Chapter 544 Give the Second Master a Surprise

Criminal police captain Zhou Xing, along with a group of criminal police officers and antique appraisal staff from the Municipal Cultural Relics Bureau, rushed into the Dingbaoxuan Auction Company building as fast as thunder.

The staff of Dingbaoxuan were stunned by this sudden change, and fear and anxiety filled the crowd.

Criminal police captain Zhou Xing directed the criminal police team to search Dingbaoxuan Auction Company while announcing to everyone: "No one is allowed to move around at will. Cooperate with the investigation!"

When the staff of Dingbaoxuan heard the criminal police's announcement, they all showed expressions of horror and whispered to each other out of concern for their own safety.

As soon as the criminal police captain Zhou Xing gave an order, a group of criminal police officers immediately took action, like a group of well-trained cheetahs, and quickly pounced on every corner of Dingbaoxuan Auction Company.

The staff of the Municipal Cultural Relics Bureau followed closely and launched an intensive and orderly search.

The criminal police team quickly set up control in various areas and conducted a comprehensive and detailed review of Ding Baoxuan's various accounts, computer auction records, historical data, customs declaration materials, and cultural relics auctioned in Singapore in recent years.

At the same time, Wang Dayong, along with two criminal police officers and two staff members from the Municipal Cultural Relics Bureau who were in charge of appraisal, quickly rushed towards the basement.

The basement was filled with a stale smell, cluttered with debris and dimly lit.

Wang Dayong and two criminal police officers carefully searched every corner, not missing any clues.

Not long after, they discovered a batch of bronze artifacts in a hidden corner of the basement.

Two of the bronze tripods are particularly eye-catching. They have a simple and solemn shape and exquisite patterns. They look like national treasures unearthed cultural relics.

After careful inspection by the staff of the Cultural Relics Bureau, it was preliminarily determined that this batch of bronzes were extremely precious unearthed cultural relics.

A criminal police officer, holding a professional camera, began to take photos of the unearthed bronze artifacts to collect evidence.

He squatted down and adjusted the shooting angle. The flash flickered in the dim basement and every detail was clearly recorded.

Another criminal police officer was holding a DV recorder in his hand, shooting videos from different directions to collect evidence around the batch of unearthed bronze artifacts that had just been seized.

Wang Dayong immediately used the intercom to inform the team leader Zhou Xing that it had been preliminarily confirmed that Dingbaoxuan Auction House was suspected of reselling unearthed cultural relics.

Captain Zhou Xing praised him after hearing this: "Great job, Dayong. You have made great contributions to our team again this time."

Wang Dayong chuckled and said, "Captain Zhou, now is not the time to commend me."

"Because the anonymous tip mentioned that Dingbaoxuan had illegally fabricated a false origin and circulation history for this batch of unearthed cultural relics."

"And they created a fake 'auction record file'. Did they apply for the procuratorate to intervene and provide support in advance?"

Captain Zhou Xing ordered: "First, bring Song Zhe and the main staff of Dingbaoxuan back to the team for interrogation. I will arrange the rest of the work."

"Yes, Captain Zhou."

Captain Zhou Xing warned: "This case involves the crime of stealing, buying and selling smuggled cultural relics across regions. The main purpose of the sudden interrogation of Song Zhe is to make him confess the criminal gang."

"Only by prying open Song Zhe's mouth can we immediately cooperate with the police in other regions to investigate the case, arrest the foreign cultural relics dealers involved in the case, and start investigation and evidence collection."

"Okay, Captain Zhou, I'll make sure to complete the mission."

After Wang Dayong ended the intercom call, he hurriedly left the basement of Dingbaoxuan Company.

The remaining criminal police and cultural relics bureau staff began to properly preserve the precious unearthed bronze artifacts. They first wrapped the bronze artifacts with soft cotton cloth and then packed them in special boxes.

A criminal police officer put a label on the box, indicating the name of the cultural relic, the place of discovery and related information.

Then, they carefully carried the box out of the basement and prepared to take it back to the police station to secure the evidence.

The staff of Dingbaoxuan were shocked to hear the news that the company and its boss Song Zhe were suspected of smuggling unearthed cultural relics across provinces. They were all scared and pale. Some of the accomplices even felt their legs go weak and they broke out in cold sweats.

The atmosphere in the entire Dingbaoxuan Auction Company was so tense that it was suffocating.

The criminal police were busy shuttling between various areas, properly handling all the seized materials and cultural relics in preparation for subsequent investigations.

After leaving the basement, Wang Dayong and several criminal police officers took the senior staff of Dingbaoxuan into the police cars outside the gate, when they heard the crying of a little girl coming from inside the police car.

Wang Dayong followed the sound and approached a police car with flashing lights. He saw Song Zhe being temporarily controlled inside the car. He was holding Zhou Shiyao in his arms, whose face was red from crying. She looked particularly pitiful.

Wang Dayong frowned, took a step forward, and asked sharply, "Song Zhe, whose child is this little girl you've been holding?"

Song Zhe's heart tightened. Of course he couldn't tell anyone that this was his and Liu Rusi's child. He could only pretend to be calm and showed a helpless expression.

"Comrade Criminal Police, this child was brought by a female client. She went out to do something and asked me to help look after him for a while."

"Look, this child keeps crying. I am a single man who has never been married, and I really don't know how to comfort a child!"

Wang Dayong looked at Zhou Shiyao gently and asked tentatively: "Tell the police uncle what your name is?"

Zhou Shiyao wiped her tears and replied: "My name is Zhou Shiyao."

"What's your mother's name?"

"My mother's name is Liu Rusi."

"Who is Song Zhe to you?"

"He is Uncle Song."

After hearing this, Wang Dayong remembered that when he was monitoring Dingbaoxuan Company just now, he saw Liu Rusi wearing sunglasses and a mask, holding her daughter Zhou Shiyao's hand, got off a taxi, and walked into Dingbaoxuan Company.

Song Zhe showed a trace of anxiety on his face, and asked tentatively: "Comrade Criminal Police, can you please make an exception so that I can call the child's mother and ask her to take the child away?"

Wang Dayong listened and replied seriously: "I'm sorry, you are now a criminal suspect. According to regulations, suspects cannot have any contact with the outside world."

"Our police have preliminarily confirmed that your Dingbaoxuan Auction House is suspected of smuggling unearthed cultural relics. Please come with us and cooperate with our police investigation."

After hearing this, Song Zhe froze instantly, his face turned pale, and his eyes were full of fear and despair. He knew very well that his crime had been exposed, and he would be severely punished by law.

Wang Dayong continued: "Confess and be treated leniently; resist and be treated severely."

"When we get to the interrogation room, you'd better tell the truth about your crime and your accomplices, and try to get leniency for your meritorious service."

Song Zhe looked at his daughter Zhou Shiyao's frightened expression in his arms, his heart filled with regret and despair. The last bit of dignity he had in front of his daughter was gone, which made him feel extremely ashamed.

Song Zhe was fully aware of the value of the cultural relics he had smuggled, and according to the legal sentencing standards, he was sentenced to death.

At this moment, Song Zhe was like an eggplant hit by frost. He was completely wilted. He sat hunched over in the back seat of the police car, his eyes full of despair and helplessness.

Wang Dayong turned to look at the female detective beside him and said seriously, "Leave this little girl in Dingbaoxuan Company and take care of her first."

"I suspect the child's mother may be related to this case. When she comes back to look for the child, she needs to be taken away for investigation."

The female detective nodded and gently took Zhou Shiyao from Song Zhe.

"Don't be afraid, little darling. The policewoman is a good person who is there to protect cute kids like you. Be good and stop crying."

The young Zhou Shiyao was held in the arms of the female police officer and nodded ignorantly.

At this time, Wang Dayong frowned, thinking secretly in his heart, this little girl looks so much like Song Zhe, he may have a close connection with this little girl's mother.

Judging from the current situation, the child’s mother may also be a key link in this case.

Maybe she and Song Zhe planned this crime together, or maybe she knew some important clues.

After reading it, Wang Dayong told the female criminal police officer: "Pay close attention to the movements of the child's mother. If she appears, bring her back to the police station immediately."

"During this time, it is important to ensure the safety of the child and to be aware of any signs that the mother may be present."

The female detective held Zhou Shiyao in her arms, nodded seriously, and then turned and walked towards the temporary care center inside Dingbaoxuan Auction Company.

Song Zhe looked at the back of the female detective holding Zhou Shiyao as she left, and suddenly felt a wave of palpitations. It was a heart-wrenching pain that even hurt to breathe.

Song Zhe knew that this would be the last time in his life that he would see his unrecognized daughter Zhou Shiyao.

As luck would have it, before Zhou Shiyao was carried into the gate of Dingbaoxuan by the female criminal police, she turned her head and glanced at Song Zhe who was locked in the police car.

Song Zhe watched his daughter's small figure gradually disappear from his sight, his heart filled with mixed feelings and regret. The wrong choice he had made in the past has now turned into endless pain.

This separation is permanent, and it also marks the separation of life and death between father and daughter.

When he thought that this might be the last time he saw his daughter, Song Zhe could no longer control his emotions and broke down and cried.

Song Zhe's crying was mixed with regret, self-blame and despair, and these complex emotions surged into his heart like a tide.

Wang Dayong quickly got into the car upon seeing this, and another police officer immediately started the police car and quickly took Song Zhe back to the criminal police team for a sudden interrogation.

At this time, Liu Rusi, who had no idea that Song Zhe had been arrested, had already rushed to the Starbucks on Huaihai Road as soon as possible.

Liu Rusi looked around but did not see Lin Lang in Starbucks.

So, Liu Rusi found a relatively secluded and quiet coffee table in a corner and sat down, then dialed Zhou Zhongdang's cell phone which Lin Lang was holding.

"Lin Lang, what do you mean? I'm already in Starbucks, where are you?" Liu Rusi sounded a little impatient during the call.

Lin Lang's voice came from the receiver of the mobile phone, with a sneer and teasing: "Miss Liu, I'll be there right after you order your coffee. I want a cup of cold brew black coffee with ice."

After hearing this, Liu Rusi frowned and felt a little unhappy: "You'd better not waste my time. I don't have much patience."

Lin Lang replied during the call: "Ms. Liu, please be patient. I just spent some time preparing a surprise gift for you."

Liu Rusi snorted coldly and said, "What the hell are you doing?"