Chapter 999: Confirming the Whereabouts

For Lu Chuan’s team, once they have a lead to investigate, it’s relatively straightforward.

Moreover, after Wang Dezhi’s death, Zhao Xue was found, not to mention a man living with Zhao Xue?

The police! They simply checked Zhao Xue’s phone, and its communication records, chat logs easily pinpointed the person.

Wu Haitao

He wasn’t found in the residency system as a resident of the provincial capital but of Haizhou City.

Clues found in Zhao Xue’s room confirmed the person should be living with Zhao Xue, but when the police arrested Zhao Xue, they didn’t find Wu Haitao.

Moreover, in the past couple of days, police have been stationed near Zhao Xue’s house.

No one has been seen coming by.

Thus, confirming Wu Haitao’s whereabouts requires Zhao Xue’s input.

Song Mingguang interrogated Zhao Xue again.

“Zhao Xue, there are things you can’t just bear alone. You’re quite aware of the role you played in Wang Dezhi’s murder.”

Song Mingguang made it clear to Zhao Xue that they had discovered other leads.

“I’m giving you a chance here, and I hope you take it.”

This interrogation was unlike the last; the previous time Zhao Xue said nothing, only claimed he committed the murder and admitted all criminal acts, but didn’t detail the murder process.

But now, Zhao Xue’s expression showed some anxiety.

Seeing a reaction from her, Song Mingguang pressed on: “Tell us, where is she now?”

Zhao Xue was confused: “What him…who are you referring to…”

“Enough.”

Song Mingguang interrupted Zhao Xue: “We’ve already found Wu Haitao in your phone’s chat and call records. Where is he now?”

Wu Haitao…

From Zhao Xue’s phone records, they frequently communicated, sometimes calling three or four times a day.

Additionally, from their chat history on WhatsApp, it was clear they were a couple, and it had been a long-standing relationship, as Zhao Xue hadn’t deleted the call records.

They had been together for four or five years.

Judging by the timeline, they knew each other before Zhao Xue’s relationship with Wang Dezhi.

Upon hearing Song Mingguang mention Wu Haitao, Zhao Xue’s expression showed obvious panic.

“Wasn’t it Wang Dezhi who was murdered, right?”

Song Mingguang suddenly asked.

“Ah…I…”

Zhao Xue’s reaction instantly confirmed Song Mingguang’s suspicion.

Exactly.

Though Zhao Xue was involved in the murder of Song Mingguang, whether she was the mastermind now was uncertain; it seemed Wu Haitao was the one behind the crime.

“Zhao Xue, tell us where he is?”

“I…don’t know…”

Don’t know?

“Zhao Xue, we’ve already apprehended you. Do you think Wu Haitao can escape?”

Song Mingguang sneered: “Did he run back to Haizhou? Let me tell you, we’ve already informed the police there, and they are on their way to Wu Haitao’s house.”

Zhao Xue’s gaze wandered, and after a while she said: “No, no, he’s not in Haizhou, he…I don’t know where he went.”

Her words further confirmed his presence in Haizhou.

Song Mingguang didn’t continue questioning, only glanced deeply at Zhao Xue before leaving the interrogation room.

Wu Haitao likely was unaware of Zhao Xue’s arrest.

Zhao Xue was captured yesterday morning, and it had barely been a day. He probably left the provincial capital for Haizhou City without knowing.

Given this, apprehending him should be easier. Zhao Xue’s phone is still functional; since he doesn’t know about her arrest, we could use the phone to ask him about his location, and have colleagues in Haizhou assist in detention or have Song Mingguang’s squad handle it directly.

Conference room.

“I suggest using Zhao Xue’s phone to inquire, it’s not the right time to alarm Haizhou.”

Song Mingguang suggested.

Guessing Wu Haitao returned to Haizhou was speculative, not certain.

“I agree with Old Song’s proposal.”

“I agree too.”

Li Donglin, seeing everyone in agreement, decided to probe with Zhao Xue’s phone first.

Having decided to use Zhao Xue’s phone, they needed to determine what to send.

“Just directly ask, ‘Where are you? When are you coming back?’, should suffice.”

Wang Song suggested.

“No, it needs a term of endearment. I checked, Zhao Xue calls Wu Haitao ‘Brother Tao’ on WhatsApp, it needs a prefix, so he doesn’t get suspicious.”

“This is good, let’s proceed this way.”

With the decision made, Lu Chuan, Song Mingguang, and others discussed and decided to test with this line.

“Brother Tao, where are you now? When are you coming back?”

Lu Chuan typed it, glanced at everyone, saw them nod, and hit send.

To their surprise, he replied instantly.

But he didn’t directly answer the question on the phone; instead he countered with one.

“What were you up to, why didn’t you pick up last night?”

What the heck?

How should they respond?

Zhao Xue was captured yesterday, so her phone was collected afterwards and kept in the operations room where signals are jammed, hence nobody could reach it.

“Ah, I fell sick, I’m at the hospital.”

Thinking on his feet, Lu Chuan, realizing there’s no time for discussion, quickly typed a few words.

“You’re sick? I’m calling you!”

Lu Chuan rapidly entered: “No, no, I’m about to undergo an MRI scan, I suddenly fainted when I stepped out yesterday.”

“The neighborhood management sent me to the hospital.”

“Come back soon, stay with me…I’m scared alone…”

Wu Haitao seemed to believe these statements.

“I’m immediately buying a train ticket back, which hospital?”

“Fourth People’s Hospital.”

“Wait for me…”

Putting down the phone, Li Donglin promptly searched for train schedules from Haizhou City to the provincial capital.

“Quickly get in touch with the train station, check which train Wu Haitao bought!”

An hour later, they got Wu Haitao’s train ticket info; he purchased a ticket for the train departing Haizhou City at 1:25 PM today bound for the provincial capital, expected to arrive at the provincial capital train station by 4:00 PM.

“Director Li, what do we do?”

Now, having tracked Wu Haitao’s movement, there are three possible locations for apprehending him: one, at Haizhou City’s train station by Haizhou City criminal police.

Another is during the train journey.

The final option is at the provincial capital train station.