On the fifth day after Mu Zhouyi’s arrest, the multiple obsessive fan groups were bombed. All accounts suspected of inciting the obsessive fans to do extreme things were locked and monitored by the police. Many scalpers who had business dealings with these obsessive fans were also dug out and arrested.
After that, the police followed the trail and cracked down on a large number of ‘thugs’ who were paid to do things based on the scalpers’ network. Based on their recent economic transactions, the police seized several ‘poisonous seedlings’ who intended to act.
At the same time, Yang Xing and Rongding launched a secret check on the information of entry personnel. Those employees who recently joined the company and had problems with their entry information were interviewed by the personnel department or directly fired.
On the seventh day after Mu Zhouyi’s arrest, the property department of Dingsheng Garden comprehensively inspected all the monitoring equipment in the community on the grounds of reorganization at the end of the year. The background of the staff of the property department was checked, the security team reorganized and the occupancy of the owners and personnel of the community verified.
On the other side, Tao Yang’s father Tao Huazhang cooperated with the police to conduct a detailed and in-depth screening of Tao Yang’s assets, accounts and registered contact information.
Secretly, the people sent by Qiu Xing started to investigate Tao Yang’s previous social circle. Tao Yang’s past teachers and classmates, the places where he lived in China and abroad, the people he had business contacts with, the places he frequented or even traveled to were all cleared.
In B City, another team was searching buildings based on keywords such as ‘12’, ‘YD’, ‘Adam’, ‘Flying Bird’ etc…
***
Almost every day, there would be new information about the search for Tao Yang sent to Qiu Xing’s desk. The net that took Tao Yang an unknown amount of time to lay down was being torn apart and destroyed little by little. The countless protective shells Tao Yang placed on his body were also being broken layer by layer.
Under Qiu Xing’s strong ‘anti-virus’ search of B City and the people around him inch by inch, Xie Yang’s life quickly settled down. He didn’t encounter any more obsessive fan troubles when attending various activities.
At the end of January, Feng Qinglin sent good news. He found the account which Feng Dian used to secretly give Tao Yang a ‘cooperation fund’.
Qiu Xing had Feng Qinglin report the account to the police. The police immediately contacted the bank to freeze the account and gained the corresponding information. They started to investigate the account opening information and the flow of money.
Xie Yang laughed when he came back from a business trip and heard the news. “It seems that Feng Dian and Tao Yang’s cooperation wasn’t reliable. They distrusted each other and the payment was made every Monday.”
“This is Tao Yang’s eighth account that we’ve found so far.”
“Eight? So many?”
Qiu Xing nodded with a frown. “Tao Yang is really a cunning person with more than one plan to fall back on. He used the means of false investments, buying and selling houses and even loans to borrow the identity of teachers, students, partners and even studios to establish multiple accounts, receiving money from everywhere. The money comes to him regularly in batches and he can change the receiving account at any time. In this way, he isn’t lacking money even if the police finds one of his accounts and freezes them.”
Xie Yang sighed. “If he wasn’t abnormal then with his ability, he could definitely set up a Rongding from scratch.”
“Unfortunately, he went the wrong way.”
Xie Yang saw Qiu Xing’s expression and walked over. He held Qiu Xing’s face and tugged at the corner of his mouth. “It isn’t your fault. You didn’t lead him astray. He decided himself to walk this dark path so don’t think about it.”
Qiu Xing’s mind was guessed and he stopped frowning. He pulled down Xie Yang’s hand on his face and pulled Xie Yang into his arms, tightening them.
Xie Yang relaxed and leaned against Qiu Xing’s chest. He reached out, flipping through the various investigation materials on the desk before saying, “My guess is that Tao Yang is running out of money. No matter how many accounts he has, he can’t hold on against you checking him like this.”
“It isn’t enough.”
“Don’t pressure yourself too much. You have done a lot…” Xie Yang’s words abruptly stopped as he picked up an investigation sheet. He looked at the registered classmates of Tao Yang’s design school and thought of something. He looked back at Qiu Xing and told him, “We seem to have missed something.”
Qiu Xing immediately became serious. “Where?”
“Mu Zhouyi said that Tao Yang designed a clothing series for us. This proves that Tao Yang hasn’t interrupted his design activities even when hiding. Designing clothing requires various tools and materials such as paper, pen, fabrics and large items such as sewing tools. The paper, pens and fabrics are all consumables and need to be replenished regularly. However, large items and clothing are very difficult and need a car, preferably a large car.”
Qiu Xing reacted instantly and took out his mobile phone. “I will contact the police and let them check B City’s fabric markets and car markets.”
Xie Yang added, “Don’t forget online shops. We also need to pay attention to logistics.”
Qiu Xing gave Xie Yang a kiss in response.
***
Two days later, the police’s investigation had a result.
After investigating the various fabric markets in B City to no avail, they compared the number of fabric couriers of various logistics outlets for each month. They found that the number of fabric couriers at several points had a relatively abnormal increase in a certain period of time. By mobilizing the courier points and monitoring around these courier points, they identified several suspicious figures.
Xie Yang and Qiu Xing rushed to the police station.
The police showed Xie Yang and Qiu Xing several figures on the surveillance videos. Xie Yang and Qiu Xing carefully examined them. One shook his head while the other frowned.
Xie Yang said, “It isn’t Tao Yang.”
The police confirmed it. “None of them?”
“None.”
The police officer frowned and closed the surveillance with a regretful sigh. He thanked Xie Yang and Qiu Xing for their cooperation and personally escorted them out of the police station.
On the way home, Qiu Xing looked thoughtful and didn’t seem to be in a good mood.
Xie Yang grasped Qiu Xing’s fingers that were anxiously tapping on his knees and soothed him. “Don’t worry, the police’s investigation direction should be right but Tao Yang is too cautious. They just have to dig deeper.”
“I hope so.” Qiu Xing held Xie Yang’s hand. “I will put pressure on Tao Yang in other places.”
Two days later, February arrived and basically all the places that Tao Yang could be hiding were checked by Qiu Xing. Most of the retreat roads arranged by Tao Yang in advance were also dug out and destroyed by Qiu Xing.
However, Tao Yang was still missing.
Just as Qiu Xing was becoming increasingly anxious, the police came again with good news.
“We’ve checked the identities of the suspicious figures in the surveillance one by one and found that three of them were hired to help others get an express delivery.”
The police officer led Qiu Xing and Xie Yang to the police station with a sense of relief in his tone. “We questioned these people and found that they are all people with no fixed homes. They found the job for the express delivery on the Internet. We further searched the channels through which they picked up the work and delivered the express package as well as the information on the courier bill… in this one, we locked onto one more suspicious figure.”
The police officer walked to the computer and turned on the surveillance video. “The delivery locations of the three people are different but they have one thing in common, they are all very remote village houses. They have the keys to the village houses and can place the express package directly. The person who hired them will pick it up later and won’t meet them. However, it doesn’t matter if these three people haven’t met the person who hired them. As long as this person appears in these places, he must’ve left his image in the surrounding surveillance. Take a look. Is this Tao Yang?”
The surveillance video zoomed in on a silver van. The police paused the video and zoomed in on the person in the driver’s seat.
“I think he looks a bit similar but I’m not sure. Please take a look.”
Xie Yang and Qiu Xing observed carefully before Xie Yang replied first, “It isn’t Tao Yang.”
“It isn’t?” The police officer was dumbfounded.
Qiu Xing also looked toward Xie Yang.
The police officer confirmed again. “It really isn’t him?”
“It really isn’t him. I’m pretty sure. It is just a similar appearance. Still, I think your investigation direction is right. Once you confirm the identity of this person, we should have an idea of Tao Yang’s whereabouts.”
The police officer stared at the man on the screen and suddenly slammed his hand hard against the table. “I don’t believe I can’t dig you up! I’ll come again!”
This time, the police sent new information just a day later.
The driver had been found. He was a disabled migrant living in the suburbs of B City who couldn’t speak or read. He had an old mother at home. He had met Tao Yang and had been working for him since a while ago. He had even gone to that warehouse with the special number and meaning. It was just that half a month ago, Tao Yang fired him on the grounds that Tao Yang was leaving B City.
The police looked crazy. “Did Tao Yang run away before Mu Zhouyi was even arrested?”
“No, he is still in B City.” This time it was Qiu Xing who spoke first and his tone was certain. “I threw the bait of my ‘second operation’ so he won’t leave B City.”
Xie Yang agreed. “I also think he is still here. Officer, has the man who worked for Tao Yang confessed to other places where Tao Yang was hiding?”
“Yes, my colleagues have gone to search.”
Xie Yang nodded to express his understanding and glanced at Qiu Xing. “We are very close to Tao Yang. He has no money, no help, no contacts and he is being pressed by the police step by step. He has reached a desperate situation.”
Qiu Xing understood what Xie Yang meant. “It is time for the last bait.”
The police officer who heard this was confused. “What bait? Don’t do impulsive things.”
“It isn’t impulsive.” Xie Yang glanced at the police officer and smiled. “I’m just preparing to reveal some false information.”
***
A week ago, shortly after the end of Rongding’s annual meeting, there was a rumor that Qiu Xing hadn’t completely succeeded in fighting cancer after his surgery. The tumor in his brain wasn’t completely removed and a second operation was needed. The operation time was set for the 29th of the last month of the year (Lunar calendar).
This news was true. Many paparazzi went to the hospital and found that Qiu Xing had actually been hospitalized again. Moreover, the foreign experts who previously operated on Qiu Xing also flew to B City in this period of time.
For a time, people from all walks of life were once again speculating about Qiu Xing’s health.