Both of them immediately turned.Qin Yue raised her gun,but Han Yi motioned for her to wait.A few seconds later,one of the officers appeared at the end of the corridor. "Captain."Han Yi looked toward him."What did you find?"The officer shook his head. "Nothing.The stairwell is empty,and the fire exit is locked from the inside."Qin Yue lowered her weapon slightly."Then whoever made that sound is either still hiding..."She looked around the apartment."...or they wanted us to think they were."
Han Yi gave a faint nod."Either way,we don't stay here longer than necessary."Qin Yue glanced toward the bedroom."Before we go,I want to search the room again."Han Yi looked at her."Why?"She pointed toward the damaged furniture."They searched the apartment quickly,but they may have missed something."Han Yi considered it for a moment,then nodded."Five minutes."Qin Yue moved toward the bedroom while Han Yi remained near the doorway.He watched the officers secure the hall before turning his attention back to the apartment.Something was missing...The witness had been frightened enough to hide a phone beneath his bed,yet he had left behind other things. The people who searched this place had been thorough,but nobody was perfect...
Qin Yue crouched beside the bedroom dresser and slowly opened the first drawer. Butvit was empty.She checked the second drawer then he third contained old clothes,a few receipts,and several folded papers.She carefully moved them aside."Captain."Han Yi turned."What?"Qin Yue pulled something from the back of the drawer.It was a small folded receipt.She held it between two fingers."I found something."
Han Yi walked over."Don't unfold it yet."Qin Yue raised an eyebrow."Why?"Han Yi pointed toward the edge."There's no dust beneath it."She looked more closely and realized what he meant.The drawer was covered with a thin layer of dust,but the area beneath the receipt was noticeably cleaner." Someone handled this recently,"she said. Han Yi nodded."Exactly."
Qin Yue unfolded the paper.The receipt was old and slightly creased,but the printed ink was still readable.She scanned it once,and her expression changed."Captain..."Han Yi immediately noticed."What?"She turned the receipt toward him."Look at the date."Han Yi read it.The date matched the day Jun Wei disappeared."That's the same day."Qin Yue nodded."And there's more."She pointed to the address printed near the bottom.
Han Yi read it twice before looking at her. "Riverside shipping dock."Qin Yue nodded slowly."Dock 19."She looked toward him. "It's on the eastern side of the river."Han Yi took the receipt carefully and studied the details."What was purchased?"Qin Yue leaned closer."Fuel,two bottles of water, industrial tape,and a set of temporary vehicle plates."
Han Yi's eyes hardened."When was this purchased?"Qin Yue checked the time. "Twenty-three minutes before evening." Han Yi looked at the date again...Jun Wei disappeared around same time...The pieces were beginning to form another route in his mind."This isn't a normal receipt."Qin Yue looked at him."No."She folded her arms. "But why would the witness have it?"Han Yi turned the paper over."Maybe he didn't."Qin Yue's expression changed."You think someone left it here?"Han Yi nodded."Or he found it and kept it because he knew it mattered."
Qin Yue looked toward the bedroom door. "Then why hide it inside this drawer?"Han Yi answered calmly,"Because whoever searched this apartment was looking for information about Jun Wei.They probably didn't know the witness had this."Qin Yue studied the receipt again."The shipping dock could have been where the SUV went."Han Yi shook his head."Not necessarily."She looked at him."Why not?"He pointed at the purchase time."The vehicle plates were bought shortly before midnight.If they were planning to take Jun Wei directly to the dock,they wouldn't need temporary plates unless they intended to change vehicles afterward."
Qin Yue's eyes widened slightly."Another vehicle."Han Yi nodded."We already know the witness saw two vehicles."She looked back at the receipt."So the second vehicle could have been waiting at the dock."Han Yi's expression became colder."Or they arrived there with the SUV and left in something else."Qin Yue quietly said,"That would explain why the black SUV never appeared at another exit."Han Yi nodded. "And it would explain why the surveillance trail suddenly becomes impossible to follow."
Qin Yue stared at the receipt."Then the dock isn't where they kept Jun Wei."Han Yi looked at her."No."He folded the receipt and slipped it into an evidence sleeve."That isn't where they kept Jun Wei."Qin Yue looked up."You think it's a meeting point?"Han Yi nodded. "They changed vehicles there."Qin Yue's eyes narrowed as the implication settled in."Then someone at that dock knew they were coming."Han Yi looked toward the window,the city lights reflecting faintly across the glass."Yes."Qin Yue stepped closer."And if they changed vehicles there,there should be cameras."
Han Yi shook his head."Maybe."She frowned."Maybe?"Han Yi looked at the receipt again."A shipping dock is the perfect place to disappear.A lot of vehicles come and go at night.Cameras can be blocked by containers,records can be altered,and nobody remembers every truck they see." Qin Yue's expression hardened."So whoever planned this chose the location carefully."Han Yi nodded."They didn't just hide Jun Wei."He looked directly at her." They built a route designed to make him disappear."
Qin Yue was silent for a moment.Then she asked,"Do we go to Dock 19 now?"Han Yi glanced toward the dark window."Yes,but carefully."She nodded."I'll tell the team to prepare."Han Yi stopped her."No."Qin Yue looked back."What?"His voice became quieter."Only two cars."She understood immediately."You don't want a large team." Han Yi shook his head."Not until we know whether someone is waiting for us."Qin Yue looked down at the evidence sleeve."If the dock is another trap..."Han Yi finished for her."Then we don't walk into it blindly."Qin Yue nodded and reached for her phone."I'll make the call."
Elsewhere As they walked back toward the car, Lian Ziho suddenly slowed down. Zheng Rui took two more steps before noticing that Lian ziho had stopped. "What happened?" Lian ziho didn't answer. His eyes were fixed across the street. Beside a crowded bus stop stood a man wearing a black cap.His face was partly hidden by the cap, and the distance made it impossible to see his features clearly. He wasn't doing anything unusual. He simply stood there, watching the road.
Lian ziho narrowed his eyes and took a small step forward.The man slowly turned his head.For one brief moment, their eyes seemed to meet. Then the man turned away and stepped onto a passing bus. Lian ziho's expression changed immediately. "No..." Zheng Rui followed his gaze. "What?" Lian ziho didn't move.He watched the bus doors close. His voice was barely above a whisper. "He's the same man from yesterday." Zheng Rui's expression became serious. "Are you sure?" Lian ziho nodded. "I'm sure."
The bus began moving. Lian ziho suddenly ran toward the road. "Lian ziho!" Zheng Rui followed without asking questions. Lian ziho reached the car first and pulled open the door.Zheng Rui quickly got into the driver's seat. "Which one?" he asked while starting the engine. Lian ziho pointed ahead. "The blue city bus!" Zheng Rui stepped on the accelerator. "Don't lose sight of it." Lian ziho fastened his seat belt and kept his eyes on the bus. "I'm not."
The car moved into the traffic, following the bus through the busy road. Zheng Rui kept both hands firmly on the steering wheel, his eyes moving between the bus and the traffic ahead. "Can you still see him?" Lian leaned forward slightly. "Not anymore." Zheng Rui frowned. "Then how do you know it's the same man?" Lian ziho didn't look away from the bus. "The way he stood." "The way he stood?" Zheng Rui glanced at him briefly. "That sounds strange." Lian ziho sighed. "I know how it sounds." He paused. "But I remember him."Zheng Rui looked back at the road. "Then we'll find out if you're right." Lian ziho nodded. "Just don't let the bus get too far." "I'm trying."
The bus changed lanes suddenly. Zheng Rui followed carefully. Lian ziho leaned forward, trying to see through the rear window. "There." Zheng Rui glanced at him. "Where?" "Near the back door." Lian ziho pointed. "Black cap." Zheng Rui narrowed his eyes. "I can't see his face." "Neither could I yesterday." Zheng Rui gave him a quick look. "Then don't take your eyes off him." "I'm not." The bus continued for several more blocks before stopping at another intersection.
Several passengers began getting off. Lian ziho immediately opened the car door. "Wait!" Zheng Rui caught his sleeve before he could jump out. "Don't run into the crowd alone." Lian ziho looked down at Zheng Rui's hand gripping his sleeve.For a second, both of them froze.Zheng Rui slowly released him. "Sorry." Lian ziho looked away, slightly embarrassed. "It's fine." Zheng Rui nodded. "Stay close." Lian gave him a small nod. "You too."
They quickly got out of the car and moved toward the bus stop. Lian ziho searched every face as passengers walked past them. But the man in the black cap was nowhere. The bus doors closed again.Lian ziho turned toward the departing bus. "Impossible!" Zheng Rui came up beside him. "Check both sides." Lian ziho nodded. "I'll take the left." "I'll take the right." They separated and searched the nearby shops, side streets and waiting areas. Lian ziho looked behind a row of parked scooters, then checked the entrance of a small shop.There was nothing. He returned to the bus stop, breathing slightly harder. Zheng Rui arrived a moment later. "Anything?" "No." Lian ziho looked toward the road. "He couldn't have disappeared that fast."
Zheng Rui scanned the area. "There are too many people." Lian ziho shook his head. "I saw him." "I believe you." Lian ziho looked at him. "You do?" Zheng Rui nodded. "You wouldn't chase a random man through traffic for no reason." Lian ziho gave him a tired look. "Good to know you trust me." Zheng Rui almost smiled. "Sometimes." Lian raised an eyebrow. "Sometimes?" "You do make questionable decisions." "And yet you followed me." Zheng Rui looked toward the road. "Someone has to stop you from getting yourself killed." Lian ziho was about to answer when an older voice suddenly came from behind them. "Looking for the man in the black cap?"
Lian ziho and Zheng Rui turned at the same time. A newspaper vendor stood beside a small wooden cart near the corner. He looked to be in his sixties, wearing a faded blue jacket and old reading glasses that rested low on his nose. Several newspapers were stacked neatly beside him, but he seemed more interested in them than his work. Lian ziho immediately walked toward him. "You saw him?" The vendor looked at Lian for a moment before nodding. "For a few seconds."
Zheng Rui stepped closer, his expression becoming serious. "Which way did he go?" The vendor slowly raised his hand and pointed toward a narrow pedestrian lane between two buildings. "That way." Lian ziho looked toward the lane, then back at the vendor. "Are you sure?" The vendor gave him an annoyed look. "My eyes may not be as good as they were twenty years ago, but I can still see a man wearing a black cap." Lian almost smiled despite himself. "I'm sorry!"
Zheng Rui glanced toward the lane. "When did you see him?" The vendor thought for a moment. "Just after the blue bus stopped." "Did he get off the bus?" "Yes." Lian ziho immediately asked, "Was he alone?" The vendor scratched his cheek. "I think so." "You think?" Lian ziho asked. The vendor pointed at the busy road. "Look at this place. People were getting off the bus, cars were passing, someone was shouting about a taxi... I wasn't exactly standing there counting everyone."
Zheng Rui nodded calmly. "That's fine. Just tell us what you remember." The vendor looked at Zheng Rui and seemed more willing to answer. "He got off the bus like everyone else." He paused. "Nothing strange at first." Lian ziho leaned slightly closer. "Then what happened?" The vendor scratched his head. "Funny fellow." Lian ziho frowned. "Why?" The vendor looked toward the pedestrian lane. "He got off the bus..." He slowly raised one finger. "...walked about ten steps..." He raised another finger. "...then disappeared."
Lian ziho stared at him. "What do you mean disappeared?" The vendor shrugged. "I mean exactly that." Zheng Rui's eyes narrowed. "Explain it." The vendor adjusted his glasses. "He walked toward that lane. I watched him because I thought he was looking for someone." Lian ziho asked,"Did he turn around?" "No." Lian ziho looked around Shops and asked,"Did he enter in any shop?" "No." "Did he get into another vehicle?" "Not that I saw." Lian ziho looked frustrated. "Then how did he disappear?"
The vendor pointed again. "He turned the corner..." He paused dramatically. "...and there was nobody there." Lian stared at the lane. "Nobody?" "Nobody." Zheng Rui looked at Lian ziho. "How long between seeing him turn and losing sight of him?" The vendor thought carefully. "Maybe three seconds." Lian ziho's eyebrows lifted. "Three seconds?" "Maybe four." "That's impossible." The vendor shrugged. "I didn't say it made sense." Zheng Rui remained calm. "Was anyone else near him?" "A woman with a shopping bag passed behind him." "Anyone else?" "A delivery worker came from the other side." "Did either of them follow him?" "No."
Lian ziho looked toward the lane again. "Could he have hidden somewhere?" The vendor gave a small laugh. "Where? That lane is barely wide enough for two people." Zheng Rui's expression became thoughtful. "Are there any side doors?" "There are two old buildings." The vendor pointed. "One has a storage entrance, but it usually stays locked." Lian ziho immediately looked at Zheng Rui. "Let's check it." Zheng Rui nodded but stopped him with a hand against his arm. "Wait." Lian ziho looked down at Zheng Rui's hand and then at him. Zheng Rui quickly removed it. "Don't rush in."
Lian ziho gave a small nod. "Right." The vendor watched them with curiosity. "You two police?" Zheng Rui shook his head. "We're investigating something." The vendor looked between them. "Trouble?" Lian ziho answered quietly, "Possibly." The vendor's expression became more serious. "Then be careful." Zheng Rui looked back toward the lane. "Did the man say anything?" The vendor shook his head. "No." "Did he look nervous?" "No." "Afraid?" "Not at all." Lian ziho frowned. "Then what did he look like?" The vendor thought for several seconds. "Calm." "Too calm?" Zheng Rui asked. The vendor slowly nodded. "Yes. That's what bothered me." Lian ziho folded his arms. "He knew someone was watching him?" "Maybe."
The vendor lowered his voice. "When he got off the bus, he looked at the people around him." Zheng Rui immediately focused on him. "He looked around?" "Only once." "Where?" The vendor pointed toward the road. "Then he looked straight at my cart." Lian ziho's expression changed. "At you?" "Yes." "Did he say anything?" "No." The vendor adjusted his glasses again. "But he looked at me for a second longer than normal." Zheng Rui asked, "Did you know him?" "Never seen him before." Lian's eyes narrowed. "Then why would he look at you?" The vendor gave a helpless shrug. "Maybe he was looking at the newspapers."
Lian ziho shook his head. "No. He was checking who was watching him." Zheng Rui nodded slowly. "I think you're right." The vendor looked slightly uncomfortable. "Should I be worried?" Lian ziho softened his expression. "No. Just stay away from that lane for now." The vendor nodded. "Alright." Zheng Rui reached into his pocket. "One more thing." The vendor looked at him. "Did you notice anything unusual about his hands?" The vendor frowned. "His hands?" "Yes." "He had gloves." Lian ziho and Zheng Rui exchanged a quick glance. "What kind?" Zheng Rui asked. "Dark." "Both hands?" "Yes." Lian ziho looked toward the lane again. "Anything else?" The vendor shook his head. "That's all."
Zheng Rui nodded. "Thank you." They turned toward the pedestrian lane. After a few steps, the vendor suddenly called out, "Wait!" Both stopped and looked back. The vendor pointed at Zheng Rui's pocket. "That black card you were carrying..." Zheng Rui's expression immediately changed. "What about it?" The vendor narrowed his eyes as he tried to remember. "I didn't see the whole thing clearly, but the man in the black cap..." He paused. "He had something black in his hand too."Lian ziho's eyes widened. "What?" The vendor shook his head. "I don't know if it was a card."
Zheng Rui stepped closer. "What did you see?" The vendor looked toward the lane again. "Something flat and black.He held it for just a second before putting it away." Lian ziho's expression hardened. "You're sure?" "Yes." Zheng Rui and Lian ziho exchanged another serious look. The black card was no longer just something the follower had accidentally dropped. Lian ziho quietly said, "He had one too."
Zheng Rui's eyes remained fixed on the empty lane. "Then maybe BW-17 isn't unique." Lian ziho swallowed. "You think there could be more cards?" Zheng Rui nodded slowly. "Maybe." The vendor looked between them. "What does all this mean?" Zheng Rui didn't answer. He simply looked toward the narrow lane where the man had supposedly vanished. Lian ziho stepped beside him. "If he disappeared there..." Zheng Rui finished quietly, "then he didn't disappear." Lian ziho looked at him. "You think there's another way out." Zheng Rui nodded. "Let's find it." They walked toward the narrow pedestrian lane together.
Lian ziho and Zheng Rui hurried into the narrow pedestrian lane, their footsteps echoing between the tall brick walls. Lian looked ahead, expecting to see the man in the black cap at the other end, but instead they reached a solid brick wall. He stopped suddenly. "No way..." He looked to the left, then to the right. There was nowhere to go. One high brick wall blocked the end of the lane, and an old metal gate stood against the wall with a heavy lock hanging from it. Lian ziho walked toward the gate and pulled it once. It didn't move. "Locked." Zheng Rui came up beside him. "Try again."
Lian ziho pulled harder. The gate shook slightly but stayed in place. "Nothing." He stepped back and stared at the wall. "He couldn't have gone through this." Zheng Rui didn't answer. His eyes had already moved down toward the ground. Lian ziho noticed his expression. "What?" Zheng Rui slowly crouched down. He touched the wet ground near the wall without disturbing it. "Someone was here." Lian ziho immediately crouched beside him. "The man?" Zheng Rui pointed toward a set of fresh footprints. "Looks like it."
Lian ziho followed the footprints with his eyes. "They're fresh."Zheng Rui studied them carefully. "The rain stopped less than an hour ago." Lian ziho looked toward the prints. "And these are still clear." Zheng Rui nodded. "Which means whoever made them came through recently." Lian ziho stood and followed the footprints. "Then he came this way." Zheng Rui followed behind him. The footprints continued along the narrow lane for several meters. Lian ziho kept looking ahead, expecting the man to appear around the next corner. But there was no corner. The footprints simply stopped halfway down the alley.
Lian ziho froze. "Wait." Zheng Rui stopped beside him. Lian ziho pointed at the ground. "Look." Zheng Rui lowered his eyes. The footprints ended suddenly. There were no other marks beyond them. Lian ziho stared at the empty ground. "How?" Zheng Rui remained silent for a moment. Lian ziho looked around in disbelief. "There has to be something." He checked behind them. "We came from there." He looked toward the locked gate. "And that's blocked." Then he looked at the tall brick walls. "And there's no way over those." Zheng Rui slowly stood. "He didn't climb." Lian ziho looked at him. "Then where did he go?"
Zheng Rui's eyes moved over the wall. "I don't know yet." Lian stepped closer to the wall and ran his eyes across the bricks. "Maybe there's a hidden door." Zheng Rui nodded. "Look for anything that doesn't belong." They began checking the walls carefully. Lian ziho moved along one side while Zheng Rui examined the other. Lian pushed aside a few loose pieces of cardboard.Zheng Rui ran his fingers over the brick surface. Then he stopped. "Lian ziho." Lian ziho turned. "What?" Zheng Rui pointed toward the lower part of the wall. "These marks."
Lian ziho walked over. There were several fresh scrape marks across the bricks, as if something heavy had been dragged against them recently. Lian ziho touched one lightly. "These weren't here for long." Zheng Rui nodded. "They're fresh." Lian ziho looked around. "What could have made them?" Zheng Rui followed the marks with his eyes. They disappeared behind a stack of old wooden crates. "Move those." Lian ziho grabbed the first crate. "Together?" "Yes." They shifted the crates one by one, the wood scraping against the ground.
Lian ziho wiped dust from his hands. "These things haven't been moved in years." Zheng Rui looked at the ground beneath them. "Maybe they were put here to make it look that way." Lian ziho stopped. "You think someone was hiding something?" Zheng Rui didn't answer. He moved the crate aside.Lian ziho stared at it. "What the..." Zheng Rui stepped closer. He placed his hand on the handle. "It's a service door." Lian ziho looked at the old metal frame. "There's no sign." "No lock either." Zheng Rui slowly pushed the handle down.
The door opened with a long, quiet creak. A cold draft came from inside. Lian ziho instinctively stepped closer to Zheng Rui. "That's not creepy at all." Zheng Rui gave him a brief look. "You wanted to know where he went." Lian ziho looked into the darkness. "I know." Zheng Rui pulled out his phone and turned on the flashlight. Lian ziho stared down the steps. "That goes underground." "Yes." "How far?" Zheng Rui aimed the light farther down. The staircase disappeared after several turns. "Can't tell."
Lian ziho looked back toward the alley. "This wasn't on the city map." Zheng Rui's expression became serious. "Exactly." Lian looked at him."So someone built this without putting it on the records?" "Or someone made sure it wasn't included." Lian ziho swallowed. "And the man in the black cap knew about it." Zheng Rui nodded. "Probably." Lian ziho looked down the staircase again. "Do you think he went down there?" Zheng Rui studied the footprints near the doorway. "The footprints stop here." Lian ziho's eyes widened slightly. "So this is where he disappeared." "Looks like it."
Lian ziho took a slow breath. "Then we finally found his exit." Zheng Rui stepped closer to the stairs. "Maybe." Lian ziho frowned. "Maybe?" Zheng Rui looked at him. "We don't know what's waiting down there." Lian gave him a nervous smile. "You always know how to make things sound worse." Zheng Rui's mouth lifted slightly. "I'm being realistic." Lian ziho shook his head. "Fine. But we're going down, right?" Zheng Rui looked into the darkness. "We came this far." Lian ziho nodded. "Together?" Zheng Rui glanced at him. "Together."