SFTD -Chapter 413 White Spots Reappeared (Part 54)

The closer they got to the residential compound, the more they could feel the age of the buildings. The four-story apartment blocks had stairwell corridors framed with brick latticework.

There were no lights along the roads inside the compound, and every building had small, low auxiliary structures in front of it.

Still, wherever the flashlights swept across, they could see thick layers of fresh paint on the walls—clearly the result of an old-city renovation project. Even so, the architectural style and layout still looked like something from the early 1980s.

Hearing footsteps, the people ahead quickly turned around in alarm.

“Xuchao?”

By then, Zhou Hai had already caught up to them. Sure enough, Wang Xuchao was walking at the very front. Hearing the others call out, Wang Xuchao quickly turned back.

“Hai Zi? Why did you come over too?”

Zhou Hai smiled faintly.

“I checked the map. There are more apartment buildings and residential blocks on the southwest side, so instead of waiting around for news, I figured I might as well come help search. I already called Fengzi and the others and told them to head over too.”

Wang Xuchao grinned and patted his shoulder.

“Good. Then tell me the details while we walk. If he really is here, our group can respond faster if we discover anything.”

As they spoke, the group began searching building by building.

Just then, everyone’s phones chimed simultaneously with notification sounds.

Opening them up, they saw that Xiao Hu had sent a mass WeChat message containing several photos—resident registration information for all households in the area.

The people ahead immediately started knocking on doors one by one to question residents.

Meanwhile, Zhou Hai and Wang Xuchao remained at the back while Zhou Hai briefly summarized the entire case from beginning to end. Wang Xuchao’s brows knitted tightly together.

“So the situation is this complicated… Then we really need to speed things up!”

“Yeah. We have to wrap things up by ten o’clock. Most people are already asleep by then. Besides, if we make too much noise, I’m worried it’ll backfire.”

Wang Xuchao looked at him in confusion.

“You mean the killer couldn’t have taken Xu Biao underground?”

Zhou Hai shook his head slightly.

“The traces on that manhole cover at the entrance were far too deliberate. The more obvious it looks, the more I think it’s just a decoy. Huang Zhongsheng already called in the bomb disposal team. We should have results soon.”

Wang Xuchao nodded and urged everyone to move faster.

They first knocked on every door in a building, then paired off to verify identities and inspect the interiors. In just half an hour, they had already cleared three buildings.

The pace was extremely fast.

Just as they were heading toward the fourth building, Zhou Hai’s phone rang. The caller was Huang Zhongsheng.

“Luo Jinfang got here. Good thing nobody opened that manhole cover. There was a bomb suspended underneath it. And this one was no joke—move the cover just five centimeters and it would’ve detonated. If it had exploded, all of us would’ve been finished.”

Zhou Hai sucked in a sharp breath.

“You sent people down already?”

Huang Zhongsheng sounded irritated.

“Of course I did. I sent people down with Luo Jinfang. They’re following the blueprints to scout the tunnels first. If they find anything, I’ll let you know.”

Wang Xuchao had heard the entire conversation clearly.

A criminal this vicious truly was insane.

But it also made him even more worried about Xu Biao, and he immediately began urging the others on.

“Hurry up!”

Understanding the seriousness of the situation, everyone quickened their pace.

As they circled around toward the fourth building, a car covered with a protective tarp beside a bamboo grove suddenly caught Zhou Hai’s attention.

When one corner of the tarp fluttered upward slightly, Zhou Hai caught a glimpse of a patch of green beneath it.

That discovery made him immediately run over and yank up the back of the cover.

Sure enough—it was Xu Biao’s license plate.

This was the first time Zhou Hai had ever felt so emotional seeing Xu Biao’s bright green Alto.

“This is Xu Biao’s car. The car cover isn’t his—it feels too big.”

Wang Xuchao noticed it too. Thinking back to Huang Zhongsheng’s earlier warning, he quickly crouched down with a flashlight to inspect underneath the vehicle.

If there happened to be anything installed beneath the car, they would all be blown sky-high.

Fortunately, there was nothing underneath.

The ropes tying the cover down were only loosely fastened, and after checking all four sides carefully, Wang Xuchao waved the others over.

“Come help me pull this thing off!”

Several people grabbed hold, and the tarp was instantly removed.

Zhou Hai rushed to the passenger-side window first, pressing his flashlight against the glass to look inside.

Thankfully, the horrifying scene he feared most was nowhere to be seen.

The inside of the car was completely empty.

Seeing Zhou Hai’s reaction, Wang Xuchao immediately understood what he had been worried about. He raised a hand and patted Zhou Hai’s shoulder.

“Don’t worry. Xu Biao’s lucky—nothing ever really happens to him. The real issue is whether he can survive being hungry for this long. That’s what we should actually be worried about.”

Zhou Hai nodded hard.

“The car being left here, locked up and hidden beneath a cover, was meant to stop us from tracing his movements.”

Wang Xuchao grunted in agreement.

“Either the killer’s hideout is nearby… or it’s the place farthest from here.”

Zhou Hai looked at the two residential buildings standing side by side behind them.

Although the gap between the buildings was extremely narrow, the bamboo grove separating them made the area feel strangely quiet.

The easternmost building sat directly against the outer wall, topped with iron fencing. There was no way to leave directly through there—they would have to go around. And beyond that wall was the street, meaning this was the easternmost edge of the entire compound.

Despite being in a busy area, it was secluded.

That made it an excellent place to conceal one’s tracks.

Moreover, the terrain here occupied something of a high point.

Looking from here toward the other residential buildings gave a faint sense of overlooking everything below.

Even standing in the parking area created that feeling.

Zhou Hai raised his head and looked toward the apartments above. Roughly half the units still had lights on.

Sensing something unusual in Zhou Hai’s expression, Wang Xuchao quickly stepped closer.

“Hai Zi, you think this place really resembles a hideout?”

Zhou Hai nodded.

“Continue the normal searches in the other buildings. Don’t rush this one yet. Let’s compare the household registration information first.”

Hearing that, Wang Xuchao immediately waved toward the groups behind him and lowered his voice.

“Leave two teams here. The other two teams, hurry and continue searching the other buildings. Remember—be careful. Even if you discover something, don’t act rashly. Use household registration checks as your excuse. Got it?”

The others quickly nodded.

Two groups headed toward the neighboring buildings, while the remaining people gathered around.

Wang Xuchao opened the resident information images they had received earlier and found the details for this building, studying them carefully.

Unexpectedly, although this entire area shared one compound, this particular building was labeled Faculty Dormitory Building No. 5.

In other words, even though they belonged to the same residential yard, they were actually separate communities.

And from a distance, the rooftop appeared to have many small makeshift rooms built onto it.

At that moment, Zhou Hai’s phone vibrated again.

Pulling it out, he saw Chu Menghan’s name flashing on the screen and quickly answered.

“Hello?”

“Zhou Hai, we found three people here whose backgrounds somewhat match Yang Duxiu’s.

The first is Zhu Xiaocheng, male, fifty years old, divorced. He was part of the early wave of overseas returnees. He came back to China in 1999 to teach and is currently single. He teaches chemistry at the Agricultural University.

The second is Pang Yuchang, male, fifty-one years old, widowed at a young age. He transferred from the University of Technology in 2000. He originally taught chemistry but now teaches inspection and quarantine. Graduated from Kiel University in Germany.

The third is Mu Weiyang, male, fifty-two years old, unmarried. He also transferred from the University of Technology in 2000. He originally taught engineering design but now teaches chemistry. Graduated from the University of Freiburg in Germany.”

Zhou Hai froze.

Based on the information alone, all three sounded highly suspicious.

Gripping the phone tighter, he quickly asked: “Do you have photos?”

“Give me a moment. Once we finish verifying their home addresses, I’ll send you the photos and all their information.”