Chapter 550: Informing
Hua Zifeng and his assistant checked into the Beijing Hotel. The Beijing Hotel was considered the most luxurious hotel in Beijing at the time, and its accommodations were far superior to other guesthouses and inns. Hua Zifeng was more or less satisfied with the arrangements.
Since he was in Beijing to investigate the case related to Master Wen, the first thing Hua Zifeng did was go to the Beijing Public Security Bureau to learn about the original case involving Master Zhang.
"You’re saying he’s here to see me?" Zou Ming asked, a little surprised by what one of his officers had just told him.
"A man named Hua Zifeng. He says he’s a police officer from Xiangcheng, cooperating with the Xiangcheng Police Station on a case. He’s here to get some information from you. He even has an official document from the Xiangcheng Police Station," the officer said quickly.
If Hua Zifeng hadn’t had the official document from the Xiangcheng Police Station, the officer would never have bothered Zou Ming. After all, Zou Ming was a captain at the Public Security Bureau; he couldn’t just meet with anyone who showed up asking to see him.
’From Xiangcheng!’
Zou Ming had been in contact with the Xiangcheng Police Station before because of Master Zhang’s case. He thought for a moment, then said, "Alright, bring him to my office."
"Yes, sir." The officer acknowledged the order and went to bring Hua Zifeng and his assistant to Zou Ming’s office.
"Hello, Captain Zou. My name is Hua Zifeng. I’m a detective from Xiangcheng. I apologize for dropping in unannounced." Upon meeting Zou Ming, Hua Zifeng offered a faint smile and handed him an official document. "This is from the Xiangcheng Police Station. It’ll verify my identity."
"Mr. Hua, please have a seat." Zou Ming stood up politely, took the document, and glanced over it. Realizing Hua Zifeng was likely representing the Xiangcheng Police Station, he said, "It must have been a long trip, Mr. Hua. My officer mentioned you’re here about a case. May I ask which one?"
"It’s what you might call an international case," Hua Zifeng said to Zou Ming. "You had a case here involving a certain Master Zhang. Captain Zou, you must remember it. You issued a wanted notice for him, and a police sketch was sent to the Xiangcheng Police Station requesting assistance."
"I know the one," Zou Ming nodded. Master Zhang still hadn’t been found, and the wanted notice was still active. Furthermore, the matter involved Su Qing’s safety, so Zou Ming had always paid close attention to it. But after so much time with no trace of the man, he was constantly on edge, worried that Master Zhang might return to Beijing and go after Su Qing again.
At that moment, Zou Ming was still unaware that the authorities in Xiangcheng had new information about Master Zhang. The Xiangcheng Police Station had been so busy with Master Wen’s case that they hadn’t yet had a chance to update the Beijing Public Security Bureau.
Zou Ming looked at Hua Zifeng. "Does this mean you have news about Master Zhang from Xiangcheng?"
"That’s right." Hua Zifeng nodded.
Upon hearing this, Zou Ming shot to his feet in excitement and hurriedly asked, "Then, Mr. Hua, do you know where Master Zhang is now?"
"He’s missing," Hua Zifeng said. "Master Zhang disappeared in A Tai."
"What!" Zou Ming frowned. "Missing? So we still don’t have a location on him."
Zou Ming pressed his lips into a thin line. ’So Master Zhang has pulled another vanishing act. He fled Beijing just in time, leaving no trace. Who would’ve thought he’d run off to A Tai, only to disappear there, too?’
"No," Hua Zifeng said. "We suspect he’s already dead."
Hua Zifeng then recounted everything in detail: how Little Master Wen and his entourage had disappeared in Kongkan Prefecture in A Tai, and how Master Wen back in Xiangcheng had passed away at the exact same time.
Then, Hua Zifeng said to Zou Ming, "To be frank, Little Master Wen and his entourage were highly revered by the locals in Kongkan Prefecture. However, after they disappeared, the local police department investigated their past activities. They uncovered some of their secret dealings. One of those discoveries was that Master Zhang had previously come to Beijing, intending to harm a young woman named Su Qing. Furthermore, that incident also implicated Master Zhang in a death."
"That’s right." Since Hua Zifeng was cooperating with the Xiangcheng Police Station, Zou Ming saw no reason to hide anything; this was technically a joint case anyway. He explained, "All the other suspects in that original case were apprehended. Only Master Zhang escaped, and we’ve never been able to find him. But if he just disappeared in A Tai, what makes you so sure he’s met with a foul end?"
Zou Ming was quite wary of this Master Zhang. The man possessed some unbelievable abilities, making it nearly impossible for an ordinary person to defend against him. He found it hard to believe that someone like that would easily fall victim to some accident. He was more inclined to think that Master Zhang had foreseen trouble and had gone into hiding preemptively.
"It’s just speculation at this point," Hua Zifeng said. "We haven’t figured out the specifics yet. That’s why I’ve come north to Beijing—I was hoping to learn more from you and see if we can find a new angle. After all, this case is, to put it mildly, rather bizarre."
Zou Ming nodded in agreement.
’Bizarre doesn’t even begin to cover it,’ Zou Ming thought. ’The case involves all sorts of uncanny abilities. And then there was that piece of vine the officer on duty saw... Although he never figured out what that was about, he was certain the person behind it was secretly helping them. They were clearly the same kind of person as Master Zhang. But this ally had never revealed themselves, leaving them with no way to track them down.’
’All in all, the entire case was shrouded in mystery.’
"Master Zhang is the key," Zou Ming said. "If we can find him, we might get a break in the case. Since you know who he is, you must also understand that he has abilities beyond those of an ordinary person. That’s why I’m inclined to believe he went into hiding deliberately. Please, Mr. Hua, let the Xiangcheng Police Station know that the search for Master Zhang’s whereabouts must continue."
"Of course," Hua Zifeng said. "Our theory about what happened to him is just speculation. We will definitely continue the search. After all, we need to find him alive or find a body to get any real closure."
With that said, Hua Zifeng changed the subject. "I have a favor to ask. I was wondering if I might be able to meet the young woman involved in the case?"