165.

As the lights came on in the city, the night grew darker.

Inside the headquarters of Hua Du, the entire Major Crimes Unit was working overtime on this teenage girl abduction case.

Lu Junchi looked at the information and asked, “Is it written in the suspect’s profile that he’s single?”

Xia Mingxi nodded, “Yes, there’s no record of a wife or children.”

Qu Ming added, “I suspect his son isn’t registered in the household, or he’s registered under a relative. Although it’s a modern society, the area in Hua Du’s southern suburbs is chaotic, close to rural areas, and there are children without proper household registration.”

According to Yan Xiaorui’s statement, this man might have more than one son.

Those children might be hidden away, or they might have been sold a long time ago.

Lu Junchi asked again, “Has the previous witness identification been verified?”

Xia Mingxi replied, “Just got in touch with them. The aunt said that the man who abducted the victim that night wasn’t this man; he’s not that old. It should have been his ‘son’ who took action.”

She handed a paper to Lu Junchi, saying, “We found several properties registered under Jian Bai’s name, as well as a few warehouses. In his assets, we found a car, a black one. According to a witness, it matches the model of the vehicle used to abduct the victim at that time. Besides this car, he also owns an old van, which matches the description given by Yan Xiaorui.”

Lu Junchi said, “Let’s not tip our hand. We’ll go directly later with the team.”

Qu Ming asked, “Are we going in tonight?”

Lu Junchi nodded, “Yes, the longer we wait, the more danger the girls are in.”

Qu Ming replied, “Okay, I’ll contact the Criminal Investigation Team and make the preparations.”

Jian Bai had rented several small warehouses, each not very large.

Su Hui looked at the locations of these warehouses on the map. Where exactly would those girls be kept?

After pondering for a moment, he said to Qiao Ze, “Retrieve traffic surveillance records and traffic violation records related to Jian Bai’s vehicles. See if we can trace some of his routes. If he’s the perpetrator, he might visit the same warehouse frequently, especially during non-standard times like after work or at night. This could be the place where the girls are hidden.”

All the necessary data was quickly gathered. They pinpointed one of the warehouses. Qiao Ze showed Yan Xiaorui the satellite images taken earlier and quickly received confirmation.

At this point, the search warrant was also issued.

In the late night hours, several teams of detectives quickly assembled, fully equipped, and headed towards the southern direction of Hua Du.

To ensure Su Hui’s safety, Lu Junchi had him follow in the command vehicle.

The whole city was cloaked in the darkness of night as police cars swiftly moved through the streets.

Su Hui silently looked out the window, and Lu Junchi, sitting beside him, held his hand for a moment.

Suddenly, Lu Junchi noticed flames rising in the night, “Looks like a fire!”

Qu Ming identified the direction, “That might be our destination.”

They didn’t know the situation now, whether the perpetrator felt close to being exposed and wanted to destroy evidence, or if something else had occurred.

“Call the fire department. Let’s get there quickly!” Lu Junchi made a swift decision.

Qu Ming stepped on the gas pedal, speeding in the direction of the fire.

Hopefully, there was still time!

Just a few minutes ago, three girls had climbed out of the cave one after another, and a quiet surrounded them.

Now it was nighttime. Based on their experience, the person guarding the warehouse at this time would likely be preparing to sleep and not constantly monitoring the surveillance.

Qie Kexin and Tan Qin hid near the entrance.

He Jiaojiao rushed to the other end of the room. She lit a paper spirit money note with a solemn expression and tossed it into a box.

The red flames quickly ignited the paper, and the fire spread.

Swiftly, the paper cars, paper horses, paper people, and ingots in the room caught fire, crackling and popping as they burned.

The black paper scraps fluttered in the air like numerous black butterflies flapping their wings.

Golden paper effigies scattered around, resembling an army of ghosts marching, their sights locked on capturing souls.

Amidst the roaring flames, it seemed as if countless resentful spirits were released into the cold winter night.

He Jiaojiao wrapped herself in a blanket and quickly rejoined the other two girls.

The room had a lot of flammable materials, and the fire was spreading rapidly.

Thick smoke billowed, and the temperature began to rise.

This was the most difficult time. The girls coughed and huddled in a corner, the orange glow reflecting on their young faces.

Crouched together, they covered their mouths and noses with damp towels, their wide eyes waiting…

Waiting for someone to notice the fire.

The advancing red flames gradually engulfed the whole room. The smell of charred objects filled the air, and their skin felt the scorching heat. The tongues of fire licked their skin, setting their clothes ablaze.

Every minute and second felt like an eternity.

The Grim Reaper seemed to be lifting his scythe, ready to harvest their young lives at any moment.

The girls gritted their teeth, enduring. Instead of fear, they felt a sense of revenge.

They hoped this fire would cleanse this hellish place thoroughly.

Finally, the people outside heard the commotion and discovered the fire.

“Damn, it’s on fire!”

“Quick, put out the fire!”

“Where’s the fire extinguisher?”

Clattering sounds echoed from outside, and then the door was pushed open. For the girls inside, this was the moment they had been waiting for.

With a wave of heat, the three girls rushed out together, heading in different directions.

“Damn it! Those girls escaped!”

Standing outside was none other than the owner of this place, Jian Bai, along with his accomplice.

Jian Bai wielded a fire extinguisher and sprayed it into the room, but against the raging fire, the extinguisher’s powder seemed like a drop in the ocean.

“Dad! What should we do now?” the young man yelled.

Jian Bai’s face contorted, his eyes bloodshot, “Go catch those girls! Don’t let them be found!”

The man rushed out, and the three girls, in their panic, fled in different directions. After a moment’s hesitation, he pursued Qie Kexin and He Jiaojiao, who were running slower.

Leading the way, Tan Qin had already escaped the warehouse. The front was pitch-black, and she screamed, “Help! Murder!”

Her long hair flowed behind her.

It had been three years. For the first time, she had broken free from that door, breathed clean air, and felt the night wind against her skin.

The sharp scream of the girl pierced the night sky, shattering the stillness of the night.

In the darkness, Tan Qin couldn’t even see the ground beneath her feet. She ran desperately, stumbling but getting up immediately each time she fell.

She didn’t dare stop.

Until she had run tens of meters away, she collided with a man. The man was tall and sturdy.

“Help… help…”

Tan Qin trembled as she cried out, having inhaled some dense smoke earlier. She felt dizzy and was supported by the man.

“Don’t be afraid, I’m a policeman.”

Hearing the man utter these words, Tan Qin’s pounding heart gradually calmed.

This profession, these simple two words, brought her an immense sense of security.

It was like a sudden appearance of light in the dark night, calming her down.

Exhausted, Tan Qin finally collapsed, fainting in the man’s arms.

At the same time, He Jiaojiao and Qi Kexin were running. They had just escaped from the warehouse’s entrance.

Earlier, He Jiaojiao had injured her leg when the man attacked her, so she was running a bit slower.

She stumbled a few steps, and the young man grabbed her hand, holding onto her and desperately trying to pull her back.

“Help!” He Jiaojiao screamed in panic, struggling and kicking, trying to break free from the man’s grasp.

Qi Kexin had initially run a few steps ahead but hesitated now.

She suddenly turned back, grabbed the man’s hand, and bit down hard on it.

Despite her physical weakness, her bite was forceful enough to tear off a piece of flesh from the man’s hand.

The man let out a horrifying scream, flinging her aside and striking her with a slap.

Qi Kexin fell to the ground, and at the same moment, He Jiaojiao managed to break free from the man’s grip with a strong effort.

The man cursed under his breath, pulled out a knife, his face twisted with anger, and he aimed to attack the two girls in front of him.

At that moment, a gunshot rang out.

Lu Junchi, who was at the forefront, decisively drew his gun and fired.

In an instant, he moved the two girls aside and precisely targeted the man’s hand holding the knife.

The bullet covered a distance of more than twenty meters and hit the target accurately.

Afterward, Lu Junchi ran over, pulled He Jiaojiao aside, and said, “Stay behind me.”

He Jiaojiao got up, turned around, and saw the man with a gunshot wound in his shoulder, still attempting to attack.

Other officers ran over and restrained him, putting handcuffs on him.

“Police! Don’t move!”

“What about Jian Bai?”

“Maybe still inside!”

“Has the fire department arrived?”

The grass outside was filled with noise.

Lu Junchi was about to go forward and help Qi Kexin, who had fallen to the ground.

Suddenly, a middle-aged man ran out of the burning building. He reached Qi Kexin, grabbed her by the hair, and held a sizable chainsaw in his hand, which was buzzing and running.

“Don’t come any closer! None of you damn well come near! Whoever comes close, this girl will die immediately!” The middle-aged man shouted hysterically while waving the chainsaw in his hand.

The chainsaw cut through the air, producing a loud buzzing sound.

“Put the gun down! Or I’ll kill her.” The man shouted, pulling on Qi Kexin’s hair and dragging her forward.

Qi Kexin was extremely weak by this point, and half of her face was swollen. The girl collapsed on the ground, devoid of any strength to resist.

Lu Junchi recognized the man as Jian Bai, the one previously identified by Yan Xiaorui. He intended to move forward, but Jian Bai raised the chainsaw again.

The chainsaw was spinning rapidly, a force capable of cutting through flesh and bone, potentially causing severe injuries or even death upon contact with the skin.

“Don’t act impulsively.” Lu Junchi crouched down and placed his gun on the ground in front of him.

Jian Bai was breathing rapidly, looking around at the police officers surrounding him.

With over a dozen officers present and the fire blazing behind them, he was considering how he could escape.

Lu Junchi said, “She can’t walk anymore; she can’t be your hostage. I’ll trade places with her, alright?”

Jian Bai glanced at Qi Kexin, who was already lying on the ground. He swung the chainsaw again, “No, I want a woman! Bring me a woman to be my hostage!”

Lu Junchi squeezed Tan Qin’s hand, preventing her from stepping forward, “She’s also injured in her leg. With her, you won’t get far. We’ll provide a suitable hostage for you. Do you have any other demands?”

“Let him go!” Jian Bai raised the chainsaw and pointed to the young man who had been caught by them. He was sweating profusely from intense anxiety. “I, I also want a car.”

Lu Junchi walked over to the young man with the handcuffs, pulling him forward, “As long as you ensure the safety of the hostage, we’ll meet your demands. Think about what else you need. I’ll call and negotiate with my superiors.”

“I… I…” Jian Bai started to think.

At that moment, Lu Junchi made his move. He pushed the young man forward, and the young man stumbled toward Jian Bai, but with his hands cuffed and his serious injuries, he couldn’t go far.

Taking advantage of Jian Bai’s momentary distraction, Lu Junchi slipped out of his line of sight.

When Jian Bai spotted him, they were just two meters apart. Jian Bai raised the chainsaw, ready to strike at Lu Junchi.

Lu Junchi was incredibly fast. He ducked low, launched a direct blow to Jian Bai’s calf, and then his elbow hit Jian Bai’s back.

The chainsaw was large and looked very heavy. Jian Bai, who was in his fifties, had been holding it for a while, and his arm was already extremely sore. Under the successive attacks from Lu Junchi, he immediately lost his balance and fell forward, the massive chainsaw rotating, buzzing as it cut into the ground, sending dirt flying.

All of this happened in the blink of an eye. Qi Kexin, who was nearby, screamed in fear and was quickly pulled to safety by other officers.

Jian Bai wanted to counterattack, raising his fist toward Lu Junchi.

Seeing him without a weapon, Lu Junchi didn’t hold back. He kicked Jian Bai in the stomach, knocking him down.

Coughing, Jian Bai still tried to crawl towards the chainsaw.

Lu Junchi pulled out a second gun he had on him and pointed it at Jian Bai’s head, saying, “Don’t move!”

With the crisis averted, everyone let out a sigh of relief.

Other officers quickly approached, collected the chainsaw, and took Qi Kexin to where He Jiaojiao was.

The two girls, survivors of the ordeal, were holding their heads, crying in pain.

Faced with all of this, they felt a sense of unreality.

They were saved, truly saved. They had finally lived to see this moment.

Lu Junchi took off his coat and draped it over He Jiaojiao. Qu Ming also gave his coat to Qi Kexin.

Suddenly, the freezing bodies of the girls were enveloped in warmth.

An ambulance arrived, and officers came over to prepare to take them into the vehicle.

Before leaving, He Jiaojiao glanced back at the blazing warehouse once more. Then she turned, not needing any assistance, limping determinedly towards the ambulance.

Qi Kexin wiped a tear from her eye as well.

Her nightmare-like seven years had come to an end.

Su Hui sat in the command vehicle, looking at the scene outside. His vision was poor, and he could only see a sea of red flames, illuminating the horizon.

Good news arrived one after another.

The girls were rescued, the criminal was caught, the firefighters began extinguishing the fire, and Lu Junchi was handling follow-up matters.

In the past, Su Hui had been afraid and disgusted by flames. But now, through the glass window, as he looked at the raging fire, he could feel the scorching blood flowing in his chest.

Fire could cause death, but it could also bring warmth and hope.

Those flames illuminated the winter night, making him feel less repulsed.

The fire had destroyed everything in that warehouse, but it hadn’t spread to other areas. The blaze was soon extinguished.

The three girls were taken to the hospital for medical examinations and treatment.

Within the bureau, the Major Crimes Unit interrogated Jian Bai overnight.

Once Lu Junchi finished handling the aftermath, he entered the observation room. Jian Bai had already begun confessing to his crimes.

Sitting beside Su Hui, Lu Junchi handed him a cup of hot chocolate.

Su Hui thanked him and took a sip. The warm chocolate thawed his body, and they both listened to the process of the interrogation.

“What’s the name of the young man?”

“His name is Xin Yi.”

“Is he your son?”

Jian Bai spoke the truth, “Yes, because I wasn’t married, his name was registered under my brother’s.”

“Who is his mother?”

Jian Bai rubbed his hands, “Twenty years ago, I bought a woman.”

“Where is she now?”

“She ran away. She was always trying to escape when I tied her up at home. I beat her a few times. Then she really ran away, in the dead of winter, just before New Year’s. I thought, the money I spent on buying a wife wasn’t for nothing. I lay alone in the freezing bed, and it felt like losing my wallet. I couldn’t stand it and decided to dig a hole beneath the warehouse and bring women I picked up from the street home, as replacements. That made me feel better.”

Taking a sip of water, he continued, “At first, I only kept one person, but later I found that I could keep a few more… Every winter, nearing New Year’s, when I lay alone in bed feeling cold, I’d remember the woman from before. I hated her so much that I gnashed my teeth. After getting up, I’d go out and grab someone. When one girl got tired, I’d want the next one.”

“How many girls have you kidnapped in total?”

“Six…”

“Are you sure?”

Jian Bai tilted his head, “Let me think. Maybe… it’s seven? It’s been so long, I can’t remember.”

He named He Jiaojiao, Qi Kexin, Yan Xiaorui, Tan Qin, and the woman who gave birth to Xin Yi. This meant there was a victim that the police were currently unaware of.

“Did you kidnap Qi Kexin?”

“Which one? I don’t remember their names.”

Qu Ming showed him a picture of Qi Kexin, “The one you recently took as a hostage.”

Jian Bai nodded, “This woman used to be quite pretty. But she couldn’t bear me a son. I don’t like her now. She’s as skinny as a ghost.”

Qu Ming showed him a picture of Tan Qin.

“My son chose this one.” Jian Bai looked a bit smug, “I once took my son hunting, and he learned quickly. Later, he did this on his own. He’d deceive people and bring them back. We’d enjoy it together.”

Xin Yi, the offspring born of a victim, had also become an accomplice, following in his father’s footsteps.

As Jian Bai grew older, he took over the role of the hunter from his father.

Jian Bai, sitting in the interrogation room, confessed to all his crimes and started to reveal the details.

He imprisoned those girls in the underground cells he had dug, and if they gave birth to sons, he would take the children away, foster them with relatives, or simply sell them. If they gave birth to daughters, he would dispose of the bodies.

“Did you kill those infant girls?”

Jian Bai answered cunningly, “Those children were born dead, of course I buried them.”

“Do you have anything else to add?”

“Those three women burned down my warehouse. They should compensate me, right?” Jian Bai laughed at this point. Deep laugh lines formed at the corners of his mouth, but the smile was rather repulsive. “Officer, this crime isn’t that significant, right? Women are just for giving birth, aren’t they?”

He looked like an ordinary middle-aged man, but his words and actions were chilling.

These crimes had continued for over a decade, only being discovered now.

Listening to this confession, Lu Junchi clenched his fists, his face taut. He regretted having taken down Jian Bai too quickly. He wanted to beat this scum senseless.

Such people deserved to be tortured

 a thousand times and sent to the depths of hell, never to be reborn.

When Lu Junchi and Su Hui returned to the office, Qiao Ze and Zheng Bai had already returned from the hospital and were there to brief them.

“The three girls have completed their medical examinations. He Jiaojiao has some leg injuries, the condition of Qi Kexin is worse, she needs to be hospitalized for uterine evacuation treatment, and Tan Qin is also malnourished. Currently, none of them are in life-threatening conditions.”

“Have their relatives been notified?”

“Their families heard about their rescue and were very relieved. The registration process has been completed, and their parents rushed over to meet them.”

“Make sure to arrange for their statements. If their health isn’t good, you can assist them in providing their statements at the hospital.”

“Alright, I’ll arrange it for tomorrow.”

As Qi Ze said this, he handed over Lu Junchi’s coat.

“Captain Lu, that girl named He Jiaojiao is quite interesting. She borrowed a pen from a nurse and wrote a little note, asking me to give it to you.”

Lu Junchi asked, “What did she write?”

Qi Ze blinked, “It’s for you, I’m not sure, okay?”

Lu Junchi glanced at Su Hui, who was holding a cup nearby, and said, “Read it aloud. It’s not like it’s something indecent.”

Only then did Qi Ze open the note and began to read aloud, “Uncle Policeman, thank you for saving me today. Although this experience only lasted a few days, my life has completely changed. I feel that no matter the circumstances, a person can’t give up on themselves. I feel like I’ve endured this period, and there won’t be any insurmountable obstacles in my life from now on…”

The office fell into silence as Qi Ze continued.

“I used to like a boy in school, but today, I saw the fearless courage of the police officers in rescuing people. Compared to you, Uncle Policeman, the immature boy seems insignificant. I’ve decided to break up with him when I get back and no longer indulge in puppy love. I’ll study hard, love my parents, and cherish life.”

“…I know that rescuing us wasn’t the effort of just one person, but the result of many people’s hard work. Thank you again, Uncle Policeman, for saving us. I wish you and all of you a lifetime of safety and peace.”

There was nothing more in the letter, it read like a student’s composition, but it was deeply moving to the officers reading it.

Su Hui sighed deeply and put down his pen, “I hope no girl has to go through something like this…”

But he knew in his heart that it was just a beautiful wish.

Even in a big city like Huadu, such incidents happened. In smaller towns, places where girls were bought and sold, abducted to the countryside, who knew how many cases were hidden.

At this very moment, many families of missing girls were anxious, waiting for the day their daughters would return.

Among these three girls, Qi Kexin and Tan Qin had been held captive for years before they could return home.

In places they weren’t aware of, some girls might never be rescued in their lifetimes.

Seeing that Su Hui seemed a bit down, Lu Junchi consoled him, “In any case, another case has been solved.”

The nightmares of those girls were over.

The case was solved, and the wrongdoers brought to justice.

That was a good thing.

Many things couldn’t change immediately, but if everyone worked hard, change would happen bit by bit.

When they left the headquarters, it was already early morning.

The sky was adorned with stars, and the road reflected the glint of frost.

They hadn’t driven here today, so the two of them stood at the entrance of the headquarters waiting for a taxi.

The online-hailed car was still five minutes away.

The wind blew, and the night was a bit chilly.

Lu Junchi helped Su Hui adjust his scarf, “I’ve taken a day off for you tomorrow. Rest well tonight.”

Su Hui gave a soft acknowledgment, looking a bit weary, “When you rushed out earlier, I was a bit scared.”

Lu Junchi ruffled his hair, “What’s there to be afraid of? I had a plan, that’s why I charged in. He’s just a creepy old man, your husband can still handle him.”

Su Hui said, “I know, but I still worried. I was so nervous my palms were sweaty. I only felt relieved when I heard you caught him.”

When Lu Junchi confronted Ye Jianbai, he was just a few meters away in a car. He couldn’t see clearly, but his heart was tied up in knots, extremely uneasy.

“Forget about those things for now, think about something cheerful.” Lu Junchi leaned towards his not-deaf ear and whispered, “I received the pickup code earlier. The tail is here.”

Su Hui’s facial expression remained unchanged, but under the streetlight, his face turned as pale

 as snow. Yet his ears had taken on a rosy hue.

Lu Junchi didn’t explicitly mention it. His fingers traced Su Hui’s earlobe before he bent down.

Su Hui was taken by surprise as Lu Junchi’s lips pressed against his.

He slowly closed his eyes, savoring this midnight street kiss amidst the cold breeze.

Lu Junchi’s lips were warm, bringing him a sense of comfort.

Su Hui thought, the hell on earth in this city had vanished.

By the time morning arrived, it should be a better day.

(End of this epilogue)

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End of the epilogue. This story is one I really enjoyed, and I hope you all enjoyed it too.

The next epilogue will be a short one featuring Sisi and Song Wen.