Chapter 29

Chapter 29 3. Panic Room-03

Qi Shanyu’s interference threw the deceased elder’s family into immediate panic and chaos.

Several young and middle-aged men in the family stepped forward, forming a circle around Qi Shanyu, demanding an explanation. The deceased’s husband—an elderly man in his early eighties—trembled as he fumbled for his phone, stammering incoherently while calling the police. A few women, like hens protecting their chicks, clutched several underage children and backed into a corner, tears welling in their eyes.

Amid the chaos, a short but solidly built middle-aged woman quietly retreated from the crowd.

The woman, about fifty, dark-skinned and weathered, slowly and cautiously inched backward toward the parking lot, head lowered, moving carefully as the crowd’s attention remained elsewhere, aiming to slip into a secluded spot.

Apart from a few bewildered mortuary and funeral service staff, there were over a dozen family members. Amid the noisy commotion, no one noticed the middle-aged woman attempting to sneak away.

Qi Shanyu had been waiting for someone to crack under the chaos, revealing themselves.

Upon realizing the elder’s death was unusual, he immediately deduced that the murderer must be among those who could legitimately serve the elder up close without arousing suspicion.

Outsiders would leave traces and attract attention; even if there were a major reason to harm a bedridden elderly person, such convoluted means wouldn’t be used.

Doctors and nurses could have had the opportunity, but injecting concentrated acid into the spinal cord would leave evidence. They would have safer, more discreet methods. Even Qi Shanyu, with only basic forensic knowledge, could think of at least five more accessible and concealed lethal substances.

By elimination, the culprit could only be a family member or caretaker who stayed openly with the elder day and night.

Without hesitation, Qi Shanyu darted through the crowd like an arrow.

The dark-skinned woman was hunching as she tried to slip out the back of the parking lot, but a shout of “Stop!” made her tremble. Ignoring looking back, she bolted.

After a few steps, Qi Shanyu caught up, executing a clean shoulder throw, pinning her to the ground and twisting her hands behind her back.

Not on duty, he had no handcuffs, so he used a tacky purplish-red floral silk scarf from her neck to bind her wrists.

Only then did the bewildered family arrive, seeing the middle-aged woman pinned by a young man claiming to be a detective. They exclaimed: “Aunt Lu, what’s going on?!”

&&& &&& &&&

“Wow, can’t believe a trip to the hospital would uncover a major case!”

Early Monday, Qi Shanyu first went to the local police station for an errand. By noon, returning to the city bureau and entering the Criminal Investigation Division One’s office, he was ambushed by partner An Pingdong, slammed into a wall, coughing for half a minute before regaining his breath.

“Any updates on the case?”

Qi Shanyu asked An Pingdong.

Although he had uncovered the nanny murder that day, the neighboring Division Two took over the case. He was merely a witness and returned home after explaining the situation, with no time to learn the details.

“Ah, this is shocking…”

An Pingdong leaned in, lowering his voice conspiratorially. “Heard it’s a serial murder case!”

“Serial murder?”

Qi Shanyu was surprised.

The woman he had apprehended looked coarse, only had a middle school education, and was a rural woman working as a nanny and caregiver—ordinary and inconspicuous. Hard to imagine such a woman linked to multiple deaths.

“Exactly.”

An Pingdong shared the gossip he had gathered:

“The woman joined the caregiving company just last June. In a year and a half, she had eight employers. Each job lasted less than two months! And the reason for leaving? The elderly under her care died!”

He clicked his tongue. “Her efficiency rivals even the Grim Reaper’s!”

Qi Shanyu frowned deeply. “Could it be… that those elders were…”

An Pingdong laughed coldly and nodded. “Although the case hasn’t been officially announced, it’s almost certain…”

While they were speaking, the office door suddenly slammed open. A middle-aged man with a thick beard strode in.

“Chief!”

An Pingdong and Qi Shanyu immediately straightened, looking at the newcomer.

The bearded man was Shen Zun, captain of the Criminal Investigation Division, their direct superior.

Generous and righteous, a bit overbearing and prone to scolding, yet astute and meticulous. Well-connected and respected, especially “on the street,” overall a trusted leader.

Now, his face was cold, expression fierce. He slammed his hand on the table and bellowed:

“All of Division One! Drop everything, three minutes, be in the meeting room!”

The office fell silent for a second, then the sounds of chairs and tables moving. Everyone hurriedly left, some calling absent colleagues.

Judging by the captain’s grim expression, something urgent had happened.

……

“At approximately 7:30 a.m. today, businessman Liu Yang and actress Wang Lanting’s only son, seven-year-old Liu Lingxiao, was kidnapped on his way to school.”

Three minutes later, Captain Shen Zun entered the meeting room with thunderous authority, tossing a pile of documents onto the table and stated plainly:

“Liu Yang and Wang Lanting?”

Everyone at the table exchanged surprised looks.

No one asked, “Who are they?”

Both were nationally recognized figures.

Liu Yang made his fortune in electronics, later expanding into e-commerce and real estate, amassing tens of billions. At forty-seven, he married thirty-four-year-old Wang Lanting, a Golden Bull Award-winning actress. Three years later, they had an only son—the seven-year-old Liu Lingxiao now reported kidnapped.

“Ugh!”

Someone gasped: “What happened?”

“Today, the driver, nanny, and a bodyguard were taking the young master to school as usual. Suddenly, on Jinxiu Road in the eastern part of the city, the car lost control and hit a roadside barrier.”

Shen Zun gestured to the folder, distributing the documents.

“According to the driver, after the crash, a man in a denim jacket appeared to help. The driver’s side was near the barrier, so he couldn’t open his door. The bodyguard in the front passenger seat was injured and trapped by the deformed seat. Seeing someone approach to help, the driver opened the back door, intending for the nanny to escort the frightened boy out, while asking the man to call the police.”

Qi Shanyu opened a thin stack of printed A4 papers, finding a map.

It clearly enlarged the Jinxiu Road section, marking the accident spot with a red X.

“However, as soon as the nanny stepped out, the man in the denim jacket struck her head multiple times with a hammer, knocking her down. Liu Lingxiao was seized by another man and dragged into a white van nearby. The man attacking the nanny then got into the van, which quickly fled the scene.”

Qi Shanyu flipped to the next page, showing an enlarged traffic camera photo: a somewhat old white box van, a Wuling model, possibly a second-hand purchase for around 20,000 RMB.

Though the camera captured the driver’s seat clearly, the suspect had apparently anticipated the camera, wearing a hat, large sunglasses, and a raised coat collar to cover his face. From the visible skin alone, reconstructing his appearance would be nearly impossible.

“About two kilometers from the incident, at the Jinxiu and Huaxiu Road intersection, the traffic camera caught the van. The traffic police verified it immediately: it is a □□.”

Shen Zun impatiently lit a cigarette, ignoring the no-smoking rule, exhaling in thick clouds.

“The worst part: those idiot parents somehow alerted the media. The young master’s disappearance is already online!”