"It looks like a recorder." Lin Fan handed the item to Qin Feng. "It's only a part of it; I'll keep looking."

Qin Feng examined the scene and then looked at Lin Fan. The item in his hand was indeed part of a recorder. There wasn't much dust on it, indicating it hadn't been there long. "How did you find it?" He crouched down to help search through the overgrown grass, occasionally finding animal droppings in the poor conditions.

Qin Feng found a memory card beneath a piece of debris and placed it in an evidence bag. Lin Fan also found the other half of the recorder and handed it to Qin Feng. "I saw Dong Hui standing here just now."

Qin Feng examined the nearby traces, took photos for evidence, and surmised that the recorder might have fallen out when Dong Hui was hit. Leading the way up the slope, he reached out to Lin Fan, who hesitated for a few seconds before taking his hand. Qin Feng helped her up to the road and softly instructed, "Go back to the car. You're not dressed warmly enough."

She wore a skirt with a jacket over it, but her legs were bare. Lin Fan glanced at Qin Feng. "I'm not cold."

Despite her words, she followed his advice and got into the car.

She felt tired, her legs ached, and she rubbed her temples, feeling sleepy. After half an hour, Qin Feng got into the car, glanced at Lin Fan, and touched her forehead. She wasn't feverish. "Tired?"

Lin Fan shook her head, trying to keep her eyes open. "No, not tired."

Qin Feng said nothing more and drove off. Ten minutes later, Lin Fan fell asleep. They reached the city, and while waiting at a red light, Qin Feng took off his coat, covered Lin Fan with it, and reclined her seat.

"Is this for real?" asked Forensic Liu.

Qin Feng responded with a nod, started the car, and asked, "What do you make of the case?"

"Intentional homicide. The speed was very high, and there was no braking when the person was hit."

Qin Feng nodded. "There were no skid marks at the scene, which supports that."

"According to the autopsy, the time of death was between ten and twelve at night. What was the victim doing there?"

"Investigating child traffickers."

Forensic Liu was surprised. "Child traffickers?"

"Yes, there have been three child abduction cases in Jiangcheng recently."

"I thought a gang was taken down last year? Are they still around?"

"They never really go away."

Back at the station, Forensic Liu returned to his office. Qin Feng reclined Lin Fan's seat to let her sleep in the car and then hurried to his office. He sent the recorder for fingerprint analysis and handed the memory card to Officer Wang. "Found this at the scene. See what's on it."

"There are a few audio files."

"Play them."

Qin Feng organized the evidence. Lin Fan had told him that Dong Hui's son went missing three years ago, and Dong Hui had been investigating ever since. Based on the existing evidence, it seemed Dong Hui had been intentionally killed.

Suddenly, the sound of a child crying filled the special investigation unit office. Qin Feng paused and looked up. The sound was piercing.

"Give them the medicine and shut them up! Stop crying already!"

"Shut up, you little brat!" There was a sharp slap sound accompanying these words. "Be quiet."

The office was silent. The crying soon stopped, probably because the children were given some kind of drug.

The voices sounded like the children were very young.

After a long silence, Officer Wang played the second recording.

"Transaction at Ying County at eight tomorrow night..."

This voice was distant and unclear, with a lot of background noise.

Soon, the third recording played. It had the sound of rapid breathing and a phone being dialed. The call hadn't gone through when a man's voice suddenly spoke. "There are four children in the car. They plan to trade them in Ying County. I'm trying to stop them. If I don't make it, please give this recording to the police..."

There was the sound of a car, followed by a loud crash.

A long period of silence followed, with no further sounds.

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

"What's this?"

"It's the recorder found on the deceased. He might have been tracking a trafficking gang. Was he out of his mind? Trying to stop them on his own? What did he think he could accomplish by sacrificing himself?"

"Is that all?"

Officer Wang said, "Wait, there's one more."

Qin Feng signaled him to play it. Soon, a child's voice sounded. "My birthday wish is to be with Daddy forever. I love Daddy." In the background, there was the sound of an electronic birthday candle playing "Happy Birthday."

"I love you too, sweetheart."

Officer Wang turned to Qin Feng. "What's this?"

"It's Dong Hui and his son." Qin Feng sighed. "Check the surveillance footage from the middle section of Highway 301, focusing on vehicles between ten and one. The child abduction case at the amusement park might be related to this gang. Check the footage of Zhongcheng Road in front of the amusement park between five and seven on that day."

"Got it."

The case was reviewed, and soon the forensic lab results came back. The recorder had Dong Hui's fingerprints, confirming it belonged to him. Officer Wang was eating a boxed meal while reviewing surveillance footage, looking quite disheveled. "Captain Qin? Where's your little Lin? I saw her this morning."

Qin Feng, in the middle of his meal, set down his chopsticks and walked out quickly. He had forgotten all about her.

He left the car door open so Lin Fan wouldn't be stuck if she woke up. Rushing to the parking lot, he found her still asleep, her long hair covering half her face. Qin Feng's heart melted at the sight. He bent down with one foot on the car's floor and gently brushed her face with his finger.

"Lin Fan?"

Lin Fan groggily opened her eyes. "Huh?"

"Time to eat. After you eat, you can sleep in my office."

Lin Fan, still dazed, hadn't fully woken up. Qin Feng ruffled her hair, then stood up and extended his hand. "Come on, get up."

Lin Fan looked at his hand, her face warming. As she got out of the car, she strained her back. She stretched a bit and closed the car door. Qin Feng locked it and glanced at her. "What's wrong?"

"My back hurts."

Qin Feng pulled her over and massaged her waist. "Did you strain it?"

Lin Fan felt extremely embarrassed. He was so close, his warm breath on her head, making her uncomfortable. She wanted to run away, but his broad, strong hands were quite soothing.

"Brother Qin?"

"Hmm?"

Lin Fan stopped, turned to look at him, her eyes bright, as if she wanted to say something but hesitated.

Qin Feng spoke first. "If you have something to say, just say it."

Lin Fan couldn't meet his sharp gaze. She looked around and asked, "Last night—what does it mean?"

Qin Feng placed his hand on her shoulder, looking down at her, his handsome brows slightly raised. "Lin Fan." His voice was low and rich, making Lin Fan nervous again.

He moved his hand to the back of her head. "What do you think it means? Hmm?" He leaned in, kissed her forehead with a low chuckle, and then pulled away, looking at her. "Only something couples do. When you're a bit older, we'll—"

His phone rang, breaking the moment. Qin Feng released Lin Fan, cleared his throat, and answered the call.

"Captain Qin, we've found something."

"I'll be right back."

Qin Feng hung up, pocketed his phone, and adjusted Lin Fan's collar to cover some kiss marks. "Go to my office first. I'll bring you some food."

"Okay." Lin Fan was still a bit stunned. Qin Feng had been quite intimidating just now; she almost had a heart attack.

Qin Feng ruffled her hair. "Go on."

Qin Feng returned to the office, and Officer Wang showed him the surveillance footage.

"This van with the C license plate—does it have a blood stain on the front?"

"Zoom in."

At maximum zoom, Qin Feng shook his head. "It doesn't look like a blood stain, more like a dent."

At such high speed, a person would be too severely injured to leave a visible blood stain.

"Did this vehicle appear at the Ying County entrance?"

"At 1:50, it was at the east highway entrance of Ying County."

"Check the license plate number. Investigate all vehicles that entered Ying County during that period one by one, just in case."

Qin Feng took the meal to Lin Fan, stood by her, and lit a cigarette. After taking a deep drag, he pinched his brow. The white smoke dispersed, and he walked over to open the window. "Any more information from the amusement park?"

"They're using an unlicensed vehicle."

"What kind?"

"A silver van." Lin Fan was puzzled. "Didn't I tell you?"

Qin Feng looked up, flicking the ash from his cigarette, and stared at Lin Fan seriously. "You really didn't tell me."

Lin Fan buried her head in her meal, not wanting to discuss this topic anymore. She really had a poor memory. Qin Feng finished his cigarette, extinguished it, and asked, "Still cold today?"

"No."

Qin Feng walked over and touched her hand. It wasn't as cold as before. He was actually very worried about Lin Fan's health; last night had been frightening.

Lin Fan, holding her chopsticks, looked up. "I'm eating."

Qin Feng released her hand. "Alright, go ahead and eat. I'll come to get you later."

As Qin Feng reached the door, Lin Fan called after him, biting her lip. "You should smoke less."

"Got it."

Qin Feng closed the door and left. Lin Fan's face flushed again.

——

During that period, fifteen vehicles traveled from Jiangcheng to Ying County. Eleven had local plates, and four had out-of-town plates. The investigation of the car owners was extensive, requiring everyone to work overtime. Meanwhile, there was news about the unlicensed vehicle near the amusement park. "It appeared on Nanchang Road this afternoon. Our people are already on it."

Qin Feng stood up. "Act immediately if you find anything."

Lin Fan waited in Qin Feng's office until dark. Not finding him, she sent a message in the group chat. Officer Wang quickly replied, "He's on a mission."

"Then I'll head home."

Qin Feng was in the group chat but hadn't responded, likely not checking his messages. Without her bag, Lin Fan had no keys to get home, and Qin Feng had taken the car. She found fifty yuan in her pocket and went to a nearby food street for some fried rice.

Halfway through her meal, someone sat across from her.

Lin Fan glanced up and almost spat out her food but quickly swallowed to avoid wasting it.

"I've tracked their movements. They're still in Jiangcheng, and they have two children."

A young woman pulled up a chair across from Dong Hui, who quickly made room, moving inside. "I've memorized their exact location. They're about to move the children. Please call the police quickly."

Lin Fan put down her spoon, stood up, paid, and walked toward the other end. The man followed her. "Aren't you going to help me?"

"You were sitting across from me. How could I talk to you?" Lin Fan took out her phone and dialed. "What's the address?"

"Nanchang Road, Dingjia Village, in a hotel called Fuping. There are five of them, two women and three men."

Lin Fan reached Qin Feng on the phone. "Wait in my office—"

"Dong Hui found me," Lin Fan said urgently. "They're at the Fuping Hotel in Dingjia Village. There are two kids inside."

Dong Hui, frantic, kept repeating, "The kids were given sleeping pills and are unconscious. They need to hurry and rescue them."