chapter two

'The city sleeps, but shadows hunt.

Blood is currency, and fear is law.

Where serpents crawl... hope dies.'

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Zhang Wei sat lazily on the couch, one hand holding a glass of watermelon juice as he stared blankly out the window. The station buzzed with chatter, but his mind was somewhere else.

The door creaked open. Their senior walked in, his steps heavy with authority. Instantly, everyone in the room stood up straight-except Zhang Wei.

The man sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Sit down, kids." His voice carried a mixture of exhaustion and command. His finger shot toward Zhang Wei. "Look at him. Always disrespecting me! His senior. Tsk, tsk." He shook his head dramatically.

Zhang finally turned his gaze from the window, eyes cold and judgmental. "Grow up, old man."

Gasps rippled through the room. A vein twitched on the senior's forehead. "Old man? I'm only forty-five, you brat! You should grow up a little." He exhaled sharply, then waved his hand as if Zhang wasn't worth the energy. "Forget it. We've got work."

He tossed a file onto the desk, the papers spilling slightly. His tone turned grave.

"There's a gang operating in the city. Human trafficking. Not just women-children too. We've received multiple reports of missing people. The pattern is clear: they're targeting those with no families, or single-parent households. Vulnerable targets."

The room went silent. Even Zhang Wei's smirk faded slightly.

The senior-Captain Han Jinhai-fixed his eyes on Zhang Wei.

"This case is yours to solve, Zhang Wei. Don't screw it up."

Captain Han Jinhai left the room, the door shutting with a thud. Zhang Wei finally pushed himself up, grabbed the scattered files, and flipped them open.

His teammates joined him.

Zhao Ming, leaning casually against the desk, picked up one of the reports. His long lashes cast shadows against his hazel eyes, sharp but with an effortless nonchalance. His lips curved faintly, soft and pink, his skin flawless from the skincare routine he religiously bragged about. To anyone else, he looked like he belonged on a magazine cover, not a police squad.

On the other hand, Zi Xuan's voice broke through.

"I heard the gang leader is terrifying. People don't work for him out of loyalty, but because he owns their lives. If anyone dares to disobey him-one swing of his knife..." Zi Xuan sliced his finger across his throat, shivering. "Gone. Just like that." Goosebumps rose in his arms.

Zi Xuan, with his light blond-streaked hair and smooth fair skin, looked every bit like the spoiled rich kid he was-born not with a silver spoon, but a golden one. Despite his muscular build, he was a crybaby at heart. Animals, sweets, anything soft-he claimed them all like a child. Yet the one thing he truly feared... was Zhang Wei. One cold glare from him, and Zi Xuan would shrink away like a kicked puppy.

Zhang Wei's gaze slid over, sharp as a knife.

"Get me full information about him and the Black Serpents. Follow them quietly. Don't attack. Just watch and see who their next target is." His tone was low, threatening. "And if I find out you slipped up... you're dead."

Zi Xuan didn't even answer-he bolted out of the room like his life depended on it. Zhao Ming burst into laughter, watching him flee.

"Poor kid. You'll give him a heart attack one day." He tilted his head, amused. "So, leader... what's the plan?"

Zhang Wei's eyes lowered back to the file. One particular report was clipped with red ink. He spoke, voice sharp.

"The girl who nearly got kidnapped fought back. She escaped... but only for a short time. They found her body yesterday." He slammed the file shut, his jaw tightening. "We're going to the crime scene. The search team is already there."

He grabbed his jacket in one swift motion, draping it over his shoulders as he strode toward the door. Zhao Ming followed, still smirking but his eyes burning with interest.

And just like that, Zhang Wei walked out-

toward the place where blood still stained the ground.

To be continued "待續"

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