activa-t Chapter 71 I await his arrival to judge me.
Chapter 71 I await his arrival to judge me.
Zhou Xing glanced at the documents on the table, staring at the precise circle. His face remained expressionless, but his mind raced.
This Renault is incredibly efficient. In just three days, he opened up the administrative channels inside and outside the concession and mobilized manpower.
Given the responsiveness of the administrative system in that era, cooperation between the interior and exterior of the concessions was no simple matter.
Moreover, it provides such a clear portrait and delineates such a precise range.
This isn't a portrait; it's clearly a sketch based on his outline.
This person was also unusually cautious, only providing the conclusion, each point clearly stated, but conspicuously omitting the reasoning process.
There are a few pieces of on-site information, such as photos of bloodstains and rubbings of footprints, but these are scattered and cannot be used to draw those definitive conclusions.
Is it caution, or bait?
The Witcher is indeed formidable.
I'm glad I came. If I were still out there bewildered, I'd probably be caught in this tightening net.
We must muddy the waters and divert the thread elsewhere.
The room was thick with smoke, and no one spoke first. Zhong Ding couldn't hold back any longer, cleared his throat, and spoke up:
"The captain provided very detailed information. In my opinion, this case needs to be investigated thoroughly. The foreign victims come from diverse backgrounds and social positions; we need to examine their interpersonal relationships, business rivals, mistresses, and lovers to see if there are any commonalities. Also…"
What he said was all useless drivel.
The young policeman from outside the concession adjusted his glasses slightly, then suddenly interjected, pointing to the red circle on the map:
"Detective Chung is right. However, since the scope is already so precise and there is a possibility of achieving a breakthrough as quickly as possible, manpower should be concentrated."
I suggest prioritizing the investigation of all short-term rental properties and guesthouses in the area, as well as…
He looked at Reno, "and the martial arts gym that has recently undergone dramatic changes."
Renault remained silent, his grey-green vertical pupils scanning the crowd before finally settling on Zhou Xing's face:
"Detective Zhou, what do you think?"
All eyes turned to them again, their expressions varied.
Zhou Xing hesitated for a moment, then looked up at the young man with glasses: "This one..."
"Criminal Investigation Department, Chen Qi."
The young man immediately responded, even subconsciously wanting to raise his hand in salute, but then changed it to a fist salute, which sounded a bit stiff.
Zhou Xing nodded, his gaze returning to Renault. "Officer Chen's thinking is very clear. Instead of searching for a needle in a haystack, we should cast a wide net and start our investigation here."
Zhong Ding let out a cold laugh and tapped his fingers on the table:
"In the circle? You make it sound so easy! How many households are in this circle? How many people? How many nooks and crannies are there? If we investigate them one by one, how long will it take? Cases aren't solved by guesswork; they require evidence."
Zhou Xing didn't reply, or even look at him.
Renault suddenly raised his hand and tapped the rim of the coffee cup.
"They're right."
Renault's tone was calm, a glint of light flashing in his vertical pupils. "My intuition tells me that the key lies here. This is the breakthrough."
Zhong Ding's face flushed red, his lips moved, but he didn't dare to utter another sound.
Renault stood up and began assigning tasks. He spoke quickly and gave clear instructions:
Two French officers remained at headquarters to collect and coordinate intelligence from all parties; the remaining Annamese and Chinese police officers were divided into three groups to conduct outreach in the surrounding area, focusing on investigating unfamiliar faces and unusual events recently.
Finally, he called out a few names:
"You, you, you, and Detective Zhou, form the core action team with me. Let's head to the target area now."
Those who were called out were his adjutant, Chen Qi, Zhong Ding, and Zhou Xing.
Zhou Xing looked at Renault: "The captain is leading the team personally? This judge... is very dangerous."
Renault straightened his cuffs, a slight smile playing on his lips: "I'll wait for him to come and judge me."
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The black Renault Chevrolet sedan, its gleaming body still stood out in this upscale neighborhood, parked on the side of the road.
The adjutant drove, Renault sat in the passenger seat, and Zhou Xing and the other two squeezed into the back seat.
Chen Qi stood ramrod straight, gazing out the window; Zhong Ding, on the other hand, couldn't help but rub the leather seat from side to side.
"That area is Chinese territory, and Officer Chen is in charge of dealing with the local police station."
Renault didn't turn his head; his voice came from ahead. Then, as if casually mentioning it:
"Detective Zhou, since you know martial arts and know many people in the martial arts world, when we get there, if there's a need to deal with underworld forces, you can step in."
The car started, and the street scene outside the window rushed past.
As Zhou Xing looked out the window at the eaves, he suddenly realized that the judge might just be a facade.
What Renault really wants to do is probably to figure out how deep the waters are in Tianjin's martial arts world, who can be touched, and who can be touched.
What he wanted were the grudges between martial arts schools, their hidden tricks, and the unspeakable relationships within the martial arts world.
He wanted to dissect the inner workings of Tianjin's underworld and see what lay beneath.
And Zhou Xing was the knife Renault had chosen.
Currently, the investigation is underway. After this, Renault may have to confront Ip Man, the Gong family, and the entire martial arts world as his enemies.
That's why Renault valued him.
The car stopped at the dusty street corner.
As soon as the group got out of the car, they attracted countless stares. Eyes were cast from behind door cracks, under window sills, and under the sunshades of vendors—some curious, some timid, and most hostile beneath a veneer of numbness.
The contempt directed at Zhou Xing and other Chinese was more complex; they were Chinese constables who had come with foreigners, traitors to their own people.
Irritated by these stares, Zhong Ding glared and shouted sharply:
"What are you looking at! Want to go to jail? The police are on duty, everyone disperse!"
The crowd dispersed like a school of startled fish, their footsteps hurried.
"A bunch of uncivilized peasants."
Zhong Ding muttered a curse under his breath and spat in disgust, "Bad luck."
Zhou Xing glanced at him but didn't say anything.
He thought to himself: "Having gotten used to being a dog for foreigners, they no longer consider themselves Chinese. This kind of behavior is no different from that of foreigners." If Han Muxia's obsession with killing foreigners hadn't faded, he would probably be considered one too.
This place isn't far from the Guo Family Boxing Gym. You can even faintly hear the muffled breathing sounds of people practicing boxing.
Renault stood in the middle of the street, not in a hurry to act.
He tilted his head slightly, his nostrils flared gently, and his gaze slowly swept across the street, the eaves, and the alleyway, his pupils forming a straight line.
"Where to begin?" he asked casually.
Zhong Ding immediately stepped forward: "In my opinion, we should start investigating those martial arts schools! These martial arts practitioners are unruly and prone to causing trouble; they disregard the law!"
Chen Qi adjusted his glasses and added earnestly:
"From a criminal geography perspective, it is highly likely that criminals use familiar environments to conceal themselves. The judge himself may not be a martial arts practitioner, but he may very well use this network to obtain information or cover. Martial arts schools that have recently experienced internal changes are particularly noteworthy."
Zhou Xing's heart tightened again.
The Guo family's fate was looming. Liu Yishou had been executed not long ago, and Ruo Renault, following the clues, discovered that he had been here just a few days earlier and had personally executed Liu Yishou. After he left, the Tianjin judge's actions ceased...
He has to open the line.