The crackdown on organized crime began with the arrest of the mother-in-law.

Chapter 1353 The Arrest of Zhao Gang is Complete

The team visited five construction sites where he had worked, but the bosses only remembered him as "a Hebei man who loved to smoke and had a bad temper." No one could provide accurate contact information or his recent whereabouts. The landlord of the rental house bluntly stated that Zhao Gang had moved out in early October last year, owing half a month's rent, and hadn't even taken his bedding when he left, as if he was hiding from something.

The second team, which was liaising with the prison, reported some progress. Zhao Gang was imprisoned in 2018 for theft. He shared a cell with a fellow inmate named Sun Hao, and the two had a good relationship and remained in contact after their release. Sun Hao now works at a car repair shop in Nancheng. When the team found him, the man with a buzz cut was squatting on the ground repairing a tire, the wrench clattering to the floor. "I haven't been in contact with him for a long time," Sun Hao said, his eyes darting nervously as he instinctively shrank further into the workshop. "He's too ruthless; he robbed people to pay off gambling debts. I'm afraid of being implicated by him."

The teammate didn't rush to ask questions, but instead offered him a cigarette and squatted down beside him to chat about life in prison. Sun Hao smoked, his wariness gradually easing: "At the end of September last year, he called me, saying he had 'something to settle' in Xicheng and asked me to lend him 500 yuan for travel expenses. I didn't dare lend it to him, cursed at him a couple of times, and hung up." He stubbed out his cigarette and pointed to his arm, "Back in prison, he beat someone so badly their ribs were broken over a steamed bun. I avoid people like the plague."

"Did he say who he was 'settling accounts' with? Or did he mention any specific place?" the team member pressed. Sun Hao frowned and thought for a long time: "He didn't say a name, just mentioned 'an old acquaintance at the mine,' and said 'this time we'll make him give up the land.' At the time, I thought he was just bragging and didn't take it seriously." This information shocked the team member. "An old acquaintance at the mine," "land"—this perfectly matched the clue that Liu Qiang was farming Zhao Gang's land.

Meanwhile, the third team, which went to Zhao Gang's hometown in Xingtai, also made a breakthrough. Zhao Gang's hometown is a remote mountain village under the jurisdiction of Xingtai City. The village is built against the mountainside, and the dirt roads are full of potholes. The team's police car got stuck in the mud at the entrance of the village. The village secretary, Zhao Guanglin, is an old man in his sixties. When he heard that they were there to investigate Zhao Gang, he waved his hands repeatedly: "That kid is a menace to our village. He steals chickens and dogs, and he beats his wife and children. His parents died early, and all the relatives avoid him."

Led by the village party secretary, the team members found Zhao Gang's cousin, Zhao Qiang. In Zhao Qiang's yard, piles of freshly harvested corn lay. Upon seeing the police car, he snapped the corn cobs in his hand with a "crack." "I really don't know where he is," Zhao Qiang said, his voice trembling. "The last time he came back was the year before last. He stole my motorcycle and sold it. I haven't had any contact with him since."

The team members noticed a brand-new LCD TV on Zhao Qiang's windowsill, while the corn harvest in the yard looked poor, suggesting he couldn't afford a new TV. "Did you buy this TV?" a team member asked, pointing to the television. Zhao Qiang's face instantly changed, and he stammered, "Yes...my son sent money from his job to buy it." But his gaze unconsciously drifted towards the inner room, where the sound of a child crying could be heard.

The team member didn't expose him, but instead pulled out Liu Qiang's photo from his pocket: "Do you recognize this person? He was from Zhao Gang's village, and he was murdered." Upon seeing Liu Qiang's photo, Zhao Qiang visibly stiffened, and the corncob in his hand fell to the ground. "I know him… Liu Qiang was an honest man; he even helped my family harvest wheat before." He squatted down to pick up the corn, his voice low. "Zhao Gang hated him to the core, saying Liu Qiang had taken his land and he'd get revenge sooner or later."

After a few minutes of silence, Zhao Qiang seemed to have made up his mind. He raised his head and said, "A week ago, Zhao Gang came home. He came in the middle of the night, dressed filthyly, carrying a black bag. He told me, 'I've collected everything I owed you,' and gave me two thousand yuan, telling me not to tell anyone that he had come back." He took out a stack of brand-new banknotes from the drawer. "I don't dare spend this money; it feels unclean. He said he was going to Beizhou City to stay with his sister, Zhao Mei, and that he would never come back to the village again."

This clue excited all the team members. When Xiao Wang received the report, he was comparing Zhao Gang's bank statements. Hearing the keywords "Beizhou City" and "sister Zhao Mei," he immediately pulled up Zhao Gang's household registration information and indeed found that he had an older sister named Zhao Mei who had married and moved to Beizhou City ten years ago and worked in a local textile factory. "Contact the Beizhou police immediately and request their assistance in tracing Zhao Mei's address and whereabouts," Xiao Wang shouted into the walkie-talkie, grabbing his coat at the same time. "I'm taking a team and heading to Beizhou now. We must keep an eye on Zhao Gang before he realizes what's happening."

The journey from Xicheng to Beizhou is over 10 kilometers. Xiao Wang and his team sped along the highway in their police car, lights blaring. The scenery outside the window rushed past, and Xiao Wang's mind raced through the clues: Zhao Gang had an argument with Liu Qiang in Xicheng on October 15th, murdered Liu Qiang in the early hours of the 16th, buried the body, and then took a train back to Hebei. He had been hiding near his hometown until a week ago when he suddenly reappeared, gave money to his cousin, and then went to Beizhou to stay with his sister. During this time, he was likely planning his escape.

At 3 PM, Xiao Wang and his group arrived at the Beizhou Public Security Bureau. Beizhou police had already retrieved Zhao Mei's information: Zhao Mei, 48 years old, works at the Xinyuan Textile Factory in the Beizhou High-tech Zone, and lives in Room 501, Unit 2, Building 10, Huimin Residential Area, near the textile factory. "We sent people to investigate the neighborhood this morning. Zhao Mei's curtains haven't been opened since then. The security camera at the entrance captured a man wearing a black jacket and a baseball cap entering the building on the afternoon of October 25th. His build resembles Zhao Gang's, and he hasn't come out since," said Officer Li, the liaison officer for the Beizhou police, handing Xiao Wang a screenshot of the security footage. "Xiaoqu is an old residential area without elevators; there's only one security camera at the building entrance, and the 5th floor is a blind spot."

Xiao Wang immediately led his team to Huimin Residential Area. The area was crowded with various electric bikes and bicycles, and some vegetables were growing in the open spaces between the buildings. Several elderly people were sitting on benches basking in the sun. Xiao Wang divided his team into two groups: one group set up a stakeout at the entrance of the residential area and the entrance of the unit building to prevent Zhao Gang from escaping; the other group followed him to the foot of Unit 2, Building 3, to carefully observe the situation in Room 501.

The windows of room 501 were tightly closed, and the curtains were drawn shut, allowing only a faint light to be seen inside. Looking up, Xiao Wang noticed several men's jackets hanging on the clothes rack on the balcony. One of them, a dark blue jacket, was exactly the same style as the clothes Zhao Gang often wore, as described by Li Jianjun. "Officer Li, could you please contact the property management and check the water and electricity usage at Zhao Mei's apartment?" Xiao Wang said softly.