Law America, the Devil's Agent

Link's voice echoed in the room, making the atmosphere increasingly heavy and oppressive.

Charlie's lips trembled violently, and his forehead was covered in a dense layer of sweat.

His arrogance, disdain, and aggression just now shattered into silent fear in the face of the gun.

He lay on the ground, barely daring to breathe.

Li Qiu stood to the side, holding the tin box, her hands trembling so much that the lid jingled.

She looked at Link, the man in the familiar old jacket, standing in the familiar room. Everything seemed unchanged, yet completely different.

He was no longer the pathetic guy who would always back down first during arguments and remain silent no matter how much he attacked him.

He is now calmly preparing to use legal means to legally kill them.

After a long silence, Li Qiu, as if having mentally prepared himself, spoke in a trembling voice:

No...no.

Link, don't do this.

We don't need to do that.

You've probably misunderstood us.

"No need for that? Is it a misunderstanding?"

Link chuckled.

He didn't even glance at Li Qiu, but simply took the cigarette from his lips and flicked off the ash.

"Nothing's needed? What's the misunderstanding?"

You broke into my apartment, ransacked my room, and took my belongings—that's a fact.

As for a misunderstanding?

I don't think there's any misunderstanding between us; we don't even have a relationship anymore.

Please have some self-respect, ma'am.

Li Qiu's lips trembled violently.

She heard such resolute words coming from Link's mouth.

She still held onto a sliver of hope—

  

She fantasizes that this man still harbors even the slightest bit of old feelings for her, and that she can somehow regain control of the situation, just like countless times in the past.

But Link brutally crushed her completely.

"Don't you...don't you love me anymore?"

"puff--"

Link chuckled.

The laughter was soft and brief, but to Li Qiu, it was more grating than any insult.

"Link is dead, that's your choice."

And my feelings for you...

I felt incredibly nauseous.

"Get lost, you bitch."

Li Qiu seemed to have been struck by something, and froze on the spot.

Her face slowly contorted.

The tears streaming from those bloodshot eyes were filled with the rage of someone who had been humiliated to the extreme and had nowhere to vent their anger.

Her lips trembled incessantly, and her breathing became rapid and heavy.

She began to pace forward, her tone gradually becoming sharp and shrill: "You...you've actually forgotten those years we shared, how dare you..."

Link remained unmoved.

His gun was still pointed at the man lying on the ground, watching Li Qiu approach him step by step.

Charlie lay on the ground, glancing at Link out of the corner of his eye.

He saw Li Qiu getting closer and closer, and noticed that Link's gaze seemed to be drawn to Li Qiu.

He steeled his resolve, braced himself against the ground with both hands, and lunged forward—

But just then!

"Bang!"

"Ahhh—!"

A shot rang out.

Just moments ago, Li Qiu was full of arrogance, but now she screamed, covered her head, and lay on the ground, curling up into a ball.

But when she trembled as she touched herself and found no injuries, she slowly turned her head away.

Charlie was groaning in agony, his right hand clutching his left forearm, blood gushing from between his fingers.

Link remained crouched in the same spot, his gun still pointed at Charlie, only now the muzzle was emitting wisps of smoke.

"You—you actually dared to fire a shot!"

Li Qiu's voice was so sharp it almost cracked.

Link didn't answer her, but calmly continued smoking his cigarette.

"Ta-da!"

The sound of hurried high heels came from the stairwell, followed by a familiar voice.

"What's wrong with Link?"

Elena appeared at the door, still wearing the brown-red dress she had changed into in the car. Her hair was a little messy from running, and she was holding her phone in her hand.

Her gaze immediately swept across every corner of the room:

The burly white man lying on the ground with his ever-expanding trail of blood, the trembling Chinese woman huddled to the side, and Link standing in the center of the room with a gun in his hand.

"Are you alright? I heard gunshots downstairs."

"fine."

She walked over to Link and her expression relaxed slightly after confirming that he was not injured.

"You fired the shot? How's it going? Any trouble?"

"A thief broke into my house, I called the police."

Elena nodded.

"That's good. Hopefully, the police officers who arrive are people I know, so they can help you handle it."

An eerie silence filled the room.

Link leaned against the windowsill, placed the gun on the table beside him, and lit another cigarette.

Elena sat on the last remaining cushion on the sofa that hadn't been overturned, scrolling through her phone out of boredom.

And Li Qiu and Charlie—

One was huddled next to the TV cabinet, while the other lay on the floor clutching his still-bleeding left arm...

No one dared to move or make a sound.

Elena raised her head and glanced at the two people.

"What's their background?"

"I don't know them. They're just two strangers."

Elena's gaze shifted from his face to the old, crooked photograph on the wall:

A photo of a young Chinese man in a law school graduation gown standing side by side with a dark-haired girl.

Then she looked at the woman huddled next to the TV cabinet.

She pursed her lips slightly, said nothing more, and simply nodded.

Li Qiu stared blankly at Elena.

The woman was taller and prettier than her, with striking golden-brown hair and an exquisitely tailored, reddish-brown dress that was clearly not cheap.

But what bothered her even more was the way this woman spoke to Link:

It was a natural, equal, and even somewhat proactive approach to intimacy.

Link is different now, even the woman beside him is different...

The sound of sirens grew louder as they approached. Two uniformed police officers knocked on the apartment door.

The middle-aged white police officer walking in front paused for a moment when he saw Elena, then a familiar smile appeared on his face.

"Prosecutor White? What are you doing here?"

"This is my friend's apartment."

Elena stood up, shook hands with the officer, and then pointed to the two people on the ground:

"These two broke in, ransacked the place, stole things, and even attempted a violent attack after the homeowner called the police."

The homeowner acted in legitimate self-defense and fired a shot.

The entire process was recorded on audio and video.

The officer carefully examined the scene inside the room, then took the notebook from his partner.

"Prosecutor, were you at the scene?"

"The door was already open when I arrived, and I witnessed the whole thing after I went inside."

Elena's tone was calm and professional.

"Contact me anytime if you need my testimony."

The officer closed his notebook, tilted his head at his partner, and Elena beckoned him back. The two of them came to his side, whispered something, and then nodded.

The two men walked over to Charlie and pulled him up from the ground, one on each side.

Charlie clutched his still-bleeding left arm, his lips trembling as he tried to say something, but the officer silenced him with, "You have the right to remain silent."

Another officer walked up to Li Qiu and pulled her up from the ground.

Her legs were so weak she could barely stand, and the tin box slipped from her arms, the gold coins clattering and rolling all over the floor.

She tried to explain, but only a muffled sob escaped her throat.

As Li Qiu was being led out the door, she turned back and took one last look at the apartment.

She saw Link standing by the window, his back to her, stubbing out his cigarette in the ashtray on the windowsill.

He didn't turn around.

The apartment finally quieted down.

Link turned around and looked again at the dilapidated apartment—the place where the original owner had lived for many years, and also his first residence after transmigrating.

But at this moment, all of these have become fragments of the past.

Elena stood beside him and whispered:

"It seems this is your past."

But sometimes, people should look forward.

Link nodded and threw the cigarette butt into the ashtray.

"you're right."

He walked to the wardrobe and put on a brand new custom-made suit.

Then I put the remaining important items in the drawer—passport, checkbook, and several contract documents—into a handbag.

As for the old clothes, old bills, and old photos, he didn't take any of them.

Elena looked him up and down, then smiled and said:

"That's right."

Link nodded slightly, then, recalling Elena's mysterious whisper, asked curiously:

"What did you say to the police? They won't let me hear it?"

Elena smiled mysteriously: "Of course, we'll have them take good care of these two thieves in the detention center."

You will hear good news.

Link nodded slightly upon hearing this.

"That's very thoughtful."

"Just to repay you."

With that, Link smiled and pulled Elena into his arms.

"Let's go, ma'am."

Don't waste this wonderful evening.

The police cars were still downstairs.

Li Qiu and Charlie were handcuffed to the back seat of the police car, and they were still trying to explain something to the police.

Then their movements stopped simultaneously.

The old security door at the top of the stairs was pushed open, and Link walked out arm in arm with Elena.

He was wearing a well-tailored dark suit, and Elena was holding his arm, her burgundy skirt swaying gently in the afternoon breeze.

They didn't even glance in the direction of the police car, but walked straight to the black sports car parked on the side of the road.

Linkla opened the passenger door, and after Elena got in, he went around to the driver's seat and started the engine.

The engine gave a deep roar, then drove off Kensington Street and disappeared into the afternoon sun.

Li Qiu sat in the back seat of the police car, watching the taillights of the sports car disappear into the distance through the window.

Her mind went blank.

She had no idea what Link had gone through during the time she was away.

But now it seems he's just getting better, and getting better and better, and he doesn't need her anymore.

He embarked on a brand new future.