I called Gao Mingqiang to ask where he was. He told me he was still visiting. I told him not to bother visiting anymore and to come back. He returned to the base camp within five minutes.
I told him about Zhang Editor's visit, and he said, "Alright then. Since there's a witness, the situation is much better. Let's go survey the chemical plant first, but do you think Zhang Editor's words are credible?"
"Probably. We'll know once we go to the chemical plant, won't we?"
We borrowed two bicycles from the village and quickly rode to the east of the village. Then, we went down a muddy road and found the factory. After entering, we took out our biological evidence collection tools and wide-spectrum light source to survey the area. I also took out a shadowless reflector and shone it on the walls, from the factory hall to each workshop. However, when we reached a certain workshop, I noticed there were many footprints, as well as drag marks, and several tire tracks.
It seemed Zhang Editor's words were true. I compared the marks on the ground and found that they must have dragged Captain Wang to the back of the workshop and then driven away on a road.
There were no surveillance cameras here either. We had to follow the tire tracks for a while, but soon the traces disappeared, and we felt lost, like on a vast grassland, not knowing what to do for a moment.
I suddenly returned to the vicinity of the last tire track. I crouched down like a frog and looked around. Gao Mingqiang had seen me do this before, so he didn't ask any questions.
I moved my nose vigorously and suddenly smelled a strange odor. I sniffed several times but couldn't identify it. Fortunately, we had brought Da Hei and Xiao Niu with us this time. I asked Gao Mingqiang to get the dogs. He immediately went to do so.
When the two police dogs arrived at the scene, I squatted down and gave them some nutritional paste. Then, I patted them on the head and encouraged them, "Captain Wang's fate depends on you!"
The police dogs barked proudly, as if they understood me. Da Hei sniffed the ground. Suddenly, Gao Mingqiang whispered in my ear, "I heard Da Hei used to be Captain Wang's police dog."
"What?"
Soon, Da Hei started running at an astonishing speed. Gao Mingqiang, Xiao Niu, and I followed behind. It was as if Da Hei had smelled its owner's scent!
It seemed this guy could really find Captain Wang!
We chased desperately behind him. Da Hei's speed kept increasing. It first passed through a forest, then led us to a wooden cabin by a lake not far away. Just as it couldn't run any further, it stood in front of the cabin door and barked loudly!
"Woof woof!"
"Da Hei is giving a warning! Captain Wang should be here!" Gao Mingqiang said excitedly. We looked at each other and simultaneously drew our guns. I kicked the door open, and indeed, Captain Wang was there. He was tied to a wooden pillar in the middle of the room, his body covered in wounds, his eyes and face swollen from beatings, and he even had a TNT bomb hanging on him!
The timer was counting down, and there were less than four minutes left!
He noticed someone entering and painfully raised his neck, revealing a pained smile!
"Captain Wang!" We rushed into the room. There was no furniture inside, just emptiness. Looking at the countdown, Gao Mingqiang and I thought about calling Xia Hou over, but there were less than three minutes left. Even if Xia Hou could fly, he wouldn't have time to get here!
"Leave quickly! Don't stay here, don't mind me!"
Captain Wang said weakly, his body trembling. We were unwilling to leave. Suddenly, for some reason, Da Hei leaped up and bit off the rope binding Captain Wang to the bomb. Then, it ran out with the TNT bomb in its mouth!
"Xiao Hei!!!" I shouted. Captain Wang also looked at the fast-running Da Hei in astonishment and muttered, "Why? Why are you saving me again? Have you forgotten...?"
Da Hei ran desperately towards the lake. I immediately rushed out. Gao Mingqiang began to try to untie Captain Wang and call an ambulance.
When I reached the lake, Da Hei, with no regard for its own life, leaped into the water. A deafening explosion, accompanied by spray from the lake, erupted. The TNT bomb exploded, and Da Hei, along with the bomb, was reduced to fragments, disappearing like the last ray of the setting sun!
When I arrived, I was wet from the spray from the lake. I knelt on the ground, looking at everything in the lake, my heart about to explode. Da Hei had sacrificed itself!
I never expected it to make such a move at the last moment. I was immensely impressed. It showed me the loyalty of a police dog dedicating its life to the cause of criminal investigation. I don't know how long I knelt by the lake before I heard the sound of an ambulance.
When Gao Mingqiang learned that Da Hei was gone, he was even more upset than I was. He wiped away tears and sobbed while looking at the lake and crying.
We returned to the base camp as if we had lost our souls. When we learned that Captain Wang had been found, everyone was temporarily relieved. However, news came from the police station that a male and a female police officer were missing.
When I received Liu Suo's call, I almost smashed my phone. How could this be? Were those guys crazy? They kept targeting police officers!
I told people to immediately come with me to Taiping Village Police Station. When we arrived, I found it to be incredibly rudimentary. Including the previous Captain Wang, there were only four police officers here. Now that two officers were missing, only Liu Suo was left in the entire police station.
Seeing us, he was extremely anxious: "Crime Punishment Team, you must help me find those two poor officers! They've only been here for a short time!"
"We will do our best, Liu Suo. You must cooperate with us now. When did they leave?"
"They left after work at 9 PM last night and haven't been heard from since. I wonder if they were also taken by someone, just like Captain Wang? Captain Wang was just found, and now two more have been taken. This is too strange! What is going on? These criminals are too audacious! If I find these people, I will make them pay!"
I understood Captain Liu's feelings very well. After all, they were his subordinates, and the criminals were targeting the police. He was in danger at any moment.
I patted his shoulder, "We will find them! Leave it all to us, Director Liu!"