Replacing the Evil Way

Chapter 75: Rescue

Zheng Youqing was missing.

After she took a taxi late at night and didn’t return home, Mr. and Mrs. Zheng initially thought she might have stayed overnight at a friend’s place after a late night out. But when they called and got no response, and she didn’t return any messages, they grew concerned. The next morning, Zheng Youqing didn’t show up for work, and when they asked some of her close friends, no one knew her whereabouts. That’s when they realized something was wrong.

But what was even worse was that on the same night, Qiao Ruofei also left the hotel. Zou Bin followed her to the mall, but after she entered the restroom, she never came out. Zhou Bin went in to check, but there was no sign of Qiao Ruofei.

The DNA comparison results have already come in, confirming that Qiao Ruofei was the “suspect” they had been tracking all along. The police also suspected that she was planning to kill one more person to complete the word “LOVE,” but to their surprise, the target was not Yun Xiaoxiao but Zheng Youqing, whom she only met for the first time yesterday.

After reviewing the street surveillance footage, everyone saw Zheng Youqing being abducted under a streetlight by a long-haired woman who drugged her and then took her away. The footage was in black and white, and from a distance, it was almost impossible to see the face clearly, but Yun Xiaoxiao exclaimed, “It’s Qiao Ruofei! I’m sure it’s her!”

He Wei frowned deeply, and Chief Zheng, usually a composed figure, couldn’t hide his anxiety. He paced around the office with his hands behind his back and demanded, “Why wasn’t she arrested yesterday?”

“Yesterday, the DNA comparison report hadn’t come in completely, and we didn’t have evidence to support our suspicions, so we couldn’t arrest her.” He Wei replied, staring at the surveillance footage. He then turned to ask, “Xiaoxiao, what time did you all go back yesterday?”

“At 8 p.m., at Huxin Plaza, we went our separate ways. I thought Youqing would go straight home!” Yun Xiaoxiao was frantic. “Why did she return so late? I should have seen her off into the taxi!”

“She’s an adult, and you can’t stop her from doing what she wants.” He Wei said, picking up a pen and marking several locations on the map. “Chong Zhen, ErHu, retrieve the surveillance footage from around Huxin Plaza and see if we can find out where Youqing went between 8 p.m. and 2 a.m. Lin Heyu, we’ll take two teams to search the locations marked on the map. Qiao Ruofei doesn’t have any acquaintances in Shengzhou City, and there are no ideal hiding places. If she plans to commit a crime, she can only choose from these nearby abandoned warehouses or long-unused construction sites. Hurry, act now!”

“Captain, you must find Youqing!” Yun Xiaoxiao was desperate. Qiao Ruofei had killed her boyfriend without hesitation, and Zheng Youqing was even more vulnerable. She had been working in the lab and wouldn’t stand a chance against a murderer.

“I know, I’ll do my best to find Youqing in this critical time,” He Wei said, looking at Chief Zheng. “Chief Zheng, trust me.”

Zheng Furui was beside himself with worry about his daughter being kidnapped by a serial killer. He knew that if someone remained missing for over 24 hours in such a case, the chances of a good ending grew slimmer. He took a deep sip of tea but couldn’t calm the raging anxiety.

On the other hand, after learning that Zheng Youqing was missing, He Wei immediately inquired about Yun Xiaoxiao’s whereabouts. After finding out that she was safe, he knew that Zheng Youqing was the one who had disappeared. He sprung into action, searching the abandoned factories and warehouses.

He couldn’t afford to waste any time. He couldn’t call for backup, and he couldn’t access the necessary surveillance footage. He had to be quick because the police would likely arrive soon. Meeting them could have dire consequences.

He Wei pushed open a rusty gate with a loud “clang”, and dust filled the air, indicating that it had been unused for a long time. From this, he deduced that they hadn’t been there. He moved on to the next location.

As he entered an abandoned construction site, he accidentally stepped on a broken branch. He picked it up; it wasn’t a decaying twig. Judging by the freshness of the break, it had been snapped off from a living tree. There were even traces of skin tissue at the tip. He picked up a piece of scrap metal, taking cautious steps, and carefully surveyed his surroundings for traps or potential ambushes.

Suddenly, he noticed tiny, dark red spots on the ground. These small circular marks had fallen on the yellow sand. He picked up one and rubbed it between his fingers. It didn’t feel like paint; it smelled like blood.

The bloodstains could not definitively identify whether they belonged to Qiao Ruofei or Zheng Youqing. However, in combination with the broken branch, it appeared that one of them had a cut on their arm or leg from the branch, leading to the bloodstains. Additionally, shoeprints on the ground indicated that both Zheng Youqing and Qiao Ruofei had indeed passed through this location. Zheng Youqing’s shoeprints were from high heels, while the other set of shoeprints, which belonged to Qiao Ruofei, were from flat sandals.

The shoeprints and scattered bloodstains continued to lead to another building. He Wei followed the trail and discovered more evidence inside that building, including a bloodstained chiffon scarf, which Zheng Youqing had used as a decorative accessory around her neck the previous day. On the floor, there was also another broken branch and a set of numbers written in the yellow sand—356.

Scarf and broken branches? He Wei had a sudden realization. He glanced at the numbers and then took a few steps back to the beginning of the numbers, adding a few words before them—Jinzhi (Golden Branch) Road.

In a dilapidated old house, Qiao Ruofei sat on the ground, her long skirt trailing on the muddy floor without a care. She rested her chin on her hand, looking at Zheng Youqing, whose hands and feet were bound, and smiled, “There are only ten minutes left. I’ve left clues, but I wonder if they can find this place.”

Zheng Youqing, with her almond-shaped eyes wide open, had a long gash on her leg from tree branches, and it stung painfully. Her mouth was taped shut, and she could only make muffled protests like “wuwuwu.” Qiao Ruofei leaned closer, sitting beside her as if chatting with a friend, and asked, “Who do you think will come first? Your Mr. He? If it’s not him, would you be disappointed?”

Zheng Youqing turned her head away, ignoring her. Qiao Ruofei took out a fruit knife, startling Zheng Youqing, who shook her head vigorously. Qiao Ruofei reassured her, “Don’t worry, I didn’t plan to harm you. Haven’t you noticed I didn’t even bring any tools? Although my chromosomes are XY, my appearance is that of a complete woman. I don’t have the means to do anything to you.”

She cut open Zheng Youqing’s collar and ripped it apart, revealing a large expanse of fair skin and pink lace-edged underwear. Qiao Ruofei looked surprised, “You have such a great figure! I’m increasingly puzzled. You’re so beautiful, with a curvaceous body, and the daughter of a police chief. Why hasn’t he accepted you yet?”

Zheng Youqing felt both embarrassed and infuriated, trying to wriggle free from the ropes, but Qiao Ruofei held her down. Qiao Ruofei used her lipstick to write the letter “O” on Zheng Youqing’s chest. When she looked up, she saw tears welling up in Zheng Youqing’s eyes, either from anger or fear, as she glared at Qiao Ruofei with hostility.

Qiao Ruofei sweetly smiled and lightly pinched her cheek, “There are only five minutes left. If no one comes, the game will be over.”

———

Jinzhi Road was a main north-south thoroughfare intersecting with Yulan Road, where the construction site was located. This road is quite long, with an ancient city wall, a majestic city gate, and the residence of a literary figure from the Ming and Qing dynasties, called the Jinzhi Yulan Garden, nearby. According to the navigation instructions, No. 356 should be next to this historical site. He Wei rushed there, panting heavily, only to find that the residential buildings in this area had already been vacated. Some had even started to be demolished, with the large red character “拆” (demolition) painted on the walls, visible from afar.

Zheng Youqing should be somewhere in those few remaining buildings. He Wei considered that since Qiao Ruofei had gone through the trouble of leaving clues to lead people here, she wouldn’t have done it just to dispose of a body. Zheng Youqing must still be alive. So, he cleared his throat and shouted, “Zheng Youqing!”

Zheng Youqing heard He Wei’s voice and determined that it was coming from a window at the back. She wanted to turn around but had no strength left. Five minutes earlier, Qiao Ruofei had administered some drugs to her and made her sit on a narrow stool. Underneath this stool were two more stacked stools, wobbling precariously. A rope was tied around her neck and secured to a ceiling beam, allowing her to maintain a sitting position without feeling suffocated. However, if her body tilted, causing the stools to topple, she would be hanged from the ceiling beam.

“I’ve given you a high concentration of drugs, and they will take effect very quickly. This way, you won’t feel the pain of being hanged,” Qiao Ruofei said as she held Zheng Youqing’s chin, planting a kiss on her lips. “I really like you, such a beauty, but it’s a pity…”

After Qiao Ruofei left, the room was empty except for Zheng Youqing. Her hands and feet were bound, and initially, she managed to sit upright on the chair. However, as the drugs took hold, her consciousness began to blur, and a strong drowsiness overcame her. She kept telling herself not to fall asleep, to hold on, or else she wouldn’t be able to wait for her colleagues from the bureau to come to her rescue.

It was unknown how much time had passed, but every minute and second felt like an eternity. Zheng Youqing’s eyelids grew heavier, and several times she came dangerously close to falling asleep and slumping to the side, but she managed to hold on. Until she heard someone calling her name, the voice was faint and distant, yet so familiar.

“Zheng Youqing! Are you there?”

...It’s him.

A faint smile curled on Zheng Youqing’s lips, but she could no longer hold on; her eyelids closed, and her body tilted to the side. The three stacked stools fell to the ground with a clatter, and under the force of gravity, the rope around her neck tightened. Zheng Youqing frowned, but she had no strength left to struggle.

He Wei turned around, looking at the building behind him. He distinctly heard the sound of a heavy object falling, probably from the third or fourth floor. He quickly rushed upstairs, kicked open the door on the third floor, but found no one inside. Then he went to the fourth floor, kicked open the door, and saw a pair of legs first, with the floral skirt’s hem hanging around the calves and the feet with a pair of high heels, bound together.

He Wei was filled with shock, scanning the room and then seeing the unconscious Zheng Youqing. His immediate reaction was to draw his gun and take aim at the rope, firing a shot that severed it. Zheng Youqing fell, and He Wei caught her, placing her gently on the floor. He untied the rope and checked her pulse before examining her pupils. He then proceeded with CPR.

Please, Youqing, you can’t die, not now!

He Wei pinched Zheng Youqing’s nose, tilted her chin upward, and blew air into her mouth. After two breaths, he resumed chest compressions, his forehead covered in sweat. The image of Cheng Zesheng’s tragic death kept flashing in his mind, making his face and lips pale, and sweat dripped from his nose.

After the fifth round of artificial respiration, Zheng Youqing’s chest suddenly began to rise and fall on its own. He Wei clearly saw her exhale.

“Youqing! Youqing!” He Wei patted Zheng Youqing’s cheeks gently. Zheng Youqing’s breathing was weak, and she opened her eyes slightly. “He…”

“I’m He Wei. You’re safe now; everything will be fine.” He Wei held her, stroking her hair soothingly. A heavy weight was lifted from his heart.

“It’s really you…” Zheng Youqing’s hands were weak and feeble as she grabbed his shirt. “We meet again…”

“Yeah, I’m sorry for yesterday. I should’ve escorted you downstairs.” He Wei sighed. “Fortunately, you woke up. You gave me quite a scare, but now you’re safe.”

Outside, there was a commotion, and voices calling out echoed one after another.

“Youqing! Are you here?”

“Zheng Youqing! Can you hear us?!”

He Wei’s face grew solemn, and he gently placed Zheng Youqing down. “Colleagues from the bureau have arrived.”

Zheng Youqing nodded weakly and pointed towards the balcony: “The back door…” That’s where Qiao Ruofei had left earlier.

He Wei nodded, opened the balcony door, and found an adjoining platform with an illegally constructed structure and stairs leading downstairs. He crouched on the balcony, and about five minutes later, his colleagues broke into the room. Another He Wei rushed in and lifted Zheng Youqing. “We’ve found her! Quick, call an ambulance!”

Footsteps approached the balcony, and He Wei quickly rolled onto the sunshade of the adjacent platform, hidden from view. The colleague who came to investigate found no one there and left.

Zheng Youqing was taken to the hospital, and Zheng Furui, her father, breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing his daughter out of danger. He immediately felt weak and had to be helped to a chair by his assistant. He Wei stood guard outside the hospital room, arms crossed against the wall, with a furrowed brow.

Chong Zhen handed him a bottle of cold water. “Why do you look so grim? You should be celebrating; we managed to rescue Youqing! That ladyboy probably didn’t expect us to act so quickly, haha!”

“Do you really think we saved her?” He Wei glanced at the hospital room. “When we arrived, Youqing was lying on the ground with a rope around her neck, and you know how that rope was cut?”

Lin Heyu walked over and said, “It was shot.” He produced a transparent evidence bag containing a shell. “We found this at the scene. The bullet hasn’t been located yet.”

“Somebody else saved Youqing before we did, and they left when we arrived,” He Wei said, his index finger against his chin, contemplating who it might have been. Zou Bin and Wen Huabei came to report that they had found out about Zheng Youqing’s whereabouts the previous night. She had gone to watch a late-night movie with a man and took a taxi home afterward.

In the printed surveillance photos, the man was dressed in black, tall and slender, and wearing a hat and sunglasses, making it impossible to see his features clearly. Still, He Wei had an inexplicable sense of familiarity.

“Is Youqing in a romantic relationship?!” Yun Xiaoxiao exclaimed, her tone filled with disbelief. “That can’t be true; yesterday she bought…”

“Bought what?”

Yun Xiaoxiao hesitated, casting a furtive glance at He Wei. “A tie, a gift for you, Captain He.”

He Wei looked at the photo again. The man was holding a small bag in his hand, while Zheng Youqing had nothing in her hands. The idea that the man might have been receiving the gift crossed his mind.

Was it for this man. Is this man… him?

This strange thought began to take root in his mind, and He Wei broke into a cold sweat.