"Of course!"
Ch'en answered immediately, confidence blazing.
Han Jin was already in custody. The Yan law would give him a fair trial.
But trial and paperwork took time—months, at minimum.
Originally, Ch'en planned to have Hoshiguma snap a photo of Han Jin cuffed to the interrogation chair, just to reassure Chen Xiu.
She hadn't expected Chen Xiu to trust her so completely—take the money, and immediately agree to help.
Maybe this kind-hearted Sarkaz had never intended to stand aside in the first place.
Ch'en's expression softened with something close to emotion.
Chen Xiu, watching, held back a laugh.
Fine. Let Officer Ch'en owe him a few more favors.
Besides, even if she hadn't returned the money, he would've given her the lead anyway.
Grey Tail Hall had tied up Zhongyi Hall's attention tonight—this was the best possible window to probe Building 91.
If something ugly truly hid there, the stubbornly righteous "Hardhead Dragon" would burn it out the moment she confirmed it.
"Building 91 in the slums," Chen Xiu asked as he adjusted his long hair, pulling it back and tying it roughly. "You know it?"
"I do," Ch'en replied. "It's in Zhongyi Hall's territory."
The L.G.D.'s internal grasp of the slums was near zero, but Hoshiguma—coming from the underworld—had explained the rough power map.
A dozen major gangs, countless small groups.
Grey Tail Hall was the oldest and strongest. Zhongyi Hall was the fastest-rising—hungrier, more ambitious.
"You mean this is connected to Zhongyi Hall…?"
Ch'en lowered her eyes to think—and when she looked up again, she nearly short-circuited.
The "slum Sarkaz" in front of her now looked like a movie lead who had stepped out of a poster.
What happened while she was looking down? Where did this wilderness-grade handsome man come from? Where did the ragged drifter go?
The dramatic transformation wasn't an accident. Chen Xiu wanted it this way.
Approaching Ch'en with this face from the beginning would've backfired.
But now that she trusted him—now that goodwill existed—playing this card had a different effect.
"In the slums," he said calmly, "being too good-looking—male or female—is a risk. If I didn't disguise myself, I might end up one of the 'missing' too."
Ch'en nodded stiffly.
In Yan, same-sex desire wasn't rare, and she'd studied in Victoria for a long time. She wasn't naïve.
With a face like Chen Xiu's, even being Infected probably wouldn't stop certain lunatics from trying.
So… was this his way of showing trust?
Ch'en's eyes brightened.
Soon they reached their target.
Chen Xiu explained, "Building 91 looks ordinary from the outside, but it's not. There's an upscale entertainment venue inside that Zhongyi Hall runs. A lot of their dirty deals likely happen there."
Ch'en studied the pitch-black, unfinished building. Without Chen Xiu's words, she'd never have guessed it hid a crime den.
On her own, she might've spent weeks finding it.
Chen Xiu rolled his eyes at her hopeful look and said irritably, "A-Jie, don't tell me you think I've got the money to spend in there. I'm lucky I even know it's suspicious. How to get in? No clue."
Ch'en's tail drooped for a moment—then she clenched a fist, fire returning.
"It's fine. Infiltration and search—that's my specialty!"
Chen Xiu glanced at her. That sounded like the kind of line that invited bad luck.
To avoid attention, there were no obvious guards outside, and they slipped inside easily.
The first and second floors were empty—no people, no animals.
But from the third-floor stairwell upward, thugs were posted.
They withdrew quietly.
"If we don't want to alert them, we can't take out the sentries," Ch'en murmured, brows drawn. Then her tail stiffened. "What if we climb from outside?"
Chen Xiu didn't object. "Try it. I'll watch below."
They found a secluded corner. Ch'en sprinted, kicked off the wall, and climbed to the third floor in a few fast moves.
One arm hooked the window ledge. She pushed.
It wouldn't budge.
She pushed harder.
Still nothing.
Sealed from the inside?
Ch'en glanced upward and decided to climb higher to assess the building.
Chen Xiu stood below, hands on hips, watching her scale the wall like it was a playground.
Terra people were basically extreme-sports monsters.
As he marveled, heat flared in the "third eye" on his forehead.
A new day.
[Ding. Daily Intel has refreshed.]
Lin Yuxia, furious over the stolen bounty, is determined to demand justice. She has made a wager with the Rat King: if she can dig up sufficiently major black material within the L.G.D., the Rat King will personally call Wei Yenwu to report it.
The Grey Tail Hall vs. Zhongyi Hall conflict will temporarily subside after 2 a.m. The Rat King and Zhongyi Hall's boss have agreed to set a life-or-death ring match in the slums on a later date to resolve this dispute.
On Building 93's rooftop, there are leftover steel clamp plates. Assembled, their length is just enough to bridge to Building 91.
Today's "peach-tinted" intel: For high-end needs, go to Room 607 of Building 91.
Chen Xiu nodded with satisfaction.
The intel was, as always, sharp.
He'd already "handled" Han Jin, but the Rat King and Lin Yuxia didn't know. If Chen Xiu ever needed to cut down a higher-up inside the L.G.D., that wager could become leverage.
Collect evidence, make one call—straight to the top.
As for the rest, the timing was perfect.
They still had over two hours to infiltrate and search.
A soft thud—Ch'en landed back on the ground.
"All the windows above are sealed from the inside," she complained.
Then she looked up, gaze deepening. "Chen Xiu… this place is absolutely suspicious. I think they sealed it to stop kidnapped people from escaping."
But she still couldn't see the reality inside.
If nothing else, she'd have to smash through the guards.
As long as she got evidence, she could return to the L.G.D. and demand a raid. If Zhongyi Hall couldn't move fast enough, the missing girls might be rescued directly.
Ch'en's thoughts raced—until Chen Xiu tugged her arm back to earth.
"Come on," he said. "I've got a way."
.....
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