Chapter 524: The Price of Secrets

…

That one sentence left Lu Xin and the others stunned.

In their minds, Tianhe Security was a powerful force closely intertwined with the Administration Hall. Uncovering the true nature of their previous secret mission seemed nearly impossible. Yet, unexpectedly, this Group Leader showed remarkable fortitude. With just one sentence, the entire matter suddenly seemed far simpler.

“Hmph, you dare to even kidnap me, and you think that’s all you can do?”

Sensing the shift in their expressions, the Group Leader snorted coldly and declared, “I have no idea what Tianhe Security is planning, but so many people are suffering because of their mess. If I can’t get to the bottom of it, how can I sleep?”

“Get on with it!”

Glancing at Yin Mao, he added, “It shouldn’t be a problem to nab the supervisor who knows the inside scoop, right?”

Yin Mao, who had been spacing out nearby, snapped back, “No problem, Group Leader.”

The Group Leader nodded grimly, his eyes narrowing into a cold glare.

Soon, two burly young men strode into the room from the corridor.

Lu Xin and the others recalled that these two were the very first to come down from the dining area when the Group Leader made his entrance.

They were the ones nonchalantly brandishing guns, unafraid of anyone’s judgement.

Clearly, they were his trusted lieutenants.

“Decide who to tie up and how—it’s up to you.”

The Group Leader merely said, “Within an hour, I want someone here on their knees telling me exactly what they did.”

“Understood.”

Yongzi and Qiangzi readily agreed and promptly escorted Yin Mao out.

Left behind, Lu Xin, Han Bing, and the others exchanged glances, a genuine sense of admiration stirring among them.

Now that’s what you call professional thinking…

…

…

“Ah, Dad, you go ahead and have your tea. I’m stepping out for a cigarette…”

After a brief exchange of looks among the others, Gecko snapped to attention, cheerfully serving a cup of tea to the Group Leader before hurrying out.

He couldn’t shake his unease and decided to follow along to keep an eye on things.

Yet, the situation unfolded even more smoothly than anyone anticipated. Although the Group Leader set a one-hour deadline, in less than forty minutes, Yongzi and Qiangzi returned carrying a sack, which they dumped heavily before the Group Leader.

They even gave it a swift kick as they laughed, “Group Leader, this is Xu Kun, Captain Xu from Tianhe B Division—the very man who recruited them earlier.”

Lu Xin and the others were even more astonished. In such a short time, they had actually brought someone in?

At that moment, Gecko reentered the room, glanced at the writhing sack on the floor, and smirked.

In a low tone, he confided to Lu Xin, “They weren’t really kidnapped. That guy was actually major client for Yin Mao. He’d been puffing away at the spa earlier—once they arrived, they simply invited him over.”

“Even the sack was only put on once they reached the door…”

Lu Xin paused for a moment. So what?

In fact, it only proves how professional they are.

…

…

“Damn it, what exactly do you intend to do?”

“I might just enjoy your place; I never said I wouldn’t pay…”

While Gecko hurriedly explained the whole story to Lu Xin, the fat man in the sack finally managed to create a break in his binds. His face was a mass of swollen flesh, with an unnaturally severe flush of blood.

Like others suffering from chronic sleeplessness, his eyes were bloodshot…

Even as he wriggled free, he continued shouting harsh curses, showing little to no fear.

Yet, when his gaze swept over to the sofa where the Group Leader sat, his expression softened slightly.

He managed a more polite tone, saying, “Group Leader, what do you want from me? A simple word would suffice; there’s no need for this kind of treatment.”

“Since you’re here, why worry about how you got here?”

The Group Leader fixed him with a cold, condescending stare and said, “I summoned you to ask a few questions.”

“Half a month ago, you paid a premium to have several of my men leave the city. What on earth did they do?”

“…”

“Smack!”

At the sound, the fat man known as Xu Kun visibly changed; his face momentarily reverted to a ghostly pallor.

Yet he quickly composed himself, saluted the Group Leader, and said, “Group Leader, normally I wouldn’t hide anything from you. But to be honest, those I hired were nothing more than street thugs—weren’t even part of your crew, right?”

“Besides, I paid them upfront and brought them back the very next day. What more is there to say?”

“As for what they did outside, that remains a secret of our Company. I signed a confidentiality agreement, so I can’t divulge any details.”

“…”

Lu Xin couldn’t help but be momentarily stunned, thinking his explanation made a certain kind of sense.

“Bullshit!”

But no sooner had the words left his mouth than the Group Leader’s expression contorted with fury.

With a resounding smack, he hurled a tea cup in front of him, his face momentarily twisted into a ferocious snarl as he growled, “Those little punks eat, drink, and work for me! You think they aren’t my people?”

“Moreover, after venturing out to do this job, some died and others went completely mad. Don’t you think I deserve to ask questions?”

“…”

Xu Kun immediately fell silent, clearly unwilling to further provoke the man before him. Yet he was equally unwilling to divulge the secret.

“Heh, only those tough enough to survive in Tianhe Security really have grit…”

The Group Leader sneered and calmly instructed Yongzi and Qiangzi, “I don’t have time for small talk. Go prepare some heated red irons, toothpicks, pliers, whips, and salt—anything that’ll make a man talk.”

At his words, Xu Kun’s expression shifted slightly, though he kept his lips pressed tight.

Then the Group Leader added, “Use every single bit on his wife and children.”

“Smack!”

Xu Kun’s expression suddenly darkened as he shouted, “Group Leader, I’m with Tianhe—how dare you do this to me?”

The Group Leader narrowed his eyes and replied coolly, “First, while Tianhe may have some clout, it’s not enough to make me afraid of you. Second, we had our words long ago. We normally keep to our own business, but the moment Tianhe’s men touch Black Grass, I won’t hesitate to handle it.”

He added with a cold laugh, “Not only does it not matter, but Tianhe should even be thanking me…”

Cold sweat broke out on Xu Kun’s forehead as he suddenly exclaimed, “If you dig into our secret, Tianhe will never let it go!”

The Group Leader’s face grew even colder as he said, “You can party here for seven or eight days without consequences, even with all your Tianhe people grabbing Black Grass from me. Do you need me to spell out what Tianhe has become?”

“You’re still being stubborn—I guess you really think I’m some old fool, huh?”

“…”

“Enough. I’ll give you an out: First, go ahead and cut off two of his wife’s fingers so he sheds some tears before confessing.”

He ordered coldly, “After all, a real man might find it too shameful to cry without having seen the coffin.”

Nearby, Yongzi burst into hearty laughter and said, “They already sent someone to his place when they brought him over. He should be here any minute now…”

“Should we just bring him over and cut his fingers in front of him?”

“…”

“No… no…”

Xu Kun, visibly terrified, his chubby face trembling uncontrollably with sweat pouring like water, frantically waved his arms and stammered, “Group Leader, please, spare his family…”

“Honestly, I don’t even know what happened that night. I was only in charge of perimeter security…”

Immediately, the Group Leader furrowed his brow and told Yongzi, “Hurry him up.”

“No… no…”

Xu Kun scrambled forward, tugging on the Group Leader’s pant leg as he pleaded, “Group Leader, I’m not lying. I really don’t know— that night I simply received orders from above to find a bunch of expendable men to guard the outskirts of Ghostfire Marsh, waiting for further instructions. But we waited out there all night and got nothing, so we just brought everyone back…”

The Group Leader’s brows knitted tightly as he grabbed his cane and battered Xu Kun’s face.

In a cold voice, he barked, “I can’t trust that bullshit.”

“I swear on my life, Group Leader…”

Xu Kun repeatedly cursed, his anxiety palpable as his face twisted like something was crawling beneath his skin.

Seeing him like this reminded Lu Xin of how those folks at the bar had inexplicably slipped into a frenzied state—much like Xu Kun now, teetering on the edge of losing control.

While swearing, his body trembled as he cried, “I really am not lying, Group Leader…”

“Not only do I not know what that mission was about, I guarantee none of the others do either. Because after that night, once they returned, the instructors in the know and the department heads all went into Building Nine for a meeting…”

“…”

At this his tone, the Group Leader’s face showed increasing impatience.

“I’m telling the truth, Group Leader. They—they didn’t just go for a meeting…”

“I heard that ever since half a month ago when they went in, no one has ever come out…”

As he spoke, his face turned an eerie, pale shade, both bizarre and terrifying as he mumbled,

“It’s said that it has already turned into…”

“The Ghost Building!”

“…”

On hearing that, the Group Leader’s face finally shifted as he grasped the gravity of the situation.

Lu Xin and Han Bing exchanged a knowing glance at that moment.

They finally understood…