CHAPTER 72: CHAPTER 72: DARKNESS

Song Yue nodded and separated from Rong Zhi to act independently.

He went to tell the detectives who came with him that the bomb had been dismantled and instructed them to leave first. After everything was arranged, he concealed his presence and carefully approached the cabin.

Behind the cabin.

Rong Zhi casually tossed her backpack onto a tree branch, then touched her right wrist, dismantling the bracelet. Within seconds, a dagger made of a special material and entirely black appeared in her palm.

She weighed the dagger in her hand, feeling a tiny protrusion on the handle. Pressing it, the dagger instantly unlocked into two halves, revealing a magazine filled with bullets of the same special material.

Rong Zhi secured the dagger, ensured it was functioning properly, then aimed at the window on the cabin roof and leaped up. This room seemed to be a confinement room — a tiny space where the only light came from the window she was now clinging to.

A pungent, indescribably foul smell pierced her nose, overpowering even her mask. Rong Zhi furrowed her brows and, after confirming only one person was inside, folded herself through the window and landed silently on the ground.

It wasn’t until she stood in this confined space that she realized just how cramped it was.

So cramped that she could barely turn around.

Yet, in this small, foul place, there was a child curled up on the ground, hunched over, hidden in the shadows, motionless as if dead.

Rong Zhi crouched down, reaching out without the slightest hesitation to stroke the child’s face.

The child was unconscious, but instinctively recoiled at her approach, muttering: "Don’t... don’t hit me..."

Rong Zhi moved gently, soothingly rubbing his head, only to feel a sticky texture in her palm. She lifted her hand, revealing cold white fingertips stained with black-red blood.

She stared at the blood, squinting her eyes as an uncontrollable irritation welled up inside her.

...

Song Yue had been waiting outside for half an hour.

Had he not been certain that President Fei wouldn’t act without confidence, he would have rushed in to capture the perpetrators ten minutes ago.

The police team arrived at East Mountain ten minutes ago and is currently hidden around.

Song Yue and the squad leader Sheng Zizhao were old acquaintances. When they arrived, Sheng Zizhao mentioned a car accident on the road; a chain collision had blocked the way.

Sheng Zizhao had a serious expression and asked, "We didn’t find any bombs on the mountain road; was the intel wrong?"

Song Yue pursed his lips, eyes locked on the cabin. Upon hearing this, he said solemnly, "They’ve all been dismantled; I invited an expert, and he dismantled them."

"Expert?" Sheng Zizhao was puzzled, "Is it that President Fei you often mention? Is he the one inside the cabin now?"

Song Yue: "Yes."

Sheng Zizhao wanted to ask more, but a series of screeches suddenly echoed from the front, breaking the silence of the mountain forest and startling a large flock of birds.

Song Yue’s expression immediately turned stern, and he almost sprinted toward the cabin.

Sheng Zizhao also tensed up, signaling behind him, and the police team began surrounding the cabin.

"Bang—"

The tightly closed black wooden door was kicked open from inside, kicking up a cloud of dust, and two objects were thrown out, hitting the ground with dull thuds and hoarse screams.

Sheng Zizhao immediately ordered a retreat, advancing himself to examine the two human-like objects.

Using his police baton, he pried open one’s hair sticking to their face. Despite Sheng Zizhao’s experience with big scenes, he couldn’t help feeling a chill down his spine.

He endured the urge to vomit and discomfort, glancing toward the cabin.

Inside, with the door broken and sunlight streaming in, he vaguely saw a pair of slim, straight legs, and next to them, blood pooled on the ground.

Inside the room.

Rong Zhi withdrew her leg from kicking the door. The dagger in her hand was still dripping blood.

Song Yue entered, his nerves taut, and nervously asked, "President Fei? Are you hurt?"

Rong Zhi shook her head, saying, "No, it’s not my blood. Let them come in and clean up."

Her voice was several times darker than before, as if suppressing an emotion about to explode, her breath slightly rapid.

Only then did Song Yue feel something strange. The current youth was filled with a chilling murderous aura, the bloody atmosphere pervading the cabin, overwhelming and suffocating.

"...President Fei?" Song Yue cautiously spoke.

Rong Zhi’s eyes were deep, wrapped in a thin layer of cold fury, "Mm, I’m leaving now."

Her fingers lightly moved, assembling the bloodied dagger back onto her right wrist. She walked out of the cabin with light, slow steps.

Outside, the sun was bright, the sky blue and clouds white, reminiscent of thirteen years ago.

Except then, she crawled out of the cabin as a bedraggled hostage being rescued, but now she walked out after executing the thugs.

Rong Zhi exhaled, slipping her clean left hand into her pocket, the corner of her mouth curving into a roguish smile, slowly stepping over the blood-stained ground and leaving this hell.

Just as she retrieved her backpack, she found herself surrounded by the police team.

Rong Zhi raised an eyebrow.

Sheng Zizhao was stiff under her chilling, sly gaze but still mustered the courage to give orders, "Sir, you’ve unlawfully killed unconvicted criminals, which is a serious violation. You need to accompany us to the police station."

Sheng Zizhao really didn’t want to do this.

The problem was, Rong Zhi had indeed broken the law!!

Privately killing unconvicted criminals genuinely constitutes illegal behavior, and inside the cabin, they couldn’t see if it was self-defense. They could only detain her and make a judgment later.

Song Yue, who was nearby rescuing trafficked children with Chen Qi and the others, exploded upon hearing this, "Sheng Zizhao, what are you doing? President Fei helped you guys, and you didn’t even thank him; now capturing him is backstabbing!"

Sheng Zizhao straightened his face, speaking professionally, "I’m following procedure."

Song Yue fumed: "Procedure my ass, using and tossing away, since when did you become so shameless, Sheng Zizhao?!"

If not for President Fei today, how could they complete the task so smoothly and without losing a single soldier!

Sheng Zizhao frowned, "I didn’t..."

He thought Rong Zhi would merely tie up the two ringleaders, but unexpectedly, she acted so ruthlessly, leaving them barely alive and crippled.

Now even if they wanted to ask something, it wasn’t possible.

Sheng Zizhao was angry and anxious, in a mess. To some extent, Rong Zhi’s actions hindered police work and were illegal, allowing them to detain her.

Song Yue was so enraged he wanted to draw his gun and shoot this wretched thing.

Having worked with Sheng Zizhao for so many years, he never found him so unscrupulous.

Song Yue scowled, the murderous aura around him intensifying, intimidating even the police team, who immediately raised their weapons, the scene tense and on the verge of exploding.

"I’ll go with you guys."

As Song Yue was about to draw his gun, a hand pressed on his, a slightly hoarse, lazy voice sounded near his ear.

Rong Zhi looked at Sheng Zizhao and the others, "But I have something this afternoon, so please make it quick."

Sheng Zizhao: "..."

Never seen a suspect so arrogant while being captured.

He gestured behind him, and someone immediately brought handcuffs, attempting to cuff Rong Zhi, but she stepped forward, avoiding them, calmly saying, "I’ll walk myself."

Having said this, she walked straight down the mountain, composed as if strolling through her own backyard.

Sheng Zizhao watched with twitching lips.

Song Yue snorted coldly, glaring at him, then turned to follow Rong Zhi out.