Hong Kong film: Refusing to go undercover, the policeman's path to becoming the richest man.

Chapter 69: Completely Trapped in a Pre-Designated Dead End by the Police

This guy, how did he become one of the Ni family's Five Tigers? The fact that we haven't been able to catch him after all these years is a disgrace to the police force!

If people like this can be bosses, then Liu Jianming should have been king long ago.

Just then, Cheng Guobin gently patted his shoulder: "What are you thinking about?"

Liu Jianming truthfully stated, "Wen Zheng is one of the five tigers of the Ni family—we've been chasing him for years, but to no avail."

"They've been caught so easily?"

"It's a bit...unreal."

Cheng Guobin smiled, a deep smile: "You're right."

"Professional matters should be left to professionals."

"Drug trafficking, they're experts; murder, barely passable; but disposing of corpses?"

He scoffed, "That's a joke."

Then, he gave Liu Jianming a meaningful look and said, "You are a lucky charm."

Liu Jianming was taken aback, then pointed to himself: "Me? A lucky charm?"

"That's right." Cheng Guobin's smile widened. "The person we've been staking out for years has come to us without us.

He shook his head, his tone filled with emotion: "Who would have thought that the clue to solving this major case would actually come from our brothers in the traffic unit?"

Liu Jianming was startled, his mind buzzing.

Something's not right.

The script is completely messed up!

In his memory, the layout of Tsim Sha Tsui was clearly one where Han Chen held absolute power, while Gandhi and Wen Zheng bowed down to him.

How did it turn into a duel between two dragons?

Before he could even process his thoughts, Wen Zheng suddenly shouted, "Inspector Cheng! I have a crucial lead!"

"I didn't kill them! Gandhi did it!"

"The gun's still in the trunk, and all the fingerprints are Gandhi's!"

"We're all part of a drug trafficking gang in Tsim Sha Tsui, but I'm just a small fry—the real boss is Han Chen!"

"He ordered the execution of Guoliang and Heigui! He set up this trap!"

"I'm willing to be a witness for the prosecution!"

"I also have the recording! The entire conversation is there!"

Cheng Guobin narrowed his eyes: "Oh?"

Wen Zheng hurriedly pulled out a miniature recorder from his pocket and pressed the play button with trembling fingers.

After a crackling sound of electricity, a low, gloomy voice slowly rang out: "Let's speak frankly."

"We're in a business that risks your life."

"I must offer a pledge of loyalty."

"Without leverage over anyone, who would trust anyone?"

Cheng Guobin's pupils contracted, he reached out and snatched the tape recorder, listened to the whole recording, and his face instantly showed an uncontrollable joy!

"Okay! I promise you!"

Wen Zheng slumped to the ground and let out a long sigh.

Fortunately—fortunately, I was careful back then!

Otherwise, we would truly be dead without a burial place today!

Cheng Guobin's spirits lifted, and he waved his hand, ordering, "Protect Mr. Wen well, and return to the police station immediately!"

Liu Jianming stood there, his hands icy cold, his shirt soaked with cold sweat.

He had only one thought: he was doomed.

How did things get to this point?

Wen Zheng actually secretly recorded the conversation?!

Isn't this going to drag everyone down with them?

No! We must notify Han Chen!

He gritted his teeth, pulled out his phone, and quickly typed a text message: "Wen Zheng has been arrested and has confessed. Run!"

Just as I tapped to send, my phone was suddenly snatched away.

Looking up, Cheng Guobin was standing in front of me, smiling broadly.

The muzzle of the gun was firmly pressed against his forehead.

"I told you," Cheng Guobin said softly, his tone eerily gentle, "you are truly my lucky star."

"This gift is too precious."

Liu Jianming's vision went black, his legs went weak, and he slid down the seat to the ground.

It’s over.

It's all over.

He opened his mouth, still trying to struggle: "Inspector Cheng—I just wanted to tell my family—I'm working overtime tonight and won't be going home—"

Cheng Guobin laughed even more heartily, as if he had heard the funniest joke.

The muzzle remained completely still.

"When did Han Chen become family?"

Ruined!

Liu Jianming's mind exploded, and his blood seemed to freeze instantly.

Wen Zheng was suddenly shocked, his pupils shrinking sharply: "You—you're actually Brother Chen's—Han Chen's—undercover agent?!"

Cold sweat trickled down his back. He practically jumped up and roared, "Inspector Cheng! What the hell is your police force doing?! You actually let Han Chen plant an informant within the Major Crimes Unit?!"

"If he betrays me—I'm fucking dead!"

Cheng Guobin shrugged lightly, his tone as indifferent as if he were talking about the weather: "Then what are you waiting for? Let's cooperate."

He has already sent the message.

"What?!"

Wen Zheng's face turned deathly pale, and his voice trembled as he said, "I'll talk! I'll tell you everything! I'll confess anything as long as I can live!"

He lunged at the front seat, almost pleading, "Quick! Step on the gas! Don't give Han Chen a chance to escape!"

Cheng Guobin gave him a cold glance, a slight smile playing on his lips: "Who do you think you are to give orders about our actions?"

Wen Zheng immediately put on a fawning smile, sweat beading on his forehead: "It's not that I'm in a hurry, I'm afraid he'll slip away and implicate everyone."

"Don't worry." Cheng Guobin leaned back in his chair, his eyes unfathomable. "Everything is going according to plan."

"Um?!"

Wen Zheng froze, his voice trembling: "What did you say? Everything is going according to plan?"

"Even my arrest was a setup you orchestrated?!"

Cheng Guobin scoffed, as if he had heard the most ridiculous nonsense: "What else did you think?"

"Impossible!" Wen Zheng screamed in disbelief. "How could this be?!"

Cheng Guobin ignored him and turned his gaze to the fleeting street scene outside the window.

With a thunderous roar, Liu Jianming was struck dumb, his entire body frozen in the back seat.

He stared intently at Cheng Guobin, his eyes practically blazing with fire: "Cheng sir—could it be that transferring me from the military to the Major Crimes Unit was also your arrangement?"

Cheng Guobin turned his head, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes: "You're quick-witted."

It's a pity that his intelligence was used in the wrong way.

He sighed softly, with a hint of regret: "If you weren't Han Chen's man, it wouldn't be impossible for you to become the Chief Superintendent in the future."

"That's right, you are also a crucial link in this scheme."

"Otherwise, why would I choose you?"

Liu Jianming suddenly looked up and roared, "I don't believe it! You couldn't have orchestrated this kind of scheme!"

Tell me the truth! Who's behind this?

Cheng Guobin remained expressionless, uttering only three words: "You'll see."

"soon."

Liu Jianming shut his mouth, slumped in his seat, and stared at the neon lights flashing past the car window, his heart sinking deeper and deeper into despair.

Ten minutes later, he sat bolt upright, his voice trembling: "No—this isn't the way to the Tsim Sha Tsui Police Station!"

Cheng Guobin didn't even turn his head: "Of course not."

"That kind of small police station can't handle this situation."

We're heading to the West Kowloon Headquarters.

Liu Jianming felt as if he had fallen into an ice cave, and his breath caught in his throat.

He never expected that the starting point of this scheme was hidden deep within the General Administration.

A ten-minute drive felt like ten years.

When the car door opened, he immediately saw those familiar faces.

Ho Chu, the head of the C team of the Major Crime Unit of the West Kowloon Headquarters, stood quietly at the door with his team.

He Chu stepped forward and shook hands with Cheng Guobin, his movements crisp and efficient: "Cheng sir, thank you for your hard work."

Cheng Guobin responded with a smile: "It is my honor to work with Inspector He to close the net."

Liu Jianming's pupils constricted sharply: "You...know each other?!"

He Chu turned to look at him, her expression calm: "My cooperation with Inspector Cheng has been going on for more than just a day or two."

"It's a broad concept." He paused, then added meaningfully, "Including this time."

Liu Jianming's throat was dry, and he managed to speak with difficulty: "Since when did you start to doubt me?"

He Chu didn't speak, but just glanced at Yang Jinrong.

Yang Jinrong pushed up his glasses, the lenses flashing a light: "A long time ago."

"So long ago—back when you were still in police academy, Brother Chu had already set his sights on you."

"What?!"

The entire room fell silent.

Cheng Guobin, Abang, Luo Ji, Chen Yongren, and Wang Zhicheng all looked at Yang Jinrong with disbelief on their faces.

Liu Jianming, on the other hand, felt as if he had been struck by a heavy hammer, and his whole body swayed.

He roared, "I don't believe you! You're talking nonsense!"

Yang Jinrong sneered: "Believe it or not."

But the fact is—back then, Brother Chu narrowed it down to seven people from your graduating class.

"Seven?" Liu Jianming's throat tightened, and a chill ran from the soles of his feet to the top of his head.

seven----

That number was like a knife, plunging deep into his heart.

Back then, Han Chen planted exactly seven undercover agents within the police force.

Yang Jinrong stared at him, a mocking smile playing on his lips: "What? You think Brother Chu is only keeping an eye on you?"

"To tell you the truth, you're not even 'special'—you're just one of many."

Liu Jianming's lips trembled, and his shirt was soaked with cold sweat.

He started to believe.

I really believed it.

Yang Jinrong turned his gaze to He Chu, his tone unusually respectful: "Brother Chu is different."

Almost everyone in that year's class was on his side.

"No matter how withdrawn someone's personality is or how complicated their background is, you can always have a conversation with them."

Chen Yongren and Wang Zhicheng exchanged a glance and nodded simultaneously: "That's right."

When I was in school, Brother Chu was one of my closest brothers.

Liu Jianming smiled wryly: "He—is also my most trusted friend."

Yang Jinrong smiled, a hint of pride in his voice: "He's my brother too."

"But I am more clear-headed than you are."

I listened to him and didn't go undercover.

"So I'm alive, and I can see clearly just how terrifying he really is."

"How would you who left early know? Brother Chu's grades in every subject are miles ahead of our supervising instructors."

"I specifically said every single subject! Not just one subject!"

Cheng Guobin stared wide-eyed at He Chu: "He sir, you're not just excellent, you've become a spirit!"

He Chu shrugged, his tone nonchalant: "The classes at the police academy are basically just laying the foundation for newbies."

"It's really not that difficult."

Cheng Guobin rolled his eyes: "If I hadn't gone to police academy, I wouldn't believe your nonsense! This isn't Versailles, it's rubbing salt into someone's wound!"

Yang Jinrong chuckled softly, but his eyes were serious: "There are some people in this world who cannot be understood by common sense."

"Brother Chu is the kind of person who was born to stand on the mountaintop."

No one refuted these words.

Yang Jinrong turned to Liu Jianming and lowered his voice: "You should remember that there is a course called Criminal Psychology at the police academy."

"Brother Chu's grades back then were even higher than the teaching supervisors'."

Liu Jianming's pupils contracted: "So you were already targeting me back then?"

He Chu nodded, nonchalantly: "Mm."

"The thought processes and behavioral logic of normal people and suspects are different."

"Coincidentally, including you, there were seven of us who carried that 'smell'." Liu Jianming gritted his teeth: "If you suspected me, why didn't you report me then?"

He Chu suddenly burst out laughing, his laughter full of sarcasm: "What am I supposed to use to report this?"

"You all attend class, take attendance, and write reports so obediently, without giving anything away. Then I jump out and say, 'Sir, this guy seems a bit off!'"

"Do you want me to get kicked out of the classroom by the drill instructor right there and then?"

"If even the instructors didn't notice, how could I possibly notice?"

"I'm not a charlatan!"

He paused, a slight smile playing on his lips: "Besides, if I really said that—I'd be sent to some gang as an undercover agent tomorrow."

"Sorry, I have no interest in dying."

Liu Jianming was speechless.

He Chu shrugged: "It's enough that I know you have a problem."

"Once I'm officially on the job, I'll have plenty of time to dig deeper."

Liu Jianming finally couldn't hold back any longer: "When exactly did you confirm that I was the mole?"

Yang Jinrong pushed up his glasses, the lenses reflecting a cold light: "We've long suspected it was you, we just lack solid evidence."

"Until you delivered yourself right to my doorstep, still holding the gun you used to kill Ni Kun."

Liu Jianming was shocked: "Did I walk right into a trap?"

He Chu and Yang Jinrong exchanged a glance and burst into laughter at the same time!

"Impossible!" Liu Jianming practically roared, his face ashen white. A last shred of stubbornness kept him from kneeling. "I don't believe it! Absolutely not!"

He Chu's smile vanished, his gaze sharp as a knife: "Actually, there's something we've been keeping from everyone, something we've never revealed to anyone."

Liu Jianming stared intently at him, his breath catching in his throat: "What?"

He Chu smiled faintly: "We know who plotted to kill Ni Kun back then."

boom!

Liu Jianming's mind went blank.

Even Wen Zheng froze, blurting out, "Who?!"

He Chu slowly began, "Huang Zhicheng and Mary conspired to assassinate Ni Kun, all in order to elevate Han Chen to the position of official wife."

"They deliberately chose the day the five tigers offered sacrifices to make their move."

"I thought that with Ni Kun dead, Han Chen would naturally take over."

"Unfortunately, they miscalculated."

"Man proposes, God disposes."

Wen Zheng exclaimed, "Uncle Kun—was it Han Chen who did this?"

He Chu shook his head: "Wrong."

The one who actually takes action is the person next to you.

His gaze pierced Lau Kin-ming: "Huang Zhicheng laid the plan, Mary provided the support, and Lau Kin-ming carried it out—the three conspired to massacre loyal ministers."

Wen Zheng sneered: "What's the difference?"

"Mary is Han Chen's woman, and Huang Zhicheng is now his top henchman. Isn't that Han Chen's order?"

"Despicable! Shameless! Worse than an animal!"

He Chu ignored him and looked at Liu Jianming: "Want to know—how did we get the evidence?"

You probably won't believe it.

"This evidence was provided by Ni Yongxiao."

"What?!"

The entire room fell silent.

Someone gasped.

Ni Yongxiao? That taciturn young master who returned for the funeral?

He Chu said slowly and deliberately, "He returned to Hong Kong, never to keep vigil."

"It's to find out—how his father died."

"Ni Kun is not a good person, but he is my biological father."

"The hatred for killing my father is etched in my bones; I haven't forgotten it for a single day."

"From the very first second he set foot on this land, he was investigating."

Wen Zheng frowned: "Why haven't we heard a single word about this?"

Yang Jinrong scoffed, his tone mocking someone at a frog in a well: "The prime suspect is among the Five Tigers. Do you think he'd be so flamboyant?"

"Who is Ni Yongxiao? He has top-notch intelligence and an unfathomable cunning."

"He knew as soon as he got back that the killer was among you."

"So he played two tricks, one overt and one covert."

"Secretly, we hired top international private investigators to track down the flow of funds, communication records, and movements around the world."

"Openly? Just put on a show of a memorial service, go through the motions, and lull you into a false sense of security."

"And the result?"

"In less than three months, the collusion between Huang Zhicheng, Mary, and Han Chen was completely uncovered."

"Even the route through which that gun was sold back then has been uncovered."

"The strange behavior of Ni Kun's four bodyguards has been investigated and clarified."

"Now there's only one question left."

Liu Jianming gave a bitter smile: "Yes, there's only one last thing left—who was the person who shot and killed Ni Kun?"

He Chu nodded slowly: "That's right."

If it were a feud between江湖 (jianghu, the martial arts world) members, it wouldn't have taken this long to get any word out.

He narrowed his eyes, his tone as light as a blade slicing through ice: "You know better than I what kind of bastards those gangsters are."

If they really did it, they would have been making a big fuss about it, banging drums and shouting all over the streets, as if they wanted everyone to know how ruthless they were.

"But this whole thing was eerily quiet from beginning to end."

"So naturally, everyone would think of professional killers."

He paused, his gaze piercing Liu Jianming like a nail: "Until you personally deliver that gun to my door."

Liu Jianming's throat tightened, his voice dry: "You've actually already decided it was me, haven't you?" He Chu shook his head, his tone calm but undeniable: "No, just suspicion."

"What truly locked us onto you was the moment Huang Zhicheng started tracking you."

"Han Chen's top lieutenant, at this crucial juncture of the Five Tigers vying for power, isn't staying by his boss's side, but instead has been keeping an eye on some guy in military uniform for a month? Is that even normal?"

"We've had Huang Zhicheng under our watchful eye for a long time."

He moves, we move.

"But he's been watching you for three days before we intervened to warn you; he was deliberately stalling."

Liu Jianming's pupils contracted sharply, and his face turned deathly pale: "You—reminded me twice?"

Yang Jinrong clapped his hands lightly, a smile playing on his lips: "No wonder Brother Chu said that if you hadn't gone astray, you would have been the brightest star in our class long ago."

Liu Jianming slumped down, his voice trembling: "I always thought it was Sister Mary giving a warning in secret, but I never expected it to be you."

He gritted his teeth and looked up: "So, you've been monitoring my phone?"

Yang Jinrong shrugged, his expression as relaxed as if he were talking about the weather: "It's not just you."

We can hear every cell phone ringing within five meters of you.

"Don't underestimate the capabilities of the Criminal Intelligence Division."

"Thanks to your call logs, Mary was able to come to light."

"The relationship between the three people has finally come to a close."

His smile deepened: "By the way, we also recorded the scene of you and Mary meeting on the beach very clearly."

"You can't escape."

He Chu leaned against the wall, his tone as indifferent as if he were recounting an old story: "The most difficult part of this case was never the method of solving it, but confirming that you were the one who pulled the trigger."

"Once we've got you locked in, everything else will fall into place naturally."

"For example, I made a special arrangement to have Inspector Cheng transfer you to the Tsim Sha Tsui branch."

"For example, creating pressure to force you to take the initiative to confront Gandhi."

Liu Jianming stared at him, fear in his eyes: "I don't understand—how could you have predicted I would do this? How did you know I would meet Mary? Go to Han Chen? Go to Gandhi?"

He Chu laughed, as if he had heard the most naive question.

"Did you sleep in class?"

"Do you remember what the psychology instructor said?"

He said, slowly and deliberately, "As long as you grasp a person's mindset, you can control their life."

boom!

As if struck by lightning, everyone instinctively took a step back, their gazes towards He Chu filled with a complex mix of awe, apprehension, and even a hint of fear.

He Chu remained calm and continued, "Of course I'm not that amazing."

But I know you, I know you too well.

"You should know perfectly well who sent Huang Zhicheng; he's here to kill you."

"You are the only loophole."

"If you die, even if someone suspects that Mary and Han Chen orchestrated this together, they won't be able to produce any evidence."

"So I put myself in your shoes and tried to predict what you would do."

He smiled slightly: "And the result? I made the right move every single time."

Liu Jianming's face turned completely ashen, his heart felt like it was being squeezed, his chest felt empty, and he couldn't utter a single word.

He stared blankly at He Chu: "Back in police academy—how come I never realized you were this terrifying?"

He Chu shrugged: "I told you, if I hadn't hidden myself well, I would have been dragged into this as an undercover agent and sent to my death long ago."

Liu Jianming suddenly laughed, a maniacal laugh, tinged with the last vestige of hope: "He Chu, don't be too smug!"

"I've already texted Han Chen! You're all so focused on me, he's probably already boarded his ship and headed out to sea!"

"You can't catch him! You'll never catch him!"

"Hahaha-!"

He threw his head back and laughed, as if victory was still firmly in his grasp.

He Chu looked at him quietly, her eyes like those of a silly child who had just learned to walk and then fell into a mud puddle.

Then, he said calmly, "Liu Jianming, you wasted your year at police academy."

"idiot."

"We are police officers."

"We are police officers."

Five words, each one deliberate and forceful, shook the entire room.

Liu Jianming's smile froze on his face, his pupils dilated and drained of color.

He finally understood.

In triad societies, loyalty and ruthlessness are paramount. They're willing to fight to the death in private duels, but when it comes to public battles, they all cower in fear.

The police force is different.

This is the system, the machine, a vast network woven from layers upon layers of informants and systems.

There is no acting on impulse here, only absolute order and execution.

He lost.

He had already lost the moment he picked up that gun.

Once an order is given, who dares to disobey? Especially in such a large-scale case with far-reaching implications, the entire police force will be mobilized.

How could He Chu not know that Liu Jianming had sent a message to Han Chen?

Yang Jinrong had been watching Liu Jianming's every move. The moment Liu Jianming sent a message on his phone, the monitoring system flashed a red light.

How could He Chu not be prepared?

Why aren't they intercepting them in West Kowloon? Why isn't the Tsim Sha Tsui Major Crimes Unit taking any action? So what?

Other teams were already lurking in the shadows, ready to close the net. He Chu sneered, his eyes sharp as knives: "The moment you sent the message, Han Chen knew he had to run. Did he dare stay in Tsim Sha Tsui for even a second longer?"

"Run? Where can we run to?" someone asked.

"It's just two places—Yuen Long or Sai Kung." He paused, a mocking smile playing on his lips. "Do you really think our police force is just for show? We have eyes and ears everywhere, a net so tight he couldn't escape even if he had wings."

Liu Jianming's face turned pale, and his voice trembled slightly: "Aren't you afraid of being a step too slow? What if he gets away?"

He Chu shrugged, his tone nonchalant: "Scared? Of course I'm scared."

But I'm more afraid that you've overestimated Han Chen's intelligence.

Before he could finish speaking, Chen Yongren said calmly, "After receiving the news, Ah Ren immediately contacted Ni Yongxiao."

Although Ni Yongxiao has retired from the underworld, his connections remain.

"Currently, more than 20,000 people have been mobilized."

"What?!" Liu Jianming looked up abruptly, almost speechless. "Twenty thousand people? Are you kidding me?! Where did these twenty thousand people come from?"

Chen Yongren's gaze was calm, yet carried an oppressive chill: "Even if Xinliansheng has cleaned up its act, which of its brothers doesn't make a living off the business? Twenty thousand men guarding their own territory can be mobilized overnight."

Liu Jianming stared intently at him, his teeth grinding together: "You—you called him 'Ah-Xiao'?"

"What?" Chen Yongren raised his eyes, his expression indifferent. "Although Ni Kun is a scoundrel, without him, I wouldn't be where I am today."

sky."

He slowly uttered a sentence that struck Liu Jianming like a thunderbolt: "Didn't Huang Zhicheng tell you? I'm Ni Kun's illegitimate son."

boom!

Liu Jianming froze, his pupils contracted sharply, and his mouth opened wide enough to fit an egg.

The next second, as if all his strength had been drained, he slumped back into his chair, his face ashen.

An illegitimate child?! Chen Yongren is actually Ni Kun's son?!

He whispered in a trembling voice, "No wonder—no wonder you could endure for so many years—and still stand before me and speak so calmly."

"But you—how did you pass the background check? With that kind of background, how could you possibly join the police force?"

Chen Yongren sneered, a hint of mockery flashing across his brows: "I told you, Ni Kun is a bastard, I wish he were dead."

"I have no feelings for him, so naturally I'm not afraid to face someone like you."

"As for the vetting?" He glanced at him sideways. "If a murderer like you can get in, why can't I?"

Liu Jianming was speechless, his face turning pale and then red, and he completely broke down.

At this moment, Wen Zheng suddenly struggled to his feet, his voice hoarse: "Sir! I request to be a witness for the prosecution! I'm reporting Han Chen! I have evidence of his drug trafficking!"

He Chu didn't even bother to look at him, but slowly took out an old-fashioned tape recorder from his pocket and gently pressed the play button.

Instantly, Han Chen's voice rang out, cold and ruthless, each word like a knife: "In our line of work, you can't have too clean hands."

Who would dare to play with you if you don't get your hands dirty?

You will personally lead a team to handle these two individuals.

"After this is done, you can choose either Guoliang's or Heigui's territory."

The recording abruptly stopped.

The entire room fell silent.

Wen Zheng was struck dumb, his whole body trembling violently, his eyes wide open as if about to burst: "You—how did you also have this recording?!"

'

He abruptly turned to look at Cheng Guobin, his voice trembling: "You fucking betrayed me?! Are you kicking me after I've served my purpose?!"

Cheng Guobin remained expressionless and casually tossed out a miniature recorder, the very one Wen Zheng had handed over.

Yang Jinrong added with a cold laugh: "Brother Chu had already guessed that Han Chen would pull this stunt."

We've already installed listening devices at the hot pot restaurant you five frequent."

"We heard every bite of hotpot you ate and every word you said clearly."

"Now you understand? Even if there's no blood seeping from your trunk, we'll still set up roadblocks on the road and completely block you."

Wen Zheng completely lost his mind, practically screaming, "I want to be a witness for the prosecution! I have intelligence about their drug trafficking! A crucial lead!"

He Chu simply shook his head, laughing as if he were looking at an ant struggling in its death throes: "No need."

"We know the locations of your warehouses like the back of our hand."

You're still using these as bargaining chips?

He coldly surveyed the two men: "Now, confess honestly."

"Anything else is out of the question."

He turned and ordered, "Bang, Ji, Arong, Acheng, the four of you, interrogate them."

He then said to Chen Yongren, "Aren, you should step aside first."

In a single sentence, Wen Zheng's last hope was extinguished.

No matter how much he wailed and begged for mercy, he was not qualified to be a tainted witness.

He Chu didn't look at him again, as if he were already a corpse.

He turned around and smiled slightly at Cheng Guobin: "Cheng Sir, want some tea in the office?"

Cheng Guobin nodded, his expression complex.

The group from Tsim Sha Tsui was received by Chan Wing-yan.

After walking a few steps, Cheng Guobin couldn't help but sigh, "The Ni family's drug trafficking syndicate has been entrenched in Tsim Sha Tsui for almost twenty years."

"Every police department in the past has tried to remove this thorn in their side, but all have failed."

"I never imagined it would be in your hands today, and it's done."

He Chu waved his hand, his tone calm: "Inspector Cheng, don't flatter me."

"From Inspector Lau Fook to Lui Lok, and then to Lung Shing-pong, the police force has never really thought about eradicating flour."

"Lei Luo's sworn brother, Limpy Ho, is the biggest swindler himself."

"Long Chengbang has only been gone to the provincial island for a few years? And now he's only thinking about cleaning up the underworld?"

He gazed at the night view outside the window, his voice lowering: "It's a pity someone's holding him down; he can't move."

Cheng Guobin's face instantly darkened: "The foreigners from the Ministry of the Interior?"

He Chu nodded, his tone as cold as ice: "The British would love for Hong Kong to be in complete chaos."

The more chaotic things get, the more they can profit.

He paused, then suddenly asked in a low voice, "I haven't taken any action against Richard—are you angry with me for not doing so?"

Cheng Guobin immediately shook his head, his eyes sincere: "How could that be?"

Every step you've taken, I've seen and remembered.

He took a deep breath, his voice still carrying a hint of disbelief: "Who would have thought that a behemoth like Xinliansheng, with 50,000 gangsters under its control, could actually launder their money and go straight?"

He Chu sighed softly and tapped the table with his knuckles: "If it's just to avenge Superintendent Luo, arresting Richard would be enough."

"But I've weighed the pros and cons. Given his British citizenship, if he's arrested, he'll most likely be extradited."

"Once the person leaves, the case is closed."

"What truly deserves to die is the deeply entrenched criminal network behind him." He raised his eyes, his gaze sharp as a knife. "Without uprooting that viper, any talk of revenge is just empty words."

Cheng Guobin frowned: "Hasn't that group been completely wiped out yet?"

He Chu shook his head, his tone grave: "Difficult."

It's too difficult.

"I originally thought A Luo would be their number one target, but A Luo has grown too fast and his influence has expanded beyond expectations."

"That old fox, Sir Lee, probably felt he couldn't handle him anymore, so he simply changed his prey."

He sneered, "Now, Richard is making a big move."

"He's made connections with all these local thugs, like Tung Sing and Chung Ching Society."

Cheng Guobin frowned deeply: "Dongxing is a long-established drug den, and the entire gang almost lives off the drug business; although Zhongqing Society has only risen to prominence in the last few years, it is ruthless and acts without any scruples, and it is also frantically distributing drugs."

He Chu smiled, slowly pouring himself a cup of tea. His eyes were exceptionally clear in the rising steam: "Isn't this perfect?"

"Okay?" Cheng Guobin was taken aback.

"Sir Lee is eager to find new ways to make money, which is why Richard is running around like a dog." He Chu blew on his tea, a slight smile playing on his lips. "I don't need to search all over Hong Kong Island for those cowardly scumbags—they'll gather around Richard on their own."

Cheng Guobin looked at him, his heart burning with emotion.

This person always manages to turn a game of chess into a killing situation.

"Still not going to talk?" Abang kicked over a stool and stared coldly at Liu Jianming on the interrogation chair. "You're not a fucking idiot, you know how many things you've done."

"Wen Zheng next door has already spilled the beans, he's confessed everything!"

"Are you still standing here pretending to be mute? Who are you waiting for?"

Liu Jianming lowered his head, his face expressionless, like a frozen stone.

Abang turned to Luo Ji: "Brother Ji, what is this guy waiting for?"

Luo Ji stared into Liu Jianming's eyes without shifting his gaze, and slowly said, "Perhaps he's waiting for someone to save him."

wait?

Abang squinted, lost in thought.

The interrogation room was deathly silent.

Suddenly, as if remembering something, Abang said to Luo Ji in front of Liu Jianming, "Brother Ji, remember when Brother Chu was analyzing this case, he mentioned the mastermind behind the shooting of Ni Kun. The method was too abnormal."

"How so?" Luo Ji asked cooperatively.

"Usually, there are only two possibilities for taking down someone of Ni Kun's caliber." Abang spoke calmly, but every word was cutting. "Either they are a professional assassin—the kind of person who kills as easily as breathing, disappears immediately after finishing their job, and never leaves a name."

"Another possibility is that someone within the organization takes action."

Those short, insignificant cowards exaggerate even the smallest achievements, let alone taking down a big shot like Ni Kun; they'd practically print flyers and hand them out everywhere.

He paused, then his gaze suddenly fixed on Liu Jianming's face: "But what about this murderer? He didn't utter a single word from beginning to end."

Luo Ji then promptly asked, "Why?"

Abang spoke slowly and deliberately, as if squeezing it out from his throat: "Because he was afraid of implicating the people he cared about."

Liu Jianming's body trembled suddenly.

"The person you care about—" Abang's lips curled into a cold smile, "is Mary, right?"

Liu Jianming suddenly looked up, his pupils contracting violently, as if a knife had pierced his heart.

Abang continued, his tone as light as if he were telling a story: "At seventeen or eighteen, full of youthful vigor, when the boss orders you to do something, you think it's cool, it's impressive."

"What's the big deal about stabbing someone? There are always tall people to hold the sky up if it falls."

But you are different.

You're so smart, so incredibly smart.

"You know who Ni Kun is, and you also know what storm killing him will cause."

"Ni Kun was executed by having his head blown off—you were avenging someone else."

He took a step closer, his voice extremely low: "That person—is Mary, isn't she?"

Liu Jianming's lips were tightly pressed together, and his face was deathly pale.

Luo Ji sighed, his tone complex: "We were all young once."

"You can't even touch someone who's hidden deep in your heart."

"You won't speak up because of her."

You want to use silence to buy her a chance at survival.

He shook his head: "But you have to understand that anyone Brother Chu has his eye on has never escaped."

After he finished speaking, the interrogation room fell into a deathly silence.

After a long silence, Liu Jianming finally spoke, his voice hoarse like sandpaper scraping against sheet metal: "I went to police academy, I know this prison, I'm going to be there for good measure."

He raised his eyes, his gaze empty yet stubborn: "But as long as I haven't seen her with my own eyes—I still hold a sliver of hope that she might still be able to escape alive."

"Even if you spoke ten minutes later, or even just one minute later, the outcome might have been different." Abang stared at Liu Jianming, his eyes full of incomprehension. "For her? You're really willing to risk everything?"

Without the slightest hesitation, Liu Jianming nodded firmly: "Of course."

She is my ideal woman.

His voice was deep yet firm, as if he were reciting a destiny-bound vow: "For her, I would do anything."

"Killing Ni Kun and getting into police academy, I'll accept it all."

A near-holy light shone on his face, as if everything he had done was not a sin, but a sacrifice.

Abang turned to look at Luo Ji and sneered, "This kid is hopeless."

Luo Ji's lips twitched, and he sighed softly, "Who hasn't been young? It's normal to be crazy about someone when you're young."

"But love is not a cover-up for sins." Abang's face turned cold. "You have to swallow the fruit of your own actions."

Liu Jianming, while we can still negotiate, hurry up and confess.

Otherwise, you'll face at least twenty years in prison.

Liu Jianming remained silent as a stone.

He gritted his teeth and refused to utter a single word about Han Chen and Mary, even at the cost of his life.

Abang and Luo Ji exchanged a glance and stopped pressing him.

A brief silence fell over the interrogation room.

Just then, a voice suddenly blared through the microphone: "Bang, Ji, stop wasting time on Liu Jianming! Han Chen, Gandhi, and Mary have successfully closed the net on their side. Come quickly and handle the aftermath!"

The air froze instantly.

Liu Jianming suddenly looked up, his pupils contracted sharply, and he shouted in a hoarse voice, "He Chu! You're lying to me! Mary couldn't have been caught—you couldn't have caught her at all!"

A cold, mocking laugh came from the other end: "Ha, you even studied at police academy for a year, and you're still so muddle-headed?"

"Have you forgotten who we are? One of the six disciplined services on Hong Kong Island. At our command, the entire city is mobilized. We can tear open even the most impenetrable walls."

"As long as there are no corrupt police officers interfering, once the order is issued, everyone must obey it without exception."

He paused, then his tone suddenly sharpened: "By the way, Huang Zhicheng has also been arrested."

Guess what he was doing when he was arrested?

"He was preparing to kill one of Ni Kun's four bodyguards from back then."

"He's silencing them."

He Chu's voice was like a knife scraping through bone: "Now, it's your turn to guess whether you'll give in and confess first, or he'll kneel down and beg for mercy first?"

Click.

Liu Jianming's mental state completely collapsed.

His legs gave way, and he collapsed to the ground, his face ashen.

It’s over.

It's all over.

Hope shattered into nothingness.

On the other side, outside the interrogation room.

He Chu hugged Lu Qichang tightly, her voice trembling slightly: "Brother Chang, this time—thank you so much!"

Lu Qichang immediately straightened his face: "Why say such things? Between brothers, there's no need for thanks!"

"Besides, I'm someone who came from the West Kowloon Headquarters, don't I even have this much ability?"

"He should be punished!" he said, feigning seriousness.

He Chu laughed loudly: "Alright! After the case is solved, I'll treat you to abalone congee, all you can eat!"

Lu Qichang nodded seriously: "I want soft-boiled abalone. I'll be furious if you take away even one."

"No problem!" He Chu patted his chest. "Don't even mention soft-boiled pork, I'll get you dragon liver and phoenix marrow!"

Lu Qichang patted him on the shoulder with a smile, then suddenly his tone turned serious: "Actually, I'm the one who should be thanking you."

I had a dream a couple of days ago.

You weren't in my dreams.

"I treated Huang Zhicheng like a brother, and I was completely open with him. But what happened? Ni Yong found out that Huang Zhicheng had orchestrated his father's death and sent someone to kill him. The assassin mistook me for Huang Zhicheng and shot me in the head."

He paused, his voice trembling slightly: "I woke up with a start, covered in cold sweat, as if I had just been pulled out of the water."

"Later, I went to a temple to have my fortune told by a master. The old man was so frightened when he saw me that he almost knelt down."

He said that I should have died many years earlier, but someone defied fate and forcibly removed my name from the Book of Hell.

He Chu's heart skipped a beat.

A surging tide of emotions welled up within me.

Yes.

If he hadn't traveled through time and turned the tide, Lu Qichang's fate would have truly been to die in place of Huang Zhicheng.

But he remained expressionless, only rolling his eyes: "Brother Chang, you believe that? You actually take those superstitious rumors to heart?"

Lu Qichang shrugged: "Otherwise what? In Hong Kong, how many people truly don't believe in ghosts and gods?"

These words left He Chu speechless.

A moment later, Lu Qichang grinned and said, "You are my benefactor, I don't need to hide that from you."

"Sigh, if only I were still in West Kowloon now—"

"Stop!" He Chu quickly waved his hand. "If Mr. Lam from the New Territories heard you say that, wouldn't he make things difficult for you?"

Lu Qichang lowered his voice and smiled mysteriously: "To tell you the truth, Old Lin wants to be transferred out of the New Territories more than anyone else."