Chapter Sixty-Three: The Great Uproar

The head of the Yang family was stunned and asked, “Mr. Gu, what do you mean by that?”

Gu Sha replied, “That old Ninth is definitely not one of those lunatics from the Purification Society. None of them are afraid of death. If he were one of them, he wouldn’t have come to the Law Enforcement Office to hide, because that would risk exposing his handler.

Since he was afraid of dying, he’s not with the Purification Society. But if he was so afraid of death, why did he decisively commit suicide? Clearly, something’s wrong here, isn’t it?”

The head of the Yang family suddenly understood. “I was confused myself and didn’t think of such a simple logic—Old Ninth didn’t want to die, so he hid, yet he still ended up killing himself. That must mean someone in our Law Enforcement Office forced him to do it. But Mr. Gu, the timing was too tight!”

“No matter,” Gu Sha said. “I work quickly. Head of the Yang family, go gather everyone who had contact with Old Ninth during this process.”

“Understood.”

The Yang family head hurried out the door in a rush.

Soon after, he returned and led Gu Sha to a detention room.

More than a dozen cells were open individually, so the suspects among the prisoners could be basically ruled out.

At that moment, outside one of the cells, a group of people stood. Some were city guards, some were cafeteria workers delivering meals, and a few were officials from the Law Enforcement Office. Inside, a corpse lay on display.

“Is everyone here?” Gu Sha asked, looking at the Yang family head.

The Yang family head glanced at a middle-aged senior official. “Have you questioned them yet?”

This man was the warden, and he looked nervous. “Ev—everyone is here.”

Gu Sha looked up at the security camera at the end of the corridor. “Play back the surveillance; I want to check it.”

“It’s broken,” the warden said. “Chief, sir, the cameras in this detention block broke three days ago. Since there wasn’t much use for them, we didn’t bother repairing.”

Gu Sha chuckled, glancing at the Yang family head with mockery. “Seems I overestimated the competency of your Law Enforcement Office. Is this really the best you can do?”

No sooner had he finished—

Before the Yang family head could say a word, Gu Sha suddenly lunged forward, grabbed the warden’s head, and slammed it hard against the wall with a sickening thud, splitting his head open and drawing blood.

“Talk. Who else isn’t here?” Gu Sha said coldly.

The warden’s head was pressed against the wall, blood streaming down, his face contorted from the pressure. “Really, everyone is here…”

Without hesitation, Gu Sha grabbed the warden’s arm and tore it clean off.

A terrified, agonized scream tore from the warden.

Gu Sha turned to several city guards. “Who was on duty today?”

Two guards stepped forward, trembling, their faces deathly pale.

Seeing this, the warden, enduring excruciating pain, said, “You’ll get the same answer from them. There’s no one missing. If there was someone else, I would tell you…”

With a sickening crack, Gu Sha pressed harder on the warden’s head, crushing it like a watermelon, spraying blood and brains everywhere.

Everyone present was paralyzed with terror.

Gu Sha walked over to the sink, turned on the tap, washed his hands, then took a paper towel and began to dry them as he walked out, softly asking, “You two, tell me—who’s missing?”

The two city guards shook uncontrollably.

One stammered, “It was… Meng Rang, the secretary to the head of the Meng family… He came here, but just now the warden told us not to mention it…”

Gu Sha and the Yang family head exchanged a glance.

“Let’s go!” Yang ordered, waving his hand. Immediately, the city guards hurried off.

Gu Sha and the Yang family head walked side by side. The Yang family head cursed, “If it really is Meng Rang, this will be a headache.”

Gu Sha asked, “Why?”

The Yang family head explained, “Meng Rang comes from the Meng family, one of the top clans in the southwest. Their influence in our C City Bastion is enormous. Of the four directors of our Law Enforcement Office, two are from the Meng family. Meng Rang serves as the Meng family head’s secretary; not only are they superior and subordinate, they’re uncle and nephew. If we go after Meng Rang, the Meng family head will almost certainly intervene.”

Gu Sha sneered, “Is the fate of the entire C City Bastion less important than Meng Rang?”

“Well, not exactly,” the Yang family head conceded.

Soon, Gu Sha and his group reached an office in another building.

The Yang family head pushed the door open, and a crowd poured in. Inside was a dark-skinned, middle-aged man, whose face radiated righteousness—the head of the Meng family and an official of the Law Enforcement Office.

Seeing the crowd barge in, the Meng family head frowned and asked, “Yang, what are you doing?”

The Yang family head dispensed with the usual pleasantries and asked directly, “Where is your secretary, Meng Rang?”

The Meng family head’s tone was grave. “Why are you looking for him?”

Yang replied, “He’s involved with the Purification Society. You know how serious this is. No more games—where is he?”

At the mention of the Purification Society, the Meng family head’s expression changed instantly. “I sent him to the archives to fetch some documents for me.”

Yang immediately ordered, “To the archives!”

At once, the city guards rushed toward the archives.

When Gu Sha, the Yang family head, and the Meng family head arrived, the city guards had already apprehended a young man.

He wore gold-rimmed glasses, was tall and slender, with refined features and a scholarly air. Dressed in a suit, he looked gentle and composed, showing little reaction even when several guns were pointed at him.

This was Meng Rang.

When he saw the Yang family head, Meng Rang said calmly, “Is this because I didn’t show up at the detention room as you requested, Yang? Was all this really necessary?”

“Meng Rang,” Yang said coldly, “your crimes have been exposed. I advise you to confess and seek leniency, or resist and be punished more severely.”

“What have I done?” Meng Rang replied with feigned innocence. “Yang, you should at least tell me what it’s about.”

“Must I spell it out? Your collusion with the Purification Society,” Yang said, certain of his accusation.

Meng Rang looked stunned. “You must be joking, Yang. You can’t make wild accusations about something this serious. Do you have any evidence?”

At this, the Meng family head spoke up as well. “Yang, the Purification Society is nothing to trifle with. If you have proof that Meng Rang is involved, present it, and I won’t shield him. But if you have none… don’t blame me for turning against you.”

The Yang family head looked awkwardly at Gu Sha.

Gu Sha’s expression was calm as he stepped forward, staring at Meng Rang. “Yang summoned you to the detention room. Why didn’t you go?”

“I didn’t want to. I have a lot of work to do…”

With a metallic ring, Gu Sha drew his blade. Blood spurted, and Meng Rang’s arm was sliced clean off.

Meng Rang collapsed to the floor, screaming in agony, unable to say anything else.

“What are you doing?” the Meng family head roared, reaching for his gun, only to be restrained by Yang.

“Yang, what is the meaning of this? What right do you have to abuse your power? I’ll fight you to the death!”

Yang gripped him tightly, shouting, “He’s a consultant for the Extraordinary Association—Gu Sha!”

The Meng family head’s eyes blazed with rage, veins bulging as he shouted, “I don’t care who he is! How dare you, with no evidence—”

Gu Sha kicked him hard, sending him crashing into several bookshelves, unable to rise from the pain.

“If you don’t shut up, I’ll kill you right now!”

With that, Gu Sha turned and stomped on Meng Rang’s thigh, shattering the bone, his voice icy. “Don’t play bureaucratic games with me. I’m not interested. I’ll ask you once—where are the Purification Society members? Only once.”

Suddenly, Meng Rang stopped screaming. A strange smile crept across his face, and in a weak voice, he said, “So you’re Gu Sha, the one who killed people at the Extraordinary Association earlier today. No wonder—you have guts, you’re arrogant, fearless. A talent like you should join our Purification Society. We’re the same kind.”

(End of chapter)