Replacing the Evil Way

Chapter 34: Arrest

Fusheng Jinlong Garden was also a villa area in this city, but its positioning was clearly different from the celebrity-rich area where Cheng Zesheng resided. This difference was evident from the security management, reflecting different social strata. Most of the residents here were elderly people, and the villa next to Cheng Zhenqing’s residence was surrounded by two elderly households. The villas come with backyards where vegetables like bok choy, rapeseed, and chives were being grown, creating a lush and thriving scene.

“The neighbor’s villa has been unoccupied for a while, but I occasionally saw two young men visit. Now it has become a frequent occurrence, and I’ve even seen him at our doorstep in the morning.”

“Is it him?” Chong Zhenqing played back the footage captured from the surveillance camera. The elderly person squinted, took a while, and then nodded. “It should be, the build is similar, but he wears a mask covering his face, so I haven’t seen his features.”

“Does he come back in the morning and then leave again?”

The elderly person shook their head. “No, I don’t think so. His villa is located at the far end, so if someone leaves, they have to pass by our gate. I’ve been picking vegetables in the yard and haven’t seen him leave.”

Hu Songkai and Xia Liang cautiously explored outside the villa. Xia Liang held a toolbox and was gently held by Hu Songkai at the shoulder, crouching against the wall. He felt a bit disappointed and softly pleaded, “ErHu-ge, I also want to participate in the investigation!”

“Young man, don’t wander around. You’re a technical talent. I’ll call you when it’s time to pick the lock.”

Hu Songkai was skilled at terrain surveying and could handle various physical challenges. He looked through the window and saw that the house was empty, but it wasn’t as extreme as Yang the Ghostly Locksmith had described. It was slightly better than a raw house, at least with painted walls and installed doors, and the balcony’s French windows had curtains. After circling the house, and determining that there was no one inside through a few windows, Hu Songkai looked up at the second floor. He secured his gun on his belt, climbed the air conditioning unit, and smoothly hopped onto the balcony.

Similarly, the second floor was empty, and a visible layer of dust had accumulated on the floor. Hu Songkai crouched on the balcony and reported quietly into his radio, “Lao He, there is no one inside. We’re not sure about the basement yet. Should we go in and take a look?”

He Wei was currently reviewing the surveillance footage of the entrance and the road. Chong Zhenqing’s voice came through, “The neighbor said that Cheng Zhenqing returned in the morning and didn’t leave again. I’ve persuaded a few neighboring residents to a safe location, and the area has been cleared.”

Since no one was inside the house, Cheng Zhenqing was highly likely to be in the basement. In theory, he wouldn’t know that the police had pinpointed his exact location; otherwise, he wouldn’t have returned to the house in the morning.

“ErHu, Chong Zhen, Xia Liang, you guys go open the door. Don’t open the basement door yet; wait for me to get there. Wu Xiaolei, you and your team stay on the perimeter.” He Wei patted Yun Xiaoxiao’s shoulder. “Xiaoxiao, you stay in the car and monitor the situation. If you notice anything unusual, report it immediately.”

He opened the car door and briskly walked along the path toward the two-story villa that was surrounded by the team. Xia Liang opened his toolbox and took out Yang the Ghostly Locksmith’s handcrafted gadget, which was reputed to be capable of unlocking any smart lock in the world. Hu Songkai stood at the door, and Chong Zhen was positioned near the window that seemed easiest for escape. With the setup complete, Hu Songkai nodded at Xia Liang, who connected the coil to the smart lock port and pressed the switch.

In just five seconds, the smart lock system rebooted, and the door lock was released. Xia Liang acted cautiously, slowly pushing the door open. With a “whoosh”, a bullet came through the wind.

“Xiao Xia!” Hu Songkai grabbed Xia Liang and pulled him back. While they were wearing bulletproof vests, their arms were still vulnerable. The incoming bullet pierced Xia Liang’s upper right arm, staining his uniform sleeve a deep red.

“Damn it! He found us!” Hu Songkai held onto Xia Liang’s wound and called out to Chong Zhen, “Lao Chong! Xia Liang’s injured. Quickly find a way to get him out!”

In pain, Xia Liang’s face turned pale, and beads of cold sweat started forming on his forehead. Trembling, he managed to say, “W-window, window…”

His words were barely out when, accompanied by a loud crash, the window glass where Chong Zhen was standing was shattered. Chong Zhen shielded his head with his arm, his hair and back covered in glass fragments. Despite minor injuries, glass shards fell away to reveal a pair of eyes peering in from the windowsill.

Two shots followed in quick succession, but Chong Zhen ducked and rolled to the side. Hu Songkai yelled into the radio, urging the perimeter team to call an ambulance quickly; Xia Liang was on the verge of passing out!

He Wei practically sprinted over, followed by four colleagues. They quickly brought Xia Liang out. Wu Xiaolei rushed in with a bulletproof shield, and amidst his bloodied hand, Hu Songkai expressed frustration and regret, saying, “It’s my fault. I didn’t notice he was hiding inside the house. The silencer on his gun—I should have realized he fired from behind the balcony curtains. Damn it, if Xia Liang’s arm is ruined, I’ll cut off his damn hands!”

“I never expected him to take the initiative like that. Everyone, be cautious.” He Wei took the bulletproof shield from Wu Xiaolei and instructed him to continue guarding the perimeter. Slowly, he opened the door and entered, gun in hand and maintaining high vigilance. Chong Zhen also climbed in through the window, scanning the surroundings. Surprisingly, there was no one in the living room.

According to Yang the Ghostly Locksmith’s information, there was a hidden door leading to the basement, located within the storage room. All three of them suspected that Cheng Zhenqing had headed to the basement after firing his gun. He Wei pressed against the wall, his hand on the door, signaling to Chong Zhen. Chong Zhen nodded and exchanged nods with Hu Songkai. Each of them positioned themselves on opposite sides, guns aimed at the slowly opening wooden door.

The storage room was eerily quiet. He Wei glanced around, walked in, and felt along the wall until he found the hidden door. The complex combination lock, previously broken by Yang the Ghostly Locksmith, was now useless. He Wei instructed Hu Songkai to stay above and guard, while he and Chong Zhen descended into the basement. They carefully navigated the cement stairs until the basement’s layout unfolded before their eyes.

It was quite small, with dim lighting, allowing them to see almost to the end with just a glance. It couldn’t compare to the armory in Cheng Zesheng’s home. There was a recliner, a thin blanket, and a few takeout boxes, indicating that this had likely been Cheng Zhenqing’s recent accommodation. Several bullet casings lay scattered on the table, and there was a safe on the floor. Most importantly, there was even a back door!

“This guy definitely left through the back door!” Chong Zhen picked up the radio. “Perimeter control, pay attention! The suspect is armed and has already left! He used the back door!”

He Wei opened the back door and followed the dim, narrow corridor outside. To his surprise, he emerged next to the garage, just a few meters away from the villa. This was a manually dug tunnel that extended beyond the perimeter of their surveillance.

“Captain! I’ve seen Cheng Zhenqing!” Yun Xiaoxiao’s voice came through the radio. “He’s on a bicycle heading towards the west gate. I’ll go intercept him!”

“Xiaoxiao, don’t get out of the car!”

Yun Xiaoxiao probably didn’t hear, as the sound of an engine starting came through the radio. He Wei’s brow furrowed deeply. He instructed Wu Xiaolei to split the team into two groups—one to evacuate the crowd and the other to support Yun Xiaoxiao. There were several bicycles next to the garage. He grabbed one, hopped on, and rode towards the west gate.

With this underground tunnel, Cheng Zhenqing could have easily escaped if he had discovered them earlier. Instead, he chose a gunfight, which wasn’t the most sensible choice, and wasted valuable time for escape. Why did he do that?

The Fusheng Jinlong Garden community was large, and the path to the west gate was winding. Fortunately, there weren’t many pedestrians on the road, and Yun Xiaoxiao pressed the accelerator harder. Even though Cheng Zhenqing was on a bicycle, the Jeep was faster. With quick acceleration, the jeep pulled alongside Cheng Zhenqing’s bicycle. Yun Xiaoxiao lowered her window and shouted, “Cheng Zhenqing! I’m a police officer! Stop immediately!”

Cheng Zhenqing turned his head, revealing a somewhat similar handsome face to Cheng Zesheng’s. He smiled faintly at Yun Xiaoxiao, “Beauty! I don’t want to kill anyone. Don’t follow me.”

Yun Xiaoxiao was furious. After just hearing about Xia Liang’s injury, she was both shocked and angered. How could this criminal, who had shot so skillfully and directly, have the nerve to say he didn’t want to kill anyone? Gritting her teeth, she pressed the accelerator to the floor, and the Jeep surged forward with a “zoom.” She violently turned the steering wheel and slammed on the brakes. The screeching of tires filled the air as the jeep came to a stop, blocking Cheng Zhenqing’s path.

Yun Xiaoxiao got out of the car and raised her gun, pointing it at Cheng Zhenqing. “Stop immediately! Surrender now, or I’ll shoot!”

Cheng Zhenqing smiled again, let out a whistle, waved at her, then changed direction and rode towards a small park within the community.

“Hey, come back!” Yun Xiaoxiao holstered her gun, turned, and grabbed the radio in the car. “Wu Xiaolei! He’s heading toward the park. There are many elderly people there. Stop him!”

He Wei also heard the radio transmission. He braked abruptly and raised his index finger to his forehead, recalling the panoramic map of the community he had seen in the security room.

After a moment, he twisted the handlebars and rode in the opposite direction of the small park, heading towards the east gate. Chong Zhen, who had caught up, looked puzzled. “Hey! Lao He, where are you going? The nearest gate to the park is the south gate!”

After entering the small park, Cheng Zhenqing took a shortcut, riding straight across the grass, much to the chagrin of the maintenance workers trimming the vegetation. Cheng Zhenqing waved at them, “Sorry, guys!”

With a smirk on his lips, he had just crossed a path and would soon reach the east gate. However, out of nowhere, a bicycle came speeding in from the side. Cheng Zhenqing braked abruptly, and their wheels collided.

He Wei had already thrown his bike aside when the collision was imminent. He lunged towards Cheng Zhenqing. Caught off guard, Cheng Zhenqing found his throat being gripped, and they tumbled into the grass. He Wei tackled him from behind, pulling out a pair of handcuffs from his pocket. However, he was struck by an elbow in his chest and couldn’t help but grunt.

Cheng Zhenqing grabbed He Wei’s arm and reached for his joints. He Wei guessed his intention and bent his knee to brace against Cheng Zhenqing’s back. He freed his arm, grabbed Cheng Zhenqing’s other arm, and twisted it behind his back.

“Skilled in martial arts? You even know about joint locks.”

Pinned to the ground in the grass, Cheng Zhenqing turned his head to look at He Wei, a strange glint in his eyes as he smiled. “Officer He, we meet again.”

Again? He Wei remained composed, about to handcuff the suspect. Unexpectedly, Cheng Zhenqing gathered strength and performed a swift movement, flipping He Wei onto his back. Simultaneously, he pulled out a gun from his pocket. “I really don’t want to kill anyone, but I can’t let you capture me either. Give me a way out?”

He Wei stared at him coldly, stood up from the ground, and walked step by step toward Cheng Zhenqing. “No matter what you say, I’m taking you back. If you have the guts, go ahead and shoot.”

Cheng Zhenqing subconsciously turned his head, and a gust of wind swept by. He felt a sharp elbow collide with his right cheek, leaving him dizzy and his vision blurry from the stinging pain. At the same time, the gun he held was snatched away. This time, He Wei was the one holding the gun against his temple, his index finger resting on the trigger, his tone casual. “Don’t test my patience. You only released the safety catch just now, but I’ve disengaged both safety mechanisms. Make any move, and you know the consequences.”

“…” Cheng Zhenqing’s peripheral vision caught Chong Zhen, who had arrived on a bike. He sighed helplessly. “Officer He, using tactics against me, huh?”

“All is fair in war.”

Seeing that He Wei had successfully restrained the suspect, Chong Zhen rode up from a distance. He threw his bike aside, took out handcuffs, and secured Cheng Zhenqing’s hands. Colleagues continued to arrive, and Cheng Zhenqing was escorted to the car. Yun Xiaoxiao was still annoyed, glaring at him.

Cheng Zhenqing shrugged. “Beauty, don’t keep staring at me. It wouldn’t be good if you fell for me.”

“You heartless murderer! Cheng Zesheng was so gentle—how can you be his brother?”

Cheng Zhenqing blinked, a wry smile forming. He didn’t offer any further explanations.