After the auction night, Ke Yixing and Cheng Linghua received the case details of Lu Xiyun and Zhang Tongtong. Acquiring this information wasn't challenging given their connections, and these missing cases were not highly confidential. Depending on the situation, some details were even shared publicly to engage more people in the search for the missing individuals.
The police had located Zhang Tongtong's parents, who were currently in an underdeveloped country, making communication time-consuming. Ke Yixing saw no need to delve into this aspect.
Regarding Zhang Feifei, the police faced difficulties making progress. They interviewed neighbors near the Zhang family's previous residence, as the current neighbors were unaware of another daughter. Zhang Feifei had left home at the age of 18, and there seemed to be no ongoing contact between her and the family. The daughter never visited, and the parents didn't bring her up in conversations. The neighbors, being outsiders, didn't inquire further into the matter.
Cheng Linghua had ordered their people from various backgrounds to collect more information about Zhang Feifei. "Based on our findings, Zhang Feifei is heavily in debt due to gambling. Although the casino appears legal on the surface, it is actually run by a criminal organization. Currently, she is involved in underworld activities, making it challenging for the police to trace her. Our sources indicate that she often frequents a bar where she encountered Yang Jiahui, Lu Xiyun's coworker."
Ke Yixing, who was gazing at the city through his office windows, displayed a subtle change in expression, his only reaction being a furrowed brow, upon hearing the last sentence from Cheng Linghua. Recognizing Ke Yixing was thinking, Cheng Linghua remained seated in silence, awaiting the next set of instructions.
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Simultaneously, Ma Youwei and the rest of the team collaborated with local authorities in investigating the disappearance of Lu Xiyun.
The investigation suggested that Lu Xiyun might have been rendered unconscious or forcibly subdued during his disappearance. This assumption was based on two factors. Firstly, Zhao Bojing mentioned that the teenager wouldn't venture out on his own. Secondly, considering Lu Xiyun's aversion to physical contact and fear of people, he would have resisted anyone who wanted to touch him, drawing attention from bystanders.
The security cameras from the surrounding stores yielded no valuable information. They saw Lu Xiyun entering an alleyway, but unfortunately, no cameras covered that particular location. It was highly probable that Lu Xiyun vanished at that point.
Ma Youwei concluded that the perpetrator was acquainted with Lu Xiyun and his routines. The individual strategically chose to act when the teenager was on his way back to the cafe, maximizing the likelihood of a successful abduction. Any delay in the pickup could have prompted the store owner to call Zhao Bojing, to inquire about Lu Xiyun's whereabouts. The abductor also seemed aware of the teenager's preferred paths, opting for less crowded streets. Using this familiarity, they planned the escape route to avoid the main roads, potential eyewitnesses, and video surveillance.
It was also unusual to kidnap a person in broad daylight without a clear motive. Therefore, it was more likely that the person had some connection with Lu Xiyun or wanted something from him.
Zhao Bojing mentioned that Lu Xiyun wasn't familiar with anyone else and had no conflicts with others. So, the key point lies in the few people the teenager knows.
With all these inferences, there was only Zhao Bojing and Yang Jiahui that fitted the criteria. The only people who knew Lu Xiyun had to go out to buy strawberries were these two. Ma Youwei suspected Yang Jiahui more than Zhao Bojing though because if Zhao Bojing wanted to do something, he could simply take action in their home. He also wouldn't need to call the police, and if anyone asked where Lu Xiyun was, he could simply say he went back to his hometown due to a family emergency.
The team decided to conduct a thorough investigation of Yang Jiahui.
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