Chapter 23: A Sedan, How Could It Be There?

Inside the car heading toward three suspicious locations, Xiong Beibei and Xu Xinyi felt a lingering sense of awkwardness. After all, they had known Shen Ting for less than three days, making it difficult to speak their minds directly. Yet, continuing to follow him around aimlessly every day was hardly a sustainable solution, especially given that both had their own demanding professional responsibilities.

Sensing their hesitation, Shen Ting smiled, understanding the situation well enough. "You feel that trailing me is just a waste of time, that it’s pointless, right?"

The two exchanged a glance, feeling embarrassed. In truth, it wasn't just about wasting time. Captain Zheng had assigned them to accompany Shen Ting in hopes that they might observe any specialized investigative techniques or methods he utilized—and perhaps learn from them. However, over the past two days, they had seen nothing and learned nothing, leaving them feeling as though they had failed to live up to Zheng Yuanqiao’s expectations.

"It’s alright," Shen Ting said, appearing unbothered. "Let’s finish inspecting these three locations this morning. If there are no new leads, you can return to the bureau; there’s no need to follow me anymore. If I need to investigate other places, I can go on my own."

Both breathed a sigh of relief—this was the ideal outcome.

Soon, the car arrived at the first suspicious location: the outskirts of a mountain range riddled with deep ravines and hidden caves. The terrain, concealed by vines and dense vegetation, had claimed the lives of many explorers. Shen Ting carefully photographed the details and uploaded them to the investigation group for analysis.

They then proceeded to the second location, a potential site for the discarded vehicle. It was a natural pond, significantly larger than the reservoir involved in the Route 245 Skull-Crushing Case, and much more secluded. Crucially, due to various circumstances, it was rarely visited by anyone.

The third location was a swamp. With its pitch-black silt, tall reeds, and vast expanse of water, it was clearly another ideal spot for disposing of a vehicle. By the time Shen Ting finished uploading the photos, it was nearly noon. A sense of impending liberation washed over Xiong Beibei and Xu Xinyi.

Group Admin: "What do you think? Among the three suspicious locations, which one is the most likely?"

Hannibal: "The second one."

Jigsaw: "The pond."

Yoshikage Kira: "That pond."

The three responded in unison.

"That pond? Is it really that suitable for sinking a car?" Shen Ting mused, pondering for a moment before asking tentatively, "Is it because the water source there is polluted and it’s rarely frequented by people?"

The upstream of that pond was the old industrial district in the southern part of Chaoyang. Two or three decades ago, many high-pollution metal processing plants had been built there. At the time, environmental regulations were lax and legal frameworks incomplete, leading many factories to secretly discharge waste into the river, destroying the upstream water source and leaving the pond itself heavily contaminated.

Jigsaw: "Exactly. Whether disposing of a car or a body, the primary requirement is concealment. Because of the pollution, no one goes there to fish or swim—that is its greatest advantage."

Hannibal: "The other two locations are the opposite. This case happened twelve years ago, when the massive development of Dajing was already underway. The mountain range has since been turned into a tourist attraction, and the swamp is now a protected area frequented by visitors. Disposing of evidence in either of those places would carry a high risk. The pond is the most reliable option."

Yoshikage Kira: "The most interesting part is that because the pond is so remote, the original investigation team also found it highly suspicious. They scrutinized it twice during the initial phase. Fearing they might have missed something, they even returned three weeks after the crime for a third thorough search. They were extremely meticulous; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say they combed through the mud of that pond three times over. Consequently, the team was 100% certain the car was not there and abandoned the site entirely."

Yoshikage Kira didn't finish his sentence, but Shen Ting understood perfectly. The more thoroughly the investigation team had searched and cleared the pond, the safer it would have been for the perpetrator.

But the question remained: was it possible to evade police surveillance within that perimeter for at least three weeks?

Shen Ting looked at Xiong Beibei. "Let’s go back to that pond."

"Why back to the pond?" Xiong Beibei asked, having assumed that since they had inspected all three spots and Shen Ting hadn't found anything of note, he was finally giving up.

Xu Xinyi looked equally surprised. "Did you discover something at the pond?"

"I suspect that Liu Furen's Hummer is in that pond," Shen Ting stated flatly.

The expressions on Xiong Beibei and Xu Xinyi’s faces shifted instantly from curiosity to utter disbelief. "How is that possible?"

"How could the car be there?"