Atlas Studios

  Atlas Studios

  In no time, they saw the fish pond.

  Under the moonlight, the surface of the water was glistening due to the lights of the car.

  As for the other parts where the lights could not reach, it was pitch dark, and the summer insects were chirping in the background, making the night scene especially serene.

  There were a few families by the fish pond and a few dog barks could be heard in the distance.

  Which house belongs to Kong Qingping?

  This place was a more desolate part of the village, unlike the earlier part where there was a snack shop they could ask for directions. At this time, the villagers were inside their own houses, so there was not a person in sight. However, if they did a turn, they would be on the path that would lead to another direction. Thus, they had to get down here.

  Bai Muchuan observed the environment and got down from the car.

  “Let’s go over there for a look!”


  “Okay.” Tang Yuanchu took a flashlight to illuminate the path.

  Xiang Wan was the last one to get off the car.

  The rural area in the night was too dark and quiet. It was totally like two different worlds against the brightly lit city. As the path was uneven and rough, and she happened to be wearing a pair of low heel shoes that day, it was a hell of a walk.

  “Come!” Bai Muchuan’s voice sounded low.

  Xiang Wan paused for a while when she saw the hand extended to her.

  He wanted to help and she held onto his hand weakly.

  “Thank you. I’m alright, I can do this.”


  “You can but I can’t.” Bai Muchuan took her wrist impatiently and led her to his side. “Time is of essence. I don’t feel quite right!”


  Feeling……

  Xiang Wan swept a faint glance at him.

  “But you didn’t use to believe in feelings?”


  Bai Muchuan returned a glance. He said nothing but quickened his pace.

  Xiang Wan was influenced by the anxiousness he displayed and she started to feel tense. She shut her mouth up and tried to keep up her pace to Bai Muchuan as well as Tang Yuanchu who was beside him. They threaded on the path along the fish pond so as to reach the houses up ahead……

  “Woof, woof, woof!”


  “Woof, woof, woof!”


  The sounds of dogs barking became louder.

  The few of them passed by the fish pond and stood under the bamboo trees as they looked at the houses not too far away from them.

  The surroundings were consisted of the modernized single family detached homes, only the one in front of them was an adobe house.

  Tang Yuanchu looked at Bai Muchuan where he returned a nod at him. Tang Yuanchu walked up with the flashlight and knocked on the door of the adobe house. There was a small courtyard in front of the house.

  “Excuse me, is this Kong Qingping’s house?”


  No one answered.

  He knocked very loudly on the door.

  “Is there anyone at home?”


  The quiet village was awakened by his constant knocking on the door.

  There was no response from this house, but the neighbor was alerted.

  The neighbor came out of his balcony at the second floor for a look. “That is Old Kong’s house indeed,” he said loudly, “there’s someone at home……”


  If someone was at home, why didn’t anyone answer the door?

  Tang Yuanchu knocked even louder upon hearing that. When the neighbor heard that, he coughed and puffed a sigh.

  “Stop knocking! If no one answers the door, that means Old Kong drank too much again…… Who are you people? Why are you looking for Old Kong?”


  Tang Yuanchu furrowed his eyebrows. “We’re from the Criminal Investigation Unit of Hongjiang District to find out something.”


  When the villager heard they were the police, he quickly came down and opened his door with a jacket over him. He looked around 50 to 60 years old and smoked tobacco with a long stem smoking pipe. He peered at them curiously while his son and daughter-in-law followed behind him. The whole family came to find out what was happening.

  “Police comrades, are all of you here because of Old Kong’s son, right?”


  Tang Yuanchu asked with a grin. “Old Sir, how did you know?”


  That old neighbor got choked by the tobacco and coughed several times before giving a spat. “In the afternoon,” he said loudly, “when Old Kong went to get some wine at the snack shop, he told everyone about it. Those who were there all heard it.”


  Tang Yuanchu: “What did he say?”


  “He said his son got into trouble again for stabbing someone in the city……”


  Could it be that Kong Qingping had come back home?

  At this time, more and more villagers started to come out of their homes and surrounded the courtyard of Old Kong’s house. They were talking loudly amongst themselves.

  However, no matter how Tang Yuanchu knocked on the door, there was no response from Old Kong’s house.

  “Let me do it!” Bai Muchuan came forward looking all solemn. He knocked twice at the door, and when there was still no response, he directly kicked the door open.

  The door was already very old, and thus, it was not as strong as before. How could it not open after taking the kick?

  The door opened with his powerful kick. They saw a big black dog barking ferociously in the courtyard. It looked so fierce that it seemed it would pounce on them anytime. Xiang Wan took a step back as she was scared.

  Bai Muchuan held her wrist tightly. “Don’t be afraid, I’m here.”


  Xiang Wan: “.……”


  It was a huge dog and was barking ferociously. She would be lying if she said she was not scared.

  Xiang Wan followed Bai Muchuan as they stepped inside the courtyard. All of her muscles tensed up as she did so.

  Tang Yuanchu was also walking cautiously. “Boss, you’re not afraid of that dog?”


  Bai Muchuan grunted with disdain. “How are we going to deal with people if we’re scared of dogs? Back when I was a soldier, there was a mission……”


  Before he finished speaking, a lamp suddenly appeared before them.

  A man with a disheveled appearance stood hunched under the roof as he looked at them. “You, who are you looking for?”


  His voice was hoarse and muffled, obviously still in the state of intoxication from alcohol.

  Tang Yuanchu flashed his police officer badge. “Hello! We are detectives from the Criminal Investigation Unit of Hongjiang District. May I know if you are Kong Qingping’s father, Kong Guangming?”


  That man scratched his head and took a step back, directly sitting on the threshold of the door. “Yes, I’m Kong Guangming. What do you want? You want to catch my son? This old man doesn’t allow that, no one can take my son away from me.”


  Tang Yuanchu: “.……”


  They were searching for him high and low the whole day and here he was, hiding at his home instead.

  But, Kong Qingping would actually hide at home?

  “Kong Guangming,” said Tang Yuanchu, “your son is involved in a case of theft and causing bodily hurt. We’re here for investigations, please cooperate with us……”


  Kong Guangming sneered loudly, totally behaving liked a complete ruffian by lying down at the doorway.

  “Come catch my son then! Come catch him! You want to take my son away? Over my dead body!”


  Wanna talk sense with a drunkard? There was no way one could do that.

  But if they didn’t try to talk sense to him, with so many villagers looking on with their mobile phones videoing the whole incident, it could jolly well end up as “police officers carrying out their duty with violence”.……

  Tang Yuanchu was troubled. He looked back at Bai Muchuan for further instructions.

  Bai Muchuan patted Xiang Wan’s hand as a gesture to calm her anxiety. Then, he took a few steps forward, totally ignoring Kong Guangming’s knavish behavior and walking right over him without a word……

  “Ah, no! No, detective! Don’t catch my son……” When Kong Guangming saw that his tactic didn’t work, he grabbed Bai Muchuan’s leg. His attitude took a 180-degree turn where he wailed and whined. “Detective comrade,” he implored, “the Kong Family only has one son. Please, I beg of you! Please let him off, please…… I’ve already taught him a lesson, I really did. He won’t ever do it again……”


  Bai Muchuan lowered his head. “Let go of me!”


  Kong Guangming shook his head vigorously. “If you’re not going to let my son off, I won’t let go as well……”


  Bai Muchuan turned to look at Tang Yuanchu and exchanged glances with him. “It’s alright if you refuse to let go. We’ll also bring you back with us as well……”


  He tried to bluff and scare Kong Guangming but to no avail. That old man totally acted like a ruffian by blocking the way. However, while he was pestering Bai Muchuan, Tang Yuanchu took the opportunity and slipped past behind the old man and went inside the house……

  There was only one table and several stools in the living room.

  It was obvious there was no one else in the living room.

  The bedroom was dark, so he used his flashlight and rushed inside, searching for the lights to the bedroom.

  “Ah!” He suddenly yelled.