Chapter 100

Chapter 94: Cicada Molt

Wen Liang pushed the door open, and the opulence of the luxury suite hit him. Five people were sitting on the sofa in the hall, four men and one woman, all wearing the 1992-style olive-green police uniforms, yellow shirts, blue ties, and shiny hard shoulder badges that gleamed with a blinding light. The armbands bore the large characters "Public Security." They sat stiffly on the sofa, the atmosphere heavy and tense. Liu Tianlai stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, the tip of his cigarette flickering, enveloping him in a thin layer of smoke. Hearing the door open, the five people sitting on the sofa were startled, and two of them stood up abruptly, their hands instinctively reaching for their waists.

"It's one of us, don't move."

Liu Tianlai immediately stopped them and turned to greet Wen Liang. Without pausing, Wen Liang walked into the inner suite, with Liu Tianlai following closely behind. As the antique copper door of the European-style room slowly closed, the people on the sofa exchanged glances, all seeing the shock in each other's eyes. The female police officer, wearing a peaked cap and dressed neatly with a beautiful face, whispered, "Who is that person? Why is Director Liu..."

A man in his thirties, with thick eyebrows and a stern face, shook his head, signaling her to be quiet. "Don't meddle. We'll know what we need to know."

The female police officer nodded but still cast furtive glances at the inner room, extremely curious about the young man. Liu Tianlai was known for his rebellious nature in Qingzhou. He was casual even with the former secretary, Zuo Jing, and with Zhou Yuanting. When did he become so cautious?

After a moment, Wen Liang and Liu Tianlai came out of the inner room and sat down on the opposite sofa. Wen Liang smiled and said, "Thank you for working so late. I'm sure Director Liu has already explained the situation, so I won't repeat it. I only hope that you will stand up to power, uphold justice, and bring the criminals to justice."

Any despicable act needs a noble name!

The male police officer who had spoken earlier had a righteous expression and said solemnly, "Rest assured, we will live up to the police badge on our heads!"

Wen Liang smiled and nodded, closed his eyes, and leaned back on the sofa, saying no more. The police officers either rubbed their hands subconsciously, stared into space, or sat stiffly, the air in the room as heavy as if it were frozen, making it hard to breathe.

Bai Changqian might be insignificant to many, but to others, he almost wielded overwhelming power. Facing such a person, even with their uniforms, the national emblem on their heads, and the righteousness in their hearts, they did not have much courage.

Time seemed to pass quickly, yet it also seemed to stand still. After what felt like a long time or just a moment, the intercom at the door suddenly rang, sharp and urgent.

Wen Liang's eyes snapped open, and Liu Tianlai growled, "Move!"

Liu Tianlai led the five people out, while Wen Liang picked up a glass of red wine from the table, raised it high, and poured it out, the deep red liquid cascading like a waterfall, leaving a trail of blood-red on the rim of the glass.

The door to the adjacent room was kicked open, and Bai Huan's arrogant voice could be heard intermittently:

"What are you doing? Get out!"

"Damn, do you know who I am? Don't... Ow!"

Five minutes later, Liu Tianlai walked in, his face excited. "It's done! We caught them red-handed, and the evidence at the scene is complete."

Wen Liang's hand holding the glass trembled slightly. "How is the girl?"

Liu Tianlai was taken aback; he hadn't expected Wen Liang to ask about the girl first. "She's not seriously hurt. She ingested a small amount of triazolam and is in a semi-comatose state. She was also injected with methamphetamine and is now... slightly... slightly excited. We'll take her to the hospital for an IV, and she'll be fine."

Wen Liang put down the glass, his fingers spasming from the force. He took a deep breath, stood up, and smiled. "Let's go and have a chat with Mr. Bai."

When Wen Liang walked into the room, Bai Huan's mind was still blank, unable to understand what had happened. He couldn't believe that in Qingzhou, someone would actually dare to handcuff him and make him squat on the ground after he revealed his identity.

Seeing Wen Liang, Bai Huan's eyes turned red, and he instantly understood many things. He stood up abruptly and shouted, "Wen Liang, are you the one behind this?"

Bai Huan was bare-chested, wearing only a pair of underwear, with a bruise on his cheek, clearly having suffered during the arrest. Wen Liang hadn't expected that Liu Tianlai's men would be so bold, even daring to hit the son of the vice mayor. Seeing Bai Huan's attire, his face turned cold. Liu Tianlai, understanding his concern, whispered in his ear, "He was just taking off his clothes, didn't have time. When we came in, the girl was still in her underwear..."

The female police officer, who had just come out of a bedroom, glared and shouted, "Shut up! Do you want a beating? Squat down!"

Bai Huan, who had been punched by her earlier, was a bit intimidated and obediently squatted down, his eyes still fixed on Wen Liang, his anger almost setting the room on fire.

Wen Liang looked around and asked softly, "Where are the others?"

"They are being held in different rooms. Geng Chao and the others are interrogating them. A bunch of kids, they confess once they're scared." Geng Chao was the male police officer in his thirties with a stern face.

The luxury suite had this advantage: many rooms!

Wen Liang nodded in understanding and finally focused on Bai Huan. He walked up to him, squatted down, and smiled. "Mr. Bai, after knowing you for so long, tonight you seem the most genuine! Dressed, you're a beast in human clothing; undressed, you're a naked beast. In my opinion, you look better undressed!"

Bai Huan was used to bullying others. Growing up, he had only bullied others, never been bullied. He was confused and scared when a group of fierce police officers pinned him to the ground, ignored his identity, and even punched him. Now, knowing it was Wen Liang behind this, he thought, no matter how powerful Wen Liang was, he couldn't be more powerful than his father. His arrogance returned: "Damn, are you looking for death..."

Before he could finish, Wen Liang slapped him hard on the left cheek, leaving five bloody finger marks.

Bai Huan, with his hands cuffed behind his back, had no way to resist. He shouted, "Damn..."

Slap! Another slap landed on the left cheek, and Wen Liang used his internal strength, swelling Bai Huan's face like a puffed-up bun.

Bai Huan's eyes welled up with tears, a trail of blood ran from his mouth, and a few of his teeth seemed loose. The pain was excruciating. Wen Liang's eyes were icy cold, showing no hesitation or fear. Bai Huan suddenly remembered the scene at the dandelion, where Wen Liang had plunged a broken bottle into Hong Hou's face without fear of the consequences.

He's a madman, damn, a madman!

Bai Huan was afraid and sat down, his body moving backward. His swollen face, the blood on his lips, his messy hair, and his naked body made him look pitiful and weak.

But it was this person who had almost destroyed a beautiful girl's life in the most cruel way!

Slap!

Wen Liang slapped him again, and Bai Huan screamed as a tooth and blood flew out of his mouth, leaving a dark trail on the carpet.

Bai Huan rolled on the ground in pain, his forehead touching the floor, and he struggled to get up, his legs bent and his buttocks raised. His usually handsome face was unrecognizable, his left cheek deep purple, and blood from his mouth stained his chin, making him look like a convict in a movie, utterly miserable.

He mumbled, "Why are you hitting me again? I didn't say anything..."

Wen Liang smiled coldly. "The first two slaps were for you, the last one for me. But I'm afraid of pain, so you took it for me!"

No matter what, Wen Liang had watched Xie Yan walk into this trap, and he wasn't much nobler than Bai Huan. Anger burned in his heart, both at Bai Huan and at himself. He couldn't hold it back any longer and let it all out.

Liu Tianlai, fearing that Wen Liang would go too far, pulled him up and shook his head.

Wen Liang said softly, "Don't worry, I know my limits. Prepare the car, and take Xie Yan to the hospital."

He turned and left. Bai Huan, seeing him go, immediately became nervous, not knowing what this madman would do to him. He shouted through the pain, "Wen Liang, let's make a deal."

Wen Liang turned and looked at him, his lips full of disdain and mockery. "A deal? You don't deserve it!"

Liu Tianlai stayed in the hall, and the female police officer led Wen Liang to Xie Yan's bedside. The girl's face was flushed, and she moaned softly, her body moving slightly, her delicate curves visible under the thin blanket.

"They first drugged her and then injected her with a stimulant. These bastards... She's in a semi-conscious state, aware of what's happening around her and what's being said."

Wen Liang understood the unspoken part: a woman without consciousness wasn't as enjoyable, so they used a stimulant to make Xie Yan react uncontrollably in a semi-conscious state, actively complying. Such a humiliated woman often had her psychological defenses completely shattered, even becoming a plaything.

These bastards might not be good at much, but they were advanced in their methods of manipulating women.

The female police officer spoke with hatred, and suddenly, Xie Yan kicked off the blanket, grabbed the coat the female police officer had just put on her, and tore it, exposing her white bra. Her pale skin, in this moment, was not seductive but heart-wrenching.

Wen Liang bent down, pulled the blanket over her, and Xie Yan, stimulated by his strong male scent, wrapped her arms around his neck, her hot face rubbing against his, as if trying to cool herself down.

Wen Liang pushed her away gently, pressing her back onto the bed, his eyes clear and gentle. "Don't be afraid, we're taking you to the hospital. You'll be fine."

The female police officer helped Xie Yan get dressed, and Wen Liang carried her out, walking briskly.

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End of Chapter 94