Chapter 145: Song Lin Takes Action
Upon receiving Song Lin’s instructions, a man dressed in a security uniform immediately removed his jacket and hat, tossing them onto a sofa in the hotel lobby before striding out the main entrance.
Clearly, he was a temporarily assigned investigator, dispatched to track Han Xue.
A janitor approached the sofa.
Discreetly, they rolled up the discarded security uniform and hat, picking them up as if it were routine cleaning.
This janitor was also an undercover detective from the municipal bureau.
Watching Han Xue leave the hotel, Song Lin switched the surveillance feed to the fifth floor, staring at the door of Room 512, lost in thought.
Inside Room 512, only the eight-year-old boy—whose back view eerily resembled Axi’s—remained.
The idea stirred something in Song Lin.
A desire to investigate arose.
If he was overthinking, then all was well. He could recall the investigator following Han Xue.
But if it really was Axi, then this was the perfect opportunity—his accomplice was away, making it the ideal time to capture him.
Song Lin’s eyes flickered, his mind racing as he weighed the risks and rewards.
Any action now would undoubtedly be against protocol.
But Song Lin had always believed that rules were rigid while people were flexible. A living person shouldn’t let themselves be paralyzed by hesitation. When solving cases and enforcing the law, one must know when to adapt.
Sticking too strictly to regulations could mean missing the best chance to crack a case or rescue hostages.
“Let’s do it,” Song Lin gritted his teeth.
“Attention all units—each team, assign one member to rendezvous at the fifth-floor stairwell,” he commanded into his radio.
“Use the stairs, not the elevator!”
With that, Song Lin issued his orders to the undercover officers stationed throughout the hotel.
Axi had left an unforgettable impression on Song Lin. Until he could confirm whether that child was Axi, he wouldn’t be able to sleep or eat in peace.
“Copy that!”
A string of acknowledgments crackled through the radio.
The detectives scattered across the hotel immediately moved, making their way toward the stairwell.
They were disguised in various roles—security guards, janitors, hotel guests, and restaurant staff.
Song Lin stood up, drawing his sidearm from his holster.
He checked the magazine before sliding it back in.
Grabbing his radio, he turned and left the surveillance room, heading up the stairs to the fifth floor.
This time, Song Lin was gambling with his career.
All for the sake of resolving a lingering doubt.
After the explosion, the forensics team had combed through the scene but never found Axi’s body. That had planted a seed of suspicion in Song Lin’s mind—had Axi really died?
Now, seeing a child with an identical silhouette to Axi’s reignited his doubts.
Just as no two leaves in the world are exactly alike, Song Lin refused to believe that two people could look so strikingly similar.
Even identical twins had their differences.
Besides…
Axi was a grown man in his thirties—how could he possibly have an eight-year-old twin?
Of course, Song Lin couldn’t see through Axi’s disguise. To him, Axi and that boy bore no resemblance at all.
The only similarity was the back view.
And that alone was enough to make Song Lin suspicious.
With years of investigative experience under his belt, Song Lin trusted his instincts.
Even if this child wasn’t Axi, there had to be some deep connection between them.
Perhaps this was “Axi 2.0.”
Song Lin took the stairs two at a time, quickly reaching the fifth floor.
A group of officers was already waiting for him.
He did a quick headcount—six people.
Four men, two women.
The serious crimes unit had over ten members, and half of them were here now.
“Captain Song!”
The six officers greeted him in hushed voices.
“Everyone here?” Song Lin asked in a low voice.
“All accounted for,” the deputy leader of the unit confirmed.
“Good. Check your gear.”
Song Lin nodded, his voice steady as he led by example—drawing his weapon, checking the magazine, chambering a round, and switching off the safety.
The six seasoned detectives followed suit, inspecting their own firearms.
Magazine. Chamber. Safety off.
“Captain Song, should we call for backup?”
The deputy, Luo Fei, asked cautiously.
Luo Fei was a veteran investigator with decades of experience.
He was approaching retirement and had seen it all.
Seeing how Song Lin had mobilized so many officers—and even drawn his weapon—Luo Fei instinctively thought of requesting reinforcements.
At Luo Fei’s suggestion, the other five officers turned to look at Song Lin.
Song Lin paused momentarily.
After a brief silence, he said, “No backup. This operation is off the books.”
“The boy in Room 512—his back view is strikingly similar to a wanted criminal with dwarfism.”
“I don’t know why his face looks completely different.”
“But an eight-year-old boy having the same silhouette as a ruthless killer? My gut tells me this is no coincidence.”
“So, I have to verify it myself. If I’m wrong, I’ll take full responsibility.”
“But if it is him, I might take a bullet. If that happens, you all move in and make sure he doesn’t escape—take him down, no matter what.”
Song Lin’s tone was calm, devoid of emotion, but there was an unmistakable resolve in his voice.
A heavy silence fell over the group.
This operation wasn’t sanctioned.
If nothing happened, they might just get reprimanded.
But if things went south, everyone involved could face disciplinary action.
In the worst-case scenario, they could lose their jobs.
“I understand the risks,” Song Lin said firmly. “I won’t force anyone. If you don’t want to participate, you can leave now and return to your post.”
“Captain, maybe we should report this,” Luo Fei suggested after a pause.
“We could request a temporary search of the hotel.”
“There’s no time,” Song Lin sighed.
“He’s extremely dangerous.”
“By the time the search is approved, we’ll have lost our best chance to apprehend him.”
“If it is him, then the woman with him is just as dangerous.”
“If they reunite before we act, the difficulty of capturing them will skyrocket, and we could see mass casualties.”
Song Lin looked at Luo Fei with frustration.
Luo Fei fell silent.
He knew Song Lin was right.
As a veteran investigator, Luo Fei had encountered this dilemma before.
Some opportunities, if missed, could lead to disaster.
Even when it wasn’t his fault, he still had regrets from past cases—regrets that haunted him in the dead of night.
(End of Chapter 145)
