Chapter 377: Another Forced Scam Encounter

Xiao Yu was puzzled.

Wasn’t that a bit too fantastical? Remote-controlling wild wolves, commanding them to attack precise targets from a distance?

Everyone knew some dog breeds were remarkably intelligent—German Shepherds, Border Collies, Dobermans, Belgian Malinois. These breeds had been tested, studied, and trained.

The smartest among them could have intelligence comparable to a three- to eight-year-old child, capable of understanding hundreds of words, following complex instructions, even predicting human behavior.

But wolves?

Wolves were cunning, relentless, and highly adaptable—but their intelligence was not the same as a dog’s.

Among wolf species, gray wolves were the most intelligent, capable of sophisticated hunting strategies, pack coordination, and problem-solving that even outmatched some domesticated dogs. But even then, only select alpha wolves—those leading a pack—displayed cognitive abilities approaching those of a four-year-old human child in problem-solving tasks.

And grassland wolves?

They weren’t even the smartest among wolves. They relied more on brute efficiency than elaborate hunting strategies. Their intelligence paled in comparison to their larger, more powerful cousins in colder regions.

As for those movies and TV dramas claiming wolves were as intelligent as adult humans?

Complete nonsense.

Wolves weren’t built for obedience, not like dogs. Dogs evolved alongside humans, their intelligence shaped by domestication, making them masters at interpreting commands, recognizing emotions, and adapting to human environments. Wolves never had that connection.

If you compared pure problem-solving ability, wolves could even outperform dogs in certain challenges, especially when it came to escaping enclosures, strategizing in the wild, or overcoming obstacles.

But obedience? Trainability? The ability to follow remote commands?

Not a chance.

If you compared their ferocity, though—that was another story.

People loved to say things like “A Tibetan Mastiff can fight three wolves!”

Don’t kid yourself.

In a one-on-one fight, a trained military dog might stand a chance against a wolf. A Mastiff, a Kangal, a Shepherd—maybe. But a wolf? A wolf was a natural-born killer, built for survival.

If a dog went up against a medium or large-sized wolf without protective gear around its neck, it wasn’t a fight.

It was a free meal for the wolf.

Dogs could bully smaller coyotes—maybe one or two. But a real wolf? A wild, battle-hardened, hungry wolf? A dog was just delivering itself to its next meal.

Even the smartest, most highly trained police or military dogs had limits. Achieving absolute obedience in remotely directed attacks was nearly impossible.

So, how did a grassland wolf, which wasn’t even at the top of the wolf intelligence scale, get trained to this level?

Could it even be done?

From the moment this case began, this was the one question Xiao Yu couldn’t wrap his head around.

***

Criminal Investigation Brigade, Conference Room

“Four of the Brotherhood members are dead.”

“Cao Xude, Lu Shun, Gan Yuzhen, and Xing Chuyang. The only survivor is suspect Fang Jie, who is currently in custody. After a comprehensive investigation, the primary suspect has been identified, Jiang Huiying. The case appears to be linked to a murder and corpse disposal incident involving female victims twenty-three years ago. The victim of that case was Jiang Huiying’s younger sister, Jiang Huiting. Cao Xude, Lu Shun, Gan Yuzhen, Xing Chuyang, and Fang Jie were all involved in that crime. 

“It is suspected that Jiang Huiying was avenging her sister and that her method of execution was commanding prairie wolves to kill. The wolf connection traces back to two grassland wolf cubs, just four months old, that Jiang Huiying purchased from a suburban farm two years ago.

“The strange thing is that Jiang Huiying vanished a year ago. After divorcing her husband, she moved to Bincheng City. Since then, there have been zero records of her ID card being used, no online banking transactions. She’s completely off the grid. That said, we can’t rule out the possibility that she’s been living entirely in cash while hiding somewhere.

“But these are only preliminary inferences. While Jiang Huiying is highly suspicious, there are still too many unanswered questions.

“First, she never received any formal training in animal taming or domestication.

“Second, her disappearance raises major red flags.

“If she is the killer and committed the murders in Bincheng, she’d most likely still be hiding there. The city’s police force has been searching for her. A wanted notice has been issued, and a cash reward offered, but so far… nothing.

“However, there’s still one solid lead. If the killer’s goal was to eliminate all five members of the Brotherhood, then their next move must be an attempt on Fang Jie’s life. Our next step is to investigate the final days of the four victims before they died. Special attention should be given to Gan Yuzhen and Xing Chuyang.”

As he finished, Xiao Yu scanned the room full of detectives, then lifted a sealed evidence bag.

“This was found at Gan Yuzhen and Xing Chuyang’s residence—a bag of poisonous caterpillars, weighing one kilogram. After forensic analysis by the narcotics division, it was confirmed as a new method of drug trafficking in our city. However, the supply chain for these drugs was cut off at Gan Yuzhen and Xing Chuyang. Our focus now is on determining whether this case is somehow linked to the drug operation.”

“Yes, sir!” The team responded in unison.

But deep down, many felt like they’d just been dragged into something unrelated.

Why?

Why did a straightforward murder case suddenly involve drug trafficking?

Even Xiao Yu himself hadn’t wanted the Criminal Investigation Brigade handling a drug-related investigation.

But he had no choice.

Recently, forensic examiner He Li, out of sheer boredom, had conducted extra detailed autopsies on the first two victims, Cao Xude and Lu Shun.

And she had found something unusual.

Both men were drug addicts.

Next, they ran a blood test on suspect Fang Jie.

Then, they conducted another full autopsy on Gan Yuzhen and Xing Chuyang.

Traces of recreational drugs were found in both victims.

And when the final results came in, Xiao Yu himself was stunned.

The four victims, plus one suspect, all five of them had been taking the same drug.

After contacting the narcotics division, they confirmed that this particular drug had not entered Bincheng City through any known distribution channels.

That meant the only people with access to it were the five members of the Brotherhood from twenty-three years ago.

And so, Xiao Yu ordered an investigation into the past activities of the Brotherhood.

Particularly focusing on the two most recent victims—Gan Yuzhen and Xing Chuyang.

***

9:00 PM, A Private Nightclub

The so-called private clubhouses—especially the high-end ones—originated as an elite-class trend in wealthier cities.

Essentially, they were exclusive entertainment venues for the rich.

The highest-end ones charged annual membership fees in the hundreds of thousands—or even millions.

This particular nightclub, Night Lotus, was founded by Gan Yuzhen and Xing Chuyang six years ago.

Three years ago, they handed over management to Xing Chuyang’s younger brother, Xing Wei.

The police had kept the murder news under wraps, so Xing Wei had no idea his brother and sister-in-law were dead.

When Xiao Yu and Guo Qiang arrived, the club was still operating as usual.

“Excuse me, gentlemen, are you members of the club?”

A young woman in a cheongsam stepped forward with a professional smile, but before she could finish—

Guo Qiang flashed his badge. “Police. Call the manager or the club owner. We need full cooperation in a criminal investigation.”

The young woman was startled and quickly rushed to call someone.

Moments later, Xing Wei, the club’s manager and the younger brother of the victim, walked out.

Xiao Yu studied him.

Roughly 5’9”, mid-to-late thirties, wearing glasses—had a refined, bookish look. But his sharp gaze and overly polite smile felt forced—almost too professional.

“What seems to be the problem?” Xing Wei asked, his tone neutral.

“There’s a problem, alright.” Xiao Yu locked eyes with him. “Your brother was a drug user. Did you know that?”

“…”

Xing Wei froze, then forced a smile and shook his head.

“Officer, you must be mistaken. My brother and I, we don’t touch that kind of thing—”

Before he could finish, Xiao Yu waved at Guo Qiang.

He wasn’t in the mood to listen to lies.

Guo Qiang stepped outside.

One minute later, a team of police officers swarmed the club.

Watching Xing Wei’s face pale, Xiao Yu smirked lazily.

“Full search.”