boyutpedia Chapter 241 Pulling out the radish brings out the mud
Chapter 241 Pulling out the radish brings out the mud
On the second day of the Lunar New Year, in the morning
"Young Master, there's a temple fair at Baiyun Temple and Changdian today. Although it's not as lively as in previous years, it's still quite interesting. Shall we go check it out?" Lin San asked while pouring hot tea for Lin Yan.
"A temple fair?" Lin Yan's interest was piqued. He had never seen one in New York. "Go! Of course we're going! We're back in Beijing to experience our own New Year's atmosphere."
The group chose to walk, slowly blending into the flow of people exchanging New Year's greetings in the streets and alleys. Their destination was the Changdian area, not too far from Dongxinglong Street. Although the government advocated "frugal celebrations" and supplies were indeed scarce, the New Year's customs passed down from their ancestors were still being continued as much as possible.
The temple fair atmosphere was vibrant. The air was filled with a mixture of the aroma of roasted chestnuts, the sweetness of frozen persimmons, and the distinctive buzzing sound of diabolo spinning.
The most eye-catching feature is undoubtedly the straw targets adorned with candied hawthorn berries. The bright red hawthorn berries, coated in a translucent sugar shell, gleam enticingly in the winter sunlight.
"Brother! There, there are candied hawthorns!" Xiao Qi was held in Lin Yan's arms, pointing excitedly at the candied hawthorns, her little tail wagging like a rattle.
Lin Yan smiled and bought one for him, then took one for himself. He took a bite, and the sugar coating was crisp and sweet, while the hawthorn was tangy and refreshing—a simple yet pure taste.
There were also vendors selling paper windmills by the roadside, all brightly colored, spinning rapidly in the wind, attracting many children to watch with longing eyes. Lin Yan found them interesting and bought a few, taking one for himself and sharing one with Lin Gang and the others. Lin Yi and Lin Er held these children's toys, their expressions somewhat helpless, yet unwilling to dampen their young master's spirits.
Walking to a slightly open space, I saw a group of people gathered in a circle, with cheerful gongs and drums playing from within. Squeezing in, I saw that it was an amateur Yangko dance troupe organized by the nearby street committee performing. The elderly men and women wore slightly faded silk shirts, their faces painted with red rouge, waving colorful fans, twisting and jumping. Although their movements weren't particularly professional, their heartfelt smiles and vibrant energy infected everyone present.
"good!"
"Well done!"
The crowd erupted in cheers and applause from time to time.
Standing in the crowd, watching the earthy performance and feeling the simple joy of the people around him, Lin Yan couldn't help but smile.
They strolled to Baiyun Temple. There were even more people there, many crowding at the gate, eager to touch the stone monkey relief on the stone archway. Legend has it that touching the stone monkey can ward off illness and misfortune and bring good luck for the year.
"Young master, why don't you go and touch it? It'll bring good luck," Lin Gang suggested with a simple smile.
"Are you mocking me for losing money yesterday?" Lin Yan squinted as he scanned their faces.
It would have been better if we hadn't mentioned it, because as soon as we did, everyone turned their backs and started snickering.
Lin Yan, intrigued by the smooth, shiny stone monkey, followed the crowd and gently touched its head. It felt cool and smooth to the touch.
"May everything go smoothly this year," he murmured to himself, unrelated to any particular belief, simply a wishful thought for the new year.
After strolling around, Lin Yan felt exceptionally cheerful, even though he hadn't bought anything particularly rare. This simple temple fair was full of genuine human warmth and a tenacious vitality belonging to ordinary people.
"Let's go home," Lin Yan said contentedly, gesturing to everyone. "This year, at least it's starting to feel like home."
Lin Yan, carrying Xiao Qi, walked slowly with Lin Yi, Lin Er, and the others along with the flow of people. A malicious gaze lingered on them, especially on his high-quality overcoat and bulging pockets.
A thin man in a gray cotton-padded jacket, with shifty eyes, pretended to look at roadside goods, but a sharp razor blade was between his fingers as he skillfully used the crowd as cover to approach them.
"Heh, his skills are not bad." Lin Yan sneered inwardly, initially intending to have Lin Yi subdue him on the spot. But then he thought that these kinds of thieves were mostly organized, and arresting one alone would only result in them being released to harm others again after a short time, which would only be a temporary solution.
With an idea forming in his mind, instead of being wary, he deliberately took out a Rolex Day-Date gold watch from his storage space and quietly slipped it into his coat pocket.
"Steal it, steal as much as you can. The higher the value, the better you and the people behind you can have a good drink," Lin Yan thought to himself, even turning his body slightly to create more space for the thief to strike.
Sure enough, the thin man seized the opportunity, his fingers moving with lightning speed, snatching the money and the gold watch together in an instant—a move so fast that an ordinary person could hardly notice. After succeeding, he immediately ducked into the crowd and quickly disappeared.
"Young Master, he..." Lin Gang also noticed and was about to make a move.
"It's alright," Lin Yan waved his hand and transmitted his thoughts to Lin Gang, "Lin Gang, put on an invisibility talisman and follow him to see where his hideout is. Be careful not to alert him."
"Yes, young master!" Lin Gang accepted the order, quietly took a few steps back, activated the invisibility talisman in a blind spot, and his figure disappeared instantly. Following the aura marked by Lin Yan's divine sense, he silently chased after him.
Lin Yan acted as if nothing had happened, continuing to watch the Yangko dance performance with great interest, and even bought Xiao Qi another candied hawthorn.
About an hour later, Lin Gang sent back a message via divine sense, his tone grave: "Young Master, we've followed them to a large courtyard in the southern part of the city. It's not just a pickpocket's hideout; I also heard children crying inside. I saw several traffickers giving sleeping pills to some abducted children, and they were changing their clothes and appearances. This is a large-scale criminal gang involved in theft, receiving stolen goods, and child trafficking!"
Upon hearing this, Lin Yan's eyes instantly turned cold. He had only intended to take care of a group of thieves, but he hadn't expected to reel in such a big fish! Child trafficking had crossed his bottom line.
"Lin San," he immediately instructed, "go to the Municipal Public Security Bureau to report the case. Go directly to the person in charge and explain the location of the hideout, the general situation inside, and whether they have guns."
"Understood, young master!" Lin San's expression turned serious, and he immediately turned and left. He had his own channels to efficiently transmit the message.
Lin Yan stood there, watching the still bustling temple fair, watching the children holding their parents' hands and laughing happily. The chill that had risen in his heart because of the discovery of the criminal gang gradually subsided. He gently patted Xiao Qi's head.
"Brother, was that bad guy caught?" Xiao Qi asked, blinking her big eyes.
"It'll be soon," Lin Yan said, gazing intently in the direction of Nancheng. "Soon, they won't be able to harm anyone anymore."
He didn't linger any longer, as if he were just an ordinary passerby at the temple fair. Holding Xiao Qi and leading Lin Yi and Lin Er, he continued to walk back leisurely.
That afternoon, outside a large courtyard in the southern part of the city, half an hour before the operation.
Zhang Zhigang, director of the Criminal Investigation Department of the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau, personally oversaw the operation. He was a seasoned police officer with a resolute face and sharp eyes. The temporary command post was located in a residential house about 200 meters away from the target compound.
"Is everything clear now?" Director Zhang's voice was deep and powerful.
"It's clear!" Li Weiguo, the team leader in charge of the operation, stood at attention and responded, his finger moving quickly across the unfolded hand-drawn map. "According to the extremely accurate intelligence provided by the anonymous comrade, the target compound has three courtyards. The front courtyard is a disguised scrap metal collection station, where at least five pickpockets are stationed, responsible for lookout and selling stolen goods; the middle courtyard is the core of their hideout, where stolen goods are counted and distributed, with an estimated eight to ten people there; the most crucial one is the back courtyard, where the two side rooms at the west end are where the abducted children are held, guarded by four traffickers on rotation, all of whom are said to be armed."
Director Zhang's gaze was grave: "The children's safety is paramount! We must not allow desperate criminals to harm the children!"
Yes! Our solution is:
1. Outer Blockade Team (plainclothes, 12 people): Disguised as vendors and passersby, they secretly controlled all entrances and exits of the compound as well as the high points of adjacent alleys, ensuring that not even a fly could get out once the operation began.
2. Assault Team 1 (6 people, armed): Led by Li Weiguo, they will rush to the backyard at top speed the moment the operation begins. Their primary mission is to rescue the children and subdue the guards.
3. Assault Team Two (8 people, armed with guns and batons): Simultaneously storm the central court, take control of the core hideout members, and make sure to capture them all.
4. Control Group (4 people): Responsible for clearing the front yard, cutting off internal and external communication, and arresting lookouts.
"When will the operation take place?"
"It's exactly four o'clock in the afternoon! At this time, the people in the compound are relatively all present, and it's still light out, making it easier for us to identify and search, but also easier to be detected. So we emphasize speed, accuracy, and ruthlessness!"
"Good!" Director Zhang slammed his hand on the table. "Proceed according to plan! Remember, the safety and property of the people are paramount!"
At 4:00 PM sharp, the operation began!
With Li Weiguo's low, brief shout of "Action!",
With a loud "bang!", the seemingly sturdy wooden door of the compound was smashed open by the second assault team using a battering ram!
"Don't move! Police!"
"Everyone, put your hands on your heads and squat down!"
At the same time, several agile assault team members, like cheetahs, jumped over the low wall on the side into the backyard and rushed straight to the west wing!
"Bang!" The door was kicked open.
"Don't move! Hands up!"
The four human traffickers inside were clearly unprepared for the police's precise and swift arrival. One of them instinctively reached for a homemade gunpowder gun leaning against the wall, but a quick-thinking police officer swiftly stepped forward and smashed his wrist with the butt of the gun, sending the weapon crashing to the ground. The other three were also quickly subdued and handcuffed.
In a corner, several ragged, terrified children huddled together. When they saw the police officers rushing in, some cried out in fear, while others looked bewildered.
"Don't be afraid, kids! We're police officers here to rescue you and take you home!" Li Weiguo shouted in as gentle a tone as possible, while signaling his team members to quickly check the children's physical condition.
The battle at the Intermediate Court ended even faster. The criminals, who were counting their loot and even dividing the money, were caught off guard by the sudden attack by the second assault team, who practically swooped in and subdued them all without offering any real resistance. A large amount of cash, food coupons, various receipts, and a dazzling array of valuables were found at the scene, including the gleaming Rolex gold watch.
The lookouts in the front yard were also taken down by the control team almost simultaneously.
The entire operation, from start to finish, took less than five minutes. Clean and efficient, with no one escaping!
When the trafficked children, escorted by police officers, timidly yet hopefully left the dark, cramped courtyard, the neighbors who had been secretly watching the situation finally erupted in enthusiastic applause and cheers.
The news spread like wildfire throughout Beijing, much to the delight of the people!
In the police station's evidence room, the Rolex gold watch was stored with a separate number. Director Zhang held it up to the light, examining it closely, his brow furrowing slightly: "This thing... its origins are not simple. Contact Comrade Lin, who provided the clue... and have him come and see if it belongs to him personally."
That afternoon, the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau swiftly dismantled a major criminal gang hiding in the southern part of the city, rescuing several abducted children and seizing a large amount of stolen money and goods. The news was met with widespread approval.