C21 Factory Assembly Line

Sure enough, before Wang Shengdong could even share his thoughts, his superior berated him over the phone.

"Weren't you adamant yesterday that you'd handle this promptly? What's the status now?"

The leader's voice was so thunderous that Sunn Limin, standing nearby, could hear every word.

Wang Shengdong moved the phone slightly away from his ear.

Not only was the leader's temper fierce, but his voice was incredibly loud too.

His ears ringing, Wang Shengdong rubbed them and braced himself to respond, "Leader, here's the situation: we've secured compelling evidence that we're dealing with a murder, not a suicide. Please, just give me two more days. I assure you, this is the last extension I'll ask for."

The leader seemed to calm down a bit, no longer raising his voice.

Initially, Wang Shengdong looked distressed, but soon, a smile crept onto his face. "Yes, I guarantee the task will be completed. You can rest easy, leader."

After the call, Sunn Limin chuckled, "Is that a firm pledge? What happens if there are no results in two days?"

Wang Shengdong was known for his tough exterior but tender heart. He could be harsh with Xiao Chennai and the others, yet he always stood up for them in front of their boss.

He sighed, "After all their hard work, I owe them my trust one more time."

Sunn Limin nodded in agreement, "Yeah, two days should suffice."

Meanwhile, Xiao Chennai's team was determined not to disappoint Wang Shengdong, who had taken the heat for them. They were diligently pursuing the case.

Xiao Chennai, along with Hua Ning and Jian Chenyi, conducted interviews, while Ding Yu and Cheng Sheng visited several major factories in the city to investigate the elastic ropes.

Elastic ropes weren't cheap to produce, so they were typically not used by smaller factories, only by larger ones.

Stepping out of the police station, Ding Yu held a list of factory names.

He sought Cheng Sheng's opinion, "Cheng, which factory should we check out first?"

Without hesitation, Cheng Sheng started the car and decided, "Let's head to Lian Xiangsheng's factory first."

Ding Yu looked up, grinning, "Great minds think alike. Lian Xiangsheng is currently a prime suspect. We'll start with his factory."

The factory owned by Lian Xiangsheng was situated in the suburbs, a fair distance from the city center. Cheng Sheng and Ding Yu arrived after a thirty-minute journey.

Upon their arrival, they noticed the factory's imposing size and the vigilant security. As Cheng Sheng and Ding Yu lingered at the entrance, a guard approached them with a stern inquiry, "Who are you two looking for?"

Cheng Sheng promptly produced his badge and held it before the young guard. "We're police officers. We need to speak with your manager and would appreciate your cooperation with our investigation."

The guard, momentarily taken aback by the sight of the badge, softened his demeanor. "Please wait here. I'll check with my supervisor," he said before heading to the guardhouse.

Through the window, they could see him on the phone, presumably discussing the situation with his superior.

Ding Yu, visibly concerned, turned to Cheng Sheng, "Do you think they'll let us in?"

With unwavering confidence, Cheng Sheng assured him, "Don't worry, they'll let us in."

Cheng Sheng's prediction proved accurate. The guard returned after his call, swung the gate open, and gestured for them to enter. "Please, come in."

Ding Yu was taken aback by the lack of a reception committee.

Once inside, Cheng Sheng led Ding Yu through the factory grounds without wandering off. They stood by the entrance, waiting. About five minutes later, a slight man with a flat-top haircut approached them, his demeanor ingratiating. "Good day, officers. How can we assist you?"

Cheng Sheng, with a subtle shift in expression, replied nonchalantly, "Nothing serious. We'd just like a tour of your production line. It's a simple procedural matter."

He paused before adding, "Are you in charge here? Is Head Lian not present today?"

The flat-top man's face registered embarrassment as he replied with a forced smile, "Ah, Head Lian is busy elsewhere today."

Cheng Sheng surmised that this man was likely not in charge; perhaps he was just an assembly line worker or another security guard. It seemed Lian Xiangsheng was aware of their visit but unconcerned.

Nevertheless, Cheng Sheng and his colleague weren't there to meet with Lian Xiangsheng, so they paid it no mind.

The flat-top man, unaware of the details, eagerly escorted Cheng Sheng and Ding Yu to the assembly line.

Upon entering, Cheng Sheng observed rows of workers silently engrossed in their tasks.

Drawing closer, his demeanor grew stern.

Wrapped around the machinery was a coil of elastic rope.

Feigning ignorance, he inquired with curiosity, "Hey, what's this? It's so thin. Could it snap?"

The flat-top man chuckled, "It's designed to break. This is elastic rope, a specialty of the factory. It's quite rare on the market, so you probably haven't come across it."

"How does it work?" Cheng Sheng asked, reaching out to touch the elastic rope.

The flat-top man quickly intervened, "Sorry, you shouldn't touch that. It's part of a timing mechanism. If it were to snap, that would cause problems."

Cheng Sheng feigned astonishment, "Timing? How can a string keep time?"

"The elastic rope gradually dissolves in the air, taking roughly two hours. When the rope breaks, it signifies that two hours have passed, and the machine will automatically shut down."

Cheng Sheng nodded, remarking, "Such sophisticated technology should be widespread in all factories. It seems very efficient."

The flat-top man swelled with pride, "This isn't something that can be easily adopted everywhere. To my knowledge, in our city, ours is the only factory equipped with this technology."

After exchanging a glance with Ding Yu, Cheng Sheng realized they had gathered the critical information they needed. There was no need to keep up the act. He turned to leave, "Well, thank you for your cooperation."

The flat-top man stood there, puzzled. Was it over just like that?

Stepping out of the factory, Cheng Sheng dusted off his hands, "If things are as he claims, we should be able to handle this easily. Let's check the other factories to confirm whether this elastic rope is exclusive to this one."

Meanwhile, another team revisited the Snossen Community, this time dressed in plain clothes for a direct house-to-house approach.

Their previous visit had yielded some results, but they suspected there was still information yet to be uncovered.

Indeed, in the presence of so many, people often hesitate to voice the more uncomfortable truths.

The first visit was to Mrs. Wang, who had been the Lian family's neighbor for several decades. I had met her before, and she was quite direct in her manner, welcoming us into her home without hesitation.

Her son and daughter-in-law were at work, and her granddaughter was at school, leaving Mrs. Wang by herself. This perhaps explained why she was so forthright in her conversation.

"Those two sons of the Lian family, they're not quite on par with my son, but Lian Peng is decent enough. As for the eldest, you haven't met him. Seeing Lian Dongshen and Lian Peng together, it's almost as if they're sworn enemies. It's been seven or eight years since he last returned home."