Captured By The Cold Detective (BL)-Chapter 721: Savior And Damnation
Li Zhi walked through the hospital’s bustling hallway with a fruit basket in hand. His stride was firm and purposeful, with a clear destination in mind. A few distance away from him, people gathered in front of the large television, which was broadcasting a live report from a news anchor stationed outside the city bureau.
"It’s him again," an elderly in his seventies commented.
"He’s finally caught by the police?" another asked, a middle-aged man. "Poor him. Tsk tsk, after being on the run for seven years, in the end, he still ends up in jail."
"You can’t say that for certain!" The auntie beside him protested. "Haven’t you read the news? Everything he has done is for the greater good. Come on, who hasn’t committed a crime back in the day? Just thinking of our society one decade ago is giving me goosebumps." She rubbed her arms with an apprehensive look.
"You’re right..."
Li Zhi’s expression remained unchanged as he brushed past the gossiping crowd, acting as if he heard nothing at all. Upon reaching a particular door, he came to a halt, raised his hand to knock, and only entered once he received a response from within.
"Chief Yan," he gave a respectful bow toward the senior seated on the bed. "I apologize for dropping by on such short notice. How are you feeling today?"
In his sixties, Chief Commissioner Yan had a head full of white hair, though his countenance remained stern and charismatic. He had been treated in the hospital recently due to arthritis, handing over almost all of his authority to Director Zhang. If not for the sudden order Li Zhi received when investigating Walker’s death, he wouldn’t have suspected that his superior had anything to do with the whole scheme.
But now, he could no longer deny the truth anymore.
A faint smile graced the man’s lips as he gestured at the empty chair. "I’m much better now. Take a seat. You shouldn’t have brought such a large basket, it will only end up with the doctors and nurses."
Li Zhi said nothing in response. He merely placed the fruit basket on the nightstand before settling on the chair beside the bed. "Sir..." he began, a hint of hesitation surfacing on his somber face.
"I know what you’ve come here to ask," Chief Yan did not beat around the bush and immediately told Li Zhi what he wanted to know. "You’re right, I am the one who appointed her into your team, knowing that she’s the daughter of our fallen comrade, Yi Peizhi."
Li Zhi had his own suspicions, but hearing the confirmation from the other person’s mouth still sent a jolt of shock and disbelief coursing through him. His pupils trembled, and he couldn’t help but ask, "Why..."
Why did Chief Yan keep quiet about this?
Why did Chen Lian have to go to such lengths? Why would she change her name and undergo plastic surgery to the point where her own family couldn’t even recognize her?
Following Yi Peizhi’s death, their team had regularly dropped by to visit the man’s family. Li Zhi had even gone a step further and sent a portion of his salary to them, knowing that the mother and two daughters had to fend all for themselves.
Yi Peizhi’s sudden passing dealt a massive blow to his wife, and her health continued to decline since then. As a result, Li Zhi became acquainted with his deceased Captain’s two daughters. But as years passed, the frequency of his visit gradually dwindled due to the increasing workload, and he merely visited a few times a year during holidays. He only communicated with them through phone calls and messages.
The last update he received about the eldest daughter was that she had pursued a job abroad, and it seemed successful, for the younger one messaged him a few years ago, expressing gratitude for his continuous support and telling him that he didn’t have to send money anymore.
Li Zhi had been quite happy back then, thinking that the small family could finally stand on their own.
Little did he know that the truth would be so cruel and merciless.
The mother and younger sister did not seem to realize that Chen Lian was, in fact, their daughter and sibling. Chen Lian had created such a flawless alibi, sending money back regularly each month to create the illusion that she was thriving abroad. While in fact, she had secretly returned to the country and joined the police force under Chief Yan’s approval...
Li Zhi was aware that Captain Yi’s widow was currently living in a good nursing home, and the youngest was now in high school. Both required quite a huge sum of money each month, which was fulfilled only by Chen Lian. However, Li Zhi also knew more than anyone how much Chen Lian earned as a police officer, and unless she had a couple side jobs, it wouldn’t be enough to cover the family’s long-term expenses.
So where did she get all the money from?
Li Zhi felt a little afraid to delve deeper into that line of thought. He was afraid that the truth might confirm his worst fears.
Chief Yan released an exhausted sigh, "She came to me a few years ago, soon after she graduated from the police academy. She begged me to transfer her to the Violent Crime Unit, vowing that she would avenge her father’s death. She was strangely convinced that XIU was the one who had killed her father. I didn’t want to pull my connection at first, because what good could come out of taking revenge, against someone like XIU at that? She would only end up destroying herself in the end. I told her as much, but she was very persistent..." he concluded with a bitter laugh.
For a young girl barely twenty of age to go through a complete transformation – changing her name, undergoing plastic surgery, and forsaking her real identity – how much courage and determination was needed to achieve that? Who had implanted such a reckless idea into her mind in the first place? How could she be so sure that XIU was the one responsible, when everyone on the scene was dead and no witnesses could be found?
Only one answer came into Li Zhi’s mind. "The Master Manipulator..." he muttered under his breath, burying his face into his hands.
Only that person could incite Chen Lian’s desire for revenge and turn her into a perfect pawn.
No wonder... no wonder Ku Jin had always remained one step ahead of the police. The mole who had been assisting him all along was none other than Chen Lian.
All of a sudden, the puzzle pieces fell into place in Li Zhi’s mind, allowing him to piece together the whole truth.
The reason why Chief Yan had issued the unusual order to solve Walker’s death as quickly as possible must be because he had guessed the case’s connection to the Master Manipulator. Fearing that Chen Lian’s identity would be exposed, he had acted swiftly to protect her.
Li Zhi understood everything now.
But what good did it do?
Ku Jin was already dead, and Chen Lian... she could never keep her job as a police officer now that the truth was revealed. Her revenge plan had failed, and she didn’t succeed in killing XIU with her own hands. Not to mention, she might need to receive some repercussions if her cooperation with the Master Manipulator was exposed...
She was practically ruined.
What should they tell her family, who had remained blissfully unaware all this time?
"Isn’t it ironic?" A tinge of wistfulness swept over Chief Yan’s features, making him look a decade older all of a sudden. "XIU is a savior to some, but damnation to others. Perhaps being a human is just that complex..."
A heavy silence hung for a moment before he called out, "Captain Li."
"Yes, Sir," Li Zhi straightened up.
"I am the one who appointed her. I am the indirect accomplice to her schemes," Chief Yan confessed. "I can’t watch her fall into ruin just like this, so... just proceed the investigation as you usually would. However, I will bear all the responsibility."
"Sir!" Li Zhi exclaimed in shock.
But Chief Yan had already made up his mind. He gazed out of the window, sighing, "I’m old, and the time of my retirement is near. This is most likely the last thing I can do, so that the late Captain Yi can rest in peace up there."
