Chapter 41

Chapter 41: Mountain Blaze (01)

Guang Yongguo experienced severe abdominal pain while in detention, suspected of appendicitis, and was immediately sent to the Fifth City Hospital for surgery. After an examination, however, it was determined to be pancreatitis, requiring hospitalization for treatment. Guang Yongguo claimed to have a history of pancreatitis, and the police found his previous hospitalization records. Qiao Heng sent two officers to guard the Fifth City Hospital in case of an emergency. Apart from medical staff and the police, no one was allowed near Guang Yongguo.

However, despite these precautions, something still went wrong.

On the fourth day of his hospitalization, Guang Yongguo’s pain had improved, but he was not yet in a condition to be discharged. The doctor suggested he get out of bed and take a walk in the garden downstairs to get some sun. Guang Yongguo’s illness was real, and there were no abnormal actions after his admission. After discussing with the officers on duty, it was agreed that he could walk in the activity area on the same floor, but going downstairs was not allowed.

The activity area had a curved side with floor-to-ceiling windows, and part of the ceiling was also made of glass, allowing for plenty of sunlight, which was ideal for patients who couldn’t go downstairs to relax.

Two nurses were assisting Guang Yongguo to the activity area, and officers stood at both sides of the area watching them. Guang Yongguo walked slowly and, once at the window, leaned on the stainless steel railing. One of the nurses left, while the other nurse held the IV pole.

At this time, there weren’t many patients in the activity area, as most were taking afternoon naps. The sunlight illuminated Guang Yongguo, making his sickly appearance more apparent. Soon, the nurse who had left returned, still wearing a tight mask, with only her eyes visible. Guang Yongguo kept his head down and allowed her to assist him. The nurse then pushed him toward the circular sofa in the middle of the activity area.

After Guang Yongguo sat down, the nurse left. One of the police officers suddenly noticed that Guang Yongguo had his head lowered and then leaned to the side. The IV pole at his feet was knocked over with a loud crash.

“Guang Yongguo? Guang Yongguo!”

Realizing something was wrong, one officer stayed in place while the other immediately chased after the nurse who had left.

The doctor rushed over, but by then, Guang Yongguo had stopped breathing.

The suspect died while receiving medical care, and this was a major incident.

Hai Shu encountered Lu Xu, her eyes red from crying, in the hallway of the city police station. The last time they met, she had criticized Guang Yongguo, but now, with him gone, she couldn’t bring herself to cry. There was no sorrow, but Hai Shu could still see the numb, painful look in her eyes.

Wen Xu was performing the autopsy, and Hai Shu changed into protective clothing to join him.

Wen Xu said, “Guang Yongguo’s muscles relaxed and his breathing slowly stopped before he died. Captain Hai, do you know what this means?”

After a brief moment of thought, Hai Shu replied, “Euthanasia?”

“The medication he received has been sampled and sent for testing. I suspect cyanide potassium will be found,” Wen Xu said. “He didn’t have any other fatal injuries, and the process of euthanasia involves nerve paralysis and muscle relaxation, causing breathing to stop unknowingly. Euthanasia takes effect quickly, but the drug is diluted when mixed with the original medication, so it takes a little longer. I’ve seen the surveillance footage from when he sat down to when he collapsed. The killer acted after he sat down.”

Hai Shu glanced at Guang Yongguo’s body on the autopsy table. The man who had done so many evil deeds and was known for his cruelty had died so peacefully.

The police had already retrieved all surveillance footage from the Fifth City Hospital. The two officers on duty, along with the doctor and nurse who had been attending to Guang Yongguo, were temporarily detained for questioning. The officers were filled with guilt, saying that because the person was a nurse, they had let their guard down. Additionally, the afternoon sun had made them lazy, and they didn’t immediately recognize the nurse’s intentions. By the time they realized something was wrong, it was too late. They chased after the nurse, but she had already disappeared into the crowd.

The two nurses who had initially been with Guang Yongguo were still in shock and both denied tampering with the medication. The nurse who had left earlier claimed that after returning to the ward area, she was stopped by another patient’s family, and only heard the commotion before returning to the activity area.

Surveillance footage confirmed her story. The nurse who had approached Guang Yongguo and disappeared through the fire escape had entered the activity area from the direction of the ward, and her height and silhouette matched the nurse who had left earlier.

Hai Shu zoomed in on the footage, played it in slow motion, and after clarifying the image, she saw the third nurse take out a syringe from her pocket, holding it between her palm and fingers. The movement was very discreet, and she quickly injected the liquid into the IV tube. From the two officers' angle, it looked as if she was simply adjusting the flow rate of the medication.

After doing all of this, she patted Guang Yongguo on the shoulder, briskly walked to Staircase No. 2. At that moment, the camera captured her profile, and Hai Shu felt a jolt of shock!

Even though the nurse was wearing a mask, Hai Shu recognized her— it was the missing Yin Canxi!

“What?” Sui Xing was surprised. “No way.”

“It’s her,” Hai Shu replied. “She’s skilled at makeup, softening her features so they don’t stand out. She looked just like the nurse who left.” Hai Shu sat down, her mind racing. “The nurse's uniform was her best disguise. Did you notice? Guang Yongguo never looked at her face!”

But no matter how Hai Shu thought about it, she couldn’t understand Yin Canxi’s motive for murdering Guang Yongguo. If Yin Canxi’s encounter with Xu Qiao was real, then it made sense that she disappeared from the public eye and quietly infiltrated the hospital to kill Guang Yongguo.

However, now she knew that Yin Canxi’s story was fabricated. Yin Canxi’s childhood was not as tragic as she claimed. The truly tragic story belonged to the late Zhou Jiajia, and that touching tale belonged to Zhou Jiajia and Xu Qiao, not Yin Canxi.

At this point, Yin Canxi’s murder of Guang Yongguo had no logical basis.

Furthermore, how did Yin Canxi acquire euthanasia drugs? These were not something ordinary people could easily obtain.

The most plausible explanation for Guang Yongguo’s death was that the people behind him wanted him to remain silent forever.

But how could Yin Canxi be the executor? Was she connected to the people behind Guang Yongguo?

“Yin Canxi is no ordinary person,” Sui Xing looked at the footage again, recognizing it was Yin Canxi, but new questions arose. “What is her background? Her speed and psychological composure—she must have been trained.”

The test results for the medication came back, confirming Wen Xu’s suspicions. Guang Yongguo was killed with cyanide potassium, and the euthanasia drug had been injected into the IV fluids. The drug was commonly available abroad, but how it made its way into the country and how Yin Canxi obtained it remained unanswered for now.

Guang Yongguo’s death did not impact the cases recently solved by the Criminal Investigation Team, but it cast a shadow over the city police. The police had originally planned to use Guang Yongguo as a breakthrough to investigate the nameless bodies at Yue Sheng Mountain Villa and the mysterious emails. Now, the path to that investigation was deliberately blocked.

Hai Shu received a call from Qiao Heng, asking her to come to the team leader’s office.

On the way there, Hai Shu sensed something unusual. The death of Guang Yongguo seemed to have a convoluted connection to her. She was the first to arrive at Zhou Ping Town before the Huiyong City police, and she was the one in the Criminal Investigation Team who made contact with the Guang family. She uncovered the long-hidden secrets of Guang Jun, found the connection between Yue Sheng Mountain Villa, Liu Xiang, and Xu Qiao, and handcuffed Guang Yongguo. But in the end, it was his nominal daughter-in-law, who was also once her informant, who killed him.

The hallway leading to the team leader’s office was empty, and the sound of Hai Shu’s footsteps echoed in the air. It felt as if she saw a web of lights ahead, with inevitable dark corners of the light — another impenetrable web of crime.

She pushed the door open, expecting to see the sign of smoke-filled air — back in Bincun City, when her superiors and colleagues hit a dead end in their investigation, they liked to gather together and puff smoke. But Qiao Heng wasn’t smoking, and there were no other leaders in the office.

Qiao Heng smiled as he stood up and gestured to the sofa opposite his desk. “Captain Hai, please sit. The water is almost ready, let me brew some tea for you.”

Hai Shu didn’t see what kind of tea Qiao Heng tossed into the teapot, but as soon as the hot water poured in, the fragrance of osmanthus blended with the tea and filled the entire room. Hai Shu couldn’t help but raise her eyebrows.

Qiao Heng walked over with the teapot and poured it into the paper cup in front of Hai Shu. “Osmanthus oolong. I heard it's your favorite tea, Captain Hai.”

Hai Shu took the cup. “Captain Qiao, how did you know?”

In fact, she didn’t have a special preference for tea. She would drink tea if it was available, and if not, she’d drink plain water or coffee. But she didn’t like tea that was brewed too strong, and jasmine tea seemed too bland. Osmanthus tea was just right.

Captain Qiao smiled. “Because the Captain Xun here also likes osmanthus tea. I guessed that you ladies like this kind of fragrant, somewhat romantic but restrained tea.”

Hai Shu was taken aback. “You mean Captain Xun is...?”

Qiao Heng took a sip first. “Who else could it be, Captain Xun?”

Hai Shu’s mind was suddenly filled with waves. The former Criminal Investigation Team leader of Huiyong City, Xun Susu, was a name that resonated throughout the police world. She had also been Hai Shu’s role model when she was still studying.

“Captain Hai, are you nervous?” Qiao Heng asked.

Hai Shu snapped back to her thoughts. “No, I was just a bit surprised when I heard Captain Xun’s name.”

Qiao Heng said, “I was just thinking whether I should have told you on the phone. Otherwise, you’d probably be wondering if I was going to trouble you because of my relationship with Yin Canxi.”

Hai Shu put down her cup. “I did think it was because of Yin Canxi, but I didn’t expect it to be just you.”

Qiao Heng laughed. “More people wouldn’t do. If a bunch of us were gathered together, someone would always light up a cigarette. As soon as one person smokes, the others can’t just watch. It’s not good for a new lady to be exposed to secondhand smoke.”

Hai Shu occasionally had one herself, but she wasn’t addicted, and she didn’t like other people’s secondhand smoke. “Thank you, Captain Qiao.”

Qiao Heng waved his hand, his expression gradually becoming more serious. “You’ve probably already guessed what I want to talk to you about. The Guang Yongguo case is not simple, and I’d like to hear your thoughts.”

Hai Shu recounted the doubts she had discovered during her investigation and the clues she gathered when she visited the Yin family. “My first thought was that Yin Canxi went missing because she wanted revenge on Guang Yongguo. She had been waiting for an opportunity until Guang Yongguo was hospitalized. But this idea can be easily refuted: first, she is not Zhou Jiajia, she used Zhou Jiajia’s story, but I can’t confirm her motive for doing so; second, although we’ve already found that Guang Yongguo hid Xu Qiao’s body when Yin Canxi disappeared from Zhou Ping Town, she had no way of knowing that, so why would she seek revenge on him? Third, the euthanasia drug — if Yin Canxi’s identity is as ordinary as I know it to be, she couldn’t have obtained such a drug, nor could she have killed Guang Yongguo so smoothly and calmly.”

Qiao Heng asked, “So what’s your conclusion?”

Hai Shu was silent for a moment. “I haven’t formed a judgment that can completely convince myself. But based on the clues, I think Yin Canxi is likely connected to the mysterious emails and the forces behind Guang Yongguo. She came to Zhou Ping Town, and her purpose for approaching Guang Jun wasn’t to avenge Xu Qiao — that was just incidental. Her real target might have been Guang Yongguo. Was she monitoring Guang Yongguo? After we captured Guang Jun, two people left Zhou Ping Town. One was Guang Yongguo, who claimed he had business in the city, and the other was Yin Canxi. I didn’t pay attention to when exactly Yin Canxi left Zhou Ping Town, but after checking, I found the time was close to Guang Yongguo’s departure. It’s very likely she followed him, waiting for an opportunity.”

The clock on the office wall ticked, and after a moment, Qiao Heng looked at Hai Shu with sharper eyes. “Your idea is interesting, but isn’t there a key figure missing in your analysis?”

Hai Shu’s pupils darkened slightly. “It’s me.”

Qiao Heng: “Yes, it’s you.”

They fell into silence for a while, and then Hai Shu spoke. “This is also the part I haven’t figured out. When I first heard Yin Canxi talk about her childhood, I thought the whole logic chain was complete — she longed for Xu Qiao, saw her as the light, and when this light no longer existed, she left the cold, unwelcoming home and tried to find the truth behind Xu Qiao’s disappearance. But she realized that with her ability, she couldn’t find it. She also couldn’t become a police officer, so she approached me and became my informant. After acquiring some investigative skills, she returned to Zhou Ping Town and targeted Guang Yongguo.”

Hai Shu shifted the topic. “But now, the first link in this logic chain is broken. I don’t understand why she became my informant, why she invited me to the wedding. If there’s a powerful force behind Yin Canxi, why would this force want her to approach me?”

Qiao Heng nodded. “Captain Xun wasn’t mistaken. You really have her old spirit.”

Hai Shu was surprised again. “What?”

Qiao Heng said, “Actually, when you were transferred from Bincun City to Huiyong City, it was partly because you didn’t want to stay there anymore, and partly because Captain Xun strongly recommended you to me.”

Hai Shu’s heart skipped a beat. This was more unexpected than recognizing Yin Canxi in the surveillance footage.

She had only met Xun Susu twice.

Once was when she was assigned to Bincun City’s Guiyun Sub-bureau, during a new criminal investigation competition. She stood in the thick crowd and saw Xun Susu, the judge, demonstrating on stage. There was an interaction session between the judges and the participants, but there were so many questions, and she raised her hand for a long time but was never selected.

The other time was during a major serial murder case in Bincun City, where she participated in the investigation. Xun Susu, as an expert from the Ministry of Public Security, came to oversee the case. The leaders at the Guiyun Sub-bureau had prejudices against female police officers, and her role in the case was limited. After the case was solved, Xun Susu left with the supervisory team, and many colleagues went to see her off, but she stayed back and watched from afar.

At that time, she was full of fire, and although she wanted to approach Xun Susu, something held her back. She wasn’t good enough yet; she was far from being the legendary female captain who had brought down the Yongheng Group in Huiyong City. She didn’t want to just stand there in front of Xun Susu.

The strong sense of self-confidence and inferiority of youth twisted together, making her feel that the version of herself back then would have made Xun Susu look down on her.

Looking back, she realized that someone like Xun Susu couldn’t have had the narrow emotions she had imagined.

Since then, she rarely heard news about Xun Susu. She had heard that Xun Susu no longer worked on the frontlines and sometimes taught at the Public Security University, cultivating new talent. But because of Xun Susu, Hai Shu had always felt an admiration for Huiyong City. She had achieved a lot in Bincun City, solving more cases than any other squad leader, but Bincun City was a very traditional place, and around her were mostly men. They weren’t unkind, but subconsciously, they still looked down on her.

Last year, when the Ministry of Public Security was selecting elites for local assignments, it was quite an interesting situation. The locals didn't want to let go of their truly capable officers, and the ambitious ones wanted to go out and make a name for themselves. The Ministry of Public Security would obviously pick the best, but the locals were unwilling to part with the best, and they couldn't send anyone too subpar. Hai Shu ended up being the best choice—her performance was solid and extremely impressive, definitely something to show off, and Bincun City didn't hold on to her as tightly as they did with other male elites.

Hai Shu herself was fully determined, thinking this was an excellent opportunity. She had felt stifled in Bincun City and was eager to make a change, and since Xun Susu was also at the Ministry of Public Security, if she were selected, she might even get the chance to work alongside Xun Susu.

But after a half-month evaluation, she was not selected. The comprehensive feedback was that she was not yet suitable for a transfer to the capital.

When she put on her uniform, it was the first time she felt disheartened, returning to Bincun City in solitude. She didn’t know who had given her the feedback, but maybe it was Xun Susu, because as far as she knew, the selection of female officers would consult with Xun Susu. She hadn’t met the Ministry’s standard when she was at her most ambitious, and she might never meet it again.

Every day after returning to her team was harder to bear. She tried to adjust her mindset, but it didn’t work well. At the end of the year, the Criminal Investigation Team leader of the city bureau, Qi Bin, found her and asked why she was living aimlessly and what her thoughts were. In a moment of impulsiveness, she said she wanted to transfer to another city. Qi Bin was taken aback but didn’t stop her.

Transferring to another city involved a lot of procedures, and where she would go wasn’t something she could decide. A month later, Qi Bin informed her that after the new year, she would go to Huiyong City. She thought she had misheard. “Huiyong City?”

“Yes, Huiyong City. Their Criminal Investigation Team is missing a team leader. This will be a lateral transfer.”

She didn’t even wait until the new year. Hai Shu arrived in Huiyong City and was immediately caught up in a series of cases, so much so that she hadn’t even completed all the paperwork.

“Captain Xun recommended me?” Hai Shu felt it was hard to believe.

Qiao Heng said, “She said Huiyong City needs a police officer like you.”

“I...” Hai Shu felt a surge of emotions. “Can I know why?”

Qiao Heng stood up and walked to his desk. “The Yongheng Group case. You must have heard of it?”

Hai Shu sat up straight. “Yes.”

While investigating the disappearance of a college student, she had heard about the Yongheng Group from Zhao Yue’s teacher. Zhao Yue’s tragedy had been caused by a female executive of the Yongheng Group, Qian Ying.

The Yongheng Group had risen more than twenty years ago. Initially, it was in the clothing business, but later expanded into real estate and foreign trade, becoming a commercial giant in Huiyong City. During this process, Yongheng collaborated with criminals, killing officials, competitors, and even killing each other, working with foreign drug traffickers and arms smugglers, turning Huiyong City into a mess.

Before Xun Susu arrived in Huiyong City, the police had already begun tackling the Yongheng Group, but investigations in the open were constrained by regulations, and the killing of police officers in the shadows spread continuously. Some sacrificed their lives, while others retreated, and the morale of the police plummeted.

Xun Susu was appointed at a critical moment. At first, the Yongheng Group didn’t take her seriously. What could a frail woman do?

But it was this woman who, after taking office, dealt the Yongheng Group a fatal blow with lightning-fast measures—she personally took action, bypassing restrictions, and arrested the group’s high-ranking member, Xue Nongfei.

The Yongheng Group was caught off guard. Later, key figures like Qian Ying and Qian Hua were arrested. During a gunfight, Xun Susu was injured, but she also obtained direct evidence of the Yongheng Group’s crimes. The operation took a year, and nine people, including Xue Nongfei, were executed. The Qian siblings are still serving their sentences.

After the downfall of the Yongheng Group, public safety in Huiyong City gradually recovered year by year. The younger generation had already forgotten the once-dominant Yongheng Group, and only middle-aged and older people occasionally talked about the thrilling events of those years. After that, Xun Susu worked in Huiyong City for another two years before being transferred to the Ministry of Public Security.

“In the first half of last year, our intelligence officers discovered signs that criminal gangs were making a comeback,” Qiao Heng said. “Of course, it’s not necessarily the Yongheng Group. Their major and minor members are all in prison, and the ones with lighter sentences have been released but are under our surveillance.”

Hai Shu asked, “So who are these people?”

Qiao Heng said, “I’m sure you’ve figured it out—those behind Yue Sheng Mountain Villa, those behind Guang Yongguo. We can’t be sure what they want to do yet, but all signs indicate that they share similarities with the former Yongheng Group. This time, we absolutely cannot let them develop to the scale of the Yongheng Group. Ideally, we will extinguish the flame while it’s still small.”

He then looked at Hai Shu. “We need someone with absolute determination and ability, but not someone who grew up in our team. Bringing someone in from the outside will bring fresh ideas and energy, allowing for close cooperation with elite members familiar with Huiyong City, just like when Captain Xun joined us.”

Hai Shu’s eyelids twitched. “I’m the person you’re looking for?”

Qiao Heng’s gaze gradually became more scrutinizing. “To be honest, when Captain Xun recommended you to me, I was somewhat skeptical. On one hand, I unconditionally trust her, but on the other hand, your performance after you were not selected and returned to Bincun City made me worry. I feared you wouldn’t be able to handle this responsibility.”

Soon, Qiao Heng’s eyes softened, and his tone became gentler. “But your performance in Zhou Ping Town convinced me that Captain Xun’s choice was correct.”

Hai Shu calmed down amidst her excitement, smiling. “So you’ve been observing me all along.”

Qiao Heng said earnestly, “Sorry for not explaining the reasons for your transfer earlier.”

They talked for a while longer, and then Hai Shu, with her sharp instincts, asked, “I should not be the only ‘outsider,’ right?”

Qiao Heng squinted and smiled. “Clever. I’ve applied for a special task force from the team. If necessary, they will assist with our work.”