Chapter 13: Who Buried the Box
The scent of death… that was never good news.
Detecting it near a den the criminals had already abandoned meant one thing—the dead was either a trafficked child or one of their own.
“Take me there,” Lin Jiangye said, ignoring the strange looks from the officers behind him, signaling Zang’ao and Opal to lead the way.
Zang’ao darted forward like a little leopard. Lin Jiangye followed closely, with Shang Fuyan right behind.
“Captain Shang… what are you doing?” The other officers were baffled.
Were they using a cat and crows like police dogs? But actual police dogs had already tried tracking earlier—and found nothing.
They stared at the direction the trio ran toward. When they thought about it carefully, the police dogs hadn’t even gone this way before.
So what exactly were they doing?
“Don’t ask. Follow. You’ll see,” Shang Fuyan replied curtly.
Before they could catch up, two more vehicles arrived outside the orphanage.
The bureau chief and Li Wei, captain of the Qingze District Criminal Investigation Team, stepped out. Having just finished checking another site and hearing that Shang Fuyan had brought a “helper,” they came out of curiosity.
“Where’s Captain Shang?” Li Wei asked.
The officer on duty pointed toward the woods, wearing an odd expression.
“Something unusual?” the chief asked.
The officer scratched his nose awkwardly. “The person Captain Shang brought… is a bit strange.”
He described the young man arriving with a cat and two birds. Li Wei and the chief exchanged bewildered looks.
What was Shang Fuyan doing?
But as they approached the woods, a wave of commotion erupted ahead.
Something had happened.
They hurried over.
Beyond the trees, a group had gathered, and the air carried the unmistakable stench of decomposition.
No need to ask.
“There’s a body here?” The chief was shocked. Why hadn’t the police dogs detected this?
Lin Jiangye’s ears twitched. Spotting the newcomers, he nudged Shang Fuyan.
“More people.”
Everyone turned.
“Chief Zhou! Captain Li!”
After greeting them, Shang Fuyan reported calmly, “With Mr. Lin Jiangye’s assistance, we discovered a child’s body buried here. Estimated time of death: less than a week.”
A child’s body.
Bitterness spread through the crowd.
The orphanage had been abandoned a year ago. If it had been one of its former residents, there would be nothing left but bones. This child was clearly one of the trafficked victims.
Just as they were absorbing the grim discovery, Lin Jiangye added quietly:
“There’s something more important underneath.”
Even Shang Fuyan looked startled.
Lin Jiangye pointed upward.
One was Opal. The other was a fluffy little Long-tailed Tit—the same small bird that had earlier been complaining about too many humans.
The chubby bird hadn’t wanted to help, but under Opal’s fierce intimidation and the lure of Lin Jiangye’s sunflower seeds, it relented.
After the body was uncovered, it chirped insistently:
[No, no! There’s more below!]
It remembered clearly—humans had buried a huge, huge box beneath.
Why was there only a body now?
The chief and Li Wei stepped forward. Once the body was respectfully moved aside, officers dug deeper.
Several meters down, metal struck metal.
There was indeed something.
Clearing the soil revealed a metal box nearly half a person tall.
They tried lifting it.
It was astonishingly heavy.
All eyes turned to Lin Jiangye. Without his reminder, they never would’ve found it.
Who buried it? Was it the same people who buried the body?
Lin Jiangye beckoned the little bird and produced pine nuts from his bag.
“Thanks. Your payment.”
The Long-tailed Tit chirped happily, pecking at the nuts in his palm.
Lin Jiangye also carried dried mealworms, grains—even cat and dog food—specifically for moments like this.
While it ate, he asked softly, “Do you know when this box was buried?”
Again, curious glances shot toward him.
[Ten moons ago!]
The bird didn’t understand human time—but it understood moons.
“Ten moons… ten days ago,” Lin Jiangye translated.
Ten days ago, before the traffickers were arrested. The den had still been secure.
So who buried the box then?
To hide it from others inside? Or to safeguard critical secrets in case of trouble?
Either way, burying it several meters deep proved its importance.
After great effort, they hauled it up. Once confirmed safe, officers began unlocking it.
A mechanical combination lock.
After careful work, it clicked open.
The lid lifted.
Everyone inhaled sharply.
Stacks of cash filled it completely.
A 26-inch suitcase can hold roughly three million in cash. This metal box measured about 100x80x100 cm.
How much did that equal?
Pink banknotes gleamed blindingly.
“Six to seven million, roughly,” Shang Fuyan estimated. “Probably hidden funds from a mid-to-high-level member. But is that all?”
They removed some cash and discovered a sealed bag beneath.
Inside—documents.
The chief’s eyes lit up.
“We’ve struck gold.”
The documents detailed every member of the organization in this den—and records of the trafficked children.
Alongside the cash was a bankbook with over ten million more.
Cash. Bankbook. Records.
Now the question grew heavier.
Who buried this?
And the child…
With the files, they quickly identified him.
“Rong Jingzhi. Abducted three years ago in Yu Province. His parents quit their jobs and have searched ever since.”
Silence fell.
If they’d found this place sooner…
Lin Jiangye gently stroked the little bird’s round body and packed extra nuts and dried worms for it—a week’s supply.
Its cheerful chirping cut through the gloom.
Then eyes shifted to the bag of wriggling dried insects.
“My god…” Several officers instinctively stepped back.
Not fear—just shock.
The little bird looked even rounder after eating.
Thankfully, it couldn’t hear their thoughts.
Once it flew off, Opal returned to Lin Jiangye’s shoulder. Zang’ao was cleaned and picked up.
“This was a huge help,” someone said sincerely. “Without you, we wouldn’t have these critical leads.”
More wanted notices would soon follow.
“Send me the updated ones,” Lin Jiangye said. “I’ll have the crows keep watch.”
At that, the chief looked at him again.
Crows. Cat. Long-tailed Tit.
After witnessing him communicate with birds, Li Wei finally asked what everyone wondered.
“You… can understand animals?”
All eyes focused on him.
But before he could respond, a tall figure stepped forward, shielding him.
Shang Fuyan.
“Chief, I’ll explain later. Let’s focus on catching them first.”
His protective stance made the others immediately avert their eyes.
It felt as if one more curious glance would earn them a sharp reprimand.
Better to retreat.
Behind him, Lin Jiangye stared blankly at that broad back.
He wasn’t touched.
He was envious.
Broad shoulders. Narrow waist.
He wanted that build too.
