Awakening
âHurry, notify the blood bank to prepare four units of red blood cells!â
âIs the defibrillator ready?â
The sound of the instruments charging filled the emergency room. The doctor pressed on the chest of the young woman.
âCharging 200J, charging complete, clear!â
The womanâs body jerked, her face already pale from blood loss. The defibrillator shifted to the other side as a mixture of blood and fluid seeped from the corner of her lips.
âAdrenaline, we need more!â The medical waste bin on the ground was filled with around ten used empty adrenaline syringes.
But the values on the electrocardiogram did not rise, instead dropping below the low value.
âBlood, we need blood!â A nurse rushed in with a blood warmer, handing the blood to the doctor. Before it could even be hooked up, the electrocardiogram had already become a flat line.
The situation was chaotic in the other resuscitation room as well.
Lin Youyuan was being pushed in by the butler from the corridor, his face covered in a layer of frost and coughing incessantly.
Feng Jianguo saw him at a glance and couldnât help but turn his head away.
Advertisements
The old man covered his mouth with a handkerchief, coughing, and clenched the blood-stained side into his palm, speaking in a low voice.
âHow is she?â
Feng Jianguo remained silent with a furrowed brow.
Lin Yanâs collapse was too sudden.
Excessive blood loss, physical and mental exhaustion, as well as hypothermia, hypoxia, wound infections, Guillain-Barré syndromeâ¦
Everyone rushed to get Song Yuhang onto the ambulance, but when they turned back to look, she was already lying lightly on the ground.
The on-site first aid couldnât save her autonomous breathing and heartbeat, and by the time she was taken to the hospital, she had already stopped breathing.
Perhaps due to the cold, Lin Youyuan coughed violently again, and the butler patted his back: âTake care of yourself, sir, and miss, may you have good fortuneâ¦â
As if to confirm his words, the lights in the emergency room went out.
The doctor took off his mask and ran out, saying, âWho is Lin Yanâs family? Come in and see her for the last time.â
Lin Youyuan suddenly leaned forward, the sound of coughing never-ending.
âMaster Lin!â The butler quickly grabbed him, tears in his eyes.
Lin Youyuan waved his hand, and through the gap in his shoulder, he made eye contact with Feng Jianguo.
He stood up slowly, âIâll go in, you come in too, and no one else should follow. The Jiangcheng City Bureau must give me an explanation for this.â
They thought it was going to be an investigation, and everyone in the hallway fell silent, feeling suffocated by the oppressive atmosphere.
The head of the Criminal Investigation Team suffered a severe brain injury and is in a deep coma, still undergoing treatment.
The head of the Technical Investigation Department, also the heir to a deeply rooted family business, has already been pronounced dead.
Feng Jianguo put on a wide-brimmed hat and followed the doctor into the room with long strides: âShe died to save someone, itâs what she should do.â
By the time Lin Ge rushed to the hospital, a white sheet had already covered her face.
The equipment in the emergency room has been removed, and she is lying there quietly.
Lin Youyuan did not sit in a wheelchair. He was supported and limped out, with bloodshot eyes.
He passed by Lin Ge and was helped into a wheelchair by the butler.
âGo and see your sister.â
Lin Ge took two steps forward, suddenly stopped, his movements slowed down, seeming incredulous. His outstretched hand retracted, tightly clenched into a fist.
Advertisementsn/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
He stood in such suffocating silence for a long time, no one knew what he was thinking.
After a long silence, he finally gritted his teeth and took steps towards the bed.
Each step felt like stepping on a knife edge.
His clenched fist finally relaxed and grabbed the white cloth.
Lin Ge closed his eyes, trembling as he slowly opened it.
After a long time, he covered his face, knelt beside the bed, and his shoulders shook violently.
The days that followed were a nightmare for Ji Jingxing.
Mother Song was seriously ill in bed, Song Yuhang was in a coma with brain damage, and Xiaowei had developed severe PTSD from the electric shock.
She quit her job, and spent each day exhaustedly running between home, childrenâs hospital, and the downtown hospital, also having to deal with occasional police interrogations.
âDo you know him?â There were two photos of men on the table, one fat and one thin.
She remained silent.
The investigator asked, âDid you have any festivals?â
âWhat about the child? Can she answer our questions and identify the suspect-â
Ji Jingxing suddenly raised her head, her eyes red, and raised her voice, asking, âMy husband is a deceased police martyr, my sister is a criminal police officer, and is currently lying in a hospital bed unconscious. I am a lawyer, my daughter is only seven years old, and is still a good student at school. Our whole family are law-abiding citizens, where would we have met such heinous criminals? You tell me!â
The portrait of the deceased husband hung quietly in the living room.
Xiaowei, as if not hearing her motherâs voice, sat by the window, hugging a doll in her arms, watching the sunset.
Since waking up in the hospital that day, she has been like this, unwilling to speak, unwilling to see strangers, especially strange men.
Ji Jingxing was heartbroken to the point of not being able to bear it, her tears had long since dried up.
The investigator apologized and stood up, âSorry for disturbing you.â
Ji Jingxing didnât send them off, but when they reached the door, she asked, âLin Yanââ
There had long been rumors in the bureau about the relationship between Song Yuhang and Lin Yan, so he didnât avoid the topic.
âThe memorial service for Forensic Doctor Lin will be held at the funeral home in Jiangcheng City next January.â
Ji Jingxing covered her face with her hand and sniffed, âI understand, thank you.â
âDirector Feng, weâve caught someone.â
âClose the interrogation room, I will personally question him.â
Advertisements
Feng Jianguo entered the interrogation room alone, without allowing anyone to accompany him. The iron door was locked, and the person sitting across from him trembled.
After several days of life on the run, he was no longer as fat as in the photo.
Feng Jianguo locked his eagle-like gaze onto the man. Even though he was old, he was still strong, and the white hair at his temples added to his dignity.
The olive branch and four-pointed star on the epaulettes refracted a cold light in the bleak light.
The fat man knew he was a high-ranking official, cowering in his chair, head bowed, silent.
He hadnât showered in days, covered in sweat and emitting a foul odor, with bloodstains and a swollen nose and face.
When the police found him, he was crouched under a bridge drinking the filthy water from the river.
Feng Jianguo remained calm: âYour companion is dead, killed with a gunshot.â
When he mentioned his companion, the fat man trembled and clutched his head, remembering the scene of his brain splattering: âDonât kill me, donât kill me, I donât know anythingâ¦â
âFacing a tiger for its skin means certain death.â Feng Jianguo poured a cup of hot water for him and pushed it to his side.
âDo you want to live?â
In the steam, he looked at the old manâs determined face, then at the disposable paper cup on the table, and tremblingly raised it to take a sip, then burst into tears.
God knows how many days it had been since he last drank boiled water.
âI want to live, I want to live.â The man cried, his face covered in snot and tears: âIâm so hungry, I want to eat something. Theyâve been chasing me, someone wants to kill meââ
Feng Jianguo gestured towards the camera, and someone entered. He gave a few instructions, and soon the person came back in with a bag from KFC.
Feng Jianguo placed it in front of him: âEat, and then tell me everything you know. I guarantee that you will stay comfortably in the detention center with food and drink until the courtâs verdict.â
The man looked at him, then quickly tore open the bag and wolfed down a chicken leg, licking his fingers clean of the oil.
Feng Jianguo waited for him to finish eating, while skimming the foam off his tea cup.
The fat man devoured the whole bucket, leaving nothing behind. He let out a satisfied burp and rubbed his belly.
âIs there more?â
âYes, but first, you need to confess. Weâll have roasted chicken from the cafeteria tonight, and Iâll have someone deliver it to you.â
âIf I had known that you police treat prisoners so humanely, I would have surrendered long agoâ¦â The fat man thought about his deceased companion and his days on the run, still filled with fear and trepidation.
âEnough nonsense. If you donât cooperate, there are countless ways we can secretly torture you.â Feng Jianguo picked up his teacup, took a sip, and went straight to the point.
âWhy did you kidnap the child?â
Advertisements
The fat man rubbed his hands and smiled, âWe needed money, owed gambling debts.â
âWho promised to give you fifty thousand dollars?â
When asked this question, the fat man became evasive again, âI donât know, he never appeared in person, always sent his subordinates to meet at night.â
âAny distinctive features?â The old chief dipped his finger in saliva, opened his notebook, and made a record.
âEvery time he comes, heâs wearing a face mask, so I canât see his face clearly. But heâs dressed very well, with shiny leather shoes. The boss behind him must be a rich and powerful person.â
According to the rules on the street, when hiring someone to do a job, you usually have to pay a deposit first. These two kidnappers didnât receive any money before they started, which is not very logical.
Feng Jianguo paused and said, âIf you lie to me, I will release you immediately.â
âWait, wait, waitââ the fat man got excited and licked his lips. âI really havenât seen what that person looks like. He didnât pay a deposit, but he gave me thisâ¦â
The fat man, wearing handcuffs, held out two fingers and rubbed them together.
In the middle of the winter, he wore a short-sleeved shirt and shivered from the cold, with track marks on his arm.
Feng Jianguo frowned and understood.
âGive me a detailed physical description.â
âMale, about 1.7 meters tall, single eyelid, always wears a suit and leather shoes, wears an unnamed watch, and has a thumb-sized birthmark on his right wrist.â
As if afraid that Feng Jianguo would actually let him go, the fat man spat out the information like pouring beans from a bamboo tube.
One afternoon, the blunt-speaking man felt dry and parched, craving for a fix. Yawning, he weakly leaned back on the chair.
âI said, leader, have you finished asking?â
Feng Jianguo looked up at him and said, âWhere have all the kidnapped children been sold to by you guys?â
The fat man carefully considered his expression and said, âHow about you give me a little of this again?â
He extended two fingers and rubbed them together.
Feng Jianguo smiled, and the fat manâs heart sank back into his stomach. He thought to himself, âThis leader has a good temper. If I had known the station was this accommodating, I would have surrendered a long time ago.â
Before he could enjoy his relief for too long, a cup of hot tea was poured over his head, causing the fat man to cry out in pain.
Feng Jianguo straightened his uniform and stood up.
âYou son of a b*tch, why did you have to mess with someone you shouldnât have? Youâve stirred up trouble for yourself. Let me tell you, I have absolute authority over the entire Jiangcheng City Bureau. Today, Iâm going to make sure you pay with your life, and no one will know about it.â
As Feng Jianguo spoke, he slowly approached the fat man, his imposing figure casting a shadow on the floor.
Advertisements
The fat man sat on the interrogation chair, constantly shrinking back, reaching for the gun holster at his lower back, trembling all over, crying and howling.
âNo, no, Iâll talk, Iâll talk, donât kill me, donât kill meâ¦â
Feng Jianguo looked disdainfully at the yellow liquid seeping out from under the chair, pinched his nose and took a step back.
âSpeak.â
âThey sell to various places, mostly remote mountainous areas, but the best sales are in Southeast Asia, thereâs a risk in smuggling, but you can make a lot of money.â
âWho did you meet with?â
The fat man was afraid that he would pull out his gun, and rushed to answer, âHong Yi, itâs Hong Yi!â
Feng Jianguo raised his eyebrows and carefully noted the physical characteristics of the âHong Yiâ he mentioned.
âWhere can I find her? How do we meet?â
âAt the Huange Nightclub, no secret signals for the meeting, she has connections, only does business with acquaintances, both smuggling and acting as a broker.â
After the fat man spilled everything in detail, Feng Jianguo felt uncomfortable and uneasy, his hand instinctively reaching for his lower back. He felt a jarring sensation and pulled out a pink toy gun.
âSorry, I brought the wrong thing. Itâs meant for my granddaughter.â
LP: No way⦠no way!