Chapter 429: Chapter 429: Forty Toenails

Chapter 429: Forty Toenails (2nd Update)

In the blink of an eye, another day had passed.

The Chief’s Office.

“Suspect Liu Changcheng is still missing. A reward has been posted for his capture, and he’s fled online. Other departments are now helping search the city.”

“It’s likely that the suspect isn’t using his real identity—perhaps he’s hiding under a false name.”

“Regarding Ge Xuyang, after a full day of investigation nothing suspicious turned up. His routine is remarkably regular—spending his days at two 4S shops and his evenings at home with his wife and child, rarely entertaining any social engagements.”

“Suspect Lai Jun has confessed to everything. Both victims were killed by Liu Changcheng…”

“And there’s nothing really odd about suspect Lu Juan—she hardly seems connected to the murder and dismemberment case…”

Zhao Changshan, holding a case file, glanced at Xiao Yu. “Today the Provincial Department checked on our case progress and gave us a week to solve it. They’re urging us to crack the case as quickly as possible.”

“Seven days?”

Xiao Yu grinned broadly. “The big boss at the Provincial Department is such a pushover!”

Zhao Changshan remained silent.

Only Xiao Yu would dare speak like that.

Anyone else wouldn’t even try.

To act so arrogantly—he must not understand what true power is!

“We’ll do our best,” he replied.

Xiao Yu walked toward the office door, muttering, “The original 413 still plans to go home with my sister tonight—I haven’t seen my son in days.”

“Haha!”

Zhao Changshan laughed, “You know how our line of work is.”

“I know, it’s just the nature of the job.”

Leaning against the doorframe, Xiao Yu shrugged, “Imagine if there were no criminals in the world—then we wouldn’t need to be cops at all.”

Just when I thought I had a break, I got knocked down again. Classic bad luck, huh?

No, it’s just that he’s so damn eager to be a cop!

“Let’s try to wrap this case up quickly,” he added.

Zhao Changshan chuckled, “Once we crack the case, I’ll give you seven days off.”

“That generous?”

Xiao Yu’s eyes lit up as he looked at Zhao Changshan like he was eyeing a cash cow.

“Get lost,” he snapped.

Laughing and scolding, Zhao Changshan waved his hand dismissively.

Cheered by his mood, Xiao Yu left the boss’s office with a spring in his step.

Seven days off—what a generous deal. The boss is as blunt as a hammer. I like that.

He reached the lobby and waved to Guo Qiang and Wang Cheng.

The three of them exited the Criminal Investigation Team headquarters.

“Since we’re out of leads on suspect Liu Changcheng, let’s start with Ge Xuyang.”

As they got into the police car, Xiao Yu explained, “Both suspect Lai Jun and suspect Lu Juan mentioned in their statements that among several senior colleagues, the eldest—Ge Xuyang—and the second, Liu Changcheng, are closest. If they’re that tight, it’s impossible they haven’t been in contact for years.”

Guo Qiang nodded while Wang Cheng pondered for a moment before asking, “Boss, how should we proceed?”

Xiao Yu’s tone left no room for doubt: “Let’s start by checking out Ge Xuyang’s home.”

Humans are such peculiar creatures.

No matter how cautious they are on the outside,

when they get home, they drop all pretenses.

That’s the very meaning of home.

It’s a place where one can relax completely and enjoy genuine rest.

If you have to maintain a facade even at home, then what’s the point of having one?

Exactly.

Assuming a suspect has committed a crime, his home

will inevitably reveal some telltale clues.

When the police put someone on the suspect list,

they always inspect the suspect’s residence.

Often, they manage to uncover even the slightest hint…

……

2:30 PM.

In an upscale residential area in Bincheng,

Xiao Yu and Wang Cheng entered a high-rise apartment building.

They headed to the sixteenth floor.

After knocking on an apartment door,

it wasn’t long before a woman opened up.

The woman, around thirty-two or thirty-three years old and quite attractive,

turned out to be Ge Xuyang’s wife.

“Hello, officer,” she greeted.

Before Xiao Yu could speak, Wang Cheng smiled and said,

“Ah?”

Startled, the woman asked, “What’s the matter?”

“We’re investigating a case and need you and your husband’s cooperation,” explained Xiao Yu.

“We need to search your home,” he added.

Alarmed, the woman asked, “Why? Has my husband committed a crime?”

“Not at the moment,” he assured her.

Xiao Yu smiled again, “Our department suspects something’s off at your home and must conduct a search.”

While speaking, he produced a search warrant.

In non-emergency situations, searching a residence without a warrant is against procedure—the occupants have the right to refuse.

It’s not like Xiao Yu would commit such a rookie mistake.

Reluctantly, the woman stepped aside to let Xiao Yu and Wang Cheng into the apartment.

Yet, she still grabbed her phone to call her husband.

Xiao Yu paid little attention and, together with Wang Cheng, donned disposable shoe covers as they entered the lobby.

“Keep the search careful—don’t damage anything,” he instructed Wang Cheng before beginning the search.

The house was spacious—a three-room, two-hall layout that included a study.

The two bedrooms comprised the master bedroom for Ge Xuyang and his wife, and a child’s room.

The child was at school…

After a quick search of the bedrooms, twenty minutes passed without any anomalies.

While Wang Cheng continued searching the lobby, Xiao Yu stepped into the study. Soon, the sound of a door opening and voices drifting in signaled someone’s return.

Ge Xuyang was back… Xiao Yu squinted.

“Only twenty minutes away—must have been in a real hurry, huh?”

“Why so rushed?”

“Your home…”

“Officer, why are you in my home?”

The familiar friendly smile had vanished from Ge Xuyang’s face as he glared coldly at Xiao Yu, who had just entered the study. “Do police really have the right to search someone’s home at will? I demand an explanation.”

“Because your home is under suspicion. Does that explanation suit you?”

Xiao Yu met Ge Xuyang’s gaze steadily. “Or would you like to see the search warrant?”

Ge Xuyang’s expression shifted briefly before a small smile appeared as he shook his head, “Be my guest.”

“So calm—does that mean your home is truly spotless?”

Xiao Yu stared deeply into Ge Xuyang’s eyes before beginning to search the study.

Inside, the study featured a bookshelf, a computer desk, and a rocking chair…

The decor was lavish, and on the surface nothing seemed out of place.

Under his Falcon’s Eye, Xiao Yu scanned every corner and furrowed his brow.

“Nothing at all?”

Then his Wangdie’s Nose twitched—Xiao Yu scrunched his nose.

“Hmm, what’s that smell?”

Following the scent, his eyes fixed on a craft piece.

It was an exquisitely made frame, about thirty centimeters in size,

adorned with circular patterns varying from about ten centimeters down to a few centimeters.

The circles differed in size, each intricately designed.

They weren’t painted—they were carefully carved.

Each circle bore a miniature painting that was then colored in detail.

And atop every small circle sat a little fox.

Xiao Yu’s attention wasn’t captured by the paintings or the foxes,

but by the material of the small circles themselves.

After further polishing, the circles stood out in relief—larger ones nearly ten centimeters, smaller ones two or three centimeters.

He examined them closely for nearly half a minute, even bringing one to his nose for a sniff.

Xiao Yu’s expression shifted from detached to grim.

At last, he understood the connection between the smell and the material of those circles.

They were nails—each one a toenail.

There were a total of forty of them!