CH 239

It was hell.

Although Lin Chen had never had a precise imagination of such an unreal concept, he thought that if hell truly existed in the world, it should look like this.

The entire room was quiet and tidy, like an ordinary room in a nursing home. The window was half-open, and the curtains were partially drawn, with a gentle breeze lifting the hem of the curtains. Bright sunlight fell on the coffee table beside the bed, seemingly without any dark areas, except for the two elderly people on the bed.

However, to be precise, they were neither living nor human, but two corpses.

The bodies were covered by two thin white sheets neatly tucked, aligning perfectly with the collarbones of the elderly.

And a little higher up, there were necks resembling dead tree bark.

Of course, the description of “dead tree bark” was Lin Chen’s imagination, as the necks of the two elderly people had been slit open, forming deep and dark gashes. Blood flowed out from the wounds, soaking their necks and trickling down, staining the snow-white bedsheets, forming a large and vibrant red ink blot. Under the sunlight, the brownish-red blood appeared to emit steam, as if it could evaporate the shape of their souls.

Lin Chen didn’t know how he managed to approach the bedside, but it seemed that human potential was always greater than he had imagined.

As he got closer, he realized why he could still sense the presence of the living.

Because the eyes of the deceased were open, and the two elderly people gazed peacefully at the ceiling. The whites of their eyes were tinged with a yellow-brown color, while their pupils were completely black, devoid of any emotions, hollow as if they could consume one’s soul. It was as if the cut at their throat wasn’t lethal; the real cause of death was the long-lasting, impoverished, and tasteless life they had endured. They should have died long ago but were forcibly kept in this world.

The wind from the lakeside and the fields blew in through the window, carrying a faint, scorching scent that could only come from long exposure to the sun. Lin Chen didn’t know if he stumbled, but he forcefully grasped the bedside table, standing in front of the two elderly people, looking at them intently.

At that moment, all of Lin Chen’s senses were extremely sharp, even magnified several times.

The police officers, who arrived a bit later, rushed in with their footsteps resounding like thunder.

Doors from the end of the corridor were being opened one after another, with brief pauses between each door, and then another one would follow. Gradually, the sound of doors opening became slower and slower, as if no one had the courage to continue.

In the end, all footsteps stopped outside the door of the room where Lin Chen stood.

Lin Chen lifted his head and saw many pairs of shocked, incredulous, and desperate eyes at the door. The emotions in those gazes were too complex. They hesitated for a moment, and each person’s throat seemed choked, unable to speak first.

What happened? How could things turn out like this…

And what really snapped Lin Chen back to reality was the sound of footsteps that came last. It was the young officer, the one who had rushed into the nursing home ahead of everyone else. Lin Chen remembered that his name was Li Nuo.

Li Nuo’s eyes were bloodshot, and he covered his mouth. The intense smell of blood was obviously too overwhelming for an ordinary patrol officer. Lin Chen momentarily thought that Li Nuo might run out and vomit. However, to his surprise, Li Nuo managed to hold himself together. With a hoarse voice that indicated he had already cried for a while, Li Nuo said to him, “Consultant Lin…”

Li Nuo’s voice sounded helpless yet determined to the extreme.

Lin Chen shuddered, regaining his clarity. He looked at the many eyes at the door once again and realized that Xing Conglian wasn’t there, so he had to do something.

He lowered his head, covered the eyes of the elderly with his hands, gently closing their eyelids. Then, he walked towards the door and said in a clear voice, “Check if there are any survivors inside the nursing home, notify the hospital and emergency department, and report to the city bureau.”

After finishing his instructions, Lin Chen nodded to everyone and walked straight out.

“Where are you going?” someone called out to him.

“Me?” Lin Chen put his hands in his pockets, turned back, and said, “I’m going to find her.”

……

Before the incident occurred, Huang Ze was sitting on one side of the long circular office desk, with Xing Conglian on the other side.

Xing Conglian lit a cigarette, adopting a tough attitude. His phone was placed on the corner of the table, and he didn’t hand over his communication devices as requested.

Huang Ze held a pen and spoke to Xing Conglian in the coldest tone he could muster, “Xing Conglian, you have been temporarily suspended. Don’t act like you don’t know anything. It’s better for everyone if you clarify the situation as soon as possible.”

As he spoke, he looked directly into Xing Conglian’s dark eyes. Xing Conglian’s gaze remained calm, and only he knew why he still had such composure at a time like this. But Huang Ze was well aware that Xing Conglian had no intention of answering his question.

The ash of Xing Conglian’s cigarette fell bit by bit, and smoke rose lazily in the silence. With a steady pace, Xing Conglian finished smoking before the cigarette was extinguished.

Before that cigarette was finished, Xing Conglian even took a glance at the phone on the table, which remained as calm as ever. Huang Ze knew that Lin Chen hadn’t called him.

When this thought crossed his mind, Xing Conglian suddenly stood up. He stubbed out the cigarette in the ashtray, picked up his phone, kicked the chair backward, and grabbed his coat that was thrown over the chair before walking towards the door.

Xing Conglian’s attitude made Huang Ze realize that he had only been waiting for “Lao Wu” during the time it took to smoke a cigarette.

Caught off guard by Xing Conglian’s swift actions, Huang Ze didn’t have time to react before he reached the door. His subordinate stood there, but how could a clerk who struggled to pass the physical exam be a match for an officer like Xing Conglian? Before the two of them could exchange any words, Huang Ze’s subordinate winced in pain, clutching his arm, and the door was easily opened.

“Xing Conglian, stop right there!” Huang Ze stood up and slammed the table.

However, Xing Conglian didn’t even look at him and took out his phone to make a call, as if all the warnings and admonitions from earlier were meaningless words, and as if Huang Ze himself didn’t exist.

Huang Ze wanted to say something more, but Xing Conglian had already disappeared from his sight. Holding the phone, Huang Ze chased after him, regretting his choice of sitting in the wrong position in the office just a few steps away.

This was the main office area of the Hongjing Municipal Police Bureau, where most of the officers worked. With so many people coming and going, it was clear that most of them were familiar with Xing Conglian.

As Xing Conglian walked down the long corridor, busy officers on both sides either nodded in acknowledgment or stopped and saluted him. For a moment, whispers of “Captain Xing” or similar words filled the entire office.

“Xing Conglian, you are being disrespectful!”

Huang Ze almost ran to catch up with him.

At that moment, Xing Conglian put down his phone, evidently having not connected the call. Instead, he grabbed someone and asked, “Where is Director Wu?”

The officer quickly pointed out the direction to Xing Conglian. He accelerated his pace and walked towards the temporary command center at the end of the hall.

“I was just disrespectful towards Inspector Huang,” Xing Conglian replied with both hands in his pockets, using a nonchalant yet remarkably steady tone. “Does Inspector Huang represent the rule of law?”

Huang Ze was frustrated. “You should know that I am giving you face right now. I could arrest you on the spot.”

As they spoke, they reached the entrance of the command center. Suddenly, Xing Conglian stopped and turned back to look at Huang Ze. “You can try.”

Huang Ze realized for the first time that, besides Lin Chen, there were others in this world who excelled at verbal sparring.

He took a deep breath, and just as Xing Conglian placed his hand on the door handle, Huang Ze held his wrist, preventing him from opening the door.

But this simple action seemed to trigger a terrifying signal.

In the next moment, the office was filled with the continuous ringing of phones. Then, the sound of rushing footsteps echoed throughout the building as many people started running. There was an overwhelming sense of tension, as if a stampede of a thousand horses was taking place.

Everyone’s face showed an expression that something terrible was happening, but no one had the courage to speak up about what had actually occurred.

Many officers crowded at the entrance of the command center, obviously trying to enter or exit to deliver reports, but they couldn’t because Huang Ze and Xing Conglian were blocking the way.

In that instant, Xing Conglian seemed to realize something. His gaze turned cold, and with a disdainful expression, he turned to Huang Ze and said, “Let go.”

Huang Ze’s breath hitched, and the command center door was pushed open from the inside out.

Xing Conglian’s immediate superior, Director Wu, was standing in the doorway.

Seeing his subordinate, Director Wu abandoned his previously reserved demeanor. Clearly, whatever had just happened had also left this old man feeling overwhelmed. He said to Xing Conglian, “You’re here?”

“I’m here,” Xing Conglian stood at the doorway, responding with a bold and steady posture.

The old man nodded.

Xing Conglian continued, “I have two things to discuss, so I’ll be brief.”

“Go ahead.”

“First, what crime have I committed?”

The old man hesitated for a moment, not expecting Xing Conglian to come in such a forceful manner, and the first question was surprisingly simple. Nevertheless, he succinctly answered, “Bribery, involving Zhourui Pharmaceutical.”

A look of disbelief briefly flashed across Xing Conglian’s face. After a moment, he furrowed his brow, as if suppressing a feeling of disgust deep within, yet remained calm as he said, “You know I couldn’t have done that.”

“I know.” Director Wu nodded solemnly, then took a step back, pointing towards the room where the ringing of phones persisted, signaling for Xing Conglian to enter. He said, “So, it’s yours now.”

“What happened?” Xing Conglian didn’t decline; only asked while walking. The officers blocked at the door followed with their respective materials and crowded into the room.

“Huihe Nursing Home. None of the 38 elderly residents survived.” The old director stopped in his tracks, speaking each word distinctly.

In an instant, the entire office seemed to be under a spell as everyone froze, and everything turned icy cold.

Xing Conglian also came to a halt. Huang Ze clearly saw a multitude of emotions flicker in Xing Conglian’s eyes, and he was certain that many of those emotions were related to Lin Chen. But what surprised him was that Xing Conglian didn’t immediately take out his phone to call Lin Chen. Instead, he contemplated for a moment and then decisively said, “Find the person in charge of the Transportation Department. Report on the surveillance situation at the checkpoints and the last known location of Shen Lian.”

“Yulin District, Zhongming Road intersection, south to north lane.” One of the officers near the door stood up swiftly and reported to Xing Conglian without any hesitation.

“The Yulin District officers will secure the southwest position, while the remaining personnel stay on standby.” Xing Conglian paused and asked again, “What is the specific situation in Hongshu Town?”

“Reporting, Captain Xing!” Another officer stood up. “Currently, nine officers, including the consultant from the Criminal Investigation Team, have arrived at the scene in Hongshu Town. The situation is as follows…”

The voices of inquiries and the subsequent responses echoed rapidly, as Xing Conglian seemed to have no need for contemplation. Command after command fell swiftly and with extreme clarity.

Huang Ze lowered his head, lost in thought.

“Captain Xing must undergo an investigation. It is a direct order from the Department!” A voice of admonishment came from behind him at that moment.

Huang Ze turned around and found his subordinate, who had been pulling at his arm, urgently speaking.

At that time, Xing Conglian had just finished answering a question from an officer about whether he would be heading to Hongshu Town.

“No, I won’t go for now,” was Xing Conglian’s response.

Huang Ze’s heart shook violently because of his subordinate’s question, and the entire office fell silent as everyone looked toward his position.

Finally, he made up his mind, raised his head, looked at Xing Conglian, and asked, “What do you need me to do?”