"How did the kidnappers respond?"
"They said to bring the ransom to Tyler Square at 8 PM tonight. Only Cao Tianyou's mother is allowed to come—if anyone else shows up, we'll never see the child again." Cao Hua looked anxious. "They also sent a photo of Tianyou. He's tied up with ropes, his mouth is gagged, and there are bloodstains on him."
"Officer, Tianyou isn't faking this. He's really been kidnapped!" Cao Hua was clearly agitated.
"Mr. Cao, please calm down," Zeng Ping reassured him. "If Tianyou could stage a fake kidnapping scene, he could also fake being tied up."
"You're accusing my son of staging his own kidnapping just based on a single footprint? If anything happens to him, will the police be able to take responsibility?" Cao Hua shouted angrily.
"Mr. Cao, let us handle the investigation. Your main task now is to contact the boy's mother," Zhao Ying said calmly.
"I truly believe Tianyou was lured and kidnapped. He's my only child—my entire world. I hope the police will take my concerns seriously." With that, Cao Hua went to a bedroom.
Zeng Ping looked at the photo on his phone. "There's nothing useful in the background. It's hard to determine the hostage's location."
"Han Bin, are you sure the small footprints in large shoes were made by Cao Tianyou?" Zhao Ying confirmed.
"I'm sure."
"Maybe someone took advantage of Tianyou's longing for his mother, tricked him into setting up a fake kidnapping scene, and then kidnapped him for real," Li Hui suggested.
Zeng Ping nodded. "That's a possibility."
"Should I still go deliver the ransom, as planned?" Zhao Ying asked.
"We all know Tianyou misses his mother. His phone probably has photos of her. If the kidnappers have his phone, they likely know what she looks like," Han Bin pointed out.
"Han Bin's right. Tyler Square is very open—you'd be visible from far away," Zeng Ping agreed.
Suddenly—Bang! The bedroom door flew open.
Cao Hua rushed in. "Captain Zeng, I contacted Tianyou's mother."
"Where is she?"
"Yangcheng."
Yangcheng is a city in southern coastal China.
Zeng Ping frowned. "There are only a bit over two hours left. She definitely can't make it in time."
"Can we ask the kidnappers to delay the ransom exchange until tomorrow?"
"They might get agitated and hurt the hostage."
After a moment of silence, Han Bin suggested, "I might have a way to delay the ransom drop and also determine what kind of case this really is."
"What's your plan?"
"Tell the kidnappers that Cao Tianyou's mother rushed to Qindao City upon hearing the news, got into a car accident, and is now in emergency care."
Zhao Ying slapped her thigh. "That's a good idea. A car accident is an unavoidable excuse—it should buy us some time."
"Will the kidnappers believe it?" Cao Hua was still worried.
"Have the mother go to a local hospital, draw some blood, wrap some bandages, and take a photo saying she's receiving treatment in Qindao City. That'll be enough proof," Han Bin said.
"Great idea. If this was all staged by Tianyou and he hears the news, he'll definitely rush to the hospital," Li Hui added.
"And if he doesn't show up, it means he may have been truly abducted and is now being controlled by someone else," Zeng Ping analyzed.
Zhao Ying nodded. "Knowing the real nature of the case is key to saving the hostage."
Cao Hua thought about it for a long while and finally agreed—it was the safest approach.
…
Around 7 PM — Qindao City Hospital
A boy, around 13 or 14, ran hurriedly into the hospital.
Looking anxious, he ran to the reception desk. "Nurse, I'm looking for someone."
"Who are you looking for, little one?" the nurse asked.
"My mom."
"What's her name?"
"Wang Shan."
"Wait here, I'll check." She flipped through a logbook. "Ah yes, a patient named Wang Shan was admitted earlier today after a car accident. She's getting a blood transfusion now."
"Which room is she in?"
"What's your name?"
"Cao Tianyou."
"Alright, I'll take you there."
"Thank you, Auntie."
With the help of the warm-hearted nurse, Cao Tianyou was brought to a room on the second floor. As soon as the door opened, he rushed in.
There were several people inside—but not his mother.
Cao Hua rushed over. "Son! You had Dad worried sick!"
"Dad! Where's Mom?! Where is she?!" Tianyou cried.
"She's fine, still out of town."
"She didn't get in a car accident?"
"No. She's not here."
"You lied to me! I want to see Mom—I want my Mom!" Tianyou shouted and burst into tears.
"That's enough shouting—this is a hospital," Zhao Ying scolded, her expression stern. "If you have anything to say, let's talk at the station."
"You're police?" Tianyou looked around at the unfamiliar faces.
"Cao Tianyou, we know you miss your mom. But this isn't the way to handle it," Zhao Ying said sternly.
"This was a huge waste of police resources. While we were focused on 'rescuing' you, other real criminals had a chance to get away and hurt more people."
Tianyou bowed. "I'm really sorry, officers. I didn't mean to deceive anyone. I told my dad not to call the police…"
"Cao Hua, as his father, you bear a lot of responsibility for this," Zeng Ping snapped.
"I'm sorry, I panicked."
"It was right to report it, but you shouldn't have kept your son from seeing his mother. That's what caused this. Don't let this happen again," Zeng Ping warned.
"Yes, yes, I understand. It won't happen again."
"Let's go—back to the station for a full statement."
…
After completing their statements at the station, the father and son still weren't allowed to leave.
The police were visibly frustrated. After all, they had spent the whole day on a false alarm. Several officers took turns lecturing the father and son.
The "education session" lasted over two hours.
Li Hui, the most talkative of them all, went on for half an hour by himself, spitting so much he practically drenched them.
By the time it was all over, it was already 11 PM.
The Cao father and son sat like obedient schoolkids, repeatedly promising they'd never file a false report again.
Han Bin said a few final words, then quietly slipped out.
[Ding!]
Just then, the police system chimed.
[Officer 577533 — timely discovery of anomalies in the case, providing key insights, and saving police resources.]
[Footprint Identification skill: +2 proficiency; Merit Points: +2.]
Han Bin's mood brightened. Even though the case turned out to be a false alarm, he still earned real progress—his skill improved and he gained merit points.
All in all, it had been a productive day.
(End of Chapter)