Chapter 390: Do I Have to Die Today?

Yu Dazhang thought it over — he and Zhang Chao had definitely never met.

The other party couldn't possibly have determined his weight just from his voice.

Then only one possibility remained…

Zhang Chao had learned from someone else that he was a fatty.

Did the police side still have their mole?

Impossible.

Yu Dazhang quickly dismissed this hypothesis.

Hong Liuwen was just an isolated case, and the people he had come into contact with here were basically all from the provincial bureau.

Zhang Chao and his people didn't have that kind of reach — they couldn't control even people at the provincial bureau.

Then who could it be?

Not Wang Hao — he was caught off guard and arrested on the spot; the provincial bureau officers confiscated his phone right away, giving him no time to react at all.

Could it be Zheng Ting?

Only these two people could have gotten in direct contact with Zhang Chao.

No, not her either.

When he met her, she was already surrounded by police.

At that time she was standing at the edge of the rooftop, about to jump; after that she was arrested, and likewise had no chance to make outside calls.

Then only Zhang Chao's mother was left.

She had the opportunity to get in touch with Zhang Chao.

That's right — it was her.

Yu Dazhang thought it through and finally found that only Zhang Chao's mother fit the conditions.

In other words, Zhang Chao had been in contact with his mother these past few days.

And from his mother learned that the police had gone to his home looking for him, which was why he had hidden himself in the underground prison?

It seemed only this inference fit the logic.

Yu Dazhang then gathered his thoughts and, looking at Captain Hua, said:

"Then let's go down and talk to him."

"We?" Captain Hua glanced at him somewhat surprised, then pointed at himself:

"I'm going down with you?"

"That's right." Yu Dazhang nodded:

"Two people going down is better — we can watch each other's backs."

I just came up, for crying out loud… Captain Hua almost cursed out loud.

Right now he really wanted to grab this fatty by the collar and shout: Do I have to die today?!

Even Director Long felt doing so was improper.

You can't keep tormenting just one person.

"How about swapping in someone else," Director Long suggested.

But no sooner had the words left his mouth than Captain Hua immediately refused:

"No need, I'll go."

He wasn't afraid of danger — he simply felt this fatty was targeting him.

Anger aside, the real work still had to be done, and one couldn't shrink back in the face of danger.

"What weapons do they have?" Yu Dazhang suddenly asked.

The way he asked made it clear he had already determined that the people inside definitely had weapons.

If those prison guards didn't have decent weapons, they couldn't intimidate so many intellectually disabled inmates.

Low intelligence doesn't mean they won't resist — a cornered rabbit will bite, let alone a person.

"There are over a dozen people inside wearing uniforms."

Captain Hua answered with a serious facial expression:

"Each of them has a stick hanging from their waist, though I can't confirm whether it's a stun baton."

He paused, then continued:

"The leader's waist was bulging — I guess there's a handgun tucked there, but since his clothes are covering it, I can't be completely sure."

Yu Dazhang nodded, then asked:

"They didn't search you?"

"No, they didn't." Captain Hua replied:

"No one touched either of us, but two people in uniform followed behind each of us the whole time, until we came out from inside."

Smart… Yu Dazhang realized he had still underestimated Zhang Chao and his people.

If they took the police's guns, it would increase the chance of an assault by the police, and when they arrested them they wouldn't hold back either.

Originally Yu Dazhang had wanted to ask Captain Hua about his impression of Zhang Chao's wife, but time was pressing and he had to let it go for now.

He checked his handgun, then said to Captain Hua:

"Let's go."

Captain Hua nodded and followed behind him.

Arriving at the entrance, having only gone down two steps, Yu Dazhang suddenly stopped.

Something's off!

Why insist on letting me go down to talk?

When Captain Hua went down just now, Zhang Chao and the others must have asked about his position.

Knowing that Captain Hua could make decisions, they didn't raise any conditions — they only brought him to see where the bomb was placed.

This shows Zhang Chao knew the police would never agree to whatever conditions he proposed.

Knowing full well it was futile, he still had me go down. The purpose of that was…

To buy time!

I see… Yu Dazhang's heart stirred.

They're waiting for nightfall!

The exact opposite of what the police side was thinking — they plan to escape under cover of darkness.

But with only this one exit, how could they get out?

Yu Dazhang looked at the entrance before him and suddenly recalled what the pig farm manager had said earlier: there were still a few ventilation shafts down below.

When they first converted this civil defense project, they must have designed an emergency passage for unforeseen events.

And those ventilation shafts make the perfect disguise.

Normally they serve for ventilation, but in a critical moment they can be converted into an emergency passage.

So having me go down had nothing to do with negotiating — they wanted to use me to buy time.

As long as I was down there, the police wouldn't launch a forced assault.

For them, that was safe time.

"What's wrong?" Captain Hua's voice rose from behind him.

Yu Dazhang came back to himself:

"Nothing."

Saying so, he turned his head and said in a low voice:

"Going down this time is very likely dangerous. When the moment comes, don't hesitate."

"Understood." Captain Hua replied, his face Heavy, solemn.

He then turned and made a hand signal to Director Long, who was not far behind them.

Yu Dazhang recognized the meaning of that gesture at a glance: be ready to launch a forced assault at any moment.

Arriving below, past that iron gate, the two descended another dozen or so steps before Yu Dazhang was drawn to a camera at the corner ahead.

That camera hung in the corner, like a lurking eye, watching their every move.

Without pausing his steps, he turned the corner and found four men in matching uniforms waiting there.

Those four men were clearly prepared; the moment they saw them appear, they immediately stepped to either side and cleared the way.

The two continued forward, while those four men silently followed behind them, keeping a certain distance — neither closing in nor falling back — trailing them closely.

What now lay before Yu Dazhang was a very large space.

Just as Fang Peng had described, the ceiling was at least two stories high, with iron doors lining both sides and a wide open area in the middle.

"Over here."

Not far away, a tall, thin man was beckoning to Yu Dazhang.

Following the voice, Yu Dazhang recognized that person at a glance.

Zhang Chao!

Wang Hao had previously described Zhang Chao's build and appearance, and the provincial department had even brought in a sketch artist to make a copy.

Even at a distance, with Yu Dazhang's eyesight, he could still pick him out easily.

That face, that build — almost a perfect match for Wang Hao's description.

Beside Zhang Chao stood a woman. At first glance she looked about twenty-five or twenty-six, but Yu Dazhang knew well that she was actually just past thirty.

Wang Hao had also given a detailed description of her.

One line in particular left a deep impression on Yu Dazhang:

"She has the special charm of a young married woman."

No exaggeration… Yu Dazhang even felt Wang Hao's description had been somewhat understated.

That woman, simply by standing there, gave off an elegant and poised air, as if her whole being radiated confidence and composure.

Stepping forward, Zhang Chao made a "please" gesture to Yu Dazhang, then led the two of them into a room.

Compared to the cells outside, this room was much more spacious — there was even an office desk inside.

"Sit, no need to be polite."

Zhang Chao said as he sat down behind the desk, while his wife stood beside him.

Seeing Yu Dazhang standing without moving, he added:

"Don't look down on it — this little place only has these conditions."

(End of chapter)