After listening to Luo Qing’s words, Lin Xingyi’s expression froze on his face.
His brother was coming in person?
When had his brother ever personally picked him up before? Was he coming to send him straight to hell?
Lin Xingyi panicked, even itching to make a run for it. But if his brother had announced he was coming personally, he must already know his location.
If he fled now, his punishment would only be worse.
At that moment, Jiang Yan emerged from the restroom, just in time to catch their conversation. His eyes narrowed imperceptibly for a split second.
Lin Huaifeng was coming himself?
The task Lin Huaifeng had assigned him wasn’t yet complete. Facing him now would be anything but wise—he’d better leave before Lin Huaifeng arrived.
Jiang Yan glanced sideways at Lin Xingyi, then fixed his gaze on Luo Qing’s retreating figure, his expression darkening.
Leave? Why should he leave?
This was the perfect opportunity. If both Lin brothers ended up buried in this abandoned factory, the organization would be his to control.
And no one would ever steal him away again.
***
6:00 PM, inside the abandoned factory.
After dinner, everyone in the factory received word that a VIP was arriving. They were ordered to inspect the entire premises beforehand—no repeat of the "accident" that had befallen the previous boss.
Two men in a corner, having finished checking their assigned area, spoke in hushed voices.
"What’s going on these days? Another big shot coming?"
"No idea. Rumor has it this one’s a real heavyweight—here to pick up that young master."
"Hey," one nudged the other, voice dripping with gossip, "You think this new VIP’s also got his eye on Luo Qing?"
Real life wasn’t some idol drama—the idea of so many powerful men fixating on one person was absurd. But if that person was Luo Qing, the man couldn’t help feeling it wasn’t so far-fetched after all.
"Hard to say. That Luo Qing kid is damn pretty. Even I catch myself staring sometimes."
"Right? I don’t even dare look at him too much now. The way he looks—it’s downright hypnotic. How’d we never notice before?"
The man’s tone was thick with regret, as if spotting Luo Qing before those VIPs had would’ve made him theirs for the taking.
The man beside him nodded in agreement. "Yeah, how come we never noticed before?"
As the two conversed, they didn’t realize someone was eavesdropping not far away—though even if they had, they probably wouldn’t have cared.
After all, the only people nearby were the kidnapped victims locked up in cages. Who would care if the victims overheard something?
Han Lin and Sheng Fu had been trapped in the cage for days now, constantly monitoring the traffickers’ movements. When they overheard the conversation, both frowned deeply.
Someone’s coming to pick up Lin Xingyi? Could it be Lin Huaifeng, the CEO of Lin Group?
That shouldn’t be possible. Even if Lin Group really is tied to criminal organizations, he wouldn’t just openly show up in a place like this.
Though it was unlikely to be Lin Huaifeng himself, the person coming was almost certainly connected to him. This might be their chance to follow the trail and dig up evidence linking the Lin Group to the crime.
The two exchanged a discreet glance, both recognizing the opportunity.
They hadn’t gone undercover unprepared—both had high-precision earpieces to stay in contact with their team.
Sheng Fu moved into the shadows of the cage, ready to relay the intel, but before he could speak, a voice crackled through the earpiece first.
As he listened, his entire demeanor turned icy, radiating a terrifying aura.
In that moment, he didn’t look like a righteous cop at all—more like one of the criminals they were investigating.
Han Lin noticed the sudden shift in his captain’s expression and quietly approached, keeping his voice low.
"Boss, what’s wrong?"
Sheng Fu’s voice was cold. "The higher-ups ordered me to return immediately and hand over the case."
Han Lin froze. "What… what does that mean?" They had just infiltrated the enemy’s ranks, and the operation was finally making progress. Hand over the case?
Sheng Fu’s tone was sharp. "Operation Eagle Eye is terminated. The case will likely be transferred to the Third Criminal Investigation Unit."
"Cover for me. I’m going back to make one last appeal."
Appeal? It was more like a desperate last stand. But if they didn’t fight now, they’d lose any chance at all.
For some reason, the traffickers’ security was lax. Seizing the moment, the two ambushed an isolated guard, knocked him out, and took his clothes.
Under cover of darkness, Sheng Fu slipped out of the abandoned factory, while Han Lin stayed behind in the cage, disguised as one of the victims.
The risk was enormous—if discovered, Han Lin would be killed on the spot. But right now, neither of them had any other choice.
However, it seemed no one had noticed the missing person. The atmosphere in the abandoned factory was strange, carrying a dangerous tension, like the calm before a storm.
Han Lin was on edge. While waiting for news from his superior, he also had to worry about being discovered by the traffickers. His entire body was wound tight with stress.
After what felt like an eternity, a voice finally crackled through his earpiece—but the words sent a chill straight to his bones.
Ever since learning that the Lin Group was tied to criminal activity, Han Lin had harbored a sinking feeling in his chest. Yet, when he heard the order to withdraw through his earpiece, despair crashed over him.
The higher-ups were calling off the investigation. The last shred of hope he’d clung to had been shattered.
All those years of effort, all the sacrifices—in the end, it had all been a futile dream.
Han Lin, a man who’d always prided himself on shedding blood rather than tears, felt his eyes burn. He was teetering on the brink of collapse.
Their years of persistence now seemed like nothing but a cruel joke.
Luo Qing had been discreetly watching the two of them. He’d noticed something was off when one of the men in the cage remained motionless in the corner.
Seeing Han Lin’s state, his heart dropped. Had they been exposed? Or had something else gone wrong?
Uneasy, Luo Qing seized the chance to approach the cage under the guise of delivering food.
Han Lin was near the bars. As Luo Qing crouched to place the steamed buns inside, he murmured, just loud enough for the two of them to hear:
"What’s wrong?"
This was police business—strictly confidential. Let alone a trafficker, even an outsider couldn’t be told.
But whether it was the weight of the blow or something else, Han Lin glanced at Luo Qing and answered in a low, strained voice:
"...Our unit’s investigation permit was revoked. The order came down—we have to pull out immediately."
Luo Qing hadn’t expected this. Still, after what the other man had told him about the Lin Group, he’d braced himself for the worst.
When corruption ran this deep, tearing it out by the roots was nearly impossible.
Luo Qing lifted his gaze to Han Lin. "Do you still want to investigate?"
Han Lin nodded instinctively—then shook his head, his voice thick with anguish. "We can’t."
He let out a bitter laugh, his words trembling. "Even if we found the evidence, what then? There’s no way to bring them to justice."
Luo Qing cut off Han Lin’s words, his voice firm. “It’s possible.”
Han Lin stared at Luo Qing, seemingly unable to grasp why his tone was so certain.
Luo Qing lowered his gaze. “If they try to suppress it, then we’ll make it impossible to suppress.”
“The water that bears the boat can also sink it.”
Luo Qing had only come to deliver food—staying too long would arouse suspicion. After leaving those words, he departed.
Han Lin remained motionless, staring blankly at Luo Qing’s retreating figure, his mind reeling.
The people are the foundation of a nation. No one who incurs public outrage can escape unscathed. Now, he understood Luo Qing’s meaning.
They just had to expose everything to the light before it could be buried, leaving no chance for anyone to cover it up.
By then, even if someone tried to suppress it, they’d only provoke collective fury—because behind this matter lay countless victims and hundreds of lives lost in bloodshed.
But this step was perilous. If they failed, the cost would be immense, even their lives.
Han Lin’s eyes quickly hardened. Hadn’t they already paid enough along the way? If he backed down now, that would be true loss.
Still, this wasn’t his decision alone. Han Lin contacted his teammates via earpiece, laying out his thoughts and plan.
After he finished speaking, dead silence filled the line—a silence so heavy Han Lin’s heart sank to the depths.
So… it’s a no?
Nearly a full minute passed before voices crackled through the earpiece again.
“Comrade Han Lin, are you joking? Since when did you need to ask us? I knew you never took us seriously—finally caught you red-handed.”
Another voice feigned nonchalance. “Gambling’s a bad habit. But this time? Let’s go all in.”
“The whole reason I became a cop was to ensure justice is never absent. Give up? Not a damn chance.”
Not a single objection. From the day they’d put on the badge, they’d been ready to sacrifice everything for the people.
Justice will never be absent.
Han Lin froze at his teammates’ voices, then finally exhaled, a faint, helpless smile tugging at his lips.
"Hmm, justice will never be absent."
Finally, Sheng Fu’s magnetic, low voice came through the earpiece: "Three days—that’s the longest I can stall for."
"After three days, this case will be fully transferred to the Third Criminal Investigation Unit."
In other words, their unit still had the right to investigate for the next three days. These would be their final three days.
They didn’t have much time. Once the objective and plan were set, everyone threw themselves into the mission with everything they had.
And the arrival of that mysterious figure was the perfect opportunity.
As long as everyone saw Lin Huaifeng’s connection to the criminal organization, clearing his name wouldn’t be so easy.
However, Han Lin hadn’t expected to be exposed prematurely.
"A cop?" Jiang Yan looked down at Han Lin, pinned under his bodyguard’s foot. His voice was icy. "You’ve got some nerve."
Jiang Yan couldn’t be bothered with further talk. With a slight wave of his hand, his men closed in.
Han Lin was in a pitiful state—covered in blood, his hand bent at an unnatural angle from the beating. But he had no mind to care about his injuries or the kicks raining down on him. His heart sank to the depths of despair.
If he died here, their plan would fall apart. All their efforts would be for nothing.
No physical pain could compare to the agony in Han Lin’s heart. Yet, powerless to change anything, he could only curl up, shielding his vital areas.
Then, he sensed someone watching him.
Instinctively, Han Lin glanced over—and froze. Standing in the shadows was Luo Qing.
Luo Qing seemed torn, hesitating as if he wanted to help but didn’t dare step forward.
A glimmer of hope flashed in Han Lin’s eyes. Seizing a moment during the beating, he discreetly removed his earpiece and, when the chance came, hurled it toward the corner—making sure Luo Qing could see it from his angle.
He could die, but the plan couldn’t afford to lose its executor. Right now, Luo Qing was the best candidate—the only candidate.
By the time Han Lin threw the earpiece, he was already barely breathing, each gasp shallower than the last. Blood spilled from his lips as he mouthed soundlessly toward the shadows, his eyes filled with desperation.
—Help us.
—Please.
Yet before Luo Qing could react, Jiang Yan’s indifferent voice cut in first, sending Han Lin’s heart plunging back into an icy abyss.
“He’s begging you. Aren’t you going to plead for him?"
Thank you for the chapter!!
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