Chapter 378: Dirty Deeds and Dirty Shoes

Chapter 378: Getting Your Shoes Dirty

“Wait a minute.”

Xing Wei raised his hand to block the Criminal Police, staring coldly at Xiao Yu. “Officer, you must be mistaken. There’s no crime here. Besides, don’t you need a warrant to search?”

“Maybe you’ve been watching too many movies?”

Xiao Yu glared at Xing Wei with icy detachment.

Off to the side, Guo Qiang produced a document and handed it to Xing Wei.

“A search warrant!”

“I need to make a call!”

Xing Wei took a deep breath and replied in a cold tone.

Xiao Yu chuckled, amusement lacing his voice.

To him, Xing Wei looked as if two pigs had been merged into one.

One pig just wouldn’t capture the extent of his stupidity…

Xiao Yu nearly burst into laughter.

“Really? Or has he just been watching too many movies?”

“And now he wants to pull a ‘phone scandal’ on us?”

“What era is this? Still dragging on with the whole official-business collusion act?”

“Who would dare?”

“Alright, even if someone does dare…”

If anyone actually stepped up, Xiao Yu would take them down in no time.

That’s why he thought Xing Wei was downright foolish.

“Typical team saboteur!”

And so…

“Take the call,” he ordered.

Xing Wei passed his phone to Xiao Yu with a cold smile.

Xiao Yu was momentarily stunned, unsure of what to do next.

Is it really that over-the-top?

His surprise stemmed from the fact that he couldn’t comprehend anyone daring to court disaster.

Taking the phone, Xiao Yu spoke icily, “Who is this?”

“Which agency do you belong to?”

The voice on the other end was low and grave.

“Let me ask you again,”

Xiao Yu inquired sharply, “Who are you, what do you want, and do you realize what operation we’re carrying out?”

“…”

After a long silence, the caller finally said, “I’m XXX, People’s Representative from Bincheng X District…”

Xiao Yu was momentarily dumbfounded.

“What is this nonsense?”

“Oh, I see. Not someone from within the system!”

A ‘People’s Representative’ is someone who speaks for a segment of the public.

Not an official, but still endowed with a certain authority to represent the people.

For instance, during elections and voting.

Naturally, only those of a certain status can be a ‘representative.’

They tend to hold a respectable place in society.

Sometimes even bureaucrats throw a bit of respect their way.

But still…

“And then?” Xiao Yu asked sharply.

The caller hesitated, “Could you show me a little respect…?”

“You want me to give you respect?” Xiao Yu scoffed bitterly.

“I…”

The caller was about to say more when

“Consider this your official notice.”

Xiao Yu continued coldly, “Because you have endangered and obstructed official business, you are hereby issued a verbal summons. Proceed immediately to the Criminal Investigation Team. If I don’t see you, I’ll consider it noncompliance and take enforcement measures. Understand?”

“…” The caller fell completely silent.

Ignoring the silence, Xiao Yu returned the phone to a visibly flustered Xing Wei. “Alright, keep searching.”

He had zero tolerance for such pretentious, self-defeating acts.

To him, this entire charade was incredibly tedious.

Ridiculously over-the-top and downright nauseating.

Once you reach a certain status, your perspective changes.

It’s like a mere ant on the roadside daring to provoke you.

If it isn’t absolutely necessary, Xiao Yu couldn’t be bothered to even glance at it.

After all, what sense of accomplishment is there in stepping on an ant?

Besides, you’d end up dirtying your shoes!

Xing Wei: …

He didn’t make another call.

Xiao Yu wasn’t surprised by the silence and waved dismissively.

The Criminal Police began a thorough search of the club.

But as soon as the search started, problems emerged.

Most entertainment venues are rarely immaculate.

Anyone with a clue knows that.

However, some clubs…

masterfully disguise their seedy underbellies.

Under normal circumstances, such things go unnoticed.

Xiao Yu’s unexpected inspection had caught everyone off guard.

Consequently, the Criminal Police uncovered several shady rooms, arrested a dozen high-end ‘Silver-Selling Women’ claiming online fame, and detained a few notable gigolos.

This outcome made both Xiao Yu and the officers frown in disapproval.

They regarded this trivial case with utter disdain.

Their main objective had been to seize Du Pen.

In the end, aside from a trace of laughing gas-type substances, nothing else was discovered.

It was clear that suspect Fang Jie hadn’t used the same type of Du Pen found in the autopsy.

Xing Wei was arrested and sent for blood tests.

Although he also used Xi Du, it wasn’t the same kind his siblings used.

Ultimately, it was confirmed once more.

That particular Du Pen was indeed linked only to four victims and one suspect.

It wasn’t circulating in Bincheng at all…

…

Detention Center, Interrogation Room.

Xiao Yu encountered suspect Fang Jie once again.

He was now the only surviving member of the Brotherhood’s original five!

In fact, Fang Jie could be considered lucky.

Had Xiao Yu and his team not tracked him down,

he might have already met his doom.

“Your Du Pen came from Xing Chuyang and Gan Yuzhen, correct?”

Xiao Yu stared directly into Fang Jie’s eyes.

“Yes.”

Fang Jie lowered his head, trembling all over.

“It’s addictive!”

“Since when did it start?” Xiao Yu pressed on.

“About two years ago…”

Fang Jie paused before adding, “Back then, they found me and we had a meal together. They pulled out that stuff and, out of curiosity, I tried it. Then…”

Xiao Yu squinted. “So that’s when you got hooked? Are you saying that after twenty years they suddenly tracked you down?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Fang Jie nodded affirmatively, “We really hadn’t been in contact for twenty years. I don’t know how they found me, but later, they gave me that stuff.”

“They gave it to you?”

Xiao Yu was taken aback. “They gave you Du Pen without charging a dime?”

“That’s right.”

Fang Jie nodded. “Whenever I ran out, I’d ask them, and they’d say we’re all friends—no money involved.”

Xiao Yu let out a cold laugh.

“Free is the most expensive,” as everyone knows.

Because what substitutes for a transaction is often sentiment.

As bonds deepen…

the tendency to freeload emerges…

but what kind of bond can exist between people who haven’t communicated in over twenty years?

How expensive is that Du Pen anyway?

No matter how wealthy or close you are,

giving such precious [Zhao Wang’s] stuff to a friend once or twice might be acceptable.

But would anyone keep giving it indefinitely?

The question now is:

One asks, another gives.

Not only giving but giving for free?

Xiao Yu’s mind began to churn.

He wondered if it was possible.

What could be the purpose behind the couple Xing Chuyang and Gan Yuzhen reaching out to Fang Jie?

And was it all designed to get him hooked on Du Pen?

Is that why they acted with such outrageous generosity?

Then what exactly is Xing Chuyang and Gan Yuzhen’s true motive?

There are also two other victims, Cao Xude and Lu Shun.

Could their Xi Du be linked to Xing Chuyang and Gan Yuzhen as well?

Were they also approached by the same couple?

The investigation had begun.

According to victim Cao Xude’s wife and a coworker of victim Lu Shun, the police uncovered that

two years ago,

not only did Xing Chuyang and Gan Yuzhen locate Fang Jie, they also separately targeted Cao Xude and Lu Shun,

causing all three to get hooked on Du Pen…