Chapter 1390
A Deadly Situation in a Bathhouse
Luo Fei's eyes sharpened.
What were the medical evaluation results?
"The death certificates issued by the hospital mostly state 'multiple organ failure' or 'severe malnutrition with complications,' but none of them can explain why they became like that in such a short period of time. The families have questions, and we also find it strange, but because there are no obvious external injuries, no signs of poisoning, and because the families of these people later... for some reason, most of them chose to keep quiet and even moved away from Dongguan City very quickly, it is difficult to conduct a thorough investigation."
"What is the reason you are connected to the Zhu Dafa case?"
Luo Fei pressed for an answer.
Gao Linfeng operated the tablet and pulled up another surveillance video. The timestamps showed different dates, but the location was clearly the same—the footage captured by the street corner camera opposite the main entrance of the "Royal Bath Center".
“I did some private investigation and found that these fitness instructors who died suddenly had frequented this ‘Royal Bath Center’ in the period before their deaths. You see this part.”
He pointed to the screen.
"This is one of the deceased, named Wang Meng, a top coach at a well-known chain gym."
This is the CCTV footage of his last visit to the 'Royal Bathhouse'. The one on the left shows him entering at 8 PM. He appears to be well-built, wearing a tight-fitting T-shirt, with clearly defined muscles, walking with a brisk pace, and in good spirits.
Fast forward.
Several hours later, in the early hours of the morning, the same camera captured Wang Meng emerging.
However, he was almost a completely different person from when he went in! Although he was still wearing the same clothes, they were obviously much looser. He walked with a stagger and needed to hold onto the wall to stand. His once full cheeks were sunken, his eyes were dark, and he exuded an indescribable weakness and dejection, as if he had just gone through a serious illness or a great deal of exertion.
"This……"
Chen Yifan couldn't help but speak up.
"The changes are too drastic! It's only been a few hours!"
Gao Linfeng nodded heavily.
"He wasn't the only one. I secretly retrieved surveillance footage of three other fitness instructors who died suddenly before they went to the 'Royal Bath Center,' and the situations were similar. They all went in full of energy but came out listless and noticeably thinner."
and."
He looked at Luo Fei and said, word by word.
"According to information I obtained through some special channels, these individuals were all 'lucky' enough to pass the so-called 'interview' by the mysterious 'court lady' on the day they went there, and they all had one-on-one, lengthy contact with her."
The room fell silent. Luo Fei stared at the starkly contrasting surveillance footage on the tablet screen, then thought of the location where Zhu Dafa was murdered, and the strangely skilled, seemingly female killer.
A vague yet chilling conjecture gradually took shape in his mind. Superpowered individuals from the Land of Cherry Blossoms… a method of extracting the life force or vitality of others in bizarre ways… targeting strong men… a place connected to the Xue family…
He slowly raised his head and looked at Gao Linfeng.
"Captain Gao, please compile these details into a detailed report and send it to me in encrypted form. Also, regarding that 'top courtesan' from the 'Royal Bath Center,' do you know her exact name? Or do you have any more specific information about her appearance or habits?"
Gao Linfeng shook his head.
"Very mysterious. All that is known is that insiders call her 'Miss Sakura' or 'Miss Chisakura'."
She has never shown her true face. It is said that she always wears exquisite makeup, a veil or mask, and has a very distinctive voice with a foreign accent.
As for the rest... I don't know.
Miss Sakura... Chisakura... Sakura Country.
Luo Fei tapped his fingers lightly on the table twice, a cold, sharp glint in his eyes. The investigation had finally touched the truly core, the eerie and dangerous edge.
The air in Gao Linfeng's office was somewhat heavy.
The surveillance footage on the tablet froze on the chilling before-and-after contrast—a vibrant, robust man entered the neon-lit "Royal Bath Center," and emerged hours later looking utterly exhausted and weak, as if some invisible force had drained his life force. Luo Fei, Chen Yifan, Zhou Xiaobei, Wu Peixiong, and several other core members of the special case team sat around the table. The silent images on the high-definition screen spoke of a chilling eeriness.
"Oh my God……"
Zhou Xiaobei couldn't help but click his tongue, his young face filled with disbelief. He pointed to the listless back of the fitness coach named Wang Meng in the picture.
"This... this went in like a tiger and came out like a sick cat? It's only been a few hours? Even if she stayed up all night playing games or... cough cough, it shouldn't be this bad, right? What kind of person is this 'Miss Sakura'? Does she only target strong and healthy men? This preference... is a bit scary."
Wu Peixiong crossed his arms, his rugged brows furrowed. He stared at the screen and spoke in a deep, muffled voice, his tone carrying the pragmatic considerations unique to criminal investigators.
"Even if a woman is incredibly capable, how could she possibly turn so many strong, healthy men into this state in such a short time? I think it's highly unlikely."
Unless she wasn't the only one inside, or... some unconventional methods were used.
He paused, seemingly considering his words.
“Look at these cases. They all went in in similar condition and came out in similar weakened states, as if they had been ‘processed’ by some kind of… standardized procedure.”
It's very difficult for one person to simultaneously manage so many objectives and still cause such consistent and severe consequences.
"Standardized process... 'processing'..."
Chen Yifan pondered the word, his eyes sharply fixed on Luo Fei.
"Boss, this doesn't sound like typical brothel tactics, it sounds more like some kind of..."
Luo Fei didn't respond immediately. His gaze fell on the surveillance footage. Wu Peixiong's words seemed to have touched a chord deep within him. More than one person? Unconventional methods? Overexertion... Some distant and blurry images suddenly flashed before his eyes. They were images of himself when he was still green and his abilities were far less refined than they were now. After an extremely intense mental confrontation and intelligence-gathering operation, he collapsed to the ground, and his teammates practically carried him away from the scene.
I vividly remember the feeling of having my energy and vitality drained away in an instant.
If... if there exists something that can do this more efficiently and thoroughly, and that uses others as sustenance...
He shook his head slightly, pulling his thoughts back to the present. Now is not the time for reminiscing.
He looked at Gao Linfeng.
"Captain Gao, pull up the surveillance footage of Zhu Dafa entering and leaving the bathhouse on the day he was murdered."
"Yes."
Gao Linfeng immediately took action, and soon another surveillance video with a date was retrieved. The video showed that the time was around 8:40 pm. Zhu Dafa's signature bloated figure appeared at the entrance of the "Royal Bath Center". He was surrounded by two henchmen. His face was ruddy, and although his steps were not agile, they were steady and powerful. He was talking to the people next to him as he walked, looking very proud.
He pushed open the ornate glass door, his figure disappearing into the light and shadow inside.
Fast forward. Several hours later, it was nearly midnight.
The same entrance surveillance camera.
Zhu Dafa reappeared, but his condition was completely different.
He walked out alone, his back visibly hunched, his steps unsteady, and his fat face devoid of color, displaying a dejected weariness.
He walked to his luxury car and reached for the door. He couldn't open it the first time, as if he couldn't muster the strength. He paused, took a breath, and then opened the door with a second effort, almost "moving" himself into the car. The car then slowly drove away.
"Did you see that?"
Luo Fei pointed to the difficult movements Zhu Dafa made as he got into the car.
"He was fat before he went in, but he was full of energy. After he came out, he even had trouble opening the car door."
This state of weakness was very obvious.
Chen Yifan immediately understood.
"The murderer waited nearby, specifically choosing the moment when Zhu Dafa came out of the bathhouse, when he was at his weakest and most alert! Given Zhu Dafa's status as a powerful figure in Dongguan and his likely possession of some supernatural abilities, it would be extremely difficult for the murderer, even with exceptional skills, to assassinate him so cleanly and efficiently at close range under normal circumstances. Only when he had undergone some kind of massive exertion and his condition had reached its lowest point would there be an opportunity to strike!"
"Yes."
Luo Fei nodded, affirming Chen Yifan's analysis.
"The root cause of Zhu Dafa's death, and the mysterious deaths of these fitness instructors, likely points to the bathhouse itself, especially the 'flower queen' who picks up customers—'Miss Sakura' or 'Miss Chisakura'."
She has a special 'need' for strong men, and the consequences of this 'need' are, at best, like these fitness instructors who are severely weakened and near death, and at worst, like Zhu Dafa, who was taken advantage of by premeditated enemies when he was weak.
The logical chain between Zhu Dafa going in to spend money and being attacked upon exiting is largely coherent.
Everyone showed expressions of understanding and seriousness.
This deduction connects the seemingly independent murder case with a series of bizarre deaths, pointing to a terrifying core hidden behind a luxury bathhouse.
"Boss."
Chen Yifan asked for instructions.
"We can now be fairly certain that this 'Miss Sakura' is a key figure, and may even be the Japanese superhuman we're looking for. Should we immediately take action against the 'Royal Bath Center,' take control of the relevant personnel, and especially find this 'Miss Sakura'?"
After a moment's thought, Luo Fei decisively gave the order.
"Can.
Chen Yifan, you take the Special Case Team and head immediately to the 'Royal Bath Center'. Under the pretext of cooperating with the investigation of Zhu Dafa's case, conduct a public search and interrogation. Focus on finding 'Miss Ying'; if she's there, be sure to 'invite' her back to assist with the investigation. Be mindful of your methods, but be firm in your stance.
If you encounter resistance or background interference, please contact me promptly.
"understand!"
Chen Yifan stepped forward and answered, his eyes sharp.
He immediately selected several capable subordinates, including Zhou Xiaobei and Wu Peixiong, and then quickly left Gao Linfeng's office, leaving behind a series of hurried and orderly footsteps in the corridor.
Less than ten minutes after Chen Yifan and his group left, there was another knock on Gao Linfeng's office door.
A young criminal police officer rushed in and whispered a few words in Gao Linfeng's ear.
Gao Linfeng's expression changed. He waved for the detective to leave first, then immediately turned to Luo Fei, his tone urgent and complicated.
"Director Luo, we have new information! Our comrades who were on surveillance around Xuejia Town have reported that they have spotted Xue Shihao!"
Luo Fei's expression remained unchanged, only his eyes focused slightly.
"Oh? Tell me more."
About twenty minutes ago, an informant spotted Xue Shihao and his two bodyguards on a secluded path leading from Xuejia Town to Xuejia Village.
They seemed extremely cautious, deliberately choosing routes with little surveillance and few pedestrians. Our comrades attempted to approach, confirm, and make the arrest, but Xue Shihao was extremely alert. Upon noticing the anomaly, he immediately led his bodyguards into the roadside woods, using the complex terrain to evade their pursuers, and then… then disappeared in the direction of Xuejia Village. It's now almost certain that he's hiding in Xuejia Village!
Gao Linfeng reported.
"Hide in Xuejia Village?"
Luo Fei spoke calmly, as if he were stating something very ordinary.
"Then we'll go into the village and arrest them."
Gao Linfeng immediately looked troubled. He rubbed his hands together and said with a wry smile.
"Director Luo, you are unaware of this."
This Xuejia Village... has a very special situation.
It's a typical single-surname clan village, with over 90% of the villagers bearing the surname Xue. Clan consciousness is extremely strong, the village is very united, but also fiercely exclusive. The village Party branch secretary, Xue Jingshan, is Xue Shihao's grandfather, and he holds immense prestige in the village, his word is law. Now that we're going to enter the village to arrest his grandson, the villagers probably won't cooperate, and the resistance will be enormous.”
He paused, then gave an example.
"Once, our criminal investigation team went to Xuejia Village to summon a suspect in a fight. It was a routine case, and Xue Jingshan had given us instructions. But as soon as we arrived at the village entrance, we were surrounded by a group of elderly men and women in their seventies and eighties. They didn't make a fuss; they just sat on the ground or clung to our officers' legs, saying that we police were bullying the Xue family and that if we wanted to arrest someone, we should step over them. They were all elderly people; we couldn't hit them, we couldn't scold them, and we couldn't reason with them. In the end, we couldn't even get into the village that time."
Finally, after repeated persuasion from town leaders, Xue Jingshan was persuaded to have the suspect sent to the police station.
Gao Linfeng glanced at Luo Fei's expression and continued.
"This time, we're going to arrest Xue Jingshan's grandson, who's involved in... possibly a major case. I dare say, as soon as our people get close to Xuejia Village, they'll be blocked at the village entrance, let alone entering it."
Moreover, there are many young and middle-aged people in the village, many of whom work in businesses related to the Xue family and are highly loyal to them. In case of a mass incident…
He didn't finish his sentence, but his meaning was clear.
He took a deep breath and mentioned a more famous case.
"Director Luo, you may have heard that many years ago, there was a place in our province known as the 'Number One Drug-Making Village,' where almost every household was involved in drug production and trafficking. The police paid a huge price in the initial investigation and the subsequent crackdown." (End of Chapter)