Chapter 2: The Incident

"Chengmin, we didn't come here to play. How's the information I asked you to gather?"

"Old Wang, I have to say, what are you planning to do by inviting these gods of death? Let me tell you, this is S City, not the military, and certainly not a battlefield. If you go too far, I can't protect you. The people's hearts are as hard as iron, and the law is as severe as a furnace. Do you understand?"

His tone remained the same, but the worry in his eyes was impossible to hide.

"This is none of your business. It has nothing to do with you afterward. I just need to know how Old Hu died. After I get the information, you leave immediately. We didn't see you today, and you didn't see us." The veins on Wang Aiguo's forehead bulged, and his slightly raised body resembled a lion ready to pounce. His low voice sounded like a wild beast's roar.

Old Hu is dead? Zhao Shi's heart stirred. The only person who could make the captain lose his composure and was called Old Hu was their political commissar, Hu Weiguo. Known as "Chessboard," Hu Weiguo was an expert in strategy and tactics, responsible for many perfect operations. However, he left the military three years before Zhao Shi's transfer, apparently to become a detective in a city. For such an elite to die not on the battlefield but after his transfer, and apparently not of natural causes, Zhao Shi already had a vague idea of why the captain had gathered them.

"Alright, alright, I give in. I'll tell you, okay?"

No one could remain calm in front of such a captain, but someone like Jin Chengmin would never get involved in such trouble. There were no grandiose words of brotherhood.

"The situation is this: Old Hu was the head of the Criminal Investigation Division of the S City Public Security Bureau. I checked his death records. Old Hu was attacked on his way home after drinking with some colleagues from the bureau. He was stabbed seventeen times, with a fatal wound to the chest that pierced his heart, causing immediate death. The body wasn't seen because it was cremated a few days after the incident. However, the autopsy report suggests it wasn't a simple fight. Everyone knows Old Hu's skills. Even if there were more of the usual thugs, they couldn't have harmed him. The attackers were clearly lying in wait, with the intention of killing Old Hu.

If that were all, Old Hu, being a police officer, would have many enemies. But at the same time, his house was burned down, and his wife and daughter, Xiao Lanlan, didn't escape. More suspiciously, the autopsy report for his wife and daughter simply stated they died in a fire caused by a gas explosion. Their bodies were cremated with Old Hu's. The bureau has been saying they are hunting the killers, but I asked someone inside the bureau, and they've already closed the case, stating the mother and daughter died in the fire without a doubt. As for the killer of Old Hu, they pinned it on a wandering criminal with no connection to the case, which is unusual.

When a head of the Criminal Investigation Division dies, and a fire breaks out at home simultaneously, even a layman would find it strange. But the bureau seems to be turning a blind eye, which is very odd.

I then investigated the cases Old Hu was handling before his death. Unfortunately, everything he had was cremated with his body. These people are thorough, probably to ensure no one could prove anything. Old Hu had no close relatives, and his entire family was wiped out, making it a good cover-up."

He was about to add a few comments, but the captain interrupted, "No nonsense, get to the point."

"I carefully examined the cases Old Hu was handling. I couldn't ask too many people, as that would be too obvious. Such cases would definitely involve some big shots.

I found one case that stood out. It was a case involving organized crime. Old Hu received some intelligence from an informant. This gang was involved in drug trafficking, smuggling, prostitution, arson, and murder. They've been operating for a long time, but nothing has happened. Who would believe they have no connections above?

But investigating such cases isn't our military's job, and I don't have the reach. Since you, Old Wang, gave me the task, I had one of my guards go to a nightclub run by the gang. Nightclubs are full of all sorts of people, and it's easy to start a fight. It didn't take long before a fight broke out. I immediately led a team to raid the nightclub, arrested their leaders, and charged them with assaulting a serving officer. When the police came to ask for them, I interrogated them first. One of them kept shouting that their chairman was the brother of the deputy director of the bureau. I didn't need their confession; I just needed to know this important information. I released them, and the police didn't suspect anything. The military is known for protecting its own, and they wouldn't dare to complain to the military district.

Later, I found out that the deputy director of the bureau is the son of the provincial police chief. This web, though small, is enough to deal with a small police officer like Old Hu. I suspect Old Hu had some evidence against them, forcing them to act. Old Hu's personality is well-known; he's very principled. They couldn't buy him off. Also, most of the police in the bureau seem to be corrupt. The few who invited Old Hu to drink that night were probably planning it. Old Hu had no hobbies, just a love for drinking. Afterward, he was ambushed. This is suspicious. Normally, Old Hu could dodge bullets, let alone knives. How could he be stabbed so many times?

I have all the information on those people. I put in a lot of effort, using almost all my connections without raising suspicion. I'm exhausted and need to sleep. I was going to treat you guys, but..."

"You can go. We know what to do."

After Jin Chengmin left, Wang Aiguo slapped a stack of printed papers and said solemnly, "I think you all know why I gathered you here. Old Hu is dead, and he died unjustly. Old Hu was very stubborn. If he had stayed in the military, this wouldn't have happened. When I heard he was killed on the street, I knew something was wrong. Normally, he would have killed the others, not the other way around. It sounds ridiculous that he was killed on the street."

Wang Aiguo smiled, but to Zhao Shi, his smile was twisted and chilling. Zhao Shi understood the captain's feelings. For a soldier, death is normal, but it depends on how one dies. Dying on the battlefield is honorable, but dying on the street, without honor or medals, and with the killer still at large, affecting his family, is unacceptable. For a captain who had worked with Hu Weiguo for over a decade, he wouldn't let this go easily.

Wang Aiguo scanned the group and continued, "There are laws, and this isn't our business, but I can't let this go. Old Hu can't die in vain. What do you think?"

The captain, who usually gave orders, was now almost pleading. The most impulsive, Hu Laohu, immediately said, "No need to talk. I'll follow the captain."

Zhao Shi glanced at the three silent men across from him. The military has its discipline, and even someone as well-connected as Jin Chengmin wouldn't get involved. The others were even less likely. Getting involved could lead to a military tribunal. Normally, they would help out of camaraderie, but they were different. On the battlefield, they trusted each other with their lives, but in reality, their relationships were distant. The captain and commissar had deep bonds, forged through years of service, but the others had more complex backgrounds. No matter how much they achieved, they couldn't reach the captain's position, let alone become the head of a criminal investigation division. Even Zhao Shi, upon hearing of Hu Weiguo's death, felt less than when he heard about Viper's death.

Wang Aiguo sighed, disappointed. He knew what Zhao Shi was thinking. They were the elite of the military, capable of anything, but they were also a unique group. On the battlefield, they were ruthless and efficient, more so than any international mercenary. They were involved in secret missions, with no official recognition. He and Old Hu occasionally saw the light of day, but his subordinates operated in the shadows. What could he expect from them?

Thinking this, Wang Aiguo, already looking old, seemed to age another decade. His sharp eyes dimmed.

He could risk his life for an old comrade, but he was getting old. Without their help, he wasn't sure if he could achieve his goal. Wang Hongjun, Xie Aimin, and Liu Guang had families and children, and he couldn't risk their lives for an old comrade.

He looked at Zhao Shi, hesitating. He knew little about this man, nicknamed "Weed Killer," but he was undoubtedly the most ruthless of his subordinates. He remembered when Zhao Shi first appeared, quiet but with the eyes of a starving wolf, sharp and dangerous. Such a subordinate was invaluable.

He taught him many things, and Zhao Shi, though quiet, was an excellent student, especially in tactics and close combat. His only flaw was a lack of strategic thinking and a ruthless nature.

Letting such a man leave the military was a loss. When Zhao Shi transferred, Wang Aiguo warned the superiors about the potential danger. He wanted to keep Zhao Shi in the military, but with so many people available, and Zhao Shi's determination, he eventually left.

But Wang Aiguo was wrong. Zhao Shi found a job as a traffic police officer in C City, working quietly for two years, reporting regularly to the military, and causing no trouble. Wang Aiguo felt a bit guilty for bringing him here.

In Wang Aiguo's mind, Zhao Shi was the best choice. Unmarried, not a serving officer, and more flexible. But he was hesitant. Such a man, given an order, could cause chaos in the city. No one could predict the scale or the casualties. Should he involve Hu Laohu? No, Hu Laohu was impulsive and reckless, and could make things worse.

"Shi..."

"Captain, no need to say more." Zhao Shi took the documents, unwilling to see the captain in such a state. It pained him. "Have Jin Chengmin arrange a position for me in the bureau. I need four months to prepare. No need for a gun, just a car with a trunk, a city map, a military-grade map of the surrounding area, a GPS system, ten small tracking devices and signal receivers, and all the information on anyone in the bureau related to this case, their hobbies, where they go, and any suspicious contacts. I need a place to stay, with a basement. That's all for now. Also, get me money, as much as possible, at least 100,000. I don't trust Jin Chengmin, so keep an eye on him. We didn't meet today, and I didn't come to S City. You handle the regular reports to the military.

Let's be clear. If I hear any rumors or sense anything wrong, I'll leave S City immediately. You all have families, but I'm single. I'll find you one by one.

Call me when everything is ready. No more contact after that."

With that, Zhao Shi took the documents and left the room. This might be the last time he saw them. He glanced back once, then disappeared into the crowd.

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End of Chapter 2