Insights Chapter 18: Shooting

Volume 2: Empty Room

Chapter 18: Shooting

Translated by Addis of Exiled Rebels Scanlations

Editor: Karai

Gu Yanchen originally thought he could have an easy two days, but as soon as he arrived at work on Monday morning, Director Ding called him to the command room. Walking in, he found the command room filled with people early in the morning, various equipment and monitors all turned on. Deputy Director Chen, in charge of the special police, was also present, creating a tense atmosphere in the command room.

Gu Yanchen greeted Director Ding and asked, “Director Ding, what’s going on?”

“Captain Gu, you did well with the case a couple of days ago,” Director Ding continued, “but now we need to discuss something with you. This morning, there was an incident at Huaxing Market. A conflict arose between a meat vendor and several neighboring stalls due to territorial disputes. Three people were injured, and one person was killed by a knife. The assailant has now taken an eight-year-old child hostage and is in a standoff with our personnel.”

Upon hearing this, Gu Yanchen looked at the monitors. Huaxing Market was one of the largest markets in Penang, and mornings were the peak time for the elderly to buy fresh produce. The market was now sealed off, the injured were taken to the hospital, and onlookers were being interviewed.

What used to be a bustling market was now in chaos, with scattered meat and crushed vegetables on the ground.

Outside the east gate of Huaxing Market, a burly man sat on the steps, pointing a knife at a child in his arms. The knife, a butcher’s boning knife, was stained with blood. The child, held tightly by the man, only showed his head, frightened and unable to cry. The man was emotionally unstable, shouting loudly, waving the knife from time to time, seemingly ready to kill the hostage at any moment.

Gu Yanchen’s expression became serious. He asked, “Has the SWAT sniper been deployed?”

Director Ding explained, “The wind speed is six to eight levels this morning. It’s difficult to find An Nangle within a hundred meters, and the line of sight is also blocked by a large tree. The SWAT sniper is having difficulty…”

The assailant had a knife, and there was a hostage. A direct assault was not realistic. The weather was not favorable today, with the tail end of a typhoon passing through, bringing strong winds and rain. Sniping under such conditions was challenging. Throughout the City Bureau, it was known that when it came to sniper skills, the strongest in the entire bureau was not the SWAT snipers but Gu Yanchen.

Deputy Director Chen, who had been involved in a dispute a few days ago, now humbly admitted his mistake, “Captain Gu, what happened a few days ago was our fault.”

Although he was apologizing, his voice was low, devoid of the previous defiance, more like a mosquito’s hum.

Gu Yanchen, focused on the monitors, didn’t hear him. He gestured with his hand, “Can we not shoot from the southeast side?”

It was just a normal inquiry, but Deputy Director Chen took it as a taunt. Clenching his fists, he bit his lip, hesitated for a moment, then bowed his head and admitted defeat, “I’m sorry, we were incompetent.”

The command room fell silent instantly.

Gu Yanchen finally turned to look at him. He gestured, “Deputy Director Chen, you don’t have to be so honest, but I accept the apology.”

Director Ding, wiping sweat, hurriedly intervened, “Exactly, we’re all colleagues. Captain Gu, you are more capable, so let’s focus on resolving the situation.”

After some contemplation, Gu Yanchen stood up and said, “I’ll go to the scene and take a look. You find a negotiator to keep him stable for now.”

Director Ding said, “It’s best that you go to the scene. The car is downstairs, not far from there, about ten minutes. Captain Wang is already on-site. Let him know what equipment you need.”

Gu Yanchen went downstairs, got into the car of the SWAT team stationed downstairs, and was given an earpiece. He immediately contacted Captain Wang for equipment.

As the car moved, Gu Yanchen extended his hand out of the window, feeling the wind speed. Feeling the wind brushing against his arm, he frowned. With a typhoon around, the wind was swirling, making it challenging for the sniper team. Having not shot in such conditions, they wouldn’t be able to control the situation. Without a single-shot kill, it might provoke the assailant, making the situation even more difficult.

The car quickly stopped near the market.

Gu Yanchen met with Captain Wang, and the two, who had been at odds recently, were now on the same side.

Captain Wang asked, “Do we have a good chance?”

Gu Yanchen replied, “I’ll take a look later. I prefer to shoot from the southeast corner, hoping for a quick resolution.”

Captain Wang agreed, “Right, dragging it out will only lead to more complications. I wonder how long the fat guy’s emotions can hold.”

After discussing the plan with Captain Wang, Gu Yanchen chose a sniper point on the map. Once everything was arranged, he went upstairs.

A sniper from the armed police was already at the chosen point. His name was Ye Xizhi, a 24-year-old young SWAT officer. He also knew Gu Yanchen. Seeing him approach, Ye Xizhi quickly vacated the sniper position, “Captain Gu, that tree is right in the middle, and the weather conditions are not good…”

Gu Yanchen politely nodded to him, took the equipment, and with a strong and well-defined grip, his right index finger had a slight callus from holding a gun. Then, speaking into the earpiece, he said, “Captain Wang, I’m at the sniper point. Are you ready over there?”

His eyes focused on the man a hundred meters below, sitting under the tree, and the child held by the man. The tree’s swaying almost covered his figure, but upon closer inspection, there was a pattern in the swaying, with gaps.

Fortunately, the man shielded the child with his robust body, making it less likely for the child to be accidentally shot. The light rain hit Gu Yanchen’s skin, bringing a slight chill. He locked onto the target, his face stern.

Gu Yanchen, based on estimation and experience, went through various shooting scenarios in his mind, adjusting his position accordingly. Outside, the wind was fierce, accompanied by light rain, and the raindrops were horizontal. Gu Yanchen tightened his grip on the gun, took a deep breath, and held it. Heartbeat and pulse were minimized. Taking advantage of a moment when the wind pressed against the tree, he pulled the trigger with his right index finger.

The sniper rifle had a silencer attached, and only a swooshing sound was heard. Familiar recoil pressed against Gu Yanchen’s shoulder. Then, through the scope, he saw a burst of blood beside the man. Plainclothes officers and SWAT members, already in ambush, rushed in and took the child away.

The whole process took less than a minute. Everything happened so quickly, truly a swift and decisive resolution. After finishing the shot, Gu Yanchen finally resumed breathing. He handed the earpiece and the gun to the stunned Ye Xizhi, “Practice more outdoor exercises in the future.”

Ye Xizhi, in awe of Gu Yanchen’s skill, asked, “Captain Gu, how long have you been practicing?”

Gu Yanchen replied, “Ten years.”

Descending the stairs, Gu Yanchen didn’t take an umbrella, paying little attention to the raindrops floating down. He walked a few steps and noticed a steamed bun vendor not far from the roadside. He turned back and bought four buns.

The meat buns were three yuan each, quite honest with large meat filling and thin skin, deliciously juicy. Gu Yanchen found a sheltered spot along the roadside, eating the buns as he walked. The distance from the market gate to here was a hundred meters. After walking, he had finished eating two buns.

Meanwhile, Captain Wang was handling the aftermath. Seeing Gu Yanchen finally relax, he said, “Captain Gu, thanks.”

Gu Yanchen asked, “What about the culprit?”

Captain Wang replied, “Shot in the neck, severely injured, and taken away. The child is fine. Once we finish recording the statement, you can go.”

Gu Yanchen inquired further, “What about the child’s parents?”

Captain Wang explained, “His father was injured this morning and is in the hospital. His mother went with him.”

Gu Yanchen reminded, “Don’t forget to provide psychological counseling.” After such an ordeal, it would undoubtedly be a childhood trauma.

Captain Wang nodded, “Don’t worry, it’s arranged.”

With that said, Gu Yanchen turned to look at the child sitting in the police car beside him. The car door was open, and the child, a boy in a blood-stained undershirt with two straps, looked to be about seven or eight years old. His large and bright eyes, after wiping away the tears from the corners, fixed on the buns in Gu Yanchen’s hand, and he swallowed saliva.

Gu Yanchen waved his hand and asked, “Hungry?”

The child nodded.

Gu Yanchen handed the remaining two buns to him, saying, “Eat.”

The child took them, wolfed them down, and looked up, mumbling a thank you with a mouthful.

Gu Yanchen was about to get in the car and head back when Shen Junci suddenly called him. He answered, and on the other end, Shen Junci asked, “Captain Gu, are you on a mission?”

Gu Yanchen replied, “Just went out to grab some breakfast, heading back soon.”

Shen Junci seemed hesitant and lowered his voice, “There’s a corpse in the medical examiner department. I think there might be a problem. Could you come and take a look?”

Gu Yanchen frowned, “What’s the situation? Is the cause of death undetermined even after the autopsy?”

Shen Junci said, “No, it’s just that the family has signed a refusal for an autopsy.”

Gu Yanchen said, “Wait for me; I’ll come back to take a look.”

About half an hour ago, Shen Junci had just arrived at work when Wen Wan knocked on the office door. She cautiously asked, “Doctor Shen, could you do me a favor? Conduct a post-mortem examination for a corpse, in the autopsy room.”

Shen Junci didn’t refuse, stood up, and walked ahead, “Is it a new case?”

Every year, the number of people requesting forensic examinations at the City Bureau was not small. Usually, Wen Wan could handle it, but if they sought him out, there would be some difficulty.

“Not a case. The situation is a bit special. It’s a personal matter for me. Can you help me with the corpse examination?” Wen Wan sighed, “It’s a friend from my hometown named Li Chumei. She’s about my age, married with two boys. Yesterday evening, the younger son suddenly died at home. The doctor concluded it was due to low blood sugar. The medical examiner from the county examined and determined it as sudden death. The father signed a refusal for an autopsy, but Li Chumei feels that her child wouldn’t die like that. She came here, hoping I could help by checking.”

The sudden death of a child at night, while not common, was not rare either. Common causes included allergies, internal bleeding, encephalitis, sudden heart attacks, etc. Low blood sugar was also relatively common, and a pathological examination would confirm the specific cause of death.

After understanding the situation, Shen Junci suggested, “If she suspects foul play, she should report it to the police. If the police investigate and decide to file a case, they’ll conduct an autopsy even if the family disagrees.”

Wen Wan looked troubled, shaking her head, “I know the situation in her family. The husband has several brothers, and Li Chumei is timid and afraid of trouble. Even her family doesn’t support her. Without evidence, she wouldn’t dare to report to the police. Today, while her husband was away, she secretly took the child’s corpse from the funeral home, saying she didn’t want her child to die without a clear cause.”

Shen Junci said, “Let’s go take a look.”

They walked to the outside of the autopsy room, where a woman in her thirties sat at the door, holding her head. Seeing them approach, she wiped away tears and stood up. Beside her stood a slightly older boy, around ten years old, with large eyes and tear marks, turning his head to look at them.

Shen Junci entered the autopsy room, and the child’s corpse had already been laid flat on the dissecting table. The corpse was tiny, visually very light, with sparse hair and signs of malnutrition. Under the shadowless lamp, the child’s skin appeared exceptionally pale, dressed in burial clothes. The clothes had already been unbuttoned.

Shen Junci examined the surface of the corpse. He asked Wen Wan, “What is the exact time of death?”

Wen Wan replied, “Around 3 AM, the child had a sudden onset, and by around 4 AM, he was taken to the hospital and already dead. The medical examiner came around 5 AM, concluding it was sudden death. Later, the corpse was taken to the city funeral home.”

Shen Junci carefully inspected the body surface of the child, “No apparent external injuries.” He then observed the livor mortis, rigor mortis, measured the body temperature, “Doesn’t seem like poisoning either.”

Suddenly, Shen Junci noticed the child’s hands, picked them up, and carefully examined them. The child’s fingers were slender, already cold, with almost no blood color. His nails were very short, somewhat brittle, with some cracks in places. There were traces of blisters on the skin between the fingers, and a little stickiness. There was some brown-black debris in the crevices.

Shen Junci frowned, took off his mask, brought the child’s hand up to his nose, and smelled a sour odor… Sensing that something was wrong, Shen Junci went to check the child’s blood sugar. As expected, the blood sugar was very low.

Shen Junci spoke up, “I think there’s something wrong with this corpse. It’s best to have a detective present.”

Wen Wan, who hadn’t expected any problems with the child’s cause of death, looked a bit panicked, “Then… which team should I hand it over to?”

Shen Junci said, “I’ll call Gu Yanchen.”