Chapter 651: The Footage and the Driver
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
He Zhichu’s face twitched. He pushed play again, and the video continued playing. They all saw Gu Nianzhi’s body stiffen then move back, and the man and woman leap forward. They grabbed each of her arms, pretty much dragging her back. Then there was no more of Gu Nianzhi, and the video started showing the Königssee’s beautiful lakes and mountain scenes. It was all beautiful scenery.
The footage happened to be recorded in that scenic location because the contest said one couldn’t have anything edited, so that’s why it was saved. If they hadn’t known something had happened to Gu Nianzhi, anyone who looked at that scene would have thought they were old friends who hadn’t seen each other in a long time.
He Zhichu was very uneasy. He praised that staff member a bit. “Good job, continue. Let’s see if anyone else recorded anything after this.”
They really could find clues this way. The others were encouraged and looked at the other videos more carefully. By ten o’clock on the second day, they had already found three videos. They happened to capture the whole scene of Gu Nianzhi being taken away.
The first video showed Gu Nianzhi being given a shot. She pa.s.sed out and was taken away. The second video showed the three of them walking towards the two cars parked nearby under a shade tree. The third video not only showed the man putting Gu Nianzhi into the front car but also the woman getting into the second car. It also recorded that disgusting, pig-faced sc.u.m, Seth, in the front car, and it got the two cars’ license plates.
Nianzhi really had been taken by Seth.
He Zhichu was livid. He got up and kicked the armchair he had been sitting on, flipping it over. He was still angry and went into an inner room and took out a handgun. He fired consecutively and shattered all the coffee mugs, which were full of coffee, on the tea table. The gla.s.s flew everywhere, and the black coffee spilled onto the tea table and the floor. It stained the snowy white carpet. Those working in the outer room didn’t dare to take a deep breath knowing the boss was furious.
He Zhichu had vented his anger. When he came out, everyone acted like they didn’t see his peach blossom eyes turn red. “Enough. There’s no need to look at anymore videos. Go find someone to investigate those two license plates.” He Zhichu was secretly holding his fist tightly, swearing he’ll hack Seth to pieces, even if he didn’t do anything to Gu Nianzhi. He wouldn’t let him off the hook.
If he… He thought of Li Haiqing’s s.a.d.i.s.tic death. For the first time in his life, He Zhichu felt extremely fearful. He was scared, he was really scared, but what scared him the most was Gu Nianzhi not being in this world anymore. It didn’t matter if she was s.e.xually a.s.saulted, because to him, she would always be his Nianzhi. He was not the kind of trash that couldn’t wait for their girl to die after they were s.e.xually a.s.saulted. However, the humiliation she received would be personally paid back one by one.
Under He Zhichu’s orders, the search continued methodically. It was easy to find the cars’ owner with the license plate numbers.
“Mr. He, these two plates are invalid and belonged to a British company. It was only a leather bag company that belonged to a man. It went bankrupt because the owner suddenly died. That’s all the lead we have.”
He Zhichu laughed coldly after hearing it. He never imagined the enemy would guard themselves so well. Impressive, impressive, indeed. Even he was impressed. To be able to drive around Germany without any problem using invalid license plates…
He Zhichu nodded at the information they brought him. “Keep on investigating. I’ll reward generously when the two cars are found.”
So at noon that day, Germany’s Munich TV station and all of Germany’s social media spread a piece of news saying one would be well rewarded for any clues related to spotting those two cars. They would give one reward of 1,000 euros for any lead, and if it led them directly to the two cars, then they would give 100,000 euros. With that reward, everyone in Munich stopped their work and kept their eyes wide open, staring at the cars near them, waiting to see a flower.
He Zhichu was busy, and Smith and the others weren’t idle, either. For two days, they employed Germany’s best detective agencies to investigate and give them everything they could on the driver including what he did that month, who he saw, even how many times he slept with his wife and how many times he met up with his mistress and, of course, information on his bank accounts. It was all on the file.
“This driver is dirty for real,” Smith said as he looked at the information the detective sent him and pounded on the table furiously.
The other three lawyers came over. “What is it? They investigated everything?”
“Look, 15 days ago, his bank account suddenly had an additional 100,000 euros.” The money was about the right amount. It was equivalent to two years’ salary for this driver. It wasn’t too much, but it was not too little.
“This 100,000 euros is from a Swiss bank account.” The lawyer familiar with financial fraud saw the information and said, “That’s going to be difficult to investigate.” Swiss banks were well known for keeping a tight lip. People from all over the world put their dirty money there. They relied on that to make crazy amounts of money.
“Who cares which bank gave him the money? The point is this driver got some money from who knows where, so that makes him dirty.”
“And look at these call records. Twelve days ago, the day something happened to Lawyer Gu, someone called him many times, and he drove to the Königssee many times as well.”
The four lawyers found it suspicious and felt this was enough for the police to arrest the driver, but that was not what Lawyer He wanted. He didn’t want everyone to know about this, that was why everything was done under the table. Even if it was to find someone, his people would do it. So even if this driver was in the wrong, they couldn’t have him arrested. Their heads hurt a bit.
“Ask Lawyer He first.” Smith took the evidence the detective agency provided. He pushed He Zhichu’s doorbell when they were in front of it.
He Zhichu’s personal a.s.sistant opened the door and asked, “What is it? Mr. He is very busy.” Smith cleared his throat. “We found some leads we would like to discuss with Lawyer He.”
He Zhichu could hear them from inside. He said, “Let them in.” The personal a.s.sistant stepped aside and watched as Smith and the rest walked inside. He took them to a study and asked them to sit. He Zhichu asked, “What did you find?”
Smith told him what the detective agency found out about the driver’s bank account and about him going to the Königssee. He Zhichu secretly clenched his fist tightly and laughed coldly. “A hundred thousand euros was enough to betray your employer. How shallow.”
He rubbed his forehead and said to Smith and company, “Enough, forget about this, leave it to me. I’m not in the mood to handle the things in the firm. I’ll leave it all for you guys to handle.”
“Yes, sir.” Smith and the others nodded and didn’t bother He Zhichu anymore. Even though they were worried about Gu Nianzhi’s safety, they clearly knew they couldn’t do much to help and could only help He Zhichu by not troubling him. Smith and his colleagues walked out of He Zhichu’s room stiffly and looked at each other without saying a word.
“If you want to get a drink,” Smith suggested, “then come to my room. I have red wine. I bought it a few days ago. There’s still some left.”
“Ok.” The other three were all feeling depressed and needed some alcohol to numb themselves. The four of them were well aware what He Zhichu was going to do next. It was not that honorable. It might even skirt the line, legally. Without certain kinds of backing, this kind of method wouldn’t out play well. He Zhichu had left them out of it for their own good. They knew He Zhichu’s skill and power. It was not something they could compete with or even fathom.
“Hope Lawyer Gu can successfully come home,” Smith said as he raised his wine gla.s.s to the sky in the window.
“Hope Seth will be caught,” another lawyer said as he also raised his gla.s.s to the sky in the window.
Another case popped up when the other one had not yet been closed. Although they were anxious, they could do nothing. They only hoped He Zhichu would win.
Just as they predicted, He Zhichu didn’t use any legal means to deal with the driver because there was no time. If he had used the legal way, who knew when it would be done? He couldn’t wait, and Gu Nianzhi couldn’t wait even more so.
He Zhichu looked at the data the detective agency gave Smith and ordered someone to bring the driver to the Königssee that was near Munich. When they arrived, it was late in the afternoon. The sun had almost set, and the lake’s surface reflected the sunlight. The sh.o.r.e’s weeping willow stirred gently in the wind. A few visitors were there, but most had already gone home.
Several black Hummer SUVs came as swiftly as the wind and as quickly as lightning. They stopped by the side of the Königssee. The driver was brought there from his home. His heart was beating like a drum. When he was going up against Smith and the others, he was able to calmly react. Even if he slipped up, he could still turn things around. But now he was facing several mercenary-like men with a murderous air about them. Looking at their powerful muscles and cold, hard, imposing manner, his legs became so weak that he couldn’t stand.
He Zhichu was wearing a pair of brand name sungla.s.ses. He was standing under the weeping willows next to the Königssee. Half of him was in shadow, half in the light. He was wearing a light colored outfit, and he looked big and tall. His small lips were smooth. As the setting sun s.h.i.+ned on his face, his straight and elegant nose left a shadow. His whole body was half light, half dark.
“Clear the area.” He Zhichu waved his hand without looking back.
The people he brought over started urging the two or three visitors to leave. “Police activity. Please, leave the area.” They showed the legal paper the police station gave them. They even had a court permit that allowed them to close down the whole Königssee scenic area.
Soon, all the visitors had left. The sky turned dark. Only He Zhichu and his men and the driver were at the Königssee.
“Speak. What happened, and who contacted you? Who told you to bring Lawyer Gu to this location?” He Zhichu’s voice was very cold with no emotion, but this voice was scarier than being yelled at or screamed at. The stocky driver was fat and had a bigger build than He Zhichu, but He Zhichu crushed him with his imposing manner.
The driver trembled and spoke in a hoa.r.s.e voice, “…No ..no one contacted me.”
An emotionless bodyguard that was facing the Königssee walked toward the driver. He pinched the nape of the driver’s neck and dragged him to the side of the Königssee. He kicked the back of the driver’s knee and made him kneel.
“No one?” He Zhichu turned around. “Make him tell the truth.”
The bodyguard kneeled on one knee and pushed the driver’s head into the cold lake. The driver was taken aback when the water covered his face and went up his nose. He was choking, and the water went into his lungs with burning pain. He struggled to get up, his arms waving. He wanted to free himself from that man’s grasp, but how could a potbellied driver contend with the power of a specially trained bodyguard?
His head was let up out of the water briefly but was pushed back into the water before he could take a full breath. After only two dunks, he cried out, “I’ll tell you, I’ll tell you!”
He Zhichu raised his hand. The bodyguard lifted the driver’s head out of the water and dragged him before He Zhichu.
The driver, nearly drowned, laid on the ground and coughed for a while. He said with trembling fear in his voice, “Someone, someone called me. Asked me to bring Lawyer Gu to a weeping willow tree on this side of the Königssee to see someone. He said he was Lawyer Gu’s friend. It was a little surprise for her.”
“Why did they need to give you 100,000 euros if it was only a surprise? You think I’m a fool?” Without looking at the driver at his feet, he said, “Continuing dunking.” He Zhichu clasped his hands behind his back.
The driver was scared. He didn’t think Lawyer He would know about the money. It looked like there was no hiding it. The bodyguard walked over and pinched the driver’s neck to dunk him in the water again, but the driver loudly said, “Don’t dunk me anymore. I, I’ll tell you everything. Seth’s father, York, gave me the money, asking me to listen in on what Lawyer Gu was talking about.”
It felt odd to He Zhichu. The money was from York, not from those two who took Nianzhi away? If it was to listen in on a lawyer’s case plan, it was plausible. Sometimes when lawyers were conversing in a car, they spilled a thing or two. That was enough for people to work on for a long time.
Such an important message, and York only gave him 100,000. York really made out. He Zhichu walked over, looked down at the driver, and asked, “But you did come here a couple of times a few days ago. What were you doing?”
“When that person called me, that person told me a lot about Lawyer Gu. It did sound like that person was her friend, and that person asked me to recommend a place that’s quiet, with few visitors, that was close to the mountains. So I looked around a few times.” The driver slowly told them the truth as he laid on the ground. He was really afraid these people would dunk him again.
“That was why you provided the location then tricked her here, right?” He Zhichu pressed one of his feet on the left side of the driver’s face. “Speak.”
The driver’s face changed after being stomped on a few times, and he spoke with unclear articulation, “I… I didn’t know they were going to hurt Lawyer Gu. I thought they were her friends. The Königssee is full of people. How could anything happen? Not to mention, Lawyer Gu also told me to take her to the Königssee to see a friend.” He really didn’t know what these people were going to do, and the 100,000 euros was to see what the lawyers were discussing. The price was reasonable, and he never thought it was for Lawyer Gu’s life.
“Lawyer Gu told you she was going to see a friend?” He Zhichu was stumped again. He thought Gu Nianzhi had simply been tricked by this driver. Looked like that wasn’t the case. Or maybe she had been tricked by more than one person. He Zhichu’s heart tightened, and he asked loudly, “Who was Lawyer Gu going to see? If even one word out of your mouth is a lie, you will not live to see tomorrow.”
The driver was scared to death. He wailed loudly, “It’s true! Mr. He! I don’t know who, but Lawyer Gu told me herself that she was going to see a friend. She was very happy and was smiling the whole time she was in the car, Mr. He. I’m not lying. I’m really not lying.”
He Zhichu took his feet off the driver’s face and rubbed his feet on the gra.s.s in disgust. He turned and said, “Do a polygraph test on him and ask him those questions again.”
His personal a.s.sistant brought a portable chair over and placed it under the tree by the lake. His bodyguards set up all kinds of electronics to monitor the five miles around the area. The driver was taken to the side to do a polygraph test.
They had brought the lie detector specifically to see if the driver would tell the truth. Time flew by every minute. He Zhichu’s heart was on fire, but his face turned colder and colder.
The sky was completely dark, cold wind from the lake blew by bringing humidity with it that stung his face. He Zhichu closed his eyes. One hand propped up his head while he sat sideways on the portable chair’s armrest.
After five minutes, his men came and told him, “Mr. He, the polygraph test is done. He was telling the truth.”
He Zhichu opened his eyes. His peach blossom eyes overflowed with light as he stood up from the portable chair. He walked around. He looked at the Königssee and looked at the nearby Alps. He thought about what the driver said. Why ask the driver to find a place near the mountains? Did they want to take Nianzhi to the Alps? The thought of it turned his heart cold. If she was in the Alps that pa.s.sed through Europe, how could he find her quickly?
He looked up at the night sky. There was no moon, but the glittering stars were twinkling. Glittering stars… twinkling… Glittering stars…
He Zhichu’s heart leaped as he remembered what Smith had said before. Two days ago, he called Gu Nianzhi’s phone, but it was not in the service zone. Had someone turned her phone off, or had they thrown it away? It would be better if it was turned off. He had a way of finding her location by using her phone, but if it had been thrown away, what good would it be if he found it?
The best thing he could get out of it was knowing that she had been there. It might even be thrown there after someone did something to the phone. It could even be a trap.
What should he do?