novelraw Chapter 154 : Criminal Transit Station
Chapter 154 : Criminal Transit Station
As Shen Han led the tactical team following Ren Hui to the suburbs, specific information about her team's actions was also presented to the Empress's desk.
In recent days, Gu Junwan had been intensively preparing for a special crackdown operation targeting financial groups.
This matter concerned the development of the national economy and social stability. Many key decisions were made by her personal orders.
From the perspective of action patterns, she and Shen Han were somewhat like the relationship between a swordsman and a sword.
A good sword can only display its full power to illuminate nineteen provinces with one flash when wielded by a skilled swordsman.
The blade is unmatched in sharpness, able to cut through all obstacles.
The swordsman, in turn, can use its power to cleave through the dark night, letting light shine upon more people.
Previously, Gu Junwan had used the Yongle Gang incident to provoke mutual accusations among the financial groups, and the brewing of change was nearing maturity.
Now, she was just waiting for a crucial opportunity.
An opportunity that would leave the Zhou Group's criminal faction isolated and completely trapped!
At this moment, after hearing the action report from the special task force leader, Gu Junwan keenly sensed that the opportunity she had been waiting for had arrived.
She immediately led Xu Zhao and others to the command center.
As they walked, orders began to be issued rapidly.
"Immediately strengthen entry and exit control measures. All high-level personnel with real power in the Zhou K Group are to be placed under strict surveillance. We can't let them have any chance to escape."
"Dispatch additional manpower to ensure the safety of Vice Chairman Zhou Ming and others."
"Have the standby personnel of the Xuan Leopard Special Operations Brigade depart immediately for the 546th Street District to support Shen Han and her team's actions."
By the time they arrived at the command center, a series of orders previously issued by the Empress were already being executed by designated personnel.
Gu Junwan stood before the holographic projection screen, her golden eyes fixed on the wasteland constantly flashing on the surveillance footage. She knew Shen Han and her team had left the district and entered the outskirts.
Everyone was on edge, waiting.
At this time, Xu Zhao suddenly asked Gu Junwan in a low voice: "Your Majesty, isn't it too early to start mobilizing combat resources now?"
She quickly added: "I mean, wouldn't it be fine to arrange things according to the situation after Shen Han's side finds some clues?"
In fact, what Xu Zhao really wanted to say was: If Shen Han's findings don't touch on the core parts of the Zhou K Group's criminal faction, the Empress's current display of force might alert the enemy prematurely.
After all, in a society governed by law, everything must be based on evidence. Even the Empress couldn't go beyond this basic scope.
If Shen Han and her team went there and didn't find the missing personnel, then this operation would have to be adjusted.
Gu Junwan understood Xu Zhao's concerns. She had actually already considered this situation.
Most of the orders she issued were to be executed covertly. As long as no formal arrest operation was launched, there would be no risk of alerting the enemy.
"The woman called Yan Ni, from her social relationship network, doesn't fit the 'hunting' conditions of the Zhou K Group's criminal faction. Her disappearance must be suspicious."
"Either she has some value that those people can't give up, or they're preparing to flee, so some usual rules don't need to be strictly followed."
"In either case, the situation of the missing personnel is very dangerous. We're racing against time, and this battle has already begun."
......
About an hour or so passed.
Under Ren Hui's guidance, the special forces team drove to a forest behind a building materials factory in the outskirts.
"This is a factory that produces precast concrete products. On the surface, it has no connection with the Zhou family, but in reality, it's a transit station set up by Wang Qiang. As for whether the person you're looking for is still inside, that depends on luck."
Shen Han gestured for her team members to get out of the car while turning to ask: "Transit station? You mean there are missing persons from other areas being sent here?"
Ren Hui showed no intention of getting out of the car. He clutched his seatbelt tightly and replied: "Yes, after all, this place is already quite close to the border. If you go further west, it's all steep mountains. Once something happens, they can hide directly in the mountains."
"Another point is that this location has access to highways and high-quality 'goods', making it quite an important stronghold for them."
After hearing Ren Hui's additional information, Shen Han nodded, then unbuckled his seatbelt.
Ren Hui was shocked: "Didn't we agree that you would go find the person while I waited in the car?"
By this time, Shen Han had already jumped out of the car and quickly moved to the other side, opening the door and using her strength to pull him out.
She pushed her glasses up her nose bridge and explained while walking with him: "I didn't expect this to be a factory earlier. Look, we're short-handed now. Without Brother Hui continuing to guide us, what if we accidentally fall into a pit?"
She couldn't let him stay alone in the car; that would be unsafe for both of them.
Moreover, he clearly understood the intricacies of this place better.
There were some things Shen Han didn't understand and needed to ask him at any time.
Ren Hui couldn't break free from the grip of the woman beside him. He could only resign himself to his fate and hurriedly said: "Wait! At least let me take off my uniform. My name is printed on the work badge!"
Shen Han whispered a few instructions to two special forces members, who immediately darted into the forest like hunting leopards from different directions, quickly disappearing from sight.
After making arrangements, she took a cap from another team member and handed it to Ren Hui: "Your white hair is quite noticeable too. Put this on."
The group continued to advance, secretly investigating several factory buildings, but found nothing.
The last place they hadn't approached was two brick houses close together.
The lights were on inside, and a man was standing outside the door making a phone call. Due to the distance, Shen Han couldn't hear what he was saying.
She raised her arm to make a tactical hand signal, and the two team members behind her immediately changed direction, circling around to the side of the brick houses.
She herself led Ren Hui, slowly approaching the lit area while hugging a pile of cement slabs.
"Why are there so few people at this transit station? We haven't seen a single missing person. Are there any underground warehouses or similar structures here?" Shen Han whispered her question.
Ren Hui thought to himself: Who am I supposed to ask? I'm not one of them.
In fact, he was also very puzzled.
He could confirm that this place was problematic because he had once followed one of Wang Qiang's subordinates here, but at that time he hadn't dared to get too close. He had only seen some scenes from afar before returning with anxiety.
Just as the two were crouching and moving, the door of the brick house suddenly opened, and two men walked out.
Shen Han quickly pulled Ren Hui's arm, hiding behind a stack of cement slabs, motionless.
She made a gesture for him to be quiet, then gently released the safety on her silenced handgun. She held her breath, calculating the distance between the two men and their position in her mind.
She and Ren Hui were now almost curled up at the edge of cement slabs less than half a meter high, relying on the twilight to avoid being seen by the two tall men.
They had no space to move, they could only gamble on luck.
Shen Han had already planned that if those two continued to approach, she would have to shoot when they were two meters away from her.
Otherwise, once she was discovered, she would lose the initiative.
However, there was a huge problem here.
The claim of a human trafficking transit station was still just Ren Hui's words. What if the two men who came out of the brick house weren't criminals?
The footsteps of the two men came closer and closer, each step seeming to tread on everyone's heart.
In the command center of the Peace Palace, everyone in the special task force furrowed their brows, even their breathing unconsciously suppressed.
It was as if they feared that making the slightest sound would trigger the battle on the other side of the screen.
Xu Zhao's hands were tightly clasped together, her eyes fixed unblinkingly on the projection.
Gu Junwan's face showed no obvious emotional changes.
Only her tightly clenched slender hands betrayed her current tension.
The situation Shen Han faced now was urgent and complex.
To ensure the smooth progress of the operation, should she shoot at the two men who might be innocent civilians?
This question, until the last moment, no one could give the most correct answer.
Shen Han's luck was good. The two men who came out of the brick house stopped more than three meters away from their hiding place.
The two men had come out to urinate. Amidst the rustling sounds, there was also the 'click' of a lighter being pressed.
Shen Han relaxed slightly.
She didn't put away her gun but continued to maintain a high state of alertness.
Not far away, the conversation of the two men drifted over.
"That car of beautiful skins we just took away this afternoon, the quality wasn't bad."
"Hehe, of course, those were all yellow goods. I saw there were several high-legged mules too."
"When are we moving the batch of sheep in the backyard?"
"The transporter is already on the way. We'll leave immediately after receiving the goods. I heard from Brother Qiang that we might be handing this place over to someone else after this deal."
The two men didn't linger outside for long. After finishing a cigarette, they walked back into the brick house.
Shen Han asked Ren Hui in a low voice: "What were they talking about just now?"
After a few seconds of silence, Ren Hui finally answered: "They were using code words. 'Skin' means women, 'yellow goods' are virgins, 'high-legged' describes height, 'sheep' is a general term, whichever body part can fetch a good price, that's the part they'll cut."
"Do you know where the backyard is? Take me there quickly."
After hearing Shen Han's words, Ren Hui hesitated for a moment before leading her around the brick house, heading straight for an area piled with sand and stones at an angle.
Mountain-like piles of sand and stones were scattered across an open space. From a distance, their outline somewhat resembled Mongolian yurts.
A closed box truck was parked next to the sand piles, its rear door slightly ajar.
Two burly men sat by the truck fiddling with their phones. A fire basin burning wooden branches flickered at their feet, occasionally making crackling sounds.
Hiding in the shadows, Shen Han sent an order to two of her team members.
Not long after, there was a disturbance on the outskirts of the sand and stone area.
The sound was somewhat like the rustling of leaves, and somewhat like the 'crunch' of footsteps breaking dry branches.
"Who's there? Come out!"
The two burly men guarding the truck suddenly stood up. One turned on a flashlight and rushed towards the source of the sound.
The other jumped into the passenger seat of the truck, pulled out a hunting rifle, and then followed closely.
As they ran, one of them pressed down on the walkie-talkie and said: "Kang Zi! You two come guard the truck in the backyard. There's some noise in the woods, we're going to check it out."
After hearing the two run a distance away, Shen Han quietly told Ren Hui to hide in the northwest corner.
She herself quickly darted out from behind the sand pile, her movements as agile as a lynx.
Shen Han ran to the back of the vehicle in a few steps, jumped up while gripping the side of the truck, and then slipped sideways into the cargo compartment.