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.ZLSXwyGrPRdkZUnLivTqfkuOiXFsSs
ajXuMzKNmQpCJzKHe 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.”PcXlGONoYbVSLByAOxImSgiPobEovd
EomzUydRmsSSsrn“I’ve brought everything.”rwyVNWGLuerdULhoCRKLEyynxxUrsp
ixkBYBxpGRNjSun“All of it?”jUuKkyVfphgCdwwHpXUmlSVOWjvcLl
ynwzcffQHRpKyQH“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.”jMjhXwUxDWAYXQeTBzlbfIQUWopSlW
TyhpWlTklntwLSG“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.”HLgkFHhMrGNZVfMpNRRzKXgCsBnzrx
GOWAqffKpWdeGkJ“I want to see the live video. I want to see him.”zNuxdGNgXWGjVamxpcNgipstpWdkqw
QZAkzIXywoFTqxfPurple Flame was silent for a moment: “Alright.”wHAHzARNMTavDRqGNNyfAhCTgtDLLf
xgQpiGEMDGSqSYDPurple 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.zMxwNQaPswtlMNDaiCxBhwSbWRkdJG
ypuPtvZfVSdhhsvRen 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.aTSZvrVqPLBDbcEyPkWybspHspryuz
wqKcmCPOwIqSnqjRen 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.XPNSfqLWTrVBJwTskPaXQRJfsXESTf
hdJnlShGBKnaGicRen Yi shivered all over. How had this person approached him so silently?AtoyFkKrDgpeJgEcpMMxqwdKVPmHwl
UGnNsbPzckQHJcZ“Put this on.” A hand reached over from behind, holding a black cloth strip.VSvKFgtqwfjRJjsQxXhcoWYedqMFYW
OaTCSuGTRqrTtBMThat voice—Huang Yan!fByMASkrmeqpJRDfgtgZIpZTtYmUba
gXCRJAlmqQzchpNRen 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!iEswsNLxttPxxfelOeoDBNisGYRqkA
nmcFBNPKIfZbQJHAnd 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…JniGmzUhUSkSvvKKKyxYAZWysuRXph
eszIkaxgaOdatYiHow tragic, how hateful, how ridiculous!TgGuEJYkFFhtxiiBYkSzMYmYLedTFS
PYrobGXqnVorulbHuang Yan spoke in a commanding tone: “Put it on!”JhmRXnoDxaxHVKcVZHzmOkdQocKsAu
xTmqcNnrOSokWclRen Yi trembled as he took the cloth strip and tied it over his eyes.SUqRFCGvFKthVbNfpTXOCgVQMmhfLa
WRFqKtpZWRYrRTV“Drag the boxes out.” Huang Yan pressed the gun against Ren Yi’s head.IeZJLZQunXFWrKCpAHVBZOlkExPVHD
ncggdvMSpKGufsORen Yi gritted his teeth and dragged the boxes outside.tMwhyrlrVoDETrtVPNbSmjjPkSrCOo
XjFRmNRvgACxqsyRen 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.KugAvaEZmkllwEmjqxUzQuLOtoJDkf
BRIyXrQzwmjlPDsAfter 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.RvagAhGBmTkgBqgjqkwJFdyPwlZtvk
nOpeXMBmXZKutjIHuang Yan started the car and turned it around.nNarBlHserKpZpgdEkLVKYlESRWFXS
xtudEnJJrSKKavLRen 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.twpxNxbWUOJfVdAbKrWYTRSyHKcxlr
bpspqkgDSaMvIxzThe car was silent, only the sound of their restrained breathing could be heard.kqszdSQJcMgDhylQJkQJbHXsZWTaHQ
BOKcGqXqvEcKLUkAfter a long while, Ren Yi spoke: “Why are you helping Purple Flame kill people? Is it for money?”TcZthuetcwCkOnnlGWmYWiakROLAsn
QrlXgjPIyCeXXZRHuang Yan did not answer.NjbTzMTEKXlrZeDmehrSGQRUvKoIRE
XwfxZTlURlJbxtT“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?”LsmVBboyRjKRGTAKDrFgbZTetrCLGz
LfNefuiFupoEARO“Shut up,” Huang Yan said coldly.HZcDMOLxWJsRJvMkBeZgLdqFzdWxdE
SWVKrOPBKwEwFDc“You’re nothing but a beast worse than a pig or a dog,” Ren Yi spat hatefully.xurPiVfUmDBonIXrlGxGYjOAUurCcs
JNKqmdobuOrMDqmHuang 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.”pokCErVETBqXHKVaVdkYTyftlIEynA
ZpqbMaDPZiTzprYRen Yi soon found it hard to breathe, his face slowly turning red.eADVgvzJFcMuQzXQATYLKHjOTPSMxN
ZMpPWMxeKyLQoOoHuang Yan was extremely precise with his strength; just before Ren Yi was about to pass out, he released his grip.DKgmCLXPlluDJWKNbNGfePVDHRJoFU
bZmWwtPpnMgygxSRen Yi gasped for air, his entire heart and lungs trembling violently.wgeHgmGfwgKTDhwGepJESBfDNRBYYp
PZLPNsxQxtnRzyI“You’re so bold; think about how to save your own life,” Huang Yan said disdainfully.teEBCWmkzASAEMSUZFmIfGcYWCVKfv
hNLNkeQINnRkPCSThe 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.njxsRFqBTMUfpnqkbVmlADlRMySNgL
yQqrShVZBQYXQGiAfter a bumpy uphill stretch, the car finally stopped.uwPqCckAicayLTixdIDFAplJZStXjs
tOQFUKiuxJfQMvjHuang Yan said, “Wait here.” He got out first and moved the things from the trunk.omzFaHqzzzkbpxQsDvoyAznjMBoPdD
RoLlmpsqjljbYXmRen 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.YCazjjUufRjNXnlkdlYUkLPmPAMsLx
uBftBuFOndMRaUjThe 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.IiFwfcMTnszMOrTfCyAiVjHYPrnRaU
hHzBjLsHocEgDviAfter 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.wooUrJmfjXgpIZxwgJIehHHRgpVocV
cUHpXMlXpAhwZbIThe car door opened, and Ren Yi was roughly yanked out, directly thrown to the ground.fzCbURGSLgzKtOyvGIEFeuPjEhKJlv
zuADsKGCGPDjtEb“Where is Gong Yingxian?” Ren Yi stood up on his legs and asked.QmSNaXqPzuirxQhQtsLCOQiKdFsoSe
mjTkQjspgOeIeOZ“Where are the things?” Huang Yan shouted angrily. “There’s still a box of stuff! Did you swap it out?”XQfwnrGlmpVwZUaNUfibgixoWyOtBa
QjOXkwsrcAGWDZURen Yi sneered: “Do you think I would hand everything over to you without leaving any leverage?”oVlTZtHphDoDBaVlQuOQbXwpztSLCR
CbzMNdrRqlxtAXNHuang Yan kicked Ren Yi in the knee pit, forcing him to kneel down, then ripped off his blindfold.ynigJOTRccfeYJjiLcUSIJtNoIlvWG
WCrFKeVDgZSErQjRen Yi’s eyes couldn’t adjust to the light for a moment, and he squinted uncomfortably.flqXtCoZaPilCsvxkqSUPABRqxsumP
lTOcBiXBAvVnyYUHuang Yan grabbed his collar, coldly saying: “Where are the things?”aqKFXXHrhJzQMkQOpuloQzDncvYIuS
GvYZprVhFdDdPsr“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.”WDZFHTwIsqUamxzsMvJPTggHIcDGxp
UawRsCrKFZOUKmy“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.”PCEwYRtdbpGAGJgwqsHpXFoprILCHr
xQDvwfZTqQEJOyyRen Yi shouted: “Giving you the things means death; not giving means death too. I won’t let you, this beast, have your way.”PUkrryyBuBcmByZzyRGNRuLkpIMIkv
fgHSFbmlBHdrEiCHuang Yan punched Ren Yi in the face, and Ren Yi fell to the ground, stars dancing in his vision.UntGACSaEcpUAADnrgSHgNyAKGEuyM
bHCsUrZFUoDDjWdHuang Yan stood up, walked aside, took out his phone, and dialed a number, speaking in a low voice.RzjzHshkUxuNkcxfxCGhPHiEVGPstq
wKjRvUAtkUmjiflAfter a while, he returned and lifted Ren Yi off the ground.BQMCEtajGKIjIpPGzjLQkMnEYMYJeh
qNeYDuNrxuoClZbOnly 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.feWtBZrJFTvozHKGvhLMseyehWxFRu
DPRxgakoTZLiwUsThey were on a mountain?RrldumFYGeUKPKRLQLXeiiowFXHSet
BYSMedcAHamEHAYRen Yi asked again: “Where is Gong Yingxian?”GWEsOPcJlMWfNJqGcQHpYmVbcMBQIa
aanPmUprvJXbRrk“You’ll see him soon.”OaaboSpxePhJBthnYgxdnvJTMuhHbU
nOytcwMXUXiEbcKRen Yi didn’t dare to relax at all; he knew Huang Yan wouldn’t let him see Gong Yingxian so easily.fKKXPvnQYkbSFJGJFCacpcSILARgQw
fqEfrAvyxZhzoXlRen 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?!KOHfqSvaRYjxMOmWVUpXTohEHrPxZV
xXPkCWzzVkWPkESHowever, the background of Gong Yingxian’s video was a dull gray wall, completely different from the villa’s luxurious European decor.pKNqgEHUmsOPcinHCgaGlIhbahynnv
gxvXGlbTSyhTklJHuang Yan pointed at the screen: “See, you’ve met him.”cbqHAswcyNZfcHUWxtZEYeOgUdagiZ
LhWDZJntlxtbSwq“Let me see him.”yBgkpxLPnbWRPiIqSQylODDIdQBitW
ScEZoXzJmeQGjaG“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.”RESRVQOdhUpvbPkbLvxqljWGmpwKPT
VorsfAZuXBXDmKJRen Yi stared fiercely at Huang Yan.ozMIqNehRXJJABGZQyCbJvBeHveoxj
imzClvmiZOpMURQ“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.”bGGWTHamRAEvgsLfkdwDmATvckJrzx
zWcBpWxblYDSgwRRen Yi bared his teeth, wishing he could bite Huang Yan to death.yDEhaykmjWbiNZNKfLfQoXOEbYclfH
wYRWcHwlzQqJRhT“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.”GfYymMttfIONTNNpErqMvqLTujFUmU
vNPlhRXvhBqVlAARen Yi clenched his fists, tightly pursing his lips.bPsXiadIzpxlRilRuJJrCuzEjrGsVA
fusyzmEQoQoOaOX“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.”gWyYPIQbrMNZjBqZvIpPnbWwrELiPw
csWcYDoQqyXVEEDRen Yi paused for a moment, then suddenly asked: “Why do you know so much about us?”kUHSZYnpocoTMmipclpFoZBitcPwnY
vpSSIfhyuIzptCLHuang Yan frowned slightly.YPbODuxpFKPYtIdlbwoUzjyudfHHmA
okIusDNwbFlsSWJ“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?”PtBixnpOuhoADOcELkWXTYqEiSCCfk
ISeQrzXVaoYyJGV“Even if you know, it won’t help.”NYrwZQhwTjbjzbTpGDRIBxjfuEYWZV
nJAzbUvtoaHjnfK“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?”mxuCgZqLHSfsLdSgnoaZiQKrBeAjCl
QYPzVxjARqOCMygHuang Yan coldly replied: “I told you, even if you know, what’s the use?”iIZGmRWMLYaefYvnnKSKEZqtPQEDpc
xoIGXdSvjcsfKFu“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.”SuDuyrrYzCNMrxBDfuSvJahfPqMENQ
fEpNygXUafaqCCWRen Yi’s phone rang. Huang Yan pulled the phone from Ren Yi’s pocket and pressed the speakerphone button.FOVyHLpXebOJwFYDKGIzjhvvaNXiXf
nogAkEtPZmvhBeoPurple Flame’s voice was filled with impatience: “What will it take for you to hand it over?”UibmHgTLKvmIfIMfSOyyUUwVCZfNuk
XNQdLtDEHrxetQc“Let me and Gong Yingxian go, and I’ll take your people to get the things.”yNukqhfDyauleZiGpqhKHEmPkghMBP
KhHFgiTngocNbNh“You two can only leave one. If you give me the things, I’ll let the other one go.”XcDqWHlpVVZmiBOASxOQnzeaoZAmDO
iyTbsRlkCLBxUtvRen Yi paused: “Let me see Gong Yingxian.”GMBAaofITejbreOhKOYeTNiqVFTvyz
RYmBPnAetGfwpnMThis time, it was Purple Flame who hesitated. Huang Yan said: “I’ll be watching them.”GhWDpsxRxfnpfyMwpShUyzuphENBnf
BEFfDAwNrSCFJfp“Alright.”egSaiFEyggcROrmSzqYlErFupmnjvk
vydjuAudqTrqyOyHuang 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.cKLAPXUFIQmQyXHUiWymQvecygqHPs
hXtwaGlJudPZRmiRen 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.kOyaZzigHpLeGAzqjJfjNpYZaZMXXA
rFBUTOJcsWZeHSVAt 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.SMnOwNrwFImZZzeRpYmlkoipWscDHk
dVvpaPhjfZpfBmUGong 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.RThidHPSQVrlscxSsQGvtMpbEPoAWi
GvSvrqzdDGYJRsPRen Yi felt a warmth in his eyes, trembling and unable to make a sound.DfrQKNIkyknkldaORiPLVdWveojzhc
zzKWhLdRMRDVhNOAs if hearing footsteps, Gong Yingxian slowly opened a slit in his eyes. Upon seeing Ren Yi, he suddenly widened them in shock.rVbqdfhTnOInwRqMGjiddpntMOQLRA
TlXOsumDKpuYHIoWidRyBLlpKvORVEtvLXXvozrtsilYv