C17 Sisterinlaw

Qin Keqing was on a phone call when a flurry of footsteps echoed down the hallway. A group of five people approached the interrogation room with haste.

Upon reaching the door, they filed in, led by a middle-aged man with a striking resemblance to Liang Zhenyu, including the distinctive hooked nose. This was none other than his father, Liang Zhiming.

Upon seeing his son, Liang Zhenyu, unconscious on the floor, Liang Zhiming couldn't contain his fury. "Who did this? Who's responsible for my son's condition?" he demanded.

His eyes then shifted to Zhou Tao, who stood nearby, looking dazed and confused. "This... We found it like this when we arrived. I have no idea what happened," Zhou Tao stammered.

Zhou Tao suspected that the unconscious state of Liang Zhenyu and Lin Xuewang, along with their broken arms, was linked to Ling Tianxie. However, having witnessed Ling Tianxie's formidable capabilities, he refrained from voicing his thoughts.

Liang Zhiming surveyed the room. Besides Qin Keqing, Liu Shanshan, and Zhou Tao, the remaining four were his own men. It was clear that the young man his son had intended to discipline was indeed Ling Tianxie.

He instructed the four men behind him to rouse Liang Zhenyu and Lin Xuewang. The shrewd elder was well aware that the surveillance cameras in the interrogation room had been disabled, a clear indication that they were prepared to play dirty.

"Dad! This guy broke both my arms! I want him to rot in jail!" Liang Zhenyu exclaimed as he regained consciousness and saw his father, Liang Zhiming. With newfound bravado, despite the pain, he glared at Ling Tianxie with a mix of venom and fear.

The eerie incident that had preceded was still fresh in his mind. He and Lin Xuewang had been about to strike Ling Tianxie with their batons when an invisible, bizarre force had shattered their arms, leaving them spitting blood and unconscious.

"Get them to the hospital immediately. If my son suffers any long-term effects, I'll make sure you regret it!" Liang Zhiming barked orders at two of his accompanying men.

"You lawbreaker, assaulting police officers right in the station! You're definitely going to jail! Zhou Tao, snap out of it and help apprehend him," Liang Zhiming commanded, his gaze fixed maliciously on Ling Tianxie as his son was assisted away. With a single sentence, he had sealed Ling Tianxie's fate.

"Vice Bureau Director Liang, this..."

Zhou Tao hesitated, well aware of the Vice Bureau Director's character. He was notorious for favoritism, and Liang Zhenyu had certainly inherited that trait from his father.

Ling Tianxie was undeniably a martial artist of profound skill. Zhou Tao was not keen on crossing Ling Tianxie to please Liang Zhiming.

"Fine, fine, fine! It seems you no longer wish to be the captain of the Criminal Police Team! Come and arrest him for me!"

Liang Zhiming, already seething with rage, was further incensed by Zhou Tao's disobedience. He promptly commanded the two officers who had accompanied him to apprehend Ling Tianxie.

As they moved to advance, a middle-aged man with glasses quickly entered the interrogation room and intervened.

"Hold on! I am Huang Yunkai, the legal consultant for Qin's Group. Before you arrest Mr. Ling, I'd like to see the corresponding evidence. If you proceed to detain Mr. Ling without any, I will file a lawsuit against you for violent law enforcement..."

This man was the lawyer brought by Qin Keqing.

"I don't care who you are. This man has resisted law enforcement and brutally assaulted police officers, leaving them disabled. Take him into custody immediately. If he resists, consider it resisting arrest, and you're authorized to shoot him on the spot," Liang Zhiming declared with a sneer.

"Do you even regard the law, Vice Bureau Director? Or do you think the Police Station is your personal playground, where you can whimsically decide to use firearms?" Qin Keqing challenged, astonished at the Vice Bureau Director's blatant disregard for the law in front of witnesses.

"It seems to me that some police officers are more frightening than criminal syndicates these days. A little bit of power and they're already pinning false charges on people, all while claiming to serve the public. Officers like you are nothing but corrupt, making life difficult for ordinary citizens," Liu Shanshan spoke up, her words sharp and unforgiving. In her haughty view, Ling Tianxie was someone only she had the right to mock; others didn't stand a chance.

"Humph, I call the shots in this police station! Keep up the nonsense, and I'll have you all arrested. That kid has made my son's life a misery, and I won't let him off easily!"

Liang Zhiming let out a cruel, sinister chuckle.

"Quite the marksman, aren't you? And you think you're the one in charge? Do you even consider me, the Bureau Director, worthy of your respect?"

As the voice echoed, a square-faced middle-aged man entered the interrogation room. It was none other than Bureau Director Zheng Pengcheng.

"Bureau Director Zheng..."

Upon Zheng Pengcheng's arrival, all the officers in the room, including a visibly upset Liang Zhiming, greeted him.

Zheng Pengcheng scanned the room, his eyes finally resting on Ling Tianxie, clearly identifying him as the person of interest.

Observing Ling Tianxie's composure in such a tense atmosphere, he mused to himself, "This young man's calmness isn't an act. His ability to stay collected in the face of adversity suggests he might belong to a prominent family."

Liang Zhiming, looking sour, remained silent even as Zheng Pengcheng arrived. He attempted to seize the initiative: "Bureau Director, this thug is extremely dangerous. He not only resisted arrest but also assaulted our officers. For such a flagrant disregard for the law, I believe we need to use force to subdue him. Should he resist, we should not hesitate to shoot him on the spot!"

Zheng Pengcheng, upon hearing Liang Zhiming's proposal, found him utterly shameless and chose not to respond directly. Instead, he summoned Zhou Tao to his side for a quiet word.

Zhou Tao, after a brief hesitation, approached Zheng Pengcheng, and the two engaged in a hushed conversation.

Zhou Tao had made up his mind about where his loyalties lay. Liang Zhiming was known for favoritism and for undermining him at every turn. Even without these grievances, having witnessed Ling Tianxie's capabilities, he had no intention of crossing him.

Ling Tianxie had previously revealed a hint of his strength for this very reason. With neither money nor influence to his name, displaying his abilities now would save him a lot of trouble down the line.

"Vice Bureau Director Liang, I've pretty much got the full picture of the incident. Initially, Comrade Wen Rou approached Mr. Ling without conducting any investigation. Then Zhou Tao's team arrived, and Mr. Ling cooperated fully with the police investigation. You're aware of the rest, aren't you?"

Zheng Pengcheng had no intention of burning bridges with Liang Zhiming just yet. He allowed Liang some dignity, letting him step down gracefully.

"Hmph! All I know is that this criminal has injured two of our officers and must be dealt with severely. As a police officer, I can't just let this thug get away!" Liang Zhiming showed no regard for Zheng Pengcheng's position.

"Without any evidence, Mr. Ling came to the Police Station to assist with the investigation, yet you allowed Liang Zhenyu to use the interrogation room on his own accord. That's against protocol. We're all well aware of Liang Zhenyu's methods—no need for me to spell it out, right?" Zheng Pengcheng's words were blunt. He then approached Liang Zhiming and whispered so only they could hear, "This is Mayor Wen's directive..."

Watching Liang Zhiming's deflated demeanor brought Zheng Pengcheng immense satisfaction. So Liang Zhiming had a powerful backer? He used to disregard even me, the Bureau Director. Look who's subdued now.

"As police officers, we are servants of the people and must serve them accordingly. Ah, regarding Mr. Ling, I admit I didn't investigate thoroughly. I will take time to reflect on this..." Liang Zhiming spoke with feigned integrity before quickly making his exit.

Mayor Wen had only recently been appointed to Mingjing City, emerging as a frontrunner of the government's new generation with a forceful presence. Even the Municipal Committee Secretary backing him had to cede power; he certainly didn't want to stir up trouble.

But Ling Tianxie was not someone Liang Zhiming planned to let off easily. There would be ample opportunities to deal with him in the future.

Ling Tianxie overheard their conversation clearly. He hadn't anticipated that Qin Keqing would seek Mayor Wen's assistance on his behalf.

"Miss Qin, now that the issue is resolved, perhaps you would join me for tea when you're free?" Zheng Pengcheng was eager to connect with Mayor Wen through Qin Keqing. It was time for him to pick a side.

"I'm sorry, I have other matters to attend to. Maybe another time." Qin Keqing felt an unexplained irritation after witnessing Ling Tianxie's tender moments. Ordinarily, her keen intuition would have easily discerned Zheng Pengcheng's intentions.

Zheng Pengcheng had no choice but to drop the matter. Before departing, he cast a lingering glance at Ling Tianxie.

"Ling Tianxie, aren't you going to thank your savior?"

Liu Shanshan challenged Ling Tianxie with a taunting look.

"What's it to you?"

Ling Tianxie responded coolly.

"Oh, the great Casanova Ling, it's been a day and you're already in the clink. What's next, should we expect to bail you out of prison?"

Liu Shanshan's tone was laced with disdain.

"So, I finally get it. You're always on my case because you've got a crush on me, right? Trying to get my attention?"

Ling Tianxie inquired, his face twisted into a sly grin as he looked at Liu Shanshan.

"You... Humph! I'm just disappointed on behalf of Keqing. You were just professing your love for her, and now here you are, flirting with other women."

Liu Shanshan masked her own feelings with a show of moral indignation.

Qin Keqing had no interest in their playful bickering and headed out first.

They had barely stepped outside the Police Station when a bald man and another with a crooked mouth came running up and knelt before Ling Tianxie.

"Master Ling, I've caused you trouble. I deserve to die a thousand deaths. Please, I beg for your forgiveness."

The bald man was genuinely fearful of Ling Tianxie's anger. He hadn't anticipated the situation escalating to the City Police Station, but thankfully, it hadn't turned into a major incident.

He had been fined two thousand C Country Currency for illegal assembly.

Noticing Ling Tianxie's lack of response, Black Snake quickly interjected, "Master Ling, Mr. Bald just wanted to make amends to his sister-in-law and never meant to draw the police's attention. Please, let us off this time!"

Ling Tianxie regarded the two men before him, visibly annoyed by the hassle.

"With your intelligence, how did you ever become the boss of East City? I'm wondering whether I should just be done with you."

Ling Tianxie's gaze was detached as he addressed the bald man and his companion.

"Master Ling, I swear I won't try to be clever again. Please give me another chance. I may not be of use in big matters, but I'm at your beck and call for the small ones," the bald man pleaded earnestly with Ling Tianxie.

Watching Ling Tianxie, they shivered slightly, intimidated by the icy gaze he cast their way.

"Hey, Ling Tianxie, have you really become the big boss of the underground world?" Liu Shanshan inquired with curiosity. However, Qin Keqing tugged at her hand, signaling her to keep quiet.

"I dislike trouble and those who bring it my way. Let this be both the first and last time," Ling Tianxie stated, glancing at the two women before addressing Mr. Bald.

Liu Shanshan felt a pointed message in his words and was about to respond when Qin Keqing covered her mouth, reducing her to muffled protests.

Qin Keqing's mind was a whirlwind of thoughts. As Ling Tianxie spoke with Mr. Bald, she found herself entertaining the ridiculous notion that women should not interrupt men's conversations. The term 'sister-in-law,' used by Black Snake, stirred romantic fantasies within her.

Known as the Business Goddess, Qin Keqing had encountered numerous talented young men, but only Ling Tianxie had the power to unsettle her so profoundly.

"Hey, Ling Tianxie, you haven't answered my question yet!" she called out, noticing he was about to get into his car and drive away.

Ling Tianxie gestured for Mr. Bald to leave and approached Qin Keqing.

"How did you end up as the leader of those who kidnapped me?" she asked, her curiosity piqued.

"Purely coincidental," Ling Tianxie replied coolly.

"Are you purposefully getting close to me?" Qin Keqing asked, her anticipation evident.

"I had no intention of approaching you; it was merely happenstance," Ling Tianxie confessed.

Qin Keqing's complexion paled at his words.

"Do you always flirt with beautiful women you meet?" she asked, her face betraying her uneasy feelings.

"That's your third question. For the sake of a pleasant future collaboration, I'll indulge you with an answer: it's due to a physical ailment," Ling Tianxie said, observing Qin Keqing's slightly embittered expression, yet he chose to respond to her inquiry.

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