"Yes, I'm Zhuang Tao. This way."
After the man spoke, I felt the box sway gently again.
I was getting anxious.
The voice I'd heard on the phone earlier had definitely belonged to this man. I hadn't sensed any yin energy, but I still felt he was dangerous.
I wanted to warn Chen Xiaoqiu, but the teddy bear didn't move at all. I had no control over my body.
When Zhuang Tao spoke again, he asked about the box.
"What have you got in there? It's a huge box... Do you need help?"
"No, thanks." Chen Xiaoqiu declined, then asked, "How exactly did my uncle go missing?"
I heard a slight change in the footsteps of the two people outside.
"Captain Zhuang." Someone greeted Zhuang Tao.
Taking the opportunity, Zhuang Tao sidestepped Chen Xiaoqiu's question.
The footsteps changed again. They seemed to have gone from the concrete outside onto the floor indoors.
The noise outside grew louder, with all kinds of sounds overlapping. From what I could hear, we were inside the police station. Most people spoke with accents, and I couldn't make out what they were saying.
After a series of doors opening and closing, most of the noise died away.
"Please sit down, Miss Chen," Zhuang Tao said.
I heard a chair being dragged across the floor.
The box was set down and stopped swaying.
Zhuang Tao cleared his throat. "Here's the situation..."
He began, then immediately fell silent.
Chen Xiaoqiu didn't urge him to continue.
It seemed that I was the only one in the room—a presence invisible to everyone else—who was fretting anxiously.
Zhuang Tao spoke again. "The Huixiang police station uncovered a major case. It involves a huge criminal organization operating across multiple provinces and cities, even internationally. A small station like the one here