Police officer Chen Shu.

Expressway, towards Tingmadian Station in Hexi Province

"Okay, we're about an hour's drive from you. Okay, I'll contact you if anything comes up." Chen Shu hung up the phone, his eyes slightly narrowed, lost in thought.

"Brother Shu, what did the people from the Criminal Investigation Department say?" Zhu Chaoran asked while driving.

"In the last two hours, the kidnappers haven't announced any changes to the location. I guess they've already made preparations and are waiting for the transaction, and the area around Tingmadian Station is likely the final destination... Drive slowly and be careful."

Sitting in the passenger seat, Chen Shu reminded the enthusiastic Zhu Chaoran, saying, "Well, Xing Da told us to continue driving towards Tingmadian Station, and contact them again when we're almost there."

The kidnappers aren't stupid; they would never conduct a transaction at a highway exit or entrance. I need to check the map of the area around Tingmadian Station later and familiarize myself with the surroundings... Chen Shu frowned, sensing that this transaction location, so far from Dongzhou City, might be a bit tricky.

"Okay. Sigh! If we run over there like this, we'll probably just be watching the show and getting a taste of the soup." Zhu Chaoran said with a melancholy look on his face.

"Haha, let's just consider it a trip to broaden our horizons, get to know these professional kidnappers, and see what they all look like! Of course, if they ever need our help, that would be even better."

Chen Shu was in a good mood and, unusually, he grinned and smiled happily.

"Hey, Brother Shu, you don't seem to be sneezing anymore?" Zhu Chaoran miraculously shifted his attention elsewhere.

"Drive carefully!"

Chen Shu wiped his nose and realized he hadn't sneezed in a long time since getting on the highway. He glanced at his watch and saw it was almost six o'clock: "There's a service area up ahead, let's go eat!"

"Alright!" Zhu Chaoran waved his chubby hand, and the car sped towards the service station.

......

The Volkswagen Golf followed an intercity bus into a highway service area, and the two vehicles stopped one after the other in front of a fast-food Chinese restaurant.

When Chen Shu got off the bus, he bumped into the bus driver in front of him, they nodded to each other, and then went into the restaurant.

Just as Chen Shu and Zhu Chaoran had gotten their food and sat down to eat, a sudden commotion of people entering the room came through the door. Chen Shu turned around and saw that the passengers from the bus were rushing in to eat as well.

Zhu Chaoran stared at the dishes on the driver's table, which was two tables away, and sighed, "I didn't realize this young man was one of us. He has a whole table of food prepared for him. He seems to be someone who doesn't skimp on himself."

Chen Shu lowered his head, picked up a piece of food, chewed it slowly with his rice, and then said casually, "He didn't pay the bill; he just got his food from the ordering area and left."

"Huh? Didn't pay? How is that possible? Does he own this restaurant?" Zhu Chaoran muttered to himself, looking puzzled. "If he owns a restaurant, why would he work as a driver?"

Chen Shu didn't reply. He pointed with his chopsticks at the passengers who were crowding in the ordering area, and then continued to eat his meal slowly.

Despite his usually carefree demeanor, Zhu Chaoran is surprisingly quick-witted, judging from his daily interactions with Chen Shu. After a brief explanation from Chen Shu, he immediately grasped the concept.

"Recruiting people? That's an old trick from years ago. Those low-cost travel agencies used to do it all, it's annoying." He thought it through for a moment, and his tone carried a hint of disdain.

Chen Shu sensed Zhu Chaoran's disdain, slowly put down his chopsticks, took a tissue to wipe his mouth, and then patiently explained to him:

"Although both involve recruiting people, there are still some differences. You say travel agencies are annoying because they do things against the customers' wishes. Customers originally wanted to relax on vacation, but when they arrived at their destination, they were told to go to a shop first. Their expectations clashed with reality, so it's inevitable that they would feel uncomfortable."

Intercity buses are different. Even if some passengers are in a hurry, you can't stop others from eating, right? As for when and where to eat, who has the final say? No need to say anything, no need to persuade. The driver can just park the bus and go eat on their own.

Chen Shu paused for a moment, giving Zhu Chaoran a chance to think, before continuing:

"That's why they say you can't force a melon to ripen. Skilled people know how to leverage and act in accordance with the situation. They usually establish their 'momentum' without people even realizing it, and once people are in that situation, they have no choice but to act accordingly. The influence of 'momentum' is sometimes hard for outsiders to see clearly, because those involved are often blinded, but it is indeed very effective."

"Um... Brother Shu, let's hurry up and eat. The food's getting cold!" As soon as he heard that, Zhu Chaoran buried his head in his chopsticks and continued to wolf down his food.

Chen Shu shook his head, smiling without saying a word, but then frowned slightly. He recalled the kidnappers' complex operation: after successfully abducting the hostage, they didn't hesitate to drive onto the highway, crossing provincial borders to get away from the city where the crime was committed. They also instructed the hostage's family to move around at long distances without a destination. This kind of kidnapping case, which was always in motion, was indeed unheard of.

Perhaps from the very beginning, the kidnappers assumed the hostage's family would call the police. It's not surprising that kidnappers with extensive experience and a history of committing crimes in multiple locations would think this way. So, were they also using some kind of leverage to subtly sever their communication with the hostage's family (and the police)?

The hostages can be killed afterward, but in the kidnappers' plan, the ransom must be transferred in ownership.

Both parties, who have been traveling on the highway, will inevitably meet at the final moment, regardless of their previous trajectories. So how can they both break off their connection and get the ransom?

The ransom is both the connecting point and the dividing point between the two parties.

Chen Shu fell into deep thought.