ATPnovel Chapter 111 Infiltration
Chapter 111 Infiltration
Gordon nodded, indicating that he understood.
Having served in the Gotham Police Department for many years, he knew better than anyone the dangers of the West Side black market and that Li Wei's concerns were not unfounded.
That mysterious, masked, burly man could silently kill heavily guarded underground arms dealers without leaving any clues.
This is enough to demonstrate his strength and prudence, and the mercenaries under his command must be no ordinary people either.
Soon, the two arrived at the alleyway Gordon had mentioned.
Police tape was put up at the entrance of the alley, and several plainclothes police officers stood guard on both sides.
Upon seeing Li Wei and Gordon approach, they all nodded to the two of them.
The forensic doctor was squatting on the ground, carefully examining the body.
He held tweezers in his hand, carefully examining the traces at the scene.
Technicians held up cameras and kept taking pictures of the body and the surrounding environment.
Flashes of light occasionally illuminated the mottled bloodstains in the alleyway in the darkness.
"Mr. Levi, Chief Gordon."
A police officer approached and introduced them to the two in a low voice.
"The deceased was named Francis, a notorious underground arms dealer in Gotham's West Side."
They control a large amount of military resources and have partnerships with multiple gangs in Gotham.
He is extremely cautious in his daily life and is always accompanied by bodyguards.
But when we arrived at the scene today, we only found his body.
The bodyguards have all disappeared; they've probably been subdued or silenced by the assailant.
Li Wei didn't speak, but nodded, put on his gloves, and slowly walked to the body.
Francis lay huddled against the wall at the alley entrance, a fatal wound in his chest.
The wound was clean, clearly indicating that it was fatally struck by a sharp weapon.
Fresh blood gushed from the wound, staining the surrounding ground red, and gradually congealed, turning a dark red color.
His eyes were wide open, and his face still showed signs of terror; he had clearly been killed without any warning.
"The wounds were very clean, and the killer's movements were extremely swift and precise. He must have been a professionally trained mercenary."
The forensic doctor looked up and spoke to Li Wei and Gordon in a serious tone.
"Preliminary assessment indicates that the time of death was within half an hour."
The absence of other signs of struggle on the deceased indicates that the assailant acted swiftly, leaving Francis with no chance to resist.
Additionally, we found this shell casing next to the body.
As he spoke, the forensic doctor picked up a transparent evidence bag and handed it to Li Wei.
Inside the evidence bag was a silver bullet casing. The casing wasn't large, but it was engraved with some strange patterns.
Its fine, spiral-shaped texture makes it look quite peculiar, unlike any bullet casing commonly found in Gotham.
Li Wei took the evidence bag and brought it close to his eyes to examine it carefully.
His fingertips gently caressed the surface of the evidence bag, his gaze fixed on the strange patterns.
His mind raced, recalling the police files he had compiled, and the records about underground forces and mercenary groups.
He had seen similar patterns in a dusty old file.
That file was a record of a mysterious mercenary group.
The file does not explicitly record the team's name or any information about its members; it only mentions their exclusive equipment.
Each cartridge case is engraved with this strange spiral pattern.
This pattern is the symbol of this team and the only feature that distinguishes them from other mercenary teams.
The file also mentions that the leader of this team was a tall, burly man wearing a mask.
This guy is incredibly strong and ruthless, and he's active all over the world.
They specialize in high-difficulty assassination and power seizure missions, acting covertly and never leaving any trace.
"What's wrong, Li Wei? You recognized this shell casing?"
Gordon noticed that Levi's expression had become serious, so he couldn't help but move closer.
He asked in a low voice, his tone tinged with urgency.
He knew that Levi was extremely knowledgeable about Gotham's underground forces and mercenary groups, and that he might be able to find a breakthrough from this shell casing.
Li Wei slowly raised his head, his eyes serious, handed the evidence bag to Gordon, and said in a low voice.
"I recognize this shell casing; it's the exclusive equipment of a mysterious mercenary team."
Each cartridge case is engraved with this strange spiral pattern; it's their mark.
"A mysterious mercenary team?"
Gordon frowned, took the evidence bag, and examined the shell casings inside carefully, his tone tinged with doubt.
"In all my years working in Gotham, I've never heard of a mercenary group like this."
Who are they? Why did they suddenly appear in Gotham and kill Francis?
"This team is very mysterious, and there are very few records of them in the archives."
I also found scattered records in a dusty old archive.
Li Wei's gaze fell on the corpse again, his tone grave.
"They have no fixed name, no fixed base, and are active all over the world year-round."
Their methods are ruthless, leaving no trace whatsoever.
The file also mentions that the leader of this team is a tall, masked, burly man with formidable strength, and...
At this point, Li Wei paused, and a dark shadow instantly flashed into his mind.
The suspicious dark figure he had seen earlier outside Arkham Asylum.
He was tall, wore a mask, and moved around mysteriously, just like the mercenary leader described in the file.
"And what?"
Gordon pressed on eagerly, sensing that what Levi was about to say was very important.
"Moreover, the leader of this team is very likely the suspicious shadowy figure I saw outside Arkham Asylum before."
Li Wei's voice was deep and his tone was firm.
"Just yesterday morning, I saw a police report."
A tall, masked, burly man was spotted on the outskirts of Arkham, acting suspiciously.
I immediately sensed something was wrong and paid special attention.
I only realized it when I saw this shell casing.
That dark figure must be the leader of this mercenary group.
Are you sure?
Gordon's expression instantly turned serious, and his tone carried a hint of shock.
"Is that shadowy figure the mastermind behind Francis's death?"
Why was he on the outskirts of Arkham? And why did he kill Francis?
"I'm not sure, but it's very likely."
Li Wei shook his head, his tone serious.
"Arkham Asylum houses Gotham's most dangerous criminals, so his presence there is certainly no coincidence."
Perhaps they were spying on Arkham's security, or perhaps they were colluding with one of the hardened criminals inside.
The killing of Francis was likely an attempt to seize control of the arms resources he controlled.
Francis is the largest underground arms dealer in Gotham's West Side, controlling a vast amount of weaponry.
Taking over his arms network is tantamount to controlling half of Gotham's underground power.
This is a crucial step for anyone wanting to make waves in Gotham.
Gordon fell silent; he found Levi's analysis quite reasonable.
The mysterious, masked, burly man had clearly come prepared.
Killing Francis, taking over the arms network, and his previous presence on the outskirts of Arkham.
All signs indicate that this person's goal is far from simple.
He likely intends to unleash a massive storm in Gotham, completely disrupting the city's order.
"So what do we do now?"
Gordon looked up at Levi, his voice tinged with urgency.
"We already know where the shell casings came from, and we also know the approximate identity of the murderer."
But we have no clues and do not know where he is hiding.
We don't know what he'll do next, nor do we know how many mercenaries he has or where they're located in Gotham.
"Don't worry, we still have a chance."
Li Wei's gaze swept across the surrounding environment, his eyes sharp.
"Francis has just been killed, and that masked giant who took over Francis's arms network will definitely take time."
Moreover, he is most likely still in the vicinity, or will return here soon to handle the follow-up matters.
What we need to do now is to conduct a thorough investigation and extract all possible clues from the scene.
Meanwhile, I plan to lie in wait on the outskirts of the black market tonight and observe the situation.
Perhaps we can find his trail and uncover his background.
"No, that's too dangerous."
Gordon immediately shook his head, his tone resolute and unwavering.
"That guy is incredibly strong, and he has a large number of mercenaries under his command."
If you were to hide there alone and were discovered, the consequences would be unimaginable.
"Let's go together, and bring a few more officers so we can look out for each other."
"No, there are too many people, it'll be easy to be spotted."
Li Wei shook his head, his tone firm.
"That guy is extremely cautious. Once he discovers that a large number of police officers are lurking nearby, he will definitely leave immediately, and then we will never have a chance to find his trail again."
Moreover, I am a new face, so I can hide myself well and won't be easily discovered.
Your task is to conduct a thorough on-site investigation and organize all the clues.
Meanwhile, closely monitor developments in all areas of Gotham, and notify me immediately if anything unusual is detected.
Gordon wanted to say something more, but seeing Levi's determined eyes, he swallowed back the words that were on the tip of his tongue.
He knew that Li Wei was right; too many people would easily expose them.
Moreover, Li Wei is indeed more suitable than any other police officer in the station, so letting him go undercover alone might be the best option.
"Then you must be careful and never push yourself too hard."
Gordon patted Levi on the shoulder, his tone tinged with worry.
"If danger is detected, evacuate immediately and do not linger in the fight. We will be on standby nearby at any time."
As soon as you send a signal, we will rush over to support you.
Also, this is for you.
As he spoke, Gordon pulled a small pistol from his pocket and solemnly handed it to Levi.
"Take this gun with you. If you encounter danger, you can use it to protect yourself."
Li Wei took the exquisite little pistol, nodded, and tucked it into his waistband, his tone calm and steady.
"Don't worry, I'll be careful."
You all need to be careful. When you're investigating the scene, try not to disturb anyone around you. I'm worried that there might be someone watching that guy nearby.
Additionally, take the shell casing back to the police station for thorough testing to see if you can extract the killer's fingerprints or other clues.
At the same time, retrieve Francis's recent whereabouts and call records to see who he has been in contact with recently; perhaps we can find clues related to that guy.
"Okay, I understand." Gordon nodded. "Don't worry, I'll arrange everything. I'll wait for your news."
Li Wei didn't say anything more and turned to walk towards the alley entrance.
He moved with light steps and quickly disappeared into the night.
Li Wei lowered his body and slowly walked along the wall of the black market toward its core area.
Francis's arms depot is located in the heart of the black market.
He was certain that the guy behind it all would go there.
He had to take over Francis's arms resources, appease Francis's men, and at the same time plan the next steps.
The core area of the black market in the western district is even more chaotic than the outer areas, with abandoned warehouses and dilapidated houses everywhere.
There were also some makeshift stalls displaying all sorts of prohibited items.
Guns, ammunition, and drugs were readily available, not to mention all kinds of knives.
Occasionally, a few tall, burly men dressed in black would move between the stalls.
With wary eyes, he glanced around every now and then, clearly one of Francis's men.
They seemed somewhat flustered at the moment, clearly having learned of Francis's murder but unsure of what to do.
Li Wei carefully crept onto the roof of an abandoned warehouse, lying prone on the tiles.
He pressed his body tightly against the roof, trying not to make a sound, and his sharp eyes swept across everything below.
He took out his binoculars and slowly adjusted the focus.
Carefully observing every corner below, I tried to find traces of the person behind it all.
Time passed slowly, the night grew darker, and the clamor of the black market gradually subsided.
Most of the stalls had closed, leaving only a few burly men patrolling around the warehouse.
They looked flustered and their eyes were wary.
Li Wei lay motionless on the roof, not relaxing at all, even though his whole body ached.
He knew that Bain could appear at any moment, and he had to remain highly vigilant and not miss any detail.
Just as Li Wei was about to lose patience, a series of low footsteps came from afar.
The footsteps were orderly and heavy, clearly belonging to a group of well-trained, burly men.
Li Wei immediately gripped the binoculars, adjusted the focus, and looked in the direction from which the footsteps were coming.
A group of burly men dressed in black combat uniforms and wearing black masks were seen slowly walking along the warehouse wall.
They were all armed with guns, stood tall and straight, walked with steady steps, and had wary eyes; they were clearly mercenaries hired by the mastermind behind the scenes.
There were about a dozen of them, divided into two teams, one team leading the way and the other providing cover from behind.
A tall, burly man stood in the middle of the group, a head taller than the mercenaries around him.
He was tall and muscular, with a black mask covering his face, revealing only a pair of cold and sharp eyes.
Those eyes were completely expressionless, yet they exuded a suffocating sense of oppression.
"Bane!"
Li Wei's heart tightened slightly, and he muttered to himself in a low voice, his eyes instantly becoming sharp.
He recognized the masked burly man at a glance as the suspicious figure he had seen outside Arkham Asylum.
This is Bane, the leader who killed Francis and controls the mysterious mercenary group.
Bain's steps were steady, each step exuding a powerful force.