The Seventh Chapter: Encirclement Hunting

  "Director, someone is looking for you on line three." "Who is it?" "It's FBI Agent Paul."

  "FBI?" The police officers were all stunned, and as usual, whenever they had a case they couldn't solve, the FBI would appear. The only difference was that this time, it was when they had already come up with a perfect plan to crack the case and the killer was about to be caught, that the FBI appeared.

  Chapter 7: Encirclement

  "Agent Paul..." The director's hand trembled as he pressed the receiver of the phone, "What is it?" "Director, I'm from the district office, sent to assist you in investigating the recent serial murders." A young man's voice came through the phone. "I... we've already got a lead on this case, should... shouldn't need the FBI's help." The director said cautiously. "I'm already on my way, will arrive in five minutes. Let's talk when I get there." Before the director could respond, the other party hung up the phone. "So fast..." The director looked at the phone with a bewildered expression, then looked at everyone else, "What to do?" "If the FBI takes over, they'll definitely take control of everything here!" "Then our carefully planned plan won't be able to be carried out!" "Those scoundrels, are they going to steal the credit again?!"

  "It's still coming... can't avoid it after all..." The director slumped into his chair.

  Lus gazed coldly at the entrance, but in fact, he was the most uncomfortable. The plan he carefully devised might not be adopted because of this FBI's appearance. Then, he would have no chance to perform at all.

  Five minutes passed quickly. No, to be exact, less than five minutes had passed when a young man in a suit walked into the conference room from the entrance. "I'm Paul." Paul walked up to the director and extended his hand in friendship. "Ah..." The director also extended his hand and shook hands with him. In fact, this handshake was very awkward, as almost everyone present looked at Paul with unwelcome eyes, as if they wanted to kick him out immediately. "This is our takeover order," Paul took out a document from his briefcase and showed it to the director, "From now on, the New York police department will be fully taken over by us until the serial murder case is solved. Please give me an office." "Is... Is... Agent Paul, why are you the only one who came?" The director asked. "The others will arrive later, and at that time, you just need to assist us." Paul's tone was very tough, with no room for negotiation. "Ah... Okay, your office is over there, it's a special office arranged for the FBI." The director walked ahead, leading Paul the way. "I haven't seen you before, Agent John?" "I'm a new agent from the FBI, I replaced Agent John's position." Paul replied expressionlessly. "Oh... So young and already working in the district, it's really impressive." "Overpraising." Paul walked into the office, sat down, and started operating the computer. The director still stood in front of him, reluctant to leave. "What? Is there anything else?" Paul asked. "It's like this," the director rubbed his hands and said, "Actually, we have already come up with a plan that can catch the murderer within today, you see... Your people haven't arrived yet, can't we try our plan first?" "Catch the murderer within today?" Paul raised his eyes and asked. "Is... Is it true?" "Why didn't you use this good plan earlier?" "Ah... We just came up with this plan at the meeting today. The police officers all hope to catch the murderer personally, everyone is very confident in this plan..." "In theory, once the police department is taken over, we should strictly follow the FBI's instructions and can't have our own ideas, however... I used to be a policeman too, I understand your feelings." Paul's attitude suddenly became friendly, "I also felt your unwelcome when I came in, as well as your eagerness to solve the case personally. Bring me your plan and let me take a look, if it's good, I'll consider it."

  "Really... really?" The captain's excitement was almost uncontrollable, "Thank you, thank you, Detective Paul." The captain walked out of Paul's office and announced excitedly: "Success! Detective Paul has agreed to review our plan!" "Huh? Really?" The police officers who were previously disheartened suddenly perked up, "How is that possible? He looked so serious." "Yes, if it were the previous detective John, he would have treated us like dogs and wouldn't have listened to a word we said!" "I didn't think this Detective Paul was actually quite humane!" Everyone's hearts were filled with joy. "Luckily we met a young and inexperienced detective this time, now is our chance for the New York police department to show off in front of the FBI! Let them see that we're not useless without their help!" "Alright alright, everyone calm down. Brown, quickly arrange the personnel for tonight's operation, make sure to choose the best elites. Russ, go explain your plan to Detective Paul and make sure it gets approved."

  "Alright." Russ rolled up the map he had marked and walked into Paul's office.

  No one had expected things to go so smoothly.

  No one could have imagined how unlucky things would become from then on.

  "Is this plan something you came up with?" Paul asked, looking at the map on the table after listening to Russ's proposal. "I have to say, it's an extremely childish idea. However, based on the information I've reviewed about the case, the killer is also an extremely childish person. So, this plan is worth a try." "So, you agree?" "No, I can only give you one day. Otherwise, I won't be able to explain it to other FBI agents. Can you guarantee that you'll catch the killer by tonight?" "Yes, I can guarantee it." "Good, so if this plan fails, everyone in the bureau will have to listen to me from now on and not take any unauthorized actions." "Don't worry, it won't fail." "Alright, go prepare then." Paul rolled up the map and handed it to Russ. "I'm waiting for good news." Russ took the map and turned towards the office door.

  "Wait, what's your name?"

  "Russ."

  "LOSE... What a bad name."

  Yes, it's really a bad name.

  For the next few hours, everything at the police station was directed by Russ as the commander. Paul didn't interfere at all and just stayed in his office fiddling with the computer, occasionally coming out to see how things were going.

  A busy day, and night falls quickly. The entire New York police department is filled with confidence as the [manhunt] officially begins.

  Midnight · 12 o'clock sharp ——

  "Bravo 2, what's the situation?" "All normal." "Theta 1, report on your district's situation." "No suspicious individuals have appeared." Most of the police officers had been deployed, leaving only a dozen or so people behind, including Russ, the director, and Paul. Russ was using the intercom to contact the police officers in each district. "How come the killer hasn't shown up yet?" The director seemed somewhat anxious. "It's still early, the killer will definitely show up later." Russ said. "Yes, I also think your plan has a high success rate, but what if the killer doesn't come out tonight..." "Impossible, the killer doesn't know about our operation tonight, how could they not come out?" Russ stood up, "Don't worry, we'll definitely succeed. Director, would you like some coffee?" "Okay."

  Ruth walked into the director's office, poured two cups of coffee, and handed them over. "Hey, Ruth, something's weird!" "What is it?" "I just contacted γ3 and he didn't respond." "What? Did the communication device break down?" Ruth picked up the intercom, "γ3, can you hear me? Repeat, γ3, can you hear me?" After calling out several times, there was still no response from the other end. Ruth and the director's expressions froze. "Director, α district has lost contact!" a police officer suddenly reported. "Director, β district too!" "δ district has also lost contact!" "Calling ε district, no response either!" The atmosphere suddenly became tense, with almost all areas losing contact at the same time. "What's going on?" Ruth asked loudly, "Are there any areas that still have contact?" "None, it seems like they've all lost contact!" "Something's happened... something must have happened!" "What is it? What's going on?" Sweat beads the size of peas appeared one by one on the director's forehead. "I don't know... could it be that the murderer discovered our operation tonight and cut off our communication devices? But... this is impossible!" Ruth quickly put on his jacket, saying, "Director, hurry up and send the remaining police officers to each district to confirm the situation! I'll go too!" "Ah... okay, Brown, you and Karl go to α district; Joe, Bruin, you two go to β district." The director soon finished arranging all personnel. "Ruth, are you sure you can go alone? Do you want me to assign a police officer to go with you?" "I can go alone, but... I don't know how to drive." "Then I'll find a police officer to go with you..." The director looked around the entire office, but there were no more police officers left. "Everyone's gone... it seems we really are short-handed. Then I'll go with you!" "No way, if we two go together, then one district won't be checked." "What do we do?" "Director, you go first, and I'll go with Ruth!" Paul suddenly appeared from the office and stood behind them. "Paul Detective... okay, I'll go first, and leave θ district to you two." The director said, then hastily ran out of the door.

  "Rus, let's go! To clean up the mess you've made." Paul's words sounded like he had already given up on the operation. "Uh..." Rus was now speechless, his previous confident demeanor completely gone. The sudden turn of events was something he hadn't anticipated at all.

  Half an hour later, all the police officers had basically arrived at the designated location, and the director also arrived. "How... how could this be..." Looking at everything in front of him, the director was stunned - the undercover female police officer had fainted on the street, and all the male police officers who were hiding had also passed out. It wasn't that there was a problem with the communication equipment! "Brown, what's going on?" "All the police have fainted, but there are no casualties." "Joe, report your situation." "Everyone has passed out, but no one is injured."

  。。。。。。

  "What's going on, why... At the same time, everyone... " The director was stunned, he had never encountered such a strange thing in his life. "Rousse, Rousse, are you there? How is the situation over there?" The director called out to Rousse through the intercom. "Director..." Paul's voice came from the intercom, "The situation in θ district is a bit special."

  Paul stood quietly, his face pale; Russ sat on the ground, a look of terror on his face. What they saw was completely different from what others saw, a terrifying scene that made them dare not believe it. The male police officers were all unconscious, with blood flowing out of their left eyes, and their eyeballs were no longer in their sockets, as if they had been dug out; the female police officer's clothes were torn off, lying horizontally in the middle of the road, her hands and feet gone, leaving only a cold, blood-red body. Next to the female police officer's body was a card with a picture of Cupid on it, Cupid's face smiling brightly, as if mocking and teasing all the police; next to the card was a piece of paper, densely written with some words.

  The encirclement campaign failed, and it was a failure in such a tragic form. Fear crept into everyone's heart.