Lian ziho froze."You know?"He exchanged a confused look with Zheng Rui."What do you mean,you know?"Lian ziho's voice rose slightly."That's mean he's with you!"Cai Lang's voice became serious. "No.He is not with me."Lian ziho's expression changed. "What are you talking about?"Zheng Rui stepped closer,watching Lian ziho's face. "What's happening?"Lian ziho raised one hand,signaling him to wait."Cai Lang..." His voice shook."Then where is Suo Ran?" Cai Lang didn't answer.On his side,the glow of a large screen reflected across his face. His eyes remained fixed on the images in front of him.widened.Cai Lang finally replied, "He's in the hands of the kidnappers."
"What do you mean he's in the hands of the kidnappers?"There was still no answer.Lian ziho took a step forward."Cai Lang!"Zheng Rui placed a hand on Lian ziho's shoulder. "Lian ziho,calm down."Lian ziho looked at him,but he didn't step away.His eyes were fixed on the phone."How am I supposed to calm down?"His voice cracked." Someone took him!"Zheng Rui kept his hand firmly on his shoulder."I know."Lian ziho turned back toward the phone."Cai Lang,tell me where you are."Cai Lang finally spoke."I'm looking into it."
Lian ziho's expression hardened."No.I'm asking where you are."There was a short pause."Why?" "Because I'm coming to you." Lian ziho's voice was firm despite the fear in it."Tell me where you are."Cai Lang remained silent for another moment.Lian ziho clenched his jaw."Cai Lang,please."His voice became quieter."Just tell me where he is."Cai Lang looked toward the large screen in front of him."I don't have Suo Ran's exact location yet."Lian ziho's eyes widened. "Then how do you know he's with them?"
Cai Lang answered coldly,"Because I can see what they're doing."Lian ziho froze. "What?"Zheng Rui's expression changed. "What does he mean?"Lian ziho looked at Zheng Rui,then back at the phone."Cai Lang,what are you seeing?"Cai Lang didn't answer that question."Come to me."Lian ziho immediately asked,"Where?"Cai Lang gave him an address to River District Node 04.Lian Ziho quickly repeated it to make sure he had heard correctly."That's where you are?" "Yes."
Lian ziho took a breath."We're coming."Cai Lang's voice suddenly became firm."Don't contact the police yet."Lian ziho frowned. "Why not?" "Because whoever took him already knows we're looking."Lian ziho's face became tense."So you think the hospital was watched?" "Yes!"Cai Lang replied.Zheng Rui's eyes narrowed.Lian Ziho lowered his voice."Then what do we do?"Cai Lang answered,"Come here first. We'll talk when you arrive."Lian ziho looked at Zheng Rui.And They turned and walked quickly down the hospital corridor.The nurse watched them.Behind them,the empty hospital room remained untouched.Neither of them noticed the small security camera above the hallway door.The camera suddenly flickered and screen went black for a second.Then it turned back on.Someone had been watching the room the entire time.
Rain fell steadily over the deserted riverside dock,drumming against the roofs of the warehouses and turning the narrow road into mud.Han Yi stepped out of the car and immediately pulled his coat tighter around himself.Qin Yue followed,looking toward the dark line of warehouses ahead.Several officers got out behind them,checking their surroundings before moving closer.Han Yi lifted his flashlight and swept it across the wet ground."Stay together."
One officer looked toward the river."There is no security and no workers either."Qin Yue glanced at the empty dock."At this hour,in this weather,I wouldn't expect anyone to be working."Han Yi didn't answer.His attention had already shifted to the ground.Fresh tire tracks cut through the wet mud and disappeared toward the largest warehouse. Qin Yue crouched slightly and looked at them."These are fresh."Han Yi nodded.He followed the tracks with his flashlight."And they're heading straight there."
Qin Yue looked toward the warehouse where heavy metal door stood slightly open and faint yellow light was visible through the narrow gap."Someone left the door open." Han Yi's expression tightened."Or someone wants us to think they left it open."Qin Yue sighed softly."You really don't trust anything anymore,do you?"Han Yi glanced at her. "Not tonight."
One officer quietly asked,"Captain,do you want us to circle the building first?"Han Yi looked at the warehouse."Yes.Check both sides,but don't enter until I tell you."The officers immediately split into pairs and moved through the rain.Han Yi and Qin Yue remained near the entrance.After a few seconds,one officer gave a hand signal that the eastern side was clear.Another reported that there was no movement behind the building.Han Yi looked at Qin Yue then they pushed the warehouse door open.The metal hinges groaned loudly and sound echoed through the enormous empty building.
Inside,it was dark except for one light hanging above a distant work area.Water dripped from the roof somewhere in the darkness.Han Yi stepped inside first,his flashlight moving slowly across stacks of old containers,unused equipment,and rows of abandoned shelves."Check the corners." The officers spread out carefully."Clear on the left." "Nothing on the right."Qin Yue walked beside Han Yi."This place looks abandoned."Han Yi nodded."But someone was here recently."She looked at the floor. "The tire tracks outside?"He nodded. "And that light."
Qin Yue looked up at it."Why leave one light on?"Han Yi gave a quiet answer."So we'd see it."Before Qin Yue could respond,a faint sound drifted through the warehouse.It was so quiet that at first she wasn't sure she had heard it.She stopped walking.Han Yi noticed immediately."What?"Qin Yue slowly looked around."Did you hear that?"Han Yi raised his hand and entire team stopped.For several seconds,there was nothing but rain hitting the roof then the sound came again.It was child's voice and it sounded weak and distant,as though someone was trying to speak from somewhere deep inside the building.
Han Yi's eyes sharpened."Hello?"Qin Yue immediately turned toward the darker section of the warehouse."Where is that coming from?"Han Yi raised one hand toward the officers."Don't move."Everyone froze."Listen first."Qin Yue lowered her voice."Could it really be Jun Wei?"Han Yi looked toward the darkness."We don't know yet."He slowly raised his flashlight."Find the source."The voice came again and this time it was slightly clearer."Help..."They began moving deeper into the warehouse.The voice seemed to come from somewhere ahead,but every time they moved toward it,it became difficult to determine its exact direction.
Qin Yue looked at the ceiling."It's echoing." Han Yi nodded."Someone could be using a speaker." One officer looked back."Captain, should we check the wiring?"Han Yi shook his head."Not yet.If it's a recording,we don't want to trigger anything."Qin Yue glanced at him."And if it isn't?"Han Yi looked toward the darkness ahead."Then we need to reach it before whoever is controlling it does."They continued forward until they reached a narrow passage between two rows of storage containers.
At the end stood a small door.The child's voice came from behind it.Qin Yue whispered,"It's coming from there."Han Yi nodded."Stay behind me."He slowly reached for the handle.The door wasn't locked.He pushed it open.As they entered in room they froze.There was no one in room only live footage on big screen.Han Yi stepped closer.The footage showed a dark room somewhere else.
Two people were tied to chairs.Their faces were almost impossible to see because the room was poorly lit.A ceiling fan rotated slowly above them,and every few seconds its movement pushed the hanging light across the room,briefly illuminating one person before throwing both figures back into shadow.Qin Yue stared at the footage. The light passed across the first chair again.For a second,a small face appeared. Han Yi's expression changed immediately. "Jun Wei....He is here."Qin Yue stepped closer.Jun Wei looked frightened,and his head moved slightly as though he was trying to understand what was happening around him.
The fan continued turning.The light swung away from Jun Wei.For several seconds,the second person remained hidden.Then the light came back again.This time,it passed across the person sitting behind Jun Wei. Qin Yue froze.Han Yi froze beside her. Neither spoke.The light moved away again. Qin Yue stared at the monitor as if she couldn't believe what she had just seen. "Captain..."Han Yi's eyes remained fixed on the screen.
The light crossed the room,and the man's face appeared for another brief moment.Qin Yue's eyes widened."Suo Ran..."She immediately looked at Han Yi."That's Suo Ran."Han Yi looked at her.Qin Yue stepped closer to the monitor."Why is he there?"She looked at Han Yi again,her expression filled with disbelief."Why is he there and not at the hospital?!"Han Yi watched the live footage carefully as Suo Ran shifted slightly in his chair."How did he even get there?"Qin Yue continued. 'He was supposed to be getting treatment."
Qin Yue shook her head."No,this doesn't make sense.How could someone just walk into a hospital,take an injured man,and leave with him?"Han Yi remained silent for a moment."They wouldn't have walked in openly."Qin Yue looked at him."Then how?" Han Yi's eyes stayed on the screen."They may have used someone else's identity." She frowned."You mean a doctor?"Han Yi nodded slightly."A doctor,a nurse,security staff,or even someone who had legitimate access to the room."Qin Yue stared at him."But there are cameras everywhere in a hospital.There are nurses on every floor. There are patients, families,security guards. How could nobody notice someone moving an injured man out?"
Han Yi's expression became grim. "They may have made sure nobody noticed. "Qin Yue crossed her arms."You think the hospital staff were involved?"Han Yi shook his head."I'm not saying that."He paused. "I'm saying whoever did this knew exactly how to avoid attention."Qin Yue looked back at Suo Ran."Still,he couldn't just disappear. He was injured.He couldn't have walked out by himself."Han Yi nodded."Which means someone took him."Qin Yue's eyes narrowed."And they knew exactly where he was."
Qin Yue quietly said,"What if they were already watching the hospital?"Han Yi looked at her."Possible."She continued, "They could have followed the ambulance. Or someone could have told them which hospital he was taken to."Han Yi's gaze sharpened."Then we need the hospital records."Qin Yue nodded."And the security footage."Han Yi looked toward the officer beside the equipment."Get someone to contact the hospital.Have them preserve every camera recording from the time Suo Ran arrived until the moment we lost track of him."The officer immediately reached for his phone."I'll do it now."Qin Yue turned back toward the screen."
Before either of them could say anything else,footsteps suddenly echoed from the hallway outside the room.Han Yi raised his hand.Qin Yue instinctively reached toward her gun.The officers turned toward the doorway.The footsteps grew louder.Han Yi positioned himself between the doorway and the monitor."Stay alert."Qin Yue nodded."I'm ready."The door opened.Cai Lang entered first,followed by several of his men.His dark coat was damp from the rain, and the moment his eyes landed on the monitor.He stopped walking.For several seconds,he simply stared at the screen.
At almost the same time,Han Yi and Cai Lang looked at each other."How did you get here?"Han Yi asked.Cai Lang answered at almost the same moment,"How did you get here?"A brief silence filled the room.Cai Lang's men remained behind him,watching the police officers carefully.Han Yi didn't lower his guard.Cai Lang looked toward the monitor again."We followed clue and we already reached before you." Han Yi's eyes narrowed slightly."Before us?"Cai Lang nodded."We reached the dock a few minutes ago.We heard voices from inside the warehouse,but by the time we checked the first section,it was empty."
Qin Yue looked at him."Then how did you find this room?"Cai Lang's gaze shifted toward the dark passage behind them."We heard Jun Wei's voice."One of Cai Lang's men quietly added,"We followed it,but it stopped before we reached this section."Qin Yue looked toward the monitor."So you didn't know about the live feed?"Cai Lang shook his head."Not until we entered this room,the screen was already showing the footage."Qin Yue stepped forward."Then tell us something useful."Her voice was firm. "Do you know how Suo Ran ended up in their hands?"Cai Lang's eyes returned to the screen."No."Han Yi watched him carefully. "You're sure?"Cai Lang looked directly at him."If I knew how Suo Ran was taken,I wouldn't be standing here asking the same question you're asking."
Han Yi didn't look convinced."You were with Suo Ran at the hospital.You saw him before we left."Cai Lang's eyes remained on the screen."Yes."Qin Yue stepped closer."Then tell me something.How did he go from lying in a hospital bed to being tied up here?"Cai Lang's expression tightened."I don't know." Qin Yue stared at him."You were the last person we saw with him before we left."Cai Lang finally looked at her."And I left him in a hospital room with medical staff around him."Han Yi's voice became sharper."That's what bothers me."
Cai Lang's eyes narrowed."What?"Han Yi pointed toward the screen."There were people around him.There were nurses, Doctors and Security cameras.He couldn't just disappear."Cai Lang's jaw tightened."I know."Qin Yue shook her head slowly."Then someone had to get close to him without raising suspicion."Cai Lang looked back at Suo Ran."Or someone made sure nobody questioned them."
Han Yi immediately caught that."You have an idea."Cai Lang didn't answer."Cai Lang." He remained silent for a moment before saying,"When I left,there was a nurse standing outside his room."Qin Yue frowned."Did you know her?"Cai Lang shook his head."No."Han Yi asked,"Did she look suspicious?"Cai Lang's eyes hardened. "At the time,no."Qin Yue's expression changed."And now?"Cai Lang looked at the screen again."Now I don't trust that answer." Han Yi stepped closer."What did she do?"
Cai Lang thought back carefully."She asked me if I was family."Qin Yue frowned."That's normal."Cai Lang nodded."It was...But then she asked me where I was going."Han Yi's eyes narrowed."Why would she care?"Cai Lang looked at him."I thought she was checking whether someone would remain with Suo Ran."Qin Yue went quiet."You think she was making sure you left."Cai Lang didn't answer immediately. "Maybe."Han Yi's expression became colder."And you did."Cai Lang looked at him."Yes."Han Yi held his gaze."Then whoever took him may have been waiting for exactly that moment."Cai Lang's fingers slowly tightened at his side."If that's true..."His eyes returned to Suo Ran. "I walked away and gave them the opportunity."
Han Yi's expression tightened."Do you find anything else?" Cai Lang looked around the room before answering."Nothing obvious." Han Yi stepped farther inside and glanced at the cables,the empty table,and the equipment under the monitor."Look again." Cai Lang's eyes followed his."We checked the room before you arrived.There was no one hiding here.No weapons.No documents.Nothing that tells us who set this up."Han Yi looked toward the floor."What about these cables?"
Cai Lang's man crouched beside them."We checked them.They're connected to the monitor,but we haven't touched anything else."Qin Yue asked,"Did you find any way out?"Cai Lang shook his head."Only the door we came through."Han Yi frowned."So whoever set this up left without leaving anything behind."Cai Lang replied,"Or they never came inside this room at all."Qin Yue looked at him."What do you mean?"Cai Lang pointed toward the monitor."If the feed is being transmitted from somewhere else,they could have activated everything remotely."Han Yi nodded slowly."Which means this room may only be a viewing point."
Qin Yue looked around."A place designed for us to find."Cai Lang's expression darkened. "Exactly."Han Yi turned toward him."Did you find anything else in the warehouse?"Cai Lang nodded."A few things."Qin Yue immediately asked,"What things?"Cai Lang gestured toward one of his men.The man stepped forward and held out a small evidence bag containing a damp piece of paper."We found this near the loading area."Han Yi took the bag without touching it."What is it?"Cai Lang answered,"Part of a shipping label.The rest was torn away."
Qin Yue leaned closer."Can you read the address?"Cai Lang's man shook his head."Only the last few letters."Han Yi examined it."Anything else?"Cai Lang said, "We found tire marks near the rear entrance. "Han Yi looked up."Do you think it's same?!" Cai Lang shook his head."We can't confirm yet.But the tread looks similar to the tracks from the dock."Qin Yue glanced toward the monitor."So they came here,and they left recently."Cai Lang nodded."That's what it looks like."Han Yi's eyes returned to Jun Wei and Suo Ran on the screen."Then we need to know where they went."Cai Lang's expression hardened."Before they realize we've found this place."
Qin Yue suddenly pointed toward the screen."Wait."Everyone looked at her."Look at Suo Ran."Suo Ran had lifted his head.He was staring toward Jun Wei,and his lips moved as he whispered something to the boy.Qin Yue narrowed her eyes."He's saying something."Han Yi stepped closer."Can you hear it?"The officer shook his head."No audio."Cai Lang moved forward without realizing it."What is he saying?"Qin Yue watched carefully."I can't tell."
Suo Ran turned his head slightly toward the camera.The light from the ceiling fan crossed his face for barely a second.Cai Lang froze.For a brief moment,their eyes met through the live footage.Cai Lang didn't move but his eyes softened slightly.Suo Ran...So you really ended up in their hands...Cai Lang's fingers slowly tightened at his side.You know I'm watching you right?...Suo Ran kept looking toward the camera for another second.Cai Lang's eyes narrowed slightly.Don't look at me like that...
His eyes briefly shifted toward the people around him in the footage before returning to Suo Ran.You were supposed to be safe...A faint shadow crossed his expression.I left you there because I believed you were safe...He paused internally,his gaze becoming colder.That was my mistake... The light moved away,and Suo Ran's face disappeared into darkness.Cai Lang remained completely still.I know you can endure pain.But that doesn't mean you should have to...The light shifted again,and Suo Ran's face disappeared into darkness. Cai Lang's jaw tightened.Whoever did this knew exactly what they were doing...His gaze moved briefly to Jun Wei before returning to Suo Ran.They used the child to control you...A quiet anger settled behind his eyes.I should have stayed...Cai Lang's chest tightened.Hold on...The light moved away.Cai Lang continued staring at the screen.I'll get you out of there...
Qin Yue stepped closer to Cai lang and said,
"He's looking at the camera."Han Yi glanced at him."You noticed that too."Cai Lang eyes remained fixed on Suo ran."He knows someone is watching."Han Yi looked at the live footage. "Then maybe he's trying to tell us something."Before anyone could continue, another set of footsteps echoed from outside the warehouse. Everyone immediately turned toward the entrance.