A group of people came and Director Li and the police officers were not able to stop them. They were staff from the Korean embassy and had special statuses after all. It was a sensitive situation and the police officers had their own limitations too, so they made an act of blocking those people to give Long Bing and Xia Lei a heads-up, and let the group through. This was also their way of trying to avoid trouble for themselves.
However, Xia Lei did not expect Ahn Suhyeong to be part of the group, as well as the two people Qin Xiang had mentioned – the two with the air of killers, Cha Gori and Kim Jiyeon.
Ahn Suhyeong led the group over in a calm and imposing manner. His gaze when he looked at Xia Lei was thick with scorn and provocation.
Xia Lei looked at Cha Gori and Kin Jiyeon. He did sense their strange aura. He wasn’t sure if this was a killer’s aura but he did feel that these two were rather sinister.
“What are you doing?” said the embassy staff angrily, “Why is one of our citizens kneeling on the ground? Huh? Someone explain this!”
Long Bing wrinkled her brows and moved to Xia Lei’s side to say in a low voice, “Remember what Boss Shi said about not causing trouble for him.”
Xia Lei gave her a faint nod. He knew too that a great furore would ensue if further corporal punishment was exacted on Ahn Sujun in front of the Korean embassy staff, and Shi Boren would be inconvenienced too.
“They beat me!” Ahn Sujun suddenly cried, “I want my wounds examined! I want to sue!”
The embassy staff then asked, “Did they force you to kneel?”
“They did. They also kicked me… down there!” said Ahn Sujun.
“Well!” the embassy staff said angrily, “You must give me a proper explanation for this, or we’ll see you in court!”
Ahn Suhyeong sneered. “There’s a witness and physical evidence now, isn’t there? If the criminal isn’t caught and punished this time, then can this still be a lawful country?”
The atmosphere was heavy and tense right away with political labels being used.
Ahn Sujun thought fast and started to moan and groan, acting like he was in great pain. It was true – he did hurt down there, but he had been hiding the pain and had not dared to show it earlier.
Xia Lei patted Ahn Sujun on the shoulder and said gently, “Stop the act. No one’s hitting you here., and no one made you kneel. You were repenting for your own mistake.”
“Bullshit!” Ahn Sujun got bolder with others backing him.
Xia Lei took no further notice of him. He stood and went to the door, opened it and stood before Ahn Suhyeong.
“What do you want?” Ahn Suhyeong spoke scornfully, “If you dare touch me here you won’t get away unscathed.”
Xia Lei put his palm on Ahn Suhyeong’s shoulder as soon as the words left his mouth. “Does touching you like this count?”
“You…” Ahn Suhyeong choked, as if Xia Lei had shoved his words back down his throat.
Xia Lei patted Ahn Suhyeong on the shoulder. “Ahn Suhyeong, we had just a some small discontent between us in the beginning but you’ve gone and blown it all up now. The person in there’s your cousin, right?”
“So what if he is?” Ahn Suhyeong pushed Xia Lei’s hand away forcefully. “You say I’ve blown things up but I don’t know what you mean. What I can tell you is this – I think nothing of you. I heard that my cousin was dating your sister. This cousin of mine is quite talented, and quite a pro between the sheets. I wonder if…”
Xia Lei cut him short. “Trying to provoke me? That’s not enough. I’ll have you know that your cousin committed a crime and what awaits him is the severe punishment of the law. You want to take him away? Ridiculous. What do you take this place for?”
“What crime?” interjected the embassy staff. “I warn you, no nonsense. I am here to take him away.”
Xia Lei scoffed. “He ran about naked and assaulted women in public. He is viable for the charges of indecent assault, sexual harassment to women and intention to rape. What’s worse is that the police have taken a number of new drugs from his person. You know this too, that our country is very strict with drug-related cases and even the Heavens won’t be able to save him. Oh, right, wasn’t a Japanese person shot to death as punishment recently? I’m not sure if our judges would be kinder towards Koreans. You guys are ‘The Great Korean Republic’ right? Gotta spare you some dignity.”
Ahn Sujun was ashen. He knew full well what he had slipped in the wine. What was worse was that he still had dozens of these pills on him now.
“You’re lying!” The Korean embassy staff was shaken, but he still spoke arrogantly, “I’m warning you to not spout nonsense without evidence, or you’ll be sued for libel!”
“He’s just a dog not worth my effort to explain,” said Xia Lei disinterestedly, “You can keep making a fuss here like a woman all you want but think of the result. If the police suspect that you too, are related to this new drug, then you won’t be better off either.”
“I…” The embassy staff had no further words to say. He shut his mouth.
All these people had come to try to extract Ahn Sujun on behalf of the status of the young master of the Shinyeok Group, and they were doing it to gain advantages and lay the foundation for a future relationship with Shinyeok Group. Of course they would be willing to help with no risks involved, but no one was as willing when risk came into play.
Ahn Suhyeong hesitated, then raised his voice to say, “Let’s leave!”
“Bro! Save me!” Ahn Sujun crawled off the floor and rushed to the door.
Long Bing kicked him in the back and he fell to the floor.
He had refused to admit his crimes in front of the embassy staff and Ahn Suhyeong, much less after they left. Ahn Sujun was truly scared now, and full of regret.
Hate flashed in Ahn Suhyeong’s eyes, but he did not show it on his face. “Don’t worry, Sujun. We will get you out. Stay in there temporarily for a few days and watch your mouth. Don’t say anything.”
“I…” Ahn Sujun bit his bottom lip and nodded.
Ahn Suhyeong glared at Xia Lei, then turned to leave.
“Hold on.” Xia Lei called Ahn Suhyeong to a stop. He walked up to him and leaned in to his ear to ask in a low voice, “Where is my sister’s bodyguard?”
Ahn Suhyeong sneered. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“You can pretend not to know but let me tell you that you shall meet the same end if he is dead.”
“Are you threatening me?”
“And let me give you a warning – don’t you make a move on my sister or there will be no one to spend your family’s riches,” said Xia Lei.
Ahn Suhyeong had been about to retort but he could say nothing after he saw the look in Xia Lei’s eyes. He felt a chill run through his heart for some unknown reason.
Ahn Suhyeong let out a ‘humph’ and left with his entourage.
Cha Gori and Kim Jiyeon gave Xia Lei deep looks at almost the same time as they left.
This seemed to be a hint, and Xia Lei also had a feeling that Lu Sheng’s disappearance had to do with the two of them.
Xia Lei returned to the detention room.
“You handled it well,” said Long Bing. “I thought you would react to Ahn Suhyeong’s provocation but you controlled yourself.”
Xia Lei laughed dryly. “I did want to punch him but this concerns Lu Sheng’s life. I have to hold it in even though it’s difficult.”
“You spoke to Ahn Suhyeong earlier…” Long Bing did not clarify.
Xia Lei understood what she wanted to say, and he nodded.
A faint smile appeared in the corners of Long Bing’s lips. “Then I’ll go make preparations. You still have a few minutes.”
Xia Lei nodded and watched Long Bing leave. Earlier, he had secretly placed a miniature tracking device in Ahn Suhyeong’s clothing when he went close to talk to him. The tracker was as small as a grain of rice and not easily discovered. This was his second time using this method and he had learnt well from Qin Xiang. It was as easy as pie to steal things, much less place things.
Xia Lei looked at Ahn Sujun after Long Bing left. His voice turned icy-cold. “You’re still young. Your life is over if you’re imprisoned for ten, twenty years. I’ll give you a chance. Tell me – where is my sister’s bodyguard now?”
Ahn Sujun avoided Xia Lei’s gaze. He did not speak.
“You might get the death penalty,” said Xia Lei.
“Don’t try to scare me, fucker! I’m not going to be taken in by your lies!” Ahn Sujun said arrogantly. “I will leave this place. My uncle can make you guys release me with just one word!”
Xia Lei gave a cold laugh. “Okay then, I’ll get someone to add some drugs on you – enough to get you the death penalty. I’d like to see how powerful your uncle is. Can he get you out?”
“How dare you!”
Xia Lei kicked him savagely in his crotch.
“Argh-” Ahn Sujun fell to the floor again and curled up like a shrimp.
“Last chance. Tell me where my sister’s bodyguard is now.”
“I… don’t know… Stop kicking me down there, I beg you… Any more and I won’t be able to use it…” Ahn Sujun bemoaned. Tears and snot streamed down his face.
“Wash your butthole clean first. A nice piece of fresh meat like you going into prison – your prison-mates will be sure to treat you tenderly.” Xia Lei left the detention room with those words.
Ahn Sujun was still on the floor wailing and groaning. Xia Lei’s words echoed in his ears like a curse, making him clench his butthole.
Long Bing’s car was waiting by the side of the road when he walked out of the police station. An cigarette case-sized electronic terminal sat on the dashboard and a red dot was moving on the map of the streets of Jingdu.
The tracker which Xia Lei had used was equipment from Bureau 101, and leftover from his mission in Afghanistan. It was easy for Long Bing to get a tracking signal.
Long Bing started the car and followed the dot. She asked as she drove, “Any results?”
Xia Lei shook his head. “He doesn’t know.”
“Don’t worry, Lu Sheng will be fine,” said Long Bing comfortingly. “This is China. I think that Ahn Suhyeong wouldn’t dare do anything too bold.”
Xia Lei let out a soft sigh. “Let’s hope so.”
“Right, tell you something.”
“What?”
“I heard the group of experts have run into some trouble.”
Xia Lei’s heart thumped. “You mean the group of experts that Ning Jing is in?”
“Yes, that group.”
“What trouble are they in?”
“I’m not sure yet; just some rumours in the wind.”
For some inexplicable reason, the image of the beautiful corpse surfaced in Xia Lei’s head again. Princess Yong-Mei, Zhu Xuan-Yue.
The car galloped on the roads but they maintained a distance of two kilometres between themselves and the red dot that was Ahn Suhyeong.
