Chapter 175 Found the Person
There is no need to consider distances over 2.5 kilometers. Even if they are riding a bike, they must make the call within ten minutes. This is an emergency notification. Wasting one more minute may lead to irreversible consequences.
Five minutes is the maximum possible.
The speed of bicycles in the city in this era is about four minutes per kilometer. The person who reported the news would not ride very fast, as it would easily attract the attention of patrol police. That's why Chu Lingyun drew these three circles, and the person who reported the news was basically within the range of these three circles.
Unfortunately, we cannot confirm the time when Nanjing received the notice, otherwise we could better determine the scope.
The place where the car was lost was at the edge of the first circle.
"Team Leader, I'm back."
Loach knocked on the door and came in. He had already sent Ren Han's fingerprint to the technical department. After comparison, it was found that it was not the half fingerprint extracted from the car.
Ren Han's suspicion can be basically ruled out, and at the same time, they have a good news: the half fingerprint behind the bicycle lock is most likely left by the informant.
"Loach, take someone to check how many businesses sell and use paint within this largest circle."
Chu Lingyun instructed that the scope had been determined and the next step was investigation. The technical department's comparison had not yet produced any results, but it would not affect their preliminary investigation.
"Okay, just wait for my good news."
Loach gladly accepted the order. The busier he was, the more fulfilled he felt. This time, he was investigating Japanese spies. Now that Shen Hanwen and Chu Yuan were not in the team, he had the advantage of being close to the team, so all the tasks were assigned to him.
In this way, his contribution will be greater.
"Ring, ring, ring."
Not long after Niu Qiu left, the phone on the table rang. He picked up the receiver and heard Team Leader Hu's voice: "Team Leader Chu, the results of the paint comparison you sent are out. I've had someone send you the report."
"Thank you, Team Leader Hu. If you can catch the Japanese spy this time, I will definitely recommend you to the Technical Department for the credit."
With the results of the paint, the direction of the investigation will be clearer. Chu Lingyun did a favor at the right time. Team Leader Hu grinned and said, "It's just a small favor. Team Leader Chu, don't worry too much."
After saying this, as if afraid that Chu Lingyun really wouldn't help them get credit, he hurriedly added, "If you really do catch a Japanese spy, just say a few good words for us. You know, our technical department usually doesn't have many opportunities to make meritorious contributions. If it weren't for Team Leader Chu, we wouldn't have such a good opportunity this time."
Chu Lingyun smiled: "Don't worry, your contribution is indispensable to solving the case."
Two minutes after hanging up the phone, the technical department sent him the results of the paint comparison.
According to the test and comparison conducted by the Technical Department, two types of paints are similar to those found on the bicycle seat, while the other paints do not match.
To confirm which of these two models is exactly the same, we have to wait for the test results.
Comparing two types of paint is already a good result. Chu Lingyun noticed that the prices of these two paints are not low. Among all the paints purchased for comparison, the prices are ranked second and third.
There are more than a dozen types of paint, so this ranking is quite high.
"Wang Sheng, I have a new task for you."
After asking someone to send the comparison results to Niu Qiu, Chu Lingyun called Wang Sheng again.
Wang Sheng on the other side hurriedly replied: "Commander Chu, no matter what the task is, I promise to complete it for you."
In fact, the last time Henian found Jiang Binghui, he wanted to promote Wang Sheng. Although the police were not under their jurisdiction, it was very easy for Henian to just say hello and promote a deputy sheriff to sheriff.
It was Chu Lingyun who temporarily suppressed Wang Sheng's promotion. He had just been promoted to deputy police chief not long ago, and it was not a good thing to be promoted too quickly. Chu Lingyun still had to see his performance.
Wang Sheng has been performing well recently. He made contributions to the investigation of the Marine Police Headquarters and helped him find Du Fang's weaknesses before. If he makes contributions again this time, we can consider helping him get promoted.
If you want a horse to run fast, it must have enough fodder.
"Look up all the lock-picking experts in Nanjing. No matter if they're thieves or not, anyone with strong lock-picking skills should be identified."
Chu Lingyun assigned him a task: Ren Han was not a Japanese spy, but the person who reported the incident had stolen his car. He was a man with a strong mental capacity to think of stealing a car when he was about to report the emergency.
The location where he stole the car might be very close to where he is.
But the location alone is not enough, it is also necessary to determine who stole the car. Loach investigates clues about the paint, while Wang Sheng investigates clues about the car theft. With a two-pronged approach, the process can be faster.
"Don't worry, I can give you the result of this little matter tomorrow at the latest."
Wang Sheng promised that the investigation was just about someone who could open locks, and it was not a big deal for them, the police.
No matter how high your official rank is, sometimes it is very difficult to find lost things. But it is different for the police. They are very familiar with everything in the area. As long as something is stolen and you hand it over to the police, they will definitely find it for you.
The police in this era have a special relationship with the ruffians on the streets.
…
"Captain, this is a new clue that the team leader asked me to give you."
Loach's team finally found his captain, who sent them a paint comparison report.
"Having a clear definition of the paint type makes the investigation much easier."
After reading the comparison report, Loach grinned. He had a scope and something to investigate. All he had to do next was put in the effort. Gathering information was what he was best at, and he would be able to find out the results quickly.
In the evening, Loach came to Chu Lingyun's home to make a report.
"Team Leader, within the largest circle you drew, there are nine businesses selling these two types of paint. Their customers are mostly carpenters or furniture manufacturers. I checked their sales invoices and found that twenty-seven of them purchased these two types of paint."
"Of these 27, nine are carpenters, fourteen are furniture factories or furniture stores, and only four are independent buyers. According to the store, they all repaint furniture or other items themselves."
It is not new for individuals to buy paint. Some people in later generations also bought and painted it themselves.
Both individuals and businesses are surveyed. Twenty-seven companies is not a large number, but the number of people is not necessarily small.
In a furniture store or factory, there is more than one person inside.
"How many locations are there where Ren Han lost his car?"
Chu Lingyun took out a map and asked. Loach immediately came over and pointed to the spot where Ren Han lost his car. He said, "There are two paint shops nearby, and six factories. There are quite a few furniture factories in this area, so it's a small concentration point. In addition, there are two people who bought paint individually and live here."
Two businesses, six factories, and two people make a total of ten survey subjects, and they are the key targets of this investigation.
"Tomorrow you will investigate them, mainly checking their people. Also, check if there are any people with the build that the guy described. If there are any, mark them and focus on verification."
Narrow the scope and investigate secretly. As long as the person who reported the news is still in Nanjing City, Chu Lingyun believes that he can find him. No matter how cunning the fox is, as long as he leaves traces, he will be caught soon.
"Okay, Team Leader. Zhao Hua, I haven't finished copying yet. I'll send it to you when I'm done."
Loach responded, and Chu Lingyun shook his head: "That's not urgent, business is more important, find the person first, don't waste time on Zhao Hua."
The money is good and Chu Lingyun wants it very much, but time is running out. The most important thing is to catch the person who informed Liu Dazhuang as soon as possible and confirm Liu Dazhuang's identity as a traitor.
"Don't worry, Team Leader. I won't delay the important work."
Loach chuckled and said that he would carry out the task well and would not delay in making money.
The next morning, Wang Sheng came to the Military Intelligence Department.
Whether in Wuhan or Nanjing, he always felt a little nervous every time he went to this unit.
Now he is the deputy sheriff and knows more about the Military Intelligence Department. The power of this department is really astonishing, especially for the police. They can only keep their tails between their legs in front of this unit.
Even though he is just a deputy sheriff, many people in the police station now know that he has connections in the Military Intelligence Department, so they are very polite to him and no one in the bureau dares to offend him.
"Commander Chu, I have already found the person according to your request."
When he arrived at Chu Lingyun's office, Wang Sheng immediately bent down and placed a list on the desk.
"More than 300 people, is that a lot?"
Seeing the densely packed list, Chu Lingyun was stunned. There were so many lock-picking experts in Nanjing?
Wang Sheng nodded. "Yes, there are quite a few. Nanjing has a large population, and many hooligans steal things, and quite a few of them can pick locks."
This is just for lock picking experts. If you want to find thieves, the number will be even greater, definitely more than a thousand.
There are countless thieves, especially in crowded places such as train stations, docks, and shopping malls.
"Put it here."
Chu Lingyun glanced at the list. It not only had their names, but also their addresses, and some even had notes. The list was very detailed, and it could be seen that Wang Sheng had put a lot of thought into it.
"Yes, Commander Chu, I'll be leaving first."
Wang Sheng said goodbye and left. Chu Lingyun compared the map to find out the number of people living in the circle, especially near where the car was lost.
There were more than fifty people in the circle, a considerable number, but there were only eight people near the lost car.
These lists were also sent to Loach.
"Team leader, we've found the person."
At noon, Loach came to the office excitedly, and Chu Lingyun raised his head.
"According to the unlocking list you gave me, I found two people among the eight who worked at the furniture factory. One is called Wu Da, and the other is called Hou Lao San. Both of them have come into contact with those two types of paint."
"I asked someone to call the hotel staff over and secretly looked at them. The staff finally said that Hou Laosan looked very much like the person who called.
"Then I investigated Hou Laosan's whereabouts yesterday, and he wasn't at the factory during the time he called. I personally searched Hou Laosan's home and found the hat. The hotel staff confirmed it was the one he was wearing when he called. However, the blue robe was nowhere to be found; he might have destroyed it."
"Did you find anything else?" Chu Lingyun asked.
"No, but according to my secret investigation, Hou Lao San's lock-picking skills are very good. He has also trained several apprentices, and they are counted among the best in Nanjing."
Loach shook his head. He was an expert in lock picking, had experience with paint, and was not in the factory when he made the call. He was indeed a major suspect.
However, the Japanese spies were cunning, and Chu Lingyun never underestimated them. He always felt that it was a little easy for Hou Lao San to be exposed.
"Team leader, do you want to arrest someone?" Seeing that Chu Lingyun didn't say anything, Loach asked hurriedly.
"Don't worry for now. Have you investigated who he was in contact with yesterday and what he did?"
Chu Lingyun shook his head and said, if Hou Laosan was the one who called Liu Dazhuang, then someone must have informed him of this information.
Whether it's sending someone to notify, or making a phone call or using the radio, it's always one of these categories.
The possibility of sending someone to notify is small, not to mention wasting time. It would be better for the person sent to call Liu Dazhuang directly, which would be more convenient.
As for telephones, they are not safe. If the Military Intelligence Department wants to investigate, it can easily find their phone numbers.
Therefore, the most likely possibility is that the notification was from the radio. If this is the case, then Hou Lao San must have a radio.
But they were in Nanjing, not their territory, and the radio station could not be turned on 24 hours a day. How did Shanghai notify them so accurately? All the problems here must be investigated thoroughly before any action can be taken.
If we act rashly, and if the person who called is not Hou Lao San, we may alert the enemy and fail to catch the real caller.
Loach was stunned for a moment, then quickly replied, "I haven't checked who he's been in contact with yet. I'll go check it out now."
"I'll go with you."
Chu Lingyun stood up. The more detailed the investigation, the more likely it would be to find out who called.
Hou Laosan is a major suspect and the investigation into him cannot stop, but there is no absolute certainty that Chu Lingyun will not arrest him, lest something go wrong and the real Japanese spy escape.
"Team leader, that's the factory where Hou Lao San works."
In an alley, Loach pointed to the gate in the distance and said to Chu Lingyun that this was a small furniture factory, similar to a family workshop. There were only seven people in the factory including the boss. Hou Laosan was the carpenter of the factory and had good skills.
Hou Laosan is 43 years old this year. In his early years, he was a thief who worked on rooftops and was caught several times. Later, he quit and learned carpentry skills. His life is pretty good now.
"Are you sure Hou Laosan has been living in Nanjing?"
Chu Lingyun asked, and Loach was slightly startled, then immediately understood what Chu Lingyun meant.
If Hou Laosan has been in Nanjing all the time and is a local, then he cannot be Japanese. People like Zhao Pinsong are extremely rare and it is unlikely that there will be a second one.
Moreover, Hou Laosan was not abducted, he has parents.
"We've confirmed he's been in Nanjing. Team leader, could it be that Hou Lao San is a stand-in like Yang Jian, someone we can use just once to make a phone call at a critical moment?"
Loach expressed his guess that Hou Laosan was not a Japanese, but might have been bribed to help the Japanese.
Niu Qiu thought differently from Chu Lingyun. No matter how he looked at Hou Lao San, he looked like the person who called to inform Liu Dazhuang.
"No." Chu Lingyun shook his head affirmatively.
Liu Dazhuang's identity is very important. The Japanese will never arrange a substitute for an emergency retreat, as there will be too many variables.
If Hou Laosan fails to complete the task, Liu Dazhuang may be arrested at any time.
The person who called Liu Dazhuang was definitely a Japanese.
First update, thanks to my friends 进行青年137 and An Gang for their tips of 1500 Qidian tokens each, and thanks to Dr. P, Black Silk Mushroom Soup and Li Zaoqingzheng for their tips of 100 Qidian coins each.
