Chapter 121: I Thought You Were a Tough Nut to Crack

The girl shrieked in terror, begging for her life.

I leaned in close to her ear, unimpressed. "Enough. Stop screaming. I don’t care what they promised you to pull such a wicked stunt. I’ll give you ten seconds to tell me where those two went. Otherwise..."

I bared my teeth in a grin. "I’m not sure what I might do!"

Just then, a low, rumbling sound emanated from the fitting room.

The door opened, and as I turned my head, I locked eyes with the lean, wiry man. He looked at me, frowned upon seeing me gripping the shop assistant’s throat, and then, hands shoved deep into his pockets, he turned and strode toward the exit without a backward glance.

I released the girl and gave chase.

The moment he cleared the shop door, the man bolted! He ran straight toward Song Zhong, who was standing nearby, smoking.

"Instructor! Get him!" I shouted.

Song Zhong’s reaction was instantaneous. As the man rushed past him, Song Zhong didn’t hesitate; he hurled his phone at the man. His aim was impeccable. The device struck the man squarely on the temple.

The man’s vision went black, and he collapsed to the ground. Song Zhong immediately stepped forward and delivered a sharp kick to his stomach.

I arrived just as it happened, giving Song Zhong a thumbs-up with a smirk. "Not bad. That was a precise throw."

Song Zhong picked up his phone, inspected it briefly, and muttered, "I’m counting this as a workplace injury. Don’t forget to reimburse me."

We hauled the man up and shoved him into the car. Song Zhong took the driver’s seat, and I sat in the back with our captive.

***

Once in the car, the man remained silent, his eyes darting shiftily as he plotted his next move. I suspected he was trying to figure out who Song Zhong and I were.

"Don't bother," I said. "We aren't the police."

The man went rigid, shooting us a look of genuine surprise. In the next second, he lunged for the car door, intending to leap out. I didn't hesitate; I pulled a dagger from my waistband and pressed the blade against his throat.

"Try that again, and I can't promise my hand won't slip."

We didn't hand him over to Wang Zihao, nor did we return to the shop. I had Song Zhong drive us to the Baolian Ancient Temple.

"Inside!" I kicked the man in the rear, sending him tumbling headfirst into the temple.

The interior of the Baolian Ancient Temple no longer held any resemblance to a sanctuary; it had become a purgatory. The air was thick with the stench of blood and rot, making it nearly impossible to breathe the moment we stepped inside. The walls and floor were stained with dried, indelible smears of blood.

I signaled for Song Zhong to shut the heavy doors. The man looked at us, his eyes wide with unadulterated terror. He scrambled backward along the floor until he hit the wall, with nowhere left to run.

"Where are they? Tell me, and I won't hurt you."

"People... what people... I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh, the girl you were following. The one who walked into the clothing store ahead of you. Where did you take her?"

"I... I was just shopping. I don't know what you mean. I wasn't following anyone!"

***

I knew he wouldn't crack so easily. But unlike the police, I lacked patience and had no interest in following protocol.

I crouched before him and drove the blade straight into his thigh.

"Agh!"

I twisted the knife expressionlessly. The man’s eyes rolled back in his head, his throat choked off, unable to emit a sound.

"Last chance. Are you going to talk?"

"I'll talk! I'll talk! She's in the basement! Under the clothing store! There’s a hidden compartment in the fitting room—a secret mechanism!"

I had actually thought he was a tough nut to crack. Turns out, he was nothing. If I had known it would be this easy, I wouldn't have bothered bringing him to this temple.

I nodded and crudely bandaged his wound. Song Zhong drove us back to the clothing store, but we found it had already closed for the night.

After a moment of thought, I called Wang Zihao and told him to bring two men, strictly out of uniform. Wang Zihao was stunned that I had leads so quickly, but he set out immediately.

Before he arrived, I looked down at the pale, weakened man. I pulled out my phone and tossed it to him. "Call your superiors. Tell them I’m looking for Lin Feng."

"Tell him to wash his neck and wait for me. My name is Jiang Huai."