60: Chapter 60 The Evidence is in Hand

There were only two days left until the public selection exam for the Young Cadre Training Class.

Police Chief Zhao Gang, Old Chen, and Deputy Police Chief Li Sanqiang took turns keeping watch, their eyes bloodshot from exhaustion.

A few evenings ago, a black Passat with provincial capital license plates pulled up silently on the street behind the Youth Cadre Apartment.

A young man wearing gold-rimmed glasses stepped out of the car; he was Deputy Director Zhang Ming, the liaison for Executive Deputy Minister Liao Changxing of the Provincial Organization Department.

Liu Xiaolei had been waiting in the shadows.

There were no pleasantries.

Deputy Director Zhang Ming handed over a yellow kraft paper envelope.

Liu Xiaolei took it and tucked it into her coat.

The two quickly parted ways, the entire process taking less than thirty seconds.

Old Chen's telephoto lens captured this flash of an incident with perfect clarity.

Ever since she retrieved that kraft paper envelope, the typically playful and rowdy young lady of Liu Family had undergone a drastic personality change.

Aside from showing her face at the Municipal Party Committee Office on time, she didn't step a foot outside the apartment after work.

This behavior was enough to demonstrate the weight of what was inside that envelope.

Shutting herself away to study hard and memorize the exam questions.

For someone like her who was accustomed to taking shortcuts, this was a task that required real, grueling effort.

Early that morning, the morning mist had not yet dispersed.

Liu Xiaolei carried her bag out of the apartment building as usual, got into her car, and drove toward the Municipal Party Committee compound.

Across the street in front of the shoe repair stall, "Flying Monkey" Liu Liu was unusually not packing up his worn-out shoes and old soles.

He casually rolled up his stall, stuffed it into a woven bag nearby, shouldered a black backpack, and turned to blend into the crowd at the corner shopping mall.

Old Chen, who was on the morning surveillance shift, had his pupils constrict slightly; his instinct, honed by decades in criminal investigation, told him that this dormant viper was about to shed its skin.

He walked quickly back to the van parked at the intersection and pulled open the door.

"Captain Zhao, Liu Liu is on the move."

Police Chief Zhao Gang sprang up from the back seat, his eyes bloodshot.

He grabbed a can of Red Bull from the side, pulled the tab, and downed it in one go.

A few days ago, Zhu Wenhao had specifically come over to give him ten thousand in case funds; he understood the principle that if you want the horse to run, you have to provide enough fodder.

"I'll touch base with Zhu Wenhao."

Police Chief Zhao Gang crushed the empty can in his hand and took out his phone.

"Old Chen, you keep a close watch on the apartment entrance; don't let a single fly get in."

The phone rang only once before Zhu Wenhao answered.

"Captain Zhao, is the fish about to take the bait?"

"Yes. Old Chen discovered that guy entered the mall; he's probably going to change his disguise."

"He has figured out Liu Xiaolei's routine and calculated that this is the best time to make a move."

"Then close the net."

"As soon as he sneaks into Liu Xiaolei's room, arrest him immediately."

"Use the excuse that you received a tip from the public about a suspicious person with malicious intent, and you are responding to a call. Once you pin him down, use police equipment to secure all evidence at the scene."

"Where should we take him?" Police Chief Zhao Gang asked.

"Xingfu Street Police Station."

"Director Li served as the station chief there in his early years, so everyone from top to bottom is on our side. I've already put in a word, and they've prepared a separate interrogation room for you."

"Take him there and conduct an overnight interrogation; you must pry his mouth open and make him confess who the mastermind behind the scenes is."

After giving instructions on the arrest, Zhu Wenhao changed the subject, hitting the crux of the matter.

"The most critical thing at the scene is that yellow envelope."

"Take photos of everything and use the body-worn camera to record the contents clearly."

"After you're done, wait for my next order."

"Understood."

Police Chief Zhao Gang hung up.

He pushed open the car door and yanked Deputy Police Chief Li Sanqiang, who was dozing in the back seat, out.

The three checked their equipment—batons, body-worn cameras, handcuffs, and police IDs—confirming everything was in order.

Immediately, they fanned out in a triangular formation, staring fixedly at the apartment entrance.

Not long after.

A man wearing a courier company uniform, holding a cardboard box in his arms, appeared at the street corner.

His cap was pulled very low, and he walked with hurried steps, heading straight for the Youth Cadre Apartment.

Old Chen leaned in to Police Chief Zhao Gang's ear and said.

"That's him."

"Look at his gait; his heels don't touch the ground, he walks on his toes. This guy has training."

"I can smell that thief-like aura from a block away."

Police Chief Zhao Gang watched the "courier" walk into the glass doors of the apartment and glanced at his wristwatch.

"Wait five minutes."

"Give him enough time to pick the lock."

Time ticked away, second by second.

Once five minutes had passed, Police Chief Zhao Gang moved his fingertips and pressed the switch on the body-worn camera on his chest.

The red light blinked.

"Move."

The three moved like the wind, silently sneaking into the apartment building.

The security guard in the lobby was looking down at his phone watching short videos; hearing the commotion, he was about to stop them.

Police Chief Zhao Gang stepped forward, flashing his police ID before the guard's eyes.

"Municipal Public Security Bureau Criminal Police Team, on official business."

"There's a thief upstairs. Cooperate with us; don't look at what you shouldn't, and don't ask what you shouldn't. Afterward, the Municipal Public Security Bureau will send someone to coordinate with your agency's service office."

The security guard was a veteran; seeing the situation, he immediately stood at attention.

"Don't worry, sir. I understand the confidentiality regulations."

Police Chief Zhao Gang said no more and led the two men straight to the stairwell, heading for the third floor.

The door to Room 302 was left ajar, with faint metal scratches around the lock.

From inside the room came the faint sound of rummaging through cabinets.

Police Chief Zhao Gang made a gesture.

Deputy Police Chief Li Sanqiang took a deep breath, his muscles instantly tensing.

The next second, Police Chief Zhao Gang violently pulled the door open!

"Police! Don't move!"

Liu Liu, inside the room, was like a startled bird; he grabbed the backpack on the table and darted desperately toward the balcony.

Deputy Police Chief Li Sanqiang moved.

Like a hunting leopard, he lunged in, using his momentum to dive and slam into Liu Liu, who was attempting to climb out the window, pinning him firmly to the ground!

The two rolled into a ball on the floor.

Deputy Police Chief Li Sanqiang's knee pressed hard against the man's back, his arms like iron pincers as he twisted the man's hands behind his back.

Old Chen followed closely behind, grabbing Liu Liu's hair and forcibly wrenching his face up from the floor.

He took out the pre-prepared investigation notice to compare, " 'Flying Monkey' Liu Liu."

Old Chen sneered, his voice full of the mockery of a cat playing with a mouse.

"Linjiang Municipal Public Security Bureau Criminal Police Team. You've been caught, so behave yourself and save yourself some suffering."

Liu Liu went limp, completely giving up resistance.

With two "clicks," the cold handcuffs locked his fate.

"Old Chen, San Qiang, take him down and get him into the car," Police Chief Zhao Gang ordered.

The two acknowledged the order, hauled Liu Liu up, and quickly left.

Only Police Chief Zhao Gang remained in the room.

His gaze locked directly onto the glass coffee table in the center of the living room.

A yellow kraft paper envelope.

The cotton string sealing it had been undone.

It was the exact one Deputy Director Zhang Ming had handed to Liu Xiaolei a few days ago.

Police Chief Zhao Gang put on gloves, walked forward, and first used a digital camera to take photos of the scene from all angles.

After securing the evidence, he carefully grasped the edge of the envelope and pulled out the papers inside.

— "Jiangnan Province Outstanding Young Cadre Selection Public Examination Written Test Paper."

Police Chief Zhao Gang aimed the body-worn camera at the test paper, turning the pages one by one, extremely slowly.

The high-definition lens clearly recorded every question and every punctuation mark.

This top-secret exam paper had now become ironclad evidence capable of casting certain people into the abyss.

This was the backlash of power.

If you use privilege to trample on the rules, others can use those very rules you trampled upon to dig your grave.

After finishing all this, he restored everything to its original state, wiped away all traces, and exited the room.

Back in the car, Police Chief Zhao Gang took out his phone.

"Zhu Wenhao, we have caught the person and the stolen goods."

"The contents of the test paper have all been recorded, and the scene has been kept exactly as it was, without a single discrepancy."

On the other end of the line came the sound of Zhu Wenhao tapping on the table, a steady rhythm.

"Well done."

The net that had been planned for days finally tightened.

"Proceed according to the plan."

"Take him to the Xingfu Street Police Station first."

"Once you get the confession, tell me immediately."

Hanging up, Zhu Wenhao stood up.

He walked out of the Organization Department office area, crossed the corridor, and arrived at the rarely visited fire escape at the end.

With the evidence in hand, he held the absolute initiative.

How to maximize the destructive power of this evidence was the main event to come.

He took out his phone, found Secretary Zhu Tianhe's name in the contacts, and dialed.

"Father."

"The trap is set, and the evidence is in hand."