Chapter 585: The Plot

On October 19th, Chen Shi, Gu You, KK, and Sun Zhen sat in the office. They had gathered for an important discussion.

“Do you remember Yi Qing’s case? The police have traced the funding behind the orphanage to a company called Da Hong Group, run by twin brothers Qu Jing’an and Qu Jingli. A few years ago, before they took over, the company had a series of mysterious disappearances among its top executives. The Qu brothers capitalized on the plummeting stock prices to buy a majority stake and quickly took control. Over the years, they’ve solidified their position by pushing out the company’s veterans and buying more shares,” Chen Shi explained.

Gu You remarked, “Those names don’t ring a bell. Do you suspect that Zhou Tiannan is assisting them behind the scenes?”

“It’s highly likely. During that period, Zhou Tiannan, under the alias ‘Zhou Xiao,’ was extremely active as a serial killer. The police were too occupied to investigate Da Hong Group thoroughly. Distracting attention is Zhou Tiannan’s specialty. The police are currently focusing on Da Hong Group. Lin believes the group might be supporting Zhou Tiannan. However, the group itself isn’t clean. As a rapidly rising young company, it has its own share of shady dealings, providing the police with ample reason to investigate.”

Sun Zhen raised his hand, “Isn’t this a bit convoluted? Why not go after Zhou Tiannan directly?”

“We lack evidence. The police operate within the law; they can’t just investigate a citizen on a whim,” KK said. “Honestly, if I saw him on the street, I’d just push him in front of a car and be done with it. Why make it so complicated?”

Chen Shi responded, “Without bringing Zhou Tiannan to justice, it’s meaningless. He’s the spiritual leader of ‘Black Honey.’ He has many dangerous followers, like Ling Shuang. We can’t act against him directly yet. We need to gradually dismantle his network. Bringing him down suddenly could unleash his dangerous followers.”

“It’s like a tumor. Removing it recklessly can cause more harm,” Gu You commented.

“So troublesome!” KK complained. “These upright methods don’t work against scumbags like him. He doesn’t play by the rules.”

Chen Shi asked, “Did you find anything while tracking that teacher?”

KK pulled out some photos from a drawer and tossed them on the table. Sun Zhen glanced at them, “These don’t show anything!”

“Idiot!” KK smirked knowingly.

The photos showed a window. Chen Shi examined them closely and noticed a flowerpot’s position kept changing. “Is this Yan Ke’s way of communicating with his accomplice?”

“Smart as always, Chen. I noticed he fiddled with this flowerpot every day. It seemed fishy, and I caught it!” KK triumphantly produced another photo, “Look!”

The photo revealed a side profile of a person in a black hoodie and sunglasses.

Gu You examined it, “Xu Fa, an expert in making and using poisons. He’s one of Zhou Tiannan’s loyal followers.”

“Too bad we didn’t catch Ling Shuang, but even if we did, it would be hard to use as evidence,” Chen Shi sighed.

“So is this case going cold?” KK asked.

“We’ll only nail Yan Ke when we finally capture Zhou Tiannan. Not just Yan Ke, but many others who’ve benefited from Zhou Tiannan,” Chen Shi lamented, unsure when that day would come.

“What’s Zhou Tiannan’s next move?” Gu You wondered.

“Who knows? This investigation into Da Hong Group is an opportunity. KK, Sun Zhen, keep monitoring Zhou Tiannan. I want to know his every move.”

“Got it!”

“By the way, is Zhou Tiannan still hiring prostitutes?”

“Same routine. A woman visits him every Wednesday.”

Currently, Yan Ke was assigned to oversee the school warehouse, a cushy job given the students’ unanimous reluctance to attend his classes. To quell the unrest, the school temporarily relegated him here.

Every day, he sat with a cup of tea, surrounded by books, feeling a mix of resentment and injustice. He privately expressed to Zhou Tiannan that he was capable of much more. To Yan Ke, Zhou Tiannan was like a god—omnipotent and worthy of deep admiration. Yan Ke hoped Zhou would elevate him, even if it meant getting his hands dirty.

After the last incident, Yan Ke had come to terms with his fate. As long as he could live well, he didn’t care who he had to sacrifice. In this world, only he mattered.

The school bell rang. Yan Ke saw students rushing out of classrooms and teachers chatting as they left the campus. Everything was so peaceful, as if his world was untouched.

Yan Ke sighed, glancing at his left hand adorned with a plastic prosthetic finger. Looking up, he saw Zhou Tiannan on the playground, gesturing towards the parking lot. Yan Ke nodded eagerly, thrilled to have a new “mission.”

Once the area was clear, Yan Ke hurried to the parking lot. Zhou Tiannan sat in his car, puffing on a cigarette, “Go to the Red Island Café. There’s a man in a black hat by the window.”

“Is this my task, Zhou? You’ve seen my situation. I have nothing left to lose. I can prove my worth to you!” Yan Ke’s excitement was palpable. He craved this validation.

Zhou Tiannan smiled, “Can you kill?”

“Yes!” Yan Ke was elated. This was what he wanted—to prove his value to Zhou Tiannan and be seen as an insider.

Zhou Tiannan shook his head, “I promised you wouldn’t take risks. Don’t worry, this task is safe. Just don’t keep my friend waiting.”

Yan Ke nodded, smiling servilely as he left.

He arrived at the café, spotting a man in a black hat sipping coffee by the window. The spot was perfect for privacy, impossible to eavesdrop on. Yan Ke sat down, “Zhou sent me.”

The man scrutinized him, “You from that school?”

“Yan. I used to be a teacher.”

“Zhou has a knack for helping people,” the man chuckled.

“Yes, he saved my life. I’ll do anything for him,” Yan Ke whispered, “Is it smuggling? Killing? Kidnapping? I’m ready for anything, for Zhou!”

The man looked him over, “It’s rare to find someone as dedicated as you these days.”