Easy to say now, but in that moment everything happened fast.

Yu Zhengchuan suddenly sped up, turning the steering wheel and pulling the handbrake in one fluid motion.

The car executed a 180-degree turn on the spot.

The front of the car ended up directly facing the red sedan.

Realizing something was amiss, the red car attempted to accelerate backward, but it was too late; Chen Fang and Pei Shanglian had already knocked on her window.

The driver hesitated for a moment.

In the end, she rolled down the window.

"Secretary Chen, how come it's you?"

After getting a clear view of the driver's face, Pei Shanglian cried out in shock.

It was a woman with short hair.

She appeared to be in her mid-twenties.

She wore a pair of rimless glasses, giving her an air of sophistication, and was dressed in a simple white T-shirt with a thicker casual shirt over it, and dark blue skinny jeans below.

"Secretary Chen, allow me to introduce you, this is Comrade Chen Rulin, the Deputy Chief Prosecutor of Guyang City Procuratorate, affectionately known as the 'flower of the Procuratorate'," Pei Shanglian said.

At that moment, Chen Rulin seemed very nervous.

Her eyes barely dared to meet Chen Fang's as her hands tightly gripped the steering wheel.

"Comrade Chen Rulin, don't you think you owe us an explanation?" Chen Fang asked.

Chen Rulin took a deep breath.

Looking up at Chen Fang, she said, "Secretary Chen, I don't know what you mean. I was driving normally; you were the ones who stopped me."

"We're all adults here, so can we please not play these childish games?"

Chen Fang said.

Chen Rulin glanced at Pei Shanglian and then at Yu Zhengchuan, who was standing by the car, and said, "Secretary Chen, Director Pei, I'm sorry, but I have things to do. I can't stay and chat with you."

After saying that, she turned on her signal light.

It was clear she meant to start the car and leave.

Pei Shanglian wanted to stop her.

But Chen Fang pulled him back.

Just like that.

They watched helplessly as Chen Rulin disappeared into the intersection ahead.

"We're just letting her go?"

Pei Shanglian asked, not understanding.

"What else can we do? She hasn't done anything to us; can you seriously consider arresting her?" Chen Fang said.

"I think she was sent by Oujian to follow us; we could have interrogated her thoroughly."

Pei Shanglian said, not ready to give up.

Chen Fang shook his head and said, "She's not Oujian's plant. Even if Oujian were to send someone to tail us, she wouldn't be the best choice. Just wait and see, there might be others more anxious than us."

Pei Shanglian didn't understand what he meant.

So that was the end of that.

"What shall we do next?"

Pei Shanglian asked.

Chen Fang thought for a moment and said, "Let's go to Song Yan's place…"

Twenty minutes later.

They parked their car in Jinshan Garden Residential Complex, located on Taicang Street.

Guyang City consisted of three streets.

Taicang Street was part of the old city area, Taigu Street was now the administrative and economic center, and Taihe Street had been a new addition six years ago, situated on the outskirts of the city.

The Jinshan Garden Residential Complex they were looking at had a history of over twenty years.

The entire complex looked old.

And Song Yan's home was located within this complex.

The house wasn't large, just over sixty square meters, renovated into two bedrooms and a living room. Upon opening the door, a musty smell hit the senses, suggesting that it had been a long time since anyone lived there.

Two portraits of the deceased hung on the wall, both old people.

Upon seeing the portrait, Pei Shanglian immediately showed his respects and bowed courteously.

Noticing Chen Fang's puzzled look.

Pei Shanglian said, "This is the father of Song Yan, named Song Chongzhi, a quite renowned figure in the Wulan City police force. He passed away not long ago, about a month I guess. I went to his funeral; nearly half of the police officers in Wulan City were there."

"Oh? The old man had such prestige?"

Chen Fang exclaimed in surprise.

Pei Shanglian nodded and explained, "Old Song was a criminal detective. He solved countless cases in his life. He got injured because of a case when he was in his thirties and then moved behind the scenes. During his tenure, he doubled our police salaries, and the current police union was his initiative. He helped many police officers out of trouble, and we liked to call him 'Father Song.'

"How did he die?"

Chen Fang asked.

"A sudden heart attack. After Song Yan was killed, his death was kept secret from the old man. Once the case was cleared up, we had no choice but to inform the family. The old man was devastated and kept saying his son would never do such a thing. Later, he was taken to the hospital in a coma and had a relapse the next day, not surviving the resuscitation efforts."

Pei Shanglian spoke these words with a somber tone.

Chen Fang nodded his head.

Then he scanned the small house again.

The old man was a model figure in the police force, and his son was the deputy prosecutor at the City Procuratorate. A family like theirs, if it were anyone else, would not be living all cramped up in old and small housing like this, not to mention having multiple houses or a considerable amount of savings.

From this, it was clear.

Song Chongzhi had strong family values.

But could a deputy prosecutor from such a family really have gone down the path of robbing a bank due to gambling debts?

Honestly, Chen Fang truly did not believe it.

Song Yan's room was small.

A bed, a wardrobe, and a desk.

Chen Fang sat down in front of the desk.

Stacks of books related to law overwhelmed the surface.

He flipped open a book at random, finding it filled with notes. It was clear that these books had been well-worn by Song Yan.

"Has this room been searched after the incident?"

Chen Fang inquired.

Pei Shanglian nodded and replied, "We've searched it inside and out. Those IOUs, they were found in this room, in the desk drawer right here."

Chen Fang pulled open the drawer.

His hand naturally began feeling around inside.

Unfortunately, it was already empty.

The police had already searched here, so could there possibly be any clues left behind?

Just as his hand reached the top of the drawer, suddenly, he felt something unusual.

He shuddered.

Pushing back the chair, he carefully removed the drawer and looked up, his mind buzzing.

He could see what seemed to be a photo stuck to the top of the drawer.

With a gentle tug,

The photo came loose.

Chen Fang took it in his hands for a closer look.

Indeed, it was a photo.

The photo was originally of three people, but now, the person on the far left was torn off. In the middle stood a twenty-something Song Yan, and on the far right was a man with a buzz cut, looking sharp and spirited.

Both men in the photo were smiling happily.

"Shi Ming? How come the two of them have a photo together?"

Pei Shanglian exclaimed.

"You know him?"

Chen Fang asked.

Pei Shanglian said, "Of course, I know him. He used to be the deputy director of the Taicang Street police station, but he died over a year ago."

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