Chapter 10

If it were anyone else, they would have scolded Yu Dazhang already—how dare a disciple command his own master?

But Lu Zhongxin was different; whenever it came to work, no matter who the other person was, he took it seriously.

Seeing Yu Dazhang in such a flustered state, he didn't even ask questions—he directly called Team One.

Under these circumstances, contacting the captain directly was undoubtedly the most efficient approach.

For other departments, you typically had to report to your superior first, then let them coordinate with peers.

The Criminal Investigation Team didn't work that way—this was the place where efficiency mattered most.

"Old Lu, what's wrong?" came Wei Qian's urgent voice through the receiver.

Lu Zhongxin repeated Yu Dazhang's words verbatim.

"How do you know the hostage has already woken up?"

"Because I know exactly how she fainted," Lu Zhongxin replied evasively, steering the focus back:

"Go ask quickly."

After hanging up, Lu Zhongxin paused in thought, then walked over to Yu Dazhang and asked:

"Do you suspect it's someone they know?"

Any veteran detective in the Criminal Investigation Team like Lu Zhongxin was no fool.

They could pick up clues from fragments of speech and make swift judgments.

This wasn't a place for lifetime job security—those lacking ability had long been transferred elsewhere.

You didn't even need someone to force you out.

If you weren't cut out for it, after a few cases you'd ask to leave yourself.

"It's not suspicion anymore—it's nearly confirmed."

Yu Dazhang pointed to the section in the case file describing Qu Tuotuo being picked up at the airport:

"She was kidnapped right after returning to the country, still inside the airport."

"And she was taken without resistance, meaning the kidnapper must have said something to earn her trust."

"Like, 'Someone told me to pick you up,' and that 'someone' was definitely someone she trusted deeply."

"The case file also mentions the ransom demand was twenty million."

"Master, put all this together—do you still think this case is random?"

Lu Zhongxin listened silently to his disciple's analysis, then combined it with his own judgment—each passing thought made him more certain this was a premeditated crime.

Just consider the ransom amount—twenty million.

Across the entire country, how many people could suddenly come up with twenty million?

You'd need at least a hundred million in assets to manage it.

How could the kidnappers be so precise, locking onto Qu Tuotuo, a super-rich heir, right in the middle of a crowded airport?

"Maybe someone sold Qu Tuotuo's return to the kidnappers."

Lu Zhongxin offered another possibility.

"Maybe," Yu Dazhang said no more.

He guessed Team One was already interrogating Qu Tuotuo.

If she recognized even one of the four kidnappers, the case would be solved.

Maybe Team One had already found that familiar face among the four.

Yu Dazhang sighed heavily, lifting his gaze to the window.

Night was falling, the sun set—so hungry~

Another five minutes passed when Lu Zhongxin's phone rang.

He listened, grunted twice, then stepped out into the hallway. He didn't say what he said outside, but when he returned, he handed his phone to Yu Dazhang.

"Captain Wei wants to speak with you."

So you sold me out… Yu Dazhang took the phone to his ear:

"Hello?"

"What else did you deduce?" Wei Qian's tone was impatient.

"Nothing else—I have limited information; my ability only stretches this far."

It wasn't modesty—Yu Dazhang was simply telling the truth.

Solving a case just by reading a file? Even fantasy novels wouldn't go that far. Just finding new clues was already impressive.

"Aren't you curious what the victim said?"

"If she recognized any of the four kidnappers, you wouldn't have called back my master."

At this point, Wei Qian had no reason to press further.

He realized Yu Dazhang didn't want to get involved in this case anymore.

After ending the call, Lu Zhongxin took back the phone:

"Dazhang, I know what you mean, but if you can help, try to help—we're all from the same brigade."

Yu Dazhang sat in his chair and stretched out hard, yawning:

"Aaaaaaaaaa~"

The sight made Lu Zhongxin feel sleepy too.

"Are you really that tired from walking a few steps? Sit up straight."

Yu Dazhang twisted his waist two more times before saying:

Please... Col... lect... 6... 9... Shu... Ba....!

"The brigade's elite are all in Team One—what we can do is just give a heads-up; we can't really help. Butting in would only make people think we're trying to steal the credit."

"You see things pretty clearly." Lu Zhongxin nodded.

He knew Yu Dazhang was right, but this was something he could only mutter about behind his back.

This disciple looks honest and simple, yet who would have thought his head is full of twists and turns.

Fine, having a few more wits isn't a bad thing — at least better than understanding nothing at all.

That evening, when he got home, Yu Dazhang looked at the dinner his mother had prepared and immediately felt his stomach growl.

He washed his hands, sat down at the table, finished half a bowl of rice first, then had the leisure to ask:

"Mom, where's Dad?"

"Your dad's working overtime at his unit today, no need to wait for him." Li Xuehe said as she ladled rice for her son.

Yu Dazhang waved the hand holding his chopsticks:

"Mom, stop ladling, I'm only eating this one bowl tonight — I've decided to lose weight."

Actually, he'd wanted to lose weight for a long time, just never put it on the schedule.

This load of fat was really getting in the way, especially doing criminal investigation — always having to swing arms and legs about.

"Lose what, lose what." Li Xuehe set the bowl of rice she'd just ladled down in front of Yu Dazhang:

"Listen to your mom — eat when you should eat, drink when you should drink. If being a cop is too tiring, we'll just switch jobs."

"Mom, you've changed."

Yu Dazhang sighed, picked up the freshly ladled rice, and kept eating.

His mom from his previous life would never have indulged him like this.

Back then, the family meals had at most two dishes — one day of freshly cooked dishes, then one day of leftovers, on an endless loop.

Since becoming heavy, that loop had been broken.

Four dishes and a soup every day — Li Xuehe made them in every variety she could think of.

The moment she noticed her son was unhappy with any dish, she'd swap it right away, making sure it never appeared at the next meal.

Yu Dazhang had even started to wonder if his previous-life self had been adopted.

Otherwise, how could the treatment differ so much?

"Son, seriously, how about we just stop being a cop." Li Xuehe looked at Yu Dazhang very seriously:

"Even if you want to keep doing it, switch to a different department — criminal investigation is too dangerous."

This wasn't the first time his mom had tried to talk him out of it; Yu Dazhang had heard it so often he was sick of it.

Swallowing the rice in his mouth, he replied casually:

"Our brigade's main job is anti-pickpocketing — not much danger. And in the future, there'll be fewer and fewer thieves, and more and more scams."

Yu Dazhang had been reborn from 2024, so he knew the future trends very well, especially when it came to crime.

It wouldn't be long before thieves found themselves in an increasingly difficult position.

Big appliances were too risky to steal, and valuable gold and silver jewelry was rare.

With the spread of electronic payment, cash would also decrease, and stolen phones could still be tracked.

All in all, there'd be nothing left to steal.

Though there was a period when stealing electric scooter batteries became the mainstream.

Back then, there was a guy who stole batteries who debuted the moment he entered prison, stage name: Qie · Guevara.

Debut declaration: "Working? That's not possible — in this life, working is just not possible…"

(End of chapter)