Chapter 112: Temporary Departure

Team Leader Dai led Ye Chen to the rooftop, pushed open the iron door, and took a deep breath, closing his eyes to enjoy a moment of tranquility.

This was Ye Chen’s first time here. He wondered if this was to ensure their conversation couldn’t be overheard.

Team Leader Dai leaned against the railing, gazing at the crowd moving through the streets of the Outer City. He said in a deep voice, "Ye Chen, you know, this is my favorite place to stay, but also the place I hate the most.

"In the Outer City, our Patrol Bureau building is one of the tallest.

"Look ahead. The view is so expansive, and the hustle and bustle of life in the Outer City is truly beautiful."

Ye Chen also leaned against the railing and looked out. As far as his eyes could see, there were all kinds of low-rise buildings packed tightly together.

On the streets, the human tide flowed, noisy and chaotic.

The cooking smoke rising from the chimneys of residents and restaurants, along with the thick, round white smoke billowing from small factories and workshops, wove together into curling clouds.

It made the scene before them feel full of vibrant life.

Yet, despite the lively surface of the Outer City, it still had its dark corners...

Before Ye Chen could express his thoughts, Team Leader Dai suddenly turned around, pointing at the tall, continuous wall behind them.

He pointed toward the many soaring buildings behind the wall, including the collection needle that pierced the sky.

Team Leader Dai held his fingers like a sword, pointing toward the Inner City. His tone was cold, tinged with a sense of reluctance as he said:

"Over there, there are even more people looking down on us.

"The various states of our lives that we consider beautiful are, in the eyes of some, dirty, vulgar, and base.

"They are even things that can be trampled upon at will!

"So, every time I finish admiring the scenery and turn to go downstairs, I feel an invisible sense of oppression."

Ye Chen listened intently. Team Leader Dai’s words had become profound and obscure.

However, he could still tell that there was more to the team leader's words; he seemed to be venting as well.

Team Leader Dai’s expression became complex, mixed with hesitation, struggle, unyielding defiance, and worry... but a solid moral foundation can forge a strong sense of reason.

After several shifts in emotion, he slowly exhaled a breath of stale air, and a gentle smile returned to his face.

He turned to face Ye Chen, catching the sunlight, which made his face bright and warm.

Team Leader Dai opened his palm and smiled, "Hand over the communicator the bureau issued to you. I have something for you in return."

Ye Chen’s expression froze. The communicator issued by the Patrol Bureau was, in fact, one of the symbols of a patrol officer's identity.

Because on the back of the device, your identity information was printed.

Without this specialized communicator, even if you were wearing a uniform, you would not be recognized in certain situations.

Is he asking me to...

Ye Chen’s mind raced. After three seconds, he decisively took out his communicator and placed it in Team Leader Dai’s palm.

In its place, he received a small, square-folded piece of paper.

Team Leader Dai gripped Ye Chen’s shoulder firmly and said, "Without the communicator, you won't be able to contact others. I suggest you ask Jin Yinghui for help; he will have a way.

"Also, stay safe."

After saying this, he headed downstairs first, leaving Ye Chen alone to face the Inner City.

...

Leaning against the railing, Ye Chen unfolded the paper. Both sides were covered in dense, handwritten text.

One side contained specific information regarding the five cases of missing children in the Outer City, including the times they occurred, family contact information, and home addresses.

Ye Chen recognized the team leader’s handwriting. "This... did Team Leader Dai transcribe this himself?"

He looked it over. Two cases happened in the market district.

The other three occurred in the residential area, including the disappearance of the 'Hard-Boiled Egg Girl.'

Huh? Looking at the other two locations, they seemed to be not far from the house he had just bought, only a street away.

Looking at the times they occurred, they all happened yesterday.

Could it be the work of a single gang? Otherwise, who could manage to snatch five children in one day... Ye Chen pondered, rubbing his chin.

He flipped to the other side... Ugh, what on earth is this? It’s crooked and squiggly; a dog’s scrawl would be neater than this.

Ye Chen felt that if he stared at it for too long, he would get dizzy and feel like vomiting.

Let me guess, this must be a handwritten excerpt from Team Leader 'Big Speaker' Gong Xiao.

How long must a pen have been collecting dust to write like this?

Compared to Dai Guangjun’s handwriting on the back, this was a pile of trash.

Ye Chen rubbed his throbbing forehead and muttered to himself:

"Oh my god, my eyes are so sore; I need to squeeze out some tears to moisturize them.

"I remember there was a translation app on the communicator. If I had known, I should have translated it before handing it back.

"I can't take it, I can't take it. If I keep looking, I’m going to throw up my breakfast. Let me take a breather."

When he went downstairs, he met Chen Bingfeng and Xu Fan, who were waiting for him.

Both of them looked at him with curiosity.

Ye Chen took the initiative to say: "From now on, I won't be able to patrol with you two for a while.

"The team leader gave me another long leave. I'll find a new communicator to contact you later."

He believed that the two of them could understand the subtext of his words.

Unexpectedly, Xu Fan took the initiative to take out his own communicator and handed it over, saying:

"Why don't you use mine for now? I'll go stay at the young lady's house for a few days. Anyway, the bureau won't know who is using it."

Ye Chen pushed it back and thanked him:

"Don't get dragged into the water for now. When I need you, I will call you."

"Find a way to stay in touch."

"Take care!"

...

In Jin Yinghui’s shop, smoke swirled. The ashtray, which had just been cleaned in the morning, was now filled with cigarette butts again.

Two grown men were huddled head-to-head, deciphering the secret text with serious expressions.

Ah... ptooey!

Calling it secret text was being polite; calling it runes would be more accurate.

"What character is this? Hurry up and scan it," Jin Yinghui said in a frustrated voice.

"Beep..." The translation software on the communicator ran for a long time, and the casing felt hot.

"Oh! So it’s the word for 'Grandmother' (Po). To be able to write a character like this... what a talent!"

"Then what is this character? Three little curves twisting and turning?" Jin Yinghui widened his eyes, looking at the document vertically, horizontally, and upside down repeatedly.

Ye Chen hummed for a long time and guessed uncertainly:

"I think it either means a small brook or a small river."

"Damn it, it’s hieroglyphics! Has this 'Big Speaker' Gong Xiao ever been to school? How can someone at this level be a team leader? We have to rely on guessing for such an important document?!"

In his irritable state, Jin Yinghui couldn't help but want to crush the paper into a ball, but Ye Chen protected it with quick reflexes.

He rubbed his temples where a vein was throbbing, trying to calm down... He couldn't look anymore; if he did, his blood pressure would explode.

"Forget it, let's rest. The reinforcements will be here soon." He pulled out a cigarette to calm his nerves.

From the moment Ye Chen came to find him, the two of them had spent over two hours staring at this mess of scribbles, and they were still only half-understanding it.

Jin Yinghui finished a cigarette in three big drags, his mood slightly calmer.

Now, he could only hope that the "reinforcements" would be able to crack it.