Chapter 102 - Homerun

It took nearly four hours for the eagle team to reach the west Gui Xiang town even after using the quickest route to travel.

Since they left imperial in the early morning, most of them were asleep during the travel and only woke up once they reached the coastal town.

The local police team and the special investigation team who handled Song Jia's missing team was already waiting for the eagle from the imperial as per the notice from higher-ups.

"Thanks for arranging such a meeting on short notice. I'm Wan Yi Jun, the chief investigator in charge of the Rising Raven murder case. Nice to meet you all," Wan Yi Jun warmly introduced himself to the small group of police officers who gathered before him, who looked at him in utter confusion. 

"Some of you might have wondered why we are having such a meeting with officers who are not part of this case." He paused for a second to study the curious faces before him. Most of the officers were either older than him or younger, creating the perfect balance of experience and excitement to work together. 

"While  pointed towards another missing case reported in this town six years ago."

"Are you talking about Song Jia's case, officer? Isn't it closed?"

"Yes, but we are planning to reopen it."

"We were the one's investigated that case officer, but we couldn't find any lead even when we reopened the case when we got the skeletal remains."

"Were you able to identify it?"

"No. The DNA didn't match any of the samples from the database."

"Not even the missing cases reported in other stations."

"No sir, since lots of illegal immigrants come here for work...including women from disputed lands and Daisun, we really don't have a proper database. During that time, they used to work in illegal brothels and no one really cared whether they lived or not."

"We tried our best, but couldn't find anything to solve that missing case." 

"Shu Lili was the last person who saw Song Jia on the day she went missing and Hu Geng Xin is the person who was Shu Lili's alibi. Did it came to your knowledge that these there might share some relationship?" 

"Relationship? No I don't think so. Those there are different from each other so much. There is no way that they could be together." 

"Shu Lili and Song Jia were in the same classroom." 

"But sir, how can a high school delinquent and a top scorer be friends with each other?I still remember their class teacher's words, inorder to improve Song Jia's grades, she had grouped miss Song with the top students in the class. Even after Shu tried her best Song Jia continued act like a ship wreck and even threw a fit at Lili for being the perfect." 

"What about Hu Geng Xin?" 

"He is the most eccentric person we have ever seen. Since he also grew up enduring abuse, he never wasn't good with his social life. He is just there... that's it. Nobody knows what exactly happen in his life." 

"But they lived in the same neighborhood, right? Block D and E?" 

"Just because all of them live in the same neighborhood doesn't mean that they grew up together or had the heart to accept someone who was not from their social status." 

"Even if it is a tiny coastal Village they also have their own societal divisions and social stigma. If Shu family is on the top tier of the pyramid, then Hu Geng Xin and his immigrant parent is on the bottom level...maybe even below that..." 

"That Jerk!!!" Wan Yi Jun gritted his teeth as he ended the phone call with Ming Yue and tightened his grip over the phone in absolute anger. No matter how hard he tried he couldn't understand why would Han Ze Min would call...Nah...irritate Ming Yue over phone calls. 

By the way, who the hell calls someone every hour, just to check on them?

Ming Yue even said that she tried to ignore his phone calls, but he spammed her with his messages, all day.

Is he trying to look for new ways to torture his cousin, now that Zhi Lan is out of the picture?

He can't take any chance when it comes to Ming Yue's life, there is no way he would sit back if Han Ze Min drags her into the mess how he did with Zhi Lan.

However, on the way to the room, Wan Yi Jun ran into Zhu Yahui, the caretaker of the guest house,

"Do you need anything, sir?" He asked the young man who was hurriedly walking around the corridors, like a raging bull.

"No. I don't need anything." Wan Yi Jun replied and give a slight bow, before walking past him,

"Sir, are you going to meet officer Han?" Zhu Yahui suddenly asked when he noticed that Wan Yi Jun was storming towards the room where Han Ze Min stays and stopped the other, 

"He went outside."

"Outside?" Wan Yi Jun stopped in his tracks when he heard those words, "Where did he go?"

"He wanted to get something from the shop...I did tell him that, I will get it for him, but he refused it."

"Hmm..." Wan Yi Jun gave a meaningful hum and dialled Han Ze Min's number to check upon him.

However, the only thing he heard from the other side was the notification that Han Ze Min's cell phone was switched off.

"I'm sorry...It's just...I did tell him to call me if he plans to go out...I also need to get something from the shop...Anyway, just leave it." Wan Yi Jun shot a random excuse that popped in his head.

"I will get it for you," Zhu Yahui offered to help the man who appeared visibly frustrated for some reason.

"No, Mr Zhu. It's nothing necessary. I will take leave then," Wan Yi Jun tried his best to walk away from there without continuing the conversation any longer. However, just as he turned around, Zhu Yahui stopped him from behind, 

"I know our village doesn't have every facility that is available in the city, If you find something which is not fitting your likes, please do tell me, sir." 

"Yes, sure." Wan Yi Jun smilingly added while fervently looking for something to change the topic and his eyes fell on an old building on the cliff next to the beach,

"Mr Zhu, who lives there?" He pointed at the hauntingly beautiful gothic mansion,

"That old castle? Nobody lives there. It was situated there even from my grandfather's time."

"It looks so beautiful."

"Yes, But no one goes there. It's notoriously known as devil's den."

"Devil's den?"

"Many people died over there, either falling into the sea or hitting the head on the rock."

"Did someone recently die there?"

"Shu Lili,"

"Last time when she came home, elder Mao saw her going there, she was kind of in a trance."

"Please, don't go over there, officer."

"No, I won't."

"Are you familiar with Shu Lili?"

"Yes, before going to the city, she used to come here. When there are some foreign tourists comes here or someone from the city is here. She used to be the top scorer of the school, so she often talked about going to the city and enjoying the life over there."

"Does she comes here alone?"

"Most of the time she comes here alone and talks to elder Mao,"

"Were there any regular workers in this cottage?"

"No. It's just me. Back when Hu Geng Xin used to come here to help me with chores."

"Do you know where he went?"

"City,"

"There are lots of cities in this country,"

"I really don't know, sir. Maybe he might have gone to dragon city. Lots of Zhi Ruo people live there."

"He just went there alone? With no help?"

"I don't know about it. You should talk to Elder Mao?"

"Yes, sure. Officer Pei said that he will send a word to him."

"He might be preparing to go to the sea, now. Most probably he will come to visit in the morning."

"What do you think, will we be able to find evidence?"

"There is something mysterious going around this place. My gut feels so."

"It's because you just fill your stomach with everything on the table."

"Was that a joke? Should I laugh?"

"Guys, focus."

"I also felt the same, captain. From whatever he heard from the local police, it wouldn't be a wonder if they have their own set of rules and laws which prevents anyone to go out from this place and get their own life."

"That's also a possibility. Especially since she got famous and fell in love with someone like Ken Wong."

"Like Honour killing?"

"Honour killing, in this country? We have never heard about it?"

"Have you heard racism and apartheid in this country in any recent times?"

"We are hearing some nasty things today."

"Don't you feel something left out?"

"It feels awfully quiet."

"Where is Han Ze Min?"

"He is also an immigrant? From Daisun?"

"No. Zhi Ruo.. Zhi Ruo will never be treated as equal as the mainlanders or the Daisunese immigrants."