Chapter 596: Paying the Debt

Chen Shi returned home in a daze. Tao Yueyue was still awake, working on Premiere on her computer. Chen Shi asked what she was doing. She replied, “Making a short video for a speech on being an environmental protector. It’s a boring school project.”

Chen Shi glanced at it and laughed, “You’re doing such a great job that other kids won’t stand a chance.”

“They can learn too!” Tao Yueyue said, focused on adjusting the audio.

Chen Shi took out a bottle of liquor from the cabinet, poured himself a full glass, and drank half of it in one gulp. The burning alcohol seared his throat, giving his brain a numbing pleasure. He knew he wouldn’t sleep tonight without a drink.

Sometimes he needed alcohol to slow down his racing thoughts, and unknowingly, he had developed a habit of drinking.

Sitting silently on the couch for a while, Chen Shi took out a pack of Yuxi cigarettes he hadn’t thrown away when he quit smoking. He put one in his mouth but couldn’t find a lighter.

A small flame appeared beside him. Tao Yueyue was kneeling on the couch, holding a lighter.

Chen Shi lit the cigarette and took a puff. Tao Yueyue asked, “Uncle Chen, are you in a bad mood today?”

“Something happened.”

“Something bad?”

“Not necessarily bad, just shocking… A bad person died, an old adversary. He suddenly died. I should be happy, but I feel empty inside.”

“Like you’ve lost your target?”

“Haha, maybe.”

Tao Yueyue took a cigarette and tried to light it. She exhaled a puff of smoke and said, “I don’t see what’s so great about smoking.”

“Cough, cough. It’s best not to pick up the habit.”

“I didn’t inhale.”

“Let’s quit together. I shouldn’t smoke either.”

Chen Shi pulled out an ashtray from under the table, and they both extinguished their cigarettes. Chen Shi threw away the remaining pack and downed the rest of his drink. “I’m going to bed. You should sleep early too.”

“Uncle Chen!” Tao Yueyue reminded him.

“Oh, right.” Chen Shi hugged her and patted her head. “Show me the video when it’s done, okay?”

“Cheer up. I don’t like seeing you sad,” Tao Yueyue whispered.

The next morning, Tao Yueyue had already gone to school. Chen Shi neither drove nor went to the office. He wandered outside the neighborhood, had breakfast, and watched the elderly taking their morning walks. The sunlight was gentle, making time seem to slow down.

After eating, he thought about where to go next, realizing he had no hobbies. His ways of passing time were cooking and drinking.

He remembered there was a well-reviewed movie released today. He decided to watch it alone.

Just then, Lin Qiupu called. “Why aren’t you here?”

“Who said I have to be?”

“Aren’t you investigating Zhou Tiannan’s case?”

“Why should I? Do I like him?”

“You, on purpose, right?”

“Don’t bother me. I’m taking a day off. Jealous?”

Lin Qiupu angrily hung up. Chen Shi opened his ticket app and bought a movie ticket.

A week later, Zhou Tiannan’s case was shelved. No evidence could be found at the scene. As for the motive, there were too many people who hated him to count.

The police had immediately searched Zhou Tiannan’s home, unlocked his computer, and found extensive evidence of the crimes of people he had “helped.” As expected, he had dirt on everyone.

The police were overwhelmed, making arrests daily. Many, including Yan Ke, were sent to detention, awaiting legal proceedings.

This was good news, but Chen Shi sensed a real storm was coming…

On October 30, in a basement, a burly man grabbed a woman’s hair and punched her hard in the face. Her nose broke, her eyes bled, and her teeth fell out. She cried and begged, “Stop hitting me…”

“Tell me! Who pushed the boss off the building?” the burly man roared.

“I don’t know… I really don’t know… The police asked me many times… Please let me go, I won’t say anything…” Her pitiful begging only fueled the man’s rage. He punched her face several more times. She had a pretty face, now twisted and disfigured.

A man and a woman watched coldly from the side. The man wearing safety goggles said, “Third Brother, don’t keep hitting the head. If you knock her out, she won’t feel the pain.”

The burly man grabbed the woman and threw her to the ground, stomping on her spine. “Why didn’t you see? Why didn’t you see? Why didn’t you see?” he shouted.

A crisp crack sounded, and blood mixed with urine and feces flowed from the woman. The man in goggles laughed, “Nice job. You broke her spine. I’m not cleaning this up… Damn, it stinks.”

“Kill her, she’s useless now,” the woman observer said coldly.

The man in goggles whistled, pulled out a syringe, and injected it into the woman’s neck. She twitched a few times before going silent.

“Who’s going to dispose of the body? Let’s draw straws,” the goggled man suggested. The burly man glared at him, and he recoiled.

“Lin Shuang, Xu Fa, the boss is dead. We need to avenge him!”

“You’re a wanted man. Keep a low profile. Xu Fa and I can move freely. We’ll handle this.”

“No need to investigate!” The burly man snarled, his face contorted with rage. “Even if we don’t know who the killer is, we know who owes us!”

They exchanged glances, coming to a silent agreement. They all thought of the same person.

“From today, you follow my lead. It’s time to show them our power!”

“Third Brother, we need to discuss this… I think.”

“Don’t call me ‘Third Brother.’ My name is Zhou Xiao. From now on, I only go by this name. I’ll start and end with this name!” the burly man roared, his eyes burning with hatred.