Chapter 38

Chapter 38 3. panic room-12

“I found them, it’s this person!”

Liu Yi placed the medical records in front of Shen Zun. “The real name of that fake Yu Ping is Chang Yuxing, 45 years old this year, from T Town, H Province. Six years ago, he worked for seven months at a dyeing and weaving factory in S City, G Province. In 20××, due to a full-body rash, he was diagnosed with ‘contact dermatitis’ and hospitalized for two months at the S City Occupational Disease Prevention Institute.”

Shen Zun flipped through the medical records in his hands.

He didn’t have the patience to read all the technical terms word by word, but the two-inch ID photo on the occupational disease assessment application clearly showed a face identical to the deceased kidnapper.

Shen Zun immediately became excited. He had his subordinates match the person in the suspect database and quickly found someone whose medical records matched.

“This is Chang Yuxing. Six years ago, he applied for occupational disease compensation in S City but failed. Dissatisfied with the judgment, he barged into the factory manager’s office with a knife, injured three people, and has been on the run since…”

The officer who matched the suspect’s profile got excited and read the wanted notice aloud.

“No, wait, that’s not the point I want to make!”

Liu Yi abruptly interrupted the young officer, speaking quickly.

Shen Zun had just been about to instruct his men to investigate Chang Yuxing’s personal connections using his real identity, and hearing Liu Yi, he shifted his gaze back to him.

Liu Yi had only recently been transferred to the Xinhai City Legal Research Institute. Shen Zun knew of him, had seen him from a distance in meetings, and knew he was not only strikingly handsome but also academically accomplished. Yet this was their first real interaction.

Even though Shen Zun hadn’t yet figured out Liu Yi’s personality, after years in law enforcement and reaching his current position, he prided himself on reading people well. A cultured and knowledgeable person like Liu Yi, speaking at such a pace and tone, was clearly about to say something important.

“Director Liu, what else have you discovered?”

Shen Zun immediately pulled a chair aside, gesturing for Liu Yi to sit.

“This Chang Yuxing,” Liu Yi began, “we found a large rash on the back of his left calf and ankle. It’s confirmed to be contact dermatitis caused by allergen exposure.”

Liu Yi drew out Chang Yuxing’s occupational disease assessment form, placed it in front of Shen Zun, and underlined “contact dermatitis” repeatedly with a red pen.

“You mean this person’s old condition relapsed?”

Shen Zun, lacking expertise in this area, struggled to understand what Liu Yi meant.

“Let me put it simply. Contact dermatitis is a type of allergic reaction.”

Seeing time was critical, Liu Yi switched to a clearer explanation.

“When an allergen contacts the skin, pink welts appear at the site. If the allergen isn’t removed promptly, the welts expand, merge into larger patches, and can eventually spread across the body.”

Shen Zun nodded in understanding.

“I reviewed his medical records. The description of Chang Yuxing’s rashes in the hospital is very similar to what we found on his body. In other words, it’s highly likely caused by the same allergen.”

Liu Yi pulled out the page with the diagnosis and placed it in front of Shen Zun.

“At that time, S City Occupational Disease Prevention Institute identified a suspect allergen: a disperse dye produced by Matsumoto Chemical, Japan.”

Liu Yi pointed at the record.

“This disperse dye is mainly used for polyester and blended fabrics. It’s relatively new, marketed as low-toxicity and low-allergen, and not listed in the common occupational disease allergen catalog. That’s why it didn’t pass the assessment back then.”

He lifted his gaze, eyes locking onto Shen Zun, speaking deliberately: “Few factories in China even use this dye, yet the welts on Chang Yuxing’s body were bright and well-defined. His serum IgE levels were much higher than normal, indicating he likely came into contact with the same disperse dye shortly before his death.”

Shen Zun didn’t need more explanation. He sprang up like a spring.

“Find the local factories using this Matsumoto dye…”

He bent to pick up a fax sheet, glanced at the company name, and continued: “Go check all the printing and dyeing factories that use this Matsumoto Chemical disperse dye! Screen them one by one! Don’t miss any suspicious clue!”

&&& &&& &&&

The police immediately located Matsumoto Chemical’s domestic agent and obtained a list of all local factories in Xinhai City and their dye orders.

Soon, a dyeing factory that had shut down last year and moved to neighboring C City came into focus.

“This factory is called Nancheng Dyeing. The old site is less than three kilometers from West Gate Village, where the white van used by the kidnapper was found. After relocating, the old factory was entrusted to a real estate agency and remains unsold, currently vacant, with only a security company assigned to guard it.”

A young officer reported to Shen Zun. “However, when the security company called the guard stationed at the factory, his phone had already been deactivated!”

Shen Zun slammed the table in anger. “Why the hell didn’t you report this to me immediately? If this tips off the suspects and they escape, I’ll personally use your head as a stool!”

He ordered An Pingdong and several detectives to rush to the old Nancheng Dyeing factory site.

Qi Shanyu was about to follow An Pingdong out when Liu Yi stopped him at the door, grabbing his sleeve.

“The remaining kidnappers are likely hiding the hostage in that old factory. You…”

Liu Yi paused. “Be careful yourself…”

Qi Shanyu was surprised by Liu Yi’s sudden gesture, his face showing clear astonishment. After a two-second pause, he nodded. “Got it.”

He gently moved Liu Yi’s hand off his arm, stepped past him, and quickly caught up with his partner An Pingdong.

However, things didn’t unfold as Liu Yi had anticipated.

Several detectives, along with over ten local officers, searched the entire abandoned factory overnight.

Apart from the post-relocation mess and some footprints near the factory entrance suggesting recent activity, they found no one—no kidnappers, no hostages. Even the regular factory security was gone.

When this news reached the station, everyone was disheartened.

Seeing hope dashed, Shen Zun flopped into his chair with a “clang,” running his hands through his messy hair, resembling a bird’s nest.

“Alright, at least that missing guard is suspicious. Follow this lead and see if he had any connection with the deceased Chang Yuxing!”

He then shouted at the officer in charge of communications: “Have the kidnappers contacted the Liu family again?”

“No!”

A female officer immediately answered loudly, unwilling to provoke the angry boss. “Since Liu Yang received the audio file, the family hasn’t received any contact from the kidnappers.”

“Damn it!”

Shen Zun kicked the table. Liu Yang’s email received the audio at 1:30 p.m. on the 28th. Now it’s 2 a.m. on the 29th. Over twelve hours have passed without ransom demands. This likely means they don’t want money—they may want the hostage dead.

Shen Zun grew increasingly agitated. So far, apart from the deceased Chang Yuxing, they hadn’t caught any other kidnappers. Frustrated and unsure where to vent, he lit a cigarette, inhaling sharply to calm himself.

When he looked up, Liu Yi was still seated, waiting for the factory search results.

“Director Liu.”

Shen Zun extinguished his cigarette, concealing his irritation, and forced a tired smile. “We’re not done here yet. Go back and rest. We’ll notify you if needed.”

Liu Yi considered that he couldn’t help much here, then nodded. “Alright, I’ll watch from the institute. Contact me if anything happens.”

He stood, grabbed his wrinkled coat from a chair, draped it over his shoulders, and headed downstairs.

&&& &&& &&&

As predicted, Liu Yi took a taxi back to the Legal Research Institute.

He arrived at 2:30 a.m. Photos from the old Nancheng Dyeing site and collected evidence had already been sent to the Evidence Division.

Since the police suspected the kidnappers had likely moved on, no manpower was available to continue pursuing this lead, so the Evidence Division wasn’t pressed for immediate results.

Liu Yi circled the office but was stopped by the head of Evidence, Yuan Lan, who impatiently ushered him out. He then returned to his office, quickly showered, rolled up in a blanket on the sofa, and dozed off.

Author’s note: Thanks to a friend at the Occupational Disease Prevention Institute for guidance on the medical records~