Chapter 49 - 19: Missing

Everything was as expected, yet it was beyond Zhou Qingfeng’s control. When the FBI realized they couldn’t directly take action against Zhou Qingfeng, they shifted their focus to Kongges. Under the pretense of a "suspension for investigation," they removed the Sheriff of White Beach Town from the police force, completely cutting off his ability to intervene in the case. As for the reason, it was readily available—someone like Kongges, who had worked in a chaotic area for a long time, was like a sewer cleaner; over time, it was inevitable that he would get tainted with filth and stench. The FBI only needed to dig a little to find enough excuses to make him disappear temporarily. Zhou Qingfeng found this incredibly frustrating. Like the FBI, Old Beck and others believed Kongges, as the first sheriff to arrive at the crime scene, was highly suspicious. Both openly and subtly, they urged Zhou Qingfeng to sever ties with Kongges completely and not get involved in this turmoil. However, Zhou Qingfeng couldn’t convince himself to stay out of it. The Kongges family had never mistreated him. Julia and Selena were close to him, and although Kongges was a bit fierce, he had never caused him any trouble. If his involvement were to unearth problems for this family, it would be indefensible. Even though he didn’t have a driver’s license, Zhou Qingfeng borrowed a car from Jennifer and drove alone from the Miami Metropolitan Area back to White Beach Town. His plan was simple: first, get Julia and Selena out to ensure their safety, and then arrange for a lawyer to bail Kongges out. "Violent law enforcement" wasn’t a severe charge; the FBI couldn’t possibly hold him indefinitely. Moreover, once the apocalypse hit, all laws and orders would collapse, and the current problems would no longer matter. However, Zhou Qingfeng misjudged the situation. When he arrived in White Beach Town, he found things were far more complicated than he had imagined. He tried to contact Selena and Julia, but the phone couldn’t get through. Upon reaching the house, it was empty, as if the mother and daughter had vanished into thin air. Zhou Qingfeng felt a growing sense of unease and immediately called the police for help. The two officers sent by the local police station were indifferent. They glanced around the house briefly before stating expressionlessly: "No signs of a violent abduction. For missing persons, please come back to the station after twenty-four hours." Zhou Qingfeng, enraged, questioned, "Kongges is still your colleague. He’s only suspended, not a criminal. Is this how you treat his family?" One officer gave him a cold look and mocked, "Kongges is missing. Didn’t you know?" "What?" Zhou Qingfeng was stunned, an ominous feeling surging within him. "Wasn’t he taken by the FBI for investigation?" The officer impatiently shook his head, "No, it’s not that simple. Kongges was taken by the FBI in the morning, but the vehicle escorting him never arrived at the Miami Branch on time. At noon, someone reported finding an overturned vehicle on Highway 9. When the patrol officers arrived at the scene, they found the bodies of two FBI agents in the car, but Kongges was nowhere to be found. The FBI’s preliminary judgment was that Kongges resisted midway, caused the vehicle to overturn, killed the agents, and escaped. He is now a fugitive." Zhou Qingfeng was dumbfounded, incredulously arguing, "That’s impossible! How could Kongges kill and escape? He was only accused of ’violent law enforcement,’ a common complaint that would, at most, cost him his job." The officer sneered, "Maybe it’s more than just ’violent law enforcement’? I’m temporarily assigned here, but even I’ve heard of White Beach Town’s reputation. This place is Miami’s largest illicit goods distribution center and a transit hub for human trafficking. Everyone knows it, but no one has exposed it. If the local sheriff is involved in crime, I wouldn’t be surprised at all." He paused, then warned, "According to our assessment, Kongges most likely took his wife and daughter with him when he fled. It’s normal that he didn’t contact you. Because you are not his family. If you have any clues, inform the police immediately to avoid getting entangled in the case yourself." ----------------- The officers left, leaving Zhou Qingfeng alone in the empty room, his head buzzing. He tried to convince himself that everyone had their secrets, and Kongges might be no exception. Now was the best time to sever ties with this family. But he immediately shook his head, bitterly thinking, "If Kongges really did participate in heinous crimes, then he hid it too well." His gaze swept across the living room, memories flooding his mind... Julia would definitely be busy in the kitchen, the aroma of dinner filling the air; Selena would be jumping around in her room, her laughter ringing like bells; He would be buried in his homework. And Kongges would most likely still be out patrolling, dragging his exhausted body home late at night. This home was once filled with warmth and vitality, but now it was only cold and silent. Zhou Qingfeng walked to the dining table, his fingers lightly brushing the smooth surface. There were still a few open magazines on the table, and an unfinished glass of water, as if the owners had just stepped out briefly and would return at any moment. However, it was all an illusion. The bright dining room was empty, with everything in place but devoid of life, like an abandoned island. The officer’s words echoed in his mind: "... you are not Kongges’s family." He began to wonder if Julia and her daughter were truly unaware of Kongges’s actions. Were they innocent victims, or had they long been entangled in this vortex?