"Right, I saw a shadowy figure at the entrance earlier, all bundled up, who vanished in a flash," the security guard exclaimed, slapping his forehead. He'd been groggy from sleep and hadn't thought of it then.
"When was that?"
Wei Yumeng's luminous eyes flickered as she strode forward, her emotions running high, to stand before the security guard.
The others in the group also surged forward, surrounding the guard and scrutinizing him intently, as if seeing a glimmer of hope.
"It was a few minutes after the commotion in the teaching building, I think. I, I saw someone, but only their back," the security guard said, scratching the back of his head awkwardly and swallowing hard.
"Male or female, did they look familiar?" Wei Yumeng continued, her fair fingertips clenched tightly, a hint of light in her beautiful eyes.
"Uh... couldn't tell. They were wearing all black and a hat, and their build was quite average. It was impossible to discern," the security guard said to the crowd with a troubled expression. He had been half-asleep, and when he'd called out to the person, they'd fled even faster. There was no way he could have seen clearly.
"Did that person come out of the school, or were they just standing at the entrance?" Wei Yumeng pressed the security guard relentlessly, a cold glint in her eyes.
If they came out of the school, it might have been an individual act. If they were waiting at the entrance for a pickup, they might have had accomplices.
"This, this I don't know..." The security guard was sweating profusely under Wei Yumeng's intimidating presence. If the school found out he'd been slacking off, he'd surely lose his job.
"Get the surveillance footage from the back gate." Wei Yumeng, seeing through the security guard's unease, turned to order someone to retrieve the footage from the back gate. She then stared expressionlessly at the security guard and took out her phone. "If you don't tell me, I have every reason to suspect you are an accomplice!"
Everyone erupted in shock. The other teachers, frantic, wanted to step forward and say something, but Mu Linjing stopped them all with a gesture.
The security guard, terrified, fell to his knees. Facing him were the eldest and second young mistresses of the Zhan family, and it was the Zhan family's child who was missing. If he were mistaken for an accomplice, he would never have a chance to recover in his lifetime!
"No, no, no! I was just dozing off. I was woken by the commotion in the teaching building and then noticed someone at the entrance. But I really don't know if they came out of the school or were already outside!"
In his haste, the security guard blurted out the truth, not daring to be careless.
Wei Yumeng's gaze intensified. Without a word, she returned to the surveillance screen. The footage from the back gate had been retrieved. Indeed, a figure whose gender was indistinguishable had emerged from the school.
However, the person had cleverly stayed in the blind spot of the camera. The figure only appeared in the surveillance feed after the security guard had called out, and then fled in a panic.
This mysterious person had left the school. No property was lost, which indicated they were likely after Shi Qing!
"Looking at their unnatural movements, they're probably carrying something heavy on their back," Mu Linjing said sternly, watching the surveillance footage. She furrowed her brow and met Wei Yumeng's gaze.
"Shi Qing is on that person's back!" Wei Yumeng realized with a jolt. She clutched her forehead, watching helplessly as the person in the surveillance footage escaped.
If the security guard hadn't been dozing, if someone had noticed and apprehended that person at the time, Shi Qing... might not have been kidnapped!
"Why didn't you say something sooner!" a teacher next to them grumbled at the security guard, stamping their feet in anger.
"The back gate is for staff only, and few people use it. I didn't expect this..." The security guard sat on the ground, stunned.
He had always thought guarding the back gate was a relaxed and leisurely job. He never imagined that slacking off today would lead to such a major incident!
"Negligence of duty, I hereby dismiss you! You don't need to come back starting tomorrow. The safety of students and teachers is a paramount concern, and it cannot be taken lightly!" The vice principal stepped forward and made an immediate decision.
The security guard, knowing he was in the wrong, could only tuck his tail and leave dejectedly.
"Madam Zhan, Madam Zhan, our school will take full responsibility for this matter," the principal said to Wei Yumeng and Mu Linjing, attempting to calm their anger.
Mu Linjing looked at Wei Yumeng's expressionless face, waved her hand, and her brow furrowed even deeper.
"Could this person be a school employee?" Wei Yumeng asked coldly, looking at the shadowy figure. She glanced sideways at everyone present, her gaze laced with suspicion.
Today was a parent-teacher meeting, with a mixed crowd. Was this person an infiltrator, or were they already school personnel?
"No, all school personnel have been accounted for and are still within the school," the vice principal quickly replied, shaking his head. "Moreover, only parents with students were allowed in today."
This was strange. If not a school employee, could they be a parent?
Wei Yumeng shook her head, dismissing the fleeting thought. No family would dare to take such a huge risk and offend the Zhan family.
"Were there any outsiders who entered the school today?" Wei Yumeng asked the security guards.
A security guard at the front gate seemed to recall something and produced a registration form for Wei Yumeng.
"There were some people: those who came to repair the water meter, inspect safety facilities, clean the swimming pool, and one who came to apply for a live-in teacher position."
Wei Yumeng took the registration form and quickly scanned the names of these people. None were familiar to her. She handed it to Mu Linjing.
Mu Linjing also shook her head, took a picture, and instructed someone to investigate these individuals immediately.
There were so many suspicious points, yet not a single clue could be found!
Wei Yumeng sat on the sofa, her head throbbing. She rubbed her temples, which were aching. Another half hour had passed.
Shi Qing must be very scared right now, she thought.
"Yumeng, don't worry. We've already assigned people to investigate," Mu Linjing said, comforting Wei Yumeng. Soon, her phone chimed with several message notifications.
The profiles and photos of these individuals were revealed one by one. Wei Yumeng and Mu Linjing reviewed them all, but recognized no one.
"Would you all come and see if it's any of these people?" Wei Yumeng called over the security guards to identify them.
There weren't many people who had come to the school that day. The guards quickly pointed out who was there for water meter repair and who was inspecting safety facilities, which matched the investigation results.
"This person... I haven't seen them. The woman who said she was applying for a live-in teacher position was young," the guard said, pointing to the woman in the photo. "But this person is an elderly woman."
Wei Yumeng looked at the information about the woman. She was a doctor who worked in a hospital in a faraway city and was over sixty years old.
"That woman used a fake name." Wei Yumeng and Mu Linjing exchanged glances, their hearts sinking.
The woman who kidnapped Shi Qing was clever and used a false name.
Suddenly, a crisp "ding-dong" sounded. Wei Yumeng took out her phone. On the screen was a text message from an unknown number!