außer Kontrolle

Kapitel 11

Is she your girlfriend?

...

After finally getting Kou Yun to agree to my request, I gently closed the door, only to find myself unexpectedly sharing a room with her without any awkwardness, just like a younger sister I'd watched grow up.

According to Buddhism, this is fate.

I've made up my mind. If I can resolve my own issues smoothly, I'll find her a job in Shanghai so she can settle down and stop wandering around. As for her brother, I can ask friends in the public security system to help look for him. If I can't resolve my own issues, I absolutely cannot drag her into this quagmire.

So tonight, when I sneak into the Yang residence, I can't bring her along.

After asking a few people, I found a small hardware store and bought a piece of wire, a pair of pliers, and a small steel hook. Then I took a taxi to the vicinity of Yang's residence, went to an internet cafe, and spent some time online, playing racing games.

Time passed quickly, and it was nearly 2 a.m. when I walked past the security booth at the entrance of Yangzhai Community.

The security guard didn't ask anything.

Fourth, the removed arrest warrant (6)

The Yang residence was on the second floor of a multi-story building. The hallway was equipped with sound-activated lights. I stomped my foot hard and found room 201 under the light.

I looked at this door; Yang Hongmin used to live here.

The lights went out. I breathed softly in the darkness.

I pulled out the tools I'd bought from my pocket. I had to deal with two doors: a security door and a regular door.

There are actually many ways to unlock a door without a key.

The most violent method is to pry it open, which would make a noise, and obviously I can't do that.

Another type is the master key.

Master keys are actually a general term used by laymen, and there are many different types. One of the more famous types is a set of combination tools made of steel wire, iron hooks, and toothed molds, which first appeared in Europe. It is also called a "lily key," meaning "a key composed of a hundred lock-picking tools." Such a set of master keys is very valuable and has gradually become a collection for some experts and collectors. In particular, the lily keys made by some famous European locksmiths can fetch hundreds of thousands of dollars per set.

Another type of master key commonly used by thieves in China today looks similar to a regular key and comes in several types, including single-cylinder and cross-cylinder keys. Unlike regular keys, which have sharp edges, these keys have smooth, inconspicuous teeth. When inserted into the keyhole and force is applied in a specific way, the lock can be easily opened.

Of course, there are also advanced high-pressure expansion airbags, high-frequency vibrating brushes, and electric electromagnetic lock picks, as well as superconducting soft ray detectors, ultrasonic high-frequency detectors, and laser scanners. These utilize various light waves and rays to scan and detect the internal structure of the lock, making it easy to open.

These tools are not something I can obtain right now.

However, the wire and steel hooks available in every hardware store are more than enough to open most locks in the world in the hands of someone who has received professional instruction. And I happened to have a sudden interest in this and received five days of professional training from Wei Hou. In his words, relying too much on high technology will make you stupid; the few skills I learned would be enough to make a living as a thief.

He cut a small piece of wire with pliers, bent it into a specific arc, and inserted it into the keyhole. Then, he slowly inserted the steel hook he was holding in his other hand.

Feeling the internal structure, recalling the practice of those days and Wei Hou's words, I fumbled for five or six minutes and finally found the point. The wire and steel hook were held together, and then I slowly turned it.

The lock is open.

Having learned from experience, I opened the ordinary lock on the inside door in just thirty seconds.

Everything was so easy; I pushed the door open.

Inside, just like outside, it was dark and silent.

Eagle...can I really get clues here?

I took a deep breath, stepped forward, entered the room, and gently closed the door.

I reached out and felt around on the wall next to me; the light switch should be nearby.

The lights came on.

The light is on, but I haven't found the switch yet.

I didn't turn on this light!

Suddenly, the light shone brightly, and the stark contrast between light and dark made me squint.

“That’s it!” a voice said.

Fifth, the Eagle in the Mist (1)

"That's a lot!"

It was like being doused with a bucket of cold water; every pore on my body opened up instantly.

I didn't turn around and run away; that would have been a ridiculous move. Since they had laid a trap for me here, there was no way I could escape.

I fell into a deep depression, feeling utterly disheartened and thinking that everything was over.

But why does this voice sound somewhat familiar?

A few seconds later, my eyes adjusted to the light.

This was a fairly large living room, and there was only one person in plain clothes in front of me.

It turned out to be an acquaintance.

"Guo Dong! It's you!"

Why would this deputy director of the Special Affairs Division of the Shanghai Public Security Bureau be waiting for me at Yang Hongmin's residence in Beijing?

"I am the deputy head of the investigation team for Yang Hongmin's case."

I remembered Liang Yingwu telling me that Guo Dong couldn't be found on a mission; it turns out that this was the mission he was on!

"You're not the only one here, are you?" I quickly calmed myself down and asked him.

Why can't it be just me?

"Oh, aren't you afraid I'll run away?"

Guo Dong laughed: "Why did you run away?"

He sat down on the sofa and pointed to the sofa on the other side.

"Sit down," he said, smiling as if he were a host.

This is very strange, but it also means there's a chance for things to turn around.

"You guessed I'd come here?"

“You escaped from the detention center, so you can’t be content to remain a fugitive forever. You’ll definitely want to find out what happened and clear your name. You said you didn’t see the murderer, so you’ll start your investigation from the deceased. Of course, that means you’ll come to Beijing, and this is a place where there might be clues, but it’s also relatively easy to get in. I’ve been waiting for you all day.”

I sensed something amiss in his words and quickly asked, "You think I'm innocent? Is that your own belief, or does your entire investigation team think so?"

“The investigation team initially had this suspicion, but after I joined the team, they basically ruled you out. Because they couldn’t tell what kind of person you were or what kind of experiences you had from the regular information.”

"Did you join this investigation team voluntarily?" I interjected.

Guo Dong nodded slightly.

So, when he told Liang Yingwu that he would definitely help, he meant by choosing this method.

This is indeed the best way. If I am truly innocent, then the way to completely resolve the issue is to join the investigation team and get the case straight.

“I know you well, so it was natural for me to join. Besides, they already had some doubts before I joined.”

"Is there something I don't know? Can you tell me? I think I have some clues here that you don't know about yet."

"Oh? You have a new lead?" Guo Dong raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised.

"It was a sentence Yang Hongmin said to me before he died." I smiled and didn't say anything more.

“You’re quite the sly one. Okay, I’ll go first. Yang Hongmin’s vacation started three days before he boarded the Pacific Emerald. The night before he boarded, he made a phone call to the chief commander of the lunar launch at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, saying that he would end his vacation early, finish his tour of the Pacific Emerald, and head to Jiuquan, where he would discuss some matters with him.”

"Did he explain what the situation was?" I asked.

"It was about a launch mission that was successfully completed in January of this year. As for the specifics, Yang Hongmin said he wanted to discuss it in person. Moreover, his tone was rather strange, revealing a hint of hesitation, as if he thought the matter was important, but at the same time he was not quite sure about it."

“Then he was killed,” I said to myself.

“Yes. Nobody knows what he wants to talk to the commander-in-chief about. So before I arrived in Beijing, the investigation team was inclined to believe that the case wasn’t as simple as it seemed. And after I provided you with further information…” Guo Dong paused here, leaving the audience in suspense.

I smiled and looked at him. I knew perfectly well what I had done and what it reflected. A fool can't do criminal investigation, unless he's deliberately turning a blind eye.

"If Na Duo were such an impulsive person, he would have died ten times over after so many adventures. Conversely, someone who has been through so much wouldn't be so quick to kill over something so trivial. Furthermore, even if you were the one who killed him, you wouldn't panic and call for backup. You're not some greenhorn who's never seen anything like this. So the real killer is someone else who saw your conflict with Yang Hongmin and framed you to make the case simpler and quicker to close. Of course, we don't yet know exactly how they framed you."

"So you're saying it wasn't aimed at me? I was just unlucky because the murderer wanted to divert attention, so they framed me?" I immediately felt depressed.

"It seems quite likely that way," Guo Dong nodded.

"Was it your investigation team that notified them to cancel the arrest warrant originally issued against me by the Guangdong Provincial Public Security Department?"

"You actually knew about this?" Guo Dong was somewhat surprised. "It was indeed us who requested the cancellation."

I was overjoyed and asked, "So I'm alright?"

Guo Dong unexpectedly fell silent when I asked him a question, then gently shook his head.

"Didn't you confirm that I didn't do this? Or are you going to hold me responsible for escaping from the detention center? I was practically dragged out here..."

Guo Dong waved his hand, interrupting my explanation.

"This isn't too serious, and there's still room for maneuver. You have many connections, and none of them will necessarily have a criminal record. However, since the murderer wants to use you as a cover for him, then for the time being, you're tied to this case."

"Tie together? What do you mean by that?"

Fifth, the Eagle in the Mist (2)

"We don't know what information Yang Hongmin possessed that led to his murder. The investigation team is currently conducting a thorough investigation. This matter is definitely related to China's space program and even its lunar landing program, and it is of great importance. If we announce that you are not the real murderer, it means that we already know there is more to this case than meets the eye. Conversely, if we still consider you the murderer, the real murderer may lower their guard, which would be conducive to solving the case as soon as possible."

My eyes widened: "So you're saying that until you solve this case, I can't regain my normal identity and normal life?"

"That's all we can do for now. You can't regain your journalist status yet; to the outside world, you're still a fugitive. All I can do is not issue a warrant for your arrest. No police officer will actually come to arrest you. Consider this as assisting in the investigation; you'll receive a medal and compensation afterward," Guo Dong said apologetically.

"I don't want any medals or compensation." I was full of frustration, but I also knew that Guo Dong had already done a lot for me. Now that the investigation had been decided, there was no way to change it no matter how dissatisfied I was.

"Um, you just said that Yang Hongmin said something to you before he died, what was it?" Guo Dong asked.

I pulled myself together; at least now I don't have to worry about being chased by the police, and the situation is actually much better than I had imagined. If I want to return to a normal life as soon as possible, I have no choice but to fully cooperate with the police.

"Actually, he only had the strength to say two words: Eagle."

"An eagle? An eagle flying in the sky?"