Reborn Cat Sheriff

Chapter 34 The Girl Who Ran Away from Home

As evening approached, the service hall outside had already closed, leaving only a few police officers on duty in the adjacent reception hall.

Lin Ge emerged from Nie Guoqiang's office, intending to head to the cafeteria to find something good to eat, when Zhang Yong suddenly rushed over.

"Mimi, something's happened, come with me!"

As he spoke, Zhang Yong made various contacts on his mobile phone.

Lin Ge didn't leave but chose to wait by Zhang Yong's side, while he was annoyed by his rumbling stomach and listened to Zhang Yong recount the sudden incident that happened that evening over the phone.

It turned out that a little girl had gotten lost.

It wouldn't be accurate to say she went missing; rather, she experienced some kind of emotional distress and had a conflict with her parents, leading her to impulsively run away from home. Her parents initially thought she had simply gone for a walk to clear her head, but after five hours without any news, they panicked.

To make matters worse, just recently, her parents confiscated her phone because of something!
This has left the parents with absolutely no clue as to where the girl has gone.

What surprised Lin Ge even more was that he actually knew the missing girl. Whether it was a coincidence or a matter of course, the missing girl was the same unlucky girl he and Nie Guoqiang had rescued from the shady hut some time ago, the one who had almost met with misfortune.

"I heard that her parents have been very strict with her during this period."

Facing Nie Guoqiang, who had rushed back, Zhang Yong said in a low voice, "You know how parents are, they always like to lecture. Plus, they're afraid afterward, so they said a lot, and a bit harshly. That girl is quite introverted to begin with, and being complained about so much has made her confused. In short, judging from the current situation, she has probably run away from home. Zhu Jun, who went to her house after receiving the report, has confirmed that the security guard at the community security booth photographed her carrying a small bag."

"Where could a little girl go in the dark?"

Nie Guoqiang frowned, his expression turning serious. The worst thing about running away from home is that it can inexplicably escalate into tragedies and criminal cases. Based on his past experience, if the person isn't found in time, the consequences are almost always bad.

After a pause, Nie Guoqiang called Zhu Jun to ask if the girl's ID card could be found at her home. The check revealed that the girl had indeed impulsively left home; she hadn't taken all the necessary items.

Where can a girl spend the night without an ID card?
Even if she had a goal and originally planned to stay at someone's place temporarily, how would she get there? Without a mobile phone or ID card, it would be difficult for the police to find relevant clues through hotel, internet cafe, and transportation registration systems.

This is the most troublesome thing, and also the most dangerous situation.

Of course, the girl might be overwhelmed by various inconveniences and choose to give up, enduring the hunger and thirst before obediently going home. However... the police don't allow "what ifs" or speculation; the case won't be closed until the girl is found.

"Mimi, I'm counting on you!"

Nie Guoqiang looked down at Lin Ge. Knowing the seriousness of the matter, Lin Ge did not slack off but sat obediently without moving.

"I'll take Mimi to Lin Jia's house and see if she can find people by following their scent. Zhang Yong, you keep an eye on the Skynet surveillance. Tell everyone to work overtime and stay focused, keep a close eye on every single camera!" Nie Guoqiang gave the order, but a hint of fatigue flashed in his eyes.

He's been incredibly busy these past few days with the drug case. Not only has he been working overtime every day, but today he finally managed to transfer all the files and suspects to the city bureau, only to be called back by a phone call as soon as he got home.

Actually, Nie Guoqiang didn't have to come; after all, Zhang Yong, who was on duty today, was someone he could trust. But that girl was so young, and she had personally handed him a banner of appreciation—how could he remain unmoved?
"That child isn't bad at all!"

While driving, Nie Guoqiang whispered to Lin Ge, "She's very well-behaved, obedient, and sensible. I could tell that day that she was a simple, good child, just temporarily misled. I originally thought it was all over, and that she could continue living a good life under her parents' comfort and protection, continuing to be a top student. But I didn't expect... things still went wrong! Sure enough, the meeting in the province that day was right. Kids these days think too much and are easily exposed to all sorts of bad things, unlike kids in the past who were more resilient. Experts reminded us that if we encounter cases involving children again, we should remember to advise parents to take their children to see a psychologist for counseling, and that psychologists aren't some shameful profession, so parents shouldn't be shy about it. I didn't take it to heart at the time, but now that I think about it, it was definitely true. Relying solely on parental counseling is indeed not enough..."

Nie Guoqiang kept talking, partly out of fear and partly trying to stay as clear-headed as possible.

As a police officer, he certainly understood the importance of not driving while fatigued. However, with only so many people in a police station, everyone was already exhausted. As the deputy director, what right did Nie Guoqiang have to take a break as a matter of course?

Lin Ge didn't interrupt Nie Guoqiang's rambling, or rather, he didn't want to see another tragedy happen.

Lin Jia, that child, finally managed to escape her nightmare, how could she fall into misfortune again? If something really happens to her, wouldn't all her previous efforts be in vain?

Thinking about it made her very unhappy. The police car sped along with its siren blaring, quickly arriving at the residential area where Lin Jia lived.

This is a pretty nice residential area; both the landscaping and the buildings are beautiful, making it one of the more expensive housing developments in Zhangzhou. Lin Jia's parents being able to afford a house here suggests they are among the wealthier families.

However, on the other hand, a good income often means being busy, and there is usually not much time to spend with children.

Children rarely communicate with their parents, and parents know little about their children's thoughts beyond knowing that their children are well-behaved. This lack of companionship makes it easy for outsiders to take advantage of the situation and fill the void.

Looking at Lin Jia's weeping mother and Lin's father with a livid face, Lin Ge found it difficult to make a judgment.

After all, it's someone else's family matter; what right does he have to comment? And parents work hard to make a living and for their children's future; no one has the right to say they're wrong. It's just that these are things no one wants to see.

"It's all that damned hag's fault!"

While crying, Lin's mother pointed at a building not far away and cursed, "That bitch had no good intentions! She tricked Jiajia into telling her about what happened that day! And then that bitch went around telling everyone in the neighborhood group chat and among the square dancers that my daughter was... was... If... if anything really happens to Jiajia, I'll make that filthy bitch pay with her life! If she hadn't been gossiping behind Jiajia's back, how could Jiajia have been so distraught!"

Nie Guoqiang's face turned ashen.

Zhu Jun didn't mention anything like that on the phone! He had no idea that Lin Jia was being slandered behind her back, which was why she chose to run away from home.

This is different in nature from having a conflict with one's parents.

After all, parents won't say anything too harsh or act too maliciously. But outsiders... there are all sorts of people in a big forest, and gossip has always been the root of most tragedies!
How could a thirteen-year-old girl possibly bear being talked about like that behind her back?
"Has the person she mentioned been apprehended?"

Nie Guoqiang looked at Zhu Jun.

Zhu Jun gave a wry smile and pointed over there, saying, "That family won't open the door; they're hiding inside pretending to be dead. In this situation, we can't just break down the door. Anyway, Hu Zhengping and the community people are trying to persuade them at the door; who knows how long this will take."

"Don't let them go! Detain all the people who caused the accident, and settle accounts with them properly later."

Nie Guoqiang's serious words finally eased Lin's mother's mood considerably. However, how could parents truly be at ease until Lin Jia was found?

"Mimi?"

With a shortage of manpower and it being nighttime, Nie Guoqiang knew that the fastest way to find Lin Jia was to rely on Lin Ge.

Lin Ge, however, was already prepared.

Lin Jia's parents already knew that their daughter's previous rescue was thanks to the cat at the Zhanghe Police Station. Therefore, when they saw Lin Ge crouching under the streetlight, they also showed expectant expressions.

"Let's go!"

Lin Ge let out a helpless cry and started running towards the outside of the residential area.

He was now only grateful that he was a cat, a cat with an incredibly sensitive sense of smell. Lin Jia hadn't been gone from home for very long, and he could still accurately smell her scent as she left.

"Follow!"

A look of discomfort flashed across Nie Guoqiang's face, but he still pinched his right leg and ran after Lin Ge.

(End of this chapter)