Hong Kong variety show: Starting from Cold War 1994

Chapter 86 Racing Against Time (Third update, please subscribe~)

Hearing the kidnapper's words, Ye Xiaoli took a deep breath and adopted a slightly conciliatory tone: "Sir, I've done my best to prepare the money. But I can't gather all the old banknotes you want, not consecutive serial numbers, all at once."

"We only have about 600 million right now. The rest won't be available from other channels until tomorrow morning at the earliest. I hope you—"

"Ye Xiaoli! You want to play dirty? Believe me or not, I'll do it right now—"

Before the other party could finish their rude threat, Ye Xiaoli retorted with an even more resolute tone: "I won't risk Joe's life! You have two choices: first, wait for me to raise the money; second, if you have the guts, kill him, and I'll use the money to hire an undercover agent to buy your lives!"

Ye Xiaoli gritted his teeth and uttered the sensitive word "buy life" in front of Shen Shaofeng.

This strategic retreat was one that Shen Shaofeng and he had repeatedly rehearsed beforehand.

The purpose, of course, is to gain the initiative as much as possible and to more reasonably delay the time.

Silence fell again on the other end of the phone; the kidnappers were clearly weighing their options.

Upstairs in the monitoring room, Cheuk Kai stared intently at the equipment screen, constantly updating the tracking information: "Based on the signal azimuth, the signal source is in East Kowloon, roughly within the sector covered by the Kwun Tong base station. It exhibits slight movement characteristics, consistent with the model of a car phone traveling at low speed within the area —"

"The background noise includes a continuous low-frequency sound, like a large industrial fan or an old-fashioned air conditioner, along with some metallic echoes —"

'

"No, there are too many similar places. I need more time, Inspector Chen!"

Chen Jiaju immediately ordered, "Mr. Ye, we need more time. Raise the transportation issue now!"

"Boss Ye, I don't want to hear excuses. Call me at 6 PM this afternoon to tell you the transaction location. Remember, it's 800 million."

The kidnapper's voice rang out again.

"Wait!" Ye Xiaoli exclaimed hastily, "Do you know how heavy eight hundred million in cash is? It weighs more than a ton!"

"I need a truck to fit it all; I'll have to find a driver."

Ye Xiaoli made his point with complete confidence.

The kidnappers seemed to have anticipated this, and didn't insist that Ye Xiaoli know how to drive a truck: "Sure, but only two people at most!"

"What about my son? I need to see him safe and sound when I hand over the money!"

"I'll release them once I get the money."

"Beep, beep, beep, the phone hangs up."

Ye Xiaoli slumped onto the sofa, exhaling a heavy breath; his back was soaked with cold sweat.

Fang Jianping took out a handkerchief and helped her husband wipe his sweat.

"Ucnle, have some water." Huo Xixian handed over a glass of warm water.

"Ye Sheng, you did a great job."

Shen Shaofeng was just about to give Ye Xiaoli a thumbs up —

Chen Jiaju couldn't wait to go down the stairs, so he jumped down from the second floor with a "thud," startling Ye Xiaoli and the others.

"Shaofeng, the call lasted two minutes and thirty-five seconds. Zhuo Kai has made some initial progress."

"The signal source is roughly in the industrial area towards East Kowloon, Kwun Tong, and Cha Kwo Ling; it's a mobile signal."

"Background sound analysis revealed low-frequency machine noise and metallic echoes; specific characteristics are still under analysis —"

He summarized the work of the CIB group on the second floor and gave it to Shen Shaofeng in one go.

"Kwun Tong Industrial Area?"

Qiu Shimin, with his rich experience, immediately asked, "There are hundreds, even thousands, of old factories and warehouses there, as well as docks and such. Inspector Shen, can you catch them?"

"Having a direction is better than finding a needle in a haystack."

After gathering Zhuo Kai and his gang, Shen Shaofeng began to deploy: "The kidnappers gave us less than three and a half hours. Time is of the essence. Let's split up!"

"Inspector Cheuk, you'll be leading the team—"

Shen Shaofeng's plan was divided into several parts:

First, the reconnaissance team, led by Cheuk Kai and carrying professional comparison equipment, went to Kwun Tong.

They will disguise themselves as Environmental Protection Department or Buildings Department personnel and, under the guise of inspections, focus their investigations on the area from Cha Kwo Ling to Kwun Tong Pier.

The objective of the operation was to locate secluded factories, warehouses, or junkyards that met the relevant criteria, aiming to pinpoint the exact location before the kidnappers could move.

"In addition, I've contacted a few of the zero-level reporters to help you."

After seeing that Zhuo Kai and the others understood the deployment and began to debug the relevant equipment, Shen Shaofeng immediately dialed Wang Zhicong's number.

"Hey, Ah Cong, it's me. I have an urgent mission. You need to take Ah Fai, Situ, Yingqi, Da Zhi Guang, and the others and head to Kwun Tong right away—"

"CIB's Inspector Cheuk will explain the details to you—"

The situation is different now. Since we have initially identified Kwun Tong District as the target area, we should naturally send more people.

After hanging up the phone, he looked at Cao Dahua.

"Uncle Da, you stay at the Yip residence and keep watch with a hefty reward. Targets: Kwun Tong, Cha Kwo Ling, and Yau Tong areas. Have any unfamiliar faces been frequently seen entering or leaving the places I mentioned before in the past few days? —"

Upon hearing this, Ye Xiaoli interjected, "Cao Sir, remember to tell your underworld friends that money is no object; I'm willing to pay any amount you want."

Cao Dahua nodded, straightened his back, and looked at Ye Xiaoli: "Mr. Ye, from now on, please call me Uncle Da. I am your ace butler!"

"Uh—okay, Uncle Da."

Next up is Stephen Chow.

"Zhou Sir, your task is the most important—"

Stephen Chow took off his big black hat and listened carefully.

He was responsible for thoroughly inspecting the truck that might be used to transport the ransom, ensuring it was in perfect condition.

You also need to memorize the routes from Kowloon Tong to all the main roads and key connecting points in Hong Kong, and build a dynamic route model in your mind.

Meanwhile, trackers are installed in completely concealed locations on the vehicle to ensure that siblings can share the truck's location at any time;

Most importantly, he is the most likely to confront the kidnappers and hostages directly, and he is also the last resort.

"Don't worry, Officer Shen. I, Zhou Xingxing, am not known as the former SDU's number one assassin for nothing!"

Stephen Chow is grateful for his time at the Ministry of Transport, which gave him a thorough understanding of road information.

Finally, the mobile force consisted of Shen Shaofeng and Chen Jiaju.

Chen Jiaju was deemed unsuitable for frontline investigations because his "super cop" face was too familiar.

He will partner with Shen Shaofeng, driving an inconspicuous sedan, to patrol the outskirts of Kwun Tong as a mobile command center, coordinating the overall situation and providing support at any time.

"Gentlemen, check your watches again. It's 1549. Let's begin!"

"Yes, Sir!"

Everyone responded in unison and began to work.

Seeing Shen Shaofeng's meticulous planning, the three members of the Ye family had more confidence that Joe would be successfully rescued.

At 4:20 p.m., Chan Ka-kui drove an old Honda and parked it on a secluded section of road in Kwun Tong.

This place offers a wide view and allows you to observe the direction of the seaside road.

Shen Shaofeng used both a walkie-talkie and a mobile phone to maintain contact with all parties.

"Inspector Cheuk, have you reunited with the officers from the Zero Division? Have you found anything?"

"Sir Shen, we've regrouped. We've split into two groups: Cong Ge and I, along with Ye Hui, will be in one group; Situ and Yingqi, along with Chen Guangbiao, will be in the other. We're currently searching along Cha Kwo Ling Road and Hai Bin Road—"

"Three factory buildings emitting loud exhaust fan noise have been investigated, and the metallic clanging sound characteristic matches the description. The search continues."

"Uncle Da, anything interesting?"

"We've got some leads, Inspector Shen. Two old friends have told us that a group of unfamiliar faces inquired around the Cha Kwo Ling area a few days ago—"

"They also requested an old warehouse with a back door, and specifically asked about the soundproofing. The other party had a Chaoshan accent and was very quick to pay."

Shen Shaofeng and Chen Jiaju exchanged a glance; this characteristic matched previous speculations about the "Big Circle Gang."

"Uncle Da, keep an eye on things and report back immediately if there's any news."

After hanging up, Shen Shaofeng called Chen Yongren again.

Ah Ren's identity has been restored, and he can contact others in front of Chan Ka Kui without any problem.

"Ah Ren, how's Zhou Junming doing?"

"Sir Shen, he's still at the Prince Edward Road apartment, restless and waiting for a call."

"Okay, I understand. The kidnapper hasn't received the ransom yet, so he won't answer the phone."

At 5:23 p.m., Cheuk Kai's slightly hurried voice came through the walkie-talkie: "Sir Shen, a warehouse has been found on the southern section of Seaside Road, near the old ferry terminal. The location is very remote, with high walls and the gate is tightly closed."

"But the regular metallic clanging sounds coming from inside match the sample quite well. There are several fresh tire tracks at the entrance, which may belong to the old Sea Lion bread truck —"

Are you sure?

"Confirmed! The sound we picked up from a distance matches the profile. Ah-Cong and the others are observing from the other side; there seem to be figures moving around in the courtyard, but we can't make out the exact number. Should we get closer and investigate?"

"No!" Shen Shaofeng decisively rejected the idea. "If they really are kidnappers, there's a high chance they'll have sentries! Ah Cong, over there, can you clearly see the back or side of the warehouse?"

Wang Zhicong replied, "Boss, this is A-Cong. Let's go around to the seaside of the warehouse. There's a broken drain outlet there; we can see a little inside."

"The warehouse is very deep. There seem to be lights in the inner part, but I can't see the specifics. I don't see any obvious guards, but several windows are boarded up, making it impossible to see the specifics. I request further instructions."

"Very good. Maintain distance and monitor, recording all vehicles and personnel entering and leaving."

"Inspector Zhuo, use the equipment to continuously monitor the radio signals in this area and see if there are any abnormalities."

"Received, Over!"

Shen Shaofeng turned off the walkie-talkie communication.

Zhuo Kai and his team's investigation has been very efficient.

However, the destination is located in the old industrial area of ​​Kwun Tong, and based solely on common factors such as the metallic clanging sound and the tire tracks of the Hiace, at this stage...

It cannot be completely locked.

Unfortunately, despite mobilizing all available information channels, Li Shutang and Cao Dahua found little useful information after filtering through them.

These kidnappers are well hidden.

He glanced at his watch and said to Chen Jiaju, "Brother Ju, let's go back and change cars. Let's go to the Ye residence; it's almost six o'clock."

Two members of Cheuk Kai's gang remained at the Yip residence to continue tracking the kidnappers should they call again.

Ye Residence.

"Ring ring ring————"

The phone rang precisely at 6 p.m.

"Feed?"

"Boss Ye, is the money ready?"

"Eight hundred million, old bills, not consecutive serial numbers, I've raised enough as you requested! I want to hear Joe's voice first! Right now!"

"snort."

A cold, ambiguous snort came from the other end of the phone, followed by Ye Rongheng's exclamation: "Daddy! No—!"

"Joe! Joe, how are you?!"

"That's enough!"

The kidnappers regained control: "You, take the driver, drive the truck, and head to Statue Square in Central."

"I'll call you to discuss the handover details. If anything goes wrong, just collect Ye Rongheng's body!"

"Wait! What did I do—"

Before Ye Xiaoli could finish speaking, only a rapid busy tone came through the receiver.

The call lasted only forty-seven seconds.

CIB's operative shook his head: "Sir Shen, the call was too short to pinpoint the location."

"These bastards have gotten cunning!"

Chen Jiaju punched the palm of his hand.

The kidnappers' second phone call minimized the possibility of police technical tracking.

Shen Shaofeng remained calm. He quickly stood up and walked towards Ye Xiaoli: "Mr. Ye, do as they say. You and Zhou Sir should head to Statue Square immediately. We'll make the other arrangements here."

He paused, then added, "If things can't be done, pay up first. The safety of the hostages must be the top priority."

Ye Xiaoli nodded: "Of course."

He then looked at Zhou Xingxing, his tone serious: "Zhou Sir, your current identity is the driver for the Ye family. Your primary task is to ensure Ye Sheng's safety. The kidnappers must have placed informants along the way and in the square. It's up to you to adapt to the situation."

"clear!"

Zhou Xingxing straightened his driver's uniform.