60: Escape 60: Escape Zhao Xinwen’s office floor had dozens of offices, and Gao Yang had fired over a dozen shots.
He hadn’t expected not to be discovered, but when he stepped out of the office, he found the corridor silent, even the doors that were originally open had been closed.
Gao Yang had intended to use the stairs to go down, but when he saw that an elevator was descending and about to reach the 18th floor, he pressed the call button with a calm face.
As the elevator doors opened, Gao Yang entered with an inconspicuous smile.
There were seven or eight people inside the elevator, completely unaware that a homicide had just taken place.
Gao Yang rode the elevator as it stopped at each floor, quickly arriving at the lobby on the ground floor.
Once in the lobby, Gao Yang sensed a different atmosphere.
Three or four security guards stood by the elevator with tense expressions, and several property management staff were walking back and forth.
Gao Yang didn’t know if someone had found the bodies of Zhao Xinwen and the others, or if they had just heard the gunshots and called the police.
Fortunately, people were coming and going in the lobby; at least no one was attempting to seal off the entire building.
Gao Yang walked quickly out of the building with his head down, just in time to see a taxi dropping off a passenger.
He hurried over and got into the taxi.
Just as Gao Yang settled into the taxi, he saw four or five police cars racing over, sirens wailing, stopping right at the entrance of the office building, with more police cars approaching fast with flashing lights.
The taxi driver, curious, didn’t immediately leave, instead, he was tempted by the commotion, saying, “What happened, such a big fuss.
Brother, are you in a hurry?
If not, let’s watch for a bit.
No worries, I haven’t started the meter.”
Let’s go, I’m in a hurry to see someone.”
The taxi driver reluctantly glanced at the police who stormed into the building and finally drove onto the expressway, lagging.
Once the taxi got moving, Gao Yang heaved a long sigh of relief.
Having killed seven people all at once, and by gunfire at that, Gao Yang knew he had committed a colossal crime.
It could even make national news headlines, and if he left any traces, it was only a matter of time before he would be found.
Thinking of the surveillance in the building, Gao Yang knew he didn’t have much time left, and staying in this city undetected was simply out of the question.
Gao Yang had planned to go straight to the hospital, but halfway there, he changed his mind.
If he ran now, he might still have a chance to leave the country.
If he waited for the police to lock down the city, escaping would not be easy.
When he saw the taxi crossing a bridge over a scenic river in the city, Gao Yang asked the driver to stop.
After getting out and walking to the river’s edge, ensuring no one was around, Gao Yang took out the handgun and magazine from the plastic bag.
He wiped the gun clean of fingerprints with his clothes, then threw them into the river with discrete movements.
He counted the spent casings to confirm he hadn’t left any in Zhao Xinwen’s office, then disposed of the casings as well.
After discarding everything he needed to, Gao Yang took out the IOU his father had written to Zhao Xinwen, examined it once more, confirming it was his father’s handwriting, and then burned the IOU to ashes with a lighter.
Having done what was necessary, Gao Yang felt a pang of regret.
He had committed an earth-shattering crime within just a few days of returning home.
No matter the reason, if he were caught, facing the firing squad was inevitable.
Gao Yang knew he had to run, but when push came to shove, he felt an overwhelming sense of reluctance.
Now Gao Yang was uncertain whether to visit his parents at the hospital one last time or to flee far away immediately.
Gao Yang didn’t hesitate for long; he soon came to a decision.
No matter what he had done, as long as his parents knew he was alive, there was still hope.
If he were caught and executed, there would be no turning back.
Gao Yang called his father, and once his father answered, he said in a heavy voice, “It’s me, don’t talk, just listen, I’ve burned the IOU.
For the rest, you’ll know when you watch the news tonight.
Can’t talk more, I must go now.
I have a way out, and the money in the bank is for you to use.
I’ll send more later and will call you when it’s safe.
Don’t worry about anything else, bye.”
Tears streamed down Gao Yang’s face.
He was saying goodbye to his parents, yet he dared not even call them ‘dad’ or ‘mom’, fearing that it might bring trouble to them if the investigation traced back to him.
Once he said everything he had to and needed to hang up, Gao Yang still couldn’t bring himself to press the end call button.
Gao Yang’s father began to breathe heavily.
After hearing about the IOU, he knew what had happened.
After a few deep breaths, Gao Yang’s father said softly, “I know.
You…
you be careful, alright!”
Gao Yang couldn’t hold back his tears as he heard his father speaking, but knowing that his father avoided saying his name, he understood his father’s acknowledgment of his intention.
His identity should be safe for now.
Finally, Gao Yang pressed the end call button.
With his head down and quickly stepping forward, he removed the SIM card from his phone, snapped it in two, and threw it into the roadside green space.
He then inserted a new SIM card.
Gao Yang was grateful that he had prepared a backup plan.
If he could get to Russia, he’d be safe, but for now, he needed to figure out how to reach Heilong Province first.
Taking a flight would be the fastest, but that was not an option for Gao.
The most realistic choice was the train.
Gao decided to leave the city first.
Even if there wasn’t a direct train to Heilong Province, that didn’t matter.
If he waited until the police began large-scale checks at train and bus stations, he wouldn’t be able to escape by train or bus.
Fortunately for Gao, if he wasn’t identified as a suspect, he could take the train directly to Heilong Province.
But if he waited a few more months, that wouldn’t be an option, as trains were going to implement real-name systems starting June 1st.
For now, even without an ID card, Gao could still take the train.
Gao Yang took a taxi to the train station and found out there were five trains going directly to Heilong Province, but the earliest one would leave in over five hours.
Gao Yang didn’t dare wait at the station for more than five hours.
After checking the timetable and careful consideration, he bought a ticket for a train that was leaving in just twenty minutes.
It was going to Tangshan City in Ji Province on the same route to Heilong Province, where he could then switch to a train to Harbin City.
After purchasing the ticket, Gao Yang ran from the ticket hall directly to the waiting area, went through the ticket check, and boarded the train.
During the entire process, he saw no signs of the station being locked down.
Not many minutes after boarding the train, Gao Yang felt as if an eternity had passed.
As the train finally started moving, slowly leaving the station, Gao Yang, always on edge, finally relaxed just a little.
However, he knew his journey on the run had just begun.