Chapter Twenty-Six: Lu Youwei’s Stronghold

In Ning County, the territory was dominated by four major figures: Horse of the South, Deer of the North, Bear of the East, and Wolf of the West.

Yet their temperaments differed greatly. Horse of the South, whose real name was Ma Guosheng, was notoriously arrogant. He built a grand villa that stood imposingly at the end of the road, exuding a bold, domineering presence.

Deer of the North, whose real name was Lu Youwei, made his fortune in usury. In stark contrast, he was exceptionally cautious—to such an extent that even outsiders had no idea where he lived.

Shen Ye’s first step in rescuing his sister-in-law, Wen Xiuting, was to locate Lu Youwei and his gang.

But how could he find them?

Shen Ye gently tapped the tabletop with his fingers, thinking for a long while until a sudden flash of insight lit up his mind.

He possessed the Eye of Justice. If he used it to scan the area, as soon as he spotted one of Lu Youwei’s men, he could follow the thread and trace it all the way to the lair itself.

Time was of the essence.

Without hesitation, Shen Ye stepped onto the street and activated the Eye of Justice, surveying his surroundings.

“Crime Value: 0.9. Likes petty theft.” This line appeared above the head of a scrawny, monkey-like youth.

“Crime Value: 3.2. Embezzles public funds.” Above a portly, balding middle-aged man’s head floated this line—just another corrupt official in a world awash with them. For now, Shen Ye had no time to concern himself with such men.

“Justice Value: 5.5. Spent a lifetime diligently educating students.” Above a man in his fifties appeared this line. Shen Ye was surprised; previously, the Eye of Justice had only revealed crime values, never justice values.

So, the Eye of Justice could detect not only crime, but virtue as well.

Looking closer, Shen Ye realized this was his old primary school teacher, Mr. Liang. Though strict, Mr. Liang had always treated his students with genuine kindness. Shen Ye still remembered the time his parents were too busy to pick him up, and Mr. Liang had taken him home for dinner.

Pressed for time, he exchanged only a few words with Mr. Liang before moving on.

“Justice Value: 0.5. As a hardworking vendor, has never shortchanged anyone or done anything wrong,” hovered above another vendor.

Nearby, yet another vendor bore the words, “Crime Value: 1.2. Frequently adds harmful flavor enhancers to braised foods to save costs.”

“Justice Value: 9.5. An upright internist who, over thirty years, has healed countless people,” appeared above a bespectacled man shopping for groceries.

The Eye of Justice continued to scan until suddenly, above a tall, thin young man, there appeared a line:

“Shunzi, subordinate of Lu Youwei. Assists Lu Youwei in collecting usurious debts and beating people. Crime Value: 3.”

At last, he had found his target.

The street was crowded; it was not the right place to act.

Shen Ye was in no rush. He quietly tailed the man called Shunzi.

Shunzi’s real name was Zhang Shunzi. Years ago, he’d been enamored with gangster movies, and with no talent for academics, he’d decided to join the underworld. Though still young, he’d only been in the game for a year but had already earned a modest reputation for his fearlessness. Still, every time he went home, his grandmother would scold him mercilessly for the disgrace he brought upon the family. It drove him crazy, but with no one else in his family but his aging grandmother, who had raised him since he was a child, he couldn’t bring himself to do her harm.

Shunzi shook off the thought. He strolled into a pitch-dark alley. Ahead was the county’s notorious Electric Machinery Factory, where he planned to spend the night’s earnings on a little indulgence.

With a cigarette in one hand and the other stuffed into his back pocket, he swaggered along.

Suddenly, a tremendous force seized him, pinning him violently against the wall.

Shunzi tried to resist, but the strength behind him was overwhelming. He struggled in vain, only able to move his neck a couple of centimeters before his throat was clamped tight.

“Who the hell are you? Dare to ambush me?” Shunzi cursed.

The words had barely left his mouth when a knee slammed into his right kneecap with a thud.

Pain exploded through his leg—he could even hear the crack of bone.

“Who the hell are you? Damn it!” Still defiant, Shunzi spat curses.

The assailant said nothing, only delivered another savage knee strike.

With a sickening crunch, his left kneecap shattered.

“If you want to live, quit cursing. I ask, you answer,” the cold voice from behind commanded.

Shunzi wanted to curse again, but fear gripped him. Both kneecaps were shattered with chilling efficiency. He had no doubt that if he refused, his neck would be next. Young as he was, he valued his life.

“I’ll answer you, but you must promise no one will ever know it was me who betrayed the boss, or I’ll be dead for sure.”

“Agreed,” came the curt reply.

Shunzi exhaled with relief. “The boss usually stays in Building Eight at Jin Hao Mansion. There are thirty-three floors, but he knows the developer and had them stop the elevator at the thirty-first floor. He bought out the thirty-first to thirty-third floors. Us underlings live on the thirty-first and thirty-second, the boss himself on the thirty-third.”

“So you can’t reach the thirty-third floor directly by elevator, and there are plenty of men guarding him.”

“Cleverly hidden, your boss,” the man behind him chuckled coldly. “Today you captured a woman named Wen Xiuting. Where is she held?”

Since he’d already revealed the main secret, Shunzi saw no harm in answering the rest.

He nodded. “You mean the short, busty, pretty woman? Scarface caught her. She’s being held on the thirty-first floor.”

“How many rooms per floor?”

“Three. She’s in Room 3001 on the thirty-first, guarded by Scarface’s men. Please, don’t kill me. My grandma is over sixty and has no one but me.”

The word for grandma lingered in the air.

The man behind him said nothing.

Just as Shunzi anxiously wondered about his fate, a heavy blow struck the back of his head, and he lost consciousness.

Shen Ye tossed the thug into a dark alley, ensuring he wouldn’t cause any trouble tonight.

He looked up at the sky. Night was falling—a perfect night for killing.

(Thanks to Chi Feng and Liu Lijin for their generous support. A new week has begun—please vote for me if you have recommendations. I’m aiming for the top of the charts!)