Unlike his interactions with Ya Lili and others, Li Chonglou had no intention of keeping a low profile at the police station.
His original purpose for being low-key was to avoid trouble. However, in this environment, the more he tried to be inconspicuous, the more trouble he seemed to attract. Different circumstances dictated different approaches, and therefore, this so-called senior brother needed to be dealt with first.
Otherwise, if he were to cause trouble at some critical juncture later, that would be a truly significant problem.
Neither the clues to his father's whereabouts nor Shi Bōqióng's trail could afford any loss.
Li Chonglou preferred to proceed at a slower pace, as long as it was steady progress.
As he pondered this, Li Chonglou returned to Lin Qianqian's office and overheard her new assignment.
Lin Qianqian sat opposite him, her expression serious, and handed him a thick stack of documents. The papers were fresh, emitting the scent of graphite, and contained information on various individuals.
"This is a file on some external members of the Yuanjing criminal syndicate," Lin Qianqian said, causing Li Chonglou's brow to furrow. This thick stack was merely for external members. "So, this is my first major case?"
Li Chonglou looked at her. Her faintly pink lips parted, and she replied, "Yes." "And it's a transnational case. If you can complete this case, my senior brother will no longer be a threat to you."
Lin Qianqian smiled casually, her bright eyes seeming to convey that she saw right through Li Chonglou's thoughts.
"Alright, I thought I'd spend a few days here familiarizing myself, but I didn't expect to get to the main course so quickly."
Although the progress was faster than he had anticipated, it was better for Li Chonglou. If he could resolve the issue with this senior brother sooner, he could then proceed with other matters with peace of mind.
In any case, the priority now was to eliminate this hidden threat of the senior brother.
"Knock, knock, knock," a sudden knocking sound came from outside the door. Before Lin Qianqian could respond, a voice called out, "Officer Lin, there's a new case."
The voice sounded somewhat anxious. Lin Qianqian immediately sprang up from her chair and quickly said to Li Chonglou as she passed him, "Follow me."
However, when she opened the door, she found Li Chonglou standing there, looking confused. Lin Qianqian couldn't help but urge him, "What are you waiting for? Come out!"
Li Chonglou said with some uncertainty, "Does this mean I have to follow you on patrols as well, in addition to major cases?"
Lin Qianqian replied with an air of inevitability, "Yes, why else would I ask you to follow me during work hours?"
He had walked into a trap.
Li Chonglou felt a mix of amusement and exasperation, but since he had agreed to her terms, he could only follow.
The informant was a passerby who claimed to have discovered a female corpse while jogging.
By the time they arrived at the scene, a crowd of onlookers had already gathered. The body was covered with an old cloth, and the bystanders were pointing and speculating.
Upon arriving at the scene, Lin Qianqian's first priority was to clear the area, set up a cordon, and then don gloves to examine the scene.
The moment Li Chonglou saw the female corpse, his eyes couldn't help but turn cold. Her body was covered in bruises, clearly indicating she had suffered physical abuse before death, with many more details. Although he only glanced at it, Li Chonglou had already roughly guessed what the deceased had experienced before her death.
As the female corpse was unclothed, Li Chonglou instinctively stepped aside after a single glance, leaving Lin Qianqian to examine it alone.
Shortly thereafter, the forensic doctor arrived, and the scene was temporarily handed over to them. Lin Qianqian then took Li Chonglou to interview the public and review surrounding surveillance footage for clues.
Throughout the entire process, Lin Qianqian maintained a calm and composed demeanor. However, for some reason, Li Chonglou felt a constant sense of unease, as if a volcano that could erupt at any moment was standing beside him.
Of course, this was merely his personal intuition. Judging by her outward appearance, Lin Qianqian's current state was a stark contrast to how she had been in the interrogation room. It was now that she truly embodied professionalism.
However, as the two were reviewing surveillance footage outside a small eatery, a familiar figure appeared in Li Chonglou's line of sight.
Sanyang?
When Sanyang appeared on the computer screen wearing a tight tracksuit, Li Chonglou recognized him immediately.
"Hold on, rewind, and zoom in on that person!"
Just then, Lin Qianqian suddenly spoke. The shopkeeper followed her instructions. Li Chonglou's heart suddenly skipped a beat.
As they left the eatery, Li Chonglou couldn't help but ask.
"That man just now..."
"Let's tentatively mark him and review all the footage in this area first," Lin Qianqian replied coldly. She then strode towards the next shop.
An hour later, after reviewing all the accessible surveillance footage in the vicinity, the two returned to the car.
They had watched no less than twenty surveillance recordings, but Lin Qianqian had only requested the one that showed Sanyang. Li Chonglou thought for a moment and then asked directly, "Are you suspecting that man is the killer?"
"Yes," Lin Qianqian replied indifferently. That detached tone undoubtedly reflected her true feelings. Li Chonglou sighed inwardly and asked again, "Why?"
"Because his eyes are not like those of an ordinary person. Although he appears frail, I can be certain he has martial arts training," Lin Qianqian analyzed as if she were a robot devoid of emotion. Li Chonglou showed a look of "as expected" and then, after a long silence, finally confessed, "This person is my friend. From what I know of him, he wouldn't do something like this. I think you're..."
Before he could finish speaking, the car, which had been traveling at a steady speed, suddenly swerved sharply and braked, coming to a halt by the roadside.
"You said you know this person?" Lin Qianqian asked, staring at him with a cold expression. Li Chonglou nodded.
"Yes."
"Where is he?"
"At my dorm."
This time, it was Lin Qianqian's turn to be stunned. She then stared at him with extreme vigilance, her hand resting on the car door handle.
Li Chonglou looked slightly bewildered. "What are you doing?"
Lin Qianqian remained silent for a few seconds before finally releasing the door handle and placing her hand on the service pistol at her waist.
Seeing her actions, Li Chonglou's face darkened slightly. "Isn't this going a bit too far?"
Lin Qianqian paused but still shook her head. "Explain yourself first."
Li Chonglou could only explain Sanyang's general situation with a helpless sigh.
After listening, Lin Qianqian suddenly asked, "Is he also part of the Qing Gang?"
Li Chonglou nodded.
"And he's also your disciple?"
Although it wasn't yet a formal apprenticeship, Li Chonglou had considered it based on his performance over the past few days, so he nodded. "Let's go to your dorm."
Li Chonglou scratched his head. This wasn't right. He had intended to help Sanyang clear his name, but now it seemed they were going to apprehend him.
Helpless, Li Chonglou could only state his intention directly, only to be rebuffed by Lin Qianqian.