Chapter 1389
Hiding in the Old Lair of Xuejia Village
Luo Fei listened without showing any emotion on his face, simply giving a faint "hmm" to indicate that he understood.
Then he said.
"Alright, you've all had a busy day. Let the brothers rest except for those on essential posts. The lockdown continues, but there's no need to be overly tense."
He can't escape Dongguan. We'll talk about it tomorrow.
"Yes."
Chen Yifan replied, then paused and couldn't help but ask.
"Boss, you seem... not worried at all that he might actually run away? That's quite possible, isn't it?"
Luo Fei seemed to chuckle softly in the darkness, his voice carrying a hint of certainty.
"If he truly had the ability to silently escape thousands of miles away under such a complete blockade, then he would be quite a figure. Unfortunately, he is just a spoiled brat who relies on his family's power, possesses a bit of cleverness and ruthlessness. A frightened bird is most likely to fly back to what it considers its safest nest. Go to sleep."
After saying that, he hung up the phone.
He put his phone aside and closed his eyes again. He wasn't particularly surprised or anxious about Xue Shihao's escape. The plan was already in place, the pressure was there, and the more the other party hid, the more flaws and clues would likely be exposed.
The urgent task is not just to arrest Xue Shihao.
His thoughts had turned to the initial and core objective of his trip to Dongguan.
Silent all night.
The next morning, Luo Fei woke up on time, feeling refreshed.
After finishing his preparations, he drove directly to the Municipal Public Security Bureau. The atmosphere inside the bureau's compound was different from yesterday; there was less tension and speculation, and more solemnity and a sense of efficient, busy operation.
News of Chen Yunfei's arrest had clearly spread, causing everyone to feel insecure and try their best to perform well. Luo Fei's arrival attracted countless eyes filled with awe, curiosity, and caution.
He went straight to the temporary office area that had been set up for the special task force.
Chen Yifan and Captain Lin were already in place, their eyes bloodshot, clearly having been busy for a long time last night.
"Good morning, boss."
Chen Yifan came forward and reported in a low voice.
Xue Shih-hao has not yet been apprehended.
We found nothing at the various checkpoints leading out of the city, and we conducted peripheral monitoring of several known properties and hidden locations in Xuejiaguan, but found no obvious abnormalities.
This guy is very good at hiding his true intentions.
Luo Fei nodded, walked to the whiteboard, picked up a pen, circled the name "Xue Shihao," and then put a question mark on it.
He turned around and spoke to Chen Yifan and the other group members.
"We don't need to waste all our energy on hunting him down. With the entire city under lockdown, he's already a trapped beast."
There are only two places he is most likely hiding in.
First, there are the Xue family's extremely secretive strongholds in the city and surrounding areas, unknown to outsiders; second...
He tapped the tip of his pen on another place name that had been written on the whiteboard long ago—"Xuejia Village".
Chen Yifan's eyes sharpened.
"The hideout?"
"Correct."
Luo Fei put down his pen.
"Xuejia Village is the stronghold of the Xue clan, which has been operating for decades. It is a monolithic and extremely exclusive place."
Every brick, tile, blade of grass, and tree there may hold secrets, and it is also what gives Xue Shih-hao the greatest sense of security.
More importantly, the Xue family's patriarch, their pillar of strength, was there to oversee things.
The grandson has committed a terrible crime, almost putting the director of the National Security Bureau in jail, and then fled in panic. For both public and private reasons, Xue Shihao will likely need to, or have to, go back to seek the protection and decision of his grandfather.
Of course, the old man might hide him in a secret outpost outside, but that will definitely be the eye of the storm, the place we will ultimately have to face.
He then changed the subject.
"However, we can put Xue Shihao's matter aside for a while and let things play out. If we leave him out of the picture, the pressure will be on them. Our main task here is to investigate the Japanese superhuman who killed Zhu Dafa. We were delayed by these messy things a few days ago, but now we must get back to the main topic."
Luo Fei looked at Chen Yifan.
"Have you had any initial contact with Zhu Dafa's case file and any results? Who is specifically in charge of this case?"
"The case file has been reviewed. At first glance, it appears to be a street stabbing, with few clues at the scene. The person in charge of the investigation is Gao Linfeng, the captain of the Major Crimes Unit of the Municipal Public Security Bureau's Criminal Investigation Division."
He's a veteran criminal investigator, very experienced. He's been leading the investigation since the case started, but..."
Chen Yifan hesitated for a moment.
"From what I understand, progress seems to be slow, and... it feels a bit restrictive."
"Oh?"
Luo Fei raised an eyebrow.
"Please ask him to come over so I can ask him in person. Also, bring me the case files, especially the on-site surveillance footage and investigation report."
"Yes."
Soon after, a stocky, serious-looking police officer, around forty years old, with bloodshot and tired eyes, knocked on the door and came in.
He wore the rank of First-Class Police Inspector with two bars and three flowers on his shoulders; he was none other than Gao Linfeng, the head of the Criminal Investigation Detachment. Upon seeing Luo Fei, he immediately straightened up and saluted.
"Director Luo! Gao Linfeng from the Criminal Investigation Division is reporting for duty!"
"Captain Gao, please sit down, don't be shy."
Luo Fei pointed to the chair opposite him, his attitude calm.
"Team Leader Chen should have told you why I called you here. I want to know more about the investigation into Zhu Dafa's murder case."
Gao Linfeng sat down, his back still straight, but a complex emotion, barely perceptible, flashed in his eyes. There was respect for his superior, but also a hint of unspeakable helplessness and pressure.
"Yes, Director Luo."
This case... happened two months ago, and it had a significant impact at the time. The deceased, Zhu Dafa, was a well-known entrepreneur in our city, and also... a key figure in some major previous cases.
He was murdered around 9 p.m. in front of the 'Royal Bath Center,' located in a bustling downtown area.
He opened the tablet he had brought with him and brought up the video.
"This is footage captured by a security camera at the convenience store across from the crime scene. Although it's a bit far and the angle is off, the basic process is still clear."
Luo Fei and Chen Yifan leaned closer to watch. In the scene, at the neon-lit entrance of the "Royal Bath Center," a well-dressed, pot-bellied Zhu Dafa was being escorted by two men who looked like lackeys towards a black luxury car.
Just as he opened the car door and stepped into the car, a dark figure suddenly darted out from behind the dim green belt next to him!
The dark figure was extremely fast, dressed in a dark bodysuit, wearing a mask and a baseball cap, making it impossible to see its face.
A flash of cold light appeared in his hand—a dagger or similar sharp weapon—and with lightning speed, he stabbed Zhu Dafa repeatedly in the chest and abdomen! The movements were swift, ruthless, and precise, the entire process taking no more than three seconds. Zhu Dafa didn't even have time to let out a proper scream; he only groaned before collapsing, clutching his wounds.
His henchman seemed stunned by the sudden attack, remaining frozen for more than a second before reacting. He cried out and tried to step forward, but the dark figure had already retreated, turned around without hesitation, and darted into a small alley next to the bathhouse without surveillance cameras, disappearing without a trace.
It only takes seven or eight seconds from the moment it appears to the moment it disappears.
"The killer was very professional, his movements were swift and decisive, and his target was clear: to kill."
Furthermore, they seemed to have some understanding of the scene, choosing a time and route where surveillance was relatively weak and escape was easier.
Gao Linfeng explained from the side.
"According to the on-site investigation and forensic report, Zhu Dafa suffered five stab wounds, three of which pierced his heart and lungs, which were fatal. The murder weapon was similar to a combat knife commonly used by special forces, but an identical one cannot be bought on the market, so it must have been specially made or modified."
Luo Fei replayed the video twice more, especially the killer's gait as he fled.
He suddenly spoke.
"The killer appears to be more than half a head shorter than Zhu Dafa. Zhu Dafa is about 1.75 meters tall, so the killer is probably between 1.65 and 1.7 meters tall. He is agile and has strong explosive power... His walking and running posture, although deliberately concealed by wearing loose clothes, shows the characteristics of his pelvic sway and stride... Chen Yifan, what do you think?"
Chen Yifan stared intently at the screen, then slowly nodded.
"Boss, you have a sharp eye."
Although wearing a hat and mask, and dressed in unisex clothing, the way this person generated core strength, the subtle rhythm of weight transfer, and the amplitude of arm swings... were indeed more in line with female physiological characteristics. Men tend to use their shoulders more and their steps are more forceful, while this killer was more fluid, with greater hip mobility. It was a woman, or... at least a man with a very feminine physique and gait.
However, considering the height and the efficiency of the crime, it is more likely to be a woman.
Gao Linfeng listened from the side and secretly clicked his tongue in amazement. He had been handling cases for many years and had naturally suspected that the murderer might be a woman, but he mainly judged based on height and strength. This was the first time he had seen Luo Fei and Chen Yifan start from such subtle gait characteristics and speak with such certainty.
He quickly nodded in agreement.
"Director Luo, Team Leader Chen, your analysis makes a lot of sense. During our internal discussions, we also tended to believe that the perpetrator might be a specially trained woman or a smaller-sized man."
But regardless of the type, their professionalism is beyond question; they are by no means ordinary killers.
"Where does the alley where the killer disappeared lead? Were there no subsequent surveillance cameras capturing any further evidence?"
Luo Fei asked.
Gao Linfeng shook his head, a bitter look on his face.
"That alley is a maze of interconnected streets, leading to an old residential area and a complex commercial backstreet. The surveillance coverage is very low. We checked all possible exits and surveillance footage within a one-kilometer radius before and after the incident, but found no other suspicious persons matching the physical characteristics of the perpetrator."
This person seemed to appear out of thin air and then vanish just as suddenly.
After a moment of contemplation, Luo Fei turned his attention to the scene of the crime.
"What was Zhu Dafa doing at that 'Royal Bath Center' that night? Was it just to take a bath?"
Upon hearing this, Gao Linfeng's face showed a hint of embarrassment and hesitation. He looked at Luo Fei, then at Chen Yifan, and lowered his voice.
"Director Luo, this 'Royal Bath Center'... is nominally a high-end leisure bathing place, but in reality, according to what we know in the community and within our own ranks, it provides some... illegal special services, and they are of a very high standard with astonishing prices."
Zhu Dafa was a regular there.
Have you checked?
Luo Fei asked directly.
"I've checked..."
Gao Linfeng's voice was even lower and more helpless.
"But...no substantial problems were found."
Each surprise inspection either results in thorough preparation and a spotless environment, or it reveals minor issues that are resolved with a small fine.
Its background... is very deep.
He paused, as if making up his mind, and added.
"When this store opened, a vice mayor in charge of culture, education and health personally attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony."
Moreover, there have been rumors in the industry that its real boss has a close relationship with Xuejia Village.
Therefore, many things... face significant resistance.
It's the Xue family again. A knowing glint flashed in Luo Fei's eyes.
He remained calm and continued asking questions.
"Did Zhu Dafa have an appointment with someone that day, or was it just a routine visit? Have you investigated the people he came into contact with there?"
Gao Linfeng's face showed an even stranger expression as he carefully considered his words.
"According to our inquiry with the waiters who were present at the time, Zhu Dafa went alone that day and did not make any special reservations for any services in advance."
However… this bathhouse has a very special rule, or rather, a very special person.
"A special person?"
"Correct."
Gao Linfeng nodded.
“There’s one there… well, in their internal parlance, she’s called the ‘signature princess’ or the ‘court lady’.”
But she is very mysterious and rarely receives guests, nor is she someone you can simply hire if you have money. On the contrary, she chooses her clients. It is said that she has extremely high requirements for her clients, not only in terms of wealth, but also in terms of... the client's physical condition, age, appearance, and temperament. She only receives young, strong, and physically fit men who meet her standards. If a man does not meet her requirements, no amount of money will help him.
Moreover, she rarely entertained clients, her whereabouts were unpredictable, and even many of her internal staff had never seen her face.
Luo Fei and Chen Yifan exchanged a glance, both seeing interest and wariness in each other's eyes.
This setting itself is extremely unusual.
Gao Linfeng's next words added an even more eerie touch to this "unusual" situation.
"Director Luo, there's another thing that happened during this period that I think... might be related to this case, or rather, to this bathhouse and this mysterious woman, but for various reasons, we couldn't combine the cases for in-depth investigation before."
"What is it? Tell me."
Gao Linfeng took a deep breath.
"In the past two months, around the time of Zhu Dafa's murder, several fitness instructors have died mysteriously in Dongguan City."
"A fitness coach?"
Luo Fei frowned slightly.
"Yes. They are all male trainers with good reputations from major gyms, and they have very muscular physiques. They are between twenty-five and thirty-five years old."
Their deaths were remarkably similar.
People who were originally strong and energetic rapidly became thin and listless within a short period of time, their bodily functions declining sharply. They were taken to the hospital, where no specific cause could be found, but their organs exhibited a strange state of failure, ultimately leading to death. At the time of their death, they were all skin and bones, emaciated and unrecognizable from their previous robust selves. (End of Chapter)