135: Chapter 135 Su Mo in the Detention Room

Due to Officer Shen's father, Cao Zhen, the duty director at the Jingan Branch, learned the news and, after finishing the report, immediately invited her to his office for a brief chat.

Cao Zhen smiled gently, picked up a disposable cup, carefully poured some water for Shen Jianan, then placed it quietly in front of her and said kindly, "Captain Shen, you must have had a tough night. Have some water to soothe your throat."

"Thank you, Director Cao." Shen Jianan's lips curved slightly into a sincere smile as she replied politely, "You're the leader; just call me Xiao Shen." After speaking, her brow unconsciously furrowed slightly, revealing her concern about the case. "Director Cao, how is that girl named Su Mo doing now?"

Cao Zhen put down the documents in his hand, his eyes showing a hint of seriousness. "I've gotten a preliminary understanding of the situation. She's currently in the detention room and has already confessed everything. Although she's still a bit emotionally unsettled, she has generally calmed down. Letting her cool off there shouldn't cause any major issues."

After hearing this, Shen Jianan nodded gently, but a trace of worry still showed on her face. "Then... how is Wang Hao? Is he out of danger?"

Cao Zhen sighed and shook his head. "Wang Hao is still being resuscitated at the hospital; the situation isn't clear yet. His father has already rushed to the hospital." As he spoke, Cao Zhen looked up at Shen Jianan again, his tone carrying a hint of reproach. "Xiao Shen, although I'm not your direct superior, I still have to criticize you a bit. Your handling of this matter was indeed somewhat impulsive. How could you act on your own without informing the station? Fortunately, nothing serious happened. But if something had gone wrong, how would your station's leaders explain it to their superiors and to Director Shen?"

Upon hearing this, a flicker of embarrassment crossed Shen Jianan's face. She smiled helplessly. "Director Cao, I was left with no other choice. The case at the International Finance Center is full of suspicious points, but the station chief was eager to close it and wouldn't let me investigate further. And Su Mo came to me, saying Wang Hao was threatening her with those photos and videos, making her arrange to meet Qin Yi and set him up, to frame him. My heart softened for a moment, so I decided to help her." She sighed. "I also didn't expect things to escalate this much."

"Sigh," Cao Zhen sighed, his gaze holding a mix of reproach and concern. "You, your relentless pursuit of the truth really resembles your father when he was young. But times have changed; individual heroism doesn't work anymore. Do you know, if your station's leaders pursue this matter, making you lose this uniform would be a light consequence!"

"It can't be that serious..."

"Sigh, Xiao Shen, you're still too young and lack worldly experience. You should learn more from your father in the future. You need to handle things more steadily!"

After hearing this, Shen Jianan pursed her lips, a look of disdain appearing on her face. "Learn from him? Drinking tea, attending meetings, writing reports? I'd rather not!" As she spoke, she rolled her eyes helplessly, pretending to look elsewhere.

Cao Zhen was amused by her childishness. "You girl, your mouth is still so sharp! Don't underestimate your father. When Director Shen was your age, he was also a prominent figure in the police force!"

"Mm, I know that; the house is full of his medals," Shen Jianan replied flatly, a complex emotion flickering in her eyes.

Cao Zhen laughed heartily and changed the subject. "By the way, why didn't that young man named Qin Yi come to the station with you to give a statement?"

Mentioning Qin Yi, a subtle softness flashed in Shen Jianan's eyes. She explained softly, "He... sustained some minor injuries. I told him to go back and rest first. When he wakes up tomorrow, he should contact me on his own. If you have any more questions, Director Cao, I can answer on his behalf."

Cao Zhen looked up curiously, his eyes meeting Shen Jianan's, and raised an eyebrow with interest. "Oh? I've seen the surveillance footage from the scene. That young man has quite impressive skills; he must be a trained fighter. How much do you know about his background?"

Shen Jianan shook her head slightly, a trace of confusion showing on her face. "Actually, I don't know him very well either. I only know he's from Jingnan. He took a half-year leave of absence from school due to family matters and is still a student at Modu University. Also, I tried looking in the police System to see if he has any martial arts background, but found nothing. Beyond that, I'm not very clear either."

After hearing this, Cao Zhen nodded thoughtfully. "I see. It seems this Qin Yi is quite mysterious." He changed the subject again and continued asking, "The person he fought with, in the statement you said his name is Chen Mo, right?"

"Yes, that's right, that's the name!" Shen Jianan nodded affirmatively, a glimmer of anticipation in her eyes. "Director Cao, can we find any information about him in our police System?"

Cao Zhen frowned and shook his head, a trace of gravity passing over his face. He lowered his voice, speaking very mysteriously. "There is, but my clearance isn't high enough. You'd need National Security clearance to look it up!"

Upon hearing this, Shen Jianan's eyes widened, an expression of disbelief on her face. Her voice was full of surprise. "It actually requires National Security clearance? What identity does this person have?"

Cao Zhen gave a bitter smile and said helplessly, "That I don't know. But since it's related to National Security, according to regulations, we need to report this case." He paused, then continued, "This case will definitely end up with your father in the end. When that happens, I probably won't be able to help you hide it anymore."

"Sigh," Shen Jianan sighed, sounding somewhat dejected. "That's just how it has to be. If the old man gets angry, he gets angry; I'm used to it anyway." As she spoke, she shrugged, putting on a nonchalant appearance, though a flicker of worry flashed in her eyes.

Cao Zhen looked at her, a sly smile suddenly curling at the corner of his mouth. "However, it might be good that this case goes to your father. With his clearance, he should be able to find more information about Chen Mo. When the time comes, talk to him properly; maybe you can figure out Chen Mo's true identity." He glanced at his watch and continued, "Alright, it's getting late. You should head back and get some rest. Don't worry too much; there's always a way to solve things. The boat will straighten itself out when it reaches the bridge!"

Shen Jianan nodded, then suddenly remembered something and tentatively asked, "Director Cao, could I go to the detention room to see Su Mo?"

Cao Zhen hesitated slightly but finally nodded. "Alright, I'll take you there. But don't stay too long, to avoid causing unnecessary trouble."

"Understood. We must consider the impact, right? I get it!" Shen Jianan said with a smile.

Thus, the two of them left the office together and headed toward the detention room.

...

At this moment, an oppressive atmosphere filled the detention room.

Su Mo hung her head low, huddled on the padded bed against the wall. Her shoulders trembled slightly, as if silently bearing immense psychological pressure.

Her hands unconsciously rubbed together repeatedly. Although she had carefully washed away the bloodstains, the bloody memory still lingered in her heart, unable to be erased. Whenever she closed her eyes, the hands that had once been stained with Wang Hao's blood would reappear in her mind, the bloody, terrifying scene making her feel waves of chill.

Suddenly, the sound of footsteps came from outside the detention room, abruptly breaking the silence inside.

Su Mo abruptly raised her head. Her originally dull eyes revealed a flicker of tension and anticipation. She stared intently at the door, as if seeing a lifeline.

At the same time, the female officer on duty quickly stood up, posture straight, and gave a standard salute to Director Cao Zhen as he entered.

Director Cao Zhen, with an air of authority, nodded solemnly in return. His sharp eyes scanned the detention room environment, then he raised his hand and gestured, "Open the door. Captain Shen wants to go in and talk with the girl."

"Yes, Director." The duty officer quickly picked up the keys on the table and skillfully unlocked the detention room door.

As the door creaked open slowly, a stream of fresh air flowed into the room, seemingly bringing a hint of vitality to the oppressive space.

Director Cao Zhen turned to Shen Jianan and said, "Xiao Shen, you know the rules; I won't say more. Make it quick."

"Understood, Director. I'll just say a few words and leave," Shen Jianan nodded in response, then walked into the detention room.

Seeing Shen Jianan enter, a glimmer of light flashed in Su Mo's eyes, as if seeing a savior. She immediately stood up, clasped her hands together, her face full of worry and urgency. Her voice trembling, she asked cautiously, "Officer Shen, Wang Hao... how is he? Will he be okay?"

Shen Jianan gently patted Su Mo's shoulder, using a calm tone to soothe her emotions. "Wang Hao is still undergoing resuscitation at the hospital, but he's not in life-threatening danger at the moment. Moreover, the area you struck didn't damage his skull, so the situation is relatively optimistic."

Hearing this news, Su Mo let out a long sigh of relief, her tense nerves relaxing slightly. However, the nervous expression on her face didn't completely disappear, and she urgently pressed further, "What about the photos and videos on his phone? Could they be leaked?"

Shen Jianan gave Su Mo a reassuring look and said with a smile, "Don't worry, that content has already been sealed by us as evidence. Wang Hao won't have a chance to leak it."

Yet, Su Mo was still apprehensive. Her voice revealed deep fear. "But... but he said he made backups. What if he..."

Shen Jianan gently held Su Mo's cold hands, interrupting her worries with a gentle voice. "Don't worry. Our technical personnel have thoroughly examined his phone. There are no traces of copying, whether for videos or photos. As far as we can tell, Wang Hao didn't make any backups. What he said before was probably just to scare you. And even if he did back them up, the police already have it on record. As soon as he spreads it, we can arrest him immediately!"

Hearing this, the heavy stone in Su Mo's heart finally lifted. Tears welled up in her eyes, her voice filled with worry and grievance. "Officer Shen, how much longer do I have to stay here? Will this leave a criminal record? Could it affect my future life?"

Shen Jianan gently wiped away the tears at the corner of Su Mo's eyes and said in a soft tone, "That depends on the final investigation results. But please believe the police will handle this matter fairly. After Wang Hao wakes up and the situation is verified, you should be able to leave. As for the criminal record issue, we will handle it based on the actual circumstances; you don't need to worry too much."

"Thank you, Officer Shen," Su Mo said gratefully. "If it weren't for you this time, I really wouldn't have known what to do."

Shen Jianan smiled faintly and shook her head. "Actually, I didn't do much. If you really want to thank someone, you should thank Qin Yi. He helped us a great deal in this operation." Mentioning Qin Yi, a look of gentleness and admiration appeared on her face.

Hearing Qin Yi's name, Su Mo's eyes dimmed slightly. She lowered her head and said softly, "Yes, Qin Yi helped me a lot. It's just... I probably won't have a chance to see him again." Her voice carried a hint of guilt and helplessness. "Officer Shen, if you have a chance to see him, could you say thank you to him for me?"

Looking at Su Mo, Shen Jianan couldn't help but feel a surge of sympathy and emotion. She gently held Su Mo's hand and said, "Don't worry, I'll pass on your words to Qin Yi. He's a kind and reasonable person. I think he'll probably forgive you." As she spoke, a warm smile appeared on her face, hoping to dispel the gloom in Su Mo's heart.

...

Meanwhile, in room 3201, building 7 of the Shenjiangwan Community, the soft light from the study fell on Qin Yi's face. His eyes shone sharply in front of the laptop screen. The screen displayed a post with the bold title: "Evidence Regarding Modu Hongtai Construction Co., Ltd. Colluding with Relevant Government Departments, Bid Rigging, Collusive Bidding, Accepting Bribes, and Nurturing Corrupt Officials!"

The post's content was detailed, the text exposition clear and logical. The attached photos had been carefully processed by Qin Yi, preserving key information while cleverly hiding details that might expose his identity. He specifically pixelated the name and title of that Vice Mayor Qian. Qin Yi's goal was clear—he only wanted to take down Hongtai Construction, not get entangled in more complex political whirlpools.

Taking down Wang Hongtai was easy, but to bring down a high-ranking vice mayor, this alone was far from enough, unless there was very solid evidence. However, Qin Yi's objective was to deal with Hongtai Construction and complete the System task, not to assist in catching corruption. There was really no need to invite so much trouble for himself.

Qin Yi's fingers lightly tapped on the desk, producing a rhythmic 'tock-tock' sound, as if he were contemplating something. Before long, a deeply concealed smile appeared on his face. Finally, he pressed the enter key. The post, like a heavy bomb, was launched into the online world.

With his operation complete, soon, this post appeared on major portal websites and short video platforms across the Dragon Country.

After accomplishing all this, Qin Yi gently closed the laptop, stood up contentedly from the chair, turned off the study light, and walked straight toward the bedroom.