Binjiang Police Affairs
Chapter 61 - 57: Plan Adjustment

Chapter 61: Chapter 57: Plan Adjustment

While helping his sister and chatting with her, the sound of a ringing phone came from the duty room at the end of the corridor.

"San’er, I’m going to answer a call. I’ll be right back."

"Sis, it might be for me. I left your number for others to contact me since they can’t find me otherwise."

The so-called duty room was actually a small storage room filled with bedding and toiletries.

There was a small table by the door with a phone on it. Room service attendants would rest here when not busy. In the middle of the night, if there were no tasks, they could unfold the wire bed leaning against the wall and sleep here until dawn.

Han Ning picked up the phone, and as expected, it was for her brother. She handed the phone to him quickly and hurried back to continue working.

Zhang Junyan heard Han Yu’s voice and asked in a low tone, "Is it convenient to talk?"

"It’s convenient."

"Old Liu has told me everything. I discussed with Director Jiang and decided to adjust the plan."

"How will it be adjusted?"

Zhang Junyan looked up at Director Jiang and said, "Salted Fish, I know you are anxious, but don’t panic. Although we missed the first half, there is still the second half.

People go on board and people come off. Those two suspects will definitely not miss this chance. Moreover, the cargo ship won’t leave anytime soon, and even if it does, it needs clearance from Border Inspection, Customs, Port Supervision, and our Port Authority!"

As long as we collect evidence that can break the case open...

Han Yu suddenly realized and quickly said, "Understood."

"Good you understand. Director Jiang has had Xiao Liu drive the Volga to the back yard behind the guest rooms. Those three won’t likely stay upstairs. Keep an eye on them from your sister’s place; as soon as they come out, go to the back window of the bathroom to signal Xiao Liu."

"How do I signal?"

"Just point downstairs, and he’ll understand."

"And then?"

"Chief Zhou, Staff Xiao, Old Liu, and Huang Jiangsheng will be nearby. As soon as those three come downstairs, Huang Jiangsheng will help us confirm if they are our targets, then follow or watch as needed."

Zhang Junyan paused, then added, "Director Jiang and I will also head over later. Since those three can check into the Sailor Club, we can check their background through the registration information at the club’s front desk."

Three-pronged strategy, there’s nothing inappropriate with this arrangement.

Han Yu thought about it but still couldn’t help asking, "They’re spending so much to stay here, surely aiming to take advantage of being close to the water to get the moon first. If they come here to exchange, how will we collect evidence at that time?"

Zhang Junyan explained, "Director Jiang and I have considered this point too. It’s not that we are too stingy to stay close for surveillance, but even if they conduct the transaction at your place, they won’t be standing in the hallway to exchange money and Foreign Exchange Certificates; it will surely happen in their rooms.

If we just stay like that, it would be hard to gather evidence and our identities might easily be exposed. After all, Director Jiang, Chief Zhou, Old Liu, and I, we all work for the Port Authority. Your sister might not recognize us, but her superiors certainly would."

He nearly forgot, the personnel of Binjiang Port Police Station are under the management of the Port Authority, and their funding also comes from there; they are both police and officials of the Port Authority.

Han Yu realized that they couldn’t casually come over, and he said dejectedly, "Understood, I... I’ll think of a way. I need to come up with a plausible excuse; otherwise, if I keep hanging around here, my sister will get suspicious."

"How’s your sister’s psychological quality?"

"My sister’s psychology is very strong; she takes care of two families on her own."

"You can tell your sister, ask for her help to monitor. While you’re at it, ask her what those three people have been busy with the past couple of days."

"Okay."

"It’s all on you inside. Contact us immediately if there’s any news."

Zhang Junyan hung up the phone and clenched his fists tightly, saying, "While we are still searching everywhere, who would have thought the two suspects had arrived early and checked into the Sailor Club. It’s dark under the light."

Director Jiang said with a smile, "Mainly because we can’t afford to stay there; we assumed they couldn’t afford it either."

"Fortunately, Little Salted Fish ran into them, otherwise, who knows how long we would have been searching."

Zhang Junyan thought for a moment, then laughed, "Little Salted Fish isn’t an ordinary fish; he’s a Red Flower Fish. Otherwise, he wouldn’t just happen to check on his sister and run into the suspects."

...

State-owned enterprises are not as strict as private factories, especially service units like the Sailor Club; as long as you maintain a good relationship with leaders and colleagues, staff can freely swap shifts.

Normally, three attendants are responsible for one floor with three rotating shifts, adjusting the schedule weekly.

To make up for previous time off, these past few days her sister has been on a continuous twenty-four-hour shift.

It seems like a long time, but when it wasn’t busy, they could nap in the duty room, and there wasn’t much to do in the second half of the night, so they could sleep until dawn.

However, cleaning the bathrooms for more than twenty rooms was still a significant workload.

Han Yu helped his sister while keeping an eye on rooms 216 and 218.

Around 2:30 in the afternoon, as the siblings were about to sit and rest, the three suspects came out carrying their bags.

Han Yu took the opportunity to go to the restroom, rushing to the public bathroom on the west side of the corridor, and gestured to Liu Guixiang, who was waiting below for the signal.

Afraid that Liu Guixiang hadn’t seen his response, he opened the car door and nodded.

Han Yu confirmed that Liu Guixiang had received the "secret signal," quickly washed his hands, and returned to Room 202.

Han Ning neatly folded the sheets and duvet covers she had removed and stuffed them into a small trolley, puzzled, she asked, "Isn’t there a bathroom in the room? Why go so far away?"

"The bathroom has just been cleaned. If I use it, I need to clean it again."

"Just a flush with water would be fine. By the way, did you bring any change of clothes? Do you want to take a hot shower here?"

The guestrooms here have water heaters; the showers are very comfortable.

In the past, taking advantage of her sister’s job, she had more than once taken advantage of the Port Authority’s facilities to come to the guestroom for a hot bath.

But this time, not only did she not bring any change of clothes, it was also not the time to take a bath.

Han Yu went out to check and confirmed that the targets had all gone downstairs, then immediately turned back and said, "Sister, I have something to tell you. Don’t be scared, but also keep it secret..."

Meanwhile, the three suspects, two men and one woman, were leaving the Sailor Club, chatting and laughing.

Across the street, in "rabbit head," Old Liu asked anxiously, "Is it them?"

Huang Jiangsheng, peering through a small opening of the car window, observed carefully and said with certainty, "It’s them, no doubt about it!"

Old Liu lifted the walkie-talkie: "Director Zhang, Director Zhang, Xiao Huang can confirm, they are the ones we’re looking for."

"Received. I have seen them too."

"Then we will follow behind."

"Don’t follow too closely." Director Zhang thought for a moment and lifted the walkie-talkie again: "Old Liu, Xiao Huang has completed his task, let Xiao Liu take him to the bus station."

Without hesitation, Old Liu said, "Yes!"

Huang Jiangsheng was stunned and cautiously asked, "Uncle Liu, I am just going back to Bailong Port like this?"

Old Liu put down the walkie-talkie and, smiling, patted his shoulder: "Director Zhang just made it very clear, your task is complete. Go back early for your business; we can’t hold up your money-making."

"I’m going back first, what about Salted Fish?"

"Your task is complete; his is not yet. Besides, he’s police; this is his job."

It feels a bit dismissive to call someone over just to have a look and then send them back.

Old Liu took out a cigarette, offering him one: "Don’t worry, we’ll reimburse your bus ticket. When this case is closed, we will help you seek a reward."

"Uncle Liu, I’m a businessman. I can make a living on my own; I don’t need any reward."

"Well, when this case is over, we invite you to come to our station for a visit."

"Uncle Liu, no need to be so polite. Don’t worry about reimbursing the ticket either. It’s not worth much, and reimbursement is too troublesome."

"It’s helping us out; we can’t let you pay out of your own pocket. Business isn’t easy in Linghai either. If you run into any trouble later on, you can go to Director Xu or to us. If we can help, we certainly will."

He had been waiting to hear just this!

Huang Jiangsheng thought to himself that with the backing of two police stations, who would dare to bully me in Bailong Port anymore? Could anyone from the Four Factory grain station be tougher than Xu Sanye, or tougher than two police stations?

He was envisioning a future where he wouldn’t have to worry about the Four Factory grain station causing trouble when the short and chubby suspect walked straight towards the bus sign.

The tall and thin suspect and the woman did not follow but stood under a sycamore tree talking, occasionally looking toward the bus sign, as if they were deliberately keeping their distance, seemingly guarding against something.

The short suspect arrived at the bus sign but did not line up; he didn’t seem to be waiting for a bus but rather for someone.

But the foreign ships had just docked; there was much work to be done.

The foreign sailors who had arrived early had not boarded the ship, nor had anyone from the ship disembarked. Even if someone disembarked, they wouldn’t come here to catch a public bus. Who exactly were they waiting for...

Sitting in the driver’s seat, Deputy Director Zhou was baffled and turned to ask, "Staff Xiao, can you get a good shot here?"

Staff Xiao lifted the camera and aimed: "There’s some obstruction here; it would be best to go around to the front."

"Xiao Liu’s car is coming; Xiao Huang, you can get off here."

Huang Jiangsheng hurriedly said, "Okay, then I’ll be going."

Worried that the suspect would see him, Deputy Director Zhou reminded, "Get off on the right side."

"Alright, goodbye Uncle Liu, goodbye Chief Zhou."

"Take care on the road."

Deputy Director Zhou saw Huang Jiangsheng out of the car, confirmed through the rearview mirror that he had gotten into Xiao Liu’s Volga, and chuckled, "Staff Xiao, sit tight. This car is a bit bumpy. It’s not a big deal if Old Liu’s old bones get rattled, but if your camera gets damaged, I can’t afford it even if I had to smash the pot and sell iron."

"Chief Zhou, you do make a joke. This camera belongs to the bureau; how could I afford it?"

"If it gets broken, compensation is required, no matter who owns it."

Deputy Director Zhou laughed out loud, twisted the car key, stomped on the starter pedal, cranked the engine, and drove the car forward.

...

PS: In my hometown, not many people eat carp, but when there’s a celebration at home like a birthday, wedding, etc., we buy a red carp and place it in front of the shrine to pay respects to the deities because a red carp symbolizes happiness and good fortune.