Chapter 241 157: An Accident! Silencing! Survival Against All Odds

Along the way, he encountered many figures rushing about in a panic.

These people were scurrying along at a near run, some clutching documents, others barking orders into their phones.

Even though it was the dead of winter and snowing outside, they were all reeking of stale sweat.

All in all, the scene was no better than at the Special Fifth Bureau.

The entire city's security apparatus... had descended into utter chaos at this moment!

THUMP!

A conference room door was slowly pushed open.

Inside, countless officials were gathered around a large, long table. They all looked up reflexively at Wang Tao.

They were men and women, with an average age of forty-five.

Some wore jackets, some were in plainclothes, and others wore white shirts; their attire was as varied as their roles.

These people...

...were the top brass of the front-line security personnel!

"Any leads yet!?"

Wang Tao asked without a moment's thought after taking his seat.

"There isn't enough time. A grid search would take ten days at the very least. Even if we get lucky, we're looking at two or three days."

One of the men said in a grim voice.

"Two or three days... The trail will be ice-cold by then!"

Wang Tao's face tensed, and the others around him frowned as well.

"This snow has covered all the clues, making the search incredibly difficult for our people in the field. There weren't many street cameras to begin with, and now we're seeing some of them damaged by the blizzard."

"The police dogs are useless, the killer vanished well in advance, and I even have strong logical grounds to suspect that our subject..."

That First-level Police Chief said grimly:

"...has left the Capital City."

"Or has even left the Eastern Country!"

If we assume the suspect fled the moment the case was officially opened.

Then, while the investigation was not yet at full tilt, the killer could have easily escaped.

One plane ticket abroad, and who knows where we'd have to go to catch them!

"Regarding this matter... I don't need to spell it out. You should all understand the attitude from above."

Wang Tao's face was taut as he threw a file onto the table.

Several people around him took turns looking through it.

What was in the file?

Photos taken at the scene!

And... the finished product.

Photos of a finished product the government had seized decades ago!

The expression on every person in the room was grim.

To be honest, it was extremely rare for a single case to bring all of them together like this.

But today, such a case had appeared...

'Is this something people should even be making!?'

'Did they really think the Eastern Country government was playing around?'

'The darkness our military stamped out decades ago, the suffering that crushed countless people... and now they're brazenly shoving it back in our faces?'

'Do they think our guns have stopped firing?'

'Lunatics...'

A slap in the face. This was a direct slap in all of their faces!

"What are the orders from above?"

After looking through the photos, Sun Qiang of National Security took a deep, heavy breath, then fixed his gaze on Wang Tao.

"Two things."

"First, National Security is to investigate and be on alert for foreign powers. The brass suspects foreign agents are involved."

"Second, we must pursue this case and solve it in the shortest time possible!"

Wang Tao said gravely.

The message was brief.

But what comes down from above is rarely just a message.

It's a statement of their attitude!

"If it comes to it, I'll need authorization to open fire within the city."

Another person spoke up.

"Then file the request," Wang Tao said.

His expression showed it was a mere formality; right now, if someone dared to ask, it would be rubber-stamped instantly.

"Transportation—Old Li, you handle that. Watch it closely, and make sure there are wanted notices and armed patrols everywhere."

"The police will mobilize all available resources. First, deploy personnel across all sectors to ensure there are no blind spots if the perpetrator tries to strike again."

"The Special Fifth Bureau will be responsible for..."

A stream of information and meticulous arrangements was born from the intense discussion.

After some time, the room gradually fell quiet.

"Meeting adjourned."

With those two words...

Everyone immediately gathered their things and began to file out.

"Old Sun, stay behind for a moment."

Wang Tao, not yet leaving, quickly spoke to Sun Qiang as the latter began to stand up.

The others asked no questions, simply pulling the door closed behind them as they left.

In the vast office, only Wang Tao and Sun Qiang remained.

"There's one more thing that will require cooperation between National Security and the Special Fifth Bureau."

Sun Qiang paused, his brow furrowing as he asked:

"What is it?"

"A thorough investigation!"

Wang Tao, the director of the Special Fifth Bureau, said with a solemn expression and a resolute tone.

"Investigate where?"

"Internally!"

"Us!?" Sun Qiang was taken aback.

"No." Wang Tao shook his head.

The methods are crude, but the nature of the act is extremely serious. It doesn't have the hallmarks of a spy.

"Investigate the merchants of the Capital City."

"The prominent ones, the ones with a name!"

"Every single one. Run a check on all of them," Wang Tao stated plainly.

There are good businessmen and bad ones. There are still quite a few decent ones these days, though they haven't made it big.

Merchants are driven by profit; to them, money is everything. But once a person's desire for wealth is sated, they start heading in other directions.

Like collecting obsessions, for example.

"We're going to kill a chicken to scare the monkeys!"

Wang Tao's tone was grimly sinister.

"It doesn't matter if they did it or not, we still need to kill a chicken to scare the monkeys!"

"We need to rattle their cages!"

Investigating them wouldn't normally require a joint operation between the Special Fifth Bureau and National Security.

But, for them to take action would create a necessary effect!

At least for a while, no one will dare to step out of line.

First, secure things internally, then deal with the external threat...

Sun Qiang thought for a moment and mostly understood what he meant.

However...

"Those bastards..."

As if in a daze, Sun Qiang sighed.

For something like this to happen right before the New Year...

The higher-ups probably meant for the case to be solved before the New Year!

Meaning, by the time the New Year holiday begins!

That left them with less than six days...

At this thought, Sun Qiang's eyes suddenly snapped open.

"By the way, this case..."

"Who was the one who broke it?"

"We really should thank them. If it had been exposed any later, we would've had no time left at all."

'Who broke it?'

'Thank them?'

Wang Tao wanted to say something, but he hesitated. He started to speak, then stopped, and finally forced the words back down.

But, in the end, he still...