Chapter 17: District Mayor Zhang, you really don't hold back when you spend!
Every time Lu Xingzhou spoke, the narcotics officers on the scene grew more and more excited.
The description Lu Xingzhou gave of the drug dealer matched almost exactly the image Fu Fan had described of the person who stole his bag.
If the fingerprint comparison also matched, then it would be confirmed that the owner of the "Mexican Flair" beverage shop was the drug dealer they had been after.
They had originally planned to have a good rest that night and start from the thief the next day, following the clues to the drug dealer.
But unexpectedly, Lu Xingzhou had stumbled upon the drug dealer by sheer accident.
Song Xiangchen stepped forward, gripping Lu Xingzhou’s hand with excitement. “Comrade, you’ve made a meritorious contribution! A great one!”
“Everyone, arm yourselves and head to the ‘Mexican Flair’ beverage shop! Shoot to kill if the suspects resist!”
Lu Xingzhou raised his hand. “Wait! There’s one more thing I haven’t said!”
In full view of everyone, Lu Xingzhou took off his T-shirt.
“There’s also this piece of clothing, which might be a sign of the addicts.
Tell me the lifeguard at the ‘Mexican Flair Shop’ who smokes the strong stuff wears this T-shirt.
The drug dealer didn’t look at me first, but at this T-shirt.
I think this T-shirt might be important. You can wear it to find the drug dealer and ask to buy strong cigarettes, say you were referred by a friend, and he will take out cigarettes containing drugs from under the counter.”
Song Xiangchen took the T-shirt from Lu Xingzhou. “Good! Since we caught the drug dealer this time, I will personally report your merit to the commissioner!”
With a wave of his hand, Song Xiangchen ordered the officers to get their gear from the armory.
Lu Xingzhou looked at Lu Jiangying and smiled. “Sis, can I go home now?”
Lu Jiangying went up and pinched Lu Xingzhou’s face. “You’re still smiling! Do you realize how dangerous this was? What if you had smoked that pack of cigarettes first?”
“Sis! Sis! Let go, you’re messing up my face! I rely on my looks for a living!” Lu Xingzhou begged hurriedly.
Lu Jiangying shook her hand free and let go. She then said to Officer Bai Anhe beside her, “Officer Bai, please do a urine test and a blood test on him, and before I get back... detain this bastard!”
With that, Lu Jiangying turned and left.
Behind her, Lu Xingzhou shouted, “No, no, sis! Where am I supposed to live then!”
Being detained by the police at least follows the law.
Being detained by his sister only follows family rules.
Bai Anhe, nearing forty, wore black-rimmed glasses and had a scholarly appearance, like a university professor.
“Your sister is just worried about you. Stay here for now; it’s too late to go home anyway. Come on, let’s do the urine test first—I brought the equipment.”
Lu Xingzhou’s eyes widened. “Wait, Officer Bai, you’re really going to do it?”
Bai Anhe nodded slightly.
Nearby, Yu Gaojie, pale-faced, raised his hand timidly. “Officer Bai, can you do one for me too...?”
At that moment, Yu Gaojie no longer wanted to share credit with Lu Xingzhou. This was too dangerous; he almost got himself killed.
---
Lu Xingzhou seemed to attract violent incidents wherever he went, like a soldier charging through a battlefield filled with bullets. Glory and death were separated by a single moment.
Yu Gaojie no longer thought about promotion or a raise; he just wanted to live safely until retirement.
After Lu Xingzhou completed the urine and blood tests, it was already past midnight.
Naturally, the results showed nothing abnormal.
The Zongyong Temple Police Station specially arranged a single room for Lu Xingzhou to rest.
[Yesterday’s Mission Summary]
[Mission One: Clock in at Zongyong Temple (Completed)]
[Reward: Glimmer Vision (Installed)]
[Challenge Mission Updated]
[Zongyong Temple Cave Dive (Mission Time: July 11–13)]
[Mission One: Swim once around the Zongyong Temple tourist route (0/1)]
[Reward: Daily Tips ×10]
[Mission Two: Enter an unplanned waterway]
[Reward: Water Affinity (0/1)]
[Water Affinity: The ability to merge the surrounding water with the body, making even swift currents feel like solid ground.]
[Mission Three: Dive 100 meters into unplanned waterways (0/1)]
[Iron Lung: Breath-holding duration of 60 minutes.]
The system notification suddenly popped up, filling Lu Xingzhou with excitement. This... the top player is really grinding!
He browsed through the mission rewards. Hmm, not bad at all!
Tomorrow, he would go sign the swimming contract with Director Zhang.
With a “clang,” the compartment door shut, and Lu Xingzhou fell into a deep sleep.
---
Song Xiangchen led the team, and a group of narcotics officers rushed directly into the "Mexican Flair" beverage shop, guns drawn, successfully capturing the owner.
Song Xiangchen looked at the owner handcuffed to a chair.
“What’s your name?”
“Tang Hongguang.”
“Do you know why we arrested you?”
“A concealed air gun.”
Tang Hongguang’s answer left the narcotics officers confused.
Song Xiangchen’s expression turned serious. “A concealed air gun? Don’t dodge the issue. What are those strong cigarettes then?”
Tang Hongguang’s pupils flickered with panic, but a second later, he calmed down again. “They’re in the cabinet underneath. They’re cigarettes.”
Several officers put on gloves and opened the cabinet, pulling out seven or eight packs of cigarettes identical to those Lu Xingzhou had distributed.
One officer opened a pack, took out a cigarette, and broke the filter; a small white pellet fell out.
Tang Hongguang’s face changed instantly. “Officer, I really didn’t know there was anything inside the cigarettes! Really! Someone asked me to sell them.”
Song Xiangchen sneered, “Someone asked you to sell them, and you’re selling packs at 3,000 yuan each? You’ve got some nerve!”
Tang Hongguang hurried to explain, “That person said these were just ordinary cigarettes. It’s a way for the Zongyong Temple scenic area officials to accept bribes! Only those who pay 3,000 yuan to buy these cigarettes from me can meet the officials.
Besides, I was forced into it. They said if I didn’t sell, they’d take away my stall. I truly didn’t know there was anything inside the cigarettes.”
“Nice story.”
Song Xiangchen pulled out several photos. “This handbag is yours, right?”
Tang Hongguang’s face turned pale again. He hadn’t expected his lost handbag to be in the police’s possession.
Because he hid drugs inside the handbag’s compartments. Usually, when a petty thief steals a bag, they take the money, but will sell the gold watch and designer bag through fences.
So after losing his backpack, Tang Hongguang wasn’t anxious but instead focused on the resale channels, planning to buy back his bag.
He never imagined it would end up in the police’s hands, and despair darkened his eyes.
Song Xiangchen shook the photos. “When you hid drugs in the handbag’s compartments, you weren’t wearing gloves, were you?
Not only are your fingerprints on these tiny packets of drugs, but also your skin flakes!”
Tang Hongguang took a deep breath. “Officer, I admit it, but I only sold a few grams. You can search—I really have no more!”
Song Xiangchen ended the interrogation. “Take him away!”
After a few officers escorted Tang Hongguang away, Song Xiangchen walked toward an inconspicuous corner.
Lu Jiangying was standing there quietly, listening to the interrogation.
“Officer Lu, do you think Tang Hongguang is telling the truth that he only has a few grams of drugs?”
Lu Jiangying’s tone was cold and rational. “No. He’s likely hiding a large quantity of drugs in places we cannot imagine.
From his defensive confession, it’s clear he suffered abuse in his youth, developing a psychological self-protection mechanism.
If we don’t find where he hid the drugs, no matter how you interrogate him, he won’t confess. It’s a strong yet fragile psyche.
Officer Song, I suggest the next step be focusing on searching for where he hid the drugs.”
Lu Jiangying majored in criminology and psychiatry.
If she had a formal title within the Criminal Investigation Unit, it would be—Criminal Profiler.