Chapter 85

Seeing Xiao Liu slowly disappear down the distant street, I suddenly felt a surge of anger and immediately texted Zhang Huan: "Are you out of your mind? Don't contact me."

To my surprise, Zhang Huan didn't react at all after receiving the message.

I could only take out the cigarette I had hidden in my pocket and light another one.

Time ticked by, and my mood grew increasingly anxious. Waiting for someone who wouldn't show up was a waste of my time.

Just as the cigarette in my hand was about to finish, I suddenly heard the car door move. I thought Xiao Liu had returned, but the person sat directly in the back seat.

"Officer Li, it's been a while," a voice I hadn't heard in a long time said behind me, making me shudder.

Zhang Huan.

"Are you fucking crazy? Do you know what kind of car this is?"

Zhang Huan took the cigarette butt from my hand and took a deep drag.

"What kind of car? It doesn't have a police car's markings anyway."

I saw his carefree expression in the rearview mirror and felt even angrier: "Aren't you afraid I'll drive you straight to the police station?"

"Hey, Old Li, we're in this together," Zhang Huan sneered at me. "Seven years ago, when you caught me, I gave you 100,000 yuan to treat Xuanxuan. You owe me one."

"I've already repaid your favor a long time ago," I gritted my teeth, feeling extremely conflicted. I shouldn't have gotten involved with this scumbag. "I told you to lay low, but you keep getting involved in cases... I should have sent you to the police myself."

"Is this how you talk to Xuanxuan's savior?" Zhang Huan threw the cigarette butt out the window. "Xuanxuan is in elementary school now, right? I remember... fourth grade, class six?"

"You..." Hearing Xuanxuan's name from this scumbag's mouth, I was instantly furious. "If you dare to touch Xuanxuan, I'll tear you to pieces."

"It's mutual," Zhang Huan smiled. "You help me escape, and I won't touch her."

I knew deep down that once I got on this boat, I could never get off.

Seven years ago, when I personally arrested Zhang Huan, he suddenly offered me 100,000 yuan to buy his life.

Although I always hated evil, my daughter Xuanxuan had a very rare disease called Crigler-Najjar syndrome. The doctor told me how rare it was and explained many ways to treat it, but I couldn't understand a word.

All I knew was that Xuanxuan needed a liver transplant, and I needed money.

Zhang Huan's 100,000 yuan saved Xuanxuan's life.

But from that day on, I was in league with this scumbag.

If I didn't help him escape the police, he would threaten to expose what happened back then.

Zhang Huan wasn't "highly aware of surveillance"; he just had my help.

I couldn't let anything happen to Xuanxuan. She was the child of my deceased comrade, who had called me "Dad" for ten years. She was my daughter.

"Zhang Huan, I have my limits," I said, looking at the scumbag in the rearview mirror. "If you don't want to get caught, you'd better behave. Otherwise, I'll make you regret it."

"Shit..." Zhang Huan's expression suddenly turned cold, and he cursed fiercely. "Li Shangwu, you're setting conditions with me? If I get caught, my brothers won't let Xuanxuan off."

Hearing this, my heart clenched.

"What do you mean?"

"It means you should obediently be my dog and not have any funny ideas."

I glanced at him in the rearview mirror, a thought flashing through my mind.

If Zhang Huan got caught, things would get complicated. My reputation wouldn't matter much, as I should bear the consequences of my mistakes.

But what about Xuanxuan?

So Zhang Huan couldn't be caught.

He had to die.

I was tired of helping a fraudster every day and living with a guilty conscience.

Now that Xuanxuan's illness was cured, it was time to pay my debt.

Leaving Zhang Huan alive would only mean more people would suffer at his hands.

If I could go back in time, I would have sent him to prison back then, rather than carrying this burden for so many years.

But I didn't know if Xuanxuan would forgive me if I really did that.

"Zhang Huan, have you eaten?" I asked casually.

"Eaten?" He was slightly taken aback, not understanding my meaning.

"Since you've been under surveillance for so many days, let me take you out for a good meal. Forget what I said earlier; don't take it to heart."

"That's more like it," Zhang Huan leaned back in the seat, stretching lazily. "You guys have been watching me for three days, and I've been eating instant noodles every day."

I nodded, started the car, and shifted into gear.

Now I needed to find a secluded place to delay the discovery of Zhang Huan's body. Although I would certainly be caught, I needed to take care of Xuanxuan first.

As I drove slowly, I released the safety on the gun at my waist.

Zhang Huan was still dozing in the back seat.

Seeing this, I slowly drove the car into a side alley.

But before the car had even stopped, Zhang Huan suddenly attacked, wrapping a hard wire around my neck.

I immediately knew something was wrong. This kid was trying to kill me.

"Zhang Huan... you're asking for it..." I gritted my teeth, pulling at the wire around my neck, trying to turn around, but my legs were stuck by the steering wheel.

"You really are a clever one, Officer Li..." Zhang Huan said as he tightened the wire. "You two were supposed to be watching me together, but you took me out for a meal... Isn't that strange? The other person would contact the team when they realize you're gone, right?"

In just ten seconds, my vision went black.

Zhang Huan was really going to kill me. I knew that if I died, Xuanxuan would be in grave danger.

Thinking of this, I immediately pulled out the gun from my waist and fired three shots backward, not even knowing if I hit him.

In the enclosed car, the loud gunshots made my ears ring.

"I gave you money to spend... and you still want to kill me?!" Zhang Huan roared, tightening his grip even more.

This time, he squeezed so hard that I felt my blood vessels about to burst.

In a moment of crisis, I pressed the button on the seat, hoping that if I could recline it, I might have a chance to escape.

But I forgot.

This high-end car would slowly recline the seat for maximum comfort, possibly to protect the back or to let someone sleep better when tired.

In this slow motion, my vision went completely black.

You get what you pay for. High-end cars have their reasons.

My back indeed didn't hurt.