"I've heard that this guy is really hard to mess with. Zhu Yuting smiled coldly, she didn't have the slightest sympathy for Zhu Wu, but the raid failed, and she couldn't be happy, which meant that the House of the Earth was still at large, planning the next earthquake.

"Thank you, Fu Zhiqiang, see you tomorrow. ”

She just hung up the phone, and another call came in, from the operator of the branch office: "A person claiming to be Professor Shang Zhigen has left you a message saying that he has an urgent matter. He has important news for you. ”

Zhu Yuting had a mental struggle, not knowing whether to call Ma Wencai and tell him the news, but she wanted to know too much what Shang Zhigen was going to say, she dialed the phone at his home, and when he answered the phone, she heard the sound of cartoons coming from the background.

She guessed that Shang Ming was still there, "I'm Zhu Yuting. She said.

"Hey, are you alright?"

She raised her eyebrows, he stayed with Shang Ming for a weekend, and his whole body became gentle, "I'm fine, but I'm no longer in charge of that case." She said.

"I know. I also tried to contact the person in charge, and the person's name is like a soul singer..."

"Ma Wencai. ”

"Yes, whether he's Ma Wencai or Head & Shoulders, it's like a singer. Zhu Yuting smiled.

Shang Zhigen said: "He won't answer my call, so I can only look for you. ”

It's more like Shang Zhigen's style, "Okay, what did you find?"

"Can you come for a trip? I'm really going to show you. ”

At the thought of seeing him again, she found herself overjoyed, even a little excited: "Do you have any snacks there?"

"I guess there's still a little left. ”

"Okay, I'll be there in fifteen to twenty minutes. ”

"I have to see my seismologist. She said to her father, "Do you want me to take you to the bus station?"

"I can't ride the bus like a homeless man, I'm a San Francisco police officer!"

"So what? The police are human beings, too. ”

"yes, but the street thugs don't know. ”

"They don't know you're human?"

"To them, I'm a half-human, half-god. He's having fun, but there's a sense to it. Zhu Yuting knew in her heart that he had been catching bad guys in this city for 30 years, and all the little gangsters on the other side of the street with drugs in their jackets were all afraid of their fathers.

"Do you want to come with me?"

"Of course, why not? I'd love to know what your handsome seismology parent looks like. "

She turned around and headed toward the Bay Bridge, "Where did you tell he's handsome?"

He grinned, "From the way you talk to him. He said triumphantly.

"You shouldn't apply police psychology to your own family. ”

"Whatever, you're my daughter, I can still see your little care.

"Well, you guessed it, he's pretty handsome, but I don't like him very much. "

"Really?" Daddy looked skeptical.

"He's very conceited, it's hard to get along with, but when he's around kids, he's gentle, and kids can make him soft-hearted. ”

"He's married?"

"Separated. ”

"Separation is also marriage. ”

Zhu Yuting could feel that her father was losing interest in Shang Zhigen, and the matter of marriage was like pouring cold water on her, she smiled at herself, he was still in a hurry to marry her off, but he still had the scruples of traditional parents.

And when they came to the university town, they drove up Avenida Oride, and there was an orange Cruze parked in the parking space that Zhu Yuting preferred, right under the magnolia tree, and she found another parking space.

When Shang Zhigen opened the door of the apartment, Zhu Yuting felt his facial expression stiff, "Hi, Shang Zhigen." She said, "This is my dad, dad."

"Come in. Shang Zhigen said abruptly.

In the short time that Zhu Yuting drove over, his mood seemed to have changed, and when they walked into the living room, Zhu Yuting understood the reason.

Shang Ming was lying on the couch, looking like he was in a bad situation. His eyes were red and swollen, tears were streaming from his eyes, and his nose was constantly boiling. And he's breathing heavily, and there's cartoons on TV, but he can't watch it at all.

Zhu Yuting knelt down beside him and touched his hair. "Poor Shang Ming!" she said, "What's wrong?"

"He had an allergy attack. Shang Zhigen explained.

"Did you call the doctor?"

"No, I gave him medicine to suppress allergic reactions. ”

"When will the effect of the medicine work?"

"It's working, he's past the worst, but he's probably going to have to suffer this for days. ”

"I wish I could do something for you, poor little one. Zhu Yuting said to Shang Ming.

At this time, a female voice said, "I will take care of him, and I won't worry about you." ”

Zhu Yuting stood up, turned around, and a woman walked in, like a catwalk on a fashion show, her face was white, her straight red hair hung down to her shoulders, although she was tall and thin, but her breasts were very plump, the curve of her hips was also rounded, she was wearing brown pencil jeans and a fashionable lime green V-neck top.

And until this moment, Zhu Yuting had always felt that she was dressed very fashionably, she was wearing gray shorts and tan slip-on shoes, which could set off her beautiful ankles, and the white polo shirt on her upper body could contrast with the brown milk-colored skin. Now the street photography beauty in front of her makes her feel ashamed, feeling like a middle-aged aunt who is behind the times, besides, Shang Zhigen will definitely notice that although Zhu Yuting has a big buttocks, her breasts are small.

"This is Ren Lian, Shang Ming's mother. Shang Zhigen said, "Ren Lian, this is my friend Zhu Yuting. ”

Ren Lian nodded slightly, it turned out that this was his wife.

Shang Zhigen didn't mention the FBI, did he want Ren Lian to think that Zhu Yuting was his girlfriend?

"This is my dad, dad. Zhu Yuting said.

Ren Lian didn't have the leisure to accompany them and said, "I'm about to leave." She said.

She was carrying a small Duffel satchel on her back, and the side of the satchel was painted with Donald Duck, which was obviously Shang Ming's thing.

Zhu Yuting felt that she was compared to Shang Zhigen's tall, stylish wife, and she was quite annoyed by her reaction, why should I care about this kind of thing?

Ren Lian looked around the room and said, "Shang Zhigen, where did you put that rabbit?"

"Here it is. Shang Zhigen picked up a dirty plush toy from his desk and handed it to her.

She looked at the child on the couch, "He won't be allergic in Huaxia. She said coldly.

Shang Zhigen looked pained: "Then what should I do, don't look at him?"

"We'll have to find a place to meet outside the city later. ”

"I want him to stay with me, and if he doesn't sleep here, there's no point. "

"If he hadn't stayed here to sleep, he wouldn't have been like this. ”

"I know, I know. ”

Zhu Yuting sympathized with Shang Zhigen from the bottom of her heart, he was obviously distressed, and his wife was so cold.

Ren Lian stuffed the rabbit into Donald Duck's schoolbag, zipped it up and said, "Shang Ming, we have to go."

"I'll send him to your car. Shang Zhigen picked up Shang Ming from the sofa, "Get up, little tiger, we have to go." ”

After they went out, Dad looked at Zhu Yuting and said, "Wow, what an unfortunate family." She nodded, but her impression of Shang Zhigen was better than before.

She wanted to put her arm around him and say, "You've done your best, and no one can do it better than you."

"But he's your type. Daddy said.

"I have a fixed type?"

"You love a challenge. ”

"That's because I grew up around this kind of person. ”

"Are you talking about me?" He pretended to be angry, "I've spoiled you. ”

She kissed him on the cheek and said, "yes, that's right. ”

When Shang Zhigen came back, his face was gloomy and his heart was heavy, he didn't pour water or make coffee for Zhu Yuting and his father, he completely forgot about snacks, he sat down in front of the computer.

"Look at this. He said without warning.

Zhu Yuting and his father stood behind him, crossed his shoulder, looked at the computer screen, and he made a chart: "This is the graphic of the earthquake in the Owens Valley, I told you, the pattern of the foreshock is very weird, I can't figure it out, remember?"

"Of course I do. Zhu Yuting said.

"This chart shows a typical graph of an earthquake of the same magnitude, which is a normal foreshock, can you see the difference between the two?"

"Yes. "

The normal pattern of foreshocks is uneven and irregular, whereas the pattern of foreshocks of the Owens Valley earthquake has rules to follow, and it is too regular to look like it is naturally formed.

"Now, let's take a look at this. He brought up the third chart. It shows a regular and neat vibration graph, just like the chart of the earthquake in the Owens Valley.

"What caused these vibrations?" Zhu Yuting asked.

"Seismic vibrators. Shang Zhigen proudly announced.

Daddy said, "What the hell is that?" "Zhu Yuting almost said, I don't know, but I want one. She couldn't help laughing.

Shang Zhigen said: "This is a machine, which is used in the petroleum industry for underground exploration. Basically, it's a giant hammer rock drill mounted on a truck, which conducts vibrations into the earth's crust. ”

"And then these vibrations can cause earthquakes?"

"I don't think it's a coincidence. ”

Zhu Yuting nodded solemnly: "So, the truth is like this, they can really create earthquakes. When she heard the news, she felt a chill.

Daddy said, "Oh my God, I hope they don't come to San Francisco. ”

"Don't come to a college town either. Shang Zhigen said, "Actually, although I have been telling you that this is possible, I actually don't believe it in my heart, until now. ”

"The magnitude of the Owens Valley earthquake was very small. ”

Shang Zhigen shook his head: "We can't let our guard down because of this. The magnitude of an earthquake has nothing to do with the force of the earthquake, the surface depends on the pressure on the fault, and seismic vibrations can cause earthquakes of various magnitudes, from minor ground tremors to large earthquakes. "

Zhu Yuting still remembers the earthquake that happened that year, and it was like a nightmare last night. “FK!" She said, "What are we going to do?"

Daddy said, "You're no longer in charge of that case." "

Shang Zhigen frowned, showing a confused expression. "You told me about it," he said to Zhu Yuting, "but you didn't tell me why. ”

"Office politics. Zhu Yuting said, "I have a new boss who doesn't like me and reassigns the case to someone he likes. "

"I can't believe it!" Shang Zhigen said, "Terrorists are causing earthquakes, but the FBI is still fighting in the nest!"

"What can I say? Will scientists let personal vendettas hinder their search for truth?"

Shang Zhigen suddenly grinned: "They really do this, but, anyway, you will definitely relay this clue to Ma Wencai, right?"

"When I told my boss that Hu Yakun was suspicious, he ordered me not to interfere anymore. "

"How can this be! Shang Zhigen said, becoming indignant, "You can't turn a blind eye to the clues I gave you. ”

"Don't worry, I won't be like this. Zhu Yuting said briefly, "Let's calm down first, think about what we need to do next after this clue." ”

If we can find out where the seismic shaker in their hand came from, we might be able to find the House of Earth. ”

"Yes. Daddy said, "They're either stolen or picked up, and there's a better chance they'll pick them up. "

Zhu Yuting asked Shang Zhigen: "How many such machines are there in the country? 100 or 1,000?"

"It's somewhere between a hundred and a thousand. He said.

That is, not a lot. So maybe the manufacturer will keep a record of every single sale, and I can go and track the sales tonight and have them make a list. If the truck in the hands of a terrorist is stolen, the stolen truck may be listed in the National Crime Information Center. ”

The National Crime Information Center, or NCIC, is run by the FBI's headquarters in Washington, D.D., and its information is accessible to any law enforcement agency.

"The NCIC can only look for information that has been entered, we don't know the license plate of the truck, and you don't know how that information is categorized on the computer, so I can have the San Francisco Police Department send out an application for an interstate lookup on the CLETS computer," Daddy said. ”

CLETS is short for California's Law Enforcement Communications System, "And I can get a newspaper to print a picture of this truck for people to look for." ”

"Wait," Zhu Yuting said, "If you do this, Zhu Wu will know that I am secretly investigating." ”

Shang Zhigen rolled his eyes in despair.

Daddy said, "Not necessarily, I'm not going to tell the newspaper that this has anything to do with the House of the Earth, I'm just going to say that we're looking for a stolen seismic shaker, which is rare, and they're going to love it." ”

"That's great. Zhu Yuting said, "Shang Zhigen, can I print these three pictures?"

"Absolutely. He pressed a button, and the printer began to hum.

Zhu Yuting put a hand on his shoulder, although through the cotton suit, she could still feel the temperature of his skin. "I really hope Shang Ming can get better. She said.

He put his hand over hers. "Thank you. "His touch was light and his palms were dry.

She felt a hint of joy, and then he took his hand away and said to her, "Well, you can give me the number of your personal cell phone, so that I can find you sooner if I have any urgency." ”

Zhu Yuting took out a business card, she thought for a moment, wrote her home phone number on the business card, and then handed it to him.

Shang Zhigen said, "After you are done today," he hesitated for a moment, "Would you like to have a drink together, or have a meal in the evening?" I would really like to know how the case is going. ”

"I can't come. Daddy said, "I'm going to watch a bowling game." ”

"Zhu Yuting, what about you?"

Is he dating me?

"I was going to visit the hospital. She said.

Shang Zhigen looked dejected, and Zhu Yuting realized that she didn't want to do anything tonight except for dinner with Shang Zhigen, and I was afraid that I would not be able to spend the whole night, she said, "I can come." ”

After the old man was diagnosed with cancer, in just a week, he had lost a lot of weight and a lot older, maybe it had something to do with the walls of the hospital, the treatment equipment everywhere, the hospital beds, the white sheets, or maybe the pallor skin under his neck that was exposed in the swirling blue hospital gown, he had lost all the symbols of power, his big desk, Montblanc pens, striped silk tie.

Zhu Yuting was shocked when she saw him like this. "Oh my God, old man, you're kind of scary looking like this. She couldn't help but blurt out.

He smiled: "I knew you wouldn't lie to me, Zhu Yuting. ”