Less than ten seconds later, a steady male voice came on the line.
"Hello, I am Isaac Adler, Captain of the Aethel City Criminal Investigation Detachment."
The man’s voice was extremely hoarse, clearly the result of years of heavy smoking and late nights.
"Hello, Officer Adler," Wendy Lynch said, before repeating what she had just explained.
On the other end of the line, Isaac remained silent for a few seconds, seemingly digesting the information quickly. Then, he asked in a cautious tone, "Young lady, this is no joking matter. An A-level wanted criminal—do you know the consequences of filing a false police report?"
This skepticism was expected. For an ordinary tourist to recognize an A-level fugitive who had been on the run for years at a scenic spot—it did sound a little too coincidental. Wendy was well prepared for this. Rather than panicking, she seized the initiative.
"Officer Adler, I know. I shot a video at Legends Film Studios yesterday. When I looked back over the footage, he seemed increasingly familiar. I checked the wanted posters online, which is how I confirmed it." She paused, then continued, "By the way, his face is visible in the video. If it’s convenient for you, you can add my WhatsApp, and I’ll send you the video and screenshots so you can compare them first."
Hearing that the caller had actually captured photos of the suspect, Isaac felt a surge of joy.
Apprehending an A-level fugitive was different from handling a minor public security case; they couldn’t just dispatch a regular patrolman and two auxiliary officers. Once an arrest operation was authorized, it would require at least ten armed detectives, with dozens of regular officers assisting on the perimeter. After all, anyone on the national A-level wanted list was, without a doubt, a vicious and heinous criminal. Only by deploying an overwhelming force could they ensure the operation’s safety.
If this turned out to be a wild goose chase, it would severely disrupt the department’s manpower deployment. Naturally, Isaac was pleased that he could verify the claim in advance and avoid a wasted trip.
"Alright! My phone number is my WhatsApp number. Add me!" Isaac immediately rattled off a string of numbers.
"Okay." Hanging up the phone, Wendy quickly added Isaac’s WhatsApp, then sent over the clearest side-profile screenshot she had taken the night before, along with the ten-second video.
Meanwhile, inside the office of the Aethel City Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Detachment, the atmosphere had grown tense.
Isaac hung up the phone and immediately barked at his team members, "Walker, pull up the Ministry of Public Security’s A-level wanted list immediately. Number 39, Keegan Lowell. I want to see all his files within three minutes!"
Soon, Keegan Lowell’s file appeared on the large projection screen in the conference room. The man in the photo had a completely ordinary face—the type that would disappear instantly in a crowd.
"Captain, Keegan Lowell robbed a jewelry store back then and shot the owner and a clerk to death with a homemade gun. His methods were extremely brutal. He’s been on the run for five years without a single clue. How could there suddenly be news of him?" a young officer asked in confusion.
Isaac didn’t answer; he was looking down at his phone. With a DING, the WhatsApp friend request was approved. Immediately after, an image and a video were sent over.
"Connect this to the projector!" Isaac ordered in a deep voice.
Following the technician’s operation, the video screenshot was instantly enlarged and displayed next to Keegan’s file photo. On the left was the ID photo from five years ago. Keegan, only in his twenties at the time, looked no different from an ordinary, newly graduated college student. On the right was the video screenshot. Though slightly blurry, that square face, the unique contour of his features, the distance between his eyebrows and eyes...
The office instantly fell silent, leaving only the faint hum of the projector’s cooling fan. Everyone’s eyes darted back and forth between the two photos.
"They look similar! Too similar!"
"More than similar, this is the exact same person! Look at his nose, and the shape of his brow bone—they’re completely identical!"
"The video! Play the video, hurry!" Isaac urged.
The video began to play. The extra on the screen was leaning lazily against the wall with the others. When the director yelled "Action," he picked up a prop spear and blended into the crowd. In the ten-or-so-second video, the man only appeared for a brief two seconds. But that clear side profile of his already explained everything.
"It’s Keegan Lowell! No mistake about it!" an older detective slammed the table, his voice filled with uncontrollable excitement. "Damn it, this guy’s got some nerve! To think he’s hiding in the film studios as an extra! This is the definition of hiding in plain sight!"
"Five years! We’ve been chasing him for five years! To think he was right under our noses!"
The office erupted in an uproar as everyone grew thrilled.
"Captain! Give the order! We’ll head to the film studios right now, set up a perimeter, and take him down!"
"Yeah! We can’t let him get away again!"
Isaac’s heart was also pounding with excitement, but he was much calmer than his subordinates. He waved his hand, gesturing for everyone to quiet down. Catching Keegan would be a monumental achievement, but the closer they were, the less room there was for error.
Just then, his phone buzzed again. It was another WhatsApp message from that young lady, Wendy Lynch.
[Officer Adler, I’ve seen on those true crime shows that desperadoes like this fight back intensely when they’re being arrested. You all must be extra careful during the operation. Also, there were a lot of tourists when I went to the film studios yesterday. Please make sure no innocent bystanders get hurt.]
Looking at the text on his phone screen, Isaac’s brows, which had slightly relaxed from excitement, knitted back together tightly.
Keegan Lowell was an armed robber and murderer. He had blood on his hands; he was a true desperado. Moreover, back then, the guy had used a homemade gun to kill. That homemade gun still hadn’t been found. No one knew if that weapon was still in Keegan’s possession. If the guy was hiding a gun on him, the danger level would skyrocket.
The suspect’s hiding spot within a production crew at the film studios seemed audacious but was actually quite clever. Legends Film Studios was located within Mount Aeridor, and the scenic area took up less than one percent of the entire mountain. If they evacuated the crowd prematurely, Keegan would very likely sense that something was wrong. He could easily use the chaos to flee into Mount Aeridor. Even if he couldn’t escape, if he was driven to desperation and took hostages, the consequences would be unimaginable.
A forceful assault was absolutely not the best option. This young lady was not simple at all.
Isaac picked up the intercom on his desk and dialed a number. "Hello, Old Zhang? This is Isaac Adler from the police department. Please contact the general manager of Legends Film Studios for me immediately. Have him come to my office as quickly as possible. It’s an emergency!"
Hanging up the phone, he looked at his subordinates again. "Notify all field officers. Cancel all leaves. Everyone is on standby!"