[12/03, 20:04, Second Detention Center, Nanyi City]
Compared to the initial interrogation that night, this one went much more smoothly. Although Zhao Chenghu’s attitude remained vile, his mouth constantly spewing insults and trying to divert the conversation, it was clear that the guard at the gate of his mouth was slacking off. As he cursed, Yu Xue managed to extract quite a bit of information from him.
During this time, Yi Shi hardly spoke, focusing instead on typing and taking notes. Today, Yu Xue was the main interrogator, while Yi Shi’s primary role was to intimidate. Whenever Zhao Chenghu’s words became too offensive or irritating, Yi Shi would immediately teach him a lesson, effectively extinguishing his arrogant defiance every time.
Zhao Chenghu squinted his triangular eyes, glancing sideways at the man who hovered like a ghost beside him, muttering under his breath with nothing good to say. Yu Xue sat casually with his legs crossed, playing with an ordinary ballpoint pen that spun intricately between his slender fingers.
“According to you, Pang Daozi and Tu Laogui planned to kidnap children from the kindergarten, correct?”
Zhao Chenghu suddenly raised his head, eyes wide open: “F*** you! When did I ever say that… Ow!”
A shadow flew across and struck him squarely on the right brow, causing Zhao Chenghu to yelp in pain, his eye socket stinging and swelling. The object bounced on the table a couple of times—it was a small, candy-shaped soft clay ornament.
These things are usually delicate and cute, but the force with which it was thrown just now was anything but light, targeting a vulnerable spot on his face with impressive precision.
“Hey, why’d you throw my bookmark clip?”
“I grabbed it on the fly.”
“Next time, be more careful when you throw.”
“I avoided his eyes.”
“No, I meant throw it accurately,” Yu Xue paused, “If he goes blind, that’s on me.”
“Oh, got it.”
Damn it! Zhao Chenghu’s temper flared up again, glaring fiercely at the two weak-looking pretty boys. Yi Shi was also watching him, but from a condescending angle, his indifferent gaze as if he were looking at a speck of dust.
“You bastards, I’m going to sue you both! Pretty boys, bastards, sons of b****es…”
Yi Shi stood up, rubbing his wrist, making his intentions clear. Yu Xue raised his hand to stop him, telling him to wait a moment. He took the notes he’d just made and continued questioning: “You’ve already scoped out the place, right? Which kindergarten is it?”
“Bullshit! I don’t know anything!”
Yu Xue set down his pen, holding his notebook as he walked over to Zhao Chenghu, his attitude and expression friendly and approachable: “Let’s change the subject then, and talk about the specific time for kidnapping the children?”
Zhao Chenghu had no interest in talking and didn’t even want to see Yu Xue’s face. After two encounters, he had figured out that these two lousy cops were no good—one was good at setting traps with a smile, and the other was good at using his fists, working together in perfect harmony.
The most troublesome part was that they were hitting the nail on the head. The plan Zhao Chenghu and Tu Laogui had indeed involved targeting a kindergarten, one of those elite ones that only wealthy families could afford. Each family was well-off, and a ransom demand of millions wouldn’t be out of the question.
Having accidentally revealed Pang Daozi’s hideout earlier had already made Zhao Chenghu regretful. If he were to divulge Pang Daozi’s next specific plan, he would truly become a despicable, treacherous “traitor” who betrayed his brothers.
So, Zhao Chenghu made up his mind to say nothing, just hurl insults. At worst, he’d endure some physical pain. The pretty boy might be ruthless, but Zhao Chenghu had figured out his pattern—it was all bark and no bite. He doubted they’d actually dare to seriously injure a suspect.
“I’ll ask one more time, the specific time and place for the kidnapping?”
Zhao Chenghu glared at Yu Xue, resolutely refusing to speak.
Seeing him put on a tough, unyielding act, Yu Xue didn’t rush or get angry. He glanced at the clock on the wall with his slender phoenix eyes and asked Yi Shi, “Do you have a cigarette?”
Yi Shi pulled out a cigarette pack from his pocket and handed it to Yu Xue, but Yu Xue shook his head and motioned toward Zhao Chenghu: “Give it to him.”
Yi Shi threw a cigarette in front of Zhao Chenghu.
“?” Zhao Chenghu didn’t know what trick they were playing, staring at them warily, but his eyes couldn’t help but dart toward the cigarette. He was a heavy smoker, and after being in here for so many days without even a cigarette butt in sight, he craved the smell of tobacco like crazy. Now there was a cigarette right in front of him, and it was a good one, which only made his desire stronger.
“Go ahead and smoke.” Yu Xue pulled out a key and unlocked the cuff on Zhao Chenghu’s right hand, which had been fastened to the table.
Zhao Chenghu became even more cautious, not daring to move. He asked suspiciously, “What’s your angle? You think one cigarette can buy me off?”
“Not quite.” Yu Xue’s tone carried a hint of regret. “Don’t overthink it, I just felt sorry for you.”
Zhao Chenghu cursed and snatched the cigarette off the table, stuffing it into his mouth with even more arrogance: “Where’s the lighter?!”
Yi Shi sensed that Zhao Chenghu was getting cocky again and was about to put him in his place. Just as his hand gripped Zhao Chenghu’s neck, Yu Xue stopped him: “Give it to him.”
“…Alright.” Yi Shi let go of Zhao Chenghu and tossed the lighter to him before stepping back to lean against the wall.
Zhao Chenghu couldn’t wait to light up, taking a deep drag, his face relaxing as if he had just taken a hit of something stronger. He sneered at Yu Xue, both mocking and teasing, “Thanks, Officer. Don’t worry about me, you guys are about to get really busy.”
Yu Xue’s friendly smile hadn’t left his face since the beginning. Watching Zhao Chenghu puff away, he shook his head lightly: “Actually, I don’t quite get it. Did Pang Daozi take a bullet for you or go through fire and water? You’re in this deep, in this bad of a situation, and you still won’t talk?”
“Tch, how would you hypocritical cops understand?” Zhao Chenghu exhaled a mouthful of smoke, looking serious, “This is loyalty! It’s righteousness! A man who has faced death together shares an unbreakable bond!”
“Oh, I see,” Yu Xue nodded in sudden understanding, “A bit like the Peach Garden Oath or the camaraderie at Mount Liang.”
Zhao Chenghu couldn’t be bothered to respond, lazily smoking his cigarette. These two cops probably had no way to deal with him. Having satisfied his craving, he would sleep well tonight.
“There’s a saying that even bandits pay respect to Lord Guan, and it seems to be true. But… while you’re willing to go all out for Pang Daozi, he might not necessarily be so loyal to you,” Yu Xue leaned against the interrogation table, smiling slightly. “Zhao Chenghu, you don’t really expect Pang Daozi to come and save you, do you?”
Upon hearing this, Zhao Chenghu’s face gradually darkened. During his time in the detention center, after his initial fervor had cooled, his mind had also become clearer. He and Pang Daozi weren’t blood brothers, and no matter how close they had been, there was always some distance between them. They were just a temporary criminal gang that had come together like snakes and rats. Now that the tree had fallen, everyone was fleeing for their lives; who could afford to care for anyone else?
Although he didn’t know Pang Daozi extremely well, he had at least a good sense of him. As long as Pang Daozi hadn’t been caught, he would find a way to leave the country. They had talked about this while in prison; Pang Daozi had a cousin in the Golden Triangle who had “made a fortune,” living in wealth with a small private army. If Pang Daozi could escape to him, domestic or even international law enforcement wouldn’t be of concern.
Before leaving, Pang Daozi planned to do something big, to make a lot of money so that he wouldn’t have to worry for the rest of his life in Southeast Asia. In critical moments, self-preservation came first, and with good days so close at hand, if the roles were reversed, Zhao Chenghu would also have to think carefully about whether it was worth risking his life to save this “good brother.”
After several days of reflection, one afternoon, Zhao Chenghu woke up, staring at the gray walls of the detention center, and had to admit what he had concluded after careful consideration: Pang Daozi wouldn’t come to save him. It was just his bad luck, and if he had been a little more careful, he wouldn’t have fallen into the trap of these damned cops.
“Heh, I never expected him to save me anyway. I never planned to make it out alive, so what does it matter to you?” Zhao Chenghu said arrogantly.
Although he was already disheartened and had no future to look forward to, Zhao Chenghu still refused to cooperate with the police. In his mind, cops and criminals were lifelong enemies, and even if he didn’t survive, he wouldn’t help the police catch Pang Daozi. If asked, he’d simply reply, “Everyone dies, but some deaths are heavier than a mountain.”
“You… have the courage of a tiger, but compared to Pang Daozi, you’re still lacking in brains,” Yu Xue sighed, adjusting his glasses. “Do you know why you were caught?”
The mere mention of this ignited a fire in Zhao Chenghu, who clenched his fists: “Isn’t it because you damned cops tricked me!”
“We tricked you?” Yu Xue laughed, but then his smile gradually faded. “You don’t even know who set you up, yet you’re still in the dark. You really don’t have enough brains.”
Yi Shi, who had been silently smoking, felt his eyelids twitch slightly, quietly waiting for Yu Xue’s next words.
Zhao Chenghu was momentarily stunned before cursing angrily: “If it weren’t for you guys having more people, would I have been caught?! I thought there were just a few of you, and suddenly two squads came out of nowhere! And you even left one guarding the door—I’m no fool, how could I play into such an obvious trap?”
Yu Xue followed his lead: “Yes, you’re right. We had more people. We sent two squads to deal with the villagers you bribed and left one specifically to catch you at the door. How did it feel to fall into such an ambush?”
Zhao Chenghu, filled with vulgar curses, ranted on, forgetting even to smoke.
Yi Shi had already put out his cigarette, staring at Zhao Chenghu, his brows furrowing slightly: got him.
Yu Xue spread his hands: “All’s fair in war, we had no choice; you guys hid too well. If you hadn’t exposed yourself this time, we really wouldn’t have caught you.”
He nodded toward Yi Shi: “Yi Shi, how long did we search for them?”
“A month.”
“Tell me the truth, aren’t these guys the hardest we’ve ever had to catch since we started in this line of work?”
“Yes.”
“They’ve been hiding so well; we’ve even searched several mountains, haven’t we?”
“Yes. We’re not done with Cheng’an Mountain yet.”
Yi Shi acted as the perfect sidekick, completely backing up Yu Xue. The more Zhao Chenghu listened, the prouder he became, internally mocking the police’s incompetence. He lifted his head, feeling smug: “Hmph, finally realizing it, huh? You so-called people’s servants are just a bunch of useless drunks! If I hadn’t slipped up this time and accidentally exposed my whereabouts, would you even be interrogating me now? If it weren’t—”
His mocking abruptly stopped, his face going from red to white, then from white to blue. Yu Xue maintained his relaxed smile, though the meaning behind it was deep: “What, finally figured it out?”
Zhao Chenghu opened his mouth, his breathing growing heavier, and suddenly shouted, “Impossible!”
“Ah, still deceiving yourself, I see. After so many days on the run, you must know how much effort we’ve spent trying to catch you guys, working almost non-stop. We chased you from Nanyi to Haijing, crossing several provinces and countless cities. Not only did we fail to catch you, but four hostages died as well. We took a lot of heat from our superiors.” Yu Xue sighed, as if chatting casually. “This is the first time we’ve encountered such skilled criminals; this case will probably go down in history after it’s closed.”
The more Yu Xue spoke, the worse Zhao Chenghu’s face looked, and sweat began to bead on his forehead. It was true. They had fled with hostages, both old and young, and managed to escape into the mountains unharmed. Pang Daozi often bragged while drinking, mocking the police for their incompetence, even claiming that after settling in Southeast Asia, the cops would still be running around in circles back home.
Because of this underestimation of the police and overconfidence in themselves, when Pang Daozi arranged for someone to go back and check on his mother, Zhao Chenghu volunteered, confidently saying he could handle this small task without any problems. After all, if they couldn’t catch a whole group with women and children, how could they catch him alone?
But man proposes, and God disposes. He hadn’t expected so many cops to be guarding Pang Daozi’s house, and with so many against him, it was like delivering himself to them.
These past few days, Zhao Chenghu had been regretting his carelessness. But upon closer analysis, was it really just carelessness?
Before leaving, Pang Daozi told him that he had inquired and found out that the police had only sent two plainclothes officers to his house. He even suggested finding a villager to distract them, then going in to check on his mother, deliver a message, and pay respects. After arriving in Nanyi, Zhao Chenghu also asked the villagers about it, and during the day confirmed that only two officers were staking out the place. But who would have thought that by night, there would be two teams, and they even left one specifically waiting for him? It was clear they were well-prepared. Just as Yu Xue said, if he hadn’t exposed himself, the police wouldn’t have caught them.
“Someone called in with a tip that day…”
Zhao Chenghu interrupted him urgently, as if defending himself or trying to convince himself: “It must have been one of your informants or a concerned citizen!”
Yu Xue ignored him and continued, “…the tip said, ‘Zhao Chenghu is going to visit Pang Daozi’s mother, and they’ll arrange for a decoy to distract you.'”
Zhao Chenghu’s mind buzzed, and he unexpectedly calmed down, though his rebuttal was much weaker, “Don’t treat me like an idiot. If you’ve got proof, show it.”
He didn’t believe that Pang Daozi would betray him.
“Ah, I just remembered something,” Yu Xue said, taking out his phone and opening the photo album before handing it to Zhao Chenghu. “You should recognize this person, right?”
Zhao Chenghu looked closely and saw that the person in the photo was none other than Lin Erde, a subordinate of Tu Laogui.
“Guess how we caught him?”
Zhao Chenghu’s breathing became heavier, and once the seed of doubt is planted, it’s only a matter of time before it sprouts.
Yu Xue adjusted his glasses and smiled slightly, “When they planned to kill the fifth hostage, someone also contacted us with the time and place, all very clearly detailed.”
After saying this, he didn’t bother to observe Zhao Chenghu’s reaction. Instead, he turned to Yi Shi and said, “No more questioning, I’m tired. Have him taken back.”
Yi Shi nodded, left the room, and called for someone to take Zhao Chenghu back to his cell. Zhao Chenghu lowered his head and remained silent as Yu Xue leisurely packed up his things. Suddenly, Zhao Chenghu asked, “Did you find Pang Daozi and Tu Laogui?”
“That’s a funny question. If we found them, they’d be here, and we wouldn’t be asking you about the kidnapping.”
Zhao Chenghu remained silent, his mind in turmoil, while Yu Xue’s two sighs echoed faintly in the background.
Pitiful, truly pitiful.
