After Jiang Yuan completed ten rounds of the battlefield and leveled up to 105, he suddenly felt a dull ache in his injured brow bone, likely from wearing the helmet too long. He found a spot to log off, took off the helmet, and got up.
Pacing a few laps around the spacious hospital room to stretch his limbs, Jiang Yuan lay back on the bed and started scrolling through his phone.
"Holy shit!"
As he casually browsed posts on Weibo, a sudden exclamation escaped his lips!
A post's headline jumped into view!
"Key Suspect in Jinsong Ridge Incident Dies Unexpectedly!"
His gaze lingered on the post for a good ten seconds before he tapped his finger to open it.
"At approximately 16:39 this afternoon, several key suspects in the 'Jinsong Ridge Assassination Incident' detained at the Songjiang City Security Bureau died unexpectedly. According to on-site investigations by the Security Bureau, no cause of death for these suspects can currently be determined. Further investigation is required!"
The post was short, just a few lines, with several photos below it. In the photos, security officers in uniform were carrying stretchers out of a room resembling an interrogation room. Each stretcher was covered in white cloth, revealing only vague human shapes. Jiang Yuan counted about six stretchers in the photos.
...
At that moment, in the Songjiang City Security Bureau's conference room, Chief Security Officer Li Hongbing, with his square face, looked grim. His stern gaze swept over the two security officers guarding the interrogation room and Security Bureau Director Zhao Xuejun.
"Who did this!"
Li Hongbing's voice was low as he looked at them.
Silence—dead silence!
"I said, who the hell did this!"
Li Hongbing slammed his hand on the conference table. The loud bang made the two officers and Director Zhao Xuejun involuntarily flinch!
"Chief, Chief, please calm down..."
Security Bureau Director Zhao Xuejun quickly turned to pour a glass of water, holding the bottom of a disposable paper cup with both hands, and carefully offered it to Li Hongbing with a fawning smile.
"Slap!"
Li Hongbing backhanded the cup out of Zhao Xuejun's hand, water splashing everywhere. Luckily, Zhao Xuejun had poured warm water, or else...
"Six suspects die right under your noses, just like that? Tell me, what the hell are you good for! Huh!"
Li Hongbing roared like an enraged lion at the three of them.
Facing Li Hongbing's fury, Zhao Xuejun lowered his head, sweat continuously beading on his forehead and trickling down his neck into his collar.
"Knock, knock, knock!"
Just then, a knock came from outside the conference room door.
"Come in!"
Zhao Xuejun quickly turned and said. A man in a security officer's uniform entered, around thirty-four years old, not tall—about 1.7 meters—with a rather ordinary face that would blend into any crowd.
"Director Zhao, a group of people outside claims to be the suspects' families. They're making a fuss to collect the bodies. Our people are holding them back. What should we do..."
"Xie Fuzhou, are you out of your mind? If they're the families, why stop them? Let them in! Isn't this place chaotic enough already!"
Zhao Xuejun, full of pent-up frustration, seized the chance to lash out at the officer named Xie Fuzhou.
"Oh, okay, got it!"
Xie Fuzhou, thoroughly scolded, quickly bowed and nodded, retreating meekly, not forgetting to close the conference room door behind him.
"Chief, should we meet with these families first?"
Zhao Xuejun, also looking cautious, smiled obsequiously at Li Hongbing as he bent to ask.
"Let's go, let's see!"
Chief Security Officer Li Hongbing straightened his uniform collar and gestured to Zhao Xuejun. They walked toward the conference room door together. Just as they were about to reach it, Li Hongbing suddenly turned back and said to the two officers guarding the interrogation room, "You two stay here. Don't go anywhere without my orders!" Then he locked the conference room door behind him.
Arriving at the Security Bureau lobby, they heard wailing from a distance. Six middle-aged couples were crouched beside stretchers, sitting on the floor and sobbing loudly!
Several middle-aged women cried out between sobs, "My son, my precious heart! How could you leave your mother like this!" and similar words.
"Something like this happening is deeply regrettable for our Security Bureau! But this is a Security Bureau, so please control your emotions. Let's discuss things inside, how about that?"
As the head of the Security Bureau, Zhao Xuejun tried to console the grief-stricken families before him.
"You murderers, give us back our son's life!"
Just as Zhao Xuejun finished speaking, the agitated families rushed forward, grabbing at his uniform as if to strike!
In an instant, the Security Bureau lobby descended into chaos!
...
In the 12th-floor general manager's office of the Bai Group's Songjiang branch, female secretary Xiaoya and a young man in a white lab coat with black-rimmed glasses stood respectfully before Aoshi Longhuang.
"Dr. Wu, are you sure they're all dead? No surprises?"
Aoshi Longhuang, with his feet propped on the desk and leaning back in his chair, a cigarette between his fingers, looked at the young man in the lab coat.
"Mr. Bai, rest assured. I just spoke with Xie Fuzhou, and they're all confirmed dead. I have full confidence in the potion I prepared. Even if an autopsy is performed, no trace will be found. There won't be any surprises!"
Dr. Wu pulled one hand out of his lab coat pocket, pushed up his glasses, and smiled.
"Excellent, well done! Even if the Security Bureau pushes for an autopsy, their families won't agree. I've already arranged that."
Aoshi Longhuang stood up, patted Dr. Wu's shoulder approvingly, then opened the first drawer on the right side of the desk, pulled out a thick envelope, and stuffed it into the man's pocket!
"Xiaoya, have the injured people at the hospital been settled?"
Aoshi Longhuang turned his gaze to the curvaceous female secretary in uniform, looking at her face.
"Boss, rest assured. I've transferred them all to our hospital. Without your permission, no one can see them!"
The female secretary Xiaoya nodded obediently and said to Aoshi Longhuang.
"Good!"
Aoshi Longhuang's face showed a relieved expression as he waved his hand. Xiaoya and Dr. Wu nodded knowingly and turned to leave.