Chapter 73

The investigation into Long Guangsheng’s poisoning case proceeded with remarkable ease! All necessary evidence appeared perfectly before the special task force, and every piece of evidence confirmed that Li Jun had killed Long Guangsheng by injecting him with a large dose of heroin.

As for the motive, according to information provided by “concerned citizens,” it appeared to stem from Long Guangsheng extorting Li Jun; after provoking him, Li Jun lured him into a private booth at a disco, then injected heroin into his carotid artery, causing pulmonary edema and respiratory arrest.

Lu Haoxuan stared at the case file, reflecting that this was the most smoothly resolved murder case of his entire police career.

Yet this case felt like a script written in advance—everything seemed too perfect, as if everyone involved, except the two parties (Long and Li), were merely following lines.

Worried his own bias might be clouding his judgment, Lu Haoxuan summoned his two top disciples—Gu Changzheng and Hu Jinquan—to hear their thoughts.

When Gu and Hu heard their master’s concerns—that something felt strange, that all evidence and witnesses seemed to have appeared too willingly—they both felt a strange unease.

Gu Changzheng was still pondering his master’s words when Hu Jinquan blurted out: “That’s simple, Master. If Li Jun’s story is true, why not reconstruct the crime scene? We might find the inconsistencies you’re sensing.”

After a moment’s thought, Lu Haoxuan laughed heartily: “Jinquan’s right—we might be overcomplicating it. Come on, both of you, let’s go to Snow Wolf Valley!”

———

On this winter afternoon, rare warm sunlight bathed the earth; at 2 p.m. on the 13th, an imported “Lingzhi” sedan pulled up in front of Hongweitda Furniture City, its owner lowering the window to bask comfortably.

This luxury imported car was the only one in Zizhen; everyone on the streets knew it belonged to Chang Huazhong, the younger brother of Chang Huaqiang.

Through the window, a man in a black leather jacket was visible inside.

At a distance of over a hundred meters, a motorcyclist wearing a full-face helmet carefully studied the “<”-shaped emblem on the car’s rear and its license plate; after confirming accuracy, he revved his bike, the engine roaring as he shot forward to the left front of the Lingzhi.

With a screech, the motorcycle came to a smooth stop beside the driver’s side.

The man in the leather jacket stared in confusion at the motorcyclist, when suddenly the rider pulled a “Five-Shot” pistol from a slit in his chest pocket.

The helmet obscured the rider’s face, but his voice rang out: “Chang Huazhong! Someone wants your life!”

Then came a single “bang”—and instantly, the man’s chest erupted like a blood-red rose, as large as a washbasin.

The man in the car didn’t even groan—he slumped forward, collapsing onto the driver’s seat.

Seeing the hit was successful, the shooter didn’t hesitate—he tucked away the “Five-Shot,” shifted gears, and stomped the throttle. With a roar, he sped west toward Hongweitda Furniture City, vanishing onto Jianshe Road in moments.

Only then did the furniture city’s security guards rush over; seeing the driver drenched in blood, one screamed: “Murder!”

Ten minutes later, Lu Haoxuan arrived on the scene with his entire Criminal Investigation Team.

Meanwhile, the shooter sped down Jianshe Road until he reached the Qingjiang River. He abandoned his motorcycle in the reeds along the bank, then hurled his helmet and the “Five-Shot” deep into the water. From his backpack, he pulled out a woolen cap, placed it on his head, moved the pack from his chest to his back, and walked calmly back toward the city along the same route…

Chang Huaqiang, who was in the middle of a meeting with Director Wu Guoliang at the Municipal Land Bureau, received a call from his younger brother Chang Huazhong: “Something’s happened—come back immediately!”

He knew Chang Huazhong wouldn’t call unless it was serious—especially not while he was meeting with a superior. He hung up, excused himself from Wu, and drove straight to his office on the fifth floor of Xinshijie.

Chang Huazhong was already waiting inside. As soon as Chang Huaqiang entered, he leapt to his feet: “Big brother, it’s definitely Zhang Shaojie! I was lucky to survive today—but Huafei! How do I explain this to Second Uncle?”

The man in the car that day was a distant cousin—not close, but still of the Chang family—and he’d come to Zizhen hoping to ride on their reputation for a living. No one expected he’d die in vain.

Chang Huaqiang’s face turned ashen, his fury boiling over.

That Zhang Shaojie! How dare he be so arrogant! I just spent weeks proving the rape case was nothing but a lovers’ indiscretion, and even got Hu Xuyong locked up in a gambling rehab center to settle things with Zhang Shaojie’s little dragon drop—now this bastard dares to target my own brother!

Burning with rage, he initially wanted to retaliate in kind—but he was currently maneuvering to acquire the old bedsheet factory land on Yinxing Road. He couldn’t afford any more incidents now. His revenge against Zhang Shaojie would have to be covert, not open violence.

Having made his decision, Chang Huaqiang clapped his brother’s shoulder: “Xiaofei hasn’t brought home a bride yet. Give Second Uncle’s family fifty thousand—ensure his parents live in comfort. Huazhong, you handle it. Remember: when you see Second Uncle, bow deeply. Never call him ‘Second Uncle’ again—call him ‘Father.’ Understand? Your life was bought by Xiaofei’s death!”

As he spoke, his eyes reddened, tears welling. Chang Huazhong’s eyes were equally wet: “I know, Big Brother—I’ll do as you say. But Xiaofei’s vengeance isn’t just about one life—it’s about the Chang family’s honor in Zizhen!”

Chang Huaqiang knew his brother was ruthless and had plenty of loyal men willing to die for him. But if he’d risen to his position through brute force alone, he’d have been dead hundreds of times over.

He also knew Zhang Shaojie had powerful backers behind him—and wasn’t he, in some ways, merely a mouthpiece for even greater forces?

This couldn’t be settled by emotion—but how could he pretend nothing had happened when someone had struck his door?

He lit a cigarette, thought for a long while, then said: “Handle official matters as they should be handled—file a report. Send a few elderly folks from our hometown to the municipal bureau to cry foul, demand a deadline for solving the case. Give Xiaofei a respectable official identity at the furniture city—I want public outrage to boil.”

Chang Huazhong, though impulsive, wasn’t stupid—he immediately grasped his brother’s intent. He sneered: “Good. Next step: shut down Zhang Shaojie’s operations.”

Meanwhile, at the scene of Long Guangsheng’s poisoning, Lu Haoxuan and his team were reconstructing the crime according to Li Jun’s account…