When we escorted Zhao Dapeng back to the police station, the officers were surprised. Xiaotao ordered one of them to carry out the paperwork for judicial custody, including two charges of carrying controlled weapons and attempted assault with a deadly weapon.

In the eyes of the law, hostage-taking fell under the crime of illegal restraint. Since Mr. Zhao wouldn’t sue, the officers didn’t bother adding that to Zhao Dapeng’s charges. Xiaotao sent two experienced officers to interrogate our suspect.

During the entire interrogation, Xiaotao and I both watched outside as we sipped on coffee. Although Zhao Dapeng was a coward, his lips were sealed and refused to admit any involvement in the murder. The guy might be foolish but even he knew that confessing now would be the end of the road for him!

One of the interrogating officers made an excuse to leave the room. “Captain Huang, this man isn’t easy to deal with,” he said. “We have no evidence in hand. We’re at an impasse. This boy refuses to talk."

After using the Eyes of Yama twice today, my head was still a little dizzy. I figured activating it once more would only be detrimental to my health so I suggested, "Why don't we search his residence?"

"Alright,” concurred Xiaotao. “You guys stay with Zhao Dapeng. Song Yang and I will look for evidence."

As soon as we left the room, I noticed a man in a suit and tie walking towards us with a briefcase in hand so I quickly pulled Xiaotao along.

"What's the matter?" she asked.

"Do you see that man?” I smiled. “It must be the lawyer Mr. Zhao hired. Let’s not bump into him."

Despite having the initiative, we were actually passive in terms of the law. Once the lawyer intervenes, we would lose whatever advantage we had. As Director-General Cheng once said, solving a case is sometimes like fighting a war, and discreetly playing a few tricks was required for victory.

"You’re getting more and more cunning!” laughed Xiaotao. “I’ll turn off my cell phone so we won’t be disturbed."

We headed to the address Zhao Dapeng had registered. It was a high-end residential area and the apartment purchased by Zhao Dapeng was on the top floor–a duplex.

I unlocked the door with my tools and entered the apartment. The furniture and furnishings were of superior quality but the apartment was in a mess. Most noticeably, a pink panty was thrown on the couch. The smell of alcohol and cigarette smoke pervaded the room, choking Xiaotao. I walked over to open the window and air the room.

Covering her nose, Xiaotao frowned, "I can’t stand people who live like vermin!"

"Were you about to say that such people should be arrested and executed?" I chimed in.

"It's a waste to kill them. We should throw them into remote rural areas and make them work hard. Let them experience the vicissitudes of life!"

We wore rubber gloves and rummaged through the boxes, beginning our search though we found no clue. When I turned on his computer, QQ was automatically logged into his account. In one of the group chats, there were chat records of Zhao Dapeng and several people. Cross-checking the dates on the night of the two murders showed the group had discussed going out to have fun. I needed Lao Yao’s assistance to look for more information. Upon further contemplation, I turned off the computer and removed the CPU. In fact, my actions could be interpreted as theft.

Xiaotao merely coughed and turned away, "I didn't see anything!"

I continued exploring the apartment, looking for clues we might have missed. "That’s strange!" I cried.

"What is it?" asked Xiaotao.

"Don't you notice something unusual?"

Xiaotao scanned the room and shook her head.

"There’s an open bottle of alcohol on the table, but the cups were washed clean and placed in the cupboard,” I analyzed. “Empty snack packets are everywhere on the ground but the ashtray is very clean. The shelves are full of dust but the doorknobs, tables and chairs are spotless."

"Someone came here and removed all fingerprints and DNA?" Xiaotao gasped in shock.

"Yes and this man is a master criminal. He’s cleaned up so well that we wouldn’t have noticed anything if we didn't look carefully. But the more he tries to hide, the more conspicuous the truth becomes. All signs point to the fact that Zhao Dapeng and his three friends stayed in this apartment."

Lost in thought, Xiaotao frowned. "We have another clue!" she exclaimed, arching her brow.

She picked up the panties on the couch, "A girl visited them. We can look for clues from this."

Seeing how meticulous our opponent was, I couldn’t muster up any enthusiasm. How could he have missed such an important clue? However, I decided against bursting Xiaotao’s bubble so I said, "Let’s give it a go!"

Xiaotao turned her phone back on, ready to make a call when she noticed several missed calls. Upon returning them, she asked what happened. The officer on the line reported the lawyer’s intention to get Zhao Dapeng released on bail. Since they couldn’t get through, the procedures were yet to be completed.

"No bail!" asserted Xiaotao.

"But Captain Huang, the lawyer is rather tough. He keeps threatening to report you!" argued the officer.

"If anything happens, it’ll be on me. Just don’t let Zhao Dapeng go. Do you think it’ll be easy to get him again?" fumed Xiaotao.

I motioned for Xiaotao to keep quiet while I dialed Song Xingchen's number. When the call connected, I went straight to the point, “Song Xingchen, is your arm any better?"

"Thank you for your concern. I’ve removed the splinter. What is your command?" came his cold reply.

"How good are you at tracking someone?" I asked.

"Not too bad!"

His voice came from the phone and behind me at the same time. Song Xingchen walked soundlessly into the room like a ghost. It turned out he was always nearby though I failed to notice his presence.

"Didn't I tell you to rest?" I grinned, hanging up the call.

"Where I go is my choice," he retorted.

Since he was already here, there was no point in finding fault. "This case is a little troublesome. The suspect has his guard up so well he hasn’t revealed any clues. Now, his lawyer is trying to bail him out. I want you to follow him."

"My first priority is..."

I interrupted, "Wouldn’t I be safe if you’re monitoring the murderer?"

Song Xingchen seemed to agree with me so he stopped arguing.

I told Song Xingchen to wait in the vicinity of the station and proceeded to describe Zhao Dapeng's physical characteristics, not forgetting to remind him to pay attention to his safety and defend himself in the case of extraordinary circumstances. "Don't worry, he won’t be able to tell I’m there!" Sing Xingchen’s impassive reply showed no trace of human emotion.

I glanced meaningfully at Xiaotao, to which she called the station and ordered, "Delay the lawyer for as long as you can. I’ll handle the bail procedures when I get back!"

Downstairs of the building, we went our separate ways. I headed to Lao Yao’s dormitory to investigate the suspect while Xiaotao and Song Xingchen returned to the station. Before releasing Zhao Dapeng on bail, I had to return his CPU or he might use that against us.

I prayed silently in my heart, hoping for Song Xingchen’s success and for some results from the CPU on my end.

I returned to campus in a cab. At the school gates, I grabbed my invalid student ID and showed it to the security guard, explaining I was here to visit a professor to handle some matters after my recent graduation. Fortunately, the guard let me in.

Returning to the campus again filled my heart with emotion. The incident involving Deng Chao seemed like a lifetime ago but I could almost still see the blood and bodies on the ground. Deng Chao paid his dues; he was executed last month. I was told he was screaming my name even on the verge of death.

Soon, I arrived at Lao Yao's dormitory. I was surprised to find the door locked since it was usually open. Just as I was about to knock on the door, I heard Lao Yao gasping inside. I thought to myself, Fuck, did I come at a bad time?