Stakeout

"Lao Xia, let's turn around."

Although she was eager to get home and experience "Emotional Assimilation," Xia Libing didn't question Xiang Kun's words and simply turned around at the dotted line ahead.

Sitting in the passenger seat Xiang Kun took out his phone, opened a map app to check the surrounding area, and then said to Lao Xia, "Turn right at the second intersection ahead, then go straight."

Then Xiang Kun explained, "We were just talking about Shenxing Technology, and I sensed the 'Super-Linked Object' piece of paper left at Mi Qiao's place. I found that she happened to be nearby. Let's follow her and see what they're doing in Citong. We'll get some basic information so that we can guide her more deeply in the 'Dream Within a Dream' tonight and know how to ask her questions."

With the newly emerging "parasitic theory" and the idea of using this theory to drive and guide "Shenxing Technology", he naturally chose Mi Qiao, who had access to the secret departments of "Shenxing Technology", whom he already knew quite well, and who had "Super-Linked Object" and "Emotion-Infused Object" by his side, as the main entry point.

Unexpectedly, just over five minutes later, when Xia Libing recognized the GL8 she had seen Mi Qiao taking to pick up Zhou Rui at the airport by its license plate, two police cars stopped the GL8 one after the other.

Moreover, Xiang Kun also keenly observed that not far behind, a Corolla without police markings was also following the GL8. After the GL8 was stopped by the police car, the Corolla also stopped.

Xiang Kun told Lao Xia to drop him off somewhere ahead, then looked down at his phone while observing the GL8 that had been stopped by the police car and the Corolla behind it.

After the Corolla stopped, two young men got out of the back seat. One of them was someone Xiang Kun recognized— Officer Zhao Feng, who had handled the case of him and Lao Xia beating up two thugs on the night of the 29th of the twelfth lunar month before the Lunar New Year. He was also the person Xiang Kun and Lao Xia Lao Xia had secretly sent a "Dream Within a Dream.

Xiang Kun is still dressed the same way he did when he went to Yang City: wearing a baseball cap and no glasses. People who don't know him well probably wouldn't recognize him at first glance.

He stood at the bus stop not far away, using the bus stop sign as cover, observing out of the corner of his eye and eavesdropping on their conversation.

After Officer Zhao and his companion got out of the car, the car drove away immediately. Based on Xiang Kun's observation, they did not know the driver of the car, and it was most likely the ride-hailing car they had called.

Officer Zhao walked directly to the police car that had stopped the GL8 and spoke with the officers who got out.

Judging from their conversation, the police officers who stopped the GL8 were actually contacted by Officer Zhao, and their target was Chen Tianhua, also known as Mi Qiao.

What's going on?

Did Mi Qiao and his "Shenxing Technology" team commit some crime in Citong City, or is it because of the aftermath of Guo Tianxiang's case?

If it's the latter, then why was Officer Zhao in charge of the arrest?

And why would he and his companion share a ride-hailing car to follow them?

On the other side, the four people in the GL8 cooperated very well in both words and actions after the police confirmed their identities. Mi Qiao got out of the car and was taken to the back seat of the police car in front, while the other three remained in the GL8, except that two police officers got into the car.

To avoid blocking traffic, the cars quickly drove away together, and Officer Zhao and his colleague got into one of the police cars to go with them.

Xiang Kun called Lao Xia and got into the Camry at the next intersection, which had circled around and then turned back.

As soon as they got in the car, they immediately directed Lao Xia to drive the route. Although they could no longer see the police car and the GL8 ahead, they could locate them using the "Super-Linked Object" piece of paper, and based on normal assumptions, they should also be heading to the police station, so they weren't worried about losing them.

After telling Lao Xia the direction to drive, Xiang Kun briefly recounted the information he had just heard and observed.

After listening to Xiang Kun's explanation, Xia Libing asked, "How do you want to see 'Shenxing Technology' handle this?"

"Yes, and if Mi Qiao is taken away by the police this time, if it's because of Guo Tianxiang's case, we can use this to assess how the police investigation into Guo Tianxiang's case is progressing," Xiang Kun said.

Not long after, Xia Libing parked the Camry outside a convenience store diagonally opposite the branch office.

Xiang Kun bought a box of Ice Cream and a bottle of mineral water, then squatted down by the roadside with Lao Xia, chatting quietly while keeping an eye on the situation at the branch office entrance.

Of course, Lao Xia ate the Ice Cream; he only drank water.

"Do you want to go in and listen?" Xia Libing asked in a low voice.

"No, it's fine here." Xiang Kun shook his head. With his super hearing, even crouching here, he could hear conversations inside most of the buildings in the branch office. Especially with the "Super-Linked Object" positioning, he could accurately identify the voices and quickly locate them.

However, if Mi Qiao is taken into the interrogation room and the door is closed, then there's nothing he can do. Even if he manages to sneak into the branch office's lobby, he won't be able to hear anything because the interrogation rooms are well soundproofed. So there's no need to risk sneaking in and attracting attention.

Moreover, Xiang Kun could later learn the specific details of their interrogation directly from the two parties involved— Officer Zhao and Mi Qiao —through a "Dream Within a Dream" with Lao Xia.

"So you're waiting for someone sent by 'Shenxing Technology'?" Lao Xia immediately guessed Xiang Kun's purpose.

"Hmm." Xiang Kun nodded, but couldn't help but frown, because he sensed that the "Super-Linked Object" piece of paper with Mi Qiao was moving out of the branch office.

The next moment, Xiang Kun and Lao Xia, who were squatting by the roadside, simultaneously saw the GL8 drive out of the branch office and speed away.

They're released already? I haven't seen anyone come over... Did they just make a phone call?

Xiang Kun thought this through, he closed his eyes and entered a "Hyper-Sensory State." He descended through the "Black Circle Graffiti" at Mi Qiao's place, and used the cognitive information he sensed to determine the location of the "Super-Linked Object" paper piece, which made him realize that he was currently on that GL8.

However, judging from the surrounding information, there were only three people in the car, and no information about Mi Qiao.

In other words, Mi Qiao is still being held at the police station, while her three companions, or rather, colleagues, have already left, taking her belongings with them?

Plastic colleagues?

Mi Qiao was abandoned?

Xiang Kun immediately dismissed this guess. Based on his previous observations of Mi Qiao and Fang Pingfang's team, he knew that Mi Qiao probably knew the most information about "Mutated Creature" in the entire team, and she could also directly contact "Mr. Liang." The "assistant" surnamed Gao was also specifically there to protect her, and his status was no lower Fang Pingfang's. It was impossible for her to be "abandoned" so easily.

Moreover, given the way "Shenxing Technology" has operated before, since they assigned Mi Qiao the identity of Chen Tianhua, they couldn't have been unaware of a plan to deal with her being discovered by the police.

Xiang Kun thought for a moment, then looked back at Lao Xia, who was squatting beside him. Lao Xia Zhengyi School eating Ice Cream and looking at him with a questioning gaze.

"Let's go back. There's no need to wait any longer. We can just ask in our dreams." Xiang Kun said, getting up and walking towards the Camry.

Xia Libing glanced down at the remaining Ice Cream, then sped up and finished it in a few big bites.

However, it seemed to be too cold, giving her a slight headache. She squinted, frowned, and paused for two seconds before throwing the Ice Cream box into the trash can. Then, rubbing her forehead, she opened the driver's side door.