Chapter Forty-Five: A Narrow Escape

Director Wang had once given Tang Jingjing a cigarette. The girl couldn't bear to smoke it; instead, she carefully wrapped it in a little handkerchief, saying she wanted to show it to her mother.

I hoped Tang Jingjing still carried it with her—she must have it on her!

The police dog immediately lowered its head and began searching the warehouse. It reached a dark, narrow corner, and suddenly began barking furiously. Director Wang and I rushed over at once.

It was a corner covered by cement bags. We quickly cleared the bags away and found a broken cigarette, carelessly discarded on the ground.

The floor was cement. Director Wang asked someone to fetch a broom, but none could be found. Without hesitation, he took off his uniform jacket and started slapping at the cement with his bare hands. Loose cement dust flew everywhere, soon filling the air with a dense, choking haze—nothing could be seen clearly.

A metallic clanging sound came from below.

I covered my mouth and nose with my hand and crouched down to search. Soon, a sewer cover caught my attention. I pried it open, and from below came Tang Jingjing’s weak voice: “Xiao Yang, is that you?”

A wave of anguish swept over me. I jumped down immediately, using my phone's flashlight to illuminate the basement.

The space below wasn't large. Three people sat tied to chairs, all unconscious. The air was thick with the sharp odor of ether. Tang Jingjing was half-awake, half-asleep, and began to cry: “I lost the cigarette Director Wang gave me…”

Fighting back tears, I hurried to untie them and helped them out.

When we arrived at the hospital, I realized that both Director Wang and I looked like clay figures—our faces, our bodies, even our nostrils and mouths were full of cement dust. The medical staff insisted we get checked immediately, but Director Wang refused, insisting on waiting for Old Lin and the others’ results first.

The results came quickly: they had simply inhaled too much ether and fainted—nothing serious.

Upon hearing the news, Director Wang's body twitched and he fainted right there on the ground.

I too was suffering a splitting headache, especially in my nose—a deep, piercing pain.

The doctor gave us injections, and I fell into a deep sleep.

When I awoke, it was already noon the next day. Groggy, I felt a sharp pain on my face, as if being pricked by needles.

Still, I gritted my teeth and managed to sit up. Tang Jingjing and Old Mo were sitting by my bedside, smiling warmly at me.

“Where’s Li Xingchen?” I asked hurriedly.

“Relieving himself,” came Li Xingchen’s voice from the bathroom.

I forced a bitter smile, but the pain in my face was so intense, it felt as if it were being torn apart. I reached up to touch it and found gauze.

“You’re disfigured, you know,” Tang Jingjing said with a laugh as she approached. “The cement severely burned your face—you’re hardly recognizable. How will you ever find a wife now?”

Li Xingchen emerged from the bathroom, pulling up his pants. “Sis, my brother-in-law was disfigured saving us. You can’t just stand by and watch him stay single for life. If you won’t marry him, I will!”

I was stunned. “Old Lin, am I really…disfigured?”

Old Lin nodded gravely.

I was dumbfounded. Old Lin was always so serious—he would never lie to me. At that moment, I genuinely wanted to cry. Never in my wildest dreams did I think being a forensic doctor carried a risk of disfigurement—surely, I must be the first!

I stared at the bed, miserable and empty-headed, not knowing what to do.

Li Xingchen picked up a mirror. “A true warrior faces life’s worst with courage. Take a look—the doctor said the gauze can come off.”

I nodded. I had to see how bad it was. If it could be fixed for a few million with surgery, the government would reimburse me.

But when the gauze was removed, I realized—I wasn’t disfigured at all. In fact, my skin looked even better than before.

I looked at Old Lin, laughing and crying at once. “Old Lin, when did you become so mischievous?”

Old Lin replied, “You call this not cosmetic surgery? Back in my youth, I was much better looking than you.”

I was speechless, while Tang Jingjing and Li Xingchen doubled over in laughter.

But I had to admit, Old Lin’s playful banter lightened all our spirits.

I quickly asked how Li Hong was doing. Old Lin said he was fine, still at work. The SWAT captain who died had been close to Li Hong. We’d called him back, but he refused, still searching for evidence at the cement factory.

I said I felt sorry for Li Hong. He was a loyal, righteous man—a good person.

Old Lin nodded.

Chief Li from the evidence department came by, knocking on the door and urging us to go to the chief physician’s office for a meeting.

I smiled and asked, “Chief Li, what brings you here?” He scratched his head, exasperated. “Ah, Director Wang’s in low spirits. As an old employee, I’m the only one who can try to cheer him up. I can’t remember the last time he was this down. Who knows what’s gotten into him today…”

“Maybe it’s because we lost a comrade,” I suggested.

“No,” Chief Li replied. “He lost a close deputy chief once, and didn’t take it this hard.”

I wasn’t seriously injured. The reason my face was bandaged was because the doctors had just cleaned the cement off and feared any residue might react with the air and burn my skin, so they wrapped it up as a precaution.

Otherwise, there was nothing wrong.

Director Wang had requisitioned the chief surgeon’s office as a temporary meeting room. When we arrived, we found him gloomily smoking. Two empty cigarette packs sat before him—he’d clearly been chain-smoking.

Once we were all present, Director Wang stubbed out his cigarette and handed Tang Jingjing another one.

Tang Jingjing accepted it gratefully. “Thank you, Director Zhang!”

“Jingjing, you did very well this time. If you hadn’t managed to toss the cigarette outside the hole, things could have turned out very differently for you all…”

Tang Jingjing looked embarrassed. “Director, I was unconscious at the time. I didn’t throw the cigarette on purpose.”

Director Wang said sternly, “I say you threw it on purpose, so that’s how it happened. When the higher-ups ask, that’s the story.”

We knew he was helping Tang Jingjing take credit. She nodded gratefully.

“Old Lin, tell us what happened,” Director Zhang said, turning to Old Mo.

Old Lin nodded. “We were near Huangpu Road when we suddenly saw the girl in white. We followed her. She moved very quickly and led us straight to the cement factory warehouse, entering it herself. We hurried in, searching for her, and saw her slip into the basement.”

“We sent the SWAT captain in to check, while the rest of us stood guard outside. Unexpectedly, as soon as he went in, a masked man rushed up and pushed us all into the basement. That’s when we realized the basement was filled with a cloud of anesthetic gas, making us dizzy and weak.”

“The SWAT captain tried desperately to get out and save us, but the masked man was still outside. Because the captain was drugged, his strength was reduced to less than a third, so he was no match.”

“In my daze, I heard them dragging the captain outside and opening the manhole cover. It seemed they planned to throw him into the basement too, but didn’t intend to kill him.”

“But just then, I heard footsteps in high heels, followed by gunshots. I heard the SWAT captain groan in his final moments, and he cried out, ‘Why is it you?’”

“After that, I remember nothing—I lost consciousness.”

“So the SWAT captain knew the assailant?” Director Wang asked, puzzled.

Old Lin nodded. “It seems likely.”

“Then the killer might be from the SWAT team. The captain’s social circle isn’t large,” I analyzed quickly.

Director Wang nodded. “Old Lin, do you remember the exact time?”

Old Lin thought for a moment. “It was around eleven o’clock when we were locked in the basement. It lasted about half an hour, so between eleven and one, I’d say.”

Director Wang said, “Let me give you a clue—see if it’s useful. Wang Boyue was supposed to meet me for tea and chess at noon, but didn’t arrive until twelve-thirty. He said something came up at his company, and I smelled cement on him.”

We were all shocked. Tang Jingjing jumped up, exclaiming, “Director Wang, do you suspect… Uncle Wang?”

Director Wang shook his head. “From what I know of him, he’d never do such a thing. So it isn’t my suspicion—it’s yours.”

Old Lin said, “Director, I formally request permission to arrest Wang Bo and bring him in for questioning.”

Director Wang nodded. “Approved!”

Then, we all rushed to the bus company at once.

Most murderers go on the run once exposed. I prayed Wang Bo wouldn’t try to escape. He’d served in the army and was still quite strong; if he fled, our chances of catching him would be slim!