Cangmang Asks the Way 1: Guardian of the Lamp

In the western suburbs of the southern city, there is an inconspicuous little hotel.

This tiny inn was tucked away at the end of a narrow alley, with no sign, only a faded wooden plaque hanging above the door. The stairs were so narrow that only one person could pass at a time, the wooden planks creaking underfoot. The light bulb at the end of the corridor was broken, flickering like a weary eye. The room Cang Liuqing had chosen was at the very back of the corridor, its window facing the alley behind it. From the outside, no light could be seen, but from inside, everything happening at the alley's entrance could be clearly seen.

Cang Liuqing sat at the table, the desk lamp on, the table covered with materials. There was information on Zheng Yaoxian given by Lin Wei, Lao Li's statement, background information on Song Jiawen, and the construction site accident investigation report that she had obtained through her connections in the provincial department.

She had been sitting there all day. The view outside the window changed from the gray of dawn to the blinding light of midday, and then from the blinding light to the dim yellow of dusk. She had hardly left the table. Lunch was a bowl of clear soup noodles brought up by the hotel owner, which she ate a couple of bites of and then put down. She had gone over the materials on the table again and again; every name, every transfer, every time point was etched into her mind like nails.

Footsteps echoed down the corridor. Cang Liuqing looked up, her gaze falling on the door. The footsteps stopped at the doorway.

There was a knock on the door.

"Who?"

"Sister, it's me."

"Come in."

Cang Lifeng pushed open the door and came in, followed by a person. Cang Liuqing looked up and recognized him as Wang Lide.

"Sister, Accountant Wang is here."

Wang Lide stood behind Cang Lifeng, a briefcase tucked under his arm, looking somewhat flustered.

Cang Liuqing stood up, walked over, closed the door, then went to Wang Lide, extended her hand, and said, "Hello, Accountant Wang!"

Wang Lide hurriedly extended his hand, shook hands with Cang Liuqing, and politely replied, "Hello!"

"Please sit down," Cang Liuqing said, pointing to a chair beside her.

Wang Lide sat down in the chair, placing his hands on his knees. Cang Liuqing poured him a glass of water. He took it with both hands, thanked her, and then took a small sip.

Cang Liuqing looked at him, waited a few seconds, and said softly, "Accountant Wang, please speak."

Wang Lide's hand hovered over the briefcase twice before he unzipped it. He took out a stack of documents, placed them on the table, and said in a low voice, "Director Cang...Director Cang, please take a look at these documents."

Cang Liuqing didn't open it immediately. She looked at Wang Lide and asked, "Accountant Wang, this case happened so long ago. Why didn't you say anything then? What's the reason you've come here now?"

"It's...it's my wife." Wang Lide lowered his head, his voice trembling slightly. "She saw the newspaper and asked me...asked me if I knew anything. I couldn't hide it. She scolded me, saying that Cang Lifeng had saved her and our child's lives, and that I wasn't human if I didn't repay that kindness."

As Cang Lifeng listened, a warm current surged from his heart and spread throughout his body.

Cang Liuqing was silent for a moment, then picked up the materials on the table and looked at them one by one: lab reports, copies of account books, and bank transfer records. Her gaze swept from the first line to the last, then flipped back to look at them again.

After reviewing the report, she looked up and said, "This lab report is direct physical evidence—sugar powder was mixed into the concrete. This was deliberate sabotage, not some kind of mishandling. These materials prove Song Jinrong and Song Jiawen's connection to this matter, and also prove Li Feng's innocence. At the same time, they provide strong corroboration for the other evidence I have. With these, we can immediately apply for coercive measures against Song Jiawen and launch a full investigation into Song Jinrong."

She looked at Wang Lide, remained silent for a moment, and then spoke: "Accountant Wang, you have a good wife. Your initiative in coming here is an important factor for leniency. I will do my best to help you. But you also need to be prepared—you knew about it but didn't report it, and you were involved in some of the steps, so you can't be completely absolved of legal responsibility."

Wang Lide lowered his head, remained silent for a few seconds, and said, "I know. I had already thought it through before I came."

Cang Liuqing looked at him and nodded.

"Okay. Listen to me—from now on, you'll follow my instructions. I'll keep these materials for now, and I'll coordinate with the police tonight. When you get back, go to work as usual, and don't alert them. If Song Jinrong contacts you, just act as usual. Leave the rest to us."

Wang Lide raised his head and looked at the woman in front of him. Her eyes were cold, as cold as a knife, but within that coldness was a reassuring warmth.

"I understand," he said.

Cang Liuqing stood up and stretched out her hand.

"Accountant Wang, thank you. And thank your wife too. Don't let her down."

Wang Lide's eyes reddened. He grasped her hand, nodded vigorously, and said nothing.

Cang Liuqing released his grip and turned to Cang Lifeng: "Lifeng, see Accountant Wang out. I have something to tell you when you get back."

Cang Lifeng responded, walked to Wang Lide's side, and patted him on the shoulder: "Brother Wang, let's go."

Wang Lide stood up, finished the rest of the water in his glass, and then followed Cang Lifeng toward the door.

As he reached the door, he stopped, turned around, and said, "Director Cang, about Song Jinrong... you need to hurry. He's a very vigilant person."

Cang Liuqing nodded.

The door closed.

Cang Liuqing sat back down at the table, picked up the lab report, and looked at it again.

"Powdered sugar," she murmured, a cold smile playing on her lips.

Then she picked up the phone and dialed a number. The call was quickly answered. It was the head of the Criminal Investigation Division of the Nancheng Public Security Bureau. Cang Liuqing identified herself and said a few words briefly. After hanging up, she dialed the number of a former colleague from the provincial department, asking him to coordinate with the Nancheng Public Security Bureau to ensure the operation went smoothly.

Just after she finished the call, Cang Lifeng returned and sat down opposite her.

"Sister, is this evidence only enough to arrest Song Jiawen and Song Jinrong?"

"Yes. The Zheng family has kept it very well hidden."

Cang Lifeng was silent for a few seconds, then sighed, "Could it be that my third uncle's case was wrongful...?"

Cang Liuqing understood the meaning behind his words. She lowered her head, looking at the lab report on the table, her fingers lightly pressing on the paper, and whispered:

"Lifeng, this time we were able to extricate you from their carefully designed trap, and also eliminate two malignant tumors in Nancheng in one fell swoop, and remove the Zheng family's pawns in Nancheng. This is already a major gain."

Cang Lifeng lowered his head, and his clenched fist slowly loosened.

"But my third uncle... waited his whole life."

"I know," Cang Liuqing said softly. "But Lifeng, some battles take a long time. My great-grandfather waited for decades for Box No. 23 to see the light of day again. My grandfather guarded the case for forty-eight years to clear the Cang family's name. Uncle San's case won't remain buried forever."

She paused, then looked up at her younger brother.

"No matter how powerful the Zheng family is, they can't be bigger than the sky. They can hide for a while, but they can't hide forever. What we need to do now is win the battles we can fight right now—knock down Song Jinrong and Song Jiawen, and cut off Zheng Yaoxian's claws in the southern city. After that, we can start moving upwards."

Cang Lifeng remained silent for a long time.

"Sis, do you think Zheng Yaoxian knows we're investigating him?"

"He knows. He must know. Given his vigilance, he's probably already cleaning up the mess. But the more he does that, the more it shows he's afraid."

"What are you afraid of?"

"We're afraid we'll find that lead." Cang Liuqing looked at him. "Lifeng, remember this: no matter how powerful the Zheng family is, they're still human. Humans make mistakes and leave loopholes. Just because we haven't found it yet doesn't mean we'll never find it."

She stood up, picked up her bag, and said, "I'm going to the police station."

Cang Lifeng also stood up and said:

"Sis, I'm going back too. Be careful."

Cang Liuqing looked at him, a slight smile playing on her lips, and said, "Don't worry. The Cang family is tough."

After saying that, she walked out the door first, with Cang Lifeng following closely behind.

Chen Zhiyuan was waiting for her in his office. Chen Zhiyuan was the head of the Criminal Investigation Division of the Municipal Public Security Bureau. A map of the southern city was spread out on his desk, with several locations circled in red. His finger was pointing at one of the circles when he heard a knock on the door and looked up.

"Come in."

Cang Liuqing pushed open the door and placed the manila envelope on the table, saying, "These are the evidence. The physical evidence and account books from the construction site accident are all inside. In addition, I also have materials on Song Jinrong and Song Jiawen's gang from many years ago, enough to uproot them completely."

Chen Zhiyuan opened the envelope and read it page by page. After finishing, he looked up and said, "Arrest Song Jiawen first, and interrogate him overnight. Once his confession has sealed Song Jinrong's fate, then we'll take action. Keep an eye on Song Jinrong for now."

Cang Liuqing nodded.

Chen Zhiyuan picked up the phone and began making arrangements.

The operation began at 9 p.m.

At 9:20 p.m., Song Jiawen was arrested at his home. Several of his key subordinates were also subsequently apprehended.

However, Song Jinrong's home, several private residences under his name, and company were all empty.

Upon receiving the report, Chen Zhiyuan's face darkened. He ordered someone to check the surveillance footage, which revealed that Song Jinrong's car had left the city and headed towards Yanjing.

At 10:30 PM, news came from ahead: the car had been intercepted, and only the driver was inside. Song Jinrong got out of the car halfway through the journey, thus escaping unscathed.

Chen Zhiyuan slammed his fist on the table: "He can't get very far."

Cang Liuqing stood by the window, looking at the night sky, and remained silent for a few seconds: "According to the investigation, this person is very greedy. He certainly can't bear to give up his properties in Nancheng, so he should still be hiding there. Search, focusing on his possible private residences, friends' houses, and vacant properties under his name."

She turned to Chen Zhiyuan: "Furthermore, he has people inside. From deployment to execution, it took less than an hour. To be able to notify him so quickly, this person must be within the core of the operation. Who participated in the operation tonight?"

Chen Zhiyuan paused for two seconds, then picked up the walkie-talkie: "All personnel involved in the operation, assemble in the conference room after the operation is over. Not a single one can be missing."

Half an hour later, Chen Zhiyuan had checked everyone's communication records. He retrieved all the walkie-talkie channel usage records, landline call logs, and paging station records, and verified them one by one.

He placed the report on the table and rubbed his temples. "The numbers are all correct. No one has made any suspicious calls, and no one has received any unusual pagers."

Cang Liuqing picked up the report and glanced at it: "Pagers can only display numbers and numeric codes. If he's using a pre-arranged code, you won't be able to find it."

Chen Zhiyuan didn't reply. He picked up the walkie-talkie: "Check and submit the list of all personnel who left their posts in the half hour before the operation."

Cang Liuqing didn't speak again. She walked to the window and looked at the night sky. She knew that Song Jinrong must still be in Nancheng. She wouldn't let him get away.