Chapter 337: Sharper than a Dog's Nose

Ren Danhua's greatest merit was her obedience: whatever the Big Sister said, she would do.

Even if she still somewhat disagreed.

"I have already arranged for Qi Song; he is still responsible for the goods. Whatever needs to be handled, just leave it to him. After that, you help Jin Jie sort out the accounts..."

"Understood, Big Sister!"

"Oh, right, that kid—have you contacted him?"

"Contacted!" Ren Danhua sighed, "But every time I call, he says the wind is blowing too hard and we need to slow down..."

"That is a true veteran of the underworld." Wang Chun smiled: "Rest assured, the person can't run away, can he?"

As the words fell, the cell phone buzzed once, and Wang Chun took a look.

It was a text message: Big Sister, the warehouse at Majuqiao has been sealed. A total of four units: C196, E25, K88, A07.

"Swish," Wang Chun's eyes narrowed into slits, and a sharp light flickered in her pupils.

Since it is a matter of throwing a stone to ask the way, there must be something to throw. These four warehouses are the four stones used to ask the way.

The plan was set by the two bosses, the items were gathered by the three core members, and most of them were worthless Low Imitation goods. The remaining less than ten percent were of the kind that "have some problems, but the problems aren't that big."

Looking at it this way, it seems to still be safe for the time being.

While she was silently pondering, the phone rang "ding-a-ling," and Wang Chun answered it directly.

"Big Sister, Jinlu Zhai and Ruyiyuan have been sealed."

The woman didn't speak: this is the fifth stone.

The goods in these two shops were of a very high grade, so they were moved the earliest. Those that were deliberately left behind didn't reach the level of warranting a shop closure at all.

So, an inspection is fine, but why were they sealed?

While she was guessing, the voice on the other end lowered: "Big Sister, it's not just us: those who were notified to rectify during the first inspection but didn't rectify properly have basically all been sealed."

Wang Chun paused: "What about Ruiyuxuan?"

"Sealed!"

"What about Yunchanju?"

"Also sealed!"

Wang Chun's thoughts raced.

Of these two places that followed, the former was the business of the two bosses, and the latter was the business of the appraiser Lao Qiang and the errand runner San Xi. Added to her own Jinlu Zhai and Ruyiyuan, they all amounted to stones thrown out to ask the way; not a single one was missing, and every one had a response.

At first glance, everything she was worried about before no longer needed to be worried about. But Wang Chun always felt something was wrong: it was too sudden, too concentrated.

Before, not a single one had problems; suddenly, all of them had problems?

Wang Chun thought for a moment: "What is the situation in the market now?"

"It's very chaotic, everyone is wailing. I roughly counted: basically one in every four or five shops is closed..."

An old saying goes: do not worry about scarcity, but worry about inequality. With so many being inspected, if there is a problem, everyone has a problem together; it is not just targeting them.

But Wang Chun always felt: things were not that simple.

It was just an intuition; as for the reason, she couldn't put her finger on it?

"Fine, I know!"

Hanging up the phone, the woman was silent for a long time, tapping her forehead with her knuckles, one by one.

After a long while, she suddenly stopped: "Danhua, arrange for people to keep an eye on these few places: Huilongguan, Shibalidian, Liangmajie..."

Ren Danhua was confused: there shouldn't be any of Big Sister's businesses in these places, right?

"There is no business, but there are high-grade goods!" Wang Chun sighed, "Keep an eye on them. If problems arise here too, then they are coming for us!"

Ren Danhua's eyes went blank: even she didn't know about these places Big Sister mentioned?

But she didn't think too much: "Big Sister, I will arrange it now!"

"I will give you a few warehouse numbers; you must not get too close, just watch from afar!"

"I understand, Big Sister!"

Ren Danhua memorized the numbers starting with letters in her heart.

Watching her back as she left the room and went downstairs, the woman sighed deeply.

If only she were overthinking it?

After a long silence, she picked up another phone:

"Ziqian, are you getting used to life in Hong Kong?"

"As long as you're used to it, take good care of your younger brother and sister..."

Inside the off-road vehicle, Yan Wenjing held the phone with one hand and took notes rapidly with the other. He nodded his chin from time to time: "Okay, I understand... Leader, don't you worry!"

After recording five or six items in a row, he hung up the phone and frowned tightly: "How can this woman react so quickly?"

Lin Sicheng didn't speak: let alone the previous ones, starting from her father-in-law, who was also her foster father: one uncle, two other uncles, one maternal uncle, and one aunt's husband, plus her own husband—seven people in two generations were executed by firing squad for Grave-robbing.

She herself had been processed three times, sentenced to thirteen years in total, and served seven and a half. Just ask, how rich must her experience in committing crimes, anti-reconnaissance, and anti-interrogation be?

What's more, the Police were playing with their cards face up: one tight, one loose, then one loose, one tight, clearly telling you, "I am playing cat and mouse."

If this woman still couldn't perceive it, she would have wasted all those years in the underworld.

Secretly turning his thoughts, Lin Sicheng leaned back: "What did she do?"

"She sent out all those subordinates of hers, telling them to watch those spots where the goods are hidden." Yan Wenjing cupped his chin, "What is she trying to do, throw a stone to ask the way?"

"Captain Yan, you are wrong to say that: it is we who are forcing her to throw a stone to ask the way!"

"Right, it is us forcing her, that's correct." Yan Wenjing looked stumped, "But these subordinates have followed her for so many years; she just discards them like that?"

Lin Sicheng was accustomed to it, remaining calm: "They are just subordinates, not her husband or son?"

"Teacher Lin, her husband was executed eighteen years ago!"

"I know! I know, I'm just using a metaphor."

If the heart isn't ruthless, one cannot stand firm. No matter how gentle, respectful, and kind they appear on the surface, or how approachable they are to their subordinates, they cannot escape the fact that they are violating the law and committing crimes.

Grave-robbing, smuggling, and even murder—with so much blood on their hands, do you expect such people to talk about sentiment with those who share no blood relation?

It is simply a huge joke.

What's more, at a juncture like this?

In a flash, Lin Sicheng thought for a moment: "Which places did she arrange?"

"Huilongguan, Shibalidian, Liangmajie!"

"No Zhaoquanying or Shilihe?"

Yan Wenjing shook his head: "No!"

"Then let's go to Zhaoquanying first, then Shilihe!"

Yan Wenjing was confused: "Shouldn't we follow those three siblings first?"

"No need to follow, they are definitely smoke screens: someone like Wang Chun wouldn't even trust her own husband one hundred percent, let alone a cousin several generations removed? Besides, she knows she might be being watched; she wouldn't send subordinates who have likely already been exposed to the place where the goods are hidden..."

And that is the most valuable batch of goods.

Lin Sicheng pondered for a moment: "If you feel uneasy, then let's do both at once!"

Yan Wenjing was stunned for a moment, then sighed.

Never mind two prongs, he wished he could deploy seven or eight, but where would the manpower come from?

For this case, the Special Duty Team had been drained, but it still wasn't enough, so they pulled people from the Major Crimes Division, the Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit, the SWAT Detachment, and even the Technical Reconnaissance and Preliminary Investigation branches.

They had barely managed to keep the primary suspects under control; Level 4 Leaders like Yu Jichuan and Yu Jiyao couldn't even be ranked, and could only be handed over to the Municipal Public Security Bureau Branch.

He shook his head again: "Forget it, there isn't enough manpower!"

Furthermore, when he left, the Branch Captain had given clear instructions: if he didn't understand something, he shouldn't offer any damn suggestions, and everything should be based on Lin Sicheng's opinion.

Lin Sicheng didn't make a sound: We are at the very last step, Captain Yan, you mustn't drop the ball now, right?

Thinking secretly to himself, Lin Sicheng closed his eyes as the Iveco sped along the ring expressway.

After about an hour, the vehicle jolted slightly, and Lin Sicheng opened his eyes.

Through the car window, a few large characters came into view: Shunyi Zhaoquanying Logistics Center.

Built in 2006, trial operations in 2007, and officially put into use this spring.

During the Olympic Games, whether it was food and drink, clothing and accessories, competition supplies, medicine, nutritional supplements, etc., anything requiring temperature-controlled transport was shipped here. Then it was transported to various sub-venues, competition halls, and even hotels and guesthouses.

After the Olympic Games, it was handed over to Shunyi District for investment promotion. Because the equipment was too advanced and the investment too large, there were many rentals but few purchases at the current stage.

The SUV stopped at the entrance of the center, and Yan Wenjing got out of the car.

Standing at the entrance were a man and a woman, the Person in Charge of the center. The General Team had greeted them in advance, and the two leaders were very polite, saying they would unconditionally cooperate with the police work.

Several others got out of the car behind, and followed Yan Wenjing into the center. Seeing that there were few people at the entrance, Lin Sicheng then got out from the back seat.

A Santana was parked to the side; seeing Captain Yan get out, the car door "clanged" once.

A man and a woman, one on the left and one on the right: the man in the jacket and the mistress, one surnamed Liu, one surnamed Su.

"Sorry to trouble you both!"

The two hurriedly bowed: "Teacher Lin, you are too polite!"

Lin Sicheng pressed down the brim of his hat: "Let's go!"

The two followed behind, and after walking a long distance, Liu Guojun suddenly remembered and looked back: "Teacher Lin, is Captain Yan not going?"

Lin Sicheng nodded: "It's just trying our luck; whether we can find anything is not certain, and besides, Captain Yan has more important things to do!"

What can one do staying in the room, checking data, watching surveillance?

It felt reversed: letting an Expert who only needed to provide technical support in the back go to the front line for reconnaissance, while a dignified Deputy Detachment Leader stayed in the back to provide support?

Never mind the Captain, he and Su Ye could do this job.

Liu Guojun suspected: the case had reached its most critical moment, and the General Team leaders were afraid that Captain Yan would be arrogant but incompetent and cause trouble, so they assigned him a dispensable, idle task.

"What about the team members with him?"

"They are going to get the data sheets for the Lengku; once they get them, they will come out to assist us with the preliminary screening!"

Liu Guojun nodded repeatedly: That's good then!

Anyway, the leaders had given instructions: no matter what happens, protect Lin Sicheng; don't worry about anything else.

In case a blind cat hits a dead mouse and Teacher Lin really finds something, he and Su Ye guaranteed they wouldn't even blink.

Whether it's the goods, or the people...

In the surveillance room, two technical reconnaissance officers were staring at the monitors, and Yan Wenjing held a stack of forms, distributing them to several plainclothes officers.

"There aren't many controlled-atmosphere storage rooms, just over a hundred. Speed it up, try to finish going through them before dark..."

Eight police officers stared at the paper in front of them and sighed in unison: over a hundred rooms isn't many, but that's relative to the entire logistics center. Three minutes per room, and it would take five or six hours.

The key was that yesterday they were still driving the command vehicle, tracking and investigating important suspects, but today they were exiled to check the Lengku; the contrast was truly a bit large.

They were all friends who had saved each other's lives, so several team members joked half-heartedly: "Captain, we've all been implicated by you!"

"What the hell, implicated?" Yan Wenjing squinted, "Why didn't you say that when you were earning merit following me?"

"That's true, so many clues were found by you, Captain, why at the very end were you exiled to the frontier? The leaders are too unfair..."

"Exiled my ass?" Yan Wenjing gave a "hehe" cold laugh, "Did I find them?"

The few thick-skinned ones weren't afraid at all: "Teacher Lin has always been in our group, and you are the Captain, so of course the credit is yours!"

Hehe... have they lost all sense of shame?

"You don't know a damn thing, get lost for me!" Yan Wenjing couldn't be bothered to bicker with them, "Split into two groups, one overt and one covert, check all your equipment, and report at any time if there's a situation... keep your spirits up, there might be people in the storage rooms, and guns..."

The possibility of people hiding in a Lengku at minus dozens of degrees was not high. But involving safety issues, the team members didn't dare to be careless, their expressions turning stern: "Yes!"

Several team members turned and walked out the door; on the monitor, several Center management personnel in uniform were waiting at the entrance.

Looking to the side, Lin Sicheng and two members of the Special Duty Team had already entered the Treasury area.

It felt very strange: first standing at the door to look for a few moments, looking at the door of the storage room, then looking at the floor, and finally leaning close to the door crack to peek inside.

The lights were not on inside, so naturally, nothing could be seen. The technical reconnaissance officer knew that Lin Sicheng was actually sniffing.

Having cooperated many times, they were all old acquaintances; after watching for a while, the technical reconnaissance officer looked suspicious: "Captain Yan, will this method work?"

How would Yan Wenjing know?

But he at least knew: Wang Chun's number one confidant, that Qi Song, had indeed been here.

He knew even better: from the start of the case filing until now, Lin Sicheng had never made a mistake.

If he said that the woman's most valuable goods were very likely here, then there was a ninety percent chance they were here...

"Lin Sicheng is just relying on sniffing?" The technical reconnaissance officer stared at the monitor, the more he watched, the less he could understand, "What kind of smell could there be in a cold storage?"

Lin Sicheng had specifically explained it to him, and Yan Wenjing was concise: "Nitrogen!"

"Do you remember the time Teacher Lin encountered Ren Danhua: Li Jiansheng didn't dare to repair that Pocket Watch and could only break his own hand. Ren Danhua was pressing urgently, so Feng Shizong could only offer a Flower Bonus and hire an expert..."

"It was that time he discovered that this group's protective measures for excavated Cultural Relics were extremely advanced: acid-free tissue paper wrapped in aluminum foil, then nitrogen-sealed. The key point is the nitrogen..."

"With such a large quantity and such frequent use, they could only produce it themselves. Secondly, the subsequent protective environment must ensure a constant temperature; combining the two, the most suitable place is the cold storage..."

Actually, Lin Sicheng had warned them long ago, but firstly, there wasn't enough manpower, and secondly, the leaders felt that the priority should still be investigating the people.

If they couldn't pin down the key figures, even if they found the goods, they would only be able to catch a few small shrimp.

It wasn't until Yang Jisheng (Old Han) was caught and the key figures surfaced one after another that they finally had their hands free.

The technical reconnaissance officer was stunned: "Sniffing nitrogen? How can nitrogen have a smell?"

"Rest assured, Teacher Lin's nose is even sharper than a dog's..."

The technical reconnaissance officer didn't know whether to laugh or cry: this was just telling a lie with eyes wide open.

No matter how sharp a nose is, there has to be a smell first. Never mind a dog, even the Howling Celestial Dog couldn't do it.

Yan Wenjing was not panicked at all: if dogs were useful, he would have brought police dogs; why go to the trouble of having Lin Sicheng do it?

(End of chapter)