Feng Siyan's mind was sharp, and she answered almost without thinking, "No, Gao Jianning is quite good too; I don't feel bored with him around. Like today, he was the one who asked me out; otherwise, I would have been stuck at the bureau all day."

"Then do you think Wang Xuyang is better, or Gao Jianning is better?" I have always preferred a direct approach; beating around the bush too often trips me up.

"Is that even a question?" Feng Siyan shot back with a rhetorical question that completely caught me off guard.

Fortunately, my reaction wasn't slow either; I immediately replied, "Of course. As former members of the Special Investigation Office, we naturally care about your work and personal life."

Feng Siyan smiled again and said, "I know you're Gao Jianning's cousin."

This cunning little minx had figured out what I was trying to ask all along and only now threw a surprise counterattack. It seems even the most seasoned veterans can occasionally misstep.

"Ha, what's the big deal about knowing that? Everyone already knows," I played dumb.

Just then, Feng Siyan fell silent. From the side, I could tell she was troubled, so I decided not to press her further. After all, a girl's worries are the hardest to fathom; trying to guess them only leads to frustration, and it's best not to try at all, regardless of the relationship.

Back at the police station, I immediately began questioning Baldy Qiang.

"Baldy Qiang, we're old acquaintances. Since you're here today, just answer whatever I ask, and we’ll both have an easier time. If you cause me discomfort, I’ll be even more uncomfortable. Understand what I mean?" I said, sitting in the main seat and feigning a degree of authority.

Baldy Qiang sat below, acting very meekly, "Great God, no! Brother! You are my reborn parents. Ask me anything; I will tell you everything I know, omitting nothing. I’ll even confess to stealing eggs from a village neighbor when I was little."

"Cut the crap. I'm asking what you were doing at Building 158 today."

"158? I don't know anything about 158?"

"The building where we ran into each other. Tell me, what were you going there for?"

Baldy Qiang scratched his bald head and replied, "I was just looking for a friend and happened to run into you. Then you dragged me back without even asking. I’m truly wronged."

Knowing this guy was committed to the dark path, I realized he wouldn't tell the truth without a little persuasion. I snorted coldly and barked, "Baldy Qiang, get it straight. Where are you? Do you think we’d drag you over here if we didn't have anything on you? Let me tell you, I went there specifically looking for you today!"

I emphasized that last sentence so heavily that Baldy Qiang flinched, looking at me with surprise, confusion, and something else I couldn't quite read.

"Spit it out. I also know that what you did isn't a capital offense. What’s the big deal? Tell me, and I might let you go right away. You’ve been around long enough; you should know we treat those who cooperate very well," I began employing subtle psychological tactics.

Baldy Qiang's eyes flickered, but he wouldn't speak. After a brief standoff, I started to grow impatient.

Based on Baldy Qiang's current behavior, he was definitely involved, possibly in something major. But the bigger the deal, the harder he’d cling to silence. Under relevant regulations, without any evidence, I could only detain him for twelve hours at most. Once that time was up, I’d have to release him, and finding him again would be difficult. There was a chance ‘Door Tooth’ would arrange for him to skip town or even have him quietly dealt with somewhere remote.

Just then, the interrogation room door opened, and Zhang Jiewei walked in, asking with a grim face, "How is it? Has he cracked?"

I shook my head. Zhang Jiewei said, "You go out first; I’ll handle it!"

Zhang Jiewei was a renowned master of criminal investigation; he was the perfect person for this job. But he had only just recovered his health, and I felt reluctant. Thinking of yesterday's scene made me genuinely guilty, but his gaze told me what I needed to do, so I walked out of the interrogation room.

Back in the office, Xiao Cuo was nowhere in sight; he must still be chasing leads on the 'Grim Reaper' case. I wondered if he had made any headway. Gao Jianning and Feng Siyan were in their usual spots, sitting less than a meter apart, but the actual distance between them was something no one could quite figure out.

Hmph hmph, I deliberately coughed twice. The two heads bent over their work lifted. Feng Siyan asked, "Is something wrong?"

I was secretly delighted. My earlier conversation in the car seemed to have had a slight effect; at least she had spoken up before Gao Jianning this time, which was unprecedented. The little minx seemed interested, perhaps attempting a roundabout strategy. But then I felt a bit troubled; if both of them kept playing coy, when would I ever get to drink my cousin's wedding wine?

Since I was preoccupied with Baldy Qiang’s issue, I wasn't in the mood to meddle in their affairs. So I said, "That bald guy won't talk; it's frustrating." As I spoke, I poured myself a glass of water.

Gao Jianning offered, "Do you want me to try my hand at it?"

I knew the kid wanted to show off in front of his 'goddess,' but this wasn't his job, and he might just mess things up. I shot him a sidelong glance and said, "Zhang Jiewei is questioning him now. If even he can't get anything out, bringing in you, me, and Xiao Cuo would probably be useless."

Hearing that, Gao Jianning found a way to save face and smiled, "If Brother Lei can't, then of course I can't either. Inspector Zhang should be able to do it; he’s been in this line of work for nearly ten years."

Zhang Jiewei was a few years older than me, but I was only twenty-seven or twenty-eight now. If he had been a police officer for ten years, he must have started when he was only eighteen or nineteen?

Gao Jianning continued his subtle boasting, "When he was in police academy, his qualifications were so outstanding that he participated in numerous missions. After graduation, he went straight into the Criminal Investigation Brigade. Haven’t I got that right?"

Zhang Jiewei was indeed talented. Though he spoke little, he knew his stuff. Even during the time he’d been at the Special Investigation Office—though my initial impression of him wasn't great—his competence was undeniable.

As I was thinking this, Zhang Jiewei suddenly walked back in, his face stern. "I just received word. Jiang Bo, the deceased He Shuhua’s boyfriend, is a major suspect. He’s a drug user."

As everyone knows, drugs and crime are almost synonymous. Drug trafficking and use are crimes, and many people undergo radical personality changes after using them, becoming either pathetic worms or savage beasts. The influence of drugs can be seen in many violent crimes.

Since He Shuhua’s boyfriend, Jiang Bo, was a drug user, it was highly plausible that he killed his girlfriend under drug-induced hallucinations, completely forgot about it afterward, and then went to the Public Security Bureau to report it.

This line of reasoning was sound, as there were many such cases, far more than just one or two.

I couldn't help but ask curiously, "How did you find out? Does Baldy Qiang know Jiang Bo?"

I actually desperately wanted to know how he got Baldy Qiang to talk, but there was no time to inquire now. I needed to focus on the critical information first.

Zhang Jiewei’s face remained like stone, expressionless. "Baldy Qiang confessed just now that there was a drug den in that building. He was scouting ahead; if there were no problems, the people bringing the supply would move up. Jiang Bo frequented that den to use drugs, so they knew each other. He even saw Jiang Bo a few days ago and they exchanged a few words."

Hearing this, I was nearly prostrate with admiration for Zhang Jiewei. If I hadn't interrogated Baldy Qiang beforehand, I wouldn't have thought this matter was so difficult to handle. Now, I truly understood the guy a little better. However, he was only slightly superior in interrogation techniques; in other areas, I still had confidence in myself.

Zhang Jiewei continued, "I just went to the Fourth Criminal Investigation Team and asked them to assist us in searching the entire city for Jiang Bo. You all should prepare yourselves as well. It’s best if we catch the guy ourselves to avoid any further gossip."

Soon, a large net was cast across the city. All outbound routes were heavily scrutinized, and Jiang Bo's photo circulated among the crowds. But after wave after wave of searches, Jiang Bo had vanished like a stone sunk in the ocean, leaving no trace.

I couldn't help but wonder secretly if the guy had already left Anyin City? But according to Baldy Qiang’s confession, Jiang Bo had asked him for money that day; he shouldn't have gone far, or perhaps he hadn't fled at all.

The next time I saw Baldy Qiang, the man was completely subdued. He was wearing detention center attire. His head didn't need shaving, but it certainly didn't shine like before.

After he confessed about 'Door Tooth's' drug den in Sanhe, the police immediately organized a raid, busting three drug dens and arresting over twenty users and dealers. Unfortunately, 'Door Tooth' slipped through the net.

His escape wasn't due to a leak, but because the man was always elusive—like a divine dragon showing its tail but never its head. Many of his subordinates had never seen him, and even his closest confidants didn't know where he lived, usually communicating only by phone. So, once the police operation began, he vanished completely, as if evaporated from the face of the earth.

"Baldy Qiang, I told you early on to hand things over sooner. But you insisted on holding out. Still, you were smart enough; this tip-off will at least shave seven or eight years off your sentence."

Seeing this guy made me angry. I had persuaded him so earnestly back then, but he stubbornly refused to talk. Then Zhang Jiewei arrived and got him to open up quickly.

"Tell me, why did you confess everything as soon as you saw that long-faced guy last time?" I barked fiercely, genuinely furious this time, not faking it.

Baldy Qiang trembled, "It was nothing, I was just scared when I saw him."

"Scared of what? You still won't tell me the truth at this point? Believe it or not, I’ll torture you for it!"

"No, don't! Help! The police are hitting me!"

Baldy Qiang shrieked. Two detention center officers rushed over. I leaned in and whispered to them, "It's fine, don't worry about it; I won't actually hit him."

I was only trying to scare him into revealing Zhang Jiewei's method so I could use it later.

Baldy Qiang watched the two officers leave, thinking I was in cahoots with them. He turned deathly pale. I smiled sinisterly, "Will you talk or not?"

"Brother, I’ll talk, I’ll talk. That officer, as soon as he spoke, called out my name..."

I interrupted, "Didn't I also know you were called Baldy Qiang?"

"No, Baldy Qiang is a nickname given by brothers in the underworld. I have a real name—Li Wenhua." Baldy Qiang said with a tremor.

I was stunned by the name and couldn't help but laugh. For this guy, who looked like a ghoul, to have such a refined name. It was a testament to the pitiable hopes of parents; I figured they never imagined their son would turn out like this.

But how would Zhang Jiewei know his real name? Were they old acquaintances, perhaps even neighbors?

"No, no, we don't know each other, but that officer said he knew me, and he even called out the names of several of my brothers, exactly right."

Hearing this, I started to understand. Zhang Jiewei hadn't relied on some extraordinary technique, but solid foundational work. He must have meticulously reviewed and studied the files of every major and minor criminal gang in the city to know people by name on sight.

My interest waned. I leaned back, too lazy to ask more, and questioned, "What was Jiang Bo's condition when you saw him? What did you two talk about? Tell me everything, exactly as it happened."

Baldy Qiang reached out a hand, "Brother, got a cigarette?"

I tossed him three and said, "If the intelligence is useful, this whole pack is yours, and I'll put in a commendation for you."

"Thank you, Brother. Um, when I saw Jiang Bo, he was truly pathetic, only had about three hundred yuan on him. After using a bit, he ran out, and I told him to go home, but he insisted on staying. But since he was a regular customer, I didn’t make a big deal out of it, just told my men not to give him more product without money. When he saw I wouldn't budge, he asked to borrow money, which, of course, I refused."

"Did all this happen on the same day?"

"Yes, yes, all that day. I never saw him again the next day."

"You mean, Jiang Bo left your place that day, and you never saw him again after that?"

"No, no. That very night, he somehow managed to get another two hundred yuan or so, and after spending it all, he left."

I considered the timing. Jiang Bo should have disappeared right after leaving the drug den, having just used. With no money on him, where would he go late at night?

I asked again, "Do you know anything else about Jiang Bo? Tell me everything."

"You still haven't found him?"

"Stop wasting time and answer the question."

"Let me think... He has a relative in the east part of the city."

"We checked there already. No one."

"And a friend who supposedly runs a building materials business."

"Checked that too."

...

After asking for quite a while, all the clues Baldy Qiang provided led to places already investigated. He looked genuinely clueless, so I left the detention center.

On the way back to the bureau, Zhang Jiewei suddenly called. His voice was slightly excited, and I knew immediately there was progress.

"Wang Lei, Gao Jianning just used the police internal network to check the First Detoxification Center. They have a newly admitted patient named Jiang Bo. Let's go take a look."

I suddenly realized: The guy had just finished using drugs that night, his mind in a haze. He definitely couldn't have made it home. He was probably picked up by a night patrol, discovered using drugs, and sent straight to the rehab center.

No wonder we couldn't find him anywhere in the city; the guy had already been locked up.

Zhang Jiewei and I rushed to the detoxification center and immediately had the staff bring Jiang Bo to an office.

As soon as Jiang Bo walked in and saw us, he dropped to his knees, crying out, "Officer, please take me out quickly! I need to catch the person who killed Shuhua!"

This guy—even now, he was still putting on an act.

Zhang Jiewei’s face darkened. He slammed the desk hard and yelled sternly, "Jiang Bo, what have you done? Do you need us to tell you?"

His voice was loud and commanding, like an ancient magistrate in a historical drama. If he went into acting, he’d surely win some award.

While thinking that, my eyes remained fixed on Jiang Bo, observing his every expression.

Jiang Bo froze, looked around confusedly, and muttered as if to himself, "I know I was wrong, but I truly couldn't control myself."

"Wrong? Do you think something this huge is just a small mistake?"

"I... I deserve to die, I'm a bastard, I shouldn't have used this stuff at a time like this, but I was in too much pain. Shuhua left me; only using this stuff lets me forget the agony," Jiang Bo said while violently slapping his own face.

Good heavens, after all that, he still wasn't prepared to confess. But this wasn't the old days; we couldn't resort to torture. The best approach was to trap him with contradictions in his testimony, making his defense untenable, thereby breaking his psychological defenses.

Zhang Jiewei lowered his voice and asked, "Where were you on the night He Shuhua was killed?"

Jiang Bo blinked, as if only now grasping the implication, and shouted defensively, "Shuhua wasn't killed by me! It wasn't me! You must believe me! I loved her so much, how could I hurt her?"

Looking at this master of drama, I couldn't resist interjecting, "You keep claiming to love her now, but why did you hit her back then? You can't deny that, can you?"

Zhang Jiewei snorted coldly and roared suddenly, "Behave yourself! Where were you that night?"