has anyone found the cold storage?"

Replies quickly came through the radio: "No."

"Haven’t seen it here."

"None in the east zone."

Fang Jue muttered to himself beside him: "That's odd. How could such a large slaughter area not have cold storage originally? I remember the old map Sister Cheng found had a cold storage location. So where is it now?"

As he spoke, he opened his phone to check the electronic blueprint again.

But Li Shang didn’t need to check again—the old blueprint of this place was already etched in his memory.

That location should be...

Li Shang suddenly turned, his expression serious as he stared at a high wall. The color of the wall stood out under the light.

Li Shang approached the wall, then rolled up his sleeves and reached out to knock on it. The wall emitted a dull thud, completely different from the sound of an ordinary wall.

This wall was built later—thick and solid.

Li Shang immediately asked over the radio: "Team One, check what’s on your east side?"

"It’s a wall, a high wall."

"Is the paint color different from other areas?"

"Yes, slightly lighter. Looks newly painted."

"Is there any door or entrance due west of Group Two?"

"No entrance found there either. That side is also a wall."

Hearing this, Li Shang's expression suddenly changed as he realized a serious problem.

Li Shang shouted at Fang Jue, "Follow me!"

Then he spun around and took off running.