SFTD -Chapter 383 White Spots Reappear (Part 24)

Huang Zhongsheng pulled out his phone and called Liu Yong. The call connected after a short while, and he stepped aside to explain the situation, especially the matter concerning Zhou Zhiguo. After hearing this, Liu Yong stopped Huang Zhongsheng from hanging up.

Sounds of rummaging came from the other end of the line. A moment later, Liu Yong finally spoke:

“There are two people named Zhou Zhiguo in the Southeast City Bureau. One is Old Zhou from the Public Security Brigade, thirty-eight years old this year. If we’re talking about twenty-two years ago, he hadn’t even joined the police force yet.

As for Zhou Hai’s father, his name really was Zhou Zhiguo. The files show that after solving a major anti-drug case in 1990, he was transferred to what was then the East District Criminal Police Brigade, where he worked for several years before being reassigned to the Narcotics Division in 1995.

So it seems this case back then was indeed handled by Zhou Hai’s father.”

Huang Zhongsheng didn’t even know what to say after hearing this. He glanced at Zhou Hai standing in the distance and lowered his voice again.

“Boss, do you think Yang Duxiu came after Zhou Hai because of that old case?”

Liu Yong let out a long sigh and shook his head.

“There’s no way to judge that right now. I can only send someone to investigate the old case files. After all, it happened twenty-two years ago—we’ll need to retrieve the records from the bureau archives.”

After the call ended, Huang Zhongsheng didn’t need to say anything. Zhou Hai had already read the answer from his expression. This case really had been handled by his father back then. He had never expected Yang Duxiu to have a connection to him. Zhou Hai lowered his head slightly.

“Director Liu already sent someone to retrieve the old case files. Don’t worry.”

Zhou Hai shook his head. Xu Biao and Zhang Wenqi had already walked out carrying their equipment cases. In Xu Biao’s hand was an evidence bag stuffed with a thick stack of documents. Zhou Hai walked over to meet them.

“Find anything?”

Xu Biao shook his head.

“The scene was completely cleaned up. Third Hospital doesn’t even have functioning surveillance anymore. Even the cameras that are still there have long since had their wires cut. I asked the administrative office—they said they haven’t had money for maintenance in over two years.

I found two partial footprints by the easternmost window. Both had mud on them. One was dried out badly, while the other was still very wet.

Judging by the mud alone, it matches the soil from the grass outside. Looks like he repeatedly tried to see whether he could escape from that position himself.

Also, Zhang Wenqi tracked down Yang Duxiu’s medical records through the case numbers. Large sections seem to have been torn out, and some parts are incomplete. Looks like he did that himself.”

Zhou Hai frowned slightly. A man who had already chosen death had still gone through the trouble of rigging explosives to block the door and tearing up his own medical records. What exactly was he trying to hide?

He glanced at his watch. It was already six-thirty. The autopsy still hadn’t been performed, and there was no point lingering here any longer. Taking the medical records from Xu Biao, he said:

“I’m heading back to examine the autopsy results. Xu Biao, take Zhang Wenqi to Yang Duxiu’s house and have a look around. But be extra careful. If he could plant explosives here, there’s no telling what else he prepared.”

That single sentence frightened Xu Biao so badly he immediately stepped backward, grievance written all over his face.

“Don’t scare me like that!”

Xiao Zhan weakly raised a hand from behind them.

“We already went to Yang Duxiu’s house just now.”

Huang Zhongsheng and the others all looked at him.

“If you’re going to talk, then explain everything clearly. Don’t spit out half a sentence and expect us to drag the rest out of you.”

Xiao Zhan shrank his neck and hurriedly continued:

“Wasn’t I told to help retrieve the archives earlier? The personnel officer from the administrative office said they needed some time to look for them, so I had to wait a bit. Since I had time, I went around to the residential building behind the hospital and checked out Yang Duxiu’s place.

The officers monitoring him had discovered that he liked hiding his key beneath the doormat outside the door, so I found it right away.

There was barely anything inside. Just a bed, a wooden dining table, and a chair. The kitchen utensils and bowls had all been packed away. No rice, flour, cooking oil, or ingredients of any kind.

The room was spotless too—not a single footprint on the floor. The bedding on the bed was folded into neat military-style squares. No photo albums, papers, books, or miscellaneous belongings. Just an empty, barren house.”

Xu Biao stepped forward anxiously.

“You wore shoe covers and gloves when you went in, right?”

Xiao Zhan nodded repeatedly.

“We remembered that from the last training session. We didn’t damage the scene. We only took a quick look around.”

Zhou Hai raised a hand to stop Xu Biao from continuing.

“Then let Zhang Wenqi go take another look. Xu Biao, come back to the center with me. Everyone knows that’s Yang Duxiu’s house already. He wouldn’t leave behind any useful information there. I’m more worried that, just like the archives room, he may have left explosives behind. If that’s the case, the entire residential area could be in danger.”

Huang Zhongsheng shot Xiao Zhan a glance.

“Next time, follow orders. Do you understand how dangerous that was?”

Zhou Hai turned toward Huang Zhongsheng.

“We’re leaving first. You’ll also need to have traffic police investigate the truck drivers and the concrete mixer driver. As for Yang Duxiu’s accounts—”

Huang Zhongsheng interrupted him.

“Don’t worry about that. I’ll have the economic investigation team check into it as soon as I get back. Since we need to investigate his international accounts as well as information about his ex-wife and son, now that we know Zhang Li is a German translator, we finally have a direction to work with. And if there’s any news about those archives, I’m sure Dr. Nan will be the first to tell you. Alright, get moving. We’ll finish cleaning things up here!”

Zhou Hai didn’t stand on ceremony. He got into the car with Xu Biao and left.

Da Zhao moved closer to Huang Zhongsheng, worry written across his face.

“Boss, does this mean Yang Duxiu already knew we were closing in on him?”

Huang Zhongsheng shook his head.

“Forget Hai Zi—even I find this strange.

Nothing this man does can be understood through normal logic. Everything he’s done has been utterly insane. Disabled hands, impaired mobility, yet he still murdered several people and manipulated multiple others into risking their lives for him.

Maybe he really suffered some terrible injustice back then. But this kind of extreme revenge was always a one-way road with no return.

Forget it, no use sighing over it. Hurry up and get to work!

Oh right—what happened to the former director of Third Hospital? Why was he removed from office?”

Da Zhao looked at Xiao Zhan, who shook his head.

“Brother Mao was the one interrogating Vice Director Liu earlier. He’s over with Dr. Nan now. I only overheard bits and pieces.

Apparently Third Hospital had cooperated with a traditional Chinese medicine hospital from the provincial capital. Later, the partner side proposed a new profit-sharing arrangement, but the director disagreed, so negotiations collapsed. The other side withdrew both funding and personnel.

Third Hospital fell apart after that. Staff started leaving in huge numbers, and the hospital’s revenue dropped to less than a tenth of what it used to be. It apparently became impossible to maintain operations. Then the director was accused of embezzlement related to the partnership deal.

He’s currently under investigation, so Vice Director Liu is temporarily overseeing the hospital.”

Huang Zhongsheng rolled his eyes at him.

“You call that overhearing a few bits? Sounds like you heard the whole story. Enough arguing about it. Call Da Mao and have him go meet this director. Get as much information as possible about Yang Duxiu.

Especially about Yang Duxiu’s parents. I think he might know something.

And have people keep an eye on Dr. Nan’s side. The moment results come out, start investigating immediately.

I’m heading back to the bureau. It’s time to bring in reinforcements…”