Beginning with the Ubume Bird
Chapter 633 - Chapter 633 Chapter 19 Good Luck Meeting

Chapter 633: Chapter 19 Good Luck Meeting Chapter 633: Chapter 19 Good Luck Meeting The sea was pitch-black, with fishing boats at the dock hanging incandescent lamps, and the tide ceaselessly slapped the beach.

“Is everything loaded?”

Zhan Guzai took off his sunglasses and glanced at the truck’s cargo area.

“Don’t worry, Brother Zhan Guzai, this is the last one.”

Several members of Sheng Ji hefted a heavy refrigerator into the pitch-dark cargo area, each of them breathing a sigh of relief.

“That’s a wrap!” Zhan Guzai clapped his hands, “Let’s head over to Mr. Chai’s place to split the money. Nobody heads back tonight; after this, you’re all riding with me to Dahaoke. My treat.”

While everyone was crowding around to get their share of the pay, Zhan Guzai walked towards Liu Shiqing and Wenle, who had been coldly observing for a while: “Wutouzi, whenever you’re ready to move this batch of goods, find Ji Chai at the mahjong parlor on Yue Hua Street. What about the rest of the money?”

“We’ll settle the remaining balance when we come to get the goods. We really owe you one for helping out this time, Brother Zhan Guzai.”

Liu Shiqing was all smiles.

The sound of an urgent phone ringing interrupted their conversation.

Hunched over to one side, Wenle fished out his cell phone from his pocket: “Hello? Boss?”

“Get the goods settled and come back immediately. I have something to instruct you two.”

“Understood.”

After hanging up the phone, Wenle looked up at Liu Shiqing: “The boss wants us to see him right away.”

Upon hearing this, Liu Shiqing gave Zhan Guzai a punch in the chest: “See you later, Brother Zhan Guzai.”

“…”

Zhan Guzai, with a stern face, remained silent. He always had a shadow in his heart; he shouldn’t have done Wutouzi this favor. But now the die was cast, and it was too late to say anything.

——————————–

“Yes, sorry, Director, yes, will do.”

Police Commissioner Chen spoke on the phone, his forehead beaded with sweat the size of soybeans. Li Yaoguang was sitting opposite him, looking up at his younger superior.

“Yes, okay.”

Police Commissioner Chen lowered the receiver and whispered to Li Yaoguang, “Uncle Li, the Director wants to speak with you.”

Li Yaoguang stood up and took the phone.

“Yaoguang, I heard there was a fire at the police station last night. Are you alright?”

“I’m fine, thank you for your concern, Director.”

Li Yaoguang answered with neither servility nor arrogance.

“I’ve heard about your case. You’re doing a great job. If anything in Hong Kong could be easily settled to hush things up, we wouldn’t need the police. No matter who gets implicated, I want you to investigate this thoroughly and give the public an explanation. Starting today, the Hanlin Cold Chain corpse case will have a special investigation team, and you are the team leader. Report directly to me with any developments.”

“Yes, thank you, Director.”

“But make sure not to wrongly accuse the innocent; a lot of eyes are on us. Unless there’s sufficient evidence, do not arrest anyone rashly.”

“Understood. I won’t disturb your work any longer, Director.”

Li Yaoguang hung up the call, and Police Commissioner Chen collapsed into his large office chair, wiping off his sweat: “Uncle Li, we’ve been colleagues for over a decade. We can discuss things slowly; there’s no need to call the Director, right?”

Li Yaoguang shook his head: “I’m an old man approaching retirement. I’m not petty enough to skip the chain of command to file a report. I don’t know where the Director got his information.”

“So, what are you planning to do with the corpse case? Any new leads?”

“Maybe.”

Li Yaoguang responded noncommittally.

In the bustling corridor, Li Yan sat alone on a chair, drinking water. Judy had already found him a lawyer early on, Jin Boqing was also making moves, and even Zhongxing Baode was trying to pull strings. His alibi had been confirmed, the grocer testified that he was indeed buying cigarettes at the time of the incident, Judy’s villa maid had witnessed Li Yan coming and going, and the incontrovertible CCTV evidence proved that Chen Zhengcong’s death could not possibly be related to him.

A hand holding a paper cup reached out to him, and when Li Yan looked up, it was Li Yaoguang.

“Judy’s lawyer has presented enough evidence to exonerate you. You were in Shamshui Po when the incident occurred; it would be impossible for you to rush to Pugang Road to commit the murder and return without a change in demeanor within five minutes, unless you’re a superhero. Since the case is clear, you can fill out the paperwork and leave here with that Judy girl.”

Li Yaoguang kept his voice low: “As for the interrogation room conversation, I’ll pretend it never happened.”

“Thank you.”

Li Yan said, taking the water from his hand.

“You’re welcome. But on that note…”

Li Yaoguang pulled out a plastic evidence bag from his pocket, containing metal so twisted it was barely recognizable as a pair of handcuffs.

“At the time of the gas explosion, a collapse occurred on an overpass not far from the police station, caused by a seriously overloaded heavy-duty truck. My people found these handcuffs in the rubble there. There’s also some surveillance footage I haven’t had a chance to look at–how about we watch it together now?”

Li Yan’s face lost the last trace of a smile, “What are you trying to say, Li sir?”

Li Yaoguang sat next to Li Yan, wiping the sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief, his wrinkles deepening, “You must think this old man doesn’t know what’s good for him, might as well have been blown up by the gas.”

Li Yan retorted, “Is my face that vicious?”

“Just joking. My boss is pushing me hard; if you don’t point me in the right direction, I have no choice but to bite at you. What else can I do? Go to the boss and complain that this case is too bizarre and tell him to find someone else to investigate?”

“…”

Li Yaoguang’s face broke into a slight smile, “Look at my age, as a mark of respect for the elderly, how about giving me a hand?”

“I really don’t know anything, but you truly scare me, Li sir.”

Li Yan leaned in close to Li Yaoguang, “The person out to hurt you is called Ye Shiru; that’s all I know.”

“Thank you.”

Li Yaoguang squinted his eyes, his gaze narrow and sharp.

——————————–

“Achoo!”

Sitting in a Mercedes, Ye Shiru sneezed.

Xue Wenhai glanced at her.

“Sorry godfather, I’ve got a bit of a cold.”

“You’re a Heavenly Yi Noble, immune to a hundred ailments, not someone to sneeze without reason–someone must be thinking of you.”

Upon hearing this, Ye Shiru appeared somewhat uneasy.

The car pulled into the garage, and Ye Shiru helped Xue Wenhai across the garden into the red-brick villa. Wen Wu and Wutouzi were sitting under the crystal chandelier in the hall, a table filled with luxurious ingredients like foie gras and caviar.

“Boss.”

The two spoke in unison.

“Is everything in place?”

“Yes. Boss, did you call us back because the corpse-hiding case has been settled?”

Wutouzi asked.

Xue Wenhai shook his head, “It’s become even more troublesome, but it won’t reach us shortly. I have other things to discuss, let’s talk after dinner.”

Wen Wu sliced a piece of beef with blood still in it, grinned and said, “Vivian, I heard you swallowed a loss, is it true or just a rumor?”

“It’s true; I ran into a very strange person.”

With impeccable dining manners, Vivian did not show any sign of defeat, “It’s not unusual to encounter skilled individuals and suffer losses without a plan.”

Xue Wenhai spoke slowly after hearing this, “I’ve checked; the man is called Li Yan, from the mainland, probably the same one Chen Zhengcong, the one who did business with Wutou Qing, died at his hands.”

He looked at Wutouzi and Wen Wu, “That day you two were in the cold storage on Pugang Road, my divination with the Seven Killings Sheep Blade foresaw a bloody disaster for Wutouzi, which is why I asked you to leave. I thought the disaster was meant for my disciple, but now I think that you were the collateral damage from Chen Zhengcong.”

When Xue Wenhai got to this point, he became serious, “I turn a blind eye to your side business dealings, but this blunder cannot be overlooked. Don’t do it anymore.”

“Sorry, boss.”

Wutouzi swallowed hard.

Wen Wu seized the moment to ask, “Is there a way to remedy this?”

“Leave that to me. Wutouzi, you need to leave Hong Kong immediately, don’t contact us unless Wen Wu comes to you; I’ll send you the money later. Wen Wu, I remember you’re a member of the Fortune Telling Club.”

“Yes, but I haven’t been in touch with those people for a long time.”

Wen Wu nodded.

“Chen Lang, the head of the Fortune Telling Club, has invited renowned Feng Shui masters from Guangdong and Guangxi for an exchange about the three famous Feng Shui configurations ‘All things return to spring,’ ‘Supporting Sun Heavenly Sword,’ and ‘General Removing Armor,’ which started a week ago and will continue tomorrow. Go to the site for me and get a feel of them.”

“Get a feel of the three famous configurations?”

Wen Wu raised an eyebrow.

Xue Wenhai, arms crossed over his chest, “That’s one reason, but more importantly, I’d like you to get a feel for the Sanqi Noble for me.”