Animal Detective

Chapter 293 - 245: The Wickedness of the Human Heart, More Perilous Than Mountains and Rivers (3)

This part was Gu Shaolong’s single largest source of income.

Inside the room, Gu Shaolong pointed to his throat, indicating that he had talked too much and was thirsty.

He even arrogantly gestured for a cigarette.

Cai Huafeng poured him some water and took out a cigarette.

He scoffed, saying Cai Huafeng wasn’t all that—a whole squad captain smoking such cheap cigarettes. As for him, he wouldn’t smoke anything that cost less than a hundred a pack.

With a dark expression, Cai Huafeng motioned for him to continue.

"I’ve got people."

Gu Shaolong sat back leisurely, then turned his head toward the one-way mirror and said, "Your Xiong Zhi should know. Back in the day in Yanling, whenever people on the streets mentioned ’Two-Fingers,’ who didn’t know I was this?"

He held up a thumb, his face full of pride.

"The moment I got out of prison, I realized how badly this new generation of crooks was doing."

"But you can’t blame them. Everyone uses cell phones now, and there are cameras everywhere. It’s like a game for you guys to catch people. They couldn’t even make a living, so wasn’t it perfect for me to show them a new path?"

He described his methods in a gloating tone.

In his own words, it was a method he had gradually figured out.

At first, it was the old method: driving around and just snatching them.

Later, they bought air rifles and tranquilizer guns, all for catching ordinary stray dogs or watchdogs kept outdoors in the suburbs.

But these dogs didn’t fetch a high price.

So they slowly started to figure out how to steal purebreds.

These guys were thieves, after all. Picking locks and breaking in was their real trade.

They had many methods.

For example, Gu Shaolong would arrange for his people to go to popular dog-walking spots. His men would pretend to be dog walkers themselves to observe which dogs were valuable, and then strike up conversations with the owners under the guise of exchanging dog-raising tips.

This way, they could assess the dog’s value and lock onto a target.

After locking onto a target, they would stake out the place and wait for an opportunity.

The process for cats was much the same. For instance, they would post online looking for a breeding match, then pick out good-looking cats. Once a conversation started, they would gather all the necessary information before making their move.

The actual method was, in fact, just burglary.

For example, when an owner left for work.

They would disguise themselves as deliverymen, show up with a packing crate, pick the lock, barge inside, and steal the cat or dog.

Gu Shaolong said, "You know, we used to do this kind of thing, but you cops are really tough on burglaries."

"But it’s different with cats and dogs. Especially cats. A lot of the time, the owners just think the cat ran away on its own. They’d never imagine we broke in and stole it."

"And last year, I even started a new line of business."

"I heard from some people that there’s now this business of finding lost cats and dogs. The fees are ridiculously expensive—a few thousand just for a house call."

"So I’d steal the pet first, then find a way to contact the owners, and then ’help’ them find their cat or dog. A few thousand a pop, and they even have to thank me for it."

"And those people who lose their dogs and offer a high reward? I love those ones. ’Generous reward offered.’ I should be the one thanking them."

Gu Shaolong shamelessly explained his business acumen, getting more and more excited as he spoke.

Xiong Yongjian was so angry he slammed the table.

Gu Shaolong had a yard full of purebred cats and dogs right now.

He also pursued a fast turnaround, moving them in and out quickly. One could only imagine how many cats and dogs had been stolen by his hand in the past two years.

Some of these pet cats and dogs were bought for thousands, or even tens of thousands of yuan. That was no small amount of money.

Add to that the stakeouts, premeditation, and lock-picking—it was a true gang operation.

And once it escalated to the level of a gang, the nature of the crime was completely different.

Chen Chao discreetly patted Shen Xin and said in a low voice, "You kid. You went and quietly dug up another major case."

The City Bureau sent you to train police dogs, and it’s only been a few days. You were just supposed to be looking for stray cats and dogs, and you somehow managed to unearth a major case.

It wasn’t just Yanling, but nearby cities too. Mass burglaries of cats and dogs, connections to rescue shelters, nationwide sales... Who knew how many people were involved.

Shen Xin sighed, not feeling the least bit happy.

Turning the rescue of small animals—a charitable act of goodwill—into a business... Truly, the evil in the human heart is more treacherous than any mountain or river.