Chen Ge's fingers slowly tightened as he linked the series of unusual actions together. Without saying a word, he pulled out his phone to call Inspector Lee's number at Western Jiujiang City's police station while standing in the security office.
The phone rang twice before Inspector Lee's gravelly voice came through the line. "Hello?"
"Uncle San Bao, I need to report something to the police!"
"One, you'll need to call 110 for that. Two, my name is Inspector Lee."
"I found the last fugitive from Ping An Apartments! He was at New Century Park!"
When he heard that, Inspector Lee's voice changed. "You sure?"
"Yes, I am, but please don't come in your police car; you'll spook him, and he'll go on the run."
"Be there in fifteen minutes!"
After ending the call, Chen Ge held the phone in his hand as he stared at the surveillance footage. The guards also realized something was wrong, and they hurried to call Uncle Xu.
"What's going on?" After a while, Uncle Xu rushed over, sipping from his water bottle. "Can I not have my lunch in peace? Xiao Chen, why are you here and not at your Haunted House?"
He glanced at the surveillance footage. When he saw the phone in Chen Ge's hand, he asked cautiously, "Who were you on the phone with?"
"The police." Chen Ge did not turn to look at Uncle Xu as his eyes jumped between the many surveillance cameras. "They'll be here in another fifteen minutes."
"Police‽ Why didn't you discuss this with me first‽" Uncle Xu's voice went up a pitch. "The park management has its own way of dealing with robberies, natural disaster…"
"Uncle Xu." Chen Ge turned around to interrupt Uncle Xu. His eyes were incongruently calm and collected considering the words that fell out of his lips. "Someone is trying to kill me!"
When he announced that, the security room became silent, and all the guards whipped their heads around to look at him.
"Chen Ge, have you been mentally affected from living inside the Haunted House for too long?" Uncle Xu did not call him Xiao Chen like usual but used Chen Ge, which he reserved for serious occasions only. "What nonsense are you talking about in broad daylight‽"
"I helped the police solve the arson case at Ping An Apartments, but one of the murderers is still on the loose."
Uncle Xu understood what Chen Ge was getting at then. "You mean that person is now inside the park and is out for revenge?"
"I thought he would escape the region to hide, but who would have thought the man was so courageous?" Chen Ge pointed at the man on screen. "This visitor is acting too strangely. His cap is too low, meaning he's trying to hide his face. Plus, today is not a cold day, but he's wearing a long sleeve shirt, and he kept his hands inside his pocket throughout. Even when he was smoking or drinking water, he only used his right hand, and he kept his left hand firmly inside the pocket."
"That might be so, but none of that proves anything. Perhaps those are just his personal quirks?" Uncle Xu put down the water bottle and walked to close the security room door.
"The fugitive's name is Zhang Peng; his build is exact same as that of the man on screen. Most importantly, there is the tattoo of a peony on the back of his hand."
"Peony?"
"The flower of good fortune. The man is a down-on-his-luck gambler who has lost everything."
"So he kept his left hand hidden to conceal the tattoo?" Uncle Xu was gradually swayed by Chen Ge's reasoning. "Could it just be some skin condition he's embarrassed about?"
"I have more evidence," Chen Ge said, switching to another camera feed. "After entering the park, he only rode one attraction—the Ferris Wheel, three times in a row. Know what that means?"
Uncle Xu blinked, struggling to keep up. "What does it mean?"
"The Ferris Wheel offers the best view of the park. He was scouting escape routes." Chen Ge slowed the footage. "When Xu Wan and I left the Haunted House for lunch, I saw him slip toward it. Look here—he loitered around the Haunted House all morning but never got close. He only approached when he was sure Xu Wan and I were gone. That's not how a normal visitor behaves."
"You're right," Uncle Xu conceded, nodding. "But why only approach when it's empty?"
Chen Ge drummed his fingers on the table. "If I were a killer targeting a Haunted House owner, I'd scout the layout first. I'd sneak inside, hide during closing hours, and ambush my target when they're off guard. A Haunted House is perfect for hiding a body. Clean up the blood, and no one would find it until the next day."
Uncle Xu shivered, a grim scene forming in his mind. "That's chilling to think about."
"It nearly happened," Chen Ge said, his gaze steady as he unclenched his fists. "He moved too soon, and my senses are sharpened from all the strange things I've dealt with. That's how I caught him."
"Where is he now? Should I warn the visitors?" Uncle Xu asked, grasping the situation's severity.
"He left the park after I spotted him. I hadn't seen the footage yet, so I wasn't sure enough to stop him."
"Good call. If he'd panicked in the park, it could've been chaos," Uncle Xu said, sipping his water. He turned to the guards. "Cooperate fully with the police when they arrive."
Ten minutes later, the security room door swung open. Three men in casual clothes entered, led by Inspector Lee Sanbao. "Where's Chen Ge? Show me the footage."
With the guards' help, Inspector Lee cross-checked the video with the police database, confirming the man was indeed Zhang Peng.
"Kid, you've done a public service again!" Inspector Lee slapped Chen Ge's back, then called the station to coordinate. They split into two teams: one for a discreet investigation, the other to monitor New Century Park from a distance.
"Zhang Peng's dangerous," Inspector Lee warned. "He's targeting you, and he's likely to return. You should steer clear of the Haunted House for now."
The guards shifted uneasily, but Chen Ge remained calm. "If I'm not there, Xu Wan can't run the Haunted House alone. Closing it would tip Zhang Peng off, and he'd vanish."
"You're suggesting you stay as bait?" Inspector Lee's brow furrowed. "That's far too risky."