Chapter 211: Dragnet Search
Liu Zhiye said to the instructor Xu Shifang on the other end of the phone: "Old Xu! I have an emergency and need your help... Lead the team to the vicinity of Beixinqiao Business Hall immediately and participate in the investigation!"

After he hung up the phone, he ordered the security officers on the scene: "Except for those who stayed behind, all personnel should go out, bring Yang Xue's photo, and conduct a dragnet search within the designated area."

Then he saluted Deputy Director Jiang and said in a serious tone: "Leader! We will start the action now. You will need to report to your superiors for any follow-up matters." Deputy Director Jiang nodded to show his understanding.

Afterwards, Liu Zhiye led a team of people on board the Liberation and rushed to the Xinjiekou business hall at lightning speed.

On the other side, the Dongcheng District Public Security Brigade also assembled urgently, with sirens ringing.

“Woo…woo…woo”

"Quick, quick, emergency assembly!"

The team members quickly rushed out of their posts, sorted out their equipment, and were fully armed. They were wearing uniforms and police hats, with firm eyes and steady steps.

At Liu Fangliang's command, they boarded the car and headed for the designated location, ready to cooperate with the Red Star Exhibition Factory Security Department to launch a dragnet operation.

This is a well-trained and experienced team, who not only possess superb skills and tactics, but also have the spirit of unity, cooperation and courage. They will use their own strength to contribute to maintaining the security of Dongcheng District.

Near the Beixinqiao Business Hall, the two groups arrived almost at the same time and joined up with comrades from the local police station.

One of them was a burly man wearing a dark blue police uniform and with sharp eyes. He was Comrade Feng Gang, the director of Beixinqiao.

As the highest-ranking official on the scene, Liu Zhiye shouldered the heavy responsibility of directing the operation. He explained the case to the leaders present in a concise and clear manner, highlighting the key points and using rigorous logic.

"The suspected disappearances of Lao Liu, Liu Feng and Yang Xue are mainly concentrated in the surrounding areas. The possibility of kidnapping or murder cannot be completely ruled out. Therefore, comrades need to be vigilant. This criminal is obviously not an ordinary petty thief. Be sure to remain highly alert to prevent any accidents."

"Yes!" "Yes!" Liu Fangliang and Feng Gang immediately responded to him seriously.

Liu Zhiye instructed the two responsible persons, "Old Liu and Old Feng, each of you will lead a team to search eastwards from Toutiao Hutong and Banqiao Hutong, and southwards from Caoyuan Hutong. The task of searching westwards from Dongzhimen is left to me."

"The key point is that if these Xu family acquaintances find any abnormal situation, send someone to report to me immediately and do not act on your own..."

"Okay, Director Liu." The two men took the order and left.

…………

Time passed by minute by minute.

The staff of Beixinqiao Sub-district Office and comrades from the police station are leading a dragnet-style investigation, which is being carried out in an orderly manner from house to house.

Liu Zhiye frowned, his eyes fixed on the shrinking area. He listened carefully to the various situations reported by his comrades, his expression becoming more and more solemn.

During the dragnet investigation, they accidentally discovered gamblers hiding at home to gamble in groups, "young ladies" secretly selling special services in the streets, and street urchins running around everywhere.

You won’t know until you check. Once you check, you will be shocked to find that in such a bright and clear world, there are actually so many thieves hiding among the revolutionary masses.

This can be considered as shooting rabbits while catching grass, but unfortunately no clues about Yang Xue were found.

"Have you found anything at Li Dabangzi's house in Xinjiadao Hutong?" Liu Zhiye asked, staring at the map.

Li Ming responded immediately: "Li Dabangzi is also a worker in our factory. He has confirmed that he has been in the workshop all day and has not gone out. His team leader can testify to this. His wife has been bedridden for many years and has no mobility. This basically rules out the possibility that they committed a crime."

Liu Zhiye nodded and drew a circle on the map to mark Jiacang Road.

Then he asked, "What are the situations of other families that need attention?"

Li Ming looked at the records and said, "Ma Xinliang from Caoyuan Hutong is said to be at home, but he also has witnesses. He was helping his neighbor change tiles in the morning and had lunch at his neighbor's house at noon. We searched his house and found nothing unusual."

After excluding these two people, there is still no information from Wei Laosan from Fuxue Hutong, Gao Ping and Gao Yuan brothers from Xintaicang Hutong, and Wei Xingguo from Beigouyan Hutong.

No news is not good news. If Yang Xue hadn't been in this area, it would have been even more difficult to deal with. There were no surveillance facilities in those days, and it was not easy to find her in this vast crowd.

I hope she will be safe!
"Leader, we have also checked Wei Laosan in Fuxue Hutong, and found nothing."

"Report, Beiyangou Hutong has been checked, and no one is at Wei Xingguo's house for now. According to neighbors, the couple has gone back to their hometown in the countryside."

Liu Zhiye was shocked when he heard this and asked hurriedly, "Do you know when they left?"

The public security soldier who came to report said, "I heard from the uncle in charge of the courtyard that the family of three left yesterday and their hometown is Tongzhou." Liu Zhiye nodded, thinking that Tongzhou was not too far away and it only took half a day to ride a bicycle back and forth. It was possible that Wei Xingguo took his wife and children away first under the pretext of going back home, leaving behind an alibi, and then quietly returned the next day to commit the crime.

"Do you know the specific address of Wei Guoping's hometown?" Liu Zhiye asked.

The other party replied: "Director Liu, Wei Guoping's hometown is Baliqiao, Tongzhou."

After hearing this, Liu Zhiye knew that he could not continue to wait passively like this. He ordered: "Lao Ge, go to the district bureau immediately to report the situation, try to get a cooperation order, and then take a few people to investigate Wei Guoping's home in Baliqiao, Tongzhou."

He stressed that no information should be missed, showing his importance and determination to the case. Upon hearing the order, Lao Ge immediately took action and went to carry out this important task.

All the people continued to surround her from all sides, advancing like waves, checking one by one. They held Yang Xue's photo in their hands, and every time they met someone, they would seriously ask, "Have you seen this person before?" Every corner and every street was searched meticulously by them, just like looking for a needle in a haystack.

It was dark.

The dragnet search operation was coming to an end, and the three parties gathered in Xintaicang Hutong.

Everyone looked nervous and anxious because this was the last checkpoint. If no further findings were made, the hope of saving Yang Xue would be very slim.

They began the search cautiously, observing the surroundings carefully, fearing to miss any clues.

Finally, Feng Gang pointed to a courtyard with one entrance and explained, "This is where the Gaoping brothers live. There are five families living in this courtyard."

Liu Zhiye nodded and said, "Go in and take a look. Don't miss any clues."

If he still gets nothing this time, he can only hope for good news from Lao Ge. Well, time is running out, so he has to act quickly.

So, he led the mermaid into the courtyard as usual.

In the back room behind the entrance, an old man came out upon hearing the noise. He was shocked to see so many police officers coming in.

He hadn't seen such a scene in some years, probably since the liberation, when they were catching spies everywhere.

A Beixinqiao staff member quickly stepped forward to comfort an old man. He consoled him, "Don't worry, uncle. We are here to look for a missing female comrade. You just need to cooperate with us." The old man immediately responded, "Okay, okay, I will cooperate."

A public security soldier held up Yang Xue's photo and said to him, "Uncle, please take a look. Have you seen this female comrade?"

The old man took the photo, looked at it carefully, and replied, "Sorry, I have never met him."

Liu Zhiye walked over and asked gently, "Uncle, is there anyone staying at home in your yard during the day?"

The old man thought for a moment and replied, "During the day, there are people at home. Old Madam Wei in the west wing has been staying in the yard and has not gone out. By the way, the Gao brothers also came back at noon. I don't know if they are home now."

When Liu Zhiye heard this information, his eyes lit up and he asked, "Did you see any outsiders coming back with them?"

The old man responded: "I was busy in the house and didn't see anything, but I heard some noise in their house, I guess they came back."

Then, he pointed to the main house in the north: "That's where they live."

Liu Zhiye winked at Sun Li and the others, and Sun Li immediately led his men to surround them. They looked inside through the window, but there was no one there, and the door was locked.

Sun Li shook his head at Liu Zhiye, indicating that there was no one in the room.

Liu Zhiye frowned and ordered decisively: "Open it!"

A public security comrade stepped forward and fiddled with the lock with a piece of wire, and finally opened it.

Liu Zhiye said anxiously: "Everyone go in and search!"

Liu Fangliang hesitated and said, "Captain, they're not here, and we have no evidence. If we break in and search, and it turns out they didn't do it, we'd be making a mistake."

Liu Zhiye responded expressionlessly: "It doesn't matter. I will take responsibility if anything goes wrong."

So Liu Fangliang and others didn't waste any more words and followed the order.

According to the old man in the courtyard, the Gaoping and Gaoyuan brothers are twins. They are 28 years old this year and look big and strong, but they have always been single.

(End of this chapter)