Detective: From the Police Academy

Chapter 366: My life? Or my legs?
In the mountains.

Dark clouds loomed overhead, strong winds blew, and the branches of the trees shook violently.

Fang Yonghui held a branch in his hand and carefully explored the way ahead.

It was already seven o'clock in the evening and it was pitch black all around. Fortunately, he and Luo Rui carried flashlights with them, so they were able to move forward.

Two hours have passed since they entered the mountain from the southern suburbs construction site. They are now in the middle of the ridge, which is the middle area.

The terrain of Fengshui County is high in the southwest and low in the northeast. The mountain range forms an arc along the southwest direction. The mountains are not high, but they are huge, like a sleeping Buddha with a hunched back.

"Luo Da, we have to go out quickly. It's going to rain heavily soon."

"What did you say?" Luo Rui also held a broken branch in his hand, using it as a trekking pole.

At this time, because of the howling wind, the treetops made a "humming" sound, and he could not hear clearly what Fang Yonghui said.

Fang Yonghui stood there, waiting for Luo Rui to approach, and then shouted, "Luo Da, I say we have to leave quickly, it's going to rain!"

"Okay, then speed up your pace and try to walk along the flat terrain."

"Okay!" Fang Yonghui pointed the flashlight forward, took two slow steps, and walked forward side by side with Luo Rui.

"Luo Da, are you inclined to think that the five children five years ago entered this mountain?"

Luo Rui nodded: "Very likely."

"At the beginning, Director Shen and Captain Xu organized several thousand people to search the mountain. They almost searched the entire mountain, but they didn't find any clues."

"How many of these thousands of people are police officers, and how many are spontaneous search teams organized by ordinary people? If the murderer is among these people and deliberately misleads the police investigation, even the most powerful search team may not be able to find any clues."

Hearing this, Fang Yonghui immediately said, "Master Luo, do you still doubt Bai Kangyong? I heard that when the search team was formed, Bai Kangyong made a great effort, providing personnel and supplies, and even personally led people up the mountain.

Is it possible that he was the one behind this?"

Luo Rui pondered and said, "Not necessarily. There are few clues in this case, and the burial site has been destroyed. We can't simply assume that Bai Kangyong is involved in the case."

"I think it's him!" Fang Yonghui said with certainty: "He deliberately destroyed the burial site. There must be something fishy going on."

This is actually very contradictory. If Bai Kangyong is really related to this case, how can we explain that the body was dug up at his construction site? And the police were called?

If he really did it, Xiang Ke’s body would never see the light of day again.

Bai Kangyong's only connection to this case is his blood relationship with Xiang Ke.

Luo Rui also thought, could Xiang Ke’s death and the disappearance of other children be related to Bai Kangyong’s relatives?

For example, Bai Xianjin? Or Bai Kangyong's wife Zhang Ru?

The illegitimate children of wealthy people are indeed prone to hostility and persecution from their original family.

But Luo Rui immediately dispelled this doubt.

There are two reasons. First, Guo Huilan was bullied by Bai Kangyong and his son. She did not tell anyone about her pregnancy, not even her husband Xiang Jiajun. When Luo Rui and others knew about this, they had already verified it with Xiang Jiajun. He showed no signs of lying and was indeed completely unaware of the matter, so he was ruled out as a suspect.

Secondly, after that incident, Guo Huilan was no longer bullied by Bai Kangyong and his son. She was like a toy that had been played with once, so she did not tell them about Xiang Ke's existence, nor did she use this as an excuse to ask for money.

This rules out the possibility that Bai Kangyong and his son committed the crime.

Luo Rui explained his speculation to Fang Yonghui in detail. After listening, the latter frowned and said, "Luo Da, I don't think so. I think this case must be more or less related to them."

"Oh? Why do you think so?"

Because of you... Fang Yonghui almost blurted out these words. After all, Luo Rui had just arrived in Fengshui County and immediately had a conflict with Taihe Group. He also humiliated Bai Kangyong several times. His state was exactly the same as the scene when he dealt with Gu Zhiliang in Shahe County.

"Mr. Luo, you said before that we were going to fight tigers, so shouldn't we prepare for it?" Fang Yonghui asked.

"What? Are you anxious?"

"That's not the case. I just think we should notify the city and the provincial department and deploy personnel here. Although Bai Kangyong is not as vicious as Gu Zhiliang before, the water in Fengshui County is deep. If we don't have external support, I don't think we can necessarily remove Bai Kangyong, this cancer, with the ability of Director Shen and his team."

Fang Yonghui has deeper reasons that he didn't mention.

Fighting corruption is very beneficial to them. After cracking down on gangsters and eliminating evil, rewards and merits will come one after another, and they will receive a lot of rewards. This is more valuable than solving one or two murder cases.

Little did they know how Luo Rui rose to prominence? Yang Bo, a local police officer, is now more successful than the former chief of Wuyuan Police Station. Fang Yonghui, also a police academy graduate who knew nothing, followed Luo Rui for only two years, and his police rank was promoted several times, and he has won the second and third class merits.

As for Li Nong, the criminal police captain was promoted to deputy director, and Lu Kangming was transferred from the county bureau to the Linjiang City Bureau. They all relied on Luo Rui's help.

To put it bluntly, Bai Kangyong's Taihe Group is a stepping stone for promotion.

If the anti-corruption campaign is successful, Luo Rui will definitely be the captain of a city detachment by the end of this year, and Fang Yonghui and his colleagues will also enjoy great fame. I don't know how many leaders from other city and county bureaus are reviewing their files and lobbying everyone to transfer them to important positions in their own units.

Fang Yonghui firmly believed that sooner or later, there would come a day when each of the members of the criminal team would be fully meritorious after being transferred out. Not to mention becoming a criminal police captain, the position of deputy captain would be certain.

Everyone was discussing this matter in private. Tian Guanghan, Chu Yang and Su Mingyuan from the Haijiang Branch had already been properly arranged by the bureau. Once they returned, they would be high-ranking officials with generous salaries, far superior to others.

If Luo Rui could enter the Criminal Police Corps one day, Cai Xiaojing would definitely cross that threshold at the same time, not to mention Lin Chen, who was originally arranged to gild his reputation.

Fang Yonghui and others know very well how many people are trying to get into the criminal team. Wouldn't it be stupid if they didn't cling to Luo Rui at this time?

Luo Rui sighed and looked towards the situation below the mountain. It was already completely dark, with only the stars from the city dotting the earth.

"Yonghui, you have to know that Bai Kangyong and Gu Zhiliang are two different types of people. Gu Zhiliang is a drug dealer in private and is also involved with Zhang Jun. The Imperial City Headquarters has already made up its mind to destroy their gang.

Bai Kangyong must be a man of some bad character, but he hides his true colors very well. We have only been here for a few days? We haven't investigated his affairs yet, so how can we tell the city and provincial departments?
What's more, this also involves certain people in the county. Not to mention those far away, just take Shen Huaimin and Xu Chengzhi as examples. If Bai Kangyong is really brought to justice, both of them will be accused of being slack at work and incompetent. So, the water here is very deep and the resistance is relatively large.

Furthermore, why did we come to Fengshui County? We came to solve a case from five years ago. We haven't found any clues in this case yet. If we do something else, won't we be criticized?

We don’t have the time or energy to investigate Bai Kangyong’s crimes.”

"Is there no other solution?" Fang Yonghui was somewhat unwilling.

"Have!"

"Luo Da, what can we do?"

"It would be fun if Bai Kangyong couldn't hold back and confessed. If a person does something wrong, he will be afraid of ghosts knocking on his door."

"Uh..." Fang Yonghui was stunned, not understanding what was said. "How do you lead it?"

Luo Rui didn't say anything else, but said: "Let's go quickly. After passing this mountain pass, we will reach Huainan Street. I think it's going to rain soon."

Fang Yonghui had no choice but to stop talking and concentrate on clearing the way ahead.

The wind was getting stronger and stronger. The treetops above their heads were blown by the strong wind, like the zombies in Harry Potter, looking hideous and terrifying under the dark night sky.

Luo Rui's mind was no longer on the previous topic, but he looked around the woods with a flashlight.

After wandering in the mountains for two hours, we found only narrow paths for walking, but they were all halfway up the mountain and did not lead to the top of the mountain.

These roads were made by people walking. There is more rain in summer and autumn, and the mountains are full of mushrooms, so the county residents living at the foot of the mountain will go into the mountains to pick mushrooms.

In addition, Luo Rui also saw a lot of animals such as pheasants and rabbits running around in the woods. If it were before the hunting ban, these wild animals would have been killed long ago.

Thinking of this, Luo Rui was suddenly stunned, and a certain guess in his mind became more and more concrete.

If five children were walking around the streets, especially on the Spring Festival day, it was impossible for them not to be seen, which means there must be witnesses.

If we rule out the possibility that they were abducted by human traffickers, then the possibility that these five children ran into the mountains is increasingly high. After all, the way up the mountain is through the alley in their residential area, and it was snowing at the time.

If the snow falls heavily, it will completely cover the children's footprints!

There are mountains behind Huainan Street, and it also leads to the construction site in the southern suburbs.

Xiang Ke was eight years old, the oldest of five children. He was capable of trekking in the mountains, but his body was found at a construction site in the southern suburbs.

Was he killed on the day he disappeared, or afterward?
If he was killed during the day on January 1, the Chinese New Year, that means the police had not yet received the report.

But what if it happened after that? The murderer committed the crime against the wind and killed people when the police were already investigating.

There are two other suspicious points. Why did the murderer take off his clothes when burying the body? Secondly, why didn't he bury Xiang Ke's body in the mountains, but chose a relatively flat wasteland? Finally, the cause of Xiang Ke's death is still unclear. How was he killed?
And one most important question is, where are the other four children?

Are they still alive, or did they die five years ago?

The haze has always shrouded the hearts of every ordinary citizen in Fengshui County, and it is also a thorn in the hearts of the county police officers.

But Luo Rui did not hold out hope that the children were still alive.

The chances of survival are slim!
But one thing that is beyond doubt is that Luo Rui always believed that the murderer was in Fengshui County. Whether he was an outsider or a local, he must be someone who lived here and was very familiar with the geographical environment. And there might be more than one murderer.

At this time, Fang Yonghui turned back and saw Luo Rui still standing there in a daze. He took a few steps back and asked, "Luo Da, what's wrong?"

"It's okay, let's go." Luo Rui shook his head and cleared the distracting thoughts in his mind.

But then, his ears moved and his expression froze.

"Yonghui, stop!"

"What?" Fang Yonghui didn't understand, but he heard Luo Rui hurriedly shouting, "Turn off the flashlight!"

Luo Rui had turned off the flashlight in his hand and pulled out a gun from behind.

Fang Yonghui was shocked when he saw his action, and immediately turned off the light without saying a word.

In the past two years, Fang Yonghui has also experienced big scenes. Ordinary criminal police may never encounter a shooting in their lifetime, but almost every member of the criminal team carries a gun, and they have shot and killed several criminals, not to mention the big scenes they have encountered.

Fang Yonghui didn't look left or right, and immediately came to Luo Rui. The two stood back to back, and then he looked around cautiously.

They were in a relatively flat area with trees closely spaced apart. It was pitch dark all around with only the rustling sound of the treetops above their heads.

The light disappeared in an instant, and the surroundings were pitch dark.

Despite the sound of the wind, Luo Rui still heard the sound of dead branches and leaves being stepped on. "Crunch!"

The sound came from behind and to the left, in the field where they were walking.

Luo Rui pulled the safety bolt of the pistol, held the flashlight in his left hand, crossed his left arm across his chest, held the gun in his right hand, and placed his wrist on his left arm.

Fang Yonghui also heard this untimely sound, and quickly pulled the safety pin, imitating Luo Rui's behavior and standing guard forward. He did not look in Luo Rui's direction, but chose another direction.

There was also a slight sound coming from there. There was no need for them to communicate at all. This was definitely not a sound that a hare or a pheasant could make.

There are people around here!
And they were surrounded from the front and back!
Fang Yonghui swallowed nervously and dared not move. Although his position had been exposed, if he made any rash moves in the current situation where the enemy and us were unknown, the other side might take action immediately.

But there was one thing he was very clear about: the other party probably didn't have a gun.

If they had guns, these people would have shot them in the back when the flashlight came on. Wouldn't it be stupid to let go of such an obvious target?
Furthermore, when they pulled the safety bolts of their pistols, a "click" sound was heard. If the other party knew about guns, he should have understood who he was facing.

At this time, the wind was getting stronger and stronger, and rain was falling from the forest.

Even so, neither side moved or spoke, and a standoff seemed to have formed.

Five minutes, ten minutes passed...

Luo Rui and Fang Yonghui were both soaked, with rain all over their faces. Fang Yonghui's feet were numb from standing, and the other party didn't move either. Just when he began to relax, a man's voice came from the darkness behind the left.

"Brothers, to tell you the truth, someone wanted us to cut off your legs. We followed you all the way but didn't do it because we didn't know who you were. Now we understand that the employer wants us to deal with the police.

We don't want to do this anymore. We're leaving now, and you guys don't chase us, okay?"

"Someone wants to buy my life?" Luo Rui smiled, although no one could see his smile.

"No, brother, we're not going to kill you, we're going to cut off your legs. I've also told you that we're not going to do this. We're leaving right away, so don't bother with us."

Hearing this, Luo Rui stood up straight and stretched his aching lumbar spine.

"Do you think I'm stupid? Did you see me carrying a gun and you knew you couldn't beat us, so you were ready to back off?"

"Uh……"

"How many of you are there?"

"Uh……"

Luo Rui raised his eyebrows: "Stop talking nonsense. Since you know we are the police, we can't let this go. You have flashlights in your hands, right? Stand up and show your faces. Throw your weapons on the ground and don't say you didn't bring them."

The other party seemed to be thinking for a long time, and then the voice replied: "Brother, how about this, I'll tell you who asked us to do this? But I have a condition, you let us go? Don't pursue what happened tonight? Can you agree to this?"

"Sure!" Luo Rui agreed without even thinking.

The other party was obviously relieved: "Then it's settled, you can't regret it?"

"Of course, you still don't believe what the police say?"

"The man who came to us is called Qian Dashan. He is a broker in the county. He often hangs out in the county's nightclubs. He is easy to recognize. He wears a big gold chain around his neck."

"Qian Dashan?"

"Yes, this guy. If you go to a nightclub and ask anyone, they'll know him. He's a famous hoodlum who specializes in helping people settle things."

"How much did you get paid?"

"Eighty thousand."

"That's all?" Luo Rui was shocked, thinking that he was worth this much. "Are you treating beggars like this? Eighty thousand yuan, you are so bold that you dare to accept the order? Who am I? A policeman? Just for this little money?"

"Uh……"

"Who hired Qian Dashan?"

"I don't know who Taihe Group is."

Fang Yonghui was shocked when he heard this answer. Luo Da had just said to lure the snake out of its hole, but now the Taihe Group dared to hire someone to kill someone. Now they are dispatching people from the city and provincial department. Isn't that justified?

What other hard evidence do you need? This alone is enough to make Bai Kangyong lose his pants.

"I see. You dare to take this order because you rely on the power of Taihe Group." Luo Rui sighed, "But I have to say that such a large sale has changed hands so many times, and only 80,000 is left. I think it's much more than that."

"I've explained everything to you clearly, let's go now." The other party ignored the matter and prepared to slip away.

Luo Rui and Fang Yonghui both heard the sound of moving footsteps.

"Wait a moment." Luo Rui called out to a few people.

"Do you want to go back on your word?" The other party's voice was muffled and hostile.

"How can I tell you, big guy? You must have something unclean on you. You can't stand the investigation. How about this? Why don't you turn yourselves in and report the crime for merit."

"you……"

"Didn't you understand? Don't you think I don't know who you are? You're over two meters tall, and your voice isn't that of an ordinary person. You were following me at the food stall last night, weren't you?
What do you mean you don't know my identity? You already knew I was a police officer. You followed me all the way but didn't do anything. Did you think you could use the terrain to attack me? You saw that I was carrying a gun and didn't dare to do it. This little money is not worth it, right?
Stop daydreaming..."

Before Luo Rui could finish his words, he suddenly felt a strong wind coming towards him, but the wind was blowing from behind him and he could also hear the sound of footsteps in his ears.

"Mr. Luo, be careful!" Fang Yonghui also heard it.

It was at this moment that they pushed the flashlight buttons at the same time.

In the extremely dark forest, two rays of light suddenly appeared and shone straight ahead.

In Luo Rui's sight, a huge figure rushed over quickly.

When the other party started, he did not use the light. He must have heard his own voice and identified the position with his ears.

This man looked like a black bear at night, holding a machete in both hands, ready to chop.

Sure enough, this guy was not afraid of the police, but was afraid of the gun in his hand.

I was not prepared before taking action, thinking that dealing with the police was no different from dealing with ordinary people. I was too careless.

Luo Rui still had time to think about the other person. When the man was about to get close to him, he pulled the trigger without hesitation.

"boom!"

At close range, the bullet struck the man's wrist, causing his knife to fall into the mud.

"boom!"

Another shot hit the opponent's hip joint, draining his strength to run.

Just two shots and the man fell to his knees.

Luo Rui took a step forward and kicked him hard in the chest.

At the same time, Fang Yonghui also opened fire.

"Bang, bang, bang..."

Three consecutive gunshots were heard, with two different shooting directions, knocking down two people who were approaching this side. The other person was more alert and quickly hid behind a big tree, not daring to show his head.

Each of the four men held a two-foot-long sword in his hand.

Needless to say, this is a life-threatening trip into the mountains!

The two-meter-tall man was lying on his back in the mud, struggling to get up in the rain. Luo Rui kicked him in the lower back without saying a word.

He has thick skin and strong flesh, and can withstand a lot of beatings. If his explosive power is not relieved, who knows if he will become aggressive again.

After a round of punches and kicks, the tall man was already dying and couldn't get up.

Luo Rui ignored this man. When Fang Yonghui subdued the other two people, he raised his gun and walked behind the big tree.

"Come out! If you don't come out, I'll shoot you."

"Don't shoot, I surrender! I surrender!" The man was terrified, with his legs exposed and trembling.

Then he threw the machete in his hand and stepped out from behind the tree with his hands raised.

"How many of you are there?" Luo Rui did not put down his gun, but asked as he approached him.

"Four...just the four of us..."

"you sure?"

"Really, officer, I dare not lie."

"My life? Or my legs?"

The man was shaking with fear, not daring to look directly at Luo Rui. His lips trembled as he said, "Legs! Only legs, officer. Lao Niu is not lying."

"No, I don't think so. You just want to kill me!" Luo Rui sneered and was about to put away his gun when he suddenly heard a gunshot next to his ear.

"boom!"

He turned around hastily, only to see Fang Yonghui falling down...

Thanks to Noah's Ark and Wuming Chuangshi for their buildings!!

Thank you very much.

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(End of this chapter)