CHAPTER 59: CHAPTER 32: IS IT STILL TIME FOR HIM TO BEG FOR MERCY ON HIS KNEES?

In the conference room on the third floor of the Qinghe Provincial Public Security Bureau, the room was already filled with smoke, with visibility not exceeding three meters, comparable to the "gods descending to earth" scenes from old TV dramas.

The people gathered around the conference table were all frowning, with a cloud of worry over their faces, almost everyone holding a cigarette.

Outside the conference room, Chu Xiaolin, with her hair in a bun, saw this scene through the glass and shook her head silently.

"Looks like your captain is about to get criticized again."

Hu Chi shrugged, his expression not too pleasant.

The central command, plus the chief personally overseeing, "It’s strange if Captain Zhou is comfortable."

He was unhappy because when the leader is in a bad mood, it’s naturally not going to be a good day for the small soldiers below.

But they also understood that this was something unavoidable; the social impact of this case was too great.

Besides, the murderer could only be described as insane.

The victims were all children under ten years old.

Qinghe has not encountered such a vile serial murder case in a long time.

Thinking of this, he suddenly asked the female officer across from him, who can be considered his senior, "What about the forensic doctor, Wen...?"

"Oh, he’s waiting in the lounge next door," she glanced at her watch, "probably already fallen asleep by now."

After all, Wen Xu nearly stayed up all night dissecting the new corpse that was just sent in.

This morning, he originally wanted to report to Zhou Zhicheng as soon as possible, but this sudden meeting delayed it a bit.

"Let’s head over together after Captain Zhou finishes here."

Before she finished speaking, the conference room door in front opened, and a group of people filed out, leaving Zhou Zhicheng behind, staying in place for a long time without leaving.

"Captain..." Hu Chi, unable to bear it, stepped forward intending to offer a few words of comfort.

However, just as he opened his mouth, Zhou Zhicheng pounded the table violently, almost causing Hu Chi to jump up in fright.

Wide-eyed, looking at Zhou Zhicheng, he did not dare to breathe.

"That dog bastard of a killer, to actually target such young children, just let me catch him!"

In just three days, three bodies were found.

And what made Zhou Zhicheng uneasy was the fear that more would be found subsequently.

Just as he was preparing to pull himself together and call Wen Xu for an internal team meeting, suddenly a young police officer rushed in, flustered.

Their eyes met in the air, and Zhou Zhicheng saw the expression on his face clearly, and immediately felt a ’thud’ in his heart.

"Captain Zhou! Another body has been discovered!"

*

The shop owner opposite instinctively swallowed a gulp of saliva, but just as he was stunned, a minion under Gao Liang’s order already stepped forward to pin his arm.

"Hey, hey, hey? Let me go, we can talk things out."

"Brother Liang, we can discuss things nicely, we’re just ordinary folks doing business..."

He was older and had been in business on this street for a long time, so even if he didn’t know all of Gao Liang’s methods completely, he understood about ninety percent of them.

Before being dragged in front of Gao Liang, he had already started to plead.

"Ordinary folks?" Gao Liang smiled and patted his face, "Didn’t I just hear you say you were going to call the police?"

The shop owner’s face turned even paler.

Seeing him not answer, Gao Liang seemed to have thought of something, and the strength of his grip gradually increased, "Have I been absent from collecting protection fees here for so long that you’ve forgotten my existence?"

Visibly, the shop owner’s pupils began to tremble.

But soon, Gao Liang released his hand, though he didn’t let them release the shop owner.

"I have more important things to do today, I’ll settle this with you later."

He shoved the shop owner aside, then turned to face Mu Yunchu and her companion, giving orders to his men: "Boys, go into the store and smash everything in sight."

"But don’t damage these two pretty ladies."

In an instant, the lewd laughter of dozens of people echoed throughout the alleyway.

They thought they would see panic or even fear on Mu Yunchu’s face.

But as they looked up, her expression remained calm.

It was as if what was happening now had nothing to do with her.

Gao Liang’s face immediately fell.

Having been in the mix for so long, he couldn’t help but be suspicious—could it be that these two have some sort of ace up their sleeve?

But this thought was completely dismissed by Gao Liang in just a split second.

Absolutely impossible!

These two must just be pretending because they have no other choice.

Thinking this, a smile as though he saw through everything appeared on Gao Liang’s face again.

Mu Yunchu couldn’t be bothered with his internal drama. She moved a chair to the shop entrance, sitting down with a teapot in hand.

The newly risen sun cast a warm glow on her face. She wore a moon-white shirt, her posture slim and straight, exuding an invisible aura of authority.

"Smash the store?"

She squinted, the atmosphere around her abruptly changing. Her lips parted slightly, her voice not loud, but like a crack in an icy pond, carrying a bone-chilling coldness.

"I’d like to see who can lay a finger on my store today!"

Gao Liang suddenly felt a vague chill in his heart.

As he came back to his senses, anger and shock intertwined continuously in his mind.

He had actually been scolded by such a young girl.

Anger continued to rise.

If it was just to complete a task initially, now he approached with absolute personal feelings.

Seeing this, the neighboring shop owner shouted, "Young lady, don’t joke around, quickly take your staff and run!"

"This isn’t as simple as what you see on TV!"

Although his relationship with Mu Yunchu wasn’t that good, he also had a daughter himself, and couldn’t help but empathize.

"Ha." Gao Liang snorted coldly.

He found these words laughable.

He couldn’t understand how this rookie woman could say such things.

Meanwhile, his patience was also running out, and he gestured to the people behind him.

In an instant, dozens of people rushed forward.

The shop owner couldn’t bear to watch what was about to happen.

He closed his eyes, turning his head aside.

But he didn’t hear the sound of anything breaking for a long time. His curiosity got the better of him, and he opened his eyes again.

Only to see Mu Yunchu glance gently at Li Shang beside her.

The latter seemed to have received some sort of signal in an instant.

She eagerly rubbed her hands and stepped forward, quickly blending in with the crowd.

She moved so fast that the shop owner couldn’t keep track of her.

In less than two minutes, the people who had been clamoring were all lying on the ground.

Writhing in pain, clutching their stomachs.

Li Shang clapped her hands as she looked at them.

She remembered Mu Yunchu’s instructions, so she didn’t strike too hard, and couldn’t help but mutter, "So weak."

However, she still couldn’t help but wish they had a dedicated fighter in the shop.

Gao Liang was dumbfounded.

He blinked several times to make sure there was no mistake with his vision.

This woman... was actually so skilled at fighting?

He had expected that perhaps there were fighters hidden in the shop, or that the two were bluffing the enemy into retreat; never did he think Li Shang was the ’fighter’ herself.

Just as he stepped back a couple of steps, Li Shang grabbed his collar, pulling him forward, "Was it you who wanted to smash the store?"

Gao Liang swallowed hard.

Was it too late for him to kneel and beg now?

...

Having just returned from the scene after receiving an urgent task, Zhou Zhicheng couldn’t help but let his mind wander as he thought of the gruesome state of the body of the child younger than eight years old.

If Mu Yunchu were here... would he be able to gather more clues?

As he thought about it, the face in his vision merged with the one in his mind.

He froze, then his pupils contracted, and he subconsciously murmured, "Mu Yunchu?"

Then he looked ahead of her; over a dozen men holding weapons... his expression instantly turned serious.

Is there trouble?

"Wait, stop the car!"