You're supposed to be a security officer, what case are you solving?

Chapter 393 The mantis stalks the cicada!

Time passed slowly, and it was already 4:30 PM.

At this time, there were relatively few customers in the mall, but once it reached six o'clock, and because it was the last month of 98 and the weather was snowing, the white-collar workers from the neighborhood would come over to stroll around after work.

Wu Kai heard that the clothing stores on the fourth and fifth floors were having a sale, and that the newly opened KFC in Qincheng was very popular with young men and women; the store had even been featured in the Qincheng Evening News.

Previously, he had contacted Feng Deng, the owner of the shopping mall. Feng Deng was generous and offered Wu a 30% discount if he wanted to buy an overcoat and a 40% discount if he wanted to buy a computer.

While pondering whether to send Reporter Xiong a fashionable coat, Wu Kai looked out the window on the third floor.

The streets outside were already covered in snow, with buildings and streets blanketed in snow, and snow was still falling slowly from the sky.

Wu Kai and Lu Ruixiang specifically chose a floor-to-ceiling window that overlooked the lobby on the first floor and the street outside, so they could keep an eye on what was happening inside and outside.

Xingye Department Store is located at a crossroads, and Geng Hao could come from three directions.

Outside the window, to Wu Kai's left was a vertical street, and to his right was a horizontal street.

But no matter which direction Geng Hao came from, the only entrance to the mall was at the crossroads.

As long as Geng Hao appears within half a kilometer of the mall, he won't be able to escape, even if he doesn't enter the mall.

In addition to the First Brigade, the arresting officers included the Criminal Investigation Brigade of Xingye District Branch and personnel from the local police station, totaling more than fifty people.

In addition, Wu Kai has deployed several groups of people since this morning.

Shen Wenzhu's second team launched a search operation on Xinglin Road. Her team was likely to discover the hiding place of these criminals.

However, after Wu Kai made several calls, Shen Wenzhu said that she still hadn't found the person.

In addition, the No. 11 Middle School, where Geng Hao's son Geng Peng studies, is also under the surveillance of the local police station.

This group of people was arranged by Yang Jinwen this morning, in case Geng Hao tried to use a diversionary tactic, and they had no intention of coming to Xingye Shopping Mall as agreed.

Or perhaps he didn't want Geng Peng to come to the mall in the heavy snow, so Geng Hao might go to the school to wait for Geng Peng after school.

Secondly, there were people staking out Geng Hao's house, afraid that Geng Hao would find out that his father was dying and dare to go home to see his father one last time.

After all, no one can really say for sure what Geng Hao is thinking. Generally speaking, this possibility is quite high. People involved in organized crime may disregard the interests and lives of others, but they care a lot about their family members, except for their wives, of course.

Wu Kai is very familiar with the major criminal cases of the past few years. He remembers that last year in the north, a notorious criminal surnamed Bai was arrested at his mother's house and executed by the court this April.

Finally, Wu Kai also sent people to visit the insurance company, hoping to find some clues as to whether these criminals were using elderly people to defraud insurance. If so, that would be their motive for committing the crime.

Solving a case involves many people and evidence. To get a confession from a suspect, you must have a complete understanding of their crimes and be confident in your ability to win the case so that the suspect will confess to their crimes willingly.

Wu Kai glanced at his watch; it was already 4:40.

His heart began to race with anxiety.

He took out his phone from his pocket and dialed Shen Wenzhu's number again.

Shen Wenzhu finally answered the phone after it had been ringing for a long time.

"Five branches."

"Shen Wenzhu, what's the situation on your end? Have you gotten a number yet?"

"Investigating..."

"How long have you been investigating? Almost eight hours, from this morning until now."

Shen Wenzhu's voice was also annoyed: "Team Leader Wu, these people have a certain level of counter-surveillance awareness. We have asked many people and they have all seen Geng Hao and the tall suspect in the sketch."

We've confirmed that Geng Hao and his gang are active on Xinglin Road, but there are many alleys and lanes on both sides of Xinglin Road. We need more time to find out exactly where they're hiding..."

Wu Kai let out a sigh of relief: "Geng Hao left a message on Geng Peng's pager this morning. He made the call from a public phone booth on Xinglin Road. Do you really need to confirm that?"

Seeing Wu Kai's dissatisfaction, Shen Wenzhu asked on the phone, "Captain Wu, it's almost five o'clock, and Geng Hao still hasn't shown up at Xingye Shopping Mall? Yang Jinwen and his Third Brigade haven't caught him?"

Wu Kai didn't answer her, but instead ordered, "Shen Wenzhu, your second brigade needs to move faster. Both brigades should arrest people together. Otherwise, we'll end up with nothing, and I'll have nowhere to hide my face!"

"Don't worry, I'll contact you as soon as I have any news."

After Shen Wenzhu hung up the phone, Wu Kai made a few more calls, but Geng Hao did not appear at his home, and school at No. 11 Middle School had already let out.

The No. 11 Middle School is located in Xingye District. You can take bus No. 1 and get to Xingye Department Store in ten minutes.

Lu Ruixiang, standing to one side, held a thermos in his hand, his expression calm.

Wu Kai squinted at him: "Old Lu, it's almost five o'clock."

Lu Ruixiang nodded: "In the afternoon, I had Ma Hui take a few men back to the brigade and send Geng Peng to the Eleventh Middle School..."

"Old Lu, this kid's underage, still a student. What if something happens to him..."

Lu Ruixiang interrupted him: "At this time, Ma Hui and his group are taking Geng Peng on a bus to Xingye Department Store."

Geng Hao is involved in organized crime. Bao Qingyun handed him the gun, and the police station investigated him for two years but couldn't find him. This guy must have counter-surveillance awareness.

It wasn't just the guns, but also the new female forensic pathologist. She said that one of the victims was killed, and the sharp weapon used by the killer was a Bowie knife, so these people are not simple.

If they're going to go all the way, Geng Peng will definitely have to show up.

Although Geng Hao sent a message saying that he would meet at Xingye Shopping Mall, he might go to the school or take the bus with Geng Peng and meet on the bus.

I figured this was the safest approach.

Wu Kai frowned. Shen Wenzhu's second team hadn't found anyone on Xinglin Road. She said that these people were aware of counter-surveillance, and now Lu Ruixiang was saying the same thing.

This infuriated Wu Kai. Damn it, are these criminals really that dangerous? Are there really people they can't catch?

"Old Lu, it's only been four days since the incident. Even if Geng Hao is aware of counter-surveillance, he wouldn't be that cunning, would he?"

"Let's wait and see." Lu Ruixiang unscrewed the cap of his thermos, slowly sipped his tea, and kept his eyes fixed on the bus stop outside the window.

If Lu Ruixiang weren't a few years older than him, Wu Kai would have loved to yell at him.

But then he thought, Lu Ruixiang had always been supportive of him and was considered one of his own. When he was a regular criminal police officer at the Xingye branch, Lu Ruixiang was already the deputy captain and had taken good care of him.

Forget it, Lu Ruixiang's seniority speaks for itself, there's no need to get angry with an old comrade.

After a moment of silence, Lu Ruixiang suddenly asked, "Fifth Branch, where is Yang Jinwen's Third Brigade?"

"They said they were keeping watch outside."

I didn't see him.

"He's angry. If it were me, I'd be angry too. I don't know what Director Yue was thinking, pulling this stunt. It's obvious he's trying to mess with Lao Wen."

Lu Ruixiang declined to comment on the affairs of the leaders.

He remained calm and composed, but Wu Kai grew increasingly anxious, constantly checking his watch: 4:40, 4:50…

"Could something have gone wrong?" Wu Kai couldn't help but ask.

As soon as he finished speaking, Lu Ruixiang said, "They're here."

"Where is he?" Wu Kai hurriedly looked outside.

Lu Ruixiang pointed out the window: "The No. 1 bus is here."

"Old Lu, stop making such a fuss, okay?"

Wu Kai thought the old man was teasing him. He looked at the bus stop outside and saw more than a dozen passengers getting off the bus one after another.

He immediately recognized Ma Hui and two other people from the group; they were walking towards the mall entrance with Geng Peng.

To avoid attracting attention, Ma Hui also made Geng Peng wear a school uniform and carry a schoolbag.

Ma Hui and two team members, with their hands in their pockets, surrounded Geng Peng from the front and back. One of the team members they chose was an older policewoman named Yang Yunhua, who was the eldest sister in the team.

She looked just like a middle-aged woman on the street, with a bag slung over her waist and woolen gloves on her hands.

The other person was a young man. Judging by his age, one would think he was a recent college graduate. Indeed, he was one of a large group of newly recruited police academy graduates, with a very youthful face.

After the three of them entered the mall with Geng Peng, Wu Kai left the window, leaned on the wooden handrail on the third floor, and looked down at the lobby.

"Old Lu, something's not right. Geng Peng didn't go to school, nor did he appear on the bus. Could he really be coming to the mall?"

Lu Ruixiang remained standing in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, his eyes fixed on the street outside, without answering Wu Kai's question.

At this point, in order to avoid attracting attention, Ma Hui and his two teammates scattered.

Ma Hui went straight upstairs, the young criminal police officer went to KFC, and the policewoman stood in front of the cosmetics counter, picking out face cream.

Only Geng Peng, carrying his schoolbag, stood in a corner of the hall, not far from the back door of KFC.

third floor.

Wu Kai raised his hand and glanced at his watch; it was exactly five o'clock.

If Geng Hao appears, it will be within this timeframe.

At this moment, Ma Hui went upstairs, and Lu Ruixiang turned around.

Ma Hui put his hands in his pockets and called out in a low voice, "Fifth Branch, Captain Lu."

"What's going on?" Wu Kai asked, his face ashen.

Ma Hui didn't look at them, and shook his head slightly: "The person didn't show up."

Lu Ruixiang asked, "Have you carefully identified all the people on the bus?"

"Yes." Ma Hui nodded: "Geng Hao probably still plans to come to the mall to see his son."

"Then let's wait." Lu Ruixiang squinted slightly.

Wu Kai could clearly see that his expression was becoming serious.

Time passed second by second, and Geng Peng remained standing in the distance, not looking around, but keeping his head down.

He knew that many people were hiding around him, all of them public security criminal police officers who were preparing to arrest his father.

Once Dad shows up, there's absolutely no escaping him.

Geng Peng gritted his teeth, his heart pounding faster and faster.

His mind drifted back to the conversation he had with the tall detective in the car the previous night.

At that moment, he asked, "You've arrested my dad, are you going to execute him?"

The other person replied, "No, that's not called execution, that's called trial."

But the nature of the crime is the same: Dad got caught by the police and he's definitely not going to make it!

At this time, the first floor of the mall was crowded with people, some of whom were people who had come to the mall to stroll after get off work, others who had come in to escape the snow, and many more of them were parents who brought their children to eat KFC.

Geng Peng recalled the last time he met his father, who had bought him a hamburger and given him money to buy new clothes and shoes.

Even though the police warned Geng Peng on the way here not to harm himself or his mother, he was still his father.

Suddenly, he raised his head and shouted desperately, "Run, Dad! Run! The police are coming for you!"

(End of this chapter)