Sergeant William's calm yet weighty question echoed through the empty dock area, making Lin Jie understand that his first "major examination" had officially begun.
He didn't allow himself to be overwhelmed by the other man's powerful aura of an experienced hunter. Instead, facing William's probing gaze, he systematically laid out his plan.
"My plan has two steps." Lin Jie's voice showed no trace of nervousness. "First, information gathering. We need to enter Warehouse Number Three, but what concerns me isn't the stolen goods themselves, but the detailed inventory of missing items and their original storage locations."
"We need to know exactly what the thief 'prefers' to steal, and how it managed to enter this 'sealed iron can'."
"Second step, waiting for the prey." He continued, "After understanding the thief's crime patterns and infiltration routes, we'll hide inside the warehouse tonight."
"I don't believe anything can vanish into thin air—it must have its own behavioral patterns. What I need to do is disrupt its rhythm and force it to reveal itself."
The plan sounded standard and conventional, the kind of basic procedure any detective would employ.
Marcus, listening nearby, showed slight disappointment on his face, seeming to think this newcomer whom Barton had high hopes for was nothing special.
However, William, who had remained silent until now, showed a different expression in his eyes after hearing the plan.
"Because every theft has its internal logic." Lin Jie explained. "By analyzing the relationship between the storage locations of stolen items and the warehouse's internal structure, we can deduce the thief's movement paths, physical size, and even its thought patterns."
"A rational thief would choose goods closest to exits and easiest to transport, while an irrational thief might ignore distance and difficulty, taking only what 'interests' it. This difference in behavioral patterns can tell us a great deal."
William gave Lin Jie a deep look but said nothing more, simply nodding before walking directly to the warehouse door. Using a strangely shaped master key, he easily opened the massive brass lock that even Scotland Yard had considered unpickable.
His action had already demonstrated his approval of the first step of Lin Jie's plan.
Inside the warehouse, the lighting was extremely dim, with massive shelves extending into darkness beyond sight.
The floor beneath their feet showed a thin layer of accumulated dust covered with messy footprints.
They had already dismissed the manager, leaving only Lin Jie, William, and Marcus—who followed last to "watch the show"—in the warehouse.
"Sergeant William, could you please examine the physical traces here." Lin Jie began assigning tasks very naturally. "Especially the windows, corners, and floor—check for any unusual marks besides those from us and the warehouse workers. Mr. Marcus, you can... keep watch at the entrance for us."
Marcus choked slightly at this half-joking instruction, but seeing William had already begun working seriously, he could only sulkily cross his arms and lean against the doorframe.
Lin Jie then took out the stolen goods inventory provided by Scotland Yard—compiled from the warehouse manager's memory—and began comparing it with rows of crates on the shelves.
Soon, he discovered the problem.
The stolen items, just as described in the case files, were diverse and seemingly random in selection.
Here, a case of brass ingots used for making high-end clothing buttons was missing; there, a bundle of expensive natural rubber sheets shipped from South America had disappeared.
Even a barrel of industrial oil used for lubricating crane components in the corner was half gone.
None of these items could be considered top-tier valuables.
A professional theft ring would never expend enormous effort and risk discovery to infiltrate such a heavily guarded warehouse just to steal these low-value industrial materials.
This completely violated the "economic principles" of crime.
Lin Jie took out his notebook and began quickly recording.
He didn't note the items' values, but instead categorized their "characteristics":
"Metals: brass, tin blocks, small amount of mercury (stored in special containers)."
"Non-metals: rubber, leather, small amount of asphalt."
"Liquids: lubricating oil, linseed oil."
Looking at this list, the vague suspicion in Lin Jie's mind grew increasingly clear.
These items indeed seemed completely unrelated when viewed individually.
But if examined from a "craftsman's" perspective... they encompassed most of the basic materials needed to manufacture a complex non-steam-powered mechanical device—transmission components (brass), insulation and sealing parts (rubber), lubricants, and even a special energy source (mercury).
This wasn't theft at all—this was targeted "procurement"! The perpetrator wasn't stealing for profit through resale, but to "build" something using these materials!
Just as Lin Jie immersed himself in his logical deductions, William—who had been quietly conducting his investigation in the warehouse—slowly approached.
"Found something." His voice remained concise, but carried a grave tone.
He led Lin Jie to a remote ventilation window at the warehouse's highest level.
By the light of the carbide lamp, Lin Jie saw what William was pointing at.
On the windowsill thick with accumulated dust, there were several extremely tiny yet perfectly clear marks.
They weren't human footprints, nor were they claw marks from any common animal.
The marks looked... as if made by many insect-like segmented legs.
"Not just here." William pointed next to the wall extending from the windowsill down to the top of the shelves below.
The wall appeared smooth, but under William's eagle-eyed observation, some subtle scratches barely visible to the naked eye became apparent.
"It's small in size, possibly numerous." William made his assessment. "They can climb on these nearly vertical walls and possess significant strength—enough to bend iron ventilation bars. And..."
He pointed to some similarly subtle oily stains on the shelf tops, "They're contaminated with that oily smell we detected in the drainage channel earlier. This proves that underground drainage system is their 'dedicated route.'"
William's discoveries and Lin Jie's deductions formed a perfect closed loop at this moment.
Lin Jie had deduced the perpetrator's "motive"—gathering materials to construct something.
William had identified the perpetrator's "physical characteristics" (small size, numerous, strong climbing ability) and "infiltration route" (underground drainage channel - high ventilation window).
The outline of a "secret factory" hidden beneath London's docks, composed of unknown creatures resembling mechanical worker ants, had been clearly sketched out by their combined efforts.
Marcus also approached, looking at those non-human traces. The disdain on his face had completely vanished, replaced by a hunter's excitement and seriousness.
"Well done. Looks like we'll have quite a show tonight." His gaze toward Lin Jie now carried some recognition.
William turned his eyes to Lin Jie, his expression seeming to say: "Alright, I've given you the information. Now it's up to you, the 'commander,' to arrange your battlefield."
Facing the gazes of the two experienced hunters, that confidence born from controlling the situation surged within Lin Jie once more.
"Gentlemen," he said with a smile, "I believe I already know where our 'guests' will enter from tonight. Now, let's prepare a welcome party these little collectors will never forget."