Chapter 5: You

While everyone was stunned, Lu Zhongxin pulled Yu Dazhang aside.

“Are you crazy? Is this how you apologize?”

“I thought you meant for me to take him down.”

“Take him down? Get on your knees right now—this whole thing’ll be over.”

This time, Yu Dazhang finally understood. He walked back to face everyone in the Second Detachment:

“Sorry, that last bit was cut—don’t broadcast it…”

Apologizing requires skill. Yu Dazhang now only emphasized that he’d been eager to solve the case, carried away in the moment, and hadn’t thought things through.

The main point: it wasn’t intentional.

That way, he bowed his head without giving anyone leverage to hold against him.

If he admitted he’d wanted to ride Zhang Sen to catch the suspect, that would be a character flaw.

Fortunately, Zhang Sen and the Second Detachment didn’t press further—they were only here to save face.

After Yu Dazhang apologized, he stepped forward to shake Zhang Sen’s hand when both Liu Zhe of the Second Detachment and Zhang Dong of the Third Detachment’s phones rang at once.

They answered in perfect sync.

“Got it. Understood. We’re leaving now!”

“Understood. Yes yes yes.”

They hung up in perfect sync.

Liu Zhe waved to the Second Detachment:

“First Detachment needs backup. Everyone from the Second Detachment—move out!”

Third Detachment Commander Zhang Dong immediately called to his team:

“Same as him—go!”

You could’ve just said ‘same as above’—we’d get it… Yu Dazhang muttered inwardly.

There was a big job!

Joint operations between detachments were normal; Yu Dazhang had grown used to this workflow in his past life.

The First Detachment was the Major Crimes Unit, handling eight categories: intentional homicide, robbery, arson, bombing, poisoning…

All major criminal cases were first assigned to the First Detachment.

The Second Detachment handled fraud. The Third Detachment handled pickpocketing.

If any detachment faced an emergency and lacked manpower, others were called in for backup.

On the vehicle, Yu Dazhang tapped Lu Zhongxin’s arm:

“Master, what’s the case?”

“Heard it’s a kidnapping. Details unknown.” Lu Zhongxin brushed his hand away irritably:

“Whatever I tell you to do, you do it. No more nonsense. If you mess up again, I won’t cover for you.”

Yu Dazhang knew his master was just venting—he didn’t mind, and grinned in agreement.

He was just a probationary officer—low rank, little voice—and this was an emergency. Even if there was a case briefing, it wouldn’t reach him.

Besides, at the scene, Yu Dazhang would only do auxiliary work. No way would they send a complete rookie to lead the charge.

At the scene, Yu Dazhang looked around—it was an abandoned factory on the city’s outskirts.

The First Detachment stood at attention twenty meters from the factory entrance.

Seeing the reinforcements arrive, the First Detachment commander rushed forward and quickly spoke with Liu Zhe and Zhang Dong.

Soon after, Liu Zhe and Zhang Dong nodded, then called over Lu Zhongxin and the veteran detectives—clearly assigning specific roles.

In less than half a minute, Lu Zhongxin returned to the vehicle.

“Xiao Zhao, you three—go to the back of the factory. One of the First Detachment’s colleagues is already there. Assist him. Follow his orders.”

“Understood, Master. Don’t worry.”

Xiao Zhao quickly mapped the route to the factory’s rear. Before leaving, he gave Yu Dazhang a sly, mocking glance.

The mockery was obvious.

“What?” Yu Dazhang didn’t tolerate nonsense:

“You wanna fight?”

Xiao Zhao’s face froze. He didn’t dare respond, turned, and led the other two rookies off at a run.

“Dazhang.” Lu Zhongxin stepped forward and slapped Yu Dazhang’s shoulder: “Your task is just as critical.”

“Will complete the mission!” Yu Dazhang stood rigid, eyes firm, sucking in his stomach.

Lu Zhongxin nodded approvingly—his apprentice still showed him proper respect:

“You stay here and watch. Keep strangers away.”

“Watch?” Yu Dazhang blinked.

This place was desolate—just an abandoned factory and unfinished buildings. What was there to watch?

And no one lived nearby. No strangers could possibly approach.

This arrangement clearly meant they didn’t want him involved in the operation.

Seeing Yu Dazhang about to rebel, Lu Zhongxin glared:

“Remember what I told you on the way?”

Got it—he’s afraid I’ll cause trouble… Yu Dazhang muttered inwardly, but outwardly complied:

“I’ll follow your orders. But Master, at least tell me the basics of the case.”

Please… collect… 6…9…books…!

Yu Dazhang had handled too many cases in his past life to remember them all.

Especially impromptu backup cases like this—he couldn’t recall a single detail.

“No time for details. Just do what I told you.”

Lu Zhongxin turned and sprinted toward the factory.

“Hey, you—” Yu Dazhang raised his hand toward Lu Zhongxin’s retreating back.

He ran fast…

He’s left me here… Yu Dazhang suddenly felt like a parking attendant.

Fine. Watch, then. Follow orders.

Thinking that, Yu Dazhang began scanning the surroundings.

As he looked, something felt off.

The First Detachment must have located this place via phone tracking or similar tech.

But why would the kidnappers choose such a spot?

Open, isolated, no escape routes—if surrounded, they’d be trapped.

Two possibilities…

One: the kidnappers are stupid. They picked the wrong hideout, and the police tracked them.

Two: it’s intentional.

The more Yu Dazhang thought, the more likely the second seemed.

He studied the surrounding buildings as he pondered:

“If I were the kidnapper…”

“Choosing this isolated spot means one thing: to expose any plainclothes cops.”

“The factory won’t be my hideout.”

“I’d deliberately call the victim’s family from inside the factory—if they’ve already called police, the cops will lock onto this location.”

“Then I’d just leave the tracked phone inside the factory and move to a spot with better visibility.”

“Visibility means height—and the spot must have multiple exits, not just one.”

“If that’s the case…”

Yu Dazhang scanned the area, then fixed his gaze on the nearest unfinished building.

That’s it.

“If I were the kidnapper, this unfinished building would be the perfect hideout.”

“I could observe the factory and escape anytime.”

“Since it’s unfinished, the whole building is open—unlike a residential tower, where the entrance door seals you in like a rat in a jar.”

Hope it’s a dumb criminal… Yu Dazhang exhaled.

He’d been a veteran detective in his past life—he knew you couldn’t act on guesswork alone.

Just as he was about to look away, he spotted a wisp of smoke rising from one window of the unfinished building.

Yu Dazhang’s pupils shrank!

Someone’s there!!

(End of Chapter)