Chapter 69

In mid-November, the bidding for the Capital City West District demolition and expansion project officially opened — though most in the industry already knew the outcome had been decided before the announcement was even posted: the Gu Family would win, the Wei Clan would lose.

At the same time, a subsidiary under the Wei Clan was found to be involved in prohibited drug development trials, which led to the exposure of various illegal operations at an Underground Club somewhere in Chengxi. On the surface, it looked like the Gu Family had leaked the story to crush their rival during the project competition — perfectly reasonable.

But that was all it amounted to. In the end, only a few inconsequential scapegoats were implicated, while Wei Lingzhou and Tang Feiyi slipped away clean and untouched.

When Xu Ze heard all this from Chi Jiahán, he thought of what Lu Heyang had once said — that taking down Tang Feiyi would be easy, but he couldn't be dealt with alone, because there were too many industries and too many people behind him.

'New mayor comes in, and you think something might change — turns out it's just snakes and rats in the same nest.' Chi Jiahán picked out the scallions from his dish. 'This is the Capital City, after all. Running wild right under the League Chairman's nose — the Wei Clan must be planning to flip the sky.'

Xu Ze looked down at the food in the insulated container. 'Is it because of the marriage alliance?'

'At first the Wei Clan really did get a lot of benefits from the marriage alliance, but the Chairman couldn't indulge them indefinitely. So I've heard the Wei Clan has been getting close to another faction of officials in the Lianmeng Government this year, and Wei Lingzhou has hooked up with Tang Feiyi.' The scallions finally picked clean, Chi Jiahán began to eat. 'I think the Chairman probably knows everything, but given his position, the Lianmeng Government can't suddenly drop down to interfere in Capital City affairs. So Wei Lingzhou, Tang Feiyi, that whole group — it'll take a long time to clean them out. Too much is tangled up in it.'

'Unless they actually cause something very serious. Some things are subtle — maybe all it takes is one fuse, something that makes the Chairman feel the heat, and he might glance down and do something about it. This time someone clearly released evidence on purpose to test the waters. I don't think it was necessarily the Gu Family — too gentle. Project competition needs to be precise and fast. This feels more like setting up a much bigger game.'

Chi Jiahán finished, mouth full of rice, and smiled at Xu Ze. 'Just some guesses. Might not be accurate.'

But Xu Ze knew the accuracy was at least ninety-five percent. Chi Jiahán had grown up in a high official's household — everything behind his words was grounded in what he had seen and heard.

'Stop spacing out. Eat.' Chi Jiahán gave Xu Ze a light kick under the table.

He no longer mentioned Lu Heyang in front of Xu Ze. Lu Heyang, He Wei, and the others had stopped coming to school entirely, and the students in the two S-Class specialized classes were fewer and fewer. Everyone was being pushed forward, pulled apart — and Xu Ze and Lu Heyang were the two whose parting seemed the most inevitable.

Xu Ze had already passed the preliminary and secondary exams of three target schools, with only the final interview left. Chi Jiahán thought Xu Ze's current state was unexpectedly steady — every day buried in study, a regular routine. It was the most normal stretch of life Xu Ze had had since Chi Jiahán had known him.

After school, Xu Ze sat in the bodyguard car, staring at the interior rearview mirror. That brown van still trailed seven or eight meters behind, neither closer nor farther.

How many days now of being followed — Xu Ze couldn't quite remember. He was certain the people belonged to Tang Feiyi, but he didn't know why Tang Feiyi had suddenly arranged this. Just surveillance, no other concrete action — as if deliberately meant to make a person uneasy.

The bodyguards had not reacted either, maintaining a stance of watchful waiting.

After dinner, Xu Ze sat in his chair, practicing interview questions against the wall. He wasn't naturally good at interviews, so he forced himself to focus. When the Mobile Phone rang, Xu Ze paused for a moment before pulling himself out of his state and reaching for it.

An unfamiliar number — not any of the digits he had saved. Xu Ze pressed answer.

'How have you been lately, Number Seventeen?'

At the first word, Xu Ze's brow knit. He closed the question book and asked, 'What do you want.'

'The six hundred thousand you owe on the Breach of Contract Incident — are we just going to let it go? From what I remember, Number Seventeen has always been a man of his word. How come you're playing hardball this time?'

Xu Ze knew there was no reason for Tang Feiyi to bring up the breach of contract only now. He didn't want to waste a single second sparring with the man, so he asked again, 'What do you want.'

'I hear our Number Seventeen is doing brilliantly — high marks on both the preliminary and secondary exams. The interview shouldn't be a problem, right?' Tang Feiyi said leisurely. 'But isn't there still a background check at the end?'

Almost without thinking, Xu Ze stood up, one hand pressed flat on the desk. He felt his palms sweating fast.

'I'm thinking of putting together the transaction records between the Underground Club and you, along with photos of you working at the Gym, the bar, the Casino — and sending them to the school you've set your heart on. So they can get to know you more thoroughly. How does that sound?'

From the moment he had failed to pay the breach of contract and Tang Feiyi had stayed still, he should have known — this couldn't be let go so easily.

'What do you want.'

'Simple. Let's meet.' Tang Feiyi laughed. 'Don't worry, just a chat. If you're scared, you can bring your bodyguards. Think it over and let me know — I'll send you the address.'

Xu Ze didn't answer. He hung up.

The storm over the Underground Club's shutdown hadn't fully passed. Xu Ze didn't know why Tang Feiyi was looking for him now — whatever the reason, it wouldn't be anything good.

He should tell Lu Heyang. After the last time he'd received an anonymous text and tried to hide it, only for Lu Heyang to see through him, Xu Ze had painfully resolved to do better. There were too many things he couldn't manage; if he kept hiding them, time would not only tangle his life into a mess but wear Lu Heyang down.

But of all the unlucky timing, he and Lu Heyang had temporarily lost contact. The only remaining link was the bodyguards beside him — but they didn't know Lu Heyang's situation, and Xu Ze wouldn't ask.

Standing at the desk for a long time, Xu Ze called the bodyguard.

'What's wrong?'

'Tang Feiyi wants to meet with me. He has photos of me working at the Underground Club. It could affect the background check.'

Xu Ze laid out the facts simply, without lying. He harbored a shameful hope — that the bodyguard would report this upward, and Lu Heyang might learn of it too.

Even if Lu Heyang called to say, 'I don't want to deal with your problems anymore,' it would be fine. Xu Ze only wanted to hear his voice.

'You can go.' No pause, no hesitation — the bodyguard gave the answer immediately, as if he had been pre-instructed on how to respond to this exact question.

Xu Ze froze for a moment. Lu Heyang had told him to stay away from Tang Feiyi, yet now he was being permitted to meet with the man. He suddenly realized that Tang Feiyi's purpose might have nothing to do with the breach of contract — might not even concern him at all. His target was Lu Heyang.

And Lu Heyang's side had probably guessed this too, which was why they had agreed to let him go.

On Friday, Tang Feiyi sent Xu Ze the location — it looked like a normal restaurant. After school, not long after Xu Ze got home, the bodyguard knocked and brought dinner, along with a locator and a Bug Detector. Xu Ze slipped them into his trouser pocket, finished eating quickly, and began reviewing questions.

The Mobile Phone chimed once — a text message. Xu Ze opened it. An unfamiliar number. Three pictures.

The room went quiet. One minute, three minutes, five. Xu Ze suddenly stood up from his chair and went to the bathroom. He didn't seem to have any specific purpose — first he stood for a while before the mirror, then washed his hands. Halfway through washing, Xu Ze turned off the tap, suddenly spun around and dropped to his knees before the toilet, dry heaving. He had eaten dinner not long before, and his stomach emptied easily.

Panting, he caught his breath for a while, then rose with red-rimmed eyes, pressed the flush, and returned to the washbasin. He gargled and washed his face again and again until his mouth went numb and his entire face was flushed red.

Finally, face dripping with water, Xu Ze walked back to his room and called Tang Feiyi.

'I've already eaten. Not going to a restaurant.' His tone was calm, but his voice was a little hoarse. 'You drive to my place.'

Tang Feiyi didn't hesitate. 'Sure.'

A little over half an hour later, a car horn sounded downstairs. Xu Ze took his keys and Mobile Phone and went out.

Even having lost a massive Underground Club, Tang Feiyi seemed unchanged. His gaze swept over Xu Ze with ill intent. 'You're being kept well, aren't you.'

'I'll drive.' Xu Ze said.

'So you really are scared.' Tang Feiyi pushed the door open and stepped out, smiling flippantly. 'What, afraid I'll sell you off?'

Xu Ze silently took the driver's seat, buckled his seatbelt, closed the door. He had never taken a driving test, but he could drive — he had often driven the delivery van to transport goods while working at the Underground Club.

The Old Town was close to the suburbs; as the car headed outward, the buildings around them grew sparse. Tang Feiyi folded his arms against the seatback, utterly at ease. 'Looking at you like this, it feels more like you're the one with something to say to me.'

The car's AC was still blowing cold. The chill crept along his skin. Xu Ze pressed his lips together, gripping the steering wheel tight, his wrists trembling almost imperceptibly. He asked, 'Have you ever killed a police officer?'

A completely unexpected question. Tang Feiyi's eyes shifted, and he snorted a laugh. 'Lu Heyang told you to ask? He doesn't think a recording of me admitting it would be enough to get me arrested, does he? Playing this kind of childish game — that's not like him.'

'Ten years ago. Fireworks. Did you use a sniper rifle to kill a criminal investigation officer?'

After saying this, Xu Ze frowned and closed his eyes for a moment. In that instant of closed eyes, the three photos from the unfamiliar text flashed through his mind.

The first photo — same date as the surveillance video still of Shao Ping he'd received last time — but with one extra figure in the frame: Tang Feiyi, walking ahead of Shao Ping. The gun in his hand had been specifically marked in red ink with the model: ASG370 sniper rifle.

The second photo — still a surveillance still from the same date. Several criminal investigation officers in bulletproof vests were ascending the stairs with handguns drawn. The Alpha at their head was Xu Ming.

The third photo — Xu Ming's autopsy report. Shot in the neck; the bullet had torn across his throat and shattered the carotid artery. Instant death. The bullet's diameter and model confirmed it as a sniper round, and the matching firearms included the ASG370.

Xu Ze still remembered the shirt Xu Ming had worn under his bulletproof vest in the photo — an old, faded gray shirt. Qiao Yuan had told him countless times to throw it away, but Xu Ming had never been willing to part with it, because he had worn it beneath his wedding suit.

It didn't matter. Many things didn't matter. Who had sent the text, the suspicious timing before his meeting with Tang Feiyi, the blatant provocation with such evidence — none of it mattered anymore.

Xu Ze only wanted to verify now. To know the truth.

'Ah... the moment you mention the time and place, I remember.' Tang Feiyi's fingers tapped his leg one after another. 'The gun had just come into my hands then. I just picked a cop at random to try it out.'

Then he touched his own Adam's apple, a cruel, triumphant smile crossing his face. 'I remember I shot very accurately — right at the throat.'

When his words fell, Xu Ze's expression went blank for an instant — that look of a brain too slow to mount any response. The gas pedal was pressed dead still beneath his foot, and the speedometer kept climbing.

'What's the point of Lu Heyang telling you this? Just some nameless cop died, and he's still alive and well. You can't be thinking of avenging him over something from more than ten years ago.'

But Xu Ze acted as if he had heard nothing. He pressed the gas and spun the wheel a full turn; the car tilted violently through the sharp curve, gravel crunching and dust rolling up, veering onto a side road.

Not far off was a river. The sun was nearly set, the sky darkening, and the car hurtled toward the Riverbank at terrifying speed, drawing closer and closer. Through the high-frequency jolting, Tang Feiyi's expression remained steady — no trace of panic.

The wind kicked up by the car scattered the weeds along the riverbank. Xu Ze stared straight ahead the entire time, his face so pale it didn't look human. The river's waves surged. At a distance of only a few meters from the shore, Xu Ze slammed the brakes. The tires skidded two long, deep gouges into the sand and gravel before stopping just one step from the bank. The inertia threw Tang Feiyi violently forward; when he barely recovered, he found that Xu Ze had already gotten out of the car at some point and walked around the hood to the passenger side.

As Tang Feiyi unbuckled his seatbelt, Xu Ze pulled open the door, seized his collar, and dragged him out of the car with a startling force.

The situation veered out of control in an instant. Tang Feiyi had no time to figure out Xu Ze's intent — he instinctively reached behind him for his gun, but Xu Ze reacted with terrifying speed, clamping his wrist and twisting his entire arm over. Tang Feiyi let out a grunt; the gun fell to the ground and was kicked away by Xu Ze.

Tang Feiyi was no slouch in a fight. He immediately raised his other hand, fist driving toward Xu Ze's temple. But Xu Ze excelled at close combat — having been through countless bloody boxing matches, his offense and defense had long since become as precise as a machine. Xu Ze caught Tang Feiyi's fist with one hand, locked his throat with the other, twisted, and the two of them crashed to the ground. Xu Ze was on his feet in a flash, straddling Tang Feiyi, and expressionlessly drove several hard punches into his eyes and nose.

Blood sprayed from Tang Feiyi's nose. Xu Ze stopped, gripped his collar, hauled him up partway from the ground, fixed him with a stare, and finally spoke. 'He wasn't a nameless cop.'

'His name was Xu Ming.'

Tang Feiyi panted hard, looked at Xu Ze for a moment, and then began to laugh.

'Xu Ming... don't tell me the dead cop was your father...' Blood kept streaming from the corner of his mouth, but Tang Feiyi laughed harder and harder, delighted. 'So this is why you went crazy... hahaha... do you know why he died? Did Lu Heyang tell you?'

An uncanny, unspeakable premonition rose in his chest. Xu Ze said quietly, 'Drugs.'

'He really didn't tell you...' Tang Feiyi laughed until his whole body shook. 'Not drugs. Kidnapping.'

He leaned close to Xu Ze's ear and lowered his voice. 'Do you know who was kidnapped? Do you know?'

'I don't need to know.' Xu Ze answered calmly. Whether it was drug enforcement or kidnapping, it was Xu Ming's work, his duty — there was no difference. He only needed to know who the killer was.

'You'll want to know, Xu Ze.' Tang Feiyi lay back on the ground, face covered in blood, but his expression was content, even gratified. 'You definitely will.'

As if struck by something, Xu Ze's shoulder trembled suddenly. The sound of the river flowing vanished. He held his breath without realizing it. Over a minute later, he abruptly released Tang Feiyi's collar and drew a shaky breath. His hair was blown into disorder by the wind; his lips parted, but no sound came out.

'Still want to kill me? Dare to kill me?' Tang Feiyi licked the blood from the corner of his mouth. 'Don't want to go to university anymore? Don't want to take care of your grandma? Some things aren't as simple as killing a person, you kids.'

Xu Ze showed no reaction. He stood up very slowly, his body strangely heavy, his back unable to straighten no matter how he tried. As he walked forward, he even staggered once, his center of gravity unstable. Finally, Xu Ze mechanically raised his head and looked around — an unfamiliar place, as if he couldn't find his way home.

He walked aimlessly for a while. The wind blew through him and made him shiver. Xu Ze looked back. Tang Feiyi seemed to still be lying there, or maybe had already gotten into the car — too dark to tell.

He couldn't walk any further. Xu Ze stopped, reached into his pocket, and felt the locator and the Bug Detector. He struggled for a long time to tell them apart before recognizing which was the Bug Detector.

Xu Ze closed the Bug Detector in his palm and, unable to stay on his feet, sank to his knees — hidden by the wild grass growing up around him. He lowered his head, brought his face slowly closer to his palm, his lips moved, and a low, hoarse sound came out.

He asked very softly, 'Is it you?'

A Bug Detector isn't a Mobile Phone — it wouldn't give him an immediate response. In his ear, only the unceasing wind.

In the rest room of the Training Base, Lu Heyang stared quietly at the water glass on the table. After a few seconds, he removed the earpiece.

Jiang Wen sat on the sofa opposite. After a moment of silence, he picked up his Mobile Phone and made a call.

'Release Tang Feiyi's people. Bring Xu Ze back.'