Chapter 954: Following the Trail

Wang Zhaokai’s interrogation ended quickly, with results that were largely consistent with the previous interrogation in Donglan County.

"Captain Lu, although Song Baoguo’s statements were a bit disjointed and differed from the interrogation results from the Donglai County Criminal Investigation Team, the overall context didn’t change. It should be true."

If the results matched word-for-word with the interrogation results from Donglai County, there might be issues. However, seeing as the entire storyline is consistent despite differing descriptions, it suggests that the statements are truthful.

Moreover, from both Wang Zhaokai and Lu Chuan’s perspective, the likelihood of the second-hand motorcycle boss lying is not high.

After all, if he were lying, he wouldn’t have had to send the motorcycle over.

Gou Dan.

The current target is to catch this thief nicknamed Gou Dan.

Zhang Tianlai has already made arrangements.

"The local police station has arranged it, we should hear back soon."

This is Donglan County’s jurisdiction. As long as the thief is not a first-time offender, catching or finding him should be easier.

A competent police station director should have a good understanding of special individuals within the jurisdiction.

For someone like Gou Dan, although you can’t always catch him red-handed, it’s still swift to track him down when necessary.

Thus, Lu Chuan and Wang Zhaokai did not directly participate in the pursuit of Gou Dan.

At this moment, Zhang Tianlai’s phone rang. He glanced at the caller ID and his eyes lit up.

He immediately said to Lu Chuan, "It’s South City Police Station, there should be news about Gou Dan."

He answered the call: "Hello... hmm! Okay! We’ll head over now!"

"They’ve found him. He’s currently at the South City Police Station. Let’s go over."

Half an hour later.

Lu Chuan and the others were in the interrogation room at the South City Police Station, meeting the thief nicknamed Gou Dan.

The deputy director of South City Police Station, Wang Guodong, was interrogating him.

Lu Chuan and the others did not enter directly but observed the interrogation process from the surveillance room outside.

During the car ride, Lu Chuan had already familiarized himself with Gou Dan’s situation.

He’s a repeat offender.

Sneaky from a young age, caught and educated a couple of times, nothing particularly serious.

Later on, after stealing something of significant value, he was sent for reeducation for two years.

Upon release, he became a key focus for the South City Police Station.

Despite spending two years in reeducation, he learned quite a few tricks instead of reforming.

Even so, he’s only ever involved in petty theft, making it difficult to catch him red-handed.

Thus, things stayed as they were.

"Gou Dan, talk to me, what have you been up to lately?"

Facing Wang Guodong’s inquiry, Gou Dan smiled sheepishly, "Director Wang, what you’re saying... after your last lecture, I turned over a new leaf and haven’t done anything recently."

Wang Guodong and Gou Dan have known each other for quite some time. Wang Guodong was the one who caught Gou Dan the first time he committed petty theft.

Gou Dan was just 17. Back then, Wang Guodong wasn’t yet the director of South City Police Station. He educated Gou Dan briefly and detained him for two days before letting him go.

Their acquaintance deepened over time.

Gou Dan’s misdeeds were repeatedly thwarted by Wang Guodong, notably when he was sent for reeducation, orchestrated by Wang Guodong too.

Even so, Gou Dan harbors no resentment towards Wang Guodong because during those two years, Wang Guodong took care of his blind mother.

Gou Dan’s family situation is quite unique; he’s from a single-parent household, his father long absent, whereabouts unknown.

His mother’s health is poor, and she’s visually impaired.

During Gou Dan’s two years of absence, Wang Guodong supported his mother, so despite Wang Guodong being the one who sent him away, Gou Dan feels gratitude rather than bitterness.

"Stop the chit-chat, kid. What have you been up to? Fess up quickly."

How could Gou Dan confess? "Director Wang, I really haven’t done anything."

"Weren’t you the one who helped me find a security guard job? I’ve been listening to music as promised, doing nothing but enjoying my work as a guard."

Hearing this, Wang Guodong was incensed.

"Are you still shameless enough to mention that guard job I arranged for you? I just called to check, and they told me you vanished by the second day!"

"I ask you, why can’t you just mend your ways and walk the right path?"

"Let’s get to the point, the motorcycle!"

Motorcycle?

Gou Dan’s expression stiffened.

How did Director Wang know about this?

Ever since he was released from his reeducation, Gou Dan wised up, seldom touching larger items, and even if he stole motorcycles or electric bikes, they were always dilapidated ones worth little.

In some cases, the owners were too disinterested to even report it.

Even if reported, it seldom met the criteria for case establishment.

Moreover, Gou Dan seldom stole these things, thus remaining unscathed.

Lately, money was tight for him; his mother’s medication expenses were nearly depleted, so he made a move and got eight hundred bucks.

But why would this petty theft draw Wang Guodong’s personal attention?

Moreover, how did he know about the motorcycle theft?

There’s trouble!

Surely trouble is brewing!

Wang Guodong knew someone was watching from outside.

But having seen Gou Dan grow from a teenager to his twenties, Wang Guodong understands him well, despite his misconduct.

Gou Dan’s first offense was stealing food for his mother.

Subsequent offenses were seldom for personal reasons and often to fund his mother’s medical needs.

Thus, Wang Guodong has been quite supportive. Sending him for reeducation was unavoidable when he stole ten thousand yuan.

Sentencing him to two years of reeducation was the most lenient possible.

And this time, the stolen motorcycle was the one ridden by a suspect in a family massacre.

If Gou Dan refuses to cooperate, his life might be over.

Wang Guodong realized and continued, "The motorcycle matter isn’t serious. Just tell us where you stole it."

"If you cooperate in capturing the motorcycle’s owner, you can merit yourself, understand?"

Understood!

Gou Dan knows exactly how Wang Guodong treats him. Just those words show him the police aren’t targeting him.

Therefore, Gou Dan didn’t hide anything and confessed promptly.