Han Bin and Li Hui got out of the car, each holding a pistol.
Flashlight in the left hand, pistol in the right, their wrists crossed in a standard tactical stance.
They first surveyed the surroundings—no signs of movement or abnormalities.
Approaching the van from opposite sides, they confirmed the license plate matched the suspect's vehicle.
Both were tense. Their steps were light, eyes scanning in all directions, ears alert for any sound—ready in case Sun Qifeng suddenly attacked.
They peered inside the van with their flashlights—no sign of Sun Qifeng.
While slightly disappointed, they also breathed a sigh of relief.
"You keep watch—I'll search the vehicle," Han Bin said.
Li Hui nodded and took up a defensive position around the van.
Han Bin put on gloves and shoe covers before opening the rear trunk. Nothing unusual there.
On the left side of the road was a patch of forest.
The van was parked with half its body on the dirt.
As Han Bin prepared to open the driver's side door, he noticed a line of shoe prints in the mud, heading into the forest.
He took a photo of the footprints with his phone, saving a more detailed analysis for later, and continued his vehicle inspection.
Inside the front passenger area, he found a hat, along with Sun Qifeng's driver's license and vehicle registration in the central storage compartment.
Other than that, the van was empty.
Suddenly—"WEE-OOO—" Police sirens rang out in the distance.
Looking up, Han Bin saw flashing police lights—backup had arrived.
"Captain Zheng, Captain Zeng," Han Bin and Li Hui greeted.
"You two are fast," Zheng Kaixuan remarked.
"Is this the suspect's vehicle?" Zeng Ping asked.
"Yes, but Sun Qifeng isn't inside," Han Bin replied.
Zheng Kaixuan scanned the surroundings. "Any sign of where he went?"
A police perimeter had already been set up.
Li Hui led them to the van. "Captain, the suspect parked on the left side of the road, which is unusual—it suggests he may have abandoned the vehicle and fled into the forest."
"Could it be a false trail?" Zeng Ping asked.
"Bin found shoe prints near the driver's side, leading into the woods. Looks legit," Li Hui explained.
Zeng Ping examined the prints. "Captain Zheng, should we send a search team into the forest?"
Zheng Kaixuan didn't answer right away. He turned to Han Bin, "Can we follow these tracks to locate the suspect?"
Han Bin shook his head. "Not likely. In the muddy area near the road, the prints are clear. But deeper into the forest, there's a thick layer of fallen leaves—it's hard to leave any footprints."
"We should ask the city bureau to send in tracking dogs," Zeng Ping suggested.
Zheng Kaixuan nodded after thinking it over. "I'll request K9 support immediately. But we won't just sit around waiting. We need to start the search right away."
"I'll lead the team into the forest," Zeng Ping volunteered.
"Be careful."
"Don't worry—we won't let Sun Qifeng escape again."
Zeng Ping borrowed some officers from the local precinct and turned to Han Bin and Li Hui.
"You two want to rest or come with us?"
"Of course I'm going with you!" Li Hui said enthusiastically, pounding his chest.
"I'll stay behind to study the footprints more," Han Bin replied.
"Good. Let me know if you find anything new," Zeng Ping nodded. After working with Han Bin for a while, he knew Han Bin wasn't the type to slack off.
"Yes, sir."
Han Bin crouched beside the prints and began examining them closely.
The mud had preserved them well, and after a few minutes, he frowned.
Something was off.
At that moment, Zheng Kaixuan walked over. "I've heard from Captain Zeng that you're good with footprint analysis. Got anything?"
Han Bin stood up. "Yes, I've found something."
"Let's hear it."
"These prints by the driver's door are from the person who drove the van. That much is obvious."
"I can see that too. Give me something useful," Zheng Kaixuan urged.
"After closely comparing the wear patterns of these prints with the shoes I saw at Sun Qifeng's home, I can say with certainty—these prints do not belong to Sun Qifeng."
Zheng Kaixuan was surprised. "Then who drove the van?"
"I believe it was an accomplice."
Zheng Kaixuan's eyes narrowed. "You think Sun Qifeng wasn't acting alone?"
"I suggest we notify Captain Zeng immediately," Han Bin said.
Zheng nodded. If there was an accomplice, the danger level just increased, and the search team would need to be extra careful.
Two hours later, the K9 unit arrived.
There were plenty of scent sources—the hat in the van, for instance.
With tracking dogs in play, the chances of a successful manhunt improved greatly.
As the sun rose, the forest search continued all morning, but there was still no sign of Sun Qifeng.
By midday, the first search team—Zeng Ping's—returned.
After hiking for seven to eight hours, they were exhausted, dehydrated, and starving.
Han Bin handed out bottled water and boxed lunches.
"Damn, that Sun Qifeng is a slippery one. We didn't even catch a glimpse," Li Hui grumbled, chugging half a bottle of water.
"The dogs didn't find anything either," Han Bin added.
"Bin, are you certain Sun Qifeng had an accomplice?" Zeng Ping asked as he accepted a boxed lunch.
"Absolutely. The driver wasn't Sun Qifeng."
"If this was a joint operation, things are way more complicated," Zeng Ping sighed. He barely touched the food, his appetite gone.
"Up until now, we found no signs of an accomplice," Li Hui said. "He's really good at hiding."
Zeng Ping lit a cigarette. "Right. No evidence at the crime scene, the house, or even in the van."
"This suggests the accomplice is highly skilled at counter-surveillance. He might even be the mastermind, with Sun Qifeng just acting on his orders," Han Bin speculated.
"Problem is, aside from those footprints, we have nothing. We'll have to continue chasing leads on Sun Qifeng," Zeng Ping said.
Li Hui chewed a few mouthfuls of rice. "Once we catch him, he'll talk."
"Let's hope the K9 unit comes through," Zeng Ping replied.
Han Bin frowned slightly as he listened. Something didn't sit right.
Everything pointed to Sun Qifeng—the van, the house, the crime.
But now, they had a ghost accomplice, someone who had left no trace whatsoever.
If not for Han Bin spotting the mismatch in the footprints, no one would've suspected a second suspect at all.
(End of Chapter)