Chapter 76: The Sensual Hostage

Du Long said, "What should I call you? I also hope he didn't kill anyone, but it's not up to me or you; there needs to be evidence to support it. Xia Hongjun's escape at this time is the most foolish thing he could do. This move will solidify his guilt, and he will be truly labeled as a murderer, with no way to defend himself."

Xia Hongjun's mother finally showed a hint of excitement on her face. She said angrily, "My surname is Xu. You can call me anything. Could my son not escape? The police who arrested him said he killed Li Bartian's men, and Li Bartian has put a price on his head. If he goes to jail, he will definitely die. Could he not run away?"

Du Long sighed and said, "Talking about this now is pointless. Mrs. Xu, you said he left something for me. What is it?"

Mrs. Xu pointed to a small square table beside her and said, "I don't know what it is. It looks like a handwritten notebook. My son said it wouldn't be useful to the police, but at least it's worth a try. If you push him too hard, he will send the photos directly to the central government. Li Bartian can control everything in Tianan Province, but can he reach Beijing?"

Du Long's gaze fell on the handwritten notebook. He walked over and flipped through it casually, discovering it was a ledger recording the accounts of the Black Gold Company's Blue River Mine. The accounts were somewhat messy, and many symbols were incomprehensible to Du Long. Since Xia Hongjun had specifically left this, it must be useful. Du Long put the ledger in his bag and continued, "Mrs. Xu, do you know where Xia Hongjun went? If you want to help him, please tell me where he is. I am a police officer from Yuming City, not someone Li Bartian can control."

Mrs. Xu shook her head with a bitter smile and said, "Do you think he would tell me the truth? He has been in the military for years, and I don't even know where he is stationed. Asking me this is like asking a blind person for directions."

Du Long nodded and said, "Alright, Mrs. Xu, I'll leave now. If Xia Hongjun comes back or contacts you, tell him to find me. I am a police officer from the city, and my name is Du Long. This paper has my phone number on it."

Mrs. Xu did not take the paper but quietly pointed to the table and said, "Put it there. The wind is strong at night, Du Officer, remember to close the door tightly when you leave."

Du Long put the paper down and left, closing the door tightly. He then said to the landlord, "You saw nothing, heard nothing. If anything happens, don't blame me."

The landlord nodded obediently. Du Long walked out of the yard, feeling lost. Where should he go to find Xia Hongjun? Du Long had a hunch that Xia Hongjun was not an ordinary person. Finding him might be the key to unraveling all the mysteries, but this guy was as cunning as a fox, and it wouldn't be easy to find him.

Du Long suddenly turned back to the landlord and asked, "Do you know where the head of the supply department at Tieling Coal Mine, Mo Keqiang, lives?"

Ten minutes later, Du Long arrived near the residential area of the Tieling Coal Mine's formal employees. The environment here was much better than the shanty area where the tenants lived. The residential area was very peaceful, as if no kidnapping had occurred. After two fights, the security at Tieling Coal Mine had improved significantly. Du Long, being unfamiliar, was stopped by the guard. Not wanting to alert anyone, he turned around and left. He circled around and found a place near a wall where a large tree grew, making it easier to climb over. Just as he was about to climb the tree, he noticed several fresh footprints on the tree.

"Such big feet..." Du Long was amazed at first, then a flash of insight came to him. He looked around and saw two clear large footprints on the ground, matching the shoe prints on the tree. Du Long tried jumping, but his hard-soled leather shoes left only faint, almost invisible marks on the ground. He imagined a tall, muscular person jumping down from the tree, possibly carrying a heavy load, which would explain the deep footprints on the solid ground.

"Could Xia Hongjun have climbed in here and then jumped down with the wife of the supply department head, Mo Keqiang?" Du Long abandoned the idea of entering the residential area this way and began searching for similar shoe prints near the tree.

Since Xia Hongjun couldn't have carried someone to a populated area, Du Long's search area was much smaller. He quickly found a footprint leading into the mountains.

After walking for a while, the footprints became clearer, and Du Long quickened his pace. The terrain gradually became more complex, with more and more grass and trees. Suddenly, Du Long dived behind a small hill and cautiously peered up the mountain.

He saw a person stumbling through the sparse trees, and he heard her crying. That woman was likely the wife of the supply department head. When the woman ran close, Du Long suddenly leaped up, tackled her to the ground, and covered her mouth, looking warily up the mountain.

The woman struggled frantically, her ample chest rubbing against Du Long's arm. Du Long whispered, "Don't move. I'm a police officer. Where is Xia Hongjun?"

The woman gradually calmed down, looking at Du Long and making muffled sounds. Du Long loosened his grip slightly, and the woman said, "Xia Hongjun is on the mountain, but I don't know exactly where. I was tied up and blindfolded the whole time. He just let me go."

Du Long looked at the woman, who was curvaceous and alluring. He smiled slightly and said, "I'm Du Long. You are..."

"My name is He Yehong, the wife of the supply department head, Mo Keqiang. What... what do you want..." He Yehong felt Du Long's hand lightly graze her chest, and she shivered as if electrocuted, letting out a seductive moan.

Du Long's hand and body moved away from He Yehong. He said, "You should go down the mountain quickly."

He Yehong said with some disappointment, "What about you? Aren't you going to escort me down? I'm afraid of the dark..."

Du Long said, "You managed to come down alone just now. My task is to catch Xia Hongjun, not to escort you down. The path down is easy and safe. Just follow the lit areas. I'll stay here to watch out for Xia Hongjun, so he doesn't come back and grab you again. Go quickly."

He Yehong lingered for a moment, and Du Long, frustrated, said, "What's wrong with you? If you don't go, I'll kick you down the mountain!"

He Yehong finally left, looking back frequently. Du Long watched her go, then turned to look up the mountain. He suddenly had a chill and turned to run, reaching He Yehong in the blink of an eye.

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