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A Lunatic Says He Loves Me: Chapter 45
45. Dense Fog 2
The house was fully equipped with appliances. Han Rong walked into the bathroom and turned on the faucet, but no water came out. He then pressed the switch on the wall, but the lights didn’t turn on either.
“There’s no water or electricity. Yuan Fei, check who owns this property and how it’s related to Wildfire.”
“This house is registered under Wildfire’s father’s name.” Putting down his laptop, Yuan Fei asked in confusion, “Wildfire’s parents have passed away, so why hasn’t the house been transferred? And why leave the key card with Wang Yun?”
Han Rong didn’t answer. He pushed open the study door, and dust flew in his face. Covering his nose, he waved his hand and accidentally knocked over a nearby Buddhist altar, causing an incense burner to fall and roll on the floor.
Yuan Fei followed him in. “Why is there a Buddhist altar in the study? Aren’t they worried that candle and incense ash could ignite and burn the books?”
The altar stood against the wall, about two meters high and one meter wide, half-cylindrical in shape, with a hollow center for placing the Buddha statue.
Ling Feng said, “Perhaps it was his parents’ shrine. After they passed away, Wildfire brought it here.”
“Why not throw it away if it’s not being used? I thought police officers are atheists.”
“Since it belonged to his parents, it’s considered a keepsake. He’s someone who cherishes old memories and sentiments.”
Han Rong placed the incense burner back on the altar, inevitably getting his hand dusty. He looked up at the Buddha statue, which appeared shiny and new.
“Everything else is covered in dust, but the Buddha statue is clean. Wildfire must have returned not long ago.” As he spoke, he grasped the Buddha statue and found that it was connected to the altar base and couldn’t be moved.
Yuan Fei asked, “Why did he only touch the Buddha statue when he came back? Is there something special about it?”
“It’s not coming off.”
“Try turning it left or right.”
Han Rong attempted to rotate the base, and indeed it moved. After about three turns, a gear clicked into place, and a door opened at the bottom of the altar.
“The altar is hollow underneath.” Yuan Fei crouched down and opened the door, revealing a safe. Scratching his head, he said, “It needs a four-digit code.”
Han Rong suggested, “0807, Wang Yun’s birthday.”
The safe opened.
“Holy…” Yuan Fei was shocked, his jaw dropping. “Did he rob a bank or something?”
Inside the safe was a box full of cash. Yuan Fei took out a bill and shook it, the crisp sound of paper rubbing against the air was unmistakable. “They’re new bills! Huh, there’s a flower on this one.”
In the lower right corner of the bill was a white calla lily.
Yuan Fei rummaged through the safe. “These bills have the same flower. Are they counterfeit?”
No one answered him. When he turned around, Han Rong had an inscrutable expression, deep in thought. Ling Feng’s face was unusually dark, almost as black as a pot. After a while, Ling Feng said, “They’re not counterfeit.”
“In 2011, during a period of monetary tightening, the government issued new bills. A small portion of these were commemorative editions printed with district flowers. Ordinary people could only exchange old bills for the new commemorative bills at certain banks if they had saved enough money. In Hucheng District, only Huahua Bank had the right to exchange the commemorative bills. The calla lily is the district flower of Hucheng.”
Yuan Fei said, “Huahua Bank can exchange district flower commemorative currency? How come I didn’t know about this? I must be a fake Hucheng resident.”
“Because this batch of new bills was robbed shortly after being delivered to the bank, and the police never recovered the stolen money. Right?” Han Rong looked at Ling Feng with a half-smile. “Back then, the police deliberately withheld this information to track the robbers. As long as the commemorative currency with the calla lily appeared, they could identify the robbers. But as it turns out, the robbers were not only smarter than you but also better informed.”
“In 2011, seven years ago, could it be the Hucheng 713 robbery? That case had a significant impact and remained unsolved for a long time. There were rumors it was an inside job. But why would Wildfire need so much money? He doesn’t have a family to support!”
Han Rong suddenly asked, “Which hospital did Wang Yun have her surgery in?”
Yuan Fei was taken aback and said, “Renxin Hospital.”
“The date?”
“September 2, 2011.”
Han Rong looked at Ling Feng, “You said Wildfire has only taken sick leave once in all his years of work. When was that?”
Ling Feng said, “It seems to have been in August.”
Yuan Fei gasped, “The robbery happened on July 13, Wildfire took leave in August, and Wang Yun had surgery in September… This can’t be a coincidence…”
Han Rong immediately turned and walked out. “Let’s go to Renxin Hospital.”
The three of them got in the car and headed to Renxin Hospital.
Ling Feng said, “You suspect the kind person who donated the money for Wang Yun’s treatment was Wildfire?”
Han Rong, staring at the rapidly passing scenery outside the car window, said faintly, “Most likely.”
Renxin Hospital, located in the center of Xuezhou, is a prestigious hospital with a century-old history. Even though Yuan Fei showed his credentials and asked for evidence in the name of police business, the hospital was uncooperative. Just then, Ji Yan called to check on them, and Han Rong mentioned it.
Ji Yan said, “I have some connections with their director. Let me handle it.”
About fifteen minutes later, Ji Yan called back. Han Rong handed the phone to Ling Feng. “You take it.”
Ji Yan said, “The donor requested the hospital keep it confidential from the family and not disclose it to the public.”
Ling Feng said, “We won’t disclose it; we just need to confirm some leads. You don’t have to tell me the name; I only need a yes or no answer. Was the donor named Liu Zhizhou? Yes or no?”
“Yes.”
Upon hearing Ji Yan’s response, Han Rong immediately walked away, leaving his phone behind. Yuan Fei was puzzled and shouted, “Han Ge, where are you going?!”
Han Rong didn’t answer, quickening his pace. Yuan Fei started to chase after him but was grabbed by the arm by Ling Feng. “Don’t go.”
“Why?”
“Do you know why Han Rong went crazy before?”
“You’ve heard of it but don’t understand. I’ve heard it was an accidental murder.”
“The robber who killed his mother was one of the perpetrators of the 713 robbery.”
Yuan Fei’s eyes widened, and he slapped his thigh and jumped up. “Then we should hurry and chase him! What if he gets agitated and goes crazy on the street again?”
“You go ahead. I’m not going. I can’t face him.” Ling Feng rubbed his bald head in frustration. Yuan Fei was puzzled. “What’s it got to do with you? You weren’t even transferred to Hucheng District when the robbery happened. It wasn’t your fault.”
“We’re investigating the cause of Wildfire’s death right now, and Wildfire… from what it looks like, was one of the 713 robbers. That makes him an accomplice in the murder of Han Rong’s mother. Do you think Han Rong will still help us with the case?”
“Ah? Han Ge isn’t that petty, right? I think his temper has improved a lot since he recovered.” Yuan Fei scratched his face. “Well, you stay here, and I’ll go find him.” Before Yuan Fei could take two steps, Han Rong returned, carrying a supermarket bag with drinks. “Want some water?”
“Yes! I haven’t had a drop of water all day; I’m dying of thirst!” Yuan Fei went over to help him with the bag, giving Ling Feng a disdainful look.
Ling Feng mumbled, “I thought you wouldn’t come back.”
Han Rong said, “Why wouldn’t I? The official announcement said there were three robbers: one died at the scene, I caught one, and one is still at large. Although it looks like Wildfire is the one who got away, I don’t believe someone used to working underground could manage a large-scale operation in public. So, the robbery definitely involved more than three robbers. Right?”
After hearing this, Yuan Fei felt a chill down his spine. The information in Han Rong’s words was overwhelming!
After a moment of silence, Ling Feng nodded stiffly. “The informant’s message actually said there were five robbers. Three carried out the robbery openly, and two commanded from the shadows.”
“Then Wildfire was one of the rats hiding in the dark. Judging by the cash found at his home, he was likely responsible for transferring the stolen money. Captain Ling, let’s make a deal.” Han Rong looked at him and said, “I’ll continue following Wildfire’s case and promise to spare no effort to solve it, but you have to agree that when we catch the other rat, you let me handle him. No reporting to the authorities.”
Ling Feng didn’t hesitate and nodded. “Deal!”
Yuan Fei exclaimed, “Captain Ling! If the higher-ups find out, you’ll be reprimanded!”
Ling Feng shrugged. “I’ve already been dismissed; who am I going to report to? Solving the case now is purely personal. Don’t worry, Comrade Yuan Fei, I won’t expose your abuse of power for personal gain.”
Yuan Fei: “…”
“OK. We’ve reached a consensus, so let’s share our resources now,” Han Rong said. “Back then, the authorities downplayed and concealed this nationally sensational case, misleading the public with vague information. Many details were never disclosed. I need to know all the clues.”
“I don’t know much more than you. According to the records, there was a major conference in a neighboring city, and many police officers were reassigned, leaving few in the district. When the police arrived at the scene, one of the robbers was holding a little girl hostage. Negotiations failed, and the leader ordered a sniper to kill the robber holding the hostage. When that robber was shot, another one got into a getaway car and escaped. During this, the sniper hit his left arm.”
“All the attention was on the hostage and the robber, allowing the other two to take advantage. Unfortunately, the hostage didn’t survive. The little girl had a congenital heart condition and died on the spot. The entire city then went on high alert, with departments coordinating and major roads blocked, but the robbers still escaped.”
Yuan Fei asked, puzzled, “How could they escape with so many roadblocks?”
Han Rong replied, “What if the robbers switched to a police car?”
Yuan Fei realized, “If they escaped in a police car, it would be easier to evade the search. But one of them was shot. He couldn’t have gotten far, right?”
“Not far. The robber got off in Hecheng. Wildfire then drove the police car to move the stolen money.”
“How do you know?” Yuan Fei asked, only to be glared at by Ling Feng.
Han Rong explained, “Because one of them killed my mother in Hecheng, and I caught him and sent him to prison.”
“Didn’t he reveal the others?”
Ling Feng replied, “No.”
“Why not?”
“Probably being blackmailed like Wildfire.”
Han Rong asked, “I’m curious, what other information did the informant provide?”
Ling Feng said, “Shortly after revealing the number of suspects to the police, he was killed. We don’t know who did it.”
Han Rong said, “Five people robbed the bank, three openly, two in the shadows. Not a penny of the stolen money has been recovered. Their coordination was flawless, likely involving insiders from the bank. Plus, the informant’s mysterious death suggests more than one insider in the police force, not just Wildfire. Let’s split up. You and Yuan Fei go to Huahua Bank to find eyewitnesses from back then, and I’ll go to Qiqi Prison.”
Ling Feng knew what he intended to do and said, “The warden is my friend. I’ll call him.”
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