Special Forces Medic

Chapter 1083 - 1054: Suspect (1)

"Wait, wait a minute!" Xiao Lin quickly rushed to the second floor, the operating room was already deserted, even the corpse had been tidied up cleanly. "Where did the Instrument Master go just now?" Xiao Lin stopped a nurse outside the operating room and asked.

"I don’t know!"

"The whole clinic is just like playing house, except for the nurse seen earlier, there wasn’t a single person in sight. Under the light, the clinic seemed like a giant grave, making one’s skin crawl.

"Mr. Xiao, are you looking for someone?" Director Meisai silently walked up behind Xiao Lin. Suddenly turning around, he saw Meisai’s face up close, Xiao Lin stared at him expressionlessly.

"The people here?"

"All went back! Because things were quite urgent, those people were temporarily brought in from various hospitals. If you want to find someone, I can help you get in touch!"

"Give me the contact information for the Instrument Master!"

"No problem! But before that, do you want to go to Bar Street with me? Another attack occurred there, right across the street where Wang Zhantian was murdered, inside a bar called ’Tomor’!"

This is the fifth attack in succession, although this time is slightly different—the bar’s surveillance was neatly preserved, perhaps due to Wang Zhantian’s involvement, the streets were crawling with police, preventing the perpetrator from doing more.

The entire incident was clearly captured by surveillance. Two or three people were drinking and chatting together when suddenly one of them, with his back turned, violently grabbed the person on his left and slammed him to the ground. The person on the right quickly got up to pull them apart but was thrown aside by the crazed person’s strength.

The crazed attacker targeted only the first person, attacking brutally like a violent beast. Though silent, the visual alone showed the brutality at the time. After a few minutes passed, others intervened, pulling the manic attacker away from the victim, which worked because the attacker’s strength waned. At that moment, police rushed in, sending the victim to the hospital, while the attacker suddenly convulsed, foaming at the mouth, and died within minutes.

"From start to finish, it only lasted ten minutes, even less. This distinguishes it from previous incidents—the drug effects were more intense," Director Meisai paused on the last frame, seated beside him were two CIA members, while Rochester and Xiao Lin sat on his left. On the table were photos from the scene and Wang Zhantian’s case file. "We haven’t received any claims of responsibility from any organizations for the two incidents yet, but personally, I believe these might be two separate events rather than related ones. As for Wang Zhantian’s death, we have two suspects: Hua Qingyi and Jean Lofis, though the latter is deceased," he glanced at Xiao Lin. "Regarding the bar attack, I suggest investigating Robert or Casabell’s side for drug sources."

"Director Meisai, you’ve also overlooked Edmund’s death," Xiao Lin leaned on the armrest, eyes fixed on the photos on the table. "Jean Lofis’s death remains suspicious. As his surgical doctor, the scene had many questionable factors, making it hard to conclude as a mere medical accident. Even though I and a witness can confirm he was the one who emerged from the alley, it doesn’t prove he was the assailant. It’s likely the real perpetrator was still there when I entered the alley. The situation was chaotic. When the CIA colleagues and I planned further actions, you called me to Caesar Street—that’s how it happened, right?"

Director Meisai paused, staring at Xiao Lin for several seconds before nodding. "That’s how it went."

"A key question remains, Director Meisai: how did you know my friend was injured there, given your residence isn’t close by?"

"Because there’s a kid working at the bureau, living alone, so I drive him home every day after work. I happened to encounter your friend then, as a police officer, it’s mandatory to inquire in such circumstances."

Xiao Lin smirked slightly. "Regarding the fifth attack, the perpetrator died on the spot, while in the previous four attacks, two died at the scene, and two died in the hospital. Toxicology results show high levels of Tetron, a crucial point for non-drug users is how the substance entered their bodies. From the footage, they invited each other, each ordered beer, there was no one around from bottle opening to consumption, so poisoning is unlikely. Kate, is there any more reliable information from New York?"

"’Lan Ruo’ is a general term for such drugs, but ’Wu Yue’ is particularly unique among them. Aside from differing ingredients, crucially, it can be ingested, injected, or spread through other means. However, cases in New York mostly resulted from ingestion-related overdoses. ’Wu Yue’ is a powder, reportedly available in liquid form as well, though we don’t have exact samples yet. It’s colorless, tasteless, easily dissolvable, akin to mineral water without bubbles. Placed in any drink or alcohol, it’s undetectable—it integrates with liquids without separation over time. Hence, the CIA provisionally identifies ’Wu Yue’ as a liquid."

"During our covert investigations, several source routes have been identified: one from a newly emerging border family, namely Robert, who’s been contacting several Middle Eastern tycoons frequently. The other from ’Wagane,’ though the party remains unknown.

This is newly formed but still in its infancy; the third is the least likely—Casabell Jenvies, heading the Sicilian drug network.

Our focus over recent years showed that Casabell sources mainly from the Golden Triangle, operates regular routes and trades high-purity drugs, hasn’t dealt with illicit substances. What I’m saying is, those drugs differ from ’Wu Yue’, which we discuss now."

Cross coughed, pausing as if expecting questions, but with everyone listening intently, he continued:

"Also, during our drug source investigations, a peculiar observation emerged, that the larger Sicilian Mafia families remained relatively stable. However, smaller families seemed deeply dissatisfied with the current Godfather, particularly at the onset of attack incidents. A family meeting was convened by the Mafia, igniting restlessness among smaller families, led by a Chinese man. Notably, these activities clustered at Palermo’s fringes."

"Does this involve a man wielding a Rose Staff?" asked Director Meisai attentively. "This rumor reached me—it seems related to Mr. Xiao’s case. Wang Zhantian maintained good relations with these smaller families, and holding a Rose Staff poses a threat to the Five Families, especially Nicholas. Possibly, Robert’s provocations are due to this man’s influence, so the killer might well belong to Sicily."

"The Ros Staff only wields power when paired with the Dharma Seal to intimidate the underworld; the Rose Staff alone is ineffective. Robert’s ambition compels him to seek financial means, and coincidentally, the Wang Family has substantial funds available. A financially beneficial person wouldn’t recklessly act, leaving the Five Families as prime suspects." Kate expanded on Cross’s remarks, "Thus, suspect eyes are fixed on these five families, the two cases must be correlated."

"Mr. Xiao’s opinion?" Director Meisai turned to the seemingly dozing Xiao Lin.

"You overlooked another figure, Wang Zhanting, Wang Zhantian’s brother," Xiao Lin smirked, appreciating that listening consolidates thoughts. "I want to hear Rochester’s findings on Edmund first."

"Mr. Xiao, how does Edmund’s death relate to these cases?" Director Meisai asked, puzzled. Edmund was an outsider, although his mysterious death was baffling, the connection escaped him.

"Director, let’s hear Rochester’s survey first. As things stand, we can’t confirm a link. Everything said here are mere speculations." Xiao Lin smirked, pushing the stern Rochester, who self-excluded to the edges. "Rochester, your turn."

"Ah! Oh, alright!" Rochester moved more briskly to appear energetic. "I have a report on Chief Edmund’s home, the wall blood analysis confirmed it’s Edmund’s. Yet his body remains missing."

"If a body isn’t found, it could suggest he isn’t dead, only badly wounded or for other reasons," Director Meisai offered his perspective.

"I hope so too! But while investigating Edmund, Mr. Xiao and I noticed something. While questioning Edmund’s neighbors, we learned they heard loud sounds, yet at Edmund’s, no signs of damage were found. To awaken elderly with hearing issues, the noise must have been significant, hence suspecting the elderly couple is withholding information." (To be continued. If you like this work, visit Qidian (qidian.com) to vote, your support is my greatest motivation. )