Are the Luoshen earrings still in Song Jingsheng's possession? This was a question Zhou Wenwei had investigated before. The Luoshen earrings were very likely in Song Jingsheng's possession. Zhou Wenwei had looked into Song Jingsheng's significant transactions in recent years, and none involved the Luoshen earrings. Moreover, none of their jewelry stores had ever listed the Luoshen earrings, so it was certain that the earrings were in Song Jingsheng's private jewelry collection.
"Was it Song Jingsheng's jewelry collection that got robbed this time?" Wu Zhiming asked.
"Yes, the entire collection was cleaned out. The loss is said to be worth five billion, but I heard that not long ago, Song Desheng insured their jewelry. If the stolen items can't be recovered, the insurance company will have to pay them five billion!" Zhou Jianye replied.
"They just got insured?" Wu Zhiming's pupils slightly contracted.
"I know what you're thinking: a murder-robbery insurance scam? While it's possible, it's highly unlikely. Last night, after learning about the insurance, we investigated Song Desheng. He had no opportunity or means to commit the crime. The robbery and murder were the work of a gang. We also checked Song Jingsheng's communication records and bank transactions from the past half-month; he had no contact with any organizations or groups. His life in the past half-month was as clean as a white sheet," Zhou Jianye explained.
"This is getting interesting," Wu Zhiming muttered. The Luoshen earrings were definitely in Song Jingsheng's jewelry collection, but they weren't on the list provided by Song Desheng. Does this mean Song Desheng didn't want anyone to know that the earrings were stolen?
If that's the case, what's Song Desheng's motive? Why hide the fact that the Luoshen earrings were among the stolen items?
"Do you have the insurance policy for the jewelry that Song Desheng provided?" Wu Zhiming asked.
"Yes," Zhou Jianye replied, walking to his desk and handing over a document to Wu Zhiming.
Wu Zhiming quickly scanned the document and found no mention of the Luoshen earrings. This meant that when insuring the jewelry, Song Desheng had excluded the earrings.
Why?
Wu Zhiming frowned. There were two possibilities: either the earrings' value was unknown, making them uninsurable, or Song Desheng deliberately left them out during the insurance process. If the earrings were stolen and the informant didn't mention them, it would be completely unnoticed.
"Can I make a copy of these documents?" Wu Zhiming asked.
"No," Zhou Jianye shook his head.
"That's a pity," Wu Zhiming smiled, handing the documents back. "I have other matters to attend to, so I'll be going now."
"Remember, you have three days!" Zhou Jianye reminded.
"No problem," Wu Zhiming smiled, nodded, and left.
After Wu Zhiming left, Zhou Jianye picked up the phone.
"Send someone to pull up all of Wu Zhiming's social records from the past half-month and check for any unusual activity. Also, have someone keep an eye on Wu Zhiming and his close associates," Zhou Jianye instructed.
"Understood!"
Zhou Jianye put down the phone, frowning as he watched Wu Zhiming leave. "Why make such a bet on something that seemingly has nothing to do with you?" he muttered to himself.
Zhou Jianye was perplexed, and Wu Zhiming wasn't about to clear things up for him. Wu Zhiming had only gotten involved in this case for the Luoshen earrings, but he hadn't expected the earrings to be completely absent from the case.
To figure out where the Luoshen earrings went, he had to question Song Desheng.
Night fell.
Hilton Hotel.
Wu Zhiming took out his phone and placed it on the table. He then took out another phone and positioned it in front of his phone's microphone. The call on this second phone was continuously active. After setting this up, Wu Zhiming slipped out of the hotel window into the night.
About ten minutes later, Wu Zhiming's phone rang. The call was from Yao Jing. After two rings, the phone automatically answered, and Wu Zhiming's voice came through the other phone's microphone.
"What's up?" Wu Zhiming asked.
"This Saturday, my brother is bringing his girlfriend home. Can we go to the airport to pick them up?" Yao Jing asked.
"You can go by yourself. Why should I go?" Wu Zhiming replied.
"This is a big deal for our family. The girl's family is apparently very well-off, so my mom wants us to pick them up at the airport while she and my dad prepare at home," Yao Jing explained.
"Alright then," Wu Zhiming agreed.
" I thought you were going to refuse me again," Yao Jing said.
"Why would I refuse you?" Wu Zhiming asked.
"When I married you, my mom wasn't even this formal," Yao Jing replied.
"I've been refusing you a lot lately," Wu Zhiming said.
"I understand… By the way, what are you doing right now?" Yao Jing asked.
"I'm watching TV... The show 'Slaying the Moon' on Haixia Channel 3 is quite good," Wu Zhiming said.
"Oh... alright then!" Yao Jing said and hung up the phone. Wu Zhiming then also ended the call.
Meanwhile, at the city bureau.
Zhou Jianye was holding an earpiece. The conversation between Wu Zhiming and Yao Jing was transmitted clearly.
"The signal from Wu Zhiming's phone indicates he is in the Hilton Hotel, so he should be watching TV there," an assistant beside Zhou Jianye said.
"Turn on the TV and check," Zhou Jianye ordered.
The assistant picked up the remote and turned on the TV. Zhou Jianye switched to Haixia Channel 3 and saw that the show "Slaying the Moon" was indeed playing.
"It seems he really is staying in the hotel!" Zhou Jianye remarked, turning off the TV. "Keep monitoring Wu Zhiming and track all his phone records," he added.
"Understood!"
Elsewhere, under the cover of night, Wu Zhiming sat in an inconspicuous Audi.
The driver was not Li Sina, as she was watching over his suite at the hotel. The driver was a short man nicknamed Groundhog.
Luckily, this was a sedan. If it were an SUV, Groundhog might not even be visible over the dashboard. Despite this, Groundhog drove steadily.
"The target is at home now, with a few police officers around. It's still easy to get in," Groundhog said as he drove.
"Song Desheng has big problems," Wu Zhiming remarked from the back seat.
"Indeed, Mr. Dong said he already filed the insurance claim this afternoon. Normally, if so many family members had died, no matter how greedy he was, he wouldn't be in the mood to file a claim right now," Groundhog replied.
"That's why we need to ask him directly," Wu Zhiming said with a smile.
Groundhog nodded and smiled.
Under the night sky, the inconspicuous car stopped about two hundred meters from Song Desheng's house.
"Boss, give me ten minutes," Groundhog said.
"Alright," Wu Zhiming nodded.
Groundhog got out of the car and quickly disappeared from Wu Zhiming's view.
Sitting in the car, Wu Zhiming didn't speak or play with his phone. He just sat there, looking out the window.
The outside was quiet, with only small trees around. It was already late at night, and no one was passing by.
Wu Zhiming seemed lost in thought.
Who knows how much time passed, but a short figure carrying someone appeared next to the Audi under the cover of night.
The person quickly opened the rear door and stuffed the person inside.
The one being stuffed in was Song Desheng, and he was unconscious.
"Boss, please bear with it. If you sit in the front, you might be spotted," Groundhog said with a smile.
"Alright," Wu Zhiming nodded. "Let's go. Time is short."
"Okay," Groundhog said, starting the car and driving off with Song Desheng.
It's unknown how much time had passed, but Song Desheng slowly regained consciousness.
His mind was still foggy. Looking around, he suddenly trembled and became fully alert.
"Wu Zhiming!!" Song Desheng shouted excitedly upon seeing Wu Zhiming sitting in front of him.
"I just have a few simple questions. Answer honestly, and you can go. If you lie, then after tonight, you won't exist in this world," Wu Zhiming said with a smile.
"Wu Zhiming, what do you want? Why did you capture me? You killed my family, and now you want to finish me off?!" Song Desheng shouted excitedly.
"Killed your family?" Wu Zhiming sneered. "Song Desheng, don't you know who killed your family?"
Song Desheng's face slightly changed. "Of course, I know. We have a grudge with you, so it must be you!"
"Let's not talk about useless things. I have no interest in who killed your family or your five billion insurance payout. I only want to ask you one question. Answer it, and I won't ask anything else!" Wu Zhiming said.
"What question?" Song Desheng asked.
"Where are the Luoshen earrings?" Wu Zhiming stared at Song Desheng.
Song Desheng's body trembled. He never expected Wu Zhiming to ask this question. Very few people knew that the Luoshen earrings were with his grandfather, and those who knew were all dead!
Now, the only living person in the Song family who knew about this was him!
How could Wu Zhiming possibly know?
"You just need to tell me where the Luoshen earrings are. I don't care how you killed your family or your insurance scam. I won't report you to the police. I just want one answer: where are the Luoshen earrings?" Wu Zhiming stared at Song Desheng, enunciating each word clearly.