Chapter 420: Chapter 420

Xiang Chenyu nodded. "Come in."

This time in Qingzhou, she didn’t bring an assistant. The matter of secretly searching for the jade token must not be leaked. With the methods of the Yu family, the fewer people who know, the less dangerous it will be.

Song Shi walked in. "Director Xiang, what do you like to drink? Every morning I’ll prepare it for you. Additionally, I’ll handle your schedule and social engagements. If you have any instructions, please notify me promptly."

Xiang Chenyu scrutinized him for two seconds, then nodded discreetly. "Alright, I understand. For now, please prepare me a cup of black coffee."

"Understood, please wait for a moment." Song Shi respectfully exited the office.

In the meeting room, Xiang Chenyu sat at the head of the table. Everyone reported on the cases they were handling, along with the clues and progress they had compiled. This update is available on novèlfire.net

Two hours passed in the blink of an eye.

Xiang Chenyu knocked on the table. "Bring me the list of people who’ve gone missing recently."

Wen Zhou glanced at Xiao Bei, who tapped on his tablet for a while before pulling up a list and handing it to Xiang Chenyu.

It was an extensive list. Qingzhou had several cases of missing persons every year. Families filed reports, and the missing were entered into the database. But tracking them down was like searching for a needle in a haystack. These individuals either fled to escape debt or met with accidents.

Xiang Chenyu reviewed the list from top to bottom but didn’t find the name she was looking for.

She returned the tablet to Xiao Bei. "The current priority is to uncover the mastermind behind Liu Runxi’s kidnapping case. The evidence points directly to Gao Jie, but I believe this case isn’t as simple as it looks. There’s still room to dig deeper. Captain Wen, I’m assigning this to you. Let me know if you need anything."

Xiao Bei’s eyes lit up. Stern leadership is fine if it comes with benefits, isn’t it?

If it were Li Minglai, he would have long retreated into his shell and begged Captain Wen to drop the investigation because he’d be afraid of offending people.

This new director certainly had a bold tone. Perhaps it was the "three fires" of someone newly in office. But if those fires could burn away the monsters and demons, then all their hard work would be worth it.

Wen Zhou’s gaze flickered slightly as he looked deeply at her. "Alright, I understand."

"Meeting adjourned. Everyone return to work."

The first meeting gave the team a glimpse of the new director’s style—efficient and meticulous. Feeling reassured, they went about their tasks with clarity of purpose.

Stern leadership signified responsibility, which was far better than someone like Li Minglai, who wasted his position.

One by one, they left the conference room, thinking about their cases, most of them with heavy expressions.

Just then, a figure rushed into the hall in a panic. "I need to report a case! I need to report a case..."

Wen Zhou furrowed his brows and signaled to Xiao Bei, who quickly walked over.

"What happened? Don’t worry, take your time."

The visitor was a woman in her thirties, her face pale and her expression frantic. Grabbing Xiao Bei’s arm, she pleaded, "Officer, I need to report a case. My cousin is missing."

Wen Zhou raised an eyebrow, recalling Xiang Chenyu’s inquiry about the missing persons list earlier.

Xiang Chenyu wouldn’t come to Qingzhou without reason. She was here with a purpose.

On that, Wen Zhou was certain.

Xiao Bei guided the woman to a chair and handed her a cup of warm water.

His partner had already turned on the recording device and prepared the case log.

"I... My name is Kong Lili. I have a cousin named Zhou Qin. She’s been missing for two months. Officer, could she already be dead?"

Coming out of the conference room, Xiang Chenyu heard the name Zhou Qin and her pupils instinctively contracted.

On her first day in office, Zhou Qin’s family had filed the missing person report.

Sometimes, what you think is mere coincidence is anything but.

Xiao Bei asked sharply, "She’s been missing for two months. Why are you only reporting it now?"

Kong Lili bit her lip. "I thought she ran off with her lover, so I didn’t pay attention. But yesterday, I ran into her lover on the street. That man said he hadn’t seen my cousin for two months. That’s when I realized something was wrong. Officer, my cousin must be in trouble. You have to find out what happened and get justice for her."

Xiao Bei asked a series of detailed questions, which Kong Lili answered one by one.

Suddenly, Kong Lili grew agitated and exclaimed, "I know who did it. It must be her. Officer, you have to arrest the culprit quickly!"

"Who are you referring to?"

Kong Lili gritted her teeth, her gaze filled with venom and hatred. "It’s Shen You’an. It must be Shen You’an. That wretched girl hated my cousin for treating her poorly and must have taken the chance to kill her. That girl is ruthless!"

Listening silently nearby, Wen Zhou turned his head abruptly.

Xiang Chenyu furrowed her brows. Shen You’an? Why does that name sound so familiar?