Chapter 48 The Goddess of Fertility (Added Author's Note)...
In the dead of night, a group of rough-looking men quietly slipped out of the room.
By the moonlight, Chen Zhenzhu inspected the guns and ammunition, and placed the small silver knife beside her boots in preparation.
There will likely be a fierce battle tomorrow. Others can be equipped with bulletproof vests, but she cannot.
After taking a shower, she opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling, suddenly realizing that Gu Yanzheng had been by her side in every case she had participated in since joining the Fourth Team.
He seemed to give people a natural sense of security, making Shen Zhenzhu unable to sleep with her eyes open as she had never been before.
It's not that I lack confidence, nor am I afraid or panicked; it's just that I feel empty inside and want to quickly find the tall figure I'm following.
She didn't know when she fell asleep; she was woken up by a phone call from the hotel.
Zheng Xiankai's greasy voice came through the phone early in the morning, and Shen Zhenzhu felt her whole day was ruined. She answered the phone while pinching her nose.
"The car is already waiting downstairs. Ms. Zhu, how about we have breakfast together at the revolving restaurant?"
"Okay, but please wait a moment."
"I couldn't have gotten it."
After hanging up the phone, Chen Zhenzhu couldn't help but gag while brushing her teeth.
Even after hanging up the phone, Zheng Xiankai didn't stop. Sitting in his car, he asked the driver, "How's the surveillance going?"
The driver, the third son's right-hand man, told us in detail: "I asked the hotel staff. When she first arrived, there was a man carrying a video camera with her. After a few days, it was just her alone. Since she came back yesterday, she hasn't had any contact with anyone else and hasn't appeared anywhere else outside her room."
Zheng Xiankai rubbed his stomach contentedly, picked up a ham, took a bite, and said while chewing, "A female college graduate who has just entered society, and still in my favorite profession of journalism, has a natural sense of mission regarding social relationships and believes she is omnipotent. She likes to run around everywhere, interviewing this and that, and in the end, no one knows where she disappears to."
The third brother, speaking up in a very supportive tone, said, "You're right, a female reporter like that is worthy of you."
Zheng Xiankai closed his eyes and patiently waited for reporter Zhu to walk into his trap. His thick lips parted and he said, "I've seen too many brainless women. I like smart women. Nana is good in every way, except that she's too strong-willed and not gentle... After you've dealt with this one, give her the drug and send her to the 'Fertility Temple'. Of course, if she changes her mind, I can spend some time with her. This is my last chance for her."
The third brother said, "You can send it away when you're tired of it."
Zheng Xiankai laughed and scolded, "You can read my mind. Oh, by the way, it's too clean here. Lao Wu said he wants to set up a distribution center in Liancheng to make it easier to catch mules. What do you think?"
The third brother thought for a moment and said, "It's best not to make too much of a fuss in Liancheng. I heard they've cracked several major cases there, and the criminal investigation team has eyes everywhere. You can try to catch the mule, but don't let the fifth brother go. He just killed a mule, and his hands are still warm from the fight. Don't let him cause you any trouble."
“You’re absolutely right. The Liancheng distribution center is a good option. You can go and take charge of it. Once the mules over there have been dealt with properly, then let him go over and have some fun.”
As they were talking, reporter Zhu came down the hotel stairs. She was wearing a jacket, jeans, and leather boots, and she walked with a brisk pace, which was exactly the style Zheng Xiankai liked.
Only one woman in his life had ever given him this feeling of love at first sight, and that was Helena. Now, another woman has appeared.
He used to think he was completely obedient to He Liana, but now he's getting bored with her.
The doorman recognized Reporter Zhu and said loudly, "Reporter Zhu, where are you going? If you're going to an attraction, we have free tickets here."
Shen Zhenzhu turned to the operative disguised as a waiter and said, "I'm going to have a meal at the revolving restaurant with my friend. Someone will help me with my luggage later. After that, I'll head back to the provincial capital. See you next time."
"Miss Zhu, please get in the car." Zheng Xiankai did not get out of the car. The third brother, who was wearing sunglasses and a hat, opened the car door and invited her to get in.
Just like yesterday, Shen Zhenzhu carried two bags. One contained personal belongings, and the other was her interview equipment. Sitting in her car, she noticed that after leaving the hotel, they hadn't continued towards the city center but had instead headed towards the suburbs.
"Excuse me, Ms. Zhu, how about we go to the Countryside Restaurant for fish soup noodles? It's my fault for not planning ahead; the revolving restaurant is closed in the morning."
Zheng Xiankai sat down next to Shen Zhenzhu and said gently, "I've been buried in work all year round and know nothing about these romantic things. I hope you'll forgive me."
“It’s okay. I prefer fish soup noodles to a revolving restaurant. When I was little, my neighbor used to fish for us, and my mom would often cook it for us.” Shen Zhenzhu’s attitude towards him was a little better than yesterday, which Zheng Xiankai thought was because she was captivated by his charm.
Zheng Xiankai asked, "Oh, judging from Miss Zhu's tone, she's not an only child? What does her father do for a living?"
Shen Zhenzhu added her own opinion: "My father was a pig butcher, specializing in slaughtering fat pigs. A few years ago, he accidentally injured someone and went to jail, leaving behind a brain-damaged older brother who drools at home all day long."
“Tsk tsk, it seems Miss Zhu didn’t have a very good childhood. I can help you anytime you need.” Zheng Xiankai said, “I have acquaintances at the sanatorium. If your brother’s condition isn’t too bad, he can receive free treatment there.”
"I couldn't ask for more." Shen Zhenzhu suddenly smiled, a dimple flashing across her cheek, which made Zheng Xiankai's eyes widen in fascination.
"Do you have to go back to the provincial capital after work today?" Zheng Xiankai continued to probe. "If you're not going, you can come with me to Liancheng to take a look."
"Work can't be neglected." Chen Zhenzhu finally looked at him properly, and said indifferently, "What are you going to Liancheng for?"
Zheng Xiankai said, "That place is surrounded by the sea on three sides and is a tourist destination. I mainly wanted to take you there for a couple of days, but unfortunately you have to leave. Secondly, I'm planning to set up a distribution center in Liancheng to expand our business and provide employment opportunities. What do you think?"
Shen Zhenzhu smiled again: "Go to Liancheng? That's wonderful, you really have good taste."
Zheng Xiankai's thick lips curved into an even brighter smile: "Miss Zhu seems quite satisfied with my way of speaking and handling things. To be honest, I deliberately pandered to her. A successful businessman like me earns enough money each year to support a large number of vain women, but I'm not willing to do that. The woman I like must have her own career and perseverance, and she must be as outstanding as you. A woman who can only survive by depending on others is not within my range of potential partners."
Zheng Xiankai's words were no longer just hints, but a blatant display of his stench, implying that Zhu was his ideal type of partner.
Unfortunately, Reporter Zhu was arrogant and had no shortage of suitors; he simply smiled after hearing what Zhu said.
Zheng Xiankai didn't care. He was used to being polite first and then resorting to force. Since he liked to tackle tough challenges, he couldn't rush it.
As he had said, Shen Zhenzhu ate fish soup noodles. The taste was actually not bad, but with Zheng Xiankai sitting opposite her, it made her feel like she was drinking lard.
After breakfast, they were heading back to the brick factory. It had rained the night before, and when the third brother opened the car door, a taxi splashed water all over his trouser leg. He didn't yell or curse, but secretly memorized the license plate number, intending to clean it up later. He opened the car door and invited Zheng Xiankai and reporter Zhu to get in.
Shen Zhenzhu also got splashed with water. Through the car window, she saw that Zhao Qiqi was driving. She could understand his desire to run over Zheng Xiankai, but she hoped he wouldn't hit her too.
Fortunately, not long after the third brother drove off, Lu Ye took over the car and followed, which put Chen Zhenzhu at ease.
Upon entering the front of the Red Brick Factory, Chen Zhenzhu took photos while touring the area.
"This is the original kiln for making steamed buns, which has a history of 27 years. At first, we fired yellow bricks. After the technology of sealing the kiln and filling it with water was improved, the water vapor could perfectly penetrate into the brick blank, turning the bricks red. This is why our factory was able to produce the famous red bricks."
Zheng Xiankai was still very proud when talking about his own red brick house, and he kept introducing it to Chen Zhenzhu along the way, while Chen Zhenzhu kept her head down taking pictures and rarely spoke.
As the tour was about to end, a familiar figure suddenly appeared.
Gu Yanzheng carried two bags of brick rubble over, with Lao Wu beside him. Lao Wu's face was still red, indicating that he had been cursing someone.
Zheng Xiankai frowned and asked Lao Wu, "Why did we get to the front?"
The fifth brother stared intently at reporter Zhu and said, "I heard that putting some brick fragments in the pond is good for the fish and can also filter out the dirt."
The deaf man stood before them, carrying two sacks and bending over. Chen Zhenzhu, dressed beautifully, seemed to be from a different world than the deaf man.
"Hey, why is your hand bleeding?" Reporter Zhu stepped forward and took out a handkerchief to wipe the deaf man's hand, but the deaf man refused. He timidly withdrew his hand, his back pressed low by the burlap sack.
Reporter Zhu said to Zheng Xiankai with concern, "What if we get infected by using gentian violet to disinfect it?"
Zheng Xiankai said kindly, "Fifth brother, take him to the clinic to get some medicine applied. He's always been careless while working. Also, check if he has any other injuries."
Chen Zhenzhu took out a bottle of mineral water from her bag and poured it on the deaf man's hand. Ignoring the two probing eyes behind her, she said, "I just saw that the doctors are all over there. Don't rush, have a thorough examination. It won't take long."
The deaf man, unable to speak, responded with a few flattering "uh-huhs" and "uh-huhs".
After washing the back of her hands, Chen Zhenzhu noticed that the mineral water bottle was also dirty. She frowned and said, "Your mouth is dry too. You can drink the rest, otherwise it will be a waste."
The deaf man couldn't hear very well, so he turned to look at Lao Wu. Lao Wu took the bottle of mineral water and personally fed it to the deaf man: "Drink up, drink up, you're tough, it won't kill you."
The deaf man eagerly swallowed the clean mineral water, but by the time he finished, reporter Zhu had already left.
"Don't you want your eyes anymore? You want to keep those two you picked at yesterday company?" the fifth brother said viciously. "That girl is going to be my future sister-in-law. Is she someone trash like you can even look at? Even if I get tired of her, it won't be your turn. Hurry up and get to work, don't waste any more time. If that mule hadn't gotten sick, I wouldn't have called you to the front."
Shen Zhenzhu couldn't hear their conversation; she clutched Gu Yanzheng's crumpled paper tightly in her hand. After going to the restroom, Shen Zhenzhu pretended not to notice that her bag had been rummaged through, and instead answered a call from the ticket agency in front of Lao Si.
"Why are you late?" Chen Zhenzhu said unhappily, "I booked a ticket for 8:30 pm, is there a mistake?"
The fourth brother couldn't hear what the other person was saying on the phone. He stood at the door smoking and looking down at the pond.
Shen Zhenzhu's tone became increasingly agitated as she shouted into her mobile phone, "The original time is fine, I can leave. But I'll switch to platform three. I have a lot of stuff, so I'll have someone come and pick me up. What other options do I have?"
On the other end of the phone, Zhou Chuanxi quickly told Wu Zhongguo and the others: "The rendezvous point has been changed to the vicinity of Area 3 in the rear factory area. Proceed according to the original schedule and send more personnel for fire support."
***
After visiting the factory, Chen Zhenzhu waited for Zheng Xiankai, who had some clients arriving, reportedly several major clients.
From her office window, Shen Zhenzhu saw several middle-aged couples getting off a bus from out of town. They didn't seem to be there to discuss business. Their expressions were intriguing. When they noticed someone watching from upstairs, some of them instinctively covered their faces and quickened their pace, as if they were up to something shady.
The third brother came over and said, "Reporter Zhu, there's still some time before the red brick craft demonstration. The boss asked me to invite you to the rest room to rest. The craftsmen have scheduled the kiln opening for tonight, but we'll let you know the exact time later. If you're hungry, we can go eat first."
Chen Zhenzhu stood up and said, "I ate too many noodles this morning, I want to go and rest."
The third brother then led Chen Zhenzhu to the lounge. On the way, Chen Zhenzhu asked him, "When can I meet Boss Zheng's wife?"
The third brother gave a sly smile and said, "That depends on what Boss Zheng says. Maybe we'll see him tonight."
The lounge is in the same building as the office building, located on the second floor at the far end. It's a nice suite with living space.
Shen Zhenzhu joked, "Even living here wouldn't be a problem."
The third brother said meaningfully, "Reporter Zhu can stay as long as he wants. However, there are better places to go, but it depends on the boss's arrangements. You can rest here for now, and I'll invite him over later when the boss is done with his work."
Chen Zhenzhu was sitting on the sofa in the outer room of the living room when she heard a click from the door after the third brother left. She tiptoed over and found the door locked from the outside.
She turned and went to the window, only to find that the back factory area was behind her. The window was sealed with wire mesh and could not be opened by hand.
Chen Zhenzhu pulled a small silver knife from her boot, pried open the edge of the barbed wire, and successfully peeled off the entire barbed wire.
She heard a sound coming from the hallway by the door. She put away her small silver knife, pressed the iron mesh back into place intact, and sat on the sofa to read a magazine.
The third brother went and then came back, bringing a plate of sliced fruit to Chen Zhenzhu and saying, "Did you see the water in the cupboard?"
Chen Zhenzhu asked, "What cabinet?"
The third brother walked to the TV cabinet, opened it, and turned around to say, "I must have remembered wrong, there's no water."
Shen Zhenzhu urged, "My train is scheduled for 8:30. Tell Boss Zheng to hurry up. I'll have someone send my luggage to be stored—" As she spoke, she took out her mobile phone and pretended to make a call.
The third brother snatched the mobile phone from the eldest brother and, under Shen Zhenzhu's surprised gaze, said, "Unauthorized contact is prohibited within the factory. I'll keep this mobile phone for you and return it to you after you leave."
Shen Zhenzhu suddenly stood up and said, "Why did you confiscate my cell phone?! You have no right to do that!"
The third brother said, "I told you yesterday that we are using confidential patented technology. In order to avoid leaks, I hope you understand."
He picked up his cell phone and swaggered away, taking his work bag with him. Reporter Zhu, a woman, was so angry she stomped her feet but couldn't do anything about it.
Shen Zhenzhu stayed in the lounge until dark, watching the sky and waiting for the next move.
On the other side, after delivering the message, Gu Yanzheng returned to the brick kiln in the back factory to continue working.
He was like a tireless ox, working diligently and earning praise from the foreman. This time, because his back was burned by steam, the foreman took pity on him and let him go back to the communal sleeping quarters to rest.
Gu Yanzheng returned to his dormitory and lay down, the time passing by slowly. Suddenly, he opened his eyes and looked towards area number three in the back factory area.
They've arrived.
He jumped up, went to the door, took out a hidden wire, and hooked the lock from the inside. These past few days, he had figured out the area where the disabled people in the back factory were concentrated. Because of the "female reporter" interviewing them these past two days, the back factory had not been firing bricks, and almost all the people were locked in the abandoned factory buildings.
Under the cover of night, he made contact with the people who had infiltrated the area, and like ants moving swiftly in the dark, he silently moved the disabled people.
Fortunately, when the warehouses were opened, the disabled people inside, though afraid of the gunmen, did not make a sound. Like mules without the ability to think, they followed the people in front of them out.
While the people inside were being transferred or secretly arrested, the factory workers in front were still unaware of the situation.
......
Shen Zhenzhu speculated that He Liana was probably being held somewhere in the factory area.
She could hear the commotion downstairs through the iron gate; it sounded like a banquet. Zheng Xiankai's deafening laughter echoed up from the floor beneath her feet.
Shen Zhenzhu tried pushing the iron gate, and the person standing at the door shouted, "Behave yourself! Stop making trouble!"
Shen Zhenzhu shouted, "Let me out! What right do you have to lock me up!"
The man at the door shouted impatiently, "You stupid woman, you only just realized you're locked up? Who told you to walk right into this trap? Let me tell you, you'd better behave yourself and make the boss treat you well, or you'll be in for a world of hurt!"
He didn't hear a reply from reporter Zhu after he finished speaking. He pressed his ear against the door and heard the other person sobbing inside. He sneered and said, "Go ahead and cry. Cry until you're tired, take a nap, and when you wake up, you'll be our sister-in-law. It's good to be a woman. As long as you're willing to open up, all the benefits will come your way."
Shen Zhenzhu didn't hear his foul language. She removed the barbed wire and hung herself on the second-floor wall, looking like a gecko in action from a distance.
She checked the rest rooms one by one from outside the wall, but didn't see Helena. She must have been locked up in the so-called "better place".
Shen Zhenzhu didn't know what Zheng Xiankai had done to He Liana, but she hoped that He Liana would be able to protect herself and wait for the rescuers to arrive.
Climbing up the drainpipe to the fourth floor, they finally found an office with an open window for her to jump into.
She needed to hurry and meet up with Gu Yanzheng, so she tiptoed down from the fourth floor to the roof. The factory area was laid out in a U-shape with office buildings, so it would be easy to be spotted if she went downstairs. She climbed from the roof of one building to the roof of another.
Suddenly a gunshot rang out; someone had been discovered!
Shen Zhenzhu gripped her pistol tightly and ran quickly toward area three.
...
Team Leader Ding never expected that one of Zheng Xiankai's own people was being held in the "pigsty".
He was trying to save the other person, but he was almost stabbed to death from behind.
"As long as I catch you, I can atone for my sins, and the boss will definitely let me go!" If Gu Yanzheng saw this, he would definitely recognize this man as his comrade-in-arms in the water dungeon, the man who had been imprisoned for twenty-two days.
Now that they had been discovered, alarms sounded throughout the factory area. The criminal investigation team wasn't going to be trifled with either; they drew their weapons and engaged in a gunfight.
Zheng Xiankai's prized hunting rifle was utterly defeated by the regular army. He ran out of the "Fertility Temple" and hurriedly led all the "Fertility Goddesses" and customers into the tunnel: "Run! Run!"
His massive frame clumsily picked up the hunting rifle and tried to go back, but the third brother stopped him, saying, "Big brother, don't go back, the police have already come in!"
Zheng Xiankai, his eyes bloodshot with rage, grabbed the third brother by the collar and yelled, "Who let them in?! Who?!"
The third brother said, "I don't know, it just came suddenly."
The criminal police officers were incredibly resourceful; they appeared out of nowhere and swarmed the infiltrators, who didn't even have time to think about how they got in.
Only Zheng Xiankai's third, fourth, fifth, and sixth thugs remained in place, holding their modified hunting rifles and firing back shot after shot.
"As long as the 'Goddesses of Fertility' are still around, we're not afraid of not being able to make a comeback!"
The third brother tried to drag Zheng Xiankai into the tunnel, but Zheng Xiankai stared intently at the direction of the lounge building and said, "No, I have to take her with me! And Nana too. If those two women can stay by my side, I won't regret losing this brick factory!"
Just as the third brother was about to continue persuading him, he said, "Women as beautiful and intelligent as them, if they could become 'fertility goddesses,' they would be two money trees, wouldn't they be better than those stupid women?! Don't you understand the principle of sacrificing the pawn to save the king? The women I went through so much trouble to bring back will definitely help us make a comeback in the future!"
The third brother understood Zheng Xiankai's meaning. Even though he was reluctant, he still said, "You go into the tunnel and wait. They definitely won't find this place. Once it's quiet outside, you take them and find a chance to leave. I'll go find them. If they're not back in half an hour, don't wait for me, just lock the door!"
The tunnel's entrance was located inside the firebox of a steamed bun kiln, making it difficult to distinguish from other steamed bun kilns from the outside. The factory area spanned several thousand square meters; even a superhuman team could not dig every inch of land. If they could hide there, the chances of escape were extremely high.
Seeing that the third brother was about to leave, Zheng Xiankai quickly said, "Their goal is definitely to rescue those mules; they haven't discovered anything else yet. If you run into the second brother, tell her to be careful and blend in without being discovered. If she manages to escape, we'll find a chance to meet up later."
The third brother nodded emphatically and said, "Understood."
......
Gu Yanzheng hid behind a paint bucket. Several bullets grazed the bucket, leaving bullet marks.
The personnel had been mostly transferred, but he didn't see Team Leader Ding.
"Where's Team Leader Ding? Where's Chen?" Gu Yanzheng grabbed the walkie-talkie and shouted, "Have you heard Lao Ding and Lao Shen talking?"
The members of Team Ding standing nearby felt a chill run down their spines. "Team Ding," "I'm the one who's in charge"—it was clear who was more important.
A few crackling sounds of electricity were heard, and everyone replied that they hadn't found anything. Only one team member said, "Report: Section Chief Shen was found fighting with two men in Area 1. After the two men were arrested, Section Chief Shen said there were still problems and ran away in the blink of an eye."
"Report: Team Leader Ding went to the dungeon to rescue the victims, and he hasn't come up yet."
If you can't catch a running rabbit, can't you catch a turtle that's fallen into the water? After giving a few instructions, Gu Yanzheng went to the water dungeon to retrieve the turtle.
Team Leader Ding beat the man unconscious in the water dungeon and dragged him out. The water dungeon was damp and gloomy, with rats scurrying about.
The sounds of gunfire outside couldn't get in, and the sounds of fighting inside couldn't get out either.
There were still about ten steps to go before he heard a timid female voice calling from inside: "Who is it? Don't kill me! Don't come any closer!"
Team Leader Ding immediately said, "I'm a police officer, stop right there!"
He put the person on his back down and handcuffed them to an iron bar. He then went over, gun in hand, and saw a thin woman huddled on the ground, trembling. Upon seeing him, tears streamed down her face as she sobbed, "Save me, please save me..."
...
Gu Yanzheng arrived at the entrance to the water dungeon, a far cry from his former self. He stormed in, shouting, "Old Ding!"
There were only hurried footsteps in the water dungeon, but no reply from Lao Ding.
After a moment, a woman's voice came over: "Here."
Gu Yanzheng kept his gun at the ready as he walked over and found Team Leader Ding and his brother lying on the ground. He pointed his gun at the woman with a fair, oval face and asked, "Who are you? Why are they lying here?"
The woman wiped away her tears and said, "I didn't do anything. I... I wanted to run away. I don't know why I came here. When I got here, I found them lying here."
Gu Yanzheng pointed the gun at her, tilted his head, and said, "Hands up, get out of the way."
The thin woman pressed herself against the damp, dripping wall and slowly moved to a distance.
Gu Yanzheng slowly squatted down, picked up the pistol that had been at the woman's feet, put it away, and patted Lao Ding's face: "Hey, hey?"
Old Ding tried to raise his arm, but he couldn't move it at all; it felt like all the muscles in his body had been drained of strength.
He wanted to use his eyes to warn Gu Yanzheng to be careful of the woman in the distance, but his eyelids felt as heavy as a thousand pounds, and he was completely unable to give any warning.
Gu Yanzheng called over a woman and had her drag the twenty-two-day-old brother in front while he walked behind.
The frail woman dragged the man along unsteadily, occasionally turning back to face Gu Yanzheng's dark gun barrel, saying, "I really don't have any strength left. Otherwise, I'll stay here and you go find someone, okay?"
"Stop talking nonsense. I can't hand the person over to you until I can confirm your identity. Get out of here now."
Gu Yanzheng showed no mercy to the woman, pointing a gun at her and forcing her to drag the man away from the water dungeon.
After walking seventy or eighty meters, the office building came into view, and the faint echoes of gunfire could be heard. Gu Yanzheng noticed that the woman's movements were becoming increasingly slow, so he said, "Rest by the flower bed for a while, and don't move around."
He took out his walkie-talkie and dialed the channel again, but still couldn't find the whereabouts of Chen Zhenzhu.
"The rabbit's running wild," Gu Yanzheng muttered to himself, his pupils suddenly contracting as he abruptly turned and grappled with the third brother, who was lurking in the shadows wielding a dagger.
During a lull in the struggle, Gu Yanzheng managed to keep the pistol from being snatched by the third brother and pulled the trigger, striking the third brother's left arm. However, the third brother seemed oblivious to the pain, his eyes filled only with bloodlust.
Gu Yanzheng pointed the gun at him and said, "Don't move. If you move again, I'll shoot you on the spot."
Old Man Gu Yanzheng took a step back, his eyes flashed, and in the blink of an eye, the timid woman behind Gu Yanzheng suddenly sprang up, holding a syringe, and rushed forward without regard for her own life!
Gu Yanzheng dodged the woman's attack, but unexpectedly, the third brother grabbed a dagger and rushed towards the direction where Captain Ding was lying, clearly intending to take Captain Ding hostage!
Gu Yanzheng punched the woman in the stomach, but she was like a cunning snake, wrapping her arms around his arm and desperately trying to buy him time!
The third brother's dagger was about to touch Ding's throat, and Ding leaned against the wall, cold sweat rolling down his forehead. In a flash, Gu Yanzheng shouted, "Old Shen—!!"
The third brother turned around in astonishment, but there was no man behind him. Just as he thought Gu Yanzheng was using a ruse, a violent and ruthless figure descended from the sky!
"Here you go—!" She clasped her hands together, disregarding the life or death of the third brother, and slammed them down on his back with murderous intent!
Crack!
Before the third brother could even cry out, the powerful man collapsed to the ground. He twisted and rolled around on the floor.
With his brothers all arrested, he stumbled to his feet with sheer willpower. Before he could even grip the dagger again, a kick came straight up to his face, sending him sprawling to the ground, unconscious.
Gu Yanzheng seized the opportunity to grab the woman's arm, handcuffed her, and lifted her up: "Perfect score for technique."
"Second Sister! Third Brother!" The Fifth Brother, following the sound of Chen Zhenzhu's movements, saw everything clearly from the second floor. He jumped down from the second floor: "Damn it, you damn mule!"
"Fifth Brother! Kill them!" the woman shouted, "Kill this woman first!"
Gu Yanzheng quickly raised his gun to prepare to fire, but Chen Zhenzhu shouted, "Let me handle this!"
Almost as soon as he finished speaking, the fifth brother was grabbed by the neck with a scissor kick by the girl he looked down on, twisted and thrown heavily to the ground!
The fifth brother rubbed his neck with one hand as he stood up, swayed, and pulled out a dagger: "Damn it, you—"
"How dare you call me Brother Zheng, you mule!"
Bang! Before Lao Wu could finish speaking, Chen Zhenzhu struck him hard on the jaw with her elbow. Lao Wu took two steps to the side and sat down on the ground, spitting out blood.
The next second, a pistol was pointed at his temple: "You're under arrest, you beast!"
Police car headlights illuminate the dark, sunless brick factory.
Armed police officers stood on both sides, followed by a long line of police cars. The deafening sirens proclaimed that justice had been served in this area.
The secret raid on the illegal brick factory on the outskirts of the city caught unsuspecting media out of the blue. They were all stopped behind the police line, and the flashes of cameras captured their terrified and helpless faces. Their miserable state was recorded by the cameras.
Gu Yanzheng sat in a corner where no one paid attention to him, slowly chewing his food from a styrofoam lunchbox. Even though he was so hungry that his stomach was cramping, he still ate his food in a leisurely manner.
Chen Zhenzhu squatted on his lap, swinging her wrist and baring her white teeth as she cursed, "He's stupid and stubborn. He punched me and twisted my wrist, Brother Zheng—"
"Work injury." Gu Yanzheng swallowed his rice.
Shen Zhenzhu chuckled, listening to Lu Ye's complaints: "I saw you jump down from upstairs from a great distance. Were you going to punch him? Were you going to beat his black heart out so he could be reborn right here?"
Gu Yanzheng leaned over and pulled out a pain-relieving spray from his pocket. He raised his chin, and Chen Zhenzhu stretched out her arm to wait for him, still saying, "By the time you get there to help, it'll be too late."
After counting the number of people, Wu Zhongguo came over and told Gu Yanzheng: "A total of 125 victims were rescued, 15 of whom suffered serious physical injuries and have been sent to the hospital. 27 suspects were arrested, including Zheng Xiankai and other suspects."
"Zheng Xiankai was caught?" Shen Zhenzhu exclaimed in surprise. "How was he caught? Where was he caught?"
Wu Zhongguo pointed to Zhou Chuanxi standing in the distance and said, "Xiao Xizi caught him in Zheng Xiankai's office. He was trying to reach for the shotgun and fight Xiao Xizi, but before he could reach it, Xiao Xizi kicked him and he passed out."
Shen Zhenzhu: "...Zheng Xiankai is the boss of this criminal group. They call him Big Brother, and outside they call him Boss."
After finishing his meal, Gu Yanzheng clapped his hands and said, "Perfect timing, I'll go ask him about He Liana's whereabouts."
Shen Zhenzhu shared the same idea and walked side by side with Gu Yanzheng toward one of the police cars.
"Call my lawyer over. I didn't use any illegal workers at all; they all worked for me voluntarily. I paid them every month, and I have the records!"
Shen Zhenzhu stood behind Gu Yanzheng with her arms crossed through the car window. Zheng Xiankai didn't see her at first glance and was still struggling inside the car. The police car swayed precariously because of his large body. The back seat, which could normally seat three people, was now full when he got in alone.
"Be honest, you've been caught red-handed, what kind of excuse do you think you have?" Gu Yanzheng opened the car door, looked down at the obese Zheng Xiankai, and said, "Do you still recognize me?"
At this moment, Gu Yanzheng's spirit and demeanor were completely different from those during the day. Zheng Xiankai carefully observed for a few seconds before saying, "It's you! So it was you who did this!"
Gu Yanzheng stepped aside, and Shen Zhenzhu, understanding his meaning, took a step forward and said, "Then do you know me?"
"Miss Zhu?...Who exactly are you! I've been so polite to you, and you've treated me so rudely!"
Zheng Xiankai, like an angry piece of fat, thrashed about in the car: "I know, you're a policeman! You're a policeman too!"
His eyes flashed with even more intense emotion, which disgusted Shen Zhenzhu. Gu Yanzheng stepped in front of her at the right moment, meeting Zheng Xiankai's gaze: "Where is He Liana?"
Zheng Xiankai's intense gaze fell on Gu Yanzheng, but Gu Yanzheng ignored him and simply stared at Zheng Xiankai again, saying, "I'm asking you, where exactly is He Liana?"
Zheng Xiankai chuckled and said, "What He Liana? I don't know her."
Gu Yanzheng knew he couldn't reason with him, so he told the police officer next to him, "Take him back and leave him for me to interrogate personally."
As he turned to leave, he saw Chen Zhenzhu pinching her nose and not having had time to put her hand down.
"..." Gu Yanzheng raised his hand and smelled his sleeve, then his shoulder: "Does it smell bad?"
Shen Zhenzhu nodded honestly and said as tactfully as possible, "It's alright."
Gu Yanzheng laughed angrily: "Good my ass, you haven't bathed for over ten days and just soaked in the pigsty."
Chen Zhenzhu said, "A pigsty?"
Gu Yanzheng said, "The water dungeon, it's full of all sorts of filth and stench." Then, he finally remembered Comrade Ding: "Come here, how's your team leader Ding doing?"
A junior police officer standing guard by another police car ran over, stood at attention, and said in a serious tone, "The hospital said our captain was given a muscle relaxant and is out of danger."
Gu Yanzheng laughed and cursed, "You're a complete failure."
The junior police officer dared not retort, and could only silently protest with a glance from the corner of his eye.
Gu Yanzheng was even happier after discovering this, as if he could see Chen Zhenzhu's former glory.
"A female corpse has been found," came the report over the walkie-talkie. "It was already decomposed at the bottom of the water cell, and the time of death cannot be estimated."
"I hope it's not He Liana." Gu Yanzheng's smile vanished. "Let's go take a look."
Chen Zhenzhu walked quickly into the factory area, with people constantly passing by. Police officers and medical personnel came and went, presumably working through the night.
As Gu Yanzheng walked, he told Shen Zhenzhu the truth: "I was afraid you would feel pressured. Now that the case is nearing its end, I can tell you that He Liana is no ordinary person. She is a senior reporter from the CCTV program 'Focus Interview.' She has participated in several undercover interviews to expose toxic food factories, shoddy construction projects, and forced demolitions. This time, she probably went undercover to expose a black brick factory as well."
Shen Zhenzhu was taken aback. She knew how influential the "Focus Interview" program was. Backed by the power of the central government, it could directly question the government. The interviews it had participated in were often broadcast nationwide during prime time after "Xinwen Lianbo". It was a program with unparalleled influence in both government and the public.
"Didn't her colleagues at Focus Interview try to find her after she disappeared for six months?"
"We searched but couldn't find her, but we discovered that her letters suddenly requested an extension of her undercover operation, telling her to search again if she didn't show up in April. Song Qibang is her husband and colleague. He sensed that something was wrong with the operation after the undercover operation was exposed, and he was willing to lose his job to find her."
“I see.” Chen Zhenzhu recalled the intellectually charming He Liana in the photo, with her long hair flowing over her shoulders and her eyes full of strength, exuding the style of a modern woman: “I hope it’s not her.”
The two arrived outside the water dungeon, where search team members were using machines to pump out water. Sewage was continuously flowing out, and the stench made Chen Zhenzhu hold her breath.
"Do you have any masks?" Gu Yanzheng asked a nearby search team member for a disposable mask and handed it to Chen Zhenzhu. He put it on himself and said in a muffled voice, "Giants' View... How could there be a giant's view here? This is difficult. The soaking time has been too long, and their clothes, skin, and appearance have all been damaged. It's hard to determine their identities."
"Didn't you go in?"
"No."
The stench was noticeable even through a mask. Shen Zhenzhu stared down at the pitiful, horrifying female corpse, and instantly her Heavenly Eye flashed before her eyes—
In an underground location, a heavily pregnant woman was seen gesturing wildly as she ate a chicken carcass.
Behind her was a makeshift delivery room, and in front of her stood a well-dressed couple, looking at her happily.
Zheng Xiankai sat not far away, tossing the chicken leg he had finished into a metal plate piled high with bones, and said smugly, "Mr. Xu, congratulations on the birth of your twins. This 'Goddess of Fertility' has never given birth before, we never expected her to give us such a big surprise. At the rate of 50,000 per birth, could you give us a little more bonus this time?"
The man, referred to as Mr. Xu, pointed to a black leather suitcase on the table next to him and said, “Don’t worry, Mr. Zheng, my wife and I are very devout. Here is 50,000 yuan in cash. If my child is born safely, I will give you another 20,000 yuan, but it has to be ‘bought out’.”
Zheng Xiankai bargained with the other party, saying, "Twenty thousand won't do. She's still pregnant, and she can have at least four or five more children. Fifty thousand would be more like it, but twenty thousand isn't enough. Do you know how much it costs to take a life outside? We've already given her a very good deal."
"If you make sure that after the birth you will get rid of the empress completely, so that my children will never be known to anyone that they came from the womb of a woman with intellectual disabilities, and you also guarantee that no one will use your status as the children's biological mother to blackmail my husband and me, then I will give you 50,000."
-----------------------
Author's Note: ***
See you tomorrow, there will be red envelopes! (Please note that inflammatory language in your replies will be deleted by the administrator.)
***
Let me say a few words. A few days ago, I saw a news report about a brother in his fifties who found his sister who had been missing for more than 30 years. His sister's tongue had been cut off, her teeth were gone, and she was sickly pale. She had been imprisoned and abused in a dark and sunless place.
(Source: Internet, may vary)
Seeing the news photos kept me awake all night. I was filled with anger and sorrow, and my whole being was burning with rage. That's how this case, which has been revised again and again, came about.
Reality is often more terrifying than we imagine, appearing unexpectedly in our lives.
My darlings, you must protect yourselves! Evil, stay away!
I hope that all evildoers will be severely punished by law!
I hope that the real-life "pearls" (referring to police officers) will not only successfully apprehend criminals but also enjoy peace and safety. [Please][Please][Please]
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