Dark Light Chaser.

Chapter 25 Extrajudicial Punishers

After leaving the interrogation room, Shi Feng immediately arranged for the technical department to go to Xu Zhihai's dilapidated house to collect clues.

The field investigation team has all gone to the vicinity of Wang Qiang's death site to conduct interviews and investigations, so the technical department staff have to take over for now.

After assigning the tasks, Shi Feng turned a corner and arrived at another room called the Interrogation (Resting) Room.

Ai Liang sat quietly on the sofa, just like the previous times.

He's a regular here.

When Shi Feng came in, Ai Liang was on the phone with Yue Qihua.

"Yes, I have something to do this afternoon and can't go for the time being."

"Huh? You stood me up three times last week, and you're showing up again this week? You didn't get arrested by the police again, did you?"

"I'm just here to provide some clues."

"Does such a large team rely entirely on you to solve cases? Do you think this is a TV drama?"

The interrogation room has excellent sound insulation; once the door is closed, no outside noise can get in.

So Shi Feng, who just came in, happened to hear this complaint.

"Cough cough."

Shi Feng coughed twice, feigning an apology. Ai Liang glanced at him and said, "Someone's here. I'll hang up now."

Beep, Ai Liang pressed the hang-up button to end the call.

"girlfriend?"

Shi Feng didn't feel embarrassed at all and calmly sat down next to Ai Liang.

"You're just a classmate. Instead of gathering evidence, you have time to come over and chat with me?"

Ai Liang put away her phone and asked.

"If I had to do everything myself in such a large brigade, the security situation in Nevada would have collapsed long ago."

Shi Feng patted Ai Liang on the shoulder and said, "How did you figure out that Xu Zhihai was the mastermind?"

Haven't you given up on getting me to take the police academy entrance exam?

Ai Liang glanced at Shi Feng's palm and thought to herself.

"I found Xu Zhihai's notebook by chance and discovered the poems in it, which naturally made the connection."

Ai Liang told the truth.

This time, he did not rely on superpowers but reached a conclusion through reasoning.

Instead of praising Ai Liang's intelligence, Shi Feng asked this question: "What if I said that Xu Zhihai would be released in a few days?"

"There's no evidence to convict him, so isn't it normal to release him?"

Ai Liang was scrolling through her chat app with her head down.

In a group chat of five, Yue Qihua was clamoring to bring Yang Xingyue to the criminal investigation team to bail someone out.

"Since you know that, why did you go looking for Xu Zhihai alone?"

Seeing that Ai Liang remained unmoved, Shi Feng tightened his grip on Ai Liang's shoulder. He rarely wore a serious expression in front of Ai Liang: "Aren't you worried that he will take revenge on you and the people around you after he gets out?"

Hearing this, Ai Liang finally looked up at Shi Feng.

Is he genuinely concerned about me, or did he investigate my family situation before saying this on purpose?

Unsure of Shi Feng's true motives, Ai Liang could only change the subject.

"Xu Zhihai isn't the type to get involved personally; he prefers to operate from behind the scenes, manipulating others to achieve his goals, and his pride prevents that."

Before Ai Liang could finish speaking, Shi Feng rudely interrupted her: "You're talking about pride with a criminal? I know you're smart and capable, but blind self-confidence will only ruin you! Criminals' bottom lines are constantly changing, but life is only once. You can't gamble with your own life!"

Shi Feng's tone gradually became reprimanding, clearly dissatisfied with Ai Liang's direct confrontation with Xu Zhihai.

Danger? What danger could a guy who can be crushed with a flick of the wrist pose?

Ai Liang felt helpless.

But since others don't know he's no ordinary person, it's normal for them to have concerns, so he could only give a perfunctory reply.

"understood."

"Not only do you know, but you also need to promise that next time something like this happens, you will call the police immediately, understand?"

Shi Feng shook Ai Liang's shoulder and said.

And next time?

You're probably dreaming, trying to use me as a free detective?

After silently cursing to herself, Ai Liang deliberately said, "No, I'll definitely avoid cases in the future and not cause trouble for the police."

Didn't you tell me to be careful? Well, I'll stay far away, okay?

'Don't ask me to consider safety issues if you don't want me to call the police.'

This is Ai Liang's subtext.

Shi Feng's serious expression froze instantly.

He suddenly remembered that he was supposed to bring Ai Liang into the criminal investigation team.

The person who can become the captain of the criminal investigation team is very quick-witted and also has an exceptionally thick skin.

"Ah, that's good.

Shi Feng pretended not to hear the implication in Ai Liang's words and continued, "However, there's absolutely no problem with you applying to the police academy. How about I directly recruit you for field work after you graduate from the police academy?"

Ai Liang was too lazy to pay attention to him and simply ignored him.

However, at that moment, another wave of negative emotions surged into his mind.

Ai Liang covered her head with her hands, forcibly enduring the pain.

"What's wrong? Are you okay?"

Ai Liang's unusual reaction immediately drew greetings from Shi Feng.

"It's nothing, my head just hurts a little from staring at the computer for so long."

The impact came suddenly and went quickly, and was forcibly suppressed after a dozen seconds.

The trigger was probably that too many emotions were revealed during the conversation with Shi Feng, just like pouring a kettle of water into an old-fashioned water pump before use; the expression of emotions triggered the eruption of negative emotions.

Suppressing negative emotions—that's why Ai Liang maintains a cold and aloof attitude.

It seems Ai Liang's endurance has reached its limit; if she isn't addressed soon, it could lead to irreversible consequences. What happens when you open a bottle of cola after it's been shaken continuously?
"If there's nothing else, I'll go back and rest now."

Shi Feng thought for a moment and said, "Well, you've been involved in so many things these past few days, it would be best to ask the school for leave and rest for a while."

"I will."

After saying that, Ai Liang picked up her laptop bag and left the room.

Back home, Ai Liang took out an old-fashioned black cell phone that had been gathering dust for a long time.

In today's society where smartphones are ubiquitous, these decades-old button-operated relics are almost extinct, and most communication base stations can no longer receive mobile phone signals.

These phones and their dedicated SIM cards are still only produced in a few illegal workshops, which have even built dedicated communication base stations for them. All this fuss isn't about retro style or nostalgia; there are some things that can't be said over a normal phone call, as that would be handing someone leverage over their weaknesses.

The base station wasn't established by a single individual, but rather by a consortium of various factions. Daily communication records are destroyed, so there's no risk of leaks; the only downside is that maintenance requires a relatively large number of temporary workers.

Ai Liang found a data cable, charged it for ten minutes, and then dialed a number.

"Hello? Who is it?"

A hoarse, synthesized voice came from the other end of the phone; it was obvious without even thinking that it wasn't the real voice.

"It is I, the Hermit."

Ai Liang's voice was completely different from usual; it sounded like both an old person and a child, and its timbre was so neutral that it was impossible to tell if it was male or female.

The person on the other end of the phone hesitated for a moment before asking, "The Hermit? I'll just put yesterday's drinks on the tab."

"No need to test me anymore. I'm going to a bar tonight, so remember to have my savings ready."

After finishing her sentence, Ai Liang hung up the phone without hesitation and went to the mirror in the bathroom.

The boy's body and face in the mirror twisted and turned, and in less than a minute, an unfamiliar face appeared in the mirror. The person in the mirror was slightly taller than Ai Liang, and his face was as if it had been carved by a knife and axe, with a hint of wildness.

This is Ai Liang's other identity: an extrajudicial enforcer.

This cringeworthy nickname wasn't given to Ai Liang by himself, but rather as a code name given to him by the police. After experiencing a loss of control over his abilities, Ai Liang began to overstep the law to punish perpetrators of torture and murder, which led to this title.

The nickname "Black Zone" was changed to this in the police files because it didn't pass censorship.

Simply put, Ai Liang has taken many lives.

At the age of five, Ai Liang gained superpowers. Naturally, she wouldn't just live an ordinary life doing nothing. After some preparation, she transformed into a dark hero to fight crime. As for why she went from assisting the police in fighting crime to becoming a hunter who couldn't tolerate any wrongdoing, that's a long story, and I won't go into the details.

All we need to know now is one conclusion: Ai Liang no longer wants to get involved in the messy affairs of the underworld.

After transforming, Ai Liang returned to her room and pulled a locked suitcase from under the bed. Inside the suitcase was a hooded trench coat wrapped in a sealed bag, a wooden short knife made of iron birch, and several carbon steel throwing knives.

After changing her clothes, it was completely dark. Ai Liang turned off the lights in the house, leaving only one light on in the bedroom.

Ai Liang went to the balcony, and ripples of mental energy spread outwards from the balcony. After confirming that no one was watching the apartment building, Ai Liang jumped off the balcony and landed on the ground.

This was to create the illusion that he had never left since returning home, even though no one had ever suspected him. Ai Liang never missed a chance to put on a disguise, because if his other identity were exposed, there would be no place for him in Neva City.

After walking for a while, avoiding the crowds, Ai Liang hailed a taxi.

"Hello, where are you going?"

The taxi driver hesitated for a moment when he saw the suspicious man in front of him, who was wearing a black trench coat, a hood, and a half-face mask in the middle of summer. But after Ai Liang took out a wad of cash, he decisively opened the car door.

"Third Avenue Industrial Zone, Neihua Road".

A muffled sound came from behind the mask.

The taxi driver felt a chill run down his spine upon hearing this. He had heard other colleagues mention this address before; it seemed to be the territory of a group of criminals. The guy in the back seat, completely wrapped in a trench coat, practically had "I'm not a good person" written all over his face. Going there was bound to be no good.

As he hesitated about whether to take the job, Ai Liang handed him two more banknotes.

The driver thought of his son's tutoring fees and his wife's complaints when calculating living expenses, and he gritted his teeth.

Damn it, at worst I'll just make him get off the bus early.

Once the driver was determined, he planned his route and started the car. He sped along the road, making it feel like he was going 100 miles per hour when he was going 50.

When they were about 500 meters from their destination, Ai Liang asked to get off the bus.

The surrounding environment has changed a lot in the few years I've been here. How much has it changed?

The public restroom he used to change clothes in has now become a hotel. This subtle sense of incongruity is like being in a math class where the teacher is explaining a linear equation in two variables, then dozes off and when he looks up again, the blackboard has become a Fourier transform formula.

Fortunately, the self-service restaurant used as a cover for the intelligence point remained unchanged, finally allowing Ai Liang to find a trace of familiar taste.

This place is very remote. Along the way, Ai Liang saw several groups of young men who looked like thugs leaning against their motorcycles, smoking and talking loudly. This is a scene unique to industrial areas. In other places, they would be caught and questioned by patrolling police officers in no time. That's how strict the security is in Nevada now.

Perhaps it is this high-pressure system that causes the suppressed humanity in some dark corners to become even more frenzied.

Ai Liang's bizarre attire attracted many ill-intentioned glances, but no one chose to provoke her as they passed by. The thugs in this area naturally had some involvement in the underworld, and it was normal for them to die if they rashly provoked those strange and unknown people.

Ai Liang was happy to see this happen so easily.

Ai Liang went to the alley next to the restaurant and entered the restaurant's warehouse through the back door.

Two men dressed as waiters were resting in chairs in the warehouse, but the pistols on their waists meant they weren't exactly regular waiters.

Ai Liang walked straight to their side. The two were used to his strange attire; most people who came here would hide their identities.

"Pass."

One of the waiters leaned back in his chair and called out lazily.

Ai Liang glanced at him, took out her black phone and stuck it on the duty roster, and the shelves next to her automatically parted to the sides.

Seeing this, the lazy waiter quietly removed his hand from his waist and then chatted casually with another person.

Ai Liang walked down the stairs to the basement, reached out and pushed open the brown iron door with crossed pistols printed on it, and was greeted by a strong smell of alcohol.

The patrons here are on edge almost every time the door is opened, and this time was no exception. Almost 70% of them glanced at the door, but after confirming that it wasn't the cops, they turned their attention back to their own business.

However, Ai Liang's attire still evoked some unpleasant memories for some people, including a burly white man holding a wine glass.

Ai Liang had just found an empty seat when he plopped down opposite him, slamming his wine glass onto the table with a bang, splashing a lot of yellowish-brown liquid.

The surrounding drinkers all turned their attention to this scene with a spectator's attitude.

The bar only sells information and drinks and doesn't offer much entertainment. Watching others fight is one of the few forms of amusement. It's best if one of them dies, as that would at least add a bit of fun to the dull night.

Amidst the onlookers' spectators, the burly man spoke up: "New here? Don't you know that hooded trench coats are prohibited here?"

The burly white man cracked his knuckles: "Take your clothes off, you bastard!"

As he spoke, he reached out to Ai Liang's face to pull off the mask, but the next moment his right hand was firmly restrained, and only then did Ai Liang notice the tattoo on his wrist.

"A fugitive from the Cat's Eye Gang?"

A voice, indistinguishable between male and female, young and old, came from behind a mask, filled with weariness and disgust.

The white, muscular man's expression changed instantly.

There's a reason why he hates hooded trench coats so much.

Ten years ago, Nevada was not as peaceful and prosperous as it is now. Back then, the city was extremely chaotic, with various gangs emerging one after another. Almost every so often, a new gang would be formed or an old gang would be wiped out. If you didn't know better, you would think you had taken the wrong flight and arrived in a free America where gunfights were a daily occurrence.

This situation continued until the executioner in the hooded trench coat appeared.

That self-proclaimed champion of justice, a serial killer, would indiscriminately slit the throats of anyone from the Black Zone he encountered, treating firearms as nothing and slaughtering every living person in sight like a ghost.

The burly white man was a gang survivor who had experienced the massacre.

Every time he sees a hooded trench coat, it triggers terrifying memories in his heart, which is why he is extremely averse to people who wear hooded trench coats. He wants to numb himself and overcome his nightmares by beating up people who wear such clothes.

'Anyway, that 'recluse' hasn't appeared for almost five years; he's probably dead in some stinking garbage dump.'

He thought this way until Ai Liang spoke.

However, just one sentence reawakened the fear deep within him and reminded him of his lowly position at the bottom of the food chain.

Feeling the immense force in his wrist and seeing the other man's cold, unwavering gaze, the burly man spoke.

"Let me go."

With a flash of silver light, the burly man clutched his neck tightly with his left hand, and with a hissing sound of air leaking out, he quickly collapsed onto the table with a thud and fell silent.

(End of this chapter)