A week after the shooting, Ping An and Mei Qian are undergoing horrific treatment in the hospital. Lin Dang, a newly hired intern reporter, independently completes a task for the social news section under the technical guidance of Fei Keqing. Under An Jing's persuasion, Lin Dang cannot resist the allure of a hot bath and finally agrees to stay at Ping An's home, moving into an empty room opposite An Jing's bedroom on the second floor.
During this hospitalization period, with the appearance of the killer and Liu Juan's tip-off, the case has made phased progress. Subsequently, Liu Juan was summoned according to law, and under the efforts of the police, she confessed to Chen Nairong's criminal activities. Unfortunately, just as Gao Xiaofei personally led the team to prepare for Chen Nairong's arrest, he, having somehow sensed something was amiss, had already quietly absconded.
According to Liu Juan's confession, Chen Nairong illegally accepted bribes and illegally operated "black taxis" when he was still a police officer. After resigning, he established a company and engaged in drug trafficking.
"An unexpected windfall!" During the search of Chen Nairong's various residences, a large amount of drugs was found, which was unexpected for Gao Xiaofei. The murder case also inadvertently solved a drug trafficking case.
According to further police investigation, several of Chen Nairong's subordinates confessed that Chen Nairong had, through his subordinate Wu An, recruited taxi driver Niu Jian to run long-distance business. Niu Jian, upon learning of Chen Nairong's drug trafficking background, planned to enlist Wu An to report Chen Nairong to Ping An, but was betrayed by Wu An. Chen Nairong hired a killer from Northeast China to eliminate Niu Jian and Wu An successively, leading to the headless body case and the Jianzi Park explosion case. Finally, to silence Ping An, with the thought of "ending it all," Chen Nairong sent a killer to assassinate Ping An, but the killer was shot dead.
During the interrogation, Liu Juan wept, stating that she was forced to be Chen Nairong's secretary and lover because Chen Nairong had nude photos of her and she owed him money, thus forcing her down a wrong path. However, Liu Juan said that she had never done anything harmful and wanted to get rid of Chen Nairong and start anew...
"Ping An, look, this is the high-broth meatballs An Jing made, your favorite. Here, one bowl for you, and one for Mei Qian." In the ward, Gao Xiaofei took some time to visit the two and shared the important developments of the case.
"Liu Juan originally had a husband who was an honest small store owner. His wife was stolen, and he didn't dare to report it," Gao Xiaofei sighed.
"What about Su Xia?" Ping An asked.
"This kid is the most wronged! Because he had a drink with Chen Nairong, he spilled the case details to him," Gao Xiaofei said. "He's probably in trouble, at least he'll be demoted."
"What about the landmine that killed Wu An? Has the murder method been confirmed?" Ping An continued to ask.
"No," Gao Xiaofei said. "Afterwards, we investigated the killer and found that his name was Hu Jianzhi, from Heilongjiang. He was a soldier but was sent to a military court for disobeying orders. After three years in prison, he immigrated to Russia. Military reports indicate he appeared in Chechnya as a mercenary. Three years ago, he returned to China and was transient. There were several murder cases linked to him, but the police never had sufficient evidence."
"Could he make landmines?" Ping An asked.
"He was a mercenary and stayed in places like Chechnya. What do you think?" Gao Xiaofei replied.
"Then it's almost certain, I just can't figure out how Wu An was blown up, and how the killer executed his method," Ping An stroked his unshaven chin.
"What about that Chen Nairong?" Mei Qian, lying on another bed, suddenly interjected.
"He's already on the wanted list. That kid is quite fast, probably not in this city anymore," Gao Xiaofei said. "This past week, with Liu Juan's cooperation, we've been pursuing Chen Nairong. We almost caught him several times, but someone always rescued him. Oh, the man in black who was watching you at the warehouse early on, nicknamed Hei Pi, whose real name is Liu Yue, was shot dead by my special police the day before yesterday for resisting with a gun."
"That Liu Juan is quite forthcoming with information!" Ping An said.
"She's also a pitiable person. We'll have a final questioning with her this afternoon. If there are no special circumstances, we'll temporarily let her go," Gao Xiaofei said.
"Hey, Xiaofei, think of a way, I want to participate," Ping An suddenly requested.
"That's not good! Look, look, Mei Qian heard it!" Gao Xiaofei pointed to Mei Qian and said.
"It's fine, ignore him. My sister is coming to stay with me this afternoon, that kid can't wait for me to leave," Ping An said, pulling aside the curtain between the two beds. He indeed saw Mei Qian, who was pretending to sleep, snoring loudly and unconvincingly.
In the interrogation room of the Municipal Bureau's Criminal Investigation Detachment, Liu Juan, dressed in a tracksuit and with a bare face, awaited the police's final questioning.
The interrogation room door opened, and Gao Xiaofei entered with Ping An. Gao Xiaofei actually had nothing more to ask, as Liu Juan had been completely forthcoming and cooperative. Previous interrogations had already revealed everything about Chen Nairong. If it weren't for Ping An's insistence on coming, he would have wanted to let her go directly.
Sitting in a chair, Ping An, wearing a mask, looked at Liu Juan with a heavy heart. A week ago, they were embracing and calling each other brother. Now, the beauty remained, but the person was different.
"I heard it was you who tipped us off, which allowed the police to save me in time," Ping An said.
"You, you are Ping An?" As soon as the man in the mask spoke, Liu Juan guessed who it was.
"I'm here today primarily to express my gratitude. Thank you for saving my life!" Ping An suddenly stood up and bowed slightly to Liu Juan.
"There's no need for that!" Liu Juan quickly stood up and stopped Ping An.
"I will never forget this life-saving grace!" Ping An said after sitting down again. "Besides thanks, I still want to ask you a few questions."
"Please ask," Liu Juan said.
"How did you know Wang Kaixuan's car was a police car? I heard that after you reported it that day, a car came to pick you up, and you left in that car, right? Who was driving?"
"Wasn't there a police hat placed under the windshield of that car?" Liu Juan thought for a moment and replied, "The person who picked me up was a ride-hailing driver. I didn't recognize him, but you can check with my phone."
Ping An turned his head and glanced at Gao Xiaofei. Gao Xiaofei subtly nodded without leaving a trace.
"I'm a good judge of character. Do you know how deep my friendship with Chen Nairong is?" Ping An said. "This time, if he hadn't lost his temper and wanted me gone, I'm 80% sure I could have persuaded him to surrender."
"I understand Chen Nairong. He's righteous and generous, values friendship and loyalty, never opposes the weak, and certainly wouldn't make things difficult for women! What do you say, Liu Juan?" Ping An said.
"After I submitted to him, he indeed didn't make things difficult for me. I know in my heart that he wants to marry me," Liu Juan said. "But I can't be with a murderer."
"Whether it was killing Niu Jian, killing Wu An, or trying to kill me, did you witness it firsthand, or hear it directly?" Ping An continued to ask.
"He had a subordinate named Hei Pi who would call him after finishing a job. Sometimes I sat next to him and could hear most of it," Liu Juan said.
"Niu Jian and Wu An were killed, why didn't you report it? Why me, and why save me?" Ping An's questioning went beyond the scope of the interrogation, and Gao Xiaofei looked at Ping An with some urgency – are you investigating a corrupt company? Asking such tricky questions.
"Niu Jian and Wu An were accomplices with Chen Nairong, deserving of their punishment. You are a good person, you shouldn't die," Liu Juan said.
"What specific work did Niu Jian do for Chen Nairong, and why did he want to report Chen Nairong?" Ping An continued to ask.
"I really don't know about that," Liu Juan shook her head.
"What about your legal husband now?" Ping An suddenly asked.
"Wuwu..." This time, Liu Juan didn't speak but covered her face and cried.
"Ping An, I think that's about enough. Let's go," Gao Xiaofei said, feeling a little embarrassed and preparing to pull Ping An away.
"Liu Juan! One last question!" Ping An, who had stood up to leave, suddenly turned around and asked loudly, "To turn against Chen Nairong, was it your husband who made you do it?"
"......" Liu Juan was startled by Ping An's sudden question. Her tear-filled eyes suddenly widened, and Ping An saw this.
"Live a good life. Both you and your husband shouldn't do anything foolish," Ping An said, looking down at Liu Juan from the doorway. "Chen Nairong's assets are all ill-gotten gains. Coveting them will cost you your life."
After saying his last sentence, Ping An gracefully left the interrogation room. Gao Xiaofei, who suddenly realized something, quickly followed him out.
Liu Juan sat on the stool, her gaze sharp, showing no trace of tears.
After leaving the interrogation room, Ping An went straight to Yan Qing's office.
"Director Yan isn't here. Tell me what's on your mind!" Gao Xiaofei said.
"Where is Su Xia now?" Ping An suddenly asked.
"You want to see him?" Gao Xiaofei said with some surprise.
"Immediately!" Ping An said sternly.
On a road by the river in Hechuan City, an inconspicuous residential complex appeared before Ping An.
"Hello, sir. Parking is prohibited in our complex..." The security guard politely stopped them outside the complex gate.
"Police business!" Gao Xiaofei showed his police ID.
"I'm sorry, please inform the police station first. Too many police officers have been coming here for 'business' lately. A police captain renting in Building 17 comes for 'business' almost every day..." The security guard said with a forced smile.
"Reporter! A citizen reported that your property management beat someone..." As soon as Ping An presented his reporter's ID, before he could finish speaking—
"Open the door! Open it quickly! Hurry up!" The security guard solicitously greeted them.
The door opened, and the security guard stood at the entrance in a humble posture.
"You guys are really something!" Gao Xiaofei cursed.
The car drove into the complex and stopped in front of a building.
"May I know who this reporter is?" The security guard, who had run all the way behind the car, respectfully opened the car door for Ping An.
"Oh, the person who called to report is Su Xia. I'm going to his house to check on the situation. You guys go ahead," Ping An said, pointing at Gao Xiaofei. "This is a real police officer. He's here to see if Su Xia was beaten to death by your property management."
"Ah!" Hearing Ping An's words, the security guard was dumbfounded. "Su Xia? Isn't that Director Su? Who in this complex dares to argue with Director Su?"
"Knock, knock, knock!" Ping An knocked on Su Xia's door.
The door opened, and a weary-looking Su Xia appeared before Ping An and Gao Xiaofei.
"Old Su, you're being unfair. I've been in the hospital for a week, and you didn't even come to see me," Ping An looked at Su Xia and found him frozen in place, so he made a joke.
"My brother Ping An!" Su Xia, having recovered, hugged Ping An and said word by word, with a crying voice, "Brother, I'm so wronged!"
"Let go! Let go! It hurts! It hurts!" Ping An, whose wound was touched by Su Xia, almost fainted.
Su Xia's home was actually very ordinary, a three-bedroom, one-living room apartment. Su Xia, his wife, and their 14-year-old daughter Su Tang, who was in the second year of junior high, lived there. The furnishings were ordinary, with no luxury items.
"Brother Ping An is here!" Su Xia's wife, who had been unable to work due to health reasons, had opened a cake shop named "Su Tang's Shop" a few years ago with Ping An's help. Currently, with Su Xia suspended, the mortgage and car loan all fell on Su Xia's wife.
"Damn Chen Nairong! I wish I could crush him to death now!" Su Xia punched the coffee table.
"Alright, let me give you a heads-up. Your situation isn't too serious. You'll definitely get a party warning, but your rank will be preserved. However, you'll be assigned to traffic police," Since they were brothers who had solved major cases together, Gao Xiaofei quickly told Su Xia the news he had managed to find out, seeing how dejected Su Xia was.
"Really? I can still wear this uniform?" Su Xia said excitedly.
"It's highly likely. I heard from Director Yan that the Municipal Bureau and the Disciplinary Inspection Department have approved it, and the District Committee and District Government are prepared to handle it lightly. You've also received a third-class merit and haven't engaged in corruption or bribery," Gao Xiaofei said. "This ordeal might be good too. After leaving the dangerous life of criminal investigation, your wife won't have to worry anymore."
"Thank the organization! Thank the Party!" Su Xia choked up, covering his plump face.
At this moment, a bedroom door in the house suddenly opened, and a young girl with long braids walked out.
"Tang Tang, come and greet them!" Su Xia pulled the girl to his side and introduced her, "This is my daughter, Su Tang!"
The girl before them inherited her father's handsome features. When her father asked her to greet them, she nodded in acknowledgement, and then her large eyes stared fixedly at Ping An.
"Let's go, this isn't the place to talk! I've almost eaten myself sick in the hospital these past few days. My treat, shall we go to our usual spot?" Ping An, probably feeling uneasy under the gaze of the child, knew that home wasn't the place to discuss matters and, as it was dinnertime, wanted to go out for a treat.
"How can I do that? I'll treat!" Su Xia said sheepishly.
"Forget it!" Ping An pulled Su Xia along, smiling.
"Dad! At this juncture, it's still best for you not to wander around!" The usually silent young girl suddenly said, sounding mature.
"You don't need to worry about it!" Su Xia waved at his daughter and then said smilingly to Ping An and Gao Xiaofei, "You two wait a moment, I'll go make some medicine for your sister-in-law."
Su Xia went into the kitchen, leaving only Ping An and Gao Xiaofei in the living room. The two brothers were about to discuss where to have a good time, but Su Xia's daughter stared at Ping An with an expression that said, "You are bad people."
"You're called Su Tang?" Ping An rarely interacted with children, and now he felt awkward, so he forced himself to make conversation.
"You are Ping An?" Su Tang asked directly.
"Yes, I'm Ping An. I'm not a police officer, I'm a reporter," Ping An said, feigning familiarity.
"My dad said you're very good at solving cases?" Su Tang asked coldly.
"He's a great detective, haha, I've helped your dad catch several bad guys before!" The little girl's words were quite harsh. Gao Xiaofei saw the veins on Ping An's forehead bulge and quickly intervened.
"Oh." The young girl nodded thoughtfully.
Gao Xiaofei and Ping An exchanged glances, signaling to end the conversation.
"It's rare to see a detective who puts himself in the hospital and is always led around by bad guys," Ping An thought the awkward conversation was over, but Su Tang added another sentence.
"A detective isn't a prophet, so of course, they have to take it slow. When can we get ahead of the bad guys?" The young girl finally looked up from her head, where she had been looking down, and slowly said, "Then won't we always be led around by the bad guys? When can we get ahead of the bad guys?"
A shocking statement!
If earlier, Ping An thought the girl was dissatisfied with him because he was the reason for this case, which led to his father losing his job. But now, he understood that the girl was just discussing case-solving with him!
"Do you understand the 'precedent principle'?" Ping An asked in surprise.
The young girl didn't speak this time because she smelled medicine. She clapped her hands and went into the kitchen. After a while, she came out with a bowl of medicine and went into the bedroom.
"Let's go, brothers!" Su Xia came out of the kitchen with a silly grin.
Downstairs in the complex, the property manager and the security captain stood by Gao Xiaofei's police car, murmuring. Seeing Ping An and his group come out, they quickly walked over.
"Oh, it's Reporter Ping An! My, my, I've heard so much about you!" Ping An looked at the property manager and felt helpless about the joke he had made earlier. He was about to brush it off and leave.
"Isn't this Director Su? He doesn't look like someone who's been beaten," the property manager stopped Ping An and his group. "Reporter Ping An must have been mistaken. It wasn't our property management or security who beat Su Xia. If someone was beaten, it must have been outsiders. We have evidence!"
"When was I beaten? Explain yourselves!" Su Xia said, looking puzzled.
"What? There's evidence? What evidence?" What was originally a joke, Ping An, who was about to get into the car and leave quickly, closed the car door upon hearing the property manager's words and wanted to ask in detail.
"Actually, this isn't a big deal. At first, we thought someone was following Director Su, someone who wanted to give Director Su a gift," the property manager said nervously when he saw Ping An becoming serious.
Walking into the complex's security room, the property manager played the surveillance video for Ping An and others. The video showed September 15th at 10:06 PM in the underground parking lot. A car drove in, and a drunken Su Xia got out of the back seat, patted the roof, signaling the car to leave, and then stumbled towards the elevator. However, the car that brought him didn't leave immediately. After a few minutes, the driver, wearing a baseball cap, got out of the driver's seat, holding a cylindrical object, and quickly walked forward.
"This is the video from camera number 2. Now I'll switch to another video, please watch." The property manager clicked on another camera's video playback. Su Xia, who was waiting for the elevator at the elevator entrance, was leaning against the elevator door, dozing off. The driver suddenly appeared and cautiously walked towards Su Xia. Just then, a car drove in from another direction, casting a strong light. Su Xia turned his head to avoid the glare, and at that moment, the driver also turned around and quietly left.
"Was this driver trying to hit me?" Su Xia watched himself on the video, as if it were yesterday, and broke out in a cold sweat.
"We guessed that perhaps the driver wanted to give Director Su something..." the property manager said. Since nothing happened, this video was not shown to Su Xia – it would be awkward if he was asked about it. It wasn't until today, when Ping An accidentally said Su Xia had been beaten, that the property management remembered this video and brought it out to clear themselves first.
"Please transfer this video to Officer Gao!" Ping An said to Gao Xiaofei. "This is not a trivial matter. Let's take it back and discuss it."
"Manager, your awareness is quite good. Don't worry, we came for this matter today. Please don't say anything rash," Ping An said, holding the property manager's hand.
"No problem, no problem!" the property manager replied.
"Ping An, I can explain this matter!" Su Xia suddenly remembered something and quickly said to Ping An.
"Don't talk yet, let's go!" Ping An pulled Su Xia into Gao Xiaofei's car.
"Liu Juan, are you familiar with her?" Ping An suddenly asked in the car.
"Chen Nairong's mistress! I'm very familiar with her!" Su Xia said. "When we were investigating Niu Jian's case before, this woman's husband was investigated by us."
"Oh! Then why didn't you report it?" Ping An and Gao Xiaofei asked in unison.
"His alibi was solid!" Su Xia said nonchalantly.
"Old Su! Do you want to redeem yourself?" After exchanging a look, Ping An said with a lecherous smile.
"Yes?" Su Xia was chilled and wrapped his clothes around himself.
"Hahahaha!" Gao Xiaofei drove towards the city center with a series of loud laughter. He didn't notice, nor did Ping An, nor did Su Xia, that after they drove out of the complex, in a beige car parked by the roadside, a refined man wearing glasses raised his fist and slammed it heavily onto the steering wheel.
"Hello! Su Xia is likely to cause some trouble," the man with glasses said as he made a phone call.
"I underestimated Ping An. This person is too formidable," said the person on the other end of the phone.
"I'll guard here tonight, waiting for Su Xia to come back, and then—" the man with glasses said.
"No, it's useless anymore," said the person on the other end of the phone.
"What value does Chen Nairong still have?" the man with glasses asked.
"He has great value. Keep a close eye on him and treat him well. After all, he's about to die at Ping An's hands!" said the person on the other end of the phone fiercely.
"Is the son of a murderer also going to be a murderer?" the man with glasses said. "What a poisonous scheme. Sometimes I really can't understand how someone as pure as you can have such a devious mind."
"That's not what you should be asking," the person on the other end of the phone ended the call.
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