Chapter 174
Ren Yi arrived at the navigation point, a small alley where no surveillance could be found. At this moment, dawn was just breaking, and naturally, there was no one around.AyUFQUgcAwFCMdVSMvnhrWpaHEWOnB
DoufzDORTmIrOywHe sat in the car, hesitating whether to get out, when suddenly, his phone rang. He answered the call, and a strange voice processed by a voice changer came from the receiver: “You’re quick, Captain Ren.”gGMHOcPAQdzDzynYRkLQFrlJWxflEX
vmAhVyqnQWvIlmI“I’ve brought everything.”hLsENLiMDTvgmdjxTYACUiyvnLHXyu
jLZDLOvFrvJVZgE“All of it?”lHIlKVWkiQjanXHeGnwfvFBBdfWazF
jAviXbyRqDKhSwa“I’ve packed everything that was in that room, but there are definitely more than one backup of the photos and videos of these pieces of evidence. I can’t possibly find them all; you should know that.”CxcKbDuDiItMaaHtjTOfQnikKYxRyY
uUXOAuAlCAuTAdZ“After all, these are things from nearly twenty years ago. The evidence itself is barely useful, let alone the backups. It’s enough,” Purple Flame said. “In five minutes, you need to switch to another car. For now, drive this one deep into the alley on your left and take the things out of the car.”MCfdxtkWbOqHTukDnnHZrGwCYvrHTs
vffHGecGRNJlpwq“I want to see the live video. I want to see him.”hCwCOyuwWQIWSAYJHIonceFtHqODFu
XQzJdywZIpFPGwxPurple Flame was silent for a moment: “Alright.”wnDnCRuomlwQgziFzkxeuITwzaoDJM
JIQMMPxPJNkNxKjPurple Flame hung up the phone, and after half a minute, a video arrived on his phone. It was still less than ten seconds long; Gong Yingxian lay on the ground, the food and water beside him seemingly untouched. He was lifeless, only his chest faintly rising and falling.yLLmAJxwcHkjsPEPUyulDNdNExsLuz
ORKAWXxyPlvrRwrRen Yi’s heart ached sharply. He gripped his phone tightly, so hard that the veins on the back of his hand bulged, and his eyes were filled with bloodshot veins.jsLBxXTIoqDeEFPkXvsPWrDTYWIhPZ
ePWYcoJLDKCgkHJRen Yi started the car, turned into the depths of the alley, parked, and then moved the two large boxes out of the trunk. Just as he was about to go out, suddenly, a hard object pressed against the back of his head.MSIjnreVsCNaryiQLMEkJDBAhNURqM
UorzOvpxMliqKpnRen Yi shivered all over. How had this person approached him so silently?uicXmLDNtUnoBZGIySeMXBMGISZPWd
auLZhNNIYohVCOv“Put this on.” A hand reached over from behind, holding a black cloth strip.oitmcmcDuJDoYeDprNSICGmqofpxXw
YUsUMMhFqYRWWuJThat voice—Huang Yan!uGGAMViTIIJMrJFhkObSBGpxtfsAzx
WupmyEJeXQdEdBORen Yi was filled with hatred, his killing intent boiling. It was this person, this person! He had caused Sun Dingyi’s death, he had killed Qiu Yan! It was this person!eVisWFMVhpVIGBiwxmPIOPJKISMmul
RgPcFHbqZLOsItHAnd Gong Yingxian, knowing full well that Huang Yan was the one he hated the most, the one he wanted to kill the most, still allowed Huang Yan to shoot at him…FXTvrLdIfzzyNuFIKUpKFhPHaHzLtE
gRYsOGIgbGxkWbzHow tragic, how hateful, how ridiculous!ZuLcuCFzdaVueOihMTNotEYamFaKYh
ltBsqBFrSAeHoZMHuang Yan spoke in a commanding tone: “Put it on!”WOEENHDbQMrHQQtnfKmRoCUkSQiUJe
UQrqRRnXbcTCzFeRen Yi trembled as he took the cloth strip and tied it over his eyes.TIVNObqaIXmUpkHVPOTVRQtWHjjvoe
TQSMfULJgBwQbhQ“Drag the boxes out.” Huang Yan pressed the gun against Ren Yi’s head.OgnHrlURhFVFwlRWEQRUYAuugUoNwo
NedDVUDPocXKyBmRen Yi gritted his teeth and dragged the boxes outside.anBxFaBokwHozMaGATugZtYgGDhxga
WTraefoQRsLGrhnRen Yi heard Huang Yan open the car door, bind his hands behind his back, shove him into the passenger seat, then place the two boxes in the trunk, and finally, open the driver’s door.kWVcOrFGqJNdSnYeHlKyZGjvLJRcqu
OBaQprRwdcIYYPMAfter his vision was deprived, his other senses became sharper. Ren Yi felt he could smell gunpowder on Huang Yan, though he wasn’t sure if it was just his self-suggestion at work.VVXjIHNMBYOctZSxzEUjPqocNZrvLx
PXJyzuObMtIXpHSHuang Yan started the car and turned it around.mqnakDsBrSyFSbxAlkaMucJllRzGSp
XzKPTkEGLeQKvDrRen Yi tried to remember the route they took, like in the movies he had seen, using his body to sense the direction and distinguish sounds. In reality, an untrained person couldn’t do this at all; he gave up after remembering two streets.uSllngNTPJAlAShrLrzhffwhkzEtnw
RySanBUwwemzoaBThe car was silent, only the sound of their restrained breathing could be heard.RSouANaoqARWAnJHbOCfqQopvgYFID
eZBwjNhNEepQsYcAfter a long while, Ren Yi spoke: “Why are you helping Purple Flame kill people? Is it for money?”NFUerLUpRJCpSwWszAoqOZhiFsSHog
ZVWmqBBFRgtbYDtHuang Yan did not answer.WHYCBRZGAIRgqWfnnjqkOVcWLLGqcH
NKAWdSVlxIeAxXY“You were once a soldier. Don’t you have a sense of honor? Don’t you have a sense of justice? If your comrades knew what you were doing, how would they despise you?”bdzIFKhlDmmGBawuNmuOAtFQZAczqG
lwVbLrDpUgtwZkK“Shut up,” Huang Yan said coldly.yXCcdPslvmNvNxKkcgqLBbZueRhRnT
ZLPSnytVXgaMxxP“You’re nothing but a beast worse than a pig or a dog,” Ren Yi spat hatefully.FTNZgdaEdFErrSPFdiXROGSboSkasm
TdXsICUIwxvmbpTHuang Yan grabbed Ren Yi’s neck with one hand, his thumb pressing against his carotid artery: “If I press here for a while, you’ll either faint or die. Try saying another word.”kyhgTgPmszbkQGrFKcvcZDCHEQoBhb
lfKeQEhylYwrWITRen Yi soon found it hard to breathe, his face slowly turning red.QVIUWnGFSlPPYxRKwSaFOFiUjSKGrX
UzqEVdPPkaGFuQtHuang Yan was extremely precise with his strength; just before Ren Yi was about to pass out, he released his grip.srncgXzSIUPaLpmmpUyLNcVBmgCbbv
tfSdPoUsFpRieNeRen Yi gasped for air, his entire heart and lungs trembling violently.rlldzOzenmmbwNAiEhzmltQaXPNaLe
CcdTwJGoRfVKGzC“You’re so bold; think about how to save your own life,” Huang Yan said disdainfully.FwklEaEedDJkVwNGtQPLuXbUIYxaJk
NJiMbVISYdqVilkThe car drove for over two hours. During the journey, Ren Yi quietly felt the ropes binding him from behind. He sensed that the knots weren’t very tight, and after struggling a bit, he found that his hands had a little room to move. If Huang Yan wasn’t watching him, he might be able to pull out a dagger from his pocket.jZYSKidqjzCpwwDUNVfikyZnMJgxbX
BOWVVFMnReKcPkqAfter a bumpy uphill stretch, the car finally stopped.zSITSwIrcLxDecesBXhAkzintwhhAs
svXigqHNUWXrzuqHuang Yan said, “Wait here.” He got out first and moved the things from the trunk.sJpuScYFxINWkkdFgPXUzOiOkywjPg
blfRKtLDHxEeUcARen Yi quickly shifted his body, using his fingers to reach for the short knife in his pocket. After a struggle, he finally managed to pinch the handle with his fingertips and slowly pulled it out.gaSthDBBrlRjfiprYtFNMmYqmJPYcV
vzjQhltmJoEevKzThe dagger, packed in an envelope, was naturally small. He held it in his hand, cutting at the ropes bit by bit. Since his hands were bound, he had to grip the knife backward, making it difficult to apply force, so he was almost just grinding away.IbLPmoSJRpAdfAWlNLMQtTbqFfiYHN
movApBsCmsbNceAAfter grinding for a while, he heard footsteps approaching and quickly stuffed the dagger into his sleeve, using his hand to cover the worn ropes, leaning back against the seat.ZXpVpJMKeFXPRlyZLOLhudzmBjZUGK
vGpbHBGSwaopgVCThe car door opened, and Ren Yi was roughly yanked out, directly thrown to the ground.FvWJRHEWMCgaPCzzPjRtpVLWXMLyEC
ZKbzwbhxVYpnaoQ“Where is Gong Yingxian?” Ren Yi stood up on his legs and asked.aJWxdYjMFxRcDYoyrlAfAriFyKrVPb
SxKdVkwKzsBFTfe“Where are the things?” Huang Yan shouted angrily. “There’s still a box of stuff! Did you swap it out?”ZjwFpMdatVTOxRCNFiQiEijzhJKdmz
NbeWROufOUFuRqPRen Yi sneered: “Do you think I would hand everything over to you without leaving any leverage?”MMaMHlDkpwHZCjOpWzTQlIuYdbjIiM
IQRAlAcFzPhWolGHuang Yan kicked Ren Yi in the knee pit, forcing him to kneel down, then ripped off his blindfold.cmzKdjsqcIPVtcuRWYsDteeDutPvZY
DzYhWdVNcNWNLVmRen Yi’s eyes couldn’t adjust to the light for a moment, and he squinted uncomfortably.yssaccCRzdUgShbNGMzwRldmclHdFo
DYIAtjndqnUTZDhHuang Yan grabbed his collar, coldly saying: “Where are the things?”FlzIXFVRUWUdVPFosbVIuHrCIngxgV
OciWIPoLmAsydnG“Where is Gong Yingxian?” Ren Yi stared defiantly at Huang Yan. “I gave you one box; the other box is hidden in a place only my friend and I know. Killing me won’t help you; unless you release me and Gong Yingxian, I’ll give you the remaining box.”HnpyXFRerxrJQSYlEoNhsNSTwDqMWX
eBEyuWOOUHmbUQG“You dare negotiate terms when death is imminent?” Huang Yan tightened his grip on Ren Yi’s neck. “I can make you wish you were dead.”HGSqtSyFkfazTxhHQDBuOyWYORhbdk
TehloqcopFaeOYTRen Yi shouted: “Giving you the things means death; not giving means death too. I won’t let you, this beast, have your way.”dfIyhnCEEpLHvRCcRFeWmjmFJoRLou
LhBSPFIOkVTuJutHuang Yan punched Ren Yi in the face, and Ren Yi fell to the ground, stars dancing in his vision.IzTXkuxBASvStJwvaCsoGuucYMFvxV
fjFlSAJbLHRLqISHuang Yan stood up, walked aside, took out his phone, and dialed a number, speaking in a low voice.uqZlDcGYRgyQUtxKGiJcOiDjbAehBK
mtxWEQZpJLNyOPTAfter a while, he returned and lifted Ren Yi off the ground.CkOZyINSMajPvfeUhCsQVanxrhuNCo
LahxRUjuiIJhbJqOnly then did Ren Yi have time to observe where they were. He was in a garage; judging by the decor, it should be a private villa. When Huang Yan dragged him into the house, he was even more certain of his guess. Looking out the living room window, he could only see a mountain view.xJqIEsBBAZzxsNvZQGrDQzEVjMDvKp
ToIKPTWxNdlNSyWThey were on a mountain?jlgfpwnhZrSnQWYjZZRiUuQirHrPak
whpjmXkUQXZROHURen Yi asked again: “Where is Gong Yingxian?”gSzsMYTgPosRtEhBpSMUTxlnEcBUTL
fvjPMiSyFqKlLNT“You’ll see him soon.”nnfmQDrIRfniBzcTkKcmfqedaTiDZb
dzbcxHsFYcZETbvRen Yi didn’t dare to relax at all; he knew Huang Yan wouldn’t let him see Gong Yingxian so easily.rvYNIWTWhqvANEZsafqOmcGwDthdfL
bvLeKfTzaZapeyXRen Yi was pushed into a room, and Huang Yan took out his phone, opened the surveillance video app. The homepage displayed several surveillance screens. Ren Yi saw the room they were in, and on another page, it was clearly Gong Yingxian. Gong Yingxian was also in this villa?!siVEwCSblkLmGhowBhYdpqruoTaNKP
LwdfoXMJpPvrIBlHowever, the background of Gong Yingxian’s video was a dull gray wall, completely different from the villa’s luxurious European decor.LYWdKAVBsZTodptZAucUOtEAgWxTGV
DAIXFBRFkHQuReUHuang Yan pointed at the screen: “See, you’ve met him.”QOnzJqSBycPAQXRzAyjCEydMFbTbrK
gWvHLJlvSJPrGNN“Let me see him.”FLCkrFEsCGDOksSgirgaCidnoqbPYf
iBSNlkYXTyJhCgi“Before you give me what I want, you can forget about seeing him until you die.” Huang Yan revealed a cruel smile. “Next, I’ll let you know the consequences of playing tricks on me.”kVMrdDlLNWttiUKSLdBDwZQrRFnsdc
rnrqfZgAwMRtvQeRen Yi stared fiercely at Huang Yan.bLlqCNVukJNeXnJXRqHzZGAWTGoVLt
MbkcLEJpzTohUVc“Bai Yan is currently with Dr. Gong. You two can see each other’s live footage through your phones. We’re ready to ‘entertain’ you well. You have guts; let’s see who can’t take it first.”tWUNvmOgXeAQchuXevMWAeGNMyHPOU
yHKUxaYIKsfUzVeRen Yi bared his teeth, wishing he could bite Huang Yan to death.VZNRdrvILvxlpRprduwHzMXxwNRLPr
XHoWEekxrvsCHEC“I heard that last time, that shot only cracked your rib.” Huang Yan looked Ren Yi up and down. “I can break every one of your ribs.”XRfYMKtiNBdlwGLmZRBKopVKyQkUtH
IQRvGuHnmhMwMBBRen Yi clenched his fists, tightly pursing his lips.AjtEKifsduiyAybKAnzZAUJWsGUgRb
qTLEslovEvvLpdl“To deal with Gong Yingxian, we need a different approach. He’s not afraid of pain, but he’s afraid of fire. Tell me, where should I burn him first? I’ll let you decide.”JjZmsDwwxaqERwHkgqtFuHlOVaTLxg
piRBmyBPEfmrpOxRen Yi paused for a moment, then suddenly asked: “Why do you know so much about us?”syvtMEcMqGCdwVelblcnkmJmpfHHjy
seqqnwPqUUoDgAkHuang Yan frowned slightly.yTDlhHZfEmCblbIkorOHILzwPwlrry
gdaxohuyREcLqYo“Gong Yingxian’s fear of fire may not be a secret, but how do you know about my injuries? From the moment I was admitted to the hospital until today, I’ve been under police watch in the ICU.” Ren Yi stared intently at Huang Yan. “How do you know? Who told you?”SDksHhTYwrLPYXMRfHlyztGMtEvwOq
vIyiGKylOFCiaQO“Even if you know, it won’t help.”ntTPAxnxSEnoajveOLCYKnEnSSEaDl
zrYkGXxlPRXneze“It was Purple Flame who told you, of course. You’ve always obeyed him. But how did Purple Flame know?” Ren Yi shouted, “Purple Flame, I know you’ve bugged the phone you gave me. You’ve been listening in, right? Did you plant someone in the hospital? Or did you plant someone in the Hongwu branch? Is it Zheng Pei?”wtGzLGATdlxmiKOXfqxzRQFJrztEie
EhdDgBrCwTtsPhtHuang Yan coldly replied: “I told you, even if you know, what’s the use?”miGUHFXLTvCDHlDiJmQFpNBIoSMLbV
HmLsOVVTGnXPrLt“Because I’m definitely going to die this time, and the dead won’t question or speak, right?” Ren Yi sneered. “I’m not foolish enough to throw myself into a trap without leaving a way out. If you kill us, everything will be exposed online, including the evidence you want. You know how powerful public opinion is now; our deaths will become a force pushing for a retrial.”QVyrSXgDQYjEjtKwTsksgzADRsFyTK
hYkXUpGOwvPqPccRen Yi’s phone rang. Huang Yan pulled the phone from Ren Yi’s pocket and pressed the speakerphone button.zqkZXnjFSTGKckdqQDEhiAIZInEzoL
byDrYNVwxeqxsSKPurple Flame’s voice was filled with impatience: “What will it take for you to hand it over?”jOBKAwIxlXlyoPdzmpSfPzTGSaVpAc
SknPyaXAOygsgUE“Let me and Gong Yingxian go, and I’ll take your people to get the things.”HsvWXCgQhPepXfbHIdZnxYVKlucVVB
eNqHqPtwJdjhYog“You two can only leave one. If you give me the things, I’ll let the other one go.”xkjrIBAKSNmdPheGZzHCQatolhFOZE
GqAbkoLFvViOJzCRen Yi paused: “Let me see Gong Yingxian.”ZsAfavaiMJeyjHeMiUiqruyrcuoWPy
qzFoJeUcbKMVfsWThis time, it was Purple Flame who hesitated. Huang Yan said: “I’ll be watching them.”BZTumGdZIKSkcfELAsfjynOdRavDyV
vzqCfVReJHbjVKV“Alright.”BekfiLmYecVvSIdqyQnEYKxXBsAOql
NXZSJBhYRphuIQKHuang Yan pointed at Ren Yi’s nose: “No tricks.” He grabbed Ren Yi and led him out of the room, down the stairs to the basement.cbvQeqqKhBjxclKbtwxdRGxyzjftPQ
NvJESXlmBXbhKfqRen Yi gradually felt a humid, warm steam, and he quickly realized what it was—it was a hot spring. This was a hot spring resort villa. The dull gray wall he saw in the video was the volcanic rock background wall of the underground hot spring area.qcoDKzDKwcIWcHvZWmYPqClyfKdZPp
dFRNeFdoktdOHxgAt the base of the wall, the person bound hand and foot was none other than Gong Yingxian, whom he hadn’t seen for several days.VBtxYjQbgCgwRkNNHHywxjyppcSBpl
lWoPXkxPjupRcyAGong Yingxian’s actual condition was even worse than what was shown in the low-resolution surveillance footage. He was covered in blood, his hair disheveled and obscuring his face, his lips devoid of color, weakly collapsed on the ground, not knowing what kind of torment he had endured before.xBedPkPzgXNTICwZKGyDWAAbsYnNDR
xyJnzmmgKoZKIhFRen Yi felt a warmth in his eyes, trembling and unable to make a sound.ksNLmmzSccMznIRlIHtvVfEHzJWwlM
nzHcsHufCBHXWlPAs if hearing footsteps, Gong Yingxian slowly opened a slit in his eyes. Upon seeing Ren Yi, he suddenly widened them in shock.bUPFOLOVnhkkUesZUPHEuwAckwvCab
CwLEsRFBuEfEansCjTIPOnmyturDEtVBFvQIiQVzihEDm