Death Notice 2 Destiny

Chapter 30

"There's no other reason he'd give up on solving cases," Ding Zhen continued. "There's only one explanation for why he doesn't want to be a policeman anymore: he's encountered a case he can't solve, and his personality makes him unable to accept failure. So he had to find an excuse to leave the criminal investigation team to preserve the illustrious reputation he'd built up over twenty years."

After saying this, Ding Zhen resumed eating his fast food. His demeanor was like a teacher lecturing students, only concerned with his own words and showing no interest in waiting for others to question or refute him.

However, Luo Fei couldn't help but raise his own doubts: "As far as I know, although some details of the 130 case are vague, the general situation is clear. The suspect was strapped with explosives, took hostages, and was ultimately shot dead by the police on the spot. There are no doubts about these things. What problems could possibly arise in such a case that even your father couldn't solve? Besides, when your father left the criminal investigation team, the case had already been closed and filed."

Ding Zhen choked on a mouthful of food: "Are you really that unaware, or are you pretending not to know?"

Luo Fei shook his head. Mu Jianyun, standing to the side, glared at Ding Zhen, making no attempt to hide his displeasure: "Can't you just say what you mean? Stop beating around the bush."

Having already experienced Mu Jianyun's sharp tongue, Ding Zhen didn't want to engage in another verbal conflict with her. So he quickly swallowed the food in his mouth and explained, "I thought that since you came to ask about that case, you should already know something about the relevant circumstances—the case seemed to be closed, but actually, there was a loose end. About two months later, the kidnapped victim came back to report that he had been kidnapped and extorted by the perpetrators' accomplices."

"An accomplice?" Luo Fei was increasingly surprised. "Who were they?"

"Who knows?" Ding Zhen shook his head, then changed the subject, "If he knew, my father wouldn't have resigned."

Luo Fei read the unspoken message: "You mean: the later cases were never solved? And that's why your father resigned?"

Ding Zhen nodded: "My father is a perfectionist and can't tolerate failure. So he'd rather resign than not resign. Hey, no matter what high-sounding reasons he gives, he can't fool me. I'm his son, no one knows him better than me." He ate as he spoke, and only a small portion of the fast food in front of him remained.

"Is that case really that complicated?" Luo Fei seemed a little confused. Normally, kidnapping and extortion cases are easy to solve because there's usually close contact between the perpetrator and the victim. How could Ding Ke, hailed as a legend in the police force, be stumped by this kind of case?

Ding Zhen noticed Luo Fei's confusion and shrugged, saying, "I don't know the specifics of the case—and I never care about those things. But during that period, my father was constantly frowning at the case files, something I can't recall ever happening before."

Luo Fei's brows furrowed deeper and deeper. He hadn't expected that the 130 case concealed an even more complex situation. Wen Hongbing had already been shot dead by Yuan Zhibang at the scene, so who was this accomplice who appeared later? And what kind of criminal methods did this guy use to force Ding Ke to leave the police force?

One mystery after another emerged, making the already shrouded 130 case even more mysterious.

"Alright, let's end our conversation here," Ding Zhen suddenly said.

Luo Fei's train of thought was interrupted. He looked up at the other person in astonishment: "What?"

"Our conversation should end now," Ding Zhen repeated, "because my lunch break is over, and I need to get back to work."

Luo Fei noticed that there was only an empty box left in front of the other person's fast food. Could it be that the "lunch break" he mentioned was completely equivalent to "lunch time"?

Ding Zhen answered this question with his actions. He picked up the phone on his desk and instructed his secretary in the outer room, "Xiao Wu, come in and collect the lunchboxes. Also, bring over the data on the wastewater discharge from that pharmaceutical factory in Shandong."

"Professor Ding," Luo Fei quickly reminded him, "you haven't told us how to find your father yet."

This is the most important purpose of their trip, so how could the conversation end so hastily?

Ding Zhen gave a disappointing answer: "He has disappeared for ten years, and I don't know where he is."

"Isn't there any way to contact them?" Luo Fei asked, unwilling to give up—in such an information-rich modern society, this was truly illogical.

Ding Zhen scoffed, his tone growing impatient: "He's trying to hide himself, why would he leave his contact information?"

"Then why did he hide himself?" Luo Fei persisted.

Ding Zhen replied indifferently, "I think I've answered similar questions before."

"What?" Luo Fei was momentarily confused.

"Use your analytical skills." Ding Zhen tapped his head with his finger, seemingly disappointed by Luo Fei's thoughtless question. At the same time, the door was gently pushed open, and Wu Qiong walked in carrying a pile of documents.

"I'll give you one last half minute. Do you have any more questions?" While Wu Qiong was tidying up her desk, Ding Zhen once again signaled that he wanted to end the conversation.

"In that case—" Luo Fei helplessly shrugged, "--that's all for now."

Ding Zhen grunted in response and picked up a document to look through. Almost instantly, he entered a working state, his eyes fixed straight ahead, his expression focused, as if any external disturbances had been completely shut out from him.

Faced with such a predicament, Luo Fei could only look at Mu Jianyun beside him, and they exchanged self-deprecating jokes for some consolation.

Fortunately, Ding Zhen had an understanding secretary. Wu Qiong walked up to the two men with a smile and said softly, "Officer Luo, Professor Mu, why don't you go back first? If there's anything else, feel free to contact me, and I'll arrange another meeting between you and Professor Ding."

Wu Qiong's words were very polite, but the subtext revealed that the two men's uninvited arrival was inappropriate. Luo Fei and Mu Jianyun had also witnessed Ding Zhen's work ethic, making every second count. Now that Wu Qiong had offered them a way out, they naturally accepted.

"Alright then, we won't bother you any longer." Luo Fei said, standing up with Mu Jianyun.

"Please follow me, I'll take you to the elevator." Wu Qiong's smile was as bright as a flower. After saying that, she led the way out, her steps graceful and her figure swaying elegantly.

The three shook hands and parted ways at the elevator entrance. Luo Mu and his companion then entered the elevator. After the elevator started moving, Luo Fei asked, "Do you think Ding Zhen's words are reasonable?"

Mu Jianyun countered, "What do you mean?"

"First, regarding the reasons for Ding Ke's retirement from the police force; second, the father and son had no contact for ten years."

"The first point is very reasonable," Mu Jianyun said confidently. "At least this explanation is much more plausible than the so-called physical reasons. Ding Ke was only in his fifties when he resigned, right? His body shouldn't have been unable to cope, and besides, he was perfectly fine for several years afterward. So his retirement needs to be analyzed from a psychological perspective. As a legend in the police force, known for his 100% case-solving rate, he must have been under immense pressure that ordinary people couldn't comprehend. He would be even more afraid of failure, and if faced with an insurmountable case, he might very well choose to run away."

"Hmm." Luo Fei nodded, agreeing with Mu Jianyun's analysis. But a look of frustration appeared on his face, because this analysis was erasing the sacred aura surrounding Ding Ke. As a police academy graduate from the 1980s, Ding Ke was an undisputed idol in the hearts of his generation, so he quickly ended this awkward topic.

"Let's talk about the second point."

"As a father and son, it's truly incomprehensible that they haven't had any contact for ten years," Mu Jianyun said carefully. "If I had to explain it, I could only conclude that there's something wrong with the relationship between them."

Luo Fei's eyes flickered; this was exactly the analysis he wanted to hear. Earlier in Ding Zhen's office, Mu Jianyun's words had revealed some clues, and they had clearly struck a nerve with Ding Zhen.

The elevator arrived at the first floor, and the two stepped out, facing the glass curtain wall on the south side of the building. Outside the curtain wall, there were lush flowers, trees, and shrubs, while inside, a circle of round tables and wooden chairs created an elegant relaxation area.

"Let's go sit down," Luo Fei suggested. The place looked quiet, a good spot for conversation.

Mu Jianyun readily agreed. The two found a table against the wall and sat down. Sunlight shone through the trees and into the glass wall, bright but not dazzling.

"Let's continue our previous topic," Luo Fei reminded him. "You mentioned the father-son relationship between Ding Ke and Ding Zhen."

Mu Jianyun's gaze flickered, as if she were deep in thought. Then, she looked at Luo Fei with her bright eyes and asked, "Police officers, especially criminal investigators, while shouldering social responsibilities, often neglect their roles and responsibilities within the family, right?"

"That's unavoidable," Luo Fei answered frankly. "Once you become a criminal investigator, your life will revolve around all sorts of criminals. Naturally, you'll have less time for your family."

"I've deeply felt this since joining the 'April 18th' task force," Mu Jianyun said, half-jokingly and half-complainingly.

"That's life for a criminal investigator; it's completely different from the leisurely life of a university lecturer," Luo Fei smiled, looking both apologetic and somewhat helpless. "Many people really can't adapt. When I was in Longzhou, one of my young subordinates always said he wanted to quit. His girlfriend couldn't stand his work ethic and threatened to break up with him."

"I understand. When you're working on a case, you often don't see anyone for three to five days at a time, and you have to live in fear—" Mu Jianyun sighed softly, lowered her head to think for a while, and then suddenly looked up and said, "Actually, we don't need to talk about others, let's talk about yourself."

"Talking about me? Talking about what?" Luo Fei actually knew what Mu Jianyun meant, but he deliberately laughed it off.

"Your own life." Mu Jianyun's expression was serious. "Have you always been like this? Alone. Is your world only about cases and criminals?"

Luo Fei fell silent. This seemingly simple question was enough to stir up too many memories deep within him. After a long while, he softly chuckled and said, "Perhaps this is the life most suitable for me."

"Actually—" Mu Jianyun looked deeply into Luo Fei's eyes, as if trying to dig out all the emotions the other was hiding, "—not necessarily."

"Oh?" Luo Fei laughed. "What do you know?"

"From the day you gave us the day off, I could sense another side of you. In your world, besides cases and criminals, there are many softer things. It's just that you prefer to hide them."

Two days ago, when Luo Fei led his team to ambush Han Hao, he was moved by the scene of Han Hao parting from his wife and children, so he gave the task force members leave to go home and reunite with their families. Everyone happily left, but Luo Fei could only savor the feeling of loneliness and isolation. That scene was observed by the observant Mu Jianyun. Now, she specifically brought it up, gently touching a chord in Luo Fei's heart. His usually reserved expression softened considerably.

Going home. It's truly a warm word; just thinking about it can bring a feeling of sunshine.

Home is a safe haven where you can find peace when you're tired. More importantly, at home, there will always be someone who cares about you, and someone you care about in return.

But where is that haven, that person, for Luo Fei?

Thinking of this, Luo Fei bit his lip again, resisting the bitter feeling rising in his heart. Before his eyes, the image of a blue butterfly fluttering about reappeared.

That beautiful butterfly, its fluttering rhythm had long been integrated into Luo Fei's pulse, and even after eighteen long years, it was still closely connected with his every breath.

"What are you thinking about?" Mu Jianyun asked with concern. Luo Fei's emotional change did not escape her notice.

"I've been thinking about some..." Luo Fei took a deep breath, "...some things from the past."

"The past..." Mu Jianyun immediately understood. Her mind was inexplicably in turmoil, as if she wanted to avoid something, and she lowered her gaze. When she looked up again, she didn't look at Luo Fei, but turned her head to look at the trees outside the curtain wall.

Although the trees are dense and lush, autumn has arrived, and they are no longer as verdant as they were in spring and summer.

Is the heart of a wounded person like the trees in autumn, which, even if there is still some green left, will eventually wither and die in the autumn wind?

In the silence, Luo Fei was the first to pull himself out of his thoughts.

"I'm sorry, I seem to have gone off-topic. We should be talking about... the relationship between Ding Zhen and his son."

In fact, Mu Jianyun had gradually steered the conversation towards Luo Fei's innermost thoughts. Therefore, Luo Fei's apology only made her more embarrassed. She could only offer a self-deprecating "hehe" laugh, then smoothly steered the conversation back on track: "I was just thinking, what kind of person is Ding Ke? How would he handle the relationship between work and family?"

"His life must revolve around work," Luo Fei said without hesitation. "When we were in school, we heard many legends about him solving cases. These legends described him as a workaholic who would forget to eat and sleep if he wanted to solve a case. The one that impressed me the most was about how he once disguised himself and infiltrated a criminal gang. To maintain secrecy, he didn't contact his family for more than a month, and even his wife didn't know where he went."

"In that case, it's not hard to understand Ding Zhen's previous attitude."

When Mu Jianyun mentioned "her previous attitude," she was naturally referring to her initial sarcastic remarks about the criminal investigation profession when she first met Ding Zhen. She then went on to analyze in detail: "Ding Ke resigned eighteen years ago, when Ding Zhen was just twenty-four. Therefore, it's clear that the busiest period of Ding Ke's career coincided with Ding Zhen's adolescence. Teenage boys often expect their fathers' help and guidance in many ways, and Ding Ke, focused solely on his detective work, clearly neglected his son's needs in this regard. This created a rift between father and son. This explains why, when Ding Ke was forced to resign later, Ding Zhen not only wasn't distressed but even seemed to gloat."

"You mean: because Ding Ke was only focused on work, the relationship between father and son became estranged early on, which is why there's this strange situation of not contacting each other for ten years?"

Mu Jianyun pondered for a moment and said, "The causes of an event are often multifaceted, especially in complex interpersonal relationships. If a father and son are like strangers, then both sides must have their reasons."

"That's what I think too," Luo Fei immediately agreed. "Ding Ke may not have cared enough for his son in his early years, but Ding Zhen was already an adult when he disappeared ten years ago. At this point, he should take the initiative to shoulder the responsibility of caring for his aging father."

Mu Jianyun nodded and said, "That's the problem. We just witnessed Ding Zhen's work ethic—he's a workaholic too. In his eyes, family is likely a very diluted concept. That's why he has such an indifferent attitude towards his father."

Recalling Ding Zhen's tone when talking about his father, which was not only indifferent but also frequently tinged with sarcasm, Luo Fei shifted slightly, appearing somewhat uncomfortable. This father and son had both achieved enviable success in their careers, yet their family relationship, which should have been warm and loving, was so cold and distant.

"Even so, there are still things that don't make sense," Mu Jianyun continued. "After Ding Ke retired, he completely bid farewell to his career as a criminal investigator. As a person grows older, their dependence on family becomes stronger. Even if Ding Zhen didn't have time to visit him, he should have taken the initiative to contact his son, right?" After saying this, she paused and added, "I even have a very bad feeling about it."

Luo Fei understood what she meant from her tone and immediately replied, "You suspect he's no longer alive? That's highly unlikely."

"Oh? Why?"

He's still receiving his retirement pension.

"Getting paid?" Mu Jianyun stared wide-eyed in utter disbelief. A person who had been missing for ten years was still receiving a salary on time.

"Withdraw from the bank account," Luo Fei explained. "Ten years ago, the Municipal Public Security Bureau opened salary accounts for all its employees at the bank. And Ding Ke's account is frequently used for withdrawals; the most recent one was two months ago."

Mu Jianyun was still very surprised: "If that's the case, how come you couldn't find him? Try asking around the area near the ATM."

"The city bureau officers have already tried, but to no avail." Luo Fei narrowed his eyes slightly. "You have to believe me, if Ding Ke wants to hide, it's impossible to succeed by using police investigative methods."

Mu Jianyun pouted; she understood what the other person meant. To Ding Ke, the police's tactics were nothing more than child's play; they were far too easy for him to counter.

"That means Ding Ke is definitely alive, and in this city. It's just that no one can find him?"

Luo Fei nodded.

"This is really interesting..." Mu Jianyun frowned. "Why would he do this?"

The official account states that eighteen years ago, Ding Ke resigned from his position as captain of the criminal investigation team due to health reasons and remained unemployed for some time. However, the team would still seek his help with difficult cases. Over the years, Ding Ke helped the team solve numerous cases. But ten years ago, Ding Ke finally grew weary of the endless cycle of crime-solving and chose to disappear. To prevent the police from finding him, he left no contact information for anyone.

"The official explanation?" Mu Jianyun chuckled. "Then what do you think the real reason is?"

Luo Fei didn't answer directly; he simply said, "Ding Zhen has already given us a hint."

Mu Jianyun recalled the last few words Ding Zhen had said.

"I think I've answered similar questions before."

"Use your analytical skills."

Has it already been answered? Analysis? Mu Jianyun thought for a while, and finally understood.