Logic Closed Loop

Lin Xiaosu said, "You violated discipline by voluntarily disclosing details of the case, but analyzing the case doesn't count as violating discipline. Let me ask you something: was the mastermind he confessed to Ghost-Eyed Old Seven?"

The three people in the room were startled at the same time...

Captain Zhang frowned. "You know Ghost-Eyed Old Seven?"

"Before you arrived, I already questioned him. The name he gave me was Ghost-Eyed Old Seven."

That made sense!

Detective instinct—after being attacked himself, of course he would trace the mastermind behind it.

"Ghost-Eyed Old Seven entered our sights long ago. We suspect that the person pulling the strings behind Phoenix City's vast black curtain is Ghost-Eyed Old Seven. But this person is extremely cunning. His contacts with his underlings are always deeply concealed, and he has never shown his true face. According to these two assassins, they acted on instructions received by text message."

Now this was starting to sound like case analysis.

Captain Zhang did not want to let such a good opportunity slip away. Lin Xiaosu's previous moves had been too miraculous; he had hit the mark almost every time, giving Captain Zhang a certain illusion.

That was why he had laid out Ghost-Eyed Old Seven—a name that had tangled him up for years—more fully before him.

"You believe what they said?" Lin Xiaosu slowly raised his eyes.

Captain Zhang smiled faintly. "A police officer's instinct is to doubt everything. Naturally, we won't so easily believe a suspect's testimony. That's why I've already arranged for people to investigate the movements of these two men over the past while. We should get a report in about two hours. Are you... willing to wait?"

Willing to wait?

Those four words carried profound meaning.

The investigation into the suspects' movements would bring back firsthand clues.

In theory, Lin Xiaosu should have left.

Yet Captain Zhang had specifically asked whether he was willing to wait.

Lin Xiaosu said, "Captain Zhang, are you saying I can participate deeply in this case?"

"Some things are contradictory. By the rules, I can't permit you to participate. But I truly want to see this case make a breakthrough. For more than ten years, too many tragedies have happened every day on this ancient land. The blood and tears of ordinary people after their families have been ruined, the bodies fallen in pools of blood, the panic in people's hearts beneath the shroud of evil—perhaps the two words 'discipline' cannot contain all that... So if one breach of discipline can bring those bastards to justice, then I think I'm willing!"

Lin Xiaosu let out a soft breath. "Since Captain Zhang puts it that way, then I only have one word: Do it!"

Captain Zhang burst out laughing. "Can you play chess?"

"Chinese chess or Go?"

Captain Zhang said, "Go burns too much brainpower. I don't have many brain cells to begin with, so I can't afford the loss. Chinese chess it is!"

The two of them played chess there.

Sun Yang tilted his head nearby, offering suggestions.

As for Zhou Mei, she did not know much about Chinese chess, so she did not add to the chaos. After refilling their water, she leaned back in her chair and played on her phone for a while. Then there was no then—she fell asleep.

Lin Xiaosu held a chess piece between his fingertips. His gaze swept across Zhou Mei's face before settling on Captain Zhang.

Captain Zhang did not look at him, merely replying calmly, "She didn't sleep at all last night. In our line of work, you need the ability to fall asleep anytime."

"Before I got to know you people, I didn't actually have much of a good impression of you." Lin Xiaosu smiled.

"Why? Got caught gambling? Got caught hiring prostitutes? Or got fined two thousand for driving without a license?..."

"Damn it! Captain Zhang, do you have to dig through my record? When have I ever gambled or hired a prostitute?"

"What are you shouting for? Zhou Mei just fell asleep. Would you be embarrassed if you woke her up?"

Sun Yang laughed from the side.

He had never seen Captain Zhang like this before.

He could even crack jokes...

Time passed minute by minute.

The county town gradually grew quiet.

The traffic on the streets thinned as well, until a car passed by only once in a long while.

The Criminal Investigation Building also fell silent.

Suddenly, the elevator gave a crisp ding.

The two men looked up at the same time.

The meeting room door was pushed open, and two police officers entered side by side. "Captain Zhang, we found something..."

Their gazes turned toward Lin Xiaosu, and they did not continue.

Because there was an outsider present.

Zhou Mei woke up too. She had probably slept for exactly two hours.

"Go ahead," Captain Zhang said.

"Yes!" The police officer on the left walked to the computer, took out a portable hard drive, and connected it.

The screen ahead lit up, displaying the computer projection.

"The recent movements of these two suspects are all here..." The officer gently moved the mouse and clicked on seven locations.

"One vehicle caught our attention. The suspects got into that vehicle twice over the course of three days. This person is highly suspicious!"

A video image appeared, then zoomed in!

It showed a man wearing gold-rimmed glasses.

Captain Zhang's pupils abruptly contracted. "Qi Hongzhong!"

The officer said, "Captain Zhang knows him? Should I introduce him?"

Captain Zhang lightly waved a hand. "No need. We can read what's in the files ourselves. Is there anything... not recorded in the files?"

"Yes!" The other officer said, "We just checked Qi Hongzhong's movements. He has left the country!"

Captain Zhang shot to his feet. "When did he leave? Where was he headed?"

"He bought a plane ticket for three yesterday afternoon. His destination was Qingmai, the capital of the Green-Faced Kingdom. We checked his visa—he has permanent residency in the Green-Faced Kingdom!"

Captain Zhang's face darkened like still water. He slowly raised his head. "Any other information?"

"No!"

"Go get some rest first."

"Yes!"

The two officers left the meeting room.

Captain Zhang walked over to the computer and reviewed all the information they had obtained...

Lin Xiaosu, Zhou Mei, and Sun Yang were all wide awake, staring at the projected screen.

All sorts of signs indicated that this assassination had been planned by Qi Hongzhong.

And Zhou Mei had a wild idea as well—one concerning the entire structure of Phoenix City's criminal network...

"Now that you've read it all, what are your thoughts?" Captain Zhang slowly raised his head from the computer.

Zhou Mei spoke. "Captain Zhang, I think Ghost-Eyed Old Seven, whom we have been painstakingly searching for, is very likely him."

"Tell us your reasoning..."

Zhou Mei sorted through her thoughts and began...

That Phoenix City had a Ghost-Eyed Old Seven had long been common knowledge.

But no one knew who Ghost-Eyed Old Seven was. They only knew that this person's hands reached the sky and his eyes saw all, with connections across every line of business.

He was closely connected to a local group.

Though this group had not openly formed a gang, it had long since become gang-like internally. The police had already placed them under surveillance and called them the Flying Tiger Gang.

The Flying Tiger Gang had five key members: Tiger Brother Zhao Yihu, Crane Brother Li Henian, Phoenix Sister Wang Sanfeng, Azure Brother Song Qingliang, and Water Brother Zhong Shuiping.

Tiger Brother was in construction.

Crane Brother ran restaurants.

Azure Brother was the president of the Chamber of Commerce.

Phoenix Sister was the chairwoman of a science and trade company in the industrial park.

Water Brother had the wildest connections. He dealt in aquatic products, with his reach extending into every township. His shadow could be found over nearly every sizable body of water.

Each of them had become the leading goose of their respective industries, with massive teams under their command.

Signs of gang-style management had appeared long ago, but their cleverness lay in never making it obvious. They did not do foolish things like smashing, looting, and robbing. Of course, several vicious fatal incidents bore their shadows behind them, but only shadows—far from enough to form ironclad evidence.

What the police found suspicious was that these people had accumulated wealth far too quickly. Faint signs suggested they had links to the underground drug kingdom.

People like them, with nets cast so wide and connections so wild, truly were the most ideal drug lords operating behind the scenes.

At the very least, it was much more convenient for them to conduct transactions.

But a drug syndicate could not be without a direct leader. Assuming that person was Ghost-Eyed Old Seven...

Then this Ghost-Eyed Old Seven had to meet several conditions...

First, he needed the means to come into contact with these industry elites.

Second, he needed a supply source.

Third, he needed the necessary methods.

Who was this Qi Hongzhong?

He worked for a multinational corporation in the Green-Faced Kingdom, holding the title of Great Xia commercial representative.

To become the commercial representative of a major country, there was no need to mention his methods—they were obviously formidable enough.

Moreover, he was a lecturer on success studies.

Many major domestic business figures had attended his lectures.

That was why his success studies lecture in Phoenix City had drawn industry elites from nearly every field, including the five people mentioned above.

After that lecture, Phoenix City's elites all treated him as an honored guest.

Quite a few even invited him to give speeches at their own companies.

That meant he possessed the means to contact the Five Tiger Generals.

More crucially, the Green-Faced Kingdom was a global hub for drugs. Eighty percent of Great Xia's drugs came from the Green-Faced Kingdom. Others might not be able to obtain supply sources, but this legendary lecturer who could summon wind and rain in the business world could probably get them with ease!

By this point, light flickered in Captain Zhang's eyes. "Anything else?"

"One final point! His surname is Qi!" Zhou Mei said.

Having finished, she herself was somewhat excited...

"His surname is 'Qi,' Ghost-Eyed Old 'Seven'..." Captain Zhang lightly tapped his fingers against the table. "Xiao Su, what do you think?"

While Zhou Mei had been speaking, Lin Xiaosu had stared out the Window the entire time. Perhaps that was one of his habits when thinking...

Now, Captain Zhang directly called his name.

Lin Xiaosu slowly withdrew his gaze. "Captain Zhang, let me first ask a basic question. Is there any way to extradite Qi Hongzhong after he enters the Green-Faced Kingdom?"

"No. The Green-Faced Kingdom has no extradition treaty with any country. That is the special nature of a drug kingdom."

Lin Xiaosu said, "Is there another special aspect... The Green-Faced Kingdom is extremely chaotic. Even if agents entered it, they would face nine deaths and one life. So if he does not wish to return, there is almost no way to bring him back."

"Yes!"

"Good. Let me ask you a second question!" Lin Xiaosu said. "If we identify him as Ghost-Eyed Old Seven, then before we capture him, can't we make any moves against Phoenix City's drug syndicate?"

"Yes! That is common sense when dealing with this type of criminal organization. Before we have clues regarding the core figures and the supply source, we absolutely cannot alert the snake by striking the grass."

Lin Xiaosu slowly nodded. "The logic has come full circle!"