Chapter 1560 — A Misunderstanding

Liu Wangli sighed. He knew there was a spark of something between Qiu Lingshan and Wei Zhao, and now that Wei Zhao had in an instant become a criminal suspect beyond all forgiveness, Qiu Lingshan naturally could not accept it all at once.

He was just about to offer a few more words of consolation when the telephone on Qiu Lingshan's desk rang. Listlessly she picked it up — it was Yang Huaijun, calling to tell her that the task force was convening an emergency meeting.

Clearly, Yang Huaijun had seen the video the moment it appeared as well. She wondered whether he, too, believed that it had not been Wei Zhao who did this.

Qiu Lingshan rose and walked with Liu Wangli to the conference room, settling into her own seat. Yang Huaijun had long since arrived, and his expression was plainly not good either — somewhat grave, somewhat tense, and touched with a faint, quiet worry...

"I trust everyone has seen the latest video evidence?" Yang Huaijun said once everyone had gathered.

"Indeed, Director Yang. I said long ago that the suspect had to be Wei Zhao, but Captain Song would not believe it!" Wang Hekan was the first to speak. "And now? The suspect is Wei Zhao, is he not? What sort of criminal could slip past the keen eye of the great Detective Wang?"

"Didn't you say before that Wei Zhao might have found a man who looks like him to impersonate the culprit? If Wei Zhao can find a lookalike, why couldn't anyone else?" Qiu Lingshan grew more and more exasperated with Wang Hekan. Why did the fellow have to keep hounding Wei Zhao?

"I did say so — but was that not when the man's face was masked? Now the mask has come off. This is no longer a question of resemblance; he is identical to Wei Zhao! And you call that a stand-in?" Wang Hekan curled his lip. "Director Yang, you have seen it yourself — your Captain Song seems to be on very personal terms with the suspect. In her present state, she is no longer fit to serve on the task force. I suggest she be transferred out and recused from this case. Otherwise, I can hardly keep from thinking she will let private feelings sway her."

"This..." Yang Huaijun could only smile bitterly at Wang Hekan's words. "Detective Wang, I actually know Wei Zhao fairly well. By rights, he is not that sort of person. But evidence must have the final say. Since the evidence is now sufficient, we can essentially confirm that the suspect is none other than Wei Zhao!"

"That's more like it!" Wang Hekan nodded. "But Captain Song should not take part in the arrest operation. I do not think her stance is firm enough."

"..." Qiu Lingshan was speechless. Would it kill you to talk a little less?

"Captain Song, your current state of mind genuinely makes you unfit to remain on the task force. Go back to your office for now; once the meeting is over, I will arrange other work for you," Yang Huaijun said.

"Director Yang..." Qiu Lingshan was momentarily stunned. She had never expected that even Yang Huaijun would believe Wei Zhao guilty — and would clear her out of the task force besides. For a moment she stared wide-eyed, unable to take it in.

Wei Zhao — was he not his comrade-in-arms? The two of them were friends in life and death. How had Yang Huaijun come to this? Did he no longer trust Wei Zhao?

"Say no more. I have made my decision. All you need to do is obey orders," Yang Huaijun said sternly, in a tone that brooked no doubt.

"Yes, sir!" There was nothing Qiu Lingshan could do but nod in assent. Dejected, she left the conference room.

And beside her, a cold sneer flickered through Wang Hekan's eyes. Fight me, and you are still a shade too green — a few words and I have squeezed you right off the task force! Now, with the obstacle that is Qiu Lingshan removed, Wei Zhao being the suspect is as good as nailed down.

Yang Huaijun and Liu Wangli and the others went over a new plan. He took the post of task force leader himself, with Liu Wangli as deputy, and laid out certain plans and instructions for future operations.

Once the meeting ended, Yang Huaijun walked swiftly to Qiu Lingshan's office.

At that moment Qiu Lingshan sat in her office in gloom. She could not understand Yang Huaijun's behavior in the least, and still less could she believe that Wei Zhao was a suspect. This was a trust that came from the depths of her heart; she felt certain that Wei Zhao could never be such a man.

Knock, knock, knock — a knocking came from outside the office. Qiu Lingshan gathered back her thoughts, adjusted her composure, and said, "Come in."

Yang Huaijun pushed the door open and stepped into Qiu Lingshan's office, then casually closed the door behind him and locked it.

"Director Yang..." Qiu Lingshan felt somewhat wronged; she could scarcely believe what had happened today.

"Let's go into your rest room," Yang Huaijun said, pointing toward the small rest room adjoining her office.

"Huh?" Qiu Lingshan was startled. Recalling how he had just locked the door, she instinctively grew wary. Was he going to do something to her? And thinking again of how he had driven her off the task force today and branded Wei Zhao a suspect, her heart grew all the more anxious — could Yang Huaijun mean to harm Wei Zhao?

"Director Yang, what are you..." Qiu Lingshan did not follow him into the rest room. Instead she suddenly circulated her mental technique, releasing the strength of the early Profound Stage — which gave Yang Huaijun quite a shock.

"You... you are already a Profound Stage expert?" No wonder Yang Huaijun was astonished. When he had last seen Qiu Lingshan, she had only been a Yellow Stage expert. In the blink of an eye — how little time had passed? — she was already a Profound Stage expert! What fortuitous encounter had she met with in the meantime?

Qiu Lingshan said nothing, still watching Yang Huaijun warily.

"Lingshan, have you misunderstood?" Seeing her reaction, and recalling his own actions a moment before, Yang Huaijun understood her worry at once, and could not help smiling bitterly as he lowered his voice. "When I said the rest room, it was because I feared the walls have ears — I have something very important to tell you... Besides, you are a Profound Stage expert. What have you to fear from a man who has not even recovered to the Yellow Stage?"

"Ah? Oh, oh!" Qiu Lingshan flushed, instantly realizing she had misunderstood. She hurried to open the door of the rest room, and went in with Yang Huaijun.

Only once they were inside did Yang Huaijun say gravely, "Lingshan, you know the pressure I am under. All the evidence now points to Wei Zhao. I cannot simply declare that he is not a suspect! Though you and I both know that Wei Zhao is not that sort of man, in handling a case we must go by evidence. At present every unfavorable piece of evidence points to Wei Zhao. We cannot be a hundred percent certain that he did these things — but if you and I both strain every nerve to exonerate him, the likely outcome is that we are both dismissed from the task force, and then Wei Zhao will be in even greater danger!"

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