Chapter 165 The Obvious Target

Inside the investigation team's office building.

Zhou Xian, wearing a white shirt, sat at the head of the conference room and asked, "Any feedback on leads regarding the escaped soldier, Hao Peng?"

A team leader immediately stood up and responded, "The garrison headquarters sent us Hao Peng's relevant information. He grew up in a single-parent family and his mother passed away a little over a year after he enlisted! He’s generally well-liked in the army, doesn't have many friends, but doesn't cause trouble either. Just the type with a very low profile."

"Any leads on his social relationships?" Zhou Xian asked.

"The garrison headquarters didn't provide us with any leads on that. The liaison said they don't know anything about Hao Peng's private life." The team leader replied softly, "The soldier is one of theirs. I suspect even if they knew, they wouldn't tell us much."

"Anything else?" Zhou Xian asked again.

"When Hao Peng ran, he disposed of all his personal belongings. We didn't find any clues." The team leader held the information book and added in a low voice, "But through the phone he used in the army, we contacted the relevant communications company. Area One also sent investigators to collect evidence and discovered that in Hao Peng's communication records, there's a phone number registered to Ba City, Area Two. There was only one phone call between the two, lasting three minutes."

"Ba City, Area Two?" Zhou Xian frowned. "Just one call?"

"Yes, just one." The team leader replied softly, "This information is very abnormal, because according to what we know, Hao Peng shouldn't have any friends in Area Two. I also checked the Area Two number. It only had one call record, which was to Hao Peng. After that call, the number was never used again, and it's currently out of service."

Zhou Xian picked up his teacup and pondered for a moment. "Let's put Hao Peng aside for now and talk about the car."

The leader of Group Two stood up upon hearing this, and said seriously, "The rooftop where the bandits fired from left almost no useful clues, but we found some information in the car. First of all, the car was probably bought on the black market. The engine number and chassis number don't match, and there's no vehicle management office record. It was probably pieced together privately by someone who deals in cars! Inside the car, we found a pack of unfinished cigarettes, a Zui Xiangtan betel nut bag, and a bag containing ordinary clothing."

"Continue!" Zhou Xian lit a cigarette.

"Neither the cigarette nor the betel nut packaging had any fingerprints." The Group Two leader paused and said, "Moreover, these things are everywhere, so they don't have any unique characteristics or investigative direction. However, the bag containing ordinary clothing is quite special. The brand of this bag is called Nick Hiking. I searched online, and this brand isn't very popular or well-known. Currently, only Ba City in Area Two has five stores of this brand."

"…!" Zhou Xian was stunned when he heard this.

"Oh, and one more thing. Inside the sports jacket worn by the bandit, there was a receipt from a Baker Supermarket in Ba City, Area Two, with the detailed address!" The Group Two leader added.

Zhou Xian, with a cigarette in his mouth, slowly stood up. "The indicative clues are all very clear, which is Ba City, Area Two."

"Yes, from the scene, the bandit panicked when he saw us chasing him at the time." Another leader of the investigation team also stood up and said, "He ran into the alley according to the planned route, originally thinking about escaping by car, but he didn't expect that an accident happened at the entrance of the alley. Two cars blocked his car, so in desperation, he decided to escape on foot, but he left behind some clues."

Zhou Xian took a deep drag of his cigarette, turned his head to look at everyone, and asked, "From a motive point of view, who is more likely to have done this?!"

"Yang Gang said he was going to confess, but we don't know exactly what he was going to confess." The Group One leader considered for a moment and replied, "But from the perspective of the people involved in the crime, Hao Zhao is a soldier from the garrison headquarters! The possibility of him committing the crime under the instructions of a certain officer of the headquarters is still very high. Of course, we can't rule out the possibility that someone hired a murderer to deliberately disrupt our sight!"

"Let's sort it out!" Zhou Xian turned back around. "Yang Gang's death was done by no more than two groups of people! Oh, no, three groups! First, the upper echelons of the garrison thought we were an eyesore and wanted us to close the case and leave as soon as possible, so they shot Yang Gang. Second, some high-level officers in the garrison corps were involved in the hijacking, and they were afraid that Yang Gang would confess, so they silenced him. Third, the Tongji Association, after killing A Shui and sending Fei Pingsheng away, chose to eliminate the last hidden danger! But this point is based on the premise that the hijacking was done by the Tongji Association."

"Yes!"

Everyone nodded.

"There's also a possibility that someone is setting up a trap, trying to use us." Zhou Xian frowned and added.

Everyone was stunned for a moment. "How do you mean?"

"…To be precise, it should be said that the forces in The Dragon City all want to use us." Zhou Xian put his hands behind his back and looked at everyone. "No more analysis. Buy plane tickets immediately. Group One, Group Two, and I will go to Area Two! Internal Affairs, immediately contact the relevant personnel in Area Two. We need to rush over there to investigate!"

"Yes!"

…

At the same time.

Tan Mingchao also took more than twenty people and left The Dragon City with an official travel permit from the headquarters.

In the car.

Tan Mingchao turned his head and said to the company commander in the passenger seat, "Find some people from outside Area Two, they might be useful at a critical moment!"

"Understood!" The company commander in the passenger seat asked softly, "Our main purpose this time is…!"

"To help Zhou Xian catch the Tongji Association red-handed!"

"Understood." The company commander nodded.

…

Inside An Ze City's military headquarters in The Dragon City.

An Ze City was carrying a water bottle, wandering in the center of his small garden, pulling weeds and watering the plants.

The Chief of Staff came out of the room, walked to An Ze City's side, and said softly, "Many people have gone to Ba City, Area Two!"

"Isn't this normal? Whoever understands how to use the investigation team as a sharp sword will be able to stab the other to death!" An Ze City asked lightly, "Who do you think can win this round?"

"It's hard to say. I don't know much about Old Li's side." The Chief of Staff shook his head. "But according to the current situation, the headquarters is at a disadvantage."

"How so?" An Ze City turned around and asked.

"Area One sent two regiments to station in The Dragon City, which in itself explains the problem." The Chief of Staff said with a chuckle, "No matter how things turn out in the end, Tan Hengqiang has paid the price. At least the higher-ups don't trust him anymore, so I say your move…!"

"Shh!!"

An Ze City immediately made a silencing gesture, and said with a chuckle, "The Dragon City, only when it gets to this point does it become a little interesting!! It's getting more and more lively!"

"It's really lively. Now the dispute between the two parties has turned into a collision of four or five major forces." The Chief of Staff agreed, "Even we and the Old Mo region are inevitably influencing each other."

"The Dragon City, what a good name!" An Ze City rolled up his sleeves and said forcefully, "Land of heroes, pool of soaring dragons!! Let's make a bet, shall we? Let's bet on how many more years Tan Hengqiang can dominate?!"

"If there are no mistakes, he will always be the commander of the garrison in The Dragon City." The Chief of Staff replied without hesitation, "If it's not him, then a war must have broken out!"