Love Assault - Chapter 4

Lin Che drove Guo Haitao back to the police station at breakneck speed, opening the car door and helping him out. Guo Haitao beamed, repeatedly praising her as a good girl. After escorting him to his office, Lin Che had no reason to linger. She bid farewell, gently closed the door behind her, and strolled leisurely down the corridor. As expected, she soon encountered Chen Mo, clutching a file folder and hurrying toward the office, flanked by two officers.

Leaning against the wall, Lin Che observed the trio’s solemn expressions. Their grave demeanor radiated an aura of keep out, suggesting another major incident had likely occurred. One of the officers, the same one who had taken her statement earlier, noticed her and exclaimed, Miss Lin, you’re still here?

Lin Che chuckled. No, I just brought Uncle Guo back. As she spoke, she glanced at Chen Mo and waved. Comrade Chen, we meet again.

Chen Mo acknowledged her with a polite nod, then turned to the officers and said, Wait here for me. She knocked on the door and entered the office with one of the officers. Lin Che blinked, as if she had anticipated this scene all along. Unfazed, she grinned at the remaining officer and gestured toward the closed door. Your deputy captain is truly a woman of few words, isn’t she?

Hey, Sister Mo, you get used to it. Chen Mo, Chen Mo—silence is golden, right?

Lin Che nodded thoughtfully. So her name really does suit her. She then flashed her most approachable smile. We’ve met several times now. What should I call you?

Xiao Li, the young officer replied eagerly, extending his hand to shake hers. He knew better than to offend someone who could return Director Guo safely and escape from three or four desperate criminals while subduing them. He grinned widely. Miss Lin, you’re truly impressive! With your skills, I doubt anyone in our department could last two rounds against you—except maybe Sister Mo.

Oh, no, that’s not true, Lin Che quickly demurred. My amateur skills can’t compare to your professional training. You’re being too modest. But Officer Chen is indeed skilled. If we ever fought, I’m afraid I’d lose. She harbored her own secret intentions and was eager to prolong the conversation. Being a criminal investigator like you—that’s been my dream since childhood. I have immense respect for the police. You must be so busy every day. That sudden incident just now was quite frightening.

Xiao Li’s face immediately lit up with pride at the compliment. Of course! We get all sorts here. That guy we just caught was a repeat offender who’d been on the run for three or four years. Sister Mo led us on a week-long stakeout in the suburbs before we finally caught him by the tail. And that punk even managed to injure several of our guys.

Lin Che’s eyes widened. I’m truly honored! I’ve met two daredevils in one day. If you guys deal with people like this every day, it must be incredibly dangerous. It’s glorious, truly glorious!

The two were so engrossed in their conversation that they completely forgot they were standing outside the police chief’s office. Just as they were getting into the swing of things, a door slammed shut nearby. Xiao Li flinched violently and whipped around, awkwardly stammering, Sister Mo.

Lin Che didn’t react as dramatically as Xiao Li, but when she turned and saw Chen Mo’s grim expression and the angry glare she was directing at Xiao Li, she couldn’t help but swallow hard. She waved at Chen Mo and said, We’re done talking.

Chen Mo ignored her, turning to Xiao Li. Li Zhiyong, this is work time. Do you know what you should be doing?

Xiao Li nodded frantically. Yes, I do. So, I…

Go get the car, Chen Mo said flatly, her tone conveying deep dissatisfaction. Change into plainclothes, gather Zhang Lining and Han Zhiwei. Five minutes. Wait for me downstairs.

With that, she strode away, already three or four steps away. Lin Che, her hand still raised in a half-hearted wave, was left feeling foolish. Xiao Li, moving like a wound-up toy, shed his jacket and loosened his tie as he said to Lin Che, Miss Lin, I’m sorry. I have to go.

Lin Che nodded amicably. Standing by the window, she lit a cigarette and watched Chen Mo, now in plainclothes, lead several officers into a car and drive away. A playful smile curled her lips. She pulled out her phone and dialed. Sara, I need you to look into someone. Oh, don’t worry, I wouldn’t bother you right after getting back if it wasn’t urgent. Why else would I call you?

Hanging up, she turned and left.

Li Zhiyong sat in the car, sweating profusely. Chen Mo had floored the accelerator, sending the car hurtling to 120 kilometers per hour, and the speedometer was still climbing. It was just past 3 PM, and the roads were relatively empty as they sped along the ring road toward the suburbs. Glancing sideways, Li Zhiyong saw Chen Mo’s expressionless profile, her icy demeanor radiating a chill that seemed to freeze the very air around her. In the back seat, Zhang Lining reached forward and patted Li Zhiyong’s shoulder, leaning in to whisper, Xiao Li, Sister Mo’s in a foul mood today. Did you piss her off?

A bead of sweat dripped from Li Zhiyong’s forehead. He raised a hand to cover his mouth, about to speak, when Chen Mo slammed on the gas again, jerking the steering wheel hard. The sudden turn sent Zhang Lining tumbling back into the rear seat, landing against Han Zhiwei. Clutching his chest, Zhang Lining gasped, Sister Mo, be careful!

Sister Mo… Han Zhiwei, who had been silent until now, finally spoke up, his eyes fixed on the increasingly remote road outside the window. The intel said Pockmark’s in the western suburbs. We’ve been heading east this whole time. Are you sure we’re going the right way?

Chen Mo gripped the steering wheel firmly, expertly turning left. Her voice remained calm as she stated, Zhang Si’s information was false.

Her words startled everyone in the car. Han Zhiwei frowned deeply before finally asking in a low voice, What about Xiao Lin?

A flicker of anger flashed in Chen Mo’s dark eyes. He’s being treated. He sent me the message before losing consciousness. Pockmark is currently holed up in an abandoned warehouse on the eastern outskirts.

Li Zhiyong surveyed the surroundings. There must be at least seven or eight abandoned warehouses in this area.

Chen Mo exhaled, slowing the car to a crawl as she pulled over onto the snowy ground. She pointed to an open space ahead. We’ll search them one by one. The warehouses are up ahead. We can park here and walk the rest of the way. As she spoke, she opened the car door and tossed the keys to Han Zhiwei. Zhiwei, wait for us in the car.

Han Zhiwei climbed out from the back, looking concerned. If Pockmark dares to show up in a place like this, he probably isn’t alone. Sister Mo, should we call for backup?

Chen Mo shook her head. If he’s really here, a large-scale search would easily spook him. We don’t have a confirmed location yet, so we need to proceed cautiously. She wrapped her long white wool coat tighter around herself, reached up to loosen the hair tie holding her ponytail, letting her long hair cascade down her shoulders. Pulling sunglasses from her pocket, she slipped them on, transforming her delicate features into something unrecognizable from her usual police uniform. The transformation was so complete that the three men across from her stared in stunned silence. Chen Mo, however, remained unfazed, calmly retrieving two briefcases from the car’s trunk. Her voice remained steady as she instructed, We’ll stroll through each room casually. I’m the boss, and you two are real estate agents. Keep your stories straight and don’t slip up.