Gao Xiaofei, armed with the latest information, rushed back to the Municipal Bureau with Ping An and Cheng Jian.
Given the extreme importance of the intelligence discovered and its unverified nature, the case analysis meeting for this series of cases was held in Xiang Wanfeng's office.
"This is the current situation. The case finally has some semblance of a clue!" Xiang Wanfeng said after hearing everyone's report. "If that's the case, the suspect who murdered Wang Huan'an and the suspect who murdered the doctor are very likely to be Liao Yuan. Could it be a crime of passion?"
"According to Liao Yuanchao's confession, Liao Yuan should know about the doctor's existence, and Wang Huan'an was responsible for providing the doctor with accommodation, so he likely knew the doctor's purpose too," Gao Xiaofei said. "Assuming Liao Yuan is the culprit, why would she kill Wang Huan'an? A crime of passion? Because Wang Huan'an was unfaithful? Or?"
"I have a bold guess!" Ping An, who had been silent, lit a cigarette and said, "Based on my interactions with Liao Yuan, I found her to be a capable woman! Murder isn't something anyone can do casually, but she has the guts! As Xiao Fei just said, Liao Yuan must know her father's plan to have her undergo a sex change operation. Wang Huan'an probably also hoped Liao Yuan would become a real man and stay with him. But what if Liao Yuan refused? What if Wang Huan'an pressured her too hard? Or perhaps, Wang Huan'an, driven by jealousy, found some leverage over Liao Yuan and threatened her. Would Liao Yuan then go all out, kill the doctor first, and then Wang Huan'an? Of course, I haven't figured out the method yet, but do you remember? Wang Huan'an was meticulously dressed before she died..."
"Hmm! It's not complete nonsense. Ping An makes a good point. Then why would Liao Yuan refuse the surgery?" Xiang Wanfeng asked.
"This morning, Yang Jie came to me and said he wanted to confront Liao Yuanchao. Liao Yuan also holds a significant number of shares. If Liao Yuan wanted to help Yang Jie, would that make sense? As for the surgery, I don't think Liao Yuan would accept it," Ping An said. "In fact, I still find this so-called sex change surgery a bit far-fetched! Don't you guys think it's far-fetched?"
"We must consider every possibility. At the very least, Liao Yuanchao has given us a direction to pursue. He said it in front of two investigating officers, knowing the responsibility he should bear," Xiang Wanfeng said. "Isn't there also Chang Suo? If that video is reliable, then Chang Suo is also involved in the case. But what role does he play in this case?"
"Director Xiang, look, the current chain of evidence allows us to interrogate Chang Suo! As for Liao Yuan, should we also take some measures?" Qiao Yidan, who had been silent, asked.
"What are everyone's opinions?" Xiang Wanfeng did not make a decision.
"On the way to the bureau, Cheng Team and I had a preliminary idea, which is to temporarily hold our horses and secretly increase surveillance on Liao Yuan and her husband, and Chang Suo. At a critical moment, we need to employ technical means," Gao Xiaofei said seriously, glancing at Ping An.
"I agree with Xiao Fei's approach. Although the case has a breakthrough, there are still many puzzles to solve. I need a little more time to prove three things!" Ping An also expressed his agreement after some thought. "Once I prove these three things, I will definitely uncover the hidden secret."
"Oh, you're quite active. I thought you'd forgotten everything because you're dating recently!" Xiang Wanfeng gave Qiao Yidan a teasing glance. Seeing that she didn't respond, he deliberately teased Ping An again.
"Director Xiang, honestly, this case is more complicated than what we currently know. The case seems to have a clue, but in reality, it's a new beginning. I suggest you assign more reliable personnel to keep an eye on Chang Suo and Liao Yuan. As for the previous case in the wind power community, I don't recommend closing it. Although Shui Gang has been apprehended, there are still some things I haven't figured out behind the scenes," Ping An said.
"The time given by the city for solving the case is running out. If you have any questions or suspicions, please voice them immediately. It's better to brainstorm together, isn't it?" Xiang Wanfeng asked.
"Yes, I suggest we control Chang Suo first and make him explain the purpose of flying the drone and the video data inside the giant drone," Qiao Yidan said, word by word.
"Impossible. Chang Suo's role in this case is definitely not simple. If we control him now, should we restrain him according to public security regulations? I think it's better to play the long game and see what his intentions are," Ping An said.
"Then let's do this. Xiao Fei, you arrange for people to keep an eye on Liao Yuan and her husband, and ensure Jiaozi's protection. No matter what, Jiaozi must not be harmed again. Director Qiao, your branch should monitor Chang Suo. Oh, at a critical moment, you can request support from the sub-bureau in Chang Suo's area of activity. In addition, your bureau must continue to monitor the wind power community and find all clues related to the murders of Wang Huan'an and Fang Xin. Re-interrogate that girl Shui Gang and ask why Shui Gang risked his life to protect the video of Fang Xin's murder, and what connection it has with Liao Yuan and her... sex change operation," Xiang Wanfeng issued the latest orders. "Xiao Fei, you bring Yang Jie and Zhan Dou in for questioning later—Ping An can be present to observe and see what this group is up to! Alright, for now, that's all. Everyone, pay attention to safety, social impact, maintain high cooperation, and ensure seamless information sharing. Understood, Ping An!" httpδ:/m.kuAisugg.nět
"Hehe, this case is getting more and more interesting. Director Xiang, guess what? Yang Jie really ousted his father-in-law!" Ping An seemed to ignore Xiang Wanfeng's arrangements, his eyes fixed on his phone.
"What? Ousted whom?" Xiang Wanfeng asked, frowning.
"Internal news. Ten minutes ago, at the shareholders' meeting of Wind Power Group, shareholders holding half of the shares, organized by Yang Jie, launched a 'coup' and stripped Liao Yuanchao of his chairman position. Oh, Liao Yuan indeed voted for her husband. Now Liao Yuanchao has no real power," Ping An said without looking up. "Now that Liao Yuan is the chairman, the Wind Power Company has undergone a major change!"
"Since she holds the reins, what about Jiaozi's shares?" Xiang Wanfeng said. "You're right. Jiaozi's role in this case is definitely more than just an ordinary person holding shares. Liao Yuan and her husband wouldn't fall out over a few shares."
"Director Xiang, there's an old saying—it takes two to clap a hand. We've seen the changes in Liao Yuan and her husband towards Jiaozi, and the tragic situation Jiaozi is in after being abandoned, but no one has truly understood what Jiaozi thinks," Ping An said, frowning. "Jiaozi is smarter than we imagine. I always feel that my seemingly smart but actually foolish disciple might have been used by her!"
"Why would you think that?" Gao Xiaofei was a bit agitated. Ping An's deductions were too unbelievable.
"Why did I get involved? It was because of Su Tang. Why did Su Tang get involved? It was because of Jiaozi!" Ping An said boldly. "I just checked the internal news and found that Jiaozi's shares have almost no impact on Wind Power Group. So why has she caused so much trouble? Aren't you curious? Starting from the peeping case, Jiaozi has appeared in every case. Perhaps, perhaps she didn't do it intentionally. Oh no, maybe she doesn't have the ability to do it intentionally, but behind it, there must be an invisible black hand pushing all this!"
Just from the "overthrow" of Wind Power Group, and linking it to Jiaozi's "existence," Ping An's analysis of the situation made everyone present break out in a cold sweat.
"What if Jiaozi is the origin of this series of cases? Where did Jiaozi come from?" Ping An seemed to be narrating, and also talking to himself. He suddenly recalled the scene when he was reviewing Jiaozi's birth and adoption information.
"I said earlier that I need to prove three things. The first one, I can tell you, is to prove Jiaozi's identity, or rather, her origin, and its connection to all the cases," Ping An said. "Therefore, Director Xiang, Director Qiao, what I do next might not be related to the case. You should investigate as usual, collect evidence as usual, and question as usual. Don't mind me. I seem to have found a thread in this case. Once I unravel the whole skein, I will know who is holding it."
The case analysis meeting ended in silence. The moment Gao Xiaofei left the office, he contacted Yang Jie, preparing to formally question him. Ping An, on the other hand, quietly made a phone call and whispered to someone from a distance.
"Ping An, how does your brain work? What you just said, did you really deduce it yourself? Don't tell me you just made it up to get the job done?" In Gao Xiaofei's office, Gao Xiaofei said with a sigh, looking at Ping An, who was sitting on the sofa with his eyes closed, recuperating.
"Regarding Jiaozi, I did hide some things," Ping An suddenly opened his eyes and looked at Gao Xiaofei with a sly expression.
"Tell me, I love listening to your nonsense. I was also thinking, you wouldn't have suddenly thought of Jiaozi just because of the change in Wind Power Company, would you?" Gao Xiaofei became interested.
"Alright, I'll tell you, but this is just my deduction, there's no actual evidence." Ping An looked around, saw that Cheng Jian had left, and only the two of them were in the office. He then sat up straight, preparing to say something "fantastic."
"Do you remember that the most crucial part of the information Director Qiao investigated about Jiaozi was torn out?" Ping An said. "Later, I went to the Civil Affairs Bureau again and retrieved that document. I found that the torn parts were jagged, and some jagged small pages were folded. If they were torn out a long time ago, the folded pages should not have elasticity to restore their shape. However, those pages that were torn open showed obvious signs of restoration. This indicates that those pages were torn off recently."
"Some of our actions during this period have caused trouble for the police. Today, our objective has been achieved, so we have come to explain some things," Yang Jie said directly.
"Mr. Yang is very secretive. How could I not have thought that you had such a grand plan?" Ping An said with a smile.
"We never thought of opposing the police. Today, we came with sincerity," Zhan Dou said, glancing at Ping An. "Aren't you always curious why I got involved in this mess? The opportunity has arrived. Do you want to hear it?"
"I am eager to hear more!" Ping An sat up straight, preparing to hear what Yang Jie and the others had to say.
"First, what I'm about to say only pertains to the matters for which I am responsible, such as using public opinion to attack Wind Power Company. The other matters that occurred within Wind Power Company and the Wind Power Community are not related to what I am about to explain today," Yang Jie said seriously. "Secondly, Mr. Zhan Dou, at my instruction, wrote some articles, some of which were inconsistent with the facts and affected the police's investigation. After the fact, we will unconditionally accept the police's accountability and legal sanctions. Finally, Ms. Peng You is an international commercial investigator we invited from Japan, and her purpose was also to remove Liao Yuanchao."
The lawyer-like statement indicated that they had prepared before coming. Ping An thought.
"Three years ago, a technology I developed was applied to wind power equipment. This technology involves national energy secrets, so I cannot elaborate," Yang Jie cleared his throat and began to tell his story.
It turned out that Yang Jie, a "tech geek," had never been interested in the workplace. He married Liao Yuan only to gain Liao Yuanchao's support. In fact, Yang Jie was a very talented scientist. Three years ago, he developed a new technology that could enable wind power equipment to output electricity more stably. Compared to countries like the Netherlands and France, Yang Jie's technology could allow China's wind power technology to completely surpass other countries and become a global leader.
With anticipation for the future, Yang Jie reported his achievements to Liao Yuanchao and requested a large sum of money for in-depth experiments. However, Liao Yuanchao stated that the company had been losing money for years and had no funds for his experiments. Moreover, he wanted to sell this technology to another company. For Yang Jie, this technology was the culmination of his life's work, and he couldn't bear to see his research results sold abroad by his "father-in-law." Later, his efforts and unwillingness revealed the truth from Liao Yuan. It turned out that the wind power company was not short of money at the time and was in heated discussions with the internationally renowned investment company An Shi Group. If everything went smoothly, An Shi would invest nearly ten billion US dollars in the next five years.
Since the company wasn't short of money, why was his "father-in-law" unwilling to let the company develop healthily? After Yang Jie investigated privately, he discovered that his "father-in-law" had no intention of developing the company at all. For the past decade, the companies under Liao Yuanchao's management had been stagnant. A large portion of the company's profits were used to purchase oil fields and other resources abroad, and the income from these resources naturally became Liao Yuanchao's "private funds."
"Besides oil fields, Liao Yuanchao was also secretly engaged in biological research, spending a huge sum of money to build a biological research laboratory and develop some kind of medicine. But after several years, that biological project has been losing money," Yang Jie said. Liao Yuanchao's "unprofessionalism" affected the company's development and even led to the sale of important technologies to foreign countries. He naturally had to stop such behavior.
Later, Yang Jie persuaded Liao Yuan, and the couple quietly purchased shares from retail investors and tried their best to persuade other shareholders. After all preparations were made, they invited Zhan Dou to help, suppress Liao Yuanchao through public opinion, and invited international commercial investigator Peng You to conduct a due diligence investigation on Liao Yuanchao from a professional perspective. Finally, at today's shareholders' meeting, Yang Jie and his wife, who held the majority of the shares, successfully removed Liao Yuanchao, the "local emperor," with the "support" of irrefutable investigation reports.
"To be honest, we weren't very confident at first. It wasn't until Jiaozi had an accident that Liao Yuanchao transferred some of his shares to Jiaozi. Since my wife and I are Jiaozi's legal guardians, we naturally represented Jiaozi's interests, which finally allowed us to gather enough shares to force him out," Yang Jie said. "We are here today to clarify one thing: my wife and I do have intentions regarding Jiaozi's shares, but not to the extent of wanting to kill her. Although she is adopted, we raised her ourselves, so please solve the case as soon as possible and clear my wife and me."
"It can't be that coincidental!" Ping An suddenly interjected. "Liao Yuanchao would just give shares to Jiaozi? And then drones, hauntings, isn't someone pushing the tide behind all this?"
Indeed, Ping An's arrow hit the bullseye! The key reason for the successful "coup" by Yang Jie and his wife was that Liao Yuanchao had given his shares to Jiaozi. Although Yang Jie and his wife didn't care about the money, they used these shares at a critical moment to achieve their goal. If all this happened naturally, it would be hard to justify.
"Mr. Ping An, these are commercial secrets," Zhan Dou said, speaking on behalf of Yang Jie. "In fact, we already gave you the answer this morning. The person in blue clothing, you should be familiar with him. And we have no cooperation between us, but he really helped us a lot with his actions."
"Ping An, because you helped Liao Yuan and Jiaozi, we shared what should have been a commercial secret with you. This is a token of our gratitude and our attitude. We want to develop, but we will abide by the law first," Yang Jie said. "I heard that there are new developments in the wind power community case. I hope the police can conclude the case as soon as possible. Also, Jiaozi's matter will come to an end. Afterward, my wife and I will tell her the actual situation. Our family will return to how it was before, including Liao Yuanchao. I will do my best to take care of my father-in-law and let him live out the rest of his days peacefully."
"The grand finale! So heartwarming! The evil father-in-law is ousted, you and your wife endured hardships, your family finally reunites, tsk tsk, if this were a TV drama, it would be great. But the deceased Wang Huan'an wouldn't agree, the doctor who was going to perform the sex change surgery on your wife wouldn't agree, and I, a reporter tricked into being used by you, wouldn't agree!" Ping An said with some anger.
"It's happened, and we've explained everything we could. You even know who the person in blue is. It's best to let things unfold as they should. Shui Gang killed the peeper for personal reasons. Whether the deaths of Wang Huan'an and that doctor are related to our Wind Power Company is your job as police to investigate," Yang Jie, who usually appeared gentle, showed great competence this time.
"Whatever happens, happens! Is that what you mean!" Ping An walked up to Yang Jie and said, "You've covered your tracks well. With a 'coup' drama like this, you've patched up several loopholes and kept your family away from trouble. But I'm telling you, I'm watching you. No matter what your intentions are, I will find out."
"We have other matters to attend to. If there are no further questions, we will leave now," Yang Jie said, seemingly unfazed by Ping An's persistence, and left the office with Zhan Dou and others.
"We are not bad people, really." Peng You looked into Ping An's eyes and said sincerely before leaving.
"I hope so." Ping An avoided Peng You's gaze and looked at the blue sky outside the window.