NABC Chapter 74 Framing
Chapter 74 Framing
In Zheng Yuanpei's study, the steam lamp emitted a hissing sound.
Fang Shuwen stood in front of the desk and recounted what had happened.
She also recounted the help Guo Ziming provided, without exaggeration or deliberate concealment.
Zheng Yuanpei sat in the armchair, his expression unreadable, but something was slowly sinking into his cloudy eyes.
"You mean those gunmen? They must be from the Red Wolf Gang. I never imagined they'd be so bold as to attack my Zheng family!"
"These bastards have really gotten their hands on something."
His voice wasn't loud, but every word seemed to be squeezed out from between his teeth.
It was filled with a cold and murderous aura!
"It's been so many years since I last made a move; it seems like nobody in Xikou County remembers this old codger anymore!"
"That brat Wang Yue used to be so afraid of me, he wouldn't even dare to breathe loudly in my presence. Now he dares to lay a hand on my granddaughter?"
Fang Shuwen did not respond.
He knew the old man wasn't asking him a question; he was talking to himself.
Zheng Yuanpei turned around and looked at Fang Shuwen.
"Thank you very much for your help this time. I will repay you handsomely once this is over."
Fang Shuwen nodded: "You're too kind, Mr. Zheng."
"Alright, you should go back and rest. I had someone take care of Old Zhao's injury; it's nothing serious."
Fang Shuwen cupped his hands in greeting, then turned and left the study.
The corridor was quiet, with only the sound of his own footsteps.
He paused for a moment when he reached the door of the side room.
Fang Shuwen wanted to go in and say a few words, but looking at the sky, it was almost midnight, and Old Fang should already be asleep.
He withdrew his hand and went back to his room.
........
The Zheng residence was bustling with activity early the next morning.
Fang Shuwen had just finished washing up when he heard the sound of car engines outside, and there was more than one.
He pushed open the door and went out, and saw seven or eight black cars parked in front of the Zheng residence, blocking the entire street.
The door of the first car opened, and a middle-aged man in a dark blue uniform got out.
Zheng Kui.
The head of the Public Security Bureau, Zheng Shulan's second uncle.
His face was ashen as he strode into the courtyard, followed by more than thirty fully armed policemen, with pistols tucked into their waistbands and long guns in their hands.
Their steps were synchronized, clearly indicating they were all elites.
"Second Uncle."
Zheng Shulan came out of the house and called out.
Zheng Kui glanced at her, and seeing that she was alright, his expression softened slightly, but his anger hadn't dissipated at all.
Are you alright?
"fine."
"It's good that you're alright."
Zheng Kui turned around and glanced around the courtyard.
"Grandpa is in the study."
Zheng Kui strode towards the study and pushed open the door.
Fang Shuwen stood in the courtyard and heard Zheng Yuanpei and Zheng Kui talking in the study. Their voices were not loud and were not very clear.
After a while, Zheng Kui came out of the study, his face much darker than when he went in.
He waved to the group of policemen in the courtyard: "Let's go."
The police officers followed in a flurry, their footsteps heavy and hurried.
Fang Shuwen stood under the eaves, watching the group of people leave the courtyard and the car engines roar away.
"My second uncle went to arrest someone."
Zheng Shulan walked up to him at some point, her voice very soft.
"Who should we arrest?"
"My grandfather said that not a single member of the Wild Wolf Gang should be spared."
Fang Shuwen remained silent.
He recalled what Zheng Yuanpei had said the day before yesterday.
The Wild Wolf Gang has someone backing them; it's from Sheng Hai's side.
Now that the Zheng family has deviated from their plan and is suddenly going to take action against the Wild Wolf Gang, will the person behind them just sit idly by?
Meanwhile, at the Xikou County Government Building.
In the office of the Folklore and Antiquities Investigation Department, Lin Xiu sat behind his desk, holding a newly delivered intelligence report in his hand, his brows furrowed in worry.
Officer Liang stood opposite him, his expression also not very pleasant.
"Section Chief, Zheng Kui has already led his men out. All of the Wild Wolf Gang's strongholds in the city were targeted this morning. Judging from this, the Zheng family is determined to eradicate the Wild Wolf Gang completely."
Lin Xiu didn't say anything, and put the paper in his hand on the table.
"What's going on with Wang Yue?"
"I don't know. Our people can't contact him, and we can't get through to any of the Wild Wolf Gang's branches either."
Lin Xiu stood up and walked to the window.
The sky outside the window was overcast and the clouds were low and dark; it looked like it was about to rain.
"Where is Commissioner Ding?"
"At the hotel, not up yet."
Lin Xiu turned around, his gaze falling on Officer Liang's face, and suddenly smiled.
That smile was neither warm nor cold, which sent a chill down Officer Liang's spine.
"Section Chief, you mean...?"
"It doesn't mean anything."
Lin Xiu walked back to his desk and sat down. He took out a cigarette from the drawer, put it in his mouth, and lit it with a match.
Take a deep breath, and the smoke will exhale from your nostrils, rising gently under the light.
"I just feel that Commissioner Ding has been in Xikou for quite some time now, but the case hasn't been solved and the person hasn't been caught. If this drags on any longer, it will be difficult to explain to Sheng Hai."
Officer Liang didn't respond, waiting for him to continue.
"What do you think Sheng Hai will think if Commissioner Ding were to have an accident in Xikou?"
Officer Liang's eyelid twitched.
"Section Chief, what you're saying..."
"I was just saying."
Lin Xiu flicked his cigarette ash, his tone nonchalant.
"If Commissioner Ding dies at the hands of the Zheng family, Sheng Hai will definitely not sit idly by. At that time, no matter how powerful the Zheng family is, they will not be able to withstand the pressure from the Southern Bureau."
"At that time, the Teng Snake's Reverse Scale will be easy to find."
Officer Liang opened his mouth as if to say something, but then swallowed the words back.
Having worked under Lin Xiu for so many years, he knew this section chief's character all too well.
If he said it was just a casual remark, then it definitely wasn't.
"Go find a few people, unfamiliar faces, people who have nothing to do with the Wild Wolf Gang."
Lin Xiu stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray, his voice very low.
"Has Commissioner Ding been investigating Tengshe's Rebellious Scale lately? Lure him out of the city and take him out!"
Officer Liang nodded and turned to leave.
"etc."
Lin Xiu called him over, took a brown paper envelope from the drawer, and pushed it to the side of the table.
"Take this, you'll need it."
Officer Liang took the envelope, weighed it in his hand, didn't open it, stuffed it into his pocket, and quickly walked out of the office.
The office fell silent.
Lin Xiu leaned back in his chair, staring at the ceiling, a slow smile curving his lips.
Duke Zheng!
The Zheng family!
He mentally went over those words several times.
The family is a long-established family in Xikou County, with a former martial arts champion serving as its head, and the current director of the Public Security Bureau in charge.
It looks like an impenetrable fortress, impenetrable to water.
But even the hardest shell has cracks.
Once you find that crack, pry it open, and the whole wall will collapse.
"The Zheng family..."
He read it again, his voice very soft, as if he were talking to himself.
"I'd like to see how you're going to get out of this."
"How dare you look down on me? Then this time I'll uproot you completely! The name 'Duke Zheng' is an old relic from the previous dynasty; it should have been swept into the dustbin long ago!"