I was a rookie reporter in the 00s

Chapter 107 The Discovery of the Secret Room

The atmosphere suddenly became tense. Zhang Wanqing sensed Zhao Qiang's hostility and knew this massage center was no ordinary place. She took a deep breath and decided to take a more direct approach.

"Manager Zhao, we are not here to cause trouble, we just want the truth. If there really is any unknown secret here, we hope you can tell us." Zhang Wanqing's voice was soft, but her eyes were firm.

Zhao Qiang was silent for a while, then sighed: "Okay, I can tell you some information, but you must promise not to leak it out."

The three of them exchanged glances and nodded.

Zhao Qiang sat back in his chair and began to narrate, "The deceased was a regular customer. Every time he came, he would request some special services. The services we provide here are all legal, but he seemed to be interested in some... taboo things."

Li Wei frowned: "Taboo things? What exactly is it?"

Zhao Qiang hesitated, then whispered, "He seems to be very interested in some...drugs. We don't provide such things here, but he always brings his own."

Zhang Wanqing frowned. "You mean he might have died of a drug overdose?"

Zhao Qiang nodded. "That's what the police think too, but the deceased's family doesn't believe it. They think there's something wrong with us."

Fu Siyuan raised his camera and recorded Zhao Qiang's every expression and movement: "So, can you tell us who had contact with the deceased when he last came?"

Zhao Qiang pondered for a moment, then said, "I can give you a list, but you must ensure that this information will not be leaked."

The three nodded again, and Zhao Qiang took out a document from the drawer and handed it to them.

After receiving the list, the three left the massage center. They knew the list might be the key to uncovering the truth. In the night, their figures appeared determined and lonely.

Zhang Wanqing looked at the list in her hand and took a deep breath: "Where do we start?"

Li Wei looked around and said, "Let's start with the deceased's family and see if they have any clues."

Fu Siyuan nodded: "At the same time, we also need to investigate the people on this list to see if they have any connection with the deceased."

In the city at night, the flickering neon lights seemed to tell a hidden secret. Zhang Wanqing, Fu Siyuan, and Li Wei walked down the street, their shadows stretched long by the streetlights. The list in their hands was like a treasure map, guiding them towards the abyss of the truth.

Zhang Wanqing's eyes were determined, and she held the list tightly in her hand, as if it were the key to the truth. She knew that behind each name might be a clue or a trap.

Fu Siyuan carefully hung his camera on his chest, ready to record any possible evidence. His eyes were particularly sharp in the night, as if they could penetrate the darkness and capture the truth hidden in the shadows.

Li Wei's steps were steady, each one firm and powerful. His hand unconsciously touched his waist, where his police badge used to be. Although it was empty now, the flame of justice still burned in his heart.

They first came to an address on the list, which was the home of a close friend of the deceased, a man named Chen Hao. Chen Hao's home was located in an old apartment building. The dim lights and mottled walls in the corridor gave people a depressing feeling.

The knock on the door was particularly clear in the silent corridor, and Zhang Wanqing's heartbeat accelerated with the sound. The door slowly opened, revealing Chen Hao's panicked face.

"You are...?" Chen Hao's voice trembled, and his eyes revealed uneasiness.

Li Wei stepped forward and said in a deep and powerful voice, "We are here to investigate your friend's death. Can we talk to you?"

Chen Hao hesitated for a moment, then opened the door: "Come in."

The room was simple and messy, and the air was filled with the smell of tobacco and alcohol. After the three of them sat down, Zhang Wanqing began to ask questions.

"Mr. Chen Hao, when was the last time you saw your friend?" Zhang Wanqing's voice was soft, but every word seemed carefully chosen.

Chen Hao lowered his head and said in a low voice: "Just the day before he went to the massage center, we had dinner together."

Fu Siyuan glanced around the room and noticed a photo hanging on the wall. It was a picture of Chen Hao and the deceased. He raised his camera and took the picture. "Are you close?"

Chen Hao nodded, a hint of sadness in his voice: "We grew up together and are best friends."

Li Wei's eyes were sharp. He noticed a piece of paper on Chen Hao's desk with a string of numbers written on it. He reached out and picked up the paper: "What is this?"

Chen Hao's expression changed, and he hurriedly explained: "This...it's just a password, nothing special."

Li Wei frowned, sensing Chen Hao's nervousness. He decided to change the subject: "Did your friend behave in any unusual way at the massage parlor?"

Chen Hao was silent for a while, then whispered, "He...he seems to be very anxious recently, always mentioning some strange things."

Zhang Wanqing's intuition told her that Chen Hao knew more. She decided to take a more direct approach: "Mr. Chen Hao, if you know anything, please tell us. This is related to the cause of your friend's death."

Chen Hao took a deep breath and said, "He...he has been saying recently that something is wrong with the massage center. He seems to have discovered some secret."

Fu Siyuan immediately asked, "What secret?"

Chen Hao shook his head: "I don't know, he didn't tell me what it was specifically, he just said there were some unknown things there."

Li Wei stood up. He felt the importance of this clue: "We need to go to the massage center and take another look."

The three said goodbye to Chen Hao, their hearts filled with doubts and urgency. They knew that this secret might be the key to solving the whole case.

It was already late at night when they returned to the massage center. The receptionist had been replaced by a middle-aged man. He was surprised to see the three of them return.

"Why are you back again?" There was a hint of caution in his voice.

Li Wei stepped forward and said firmly, "We have some issues that need further investigation."

The man hesitated, then said, "Okay, I'll take you to see the manager."

They were taken to the manager's office, and when Zhao Qiang saw them reappear, his expression became complicated.

"Do you have any other questions?" There was a hint of impatience in his voice.

Li Wei got straight to the point: "We learned that the deceased discovered some secrets in the massage parlor. Can you tell us what they are?"

Zhao Qiang's expression changed. He was silent for a moment, then said, "I...I don't know what you are talking about."

Zhang Wanqing noticed Zhao Qiang's nervousness and decided to take a more direct approach: "Manager Zhao, we know there are some unknown things going on here. If you don't tell us, we'll have to find it ourselves."

Zhao Qiang's expression changed completely. He stood up and raised his voice a few degrees: "Are you threatening me?"

Fu Siyuan raised his camera and said coldly, "We are just looking for the truth."

Zhao Qiang was silent for a while, then sighed: "Okay, I can tell you some information, but you must promise not to leak it out."

The three of them exchanged glances and nodded.

Zhao Qiang took out a key from the drawer and handed it to them: "There is a room in the basement. There may be something you want there."

The three took the key, their hearts filled with tension and anticipation, knowing that this room might be the key to uncovering the truth.