Animal Detective

Chapter 565: Chapter 467: Seize the Opportunity

The interrogations were conducted simultaneously.

Guan Baofeng, captain of the municipal anti-drug squad, was personally interrogating Min Juekan.

No matter how they questioned him, Min Juekan had only one question: Who had betrayed him?

"Why don’t you think about it? You’re the one who bit the man’s ear off. Was it tasty?" Guan Baofeng shot back, trying to lead Min Juekan to his own conclusions.

The blood on Min Juekan’s face hadn’t been wiped off yet. He licked his lips. "I have to say, it was delicious. Crunchy."

His sheer arrogance made even Lu Chunze, who was watching the interrogation remotely, frown deeply.

Guan Baofeng thought for a moment before asking, "What about Dan Wen?"

He already knew that Dan Wen was Fan Liping.

By asking this now, he was also testing the waters, hoping to get Min Juekan to confirm Fan Liping’s story.

Guan Baofeng knew of Fan Liping. Deep down, he admired what the man had done all those years ago.

But when it came to drug enforcement, Guan Baofeng was always willing to assume the worst in people.

"Him?"

Min Juekan shook his head without hesitation. "Impossible."

Min Juekan knew Fan Liping’s history all too well. After so many years of knocking around in Mianguang, he was sure of one thing: if Fan Liping was a good person, then no one in Mianguang was.

Besides, Min Juekan knew full well that the police would never let one of their own do the things Fan Liping had done.

"Alright."

Min Juekan shifted in his seat. "Let’s not waste any more time. You caught me. It’s my bad luck, and I accept it. Didn’t one of you say it earlier? The shipment I was moving this time is enough to get me executed a hundred times over."

"So go ahead. Bring it on. If you’re worried about wasting a bullet, you can chop me up and feed me to the dogs for all I care. Don’t worry, if you starve them for a few days, they’ll really enjoy the meal."

He gave a sinister smile, and the expression was deeply unsettling.

He was a tough nut to crack.

A short while later, Wan Xiaoyang’s voice came through the earpiece, telling them to stop.

Guan Baofeng left the interrogation room without a word.

"Director Wan, it’ll be tough to break him on short notice," Guan Baofeng said with a serious expression when they met.

Given enough time, he was confident he could pry open Min Juekan’s mouth.

But it was extremely difficult at the moment.

Wan Xiaoyang knew this as well. He glanced around, and seeing they were alone, he lowered his voice. "Baofeng, what’s your take on Fan Liping?"

Guan Baofeng had already seen Fan Liping’s statement.

Naturally, he was shocked that the man was still alive.

But as for his story...

"It’s hard to say."

Guan Baofeng pursed his lips. "I can understand him not coming back and not contacting us here. But after all these years..."

He didn’t say any more.

Wan Xiaoyang nodded slightly. He understood.

Guan Baofeng added, "Director Wan, what if we just wait a bit longer?"

Wan Xiaoyang didn’t answer, folding his arms and lost in thought.

Fan Liping had explained the entire situation and given them a 20-hour deadline. He said that once that time was up, Angdu would definitely know something had gone wrong with this run.

Adding in the time for them to react and investigate the situation, they might be able to stretch it a little longer.

But at most, they had a day or two before Angdu would definitely take action, such as going into hiding.

This would inevitably make the capture more difficult.

Even so, it wouldn’t be a total disaster if he found out.

Before the operation began, Lu Chunze had naturally considered the possibility that they might not break Min Juekan in a short amount of time.

So even if they tipped their hand and Angdu went into hiding, it wouldn’t be the end of the world.

When it came to drug enforcement, the most difficult part wasn’t catching someone; it was knowing that such a person existed.

Now that they knew, as long as they wanted to catch him, he couldn’t escape as long as he was alive and on this planet.

If they couldn’t catch him today, they would get him sooner or later.

But if possible, it was obviously better to catch him right away.

"Here’s the plan. I’ll report this to the provincial department. You continue here—don’t let him rest."

Wan Xiaoyang glanced at the interrogation room, then turned and left.

Meanwhile, Shen Xin returned to the hotel, immediately took a shower, and went to bed.

He was out the moment his head hit the pillow.

After two grueling days in the mountains, he was physically and mentally exhausted.

Besides, his mission in Dian Nan was over. With his mind at ease, he could finally sleep soundly.

Unfortunately, he had a nightmare.

Perhaps it was because he had experienced a true primeval forest, but Shen Xin had a dream related to the jungle.

He dreamed he was running frantically through a damp, primeval forest.

He was a complete mess.

Thick vines whipped across his face, slick and wet, feeling just like snakes.

Then, Shen Xin realized with a shudder that a massive, venomous snake was chasing him.

It was thicker than the serpent in *Anaconda*, and it slithered between moss-covered tree roots, its entire body a vibrant green.

Finally, it coiled itself around him.

He fired back frantically, but he couldn’t kill it. He could only watch helplessly as it opened its massive jaws and swallowed him in one gulp.

And then Shen Xin woke up.

Gasping for breath, Shen Xin glanced at the time on his phone. It was already past seven in the morning.

Before falling asleep, Shen Xin had thought he might have a nightmare.

After all, he had seen a dead man and had spent time in a forest so primeval it felt like it could swallow anything.

But he never expected to end up dreaming about a snake.

And a green one, at that. It was clearly because of the bamboo pit viper that had almost bitten him.

Shen Xin couldn’t help but think, ’Looks like my fear of snakes is the real deal.’

He just didn’t know if snakes would be affected by his talent.

’If it developed a high affinity for him, would it get all clingy, slithering into his bed and coiling around him every day...?’

Shen Xin shuddered.

Even if it worked, that was a hard pass.

Besides, snakes are cold-blooded animals; he didn’t think they were capable of forming emotional attachments.

Drenched in sweat, he went to take another shower.

His phone hadn’t rung, which meant everything was fine.

Seeing that it was now eight o’clock, Shen Xin called the police dog base.

He asked Zhangchaoshan how things were going.

He hadn’t had time to check on them for two days.

"They’re doing great."

Zhangchaoshan sounded excited, pressing Shen Xin on how he had picked these particular dogs.

Except for a few rowdy ones, most of them were very well-behaved.

They were also exceptionally perceptive and obedient.

It wouldn’t be strange if a few were like this, but hundreds of them? All of them? Zhangchaoshan couldn’t help but wonder how Shen Xin had picked them out.

There was no way for Shen Xin to explain this. Knowing the dogs were being well cared for, he gave a few vague answers, said he’d head to the base later, and then hung up.

The mission was over, but his work wasn’t.

Shen Xin planned to stay in Dian Nan for a while longer, at least a month, to see his own plan through before leaving.

It was also a good opportunity to help Nan Ji find that baby elephant.

’And what is Mianguang playing at?’ he thought. ’It’s been days. Their efficiency is way too low.’

He went next door to get Ding Yuwei and Jiang Wengang to have breakfast together.

In the restaurant, Shen Xin told them about his plan to stay in Dian Nan for a while longer.

Jiang Wengang nodded. "That works. This project of yours is a big deal. Director Zhao can’t stop you anyway."

On a matter this big, the Ministry would definitely have instructions. Even if they specifically ordered Shen Xin to stay in Dian Nan permanently, there would be nothing Zhao Hongjie could do.

From the moment Shen Xin had proposed the idea, Ding Yuwei knew he would definitely stay.

"Then what about us?" Ding Yuwei asked.

"Our team leader will be gone, leaving just the three of us."

"You still have Lao Yang, don’t you?" Shen Xin said. "He’ll be fine."

Yang Zeran is more than capable. He’ll have no problem running the Cold Case Office for a while.

Ding Yuwei didn’t say any more and quietly went back to eating her rice noodles. Then, she asked softly, "What about that girl?"

"Girl?"

Shen Xin blanked for a moment before he realized who she was talking about.

"She came all this way just for you," Ding Yuwei said. "And you’re just going to leave her high and dry?"

Ding Yuwei had seen how Doniya felt from the moment they first met.

Because the way she looked at Shen Xin was exactly the same as the way Ding Yuwei herself looked at him.

Next to them, Jiang Wengang’s ears immediately perked up. "What girl?" he asked, eager for gossip.

"A romantic entanglement he picked up on the grasslands," Ding Yuwei said quietly.

Shen Xin nearly broke out in a cold sweat. "What romantic entanglement? Yuwei, don’t spread rumors! I have absolutely no feelings for her like that."

Of course, Shen Xin wasn’t an idiot. He could sense Doniya’s feelings, and he admired her for being so bold with her love and her passions.

"She’s here to pursue her dreams," Shen Xin added.

He had been in contact with Doniya over the past few days.

She had already interviewed with several live-streaming companies, planned to sign up for voice and dance classes, and had even made some friends. Her life was very full.

So, Shen Xin believed that while she might be interested in pursuing him, her main reason was her desire to leave the grasslands and live a different kind of life.

Shen Xin had lived on the grasslands before.

The grasslands were beautiful, to be sure, but they also trapped countless people. Generations lived and died there, looking up at the wide-open sky, but it was like living in a gilded cage. Some people always wanted to get out and see what was beyond.

Shen Xin’s declaration that he had absolutely no feelings for Doniya brightened Ding Yuwei’s mood considerably.

She knew Shen Xin. She knew this career-driven man. If he said he wasn’t interested, he really meant it.

Deep down, however, Ding Yuwei rather admired Doniya.

At least she dared to actively pursue love.

As for herself...

Ding Yuwei watched Shen Xin eagerly explaining himself to Jiang Wengang, let out a silent sigh, and averted her gaze.

Having lost her father at a young age and grown up all alone, Ding Yuwei was timid and fearful in some ways.

Just as they were speaking, Shen Xin received a call from Cui Jiang.

"Hold on, don’t say anything."

Shen Xin quickly held up a hand, cleared his throat, and answered the call.

Over the phone, Cui Jiang’s tone was cheerful. He immediately started showering Shen Xin with praise, saying he’d done a beautiful job and brought great honor to Ningjiang.

"The Ministry even commended you by name," Cui Jiang said finally.

"Really?"

Shen Xin’s eyes lit up.

’The Ministry!’

Across from him, Ding Yuwei silently shook her head. Seeing his reaction, she knew he was being praised again.

After the pleasantries, Cui Jiang said, "Shen Xin, a new situation has come up. We might need your help again."

Shen Xin immediately replied, "President Cui, I’m all ears."

Cui Jiang was in Spring City and could only speak over the phone, so he explained the situation as thoroughly as possible.

Only then did Shen Xin learn about Fan Liping.

"Then aren’t his methods problematic?" Shen Xin asked cautiously.

What Fan Liping did was basically entrapment.

Fruit of the poisonous tree.

This is the very reason why procedural due process has been stressed so much over the years.

If you commit crimes in order to fight crime, what does that make you? Some kind of avenging angel from a TV show?

The whole premise is flawed.

Over the phone, Cui Jiang sighed. "Shen Xin, we all want to strive for a world that’s black and white, but sometimes, the real world isn’t so clear-cut."

"In a situation like this, handing him over to Mianguang might be the best option for everyone involved."

While Shen Xin was fast asleep, the leadership in Spring City had already been discussing the matter for hours.

They had also reported the situation to the Ministry and requested instructions.

The final decision was to see it through. If they had a chance to make the arrest, they would take it.

They would act immediately, sending a team to coordinate with the Mianguang police and carry out Angdu’s arrest.

Song Zhi had requested to borrow personnel, and after some consideration, they had agreed.

Angdu was hiding in the mountains with his own armed group. Using the police birds would definitely be helpful.

Then there was the matter of Fan Liping’s disposition.

After careful deliberation, a plan was proposed: hand Fan Liping over to Mianguang to be dealt with.

Back home in China, the things Fan Liping had done wouldn’t hold up under investigation. A thorough inquiry would only lead to one outcome.

That’s why he himself didn’t dare to return.

If he stayed in the country, he would be facing certain death.

But considering the things he had done, his original motivation, and his father...

The higher-ups intended to give him a chance to live.

Send him to Mianguang.

His current nationality was Mianguang, so sending him back was justifiable.

He had trafficked drugs and killed people in Mianguang.

Of course, it was all a confusing mess that would be difficult to untangle.

So they wouldn’t even try. They would just go by this one shipment.

Based on the quantity involved this time, he would face the death penalty in Mianguang as well.

But Song Zhi had requested instructions from his superiors and was willing to make a deal with Fan Liping.

Fan Liping would come forward to help the Mianguang police capture Angdu.

In return, they would spare his life.

He would be sentenced to life in prison.

In Mianguang, life imprisonment meant twenty years. He was twenty-seven now, so even if he served the full twenty years, he would still be under fifty when he got out.

At least he would get to live.

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