Chapter 51: Damn It, You Screwed Me Over Badly

  “Han Nianqing!” Zhang Leitian turned around, took a deep breath, and said coldly, “Do you know why after all these years you’re still stuck in this position?”

  Han Nianqing glanced at him, gathered the report drafts he’d prepared for the night, and said nothing.

  “It’s not because you lack education, and not because you don’t work hard. You’re dedicated, always on the front line, you’ve earned countless merits, and everyone in the station treats you like a big brother.” Zhang Leitian rattled off, “But do you know why so many people have surpassed you?”

  “It’s because of your damn mouth.” Zhang Leitian leaned against the door, sneering. “You never know when to shut up. You think you’re the only one devoted, patriotic, and righteous? Bullshit. I actually pity you, Han. You’re old — should’ve gone home to enjoy retirement. Why’re you still hanging around here, taking up space and doing nothing?”

  “Are you done?”

  When Zhang Leitian was almost panting from anger, Han Nianqing finally asked calmly.

  “I’m done.” Zhang Leitian snorted. “What? You not convinced? Gonna hit me? I know you were once a recon soldier, impressive background — but that’s history. Nowadays, you can barely handle a computer, right?”

  Han Nianqing seemed not to hear him. He stacked his papers neatly, looked up, and asked, “What does Liu Dong want with those three doses of Nightmare he took?”

  “What for? None of your business.” Zhang Leitian clenched his fist. “If you’ve got nothing to do, go home. Stop wasting the station’s electricity.”

  “I don’t care to interfere. But you’d better look at this.” Han Nianqing shot him a glance, stood up, and put his files away. “The Municipal Bureau just sent an urgent notice. Deputy Mayor Xia personally inquired. They’re looking for two people.”

  “What do you mean?” Zhang Leitian suddenly had a bad feeling.

  “Director Zhang, see for yourself. It just came through — the phone call should arrive any moment.” Han Nianqing opened the safe under his desk, took out his issued pistol, gave Zhang Leitian a glance, and walked past him straight toward the interrogation room.

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  Seeing that, Zhang Leitian rushed to Han’s still-unlocked computer. One glance — and he froze completely. Before he could react, the duty phone started ringing.

  *****

  “Zhang Yang, don’t blame me. I was just following orders. But if you have to blame someone, blame Bai Liangfeng. Three doses — yeah, that’s a bit much.” Liu Dong looked at the syringe pinched between his fingers, his face twisted with the satisfaction of a junkie. The black police uniform on him looked utterly out of place.

  Zhang Yang’s hands and feet were cuffed to the metal interrogation table. His movement was severely restricted — he couldn’t fight back at all. Yet after hearing Liu Dong’s words, his half-closed eyes didn’t even flicker. He looked as if he were resting with his eyes shut.

  “You two, hold him down.” Liu Dong signaled to the two auxiliary cops beside him. Even though Zhang Yang was restrained, he didn’t feel safe.

  The two obeyed without question, pinning Zhang Yang’s shoulders left and right. Liu Dong, seeing everything ready, hurriedly stepped forward, syringe in hand, about to inject the Nightmare into Zhang Yang’s arm.

  But before his hand could move, a thunderous shout erupted from the doorway: “Liu Dong, you little bastard, stop right there!”

  Liu Dong jumped. That voice — too familiar. It was the most senior officer at Qianshui Station, Han Nianqing.

  He turned around. Han stood there like a god of death, pistol raised, its black muzzle aimed straight at his head.

  “Ah!” Liu Dong yelped, legs going weak. “Old Han, w-what are you doing?”

  “Saving your damn life.” Han Nianqing stepped forward, kicked the syringe out of Liu’s hand, and grabbed him by the collar. “Where’s the key to the handcuffs?”

  “Wh-what are you doing? That’s a suspect ordered detained by Deputy Director Zhang! What are you trying to do?” Liu Dong stammered, trembling under Han’s glare.

  “Zhang Leitian? Idiot. You two fools are finished.” Han tossed him to the ground. “Key!” he barked.

  Just then, Zhang Leitian came rushing down the hall, shouting before he even reached the room, “Xiao Liu! Xiao Liu!”

  He entered the interrogation room and froze. The sight before him — the syringe on the floor — hit him like a thunderbolt. “You son of a bitch,” he cursed at Liu Dong, “are you insane? Using that stuff in an interrogation room?”

  Liu Dong was stunned. Seeing Zhang Leitian’s tone, he looked pitifully at him. “Director Zhang, you were the one who agreed to it!”

  Zhang Leitian panicked and slapped him hard. “Agreed to it, my ass! You held a private torture session here — Hu Qing, Liang Yi, arrest him!”

  “Zhang Leitian! You trying to throw me under the bus now?”

  Furious, Liu Dong jumped up like a scalded insect, just as a duty officer burst in from the hallway, panicked.

  He shouted before even stepping inside, “Bad news! We’re surrounded! The whole place is swarming with armed police — they’re demanding we get out in one minute! A-and Chief Gao’s outside too!”

  Everyone inside froze. Holy shit — what the hell had they done? Even the armed police?

  Before they could react, the heavy sound of synchronized boots thundered outside. Seconds later, seven or eight fully armed soldiers with camo-painted faces stormed in, assault rifles aimed, red laser sights fixed on their heads. “Down on the ground!” they barked.

  “Blue Sword Assault Team?” Zhang Leitian, with his head pressed low, caught sight of their armbands. He nearly pissed himself. Fuck — who the hell was Zhang Yang, that even a special forces unit showed up?

  When they were dragged outside, he finally realized — the entire Qianshui Station was surrounded. Police cars, riot trucks, fire engines, ambulances — the works. City police, SWAT, armed police, and the Blue Sword Assault Team. Jesus, did they think they were taking down Godzilla?

  Their Chief Gao’s face was darker than night, glaring at Zhang Leitian across two commandos. “Zhang Leitian, what the fuck have you done?! I leave for one day and you pull this shit — colluding with gangsters to kidnap scientists?! Do you have a death wish? Do you even know who you kidnapped? The main figure of this UICC conference! Without her, the whole damn meeting’s over! You’ve lost your goddamn mind!”