[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-chasing-the-criminal-case":3,"chapter-chasing-the-criminal-case-chasing-the-criminal-case-chapter-255":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Chasing the Criminal Case",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2329023,4554,"Chapter 255: The Secret Beneath the Well","chasing-the-criminal-case-chapter-255",255,"\u003Cp>The cast-iron cover of the observation well weighed two hundred jin; when Luo Fei pried it open with a hydraulic clamp, rust flakes rained down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The beam of his flashlight pierced the deep, dark vertical shaft; moss coated the steel ladder, and droplets seeping from the shaft walls glimmered faintly in the darkness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll go first.” Luo Fei secured his safety rope; the moment his tactical boots touched the first step, a metallic clanging echoed from the bottom. Gu Changzheng gripped his shoulder and signaled silence—the bottom of the shaft had breathing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Ye Lin’s drone descended into the shaft opening, the feed suddenly jerked violently. The infrared lens captured a half-shadow darting around a corner below—a helmet with a gas mask glinted sharply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not police!” Gao Ye hadn’t finished speaking when a muffled explosion rang from the shaft bottom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The blast wave hurled the cover off; Luo Fei swung on the safety rope to the opposite wall, shards of stone grazing his ear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The passage below reeked of acrid smoke; Luo Fei advanced along the slick wall. His tactical flashlight swept the ground—he spotted fresh footprints: size 42 anti-slip boots, a unique pattern on the right heel!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the end of the passage lay a sealed room, its iron door slightly ajar. As Luo Fei reached to push it open, a gleaming dagger suddenly lashed out from the crack!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He reacted instantly, arching backward to evade the lethal strike—the blade’s tip skimmed his tactical vest, missing his skin by a hair’s breadth!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The masked man lunged out; Luo Fei swept his leg, knocking him down, and the two tumbled together in the mud and water.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The assailant was clearly trained—he drove an elbow straight toward Luo Fei’s scarred chin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Luo Fei twisted his head aside, seized the man’s wrist, and noticed a radioactive burn mark on his palm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The hand not restrained suddenly pulled a spray can from his chest—*pssht!* Luo Fei snapped his eyes shut and rolled, but the acrid gas still burned his throat, triggering violent coughs…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Gu Changzheng arrived with his team, Luo Fei was kneeling on the masked man’s back. Gu Changzheng ripped off the gas mask—revealing a face crisscrossed with scars: Wang Zhen, missing for ten years.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Where is Sun Xiaojuan’s camera?” Gu Changzheng stamped on Wang Zhen’s right hand; the platinum tail ring bent under his tactical boot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Zhen spat blood and sneered: “You’ll never find it...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sight inside the room stole everyone’s breath: rows of lead containers stood neatly stacked; Geiger counters shrieked wildly. Old Zheng trembled as he opened one—inside were sealed film rolls and magnetic disks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Chen Guodong’s backup data!” Ye Lin reached to touch them—Wang Zhen suddenly surged up, slamming his head into the container rack. Luo Fei lunged and pinned him; as they crashed into the wall, a hidden door burst open.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The hidden chamber looked like a horror film set: an old projector sat on an operating table; walls were plastered with Longhu pollution data charts. Most horrifying was the glass cabinet in the corner—inside, a preserved right hand floated in formaldehyde, its little finger curled—Sun Xiaojuan’s severed limb.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While everyone stared in shock, Wang Zhen broke free, drew another dagger from his boot, and stabbed at Gu Changzheng.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Luo Fei snatched a lead container and smashed it into Wang Zhen’s wrist—the dagger clattered to the floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They grappled in the cramped space; Wang Zhen’s elbow shattered the glass cabinet, spilling formaldehyde across the floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You think Chen Guodong was a good man?” Wang Zhen laughed wildly. “If he hadn’t signed off on rerouting the river back then, Longhu would’ve...” Before he finished, Luo Fei drove a heavy punch into his temple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The projector suddenly powered on; yellowed footage flickered through the smoke: a young Chen Guodong signed documents; the camera zoomed in—the title read: *Acceptance Report for Longhu Old River Channel Renovation Project*. The scene shifted—Zhou Shichang pushed a black briefcase before him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is the video Sun Xiaojuan secretly recorded,” Old Zheng brightened the lights. “It seems Professor Chen was forced to sign.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Changzheng’s phone buzzed—an anonymous number sent an audio clip. Through static, Chen Guodong’s voice trembled with tears: “...They threatened my daughter. I had to sign. But I left evidence in Observation Well No. 3...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Luo Fei suddenly remembered something and rushed to the safe in the corner of the room. The combination lock was rusted shut—he smashed it open with the hydraulic Qian . Inside lay stacks of yellowed blueprints; the top one had a coordinate circled in red ink.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the storm, Longhu churned violently—the coordinate pointed to the lake’s center. After thirty minutes underwater, divers retrieved a sealed titanium alloy box. Inside were Sun Xiaojuan’s original photos, experimental data, and a micro-tape.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The recorder played Chen Guodong’s final words: “...The new water treatment agent resonates with radioactive materials—the formula must be destroyed...” Suddenly, Zhou Shichang’s sneering laugh cut in: “Too late. The formula’s already been sold overseas.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Changzheng clenched his fist, nails digging deep into his palm. Distant sirens wailed—Zhou Shichang’s Rolls-Royce was trying to break through the cordon. Luo Fei leapt onto a police motorcycle; the engine roared, tearing through the rain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Rolls-Royce sped wildly across the lake bridge; Luo Fei chased without pause. Zhou Shichang slammed on the brakes—Luo Fei couldn’t stop in time; the motorcycle crashed into the guardrail. He rolled with the impact, grabbing the car’s rearview mirror.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Shichang drew a pistol; a bullet grazed Luo Fei’s shoulder. Luo Fei flipped onto the roof, smashing the sunroof with his tactical boot. They wrestled inside—the steering wheel spun out of control; the luxury car crashed through the guardrail and hung suspended over the lake.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Where’s the formula?” Luo Fei choked Zhou Shichang. The man sneered and pressed a button—the trunk popped open, bundles of cash scattering in the wind. Luo Fei saw the black briefcase sliding toward the lake—he leapt out the window.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He snatched the briefcase midair, crashing hard into the lake. Cold water swallowed his head; Luo Fei clutched the box tightly, as if holding the final truth.\u003C\u002Fp>",1020,"2026-06-20T19:35:31.675Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","1485412e5b7f385d953725b952a5139d9d3fdd89dceedd6509bfdcbcb7f4812b","chasing-the-criminal-case-chapter-256","chasing-the-criminal-case-chapter-254",276,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fchasing-the-criminal-case-cover.jpg"]