60: Chapter 60 Your Hard Drive is Traveling Around the City

"Wh... what?" The Programmer's voice trembled, tears still clinging to his eyelashes.

"Heading north? My hard drive... did it grow legs or something?"

Jiang Feng held the Pendulum, his hand movements steady.

In his special perception, the golden ray representing the hard drive was moving rapidly along the green line on the subway map.

Around that golden light, a circle of pink aura also swirled.

"It didn't grow legs." Jiang Feng's finger traced through the air, pointing at the map. "Someone took it."

Hearing this, the Programmer's face turned deathly pale.

"Someone took it? Was it a thief? Oh my god!" His voice carried a sob.

"Doesn't look like it," Jiang Feng judged, observing the frequency of the Pendulum's swing.

"If it were a professional pickpocket, the aura emitted would be deep, filled with concealment and calculation. But this aura right now is very loose, one might even say careless."

He paused and added more details.

"The other party is an elderly woman."

"Her physical state shows she's carrying quite a few things, likely vegetables and meat. Her gait is unsteady, and her actions lack a plan. She didn't take it out of subjective malice."

He translated those "metaphysical signs" into more easily understandable language.

"Basically, she's an auntie."

Jiang Feng placed the Pendulum on the table for a moment and looked at the Programmer.

"She's wearing a red vest and carrying a shopping bag, probably with celery and pork ribs inside. She picked up your hard drive, perhaps thinking it was a power bank someone left behind, or just a handy piece of metal she could repurpose."

"Huh?" A low gasp erupted from the surrounding crowd.

They looked at one another, whispering amongst themselves in hushed tones.

"This... this is way too specific, isn't it?" someone whispered.

"He can even tell what the woman is wearing and what groceries she's carrying?"

Manager Zhang stood nearby, his eyes nearly popping out of his head as he listened.

He stared at Jiang Feng, then glanced at the Pendulum on the table.

"Master Jiang, how is this a sociological deduction? This is practically a high-tech GPS!" His voice was full of shock.

The Programmer was dazed for a moment before snapping out of it. He rushed forward heedlessly, nearly grabbing Jiang Feng's arm.

"Then... then what should I do now? Master! Please, help me! That hard drive isn't just data; it's my marriage fund!" His voice was filled with pleading, and he looked ready to cry again.

"Don't worry," Jiang Feng stopped him.

He picked up the Pendulum again and noticed its swing amplitude shrinking, then its direction changed rapidly.

"She's gotten off the train." Jiang Feng pointed to a station on the electronic map in front of him.

"So soon?" the Programmer pressed.

"Yes," Jiang Feng confirmed. "A transfer station. She's currently at Xinyuanli Station."

Manager Zhang leaned in and saw the mark on the map. He explained, "Xinyuanli? That's the transfer station for Line 5 and Line 3. The foot traffic there is massive!"

"She's transferring to Line 5." Jiang Feng's voice rose slightly. "And she's walking quite fast, looks like she's trying to snag a seat."

Just then, a familiar voice came from outside the crowd.

"Make way! Everyone, make way!"

Zhao Yi pushed through the crowd and squeezed in, panting. Just as Jiang Feng had said, he had shaved his beard and changed into a clean jacket, looking much more refreshed.

He was still a bit dazed, looking like he hadn't fully woken up.

"Brother Jiang, I'm here."

Zhao Yi looked at Jiang Feng, then scanned the Pendulum and map on the table, as well as the tearful Programmer sitting on the floor.

He was completely bewildered.

"What... what kind of show are you putting on here?"

"You've come at the right time." Jiang Feng raised his hand, gesturing toward the Programmer beside him. "Captain Zhao, this is the 'finding things' I mentioned to you before."

He looked directly at Zhao Yi and spoke concisely: "Line 5, southbound. It should pull into the station in about three minutes. Can you contact the transit police there?"

Zhao Yi didn't understand what was happening, but he had a near-blind trust in Jiang Feng.

After all, this young man could even divine a fugitive buried inside a wall; 'finding things' like this wasn't inconceivable for him.

"I can!" Zhao Yi answered immediately, deftly pulling out the walkie-talkie from his waist. "This is Zhao Yi from the Criminal Investigation Team, calling the Xinyuanli Station police room! Requesting assistance for an interception!"

"Interfere with whom?" Zhao Yi asked, turning back to wait for Jiang Feng's instructions.

Jiang Feng looked at the Pendulum and dictated the characteristics:

"An auntie wearing a red vest. She's carrying a non-woven bag with the Yonghuang Supermarket logo on it. The top of some celery is sticking out of the bag. She just got off Line 3 and should be on the Line 5 platform now, queuing for the train."

After listening, Zhao Yi repeated Jiang Feng's description into the walkie-talkie.

Inside the entire Lost and Found Hall, every onlooker held their breath; only faint background noise remained in the air.

One minute passed.

Two minutes passed.

Only the static of the walkie-talkie crackled; the wait felt long.

Jiang Feng's hand was steady. The Pendulum continued to vibrate subtly, its pointer accurately indicating that spot on the map.

"The train is entering the station," Jiang Feng said.

Just as he finished speaking, a noisy broadcast came through the walkie-talkie, accompanied by the station announcement: "The train is about to enter the station. Passengers, please mind your safety and maintain order..."

"Did you catch her?!" Zhao Yi shouted into the walkie-talkie, disregarding formalities.

*Bzzzt...*

The hurried voice of a young officer came through the walkie-talkie: "Captain Zhao! I see her! Is it an auntie with permed curly hair? She's about to squeeze onto the train!"

"Stop her!" Zhao Yi ordered immediately.

"Hey, hey! Auntie, wait a moment! The police need to check your ID!" The young officer's voice came through again, followed by a chaotic argument.

"What are you doing?! Fine, I won't take the train! My grandson is at home waiting to eat pork ribs! What's wrong with you police, only knowing how to bully us old women!"

The auntie's booming voice rang through the entire Lost and Found Hall via the walkie-talkie, her words full of impatience and complaints.

Hearing that "voice," Zhao Yi quietly breathed a sigh of relief. He turned his gaze toward Jiang Feng, seeking the next instruction.

Jiang Feng nodded slightly, signaling him to continue.

"Ask her if there's a black, square-shaped object in that bag."

Zhao Yi relayed Jiang Feng's words to the officer on the other end.

A few seconds later, the officer's voice sounded again, his tone becoming very strange this time:

"Captain Zhao... we searched. There is indeed a Seagate brand mobile hard drive. That auntie said she found it under a seat; at first, she thought it was a large mahjong tile and was planning to take it home for her grandson to use as building blocks."

*Thud.*

The Programmer's body went limp, and he slumped onto the floor.

This time, it wasn't out of despair, but tears of joy.

"It's found... it's really been found..." He held his head in his hands and wailed, his cries filled with relief.

The surrounding crowd suddenly erupted.

"Holy crap! This is absolutely divine!"

"Is he some kind of immortal? Swinging a chain a few times and he can give a precise location?"

"Isn't this the legendary Divine Fortune Teller? I saw his videos online before!"

"Master! Master, I lost something too! I lost a gold ring, can you help me divine its location?"

"Master, I want a divination too! I lost my first love; can I get them back?!"

[Ding! Effective divinations: 1/3]

He glanced down; the task had only been completed once.

Jiang Feng rubbed his temples, looking at the excited crowd before him.

He raised his hand. "That's all for today!"

"The next divination is reserved for this police officer here."