C9 The Last Strike

Bai Jun kept it under wraps that Xue Lang was the main character in the recent incident. After ensuring everyone involved was sent to the hospital for treatment, he left a team behind in the snowy field to search for any overlooked evidence. Meanwhile, he escorted Xue Lang back to the precinct first.

Upon their return to the precinct, Bai Jun conducted a thorough interrogation of Xue Lang and realized his initial assumptions were incorrect. Xue Lang was simply a regular kid from the mountains, known only for having killed a bear at the grain depot a few days prior. He had no military experience, no formal education, and certainly no ties to any societal underworld. Raised in the mountains with minimal exposure to society, Xue Lang was forthright, answering every question and even recounting his hospital altercation with Ye Si in detail.

Was it really just his physical strength that was exceptional? Bai Jun couldn't shake the image of Xue Lang's agile movements from the video, finding it hard to believe that he had no martial arts training.

After some contemplation, Bai Jun reached for the phone and called the grain depot, requesting Lee Chunjiang to make a personal visit to the precinct.

Lee Chunjiang, unaware of the specifics, hurried over. The grain depot, while under local jurisdiction, would typically refer cases to the county authorities. However, this area fell under their precinct's purview, and Lee Chunjiang had his own reasons for cooperating with the precinct. So, he made his way there by car.

Once Lee Chunjiang arrived, Bai Jun grilled him for all information on Xue Lang. Satisfied that Xue Lang hadn't lied, Bai Jun dismissed a puzzled Lee Chunjiang and reported directly to the chief.

The chief and political commissar, upon reviewing the case, concluded that the victim, though unharmed and having injured all assailants, was justified in exercising unlimited self-defense. The attackers had fired multiple shots, and even though they ended up hitting one of their own, the severity of the gunshot wounds clearly indicated lethal intent.

Determining whether the defense was excessive was a matter for the courts, especially with a complete video of the incident at hand. After deliberation, the two leaders decided that, aside from deeming Xue Lang a potential threat like Bai Jun had, they would issue directives once they were confident Xue Lang had no intention of fleeing.

With the interrogation results confirmed, they were prepared to release Xue Lang, provided he stayed within the Eight Five Three area. Until the case was officially closed, Xue Lang was required to be on call and closely monitored, with all information about him gathered to preempt any possibility of violent criminal behavior.

As they were deliberating over Xue Lang's situation, the hospital turned into a scene of utter pandemonium. Twenty-one patients, each with bone fractures, had completely overwhelmed the three operating rooms. Off-duty doctors were summoned back for emergency surgeries, and nurses on their breaks returned in droves to assist.

Ye Si was a familiar face to many there. Seeing him with a newly broken arm and a fractured calf was a shock to all. Even more startling was the realization by those who knew them that these individuals, who often socialized together, shared eerily similar injuries.

Amidst the tense atmosphere, with police officers from the local station present, no one dared to speculate openly. The staff worked diligently, focused on performing surgeries for the injured and managing post-op ward arrangements.

Amidst this chaos, one nurse stood out. She had previously assisted Xue Lang and was unafraid to stand up to Ye Si, even scolding him boldly. She seemed to have a special air about her as she hurried to Xue Lang's ward, only to find two companions there, her eyes alight with curiosity. She boldly confronted a police officer, pressing him until she extracted the information she sought.

["Is it really him? He doesn't look the part at all..."]

With a mask now concealing her expression, the nurse let the officer go, pondered for a moment, and then pocketed her phone without making a call.

Time marched on, and while Xue Lang was having a modest lunch at the sub-bureau, Bai Jun had gathered sufficient testimonies. He was orchestrating surveillance operations while simultaneously deliberating Xue Lang's fate.

By one o'clock in the afternoon, the decision was made. Xue Lang signed the necessary paperwork and was released from the sub-bureau's custody.

En route to the hospital, Xue Lang phoned Fatty Shao, instructing him not to bother coming. At the Inpatient Department, he encountered the very person he was hoping to see.

Slipping away discreetly, Xue Lang returned to his ward, swapped out his mountain gear for something more comfortable, and instructed Zhang Baozi and Guo Loong to join Fatty Shao and Liu Zhong for drinks after their shifts. He then quietly exited the hospital ahead of the group.

The individual Xue Lang had spotted in the Inpatient Department was Lee Shuwu, accompanied by an elderly woman bearing a resemblance to Ye Si. Whether they had come after hearing about Ye Si's injury or had been summoned by the police to settle medical bills was unclear. What was certain, though, was that they had left their home behind.

Since Xue Lang had already taken action, alienating people was inevitable, so why would he spare the boss, Lee Shuwu? As for Hao Jianhua, a deposed bailiff, he no longer held any real sway.

Swiftly leaving the hospital, Xue Lang pulled his hat low and pedaled into the residential complex. Arriving at a building, he glanced around before deftly using a thin wire and a key-like metal piece to pick the lock, slipping into the stairwell as quickly as if he had a key.

He crept up to the third floor, pausing to listen intently before slipping on shoe covers. Repeating his practiced routine, he quietly opened a door and slipped inside.

This was Lee Shuwu's home. Xue Lang was convinced that a man who had wielded significant power as the deputy director of a state grain depot on the frontier for five years would certainly have compromising material at home.

Indeed, it took him only three minutes to find what he was looking for.

Damn it! Why do they always keep records, leaving themselves vulnerable?

After reviewing a dozen MP3s, P4s, and a recording pen, Xue Lang muttered curses to himself, then stashed them in a plastic bag he found in the room, pocketing it. He tidied up the place, leaving the miscellaneous items untouched, but without hesitation, he pocketed the cash—over a hundred thousand yuan.

Lee Shuwu likely wouldn't have the chance to spend his ill-gotten gains. Not taking the money would only leave it for someone else's taking.

After making sure everything was in order, Xue Lang listened at the door before darting out, relocking the security door behind him, and slipping away unnoticed.

The entire operation took less than ten minutes.

As Xue Lang made his way back from the city, he returned the bicycle he'd borrowed without asking, locked it up, and headed back to the hospital room to join Fatty Shao and Liu Zhong. Meanwhile, the local precinct was in full swing, with nearby stations also in action. Sirens wailed as they set up to capture their targets.

The streets were thrown into chaos, with bystanders stopping to watch. It was the most commotion the city had seen since '83, with the wail of police sirens even more pervasive than during the massive manhunt that year.

Up until now, the families of the troublemakers who had been intercepted by the police in the hospital had no clue that their children and relatives were in deep trouble.

Lee Shuwu was also in the dark, unaware that the arrest on the street involved his brother-in-law. He mistakenly thought it was just a fight and that he himself had been injured.

But they were not allowed to see the injured party. The area was a flurry of activity with medical staff and police officers who took statements and guarded the injured, sealing off the area and keeping outsiders at bay.

Amidst the chaos on the streets, a courier arrived at Lee Wenming's office door with a package in hand.

Lee Wenming, puzzled by the locally sent package that lacked a detailed address, signed for it, closed his office door, and then proceeded to unwrap it.

Upon opening the box and discovering a mix of outdated and new electronic gadgets like MP3s, P4s, and voice recorders, each marked with a number, he wondered if they had been mistakenly delivered to him.

Beneath the gadgets, he found a notebook and decided to look through it first.

As he turned the pages, Lee Wenming's eyes grew wider with each moment.

Overwhelmed by shock, he didn't finish reading the notebook. Instead, he frantically rummaged through the box for a voice recorder and hastily plugged in his earphones.

He listened for barely two minutes before exclaiming in astonishment, "Shit!"

After cursing, he quickly removed the earphones, locked his office door, and stood there with his heart pounding, staring at the box on his desk, unsure of what to do next.

The box seemed as dangerous as a bomb or a venomous snake, leaving him without the nerve to touch it again.

Lee Wenming gasped for air as he stared at the box, his mind racing.

As a minor department head without even a rank, he knew these items wouldn't aid his career advancement; instead, they could potentially ruin any chance of promotion and might even bring about life-threatening danger.

What to do?

This question consumed Lee Wenming's thoughts. Yet, he was certain of one thing: he couldn't just discard these items. They had been delivered to him for a reason, and though he didn't know the sender's identity or intentions, the potential consequences of disposing of them were too frightening to contemplate.

After much deliberation and no clear resolution, his anxiety grew. Then his eyes landed on the notebook on his desk, the one detailing Hao Jianhua's affairs—the one that the director had merely acknowledged with a nod before dropping the matter.

Lee Wenming's eyes slowly brightened, then dimmed in an instant.

"Damn it! If I have to pick a side, I might as well go all in. Even if the sky falls, there'll be someone tall enough to hold it up!"

Resolved, Lee Wenming clenched his jaw, swiftly stowed the box, and bolted upstairs to the director's office, cradling it in his arms.

Yu Hai examined the notebook, his face betraying no emotion, though his mind was a whirlwind. After skimming for over ten minutes, he listened to a few voice recorders and an MP3 player. Then, lifting his head, he inquired in an even tone, "Section Chief Lee, who do you think is behind this delivery?"

Lee Wenming shook his head. "It came by courier. I asked, but they only mentioned it was a company package. No other details."

Yu Hai glanced at the box, then back up, "Besides you, has anyone else seen these items?"

Lee Wenming confidently replied, "No one."

With a confirmed response, Yu Hai smiled and said, "Wenming, I believe Lee Shuwu is a good comrade. This might be a setup. Let's have the Food Bureau review it before jumping to conclusions. Without hard evidence, let's keep this under wraps."

Lee Wenming, momentarily taken aback and unsure of Yu Hai's intent, quickly responded, "Understood, Director. I won't even tell my wife about this..."

Meanwhile, Xue Lang, who was at the hospital deciding on dinner plans with Fatty Shao, Liu Zhong, and others who had left work early, was oblivious to the fact that his final move had inadvertently played right into Yu Hai's hands.

A seasoned bureaucrat, Yu Hai, upon realizing these materials implicated many in the county and even the city, had no intention of surrendering them. There was nothing to gain from that, and it would only invite trouble.

As for Lee Shuwu, his downfall was inevitable. Yu Hai wouldn't need to lift a finger; there were others with deep grudges eager to play the villain, which would, in turn, earn Yu Hai their friendship and its accompanying advantages.

But as for those voice recorders, no word would leak out, because they were never going to see the light of day.

Xue Lang was indifferent to any stirrings around him; his focus was solely on outcomes. He aimed to nip any threats to his well-being in the bud, ensuring he could lead a tranquil life like any other ordinary person.

Yet, there was an immutable truth: wolves traverse the globe in search of prey. Could he, the Lone Wolf, truly defy this fundamental rule?