Chapter 8 Joining the Investigation Team

Upon hearing Li Mo’s inquiry, Zheng Tao shook his head like a rattle. "Whether it’s the shooter at that residential complex, the explosion and shooting at the police station entrance, or the incident here at the hospital, there are no leads for the time being."

"However, we might find a few traces here at the hospital. After all, the assassin escaped through a window. It all depends on whether the forensics department can find anything."

Hearing Zheng Tao’s words, Li Mo nodded like a bird pecking at grain. Having spent decades in his past life tracking this assassin organization, only to find the faintest of clues like finding a needle in a haystack, his rebirth had already forced this organization to expose itself early, like a rat scurrying across the street. This was a good start.

After changing his clothes, Li Mo prepared to leave the ward, just as Tang Hu walked in from outside, acting with the bashful hesitation of a maiden on her wedding sedan chair.

"Li Mo, are you planning to be discharged?" Tang Hu asked him hurriedly.

"Yes!" Li Mo nodded and said, "Chief Tang, I am applying to join the investigation into the Wang Ze case and its subsequent developments!"

"This..." Tang Hu was about to refuse, the words stuck in his throat like a fishbone, when Li Mo spoke again, "Uncle Chen also supports my involvement in the investigation of this case's aftermath!"

Hearing this, Tang Hu’s expression immediately softened into the beaming smile of a Maitreya Buddha. "Alright, then go back and file a formal report, and I will approve it!"

"Me too, me too! Chief Tang, I want to participate as well!" Zheng Tao added quickly.

"Fine, go back and submit your reports together."

With that, the three of them walked out of the ward and headed toward the police car downstairs. Before getting in, Zheng Tao specifically checked the interior of the vehicle for any anomalies. Neither Tang Hu nor Li Mo had any objections to his caution.

By the time they returned to the police station, the sky had turned completely dark.

"Li Mo, go to the dormitory and change your clothes. Zheng Tao, stay with Li Mo; once I return, hand me your applications to join the investigation," Tang Hu instructed them as they stepped out of the car.

"Yes, Chief Tang!" After responding, Li Mo and Zheng Tao quickly ran toward the dormitory building.

Tang Hu started the car like an arrow released from a bow, speeding off toward the provincial government offices. He had to report the information he had learned from Li Mo to Tian Yun.

Upon reaching the dormitory, Li Mo quickly stripped off his clothes, preparing to put on his police uniform. However, when he caught a glimpse of the wound on his back, he froze as if struck by lightning. He clearly remembered the doctor at the hospital saying the wound was healing quite well and would be fine as long as he avoided heavy impact. Back then, the wound had still been scabbed over, but now, the scab was already drying up, as if it were about to fall off at any moment.

"Recovering this quickly?" Li Mo jumped in place a few times and was pleasantly surprised to find that the dull ache in his back had vanished without a trace.

"You aren't dressed yet; what are you dawdling for?" Zheng Tao walked in with paper and pen just as Li Mo was carefully inspecting his back.

"Almost done." Li Mo hurriedly put on his clothes. He did not want anyone—not even Zheng Tao—to know about his superhuman recovery ability just yet.

"Hurry up and get dressed so we can write our reports together," Zheng Tao said, placing the stationery on the table and burying his head in his own application.

Once Li Mo was dressed, he quickly walked to the table, joined Zheng Tao, and began writing furiously.

While they were occupied in the dormitory, Tang Hu had rushed to the county government to meet with Tian Yun. "Secretary Tian, it is now certain that the Wang Ze incident, the explosion and shooting at the police station, and the assassination attempt by the fake doctor at the hospital are all part of the same case."

"According to our investigation, they were all perpetrated by an assassin organization marked by a pyramid with an eye on top!"

"We have set up checkpoints on all routes in and out of Pu County; everyone entering or leaving must undergo the strictest screening!"

"Furthermore, we have increased street patrols and stepped up the vetting of strangers and local tattoo parlors," Tang Hu reported.

Tian Yun nodded. "In that case, form a joint investigation team and consolidate the three cases into one."

"Yes!"

Back at the police station, Li Mo and Zheng Tao finished their applications and sat in the dormitory, waiting for Tang Hu’s return.

"Master, while I was unconscious, did they ever find the shooter’s position?" Li Mo asked, his hunger for information as intense as a starving tiger pouncing on its prey.

"After a meticulous investigation by the department, it was determined that the shooter fired from the 18th floor of Building 20. However, by the time our people rushed over, there was nothing left but a faint scent of gunpowder; all other clues had vanished."

"What about the surveillance?" Li Mo’s brows furrowed so tightly a fly could have been crushed between them. He knew that the surveillance system in that residential complex was brand new.

"All the footage seemed to have been wiped away by magic; it had disappeared without a trace."

"The perpetrators must be more than one person," Zheng Tao said firmly. "We only managed to pinpoint Building 20 because, while investigating the surveillance, we found that the footage for Building 20 and some related areas had been wiped clean."

"The owner of that apartment is a businessman from out of town. After buying the place, he was like a migratory bird, only returning during the New Year. Most of the time it sat empty. Our people have confirmed he has been out of town for the past few months."

Hearing this, Li Mo fell into deep thought, standing as still as a statue.

"Are there really no other clues at all?" Li Mo asked, still unwilling to give up.

"None," Zheng Tao replied with deep frustration. "I can only say that the opposition is at the absolute top of their game."

Li Mo had no argument with that; these assassins were indeed terrifyingly professional.

Since the investigation here was proving as difficult as finding a needle in the ocean, Li Mo closed his eyes and began rummaging through his memories from before his rebirth. Having spent his previous life obsessively tracking Wang Ze’s whereabouts, he had devoured every case file he could reach, meticulously organizing them into statistical charts. It was precisely because of this that he had caught the first faint traces of an assassin organization that would eventually grow into a massive, shadowy empire.

"During this time frame, what other cases might be linked to this organization?" Li Mo pondered intently.

Zheng Tao noticed Li Mo had suddenly fallen silent and glanced at him instinctively. Seeing Li Mo’s eyes closed, he panicked, grabbed Li Mo by the shoulders, and shook him hard. "Li Mo... what’s wrong?"

"Master, I’m fine, I’m just thinking," Li Mo said with a helpless expression, though a sharp glint flashed in his eyes.

During his recall, he had identified a case that might be related. In his past life, he had been in a coma when it occurred, and at that time, the entire public security system in Fujian Province had been in turmoil, causing the investigation to be rushed and botched. By the time he recovered and tried to find leads, it was already too late.

"If this is truly connected, I might actually be able to catch them off guard!" Li Mo thought to himself.

Seeing that Li Mo was indeed alright, Zheng Tao breathed a sigh of relief. He patted Li Mo on the shoulder and said, "Come on, let’s go see if Chief Tang is back... we still need to submit our reports!"

Li Mo nodded. "Alright!"

The two of them took their reports and headed out of the dormitory.

At that same moment, outside a dark, lightless bungalow with a private courtyard in the old district of Pu County, a bald man riding a motorcycle pulled over. He scanned his surroundings before picking up several large bags from the back of his bike and carefully making his way into the house.