The Same Fate Awaits All Sins Chapter 13

Malice – 13

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Gu Yanta had only suffered superficial injuries. By the time all the examinations were completed and his wounds were cleaned and bandaged, it was already late at night. The rest of the criminal investigation team was busy handling follow-up work, leaving Lu Zheng to look after the patient alone.

The hospital was exceptionally quiet in the early hours of the morning. At this moment, Captain Gu lay alone on the hospital bed, illuminated by the dim yellow light at the bedside. He licked his dry lips and tried to make himself look even more pitiful.

With a soft click, the door lock turned, and Lu Zheng entered quietly, carrying a few lunchboxes.

Growl... Gu Yanta's stomach made an untimely protest.

"Hurry up and eat, it's the middle of the night, why are you still hungry?" Lu Zheng handed one of the lunchboxes to Gu Yanta. "There wasn't much available this late, just some stir-fried noodles."

"You've got a whole team of bodyguards to protect you, while I had to single-handedly capture the criminals, of course I drained my energy!" Gu Yanta snatched the lunchbox, broke apart the chopsticks, and began devouring the food ravenously.

"Correction, those are my brother's bodyguards, I just borrowed them," Lu Zheng said earnestly, handing over a diagnostic report as he spoke.

"Fine, fine, it's all the same, whatever I say now, you'll just blame it on your brother," Gu Yanta muttered as he skimmed through the report. "See, I told you there's nothing wrong!"

"Mhmm, the doctor said there's no major issue, just a mild concussion, exactly as I suspected."

"Lucky for me, my head was used to crack walnuts when I was a kid, turns out having a hard head does have its perks!"

"Pfft..." Lu Zheng, who had just taken a sip of water and hadn't had time to swallow it, nearly spat it out onto Gu Yanta's face.

"Hey, hey, what are you doing? You can't just spray water on someone's face just because they're good-looking!" Gu Yanta wiped his face, which, although not directly hit, still had a few splashes.

"Sorry, Captain Gu, I didn't control it well," Lu Zheng said nonchalantly, handing him a tissue.

"Hey, listen here kid, not only did you take advantage of me today, but now you're spraying me on purpose!"

"It really wasn't on purpose!"

"Aren't you supposed to be great at controlling your expressions and acting, hmm? Hubby?" Gu Yanta raised an eyebrow teasingly.

"Can you please stop bringing that up?" Lu Zheng's expression was as indescribable as when he was eating pig liver.

Gu Yanta finally achieved his goal and burst out laughing.

"Get some sleep, it's late," Lu Zheng said, setting his phone aside and settling into the empty bed nearby.

"Huh? You're not leaving?" This caught Gu Yanta off guard. Thick-skinned as he was, sharing a room with someone he found particularly attractive, especially after some rather intimate moments earlier, still made him feel a little embarrassed.

"No, I'm not leaving. When you were unconscious, your deputy named Jiang practically begged me to take care of you. If I leave, I'll have no way to explain myself to him tomorrow." Lu Zheng pulled his coat over himself casually.

"You actually believe that nagging old mother hen? Look at me, I'm full of life and don't need anyone..." Before he could finish his sentence, Gu Yanta could already hear Lu Zheng's soft snores.

The dim light cast shadows across Lu Zheng's face, rendering his handsome features half-lit, half-obscured. His lowered lashes, like feathered fans, quivered slightly, while his thin lips pressed into a straight line in his sleep. The combination gave him an air of unapproachability.

"Falls asleep so quickly..." Gu Yanta sighed softly, switching off the bedside lamp. The pain hidden deep in his body began to creep in now that the distractions were gone. He tossed and turned for a long time before finally drifting off.

Early the next morning.

Gu Yanta, still groggy from sleep, was roused by the sound of Chen Chen's urgent voice calling, "Boss!" Alternatively, one could argue that he was awakened by the tantalising aroma of jianbing guozi.

"Boss! How are you?" Chen Chen stood by the bedside, sniffing dramatically and tearing up. "Consultant Lu, I heard Boss got his head cracked open. His IQ wasn't exactly stellar to begin with, this won't make him outright stupid, right?"

Lu Zheng, already dressed and composed, sat with his legs crossed and arms folded across his chest. His tone was steady as he replied, "No, it's just a mild concussion, he's not going to turn stupid, but..."

Chen Chen noticed Gu Yanta's eyelids flutter and hurriedly interrupted Lu Zheng, abruptly changing his tone. "Who said that? Our Boss is both the brains and the face of the city bureau!"

Lu Zheng, evidently unaccustomed to the criminal investigation team's habit of mutual insults, was about to question whether Chen Chen thought Gu Yanta's IQ was high or low when he saw Gu Yanta open his eyes and without hesitation, reach out and flick Chen Chen hard on the head.

"Okay, Chen Chen, talking behind my back while I'm asleep? Don't think I didn't hear you!"

"Huh? Boss, you're awake!" Chen Chen flashed a blatantly fake smile. "I said you're both the brains and the face of the bureau, didn't you hear me?"

"Alright, enough messing around, let's talk about yesterday. Did Old Knife talk?" Gu Yanta sat up and took the jianbing guozi from Chen Chen. "How many eggs are in this?"

"Five!" Chen Chen held up five fingers. "Don't be fooled, Old Knife might have acted tough when he resisted arrest, but he folded the moment we brought him in. Deputy Jiang and No Brain interrogated him all night, and he spilt everything."

Lu Zheng looked up from his own jianbing guozi, his large eyes filled with confusion. "No Brain?"

"Oh, that's Ma Qin, don't mind the nicknames, Consultant Lu," Chen Chen explained before continuing. "According to Old Knife, there's a fully operational drug manufacturing and distribution network in the area. Middlemen like him don't meet the big bosses directly, they send contacts to conduct transactions with them."

"Did Old Knife identify Huang Chufeng?" Gu Yanta finished his breakfast in just three bites.

"No, he doesn't know Huang Chufeng. Old Knife said he himself arranged for Niu Bo to meet Zhang Bin on April fifth. Zhang Bin usually approached Old Knife through Niu Bo to fence stolen goods, but because the heat was on recently, Old Knife decided to change the transaction location at the last minute. Unfortunately, Niu Bo was arrested for fighting, so Old Knife waited alone at the abandoned warehouse until midnight, but Zhang Bin never showed up. We reviewed the surveillance footage and confirmed Old Knife's movements that day, it matches his account." Chen Chen paused briefly before continuing his report. "Additionally, last night the criminal investigation team seized two and a half kilograms of heroin, fifteen point sixty-three kilograms of methamphetamine, and over four thousand methamphetamine pills at the Cnclub nightclub."

"Not a bad result, I suppose Director Wu's face finally looked a bit better this morning?" Gu Yanta rubbed the stubble on his chin and turned to Lu Zheng, "Consultant Lu, did you bring a razor?"

Lu Zheng shook his head.

"It's fine, I'll pack up right away." Gu Yanta spoke as he prepared to get out of bed to pack his things.

"Don't even mention it. First thing this morning, before Director Wu even had the chance to report the anti-drug bust, Director Liu called to scold him thoroughly about the homicide case. I bet he's still fuming and looking for someone to take it out on!" Chen Chen said.

"Aiya! Why does my head suddenly hurt so much? Consultant Lu, quick, help me to the doctor's office for another check-up."

"... Go by yourself!"

The "patient" strolled leisurely down the corridor, only to sneak back into the ward, change his clothes, and slip out unnoticed.

"Another dead end," Lu Zheng said as he smoked at the far end of the hallway.

Gu Yanta was just about to respond when his phone blared loudly, leaving no room for escape. 

Lu Zheng glanced at Gu Yanta with sympathy.

As soon as the call connected, Gu Yanta held the phone at arm's length, as though it were a hot potato.

Director Wu: "@#~*@#~*@#~* GET BACK HERE RIGHT NOW!"

Gu Yanta: "Yes, Director, I'll be there immediately!"

At the City Bureau.

Gu Yanta and Jiang Ziyu were undergoing Director Wu's stormy downpour of scolding.

"Two days! A full two days! Is your entire criminal investigation team full of idiots?" Whenever Director Wu was enraged, he had a habit of smashing his thermos. As a result, the replacement frequency of his thermos was unusually high. Just yesterday, he had swapped for a new silver-ion functional model. He paused before smashing it, however, and instead slammed a stack of documents heavily on the desk.

"The only suspect we managed to identify ended up as mincemeat before we could catch him! Civilians helping with the investigation have been harassed to the point they're filing complaints to me! Last night, someone blew through an entire month's budget in one go! But you helped the Narcotics Squad score a big win! Gu Yanta!!! Are you trying to quit as team leader?!"

"No, Director, I want... I want..." Gu Yanta wiped a splash of spit off his face.

"And you, Jiang Ziyu! As deputy captain, not only are you mediocre at handling cases, but you can't even keep an eye on your captain!"

"Please calm down, Director Wu," Jiang Ziyu, who also wiped spit off his face, offered his only response when facing the wrath of Director Wu.

"I'll give you both two more days, if you fail to catch the killer within that time, hand in your resignations! If you catch him within two days, each of you owes me a three-thousand-word self-reflection!"

Finally escaping the director's office, Gu Yanta and Jiang Ziyu looked utterly defeated, as though they had aged ten years in an instant.

Lu Zheng was sitting in the captain's office, sipping tea. Seeing their devastated expressions, he raised an eyebrow in sympathy.

"Uh... surely it's not that bad you guys..." Lu Zheng was filled with sympathy when he saw Gu Yanta and Jiang Ziyu's expressions, "Want some tea?"

"Consultant Lu, please think of something. Without any valuable leads, Director Wu might just have us executed for public display," Jiang Ziyu said, dejected.

"The trail's gone cold, I'm afraid we'll have to start the investigation from scratch," Lu Zheng shook his head lightly.

Gu Yanta fished out the last pack of Yunyan cigarettes from his pocket, lighting one with a sharp snap. He took a couple of deep drags, unusually silent. They had thought the case would be closed once Old Knife was captured, but now they were back at square one, with no way forward.

"We must have missed some critical clue..." Lu Zheng said, frowning. "You mentioned that on the night Zhang Bin died, he was carrying not just the items for the transaction but also Wei Liang's ID. Could it be that Zhang Bin knew he might be killed and wanted to ensure his identity would be discovered after his death?"

Gu Yanta nodded. "I've had the same doubts about this point too. According to Old Knife and Niu Bo, the three of them had carried out these transactions numerous times before. Even though the location was changed at the last minute, Zhang Bin wouldn't normally think his life was in danger. So if that wasn't the reason, why would he carry his ID with him?"

"In other words, someone else might have arranged a meeting with Zhang Bin, and this person made him feel threatened. Yet Zhang Bin couldn't go to the police, and he ended up being killed on his way to the meeting," Lu Zheng pondered. "Zhang Bin couldn't involve the police because he was afraid of exposing his history of theft and his fake death from a year ago. But if that's the case, why did Wei Liang suddenly barge into the police station at this exact moment?"

"Wei Liang!!!" Gu Yanta suddenly dropped his cigarette butt, "The DNA test on Zhang Bin's body only showed a paternal relationship with Wei Liang!"

Lu Zheng's eyes sharpened, "Could it be that the person who died was actually the real Wei Liang?"

Gu Yanta dashed out of the office, flying with his long legs and yelling, "Ma Qin, Liang Shan! Follow me! We're heading to the psychiatric hospital immediately!"

"Yes, sir!"

Municipal psychiatric hospital.

Gu Yanta rushed to the reception desk and flashed his credentials. "Nurse, we're police officers here to arrest a criminal suspect. He was personally admitted by Dr Lai early yesterday morning, his name is Wei Liang, which room is he in?"

The nurse tapped on her computer twice. "Room 1103. Oh? I saw him yesterday, his mental state seemed fine. This morning, Dr Lai even allowed him half an hour of daily activity, and I saw him head out earlier."

"Hurry!" Gu Yanta shouted. "Liang Shan, take team two and search the hospital and nearby areas. Ma Qin, take team one and thoroughly check all bus and train stations, the suspect is likely fleeing to avoid prosecution!"

"Yes, sir!" Ma Qin and Liang Shan immediately split up and sprang into action.

At the ticket counter of the East Bus Station, the ticket seller took a wad of cash from a masked man who looked hurried and anxious, "One ticket to Xia County, the earliest departure."

"Good day, Sir, may I see your ID?" The ticket seller glanced up briefly and thought the man looked familiar. However, she couldn't recall where she had seen him before. Dismissing it, she chalked it up to the sheer number of customers she dealt with daily, leaving her a bit weary.

"What? You need an ID card to buy a bus ticket now?" The man visibly hesitated.

"Yes, sir. It's a new regulation that came into effect on May first last year." The ticket seller thought to herself, what kind of person doesn't know that?

The people waiting in line behind him started grumbling impatiently. "Hurry up! Are you buying tickets or not?"

The man's nerves were visibly fraying. He seemed increasingly flustered when suddenly, someone shouted, "Zhang Bin!"

The man at the front of the line abruptly shoved his way through the crowd, bolting toward the terminal hall.

"Ai, what are you doing?"

"Stop pushing!"

"Who behaves like this? So rude!"

The bustling crowd quickly descended into chaos. People were jostled, some falling to the ground as the scene verged on losing control entirely.

A police loudspeaker suddenly blared, cutting through the commotion. "Please remain calm! We are the police, conducting an arrest of a suspect. Do not panic, stay composed to avoid trampling or injuries! The suspect's photo has been displayed on the large screen. Anyone with information, please step forward and assist us."

The crowd immediately quieted down. The young ticket seller suddenly realised why that face had seemed so familiar, it was the same one from the news reports, shown on television two days ago as a suspect in a home invasion murder and robbery!

"Brother Ma, we just received a report from the ticket seller at window ten. About ten minutes ago, a man resembling Zhang Bin tried to buy a bus ticket to Xia County. When asked for ID, he couldn't produce one. Then, someone shouted something, and he shoved his way through the crowd, using the commotion to flee toward the western waiting hall!" Officer Xiao Wang from action team one reported to Ma Qin.

"Teams two, three, and four, guard all major exits, team one, follow me!" Ma Qin commanded, leading a group of officers toward the waiting hall.

Zhang Bin knew he had been exposed and regretted not escaping the psychiatric hospital sooner, but regrets were futile now. The bus station was already surrounded by police, and no matter how clever he was, escape seemed impossible.

He realised running wouldn't work, but he couldn't be caught either. So he ruffled his hair into a mess, grabbed a large bag from a migrant worker nearby and used it as a pillow, then tightly covered himself with the worker's military overcoat.

Ma Qin led action team one in a thorough search of the waiting hall, scanning every corner but finding no sign of Zhang Bin. "Could this kid have sprouted wings and flown away?"

Zhang Bin watched the officers' retreating figures and breathed a sigh of relief.

Suddenly, the coat covering his face was yanked away. The blinding light made Zhang Bin squint, and through the glare, he saw a ruggedly handsome face full of stubble. Then came the voice he least wanted to hear.

Gu Yanta fished a pair of handcuffs out from his belt. "Zhang Bin, tell me, which migrant worker sleeps with a mask on?"

‿︵‿︵ʚ˚̣̣̣͙ɞ・❉・ ʚ˚̣̣̣͙ɞ‿︵‿︵

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Translator Notes

Merry Christmas! 🎅🎄

Please feel free to comment any mistakes I made so I can improve and do better as I go through the book.

Translated: November 22, 2024 by Angel

Edited: December 12, 2024 by Angel