The Heir to the Seven Killers in the City

Chapter 50: Huicheng

Jiangcheng and Huicheng face each other across the sea, as if rivers were converging here. The intricate web of connections between these two cities is just like those rivers—bottomless… In the early hours of the morning, on the outskirts of Huicheng—a once-desolate area where few people ever passed—several police cars were now parked. The officers took care not to turn on their sirens; after pulling over to the side, they quickly made their way to the bank of an inland river. Once at the riverbank, the officers surveyed the area, seemingly searching for something. Before long, they retrieved a plastic bag from the water. When they opened it, they found a body inside—the face covered in bruises. It appeared the victim had drowned and was no longer breathing. The police continued their search without showing any emotion, but after finding nothing else, they left the scene shortly thereafter. “Is that it? Huh? They’re the People’s Armed Police, you know. Are we just going to let them get killed like that?” A man at the Police Station seemed unusually agitated as he vented his anger at the only officer sitting there. “They were undercover agents. If they’d been exposed…” the officer said helplessly. “So what if they were undercover? Does that make them our colleagues? I don’t know why we have to be so cautious. If I were in charge, I’d immediately order a full investigation. If we can’t find any evidence, I’d have every last one of them thrown in jail—or executed!” the man said, even more furious. “Wang Hao, do you think I’m not worried as the chief? We all know how deeply rooted and complex a case like this is—how could we possibly tip them off? It’s just a shame that Little Li had to sacrifice his life like this… But since Old Zhu’s body hasn’t been found, there’s still a sliver of hope that he’s alive. We won’t give up.” Hearing the chief’s words, the man named Wang Hao had no choice but to swallow his anger. He snorted and fell silent. “You’re the only undercover agent left in the Yuanshan Group right now. Since the random inspection didn’t catch you this time, you’re safe for the moment. If you’ve got what it takes, hurry up and find the evidence to avenge those two,” the chief said again. Wang Hao looked at the chief, sighed, and said, his anger subsiding, “The chairman of Yuanshan Group has a birthday coming up in a few days. I should be able to get in. The only people allowed there are those who have business dealings with Yuanshan Group—and eight out of ten of them are probably up to no good. I suspect there might be accomplices in their illicit network among them. This is likely our only chance for the time being.” “Should I arrange for some people to back you up?” the Chief asked. Wang Hao shook his head and said, “Never mind. We’ve seen just how ruthless they are. It’ll be hard enough for me to go in alone without getting caught.” The Director didn’t say much more; after all, Wang Hao knew the ins and outs of the Yuanshan Group better than anyone, and his only hope now rested on Wang Hao. Wang Hao didn’t say much more to the chief; he simply turned and left the room. It was already the early hours of the morning, yet most of the police officers at the Police Station were still on duty. From time to time, Wang Hao could hear the sobs of a female officer. He understood that his colleagues, who had always been cheerful and chatty, had died for nothing—who wouldn’t be heartbroken? But no one felt the pain more deeply than Wang Hao. The three of them had been through life-and-death situations together, and he had actually witnessed the other two being killed with his own eyes. The more he thought about it, the heavier his heart grew. He walked out of the police station and lit a cigarette on a whim. The moon tonight was unusually large, but to Wang Hao, its light only made his heart feel desolate. He stubbed out the cigarette and walked alone down the street, tears slowly streaming down his face. The moon was exceptionally round tonight, and Lin Xiaorui found it particularly delightful. She and Qin Yu had arrived in Huicheng aboard Lin Hao’s boat. Lin Hao handed the address and keys to the two of them and left them to their own devices—which was exactly what they wanted. Earlier, Lin Xiaorui had been summoned home in a hurry, where Lin Hao told her to accompany him to Huicheng for the birthday banquet of the chairman of Yuanshan Group. Although Lin Xiaorui didn’t want to go, Lin Hao was, after all, her godfather; as long as it wasn’t something that went against her conscience, she was willing to do it. Lin Hao also readily agreed to let Qin Yu accompany them, and Qin Yu was already prepared—ready to turn and walk away if it turned out to be a trap or if anything adverse were to happen to either of them. Huicheng was more developed than Jiangcheng. As another coastal city, Huicheng’s nightscape was far more beautiful than Jiangcheng’s, and with the moonlight just right tonight, it added a unique touch of beauty to the night. After Lin Hao left, Qin Yu and Lin Xiaorui were in no hurry to return—in fact, they had no intention of going back at all. Since they were already here, regardless of whether the road ahead held dangers, the two decided to take a stroll and enjoy the beautiful scenery first. By the early hours of the morning, the streets of Huicheng were still quite crowded. The city’s high-tech aesthetic left the two of them spellbound—especially Lin Xiaorui, who looked around with delight. Qin Yu was just as happy, though his heart was still weighed down by many worries. He knew this trip to Huicheng was by no means just a simple business expense. Although the dangers involved hadn’t yet come to light, they were easy to imagine. “Come on, you’re such a blockhead. Why worry so much? Let’s just have fun first,” Lin Xiaorui said, having sensed Qin Yu’s thoughts. Lin Xiaorui then grabbed Qin Yu’s hand and ran off cheerfully, but perhaps because she was so overjoyed that she wasn’t paying attention to her surroundings, she suddenly bumped into someone. However, Qin Yu’s reflexes were lightning-fast—he pulled her back just as she was about to make contact with the other person. “Don’t you have eyes in your head?” the person they were about to hit snapped angrily. Lin Xiaorui knew she was in the wrong and immediately apologized, while Qin Yu just stood there motionless. “You’re a pretty young lady. Why don’t you come over and keep me company?” Just then, the two of them got a clear look at the man they’d nearly collided with. He was 1. 7 meters tall but weighed 200 jin, and with two tall, burly bodyguards by his side, he looked even more of a loser. “What do you mean by that?” Qin Yu said, his expression unreadable. “Oh, you’re getting jealous already? Never mind that what I said earlier was just a joke—even if I really meant it, what could you do about it? Are you really going to play the hero and save the damsel in distress? Are you up to it, kid?” the man said with a laugh. “Want to give it a try?” Qin Yu continued. “Oh, kid, your grandpa’s giving you a way out, but you’re not taking it, are you? This pretty young lady must be blind to have run into someone as ungrateful as you.” As the man spoke, the two bodyguards at his side sprang into action. Qin Yu nonchalantly let the two of them make the first move. They casually tugged at him, trying to drag him over, only to discover it was as if they were pulling an iron block—even when they applied all their strength, he didn’t budge an inch. Qin Yu sighed, then effortlessly landed a punch on each of them. The two men fell to the ground as if they were staging a hit-and-run scam. “Bro, your bodyguards aren’t up to much. Why don’t you take them on yourself?” Qin Yu said with a smile, rubbing his fists together. The man was clearly terrified by the situation; he turned and ran off without a second thought. Qin Yu and Lin Xiaorui stood there laughing, then continued on their way through the night.