Chapter Ninety-Two: The So-Called Underworld

Chapter Ninety-Two: The So-Called Underground World

By comparison, the atmosphere was heavy and silent. Qin Wan’er had not expected Ma Pinghai’s death to have such a profound impact on the police bureau. Then again, criminals truly did not hold the police in any regard, or they would never have dared to carry out such a brazen provocation.

“I hereby announce the dissolution of the special task force.” Chen Wei’s words came so abruptly that not only Qin Wan’er was stunned, but everyone present stared blankly at Director Chen.

Chen Wei was inwardly vexed at his own miscalculation. From the very beginning, he had estimated the strength of the Hedong City police force, and he had to admit that he had indeed overestimated his own people and underestimated this Class-S wanted criminal. Had he known better, he should have sought help from his superiors at the outset and brought in genuine experts to assist.

Qin Wan’er was somewhat unwilling to accept this. If this had been in the past, she would already have been questioning Director Chen’s decision, but now she could understand and accept his thinking. Perhaps Director Chen and Xu Yun were both right; with the police force’s current strength, they were simply no match for the other side.

“This case is no longer something we can control.” Chen Wei acted decisively. In order to avoid unnecessary casualties, he directly ordered the task force disbanded. “Xiao Qin, come with me to my office.”

The other staff handled the aftermath at the scene, while Chen Wei and Qin Wan’er went straight back to the director’s office.

Chen Wei wore a grave expression, clearly unsettled. “Xiao Qin, I know your temperament. You’re not the kind of person who gives up easily; otherwise, you never would have taken on those several vicious gangs in Hedong City head-on. But this matter is different from those. I hope you can let it go. From the moment you brought Ma Pinghai back, I had already confirmed that someone had been helping you. I also want you to tell the person who helped you that they should stop interfering in this matter.”

“I understand.” Qin Wan’er nodded, her expression heavy. Yet Xu Yun had already involved himself, and now that man had injured both him and Qiu Yan, how could he possibly let it go?

Seeing Qin Wan’er’s troubled face, Chen Wei gave a faint smile. “Although I dissolved the task force, that doesn’t mean I’m giving up or letting the criminals run free. To deal with someone like that, I’ll apply to my superiors to deploy a special unit.”

“A special unit?” Qin Wan’er’s eyes widened in sudden curiosity.

Chen Wei smiled and said to her, “Your current rank is not high enough to be privy to certain classified matters, but I trust your professional ethics. I also believe you’re a principled police officer, and that one day you’ll rise to a position equal to mine or even higher. So there’s no harm in telling you.”

Qin Wan’er looked astonished. “Is a special unit different from the special police?”

Chen Wei nodded. “It’s the elite among elites. Even the best of the special police may not necessarily be qualified to enter a true special unit.”

Qin Wan’er parted her lips, unable to help asking, “Then what kind of unit is it exactly?”

Chen Wei shook his head. “That’s all I know. As for the details, someone at my level isn’t qualified to know them. Heh, Xiao Qin, if you’re curious, then just keep doing your work well. I believe that one day you’ll know more than I do. Young people have an immeasurable future.”

“Director Chen, can they really arrest Red Scorpion?” Qin Wan’er was uneasy and did not place much faith in this so-called special unit.

The moment he heard her mention Red Scorpion, Chen Wei’s gaze suddenly flashed like lightning, and his voice turned stern. “How do you know the name Red Scorpion?!”

From the original wanted notices to every meeting afterward, the higher-ups and Chen Wei had never disclosed the name Red Scorpion, because it was a title from the underground world. Unlike the insignificant figure of Cangying from before, this person was a mysterious-level figure. The title Red Scorpion was known only to the upper echelons of the police and had never been made public.

If the title Red Scorpion were announced, it might trigger chaos in the underground world.

Not everyone in the police could come into contact with matters from that world. Chen Wei himself had only learned about it after becoming director of the municipal bureau five years ago.

In the Hedong City police force, the title Red Scorpion should have been known only to him. How had Qin Wan’er let it slip from her lips?

Qin Wan’er was startled by Chen Wei’s stare. Because Xu Yun and Qiu Yan both called Hao Kai that, she had unconsciously used the name Red Scorpion as well.

“Xiao Qin, was it the chef at your medicinal cuisine restaurant who told you the name Red Scorpion?” Chen Wei could no longer hold back.

Qin Wan’er was taken aback. “Director Chen, did you have someone investigate me?”

Chen Wei did not deny it. “Yes, but I had no ill intent. It was entirely for work-related reasons. I hope you can understand.”

Qin Wan’er gave a helpless laugh. No wonder Xu Yun had kept saying he hated working with the police; it seemed he had long known someone in the police had investigated her. That fellow really was something else, not even bothering to tell her.

“Xiao Qin, I hope you won’t mind.” Chen Wei continued, “What I want to tell you is that anyone who knows the name Red Scorpion is likely an expert who moves within the underground world. Such people are extremely dangerous. I don’t want you to run into trouble or suffer any mishap.”

Qin Wan’er smiled faintly. “Director Chen, I truly didn’t expect you to investigate me, and I don’t want to accept that fact. But I still want to ask you: what exactly is this underground world you keep talking about? I don’t understand any of it.”

Chen Wei frowned. Given Qin Wan’er’s position, she should not have been exposed to matters of this kind. Yet considering that such experts really did exist around her, he still decided to explain. “It’s another layer of our society. In the underground world there is no law, no discipline, only the survival of the fittest. It is a world ruled by the strong, a world full of experts.”

“Experts?” Qin Wan’er frowned. “Director Chen, why is it that I’m less and less able to understand what you’re saying? What kind of person counts as an expert?”

Chen Wei drew a deep breath. “Red Scorpion is an expert. All those experts have broken through the limits of the human body. They can shatter stone and split wood. Their abilities are beyond the imagination of ordinary people. And the Cangying you arrested before was also an expert from the underground world.”

Qin Wan’er let out a bitter laugh. “So that means, Director Chen, you were absolutely certain back then that Cangying could never have been caught by me alone?”

Chen Wei nodded. “If you alone could bring down the Four Wolves Gang and the Blade Axe Society, I could believe you were simply lucky. But if you say you were able to capture an expert from the underground world, then I naturally knew that was wishful thinking.”

“Then why didn’t you expose me right away back then? Why did you even commend me?” Qin Wan’er challenged him.

Chen Wei answered very calmly, “Because I knew the person helping you meant you no harm, and I hoped he could continue helping you from the shadows. That would also count as help to the police. Back then I could not be certain whether he was truly from the underground world, because the title Cangying was known by many people. There might even have been hidden experts among ordinary people who could deal with him.”

Qin Wan’er lifted her thumb. “So you never exposed me all along? Then why are you so certain now that the person beside me isn’t some hidden civilian expert, but an expert from this underground world you speak of?”

“Because only people who know the underground world would know the title Red Scorpion.” Chen Wei’s answer was brisk and absolute.

Qin Wan’er said nothing.

Chen Wei looked at her for a long time. “Xiao Qin, I don’t want you to be in danger.”

“Director Chen, please rest assured. Everyone around me is kind.” Qin Wan’er said this very seriously. “If you have the energy to investigate them, it would be better to direct that energy toward dealing with Red Scorpion.”

Chen Wei froze for a moment. After a long while, he finally said, “I have no ill intent. I simply don’t want you to be in danger. You are the future hope of the Hedong police force.”

Qin Wan’er bit her lower lip. “Director Chen, thank you. But I cannot accept an investigation that carries such suspicion. Since the task force has been dissolved, I think I should return to my own post as well. I guarantee you with my character that there is absolutely no one around me of the dangerous sort you mentioned.”

After saying that, Qin Wan’er left the police bureau at once. Her mind was in utter confusion. Although she kept insisting that she did not believe what Chen Wei had said, she could not convince herself. Could Xu Yun really be one of those people from the underground world? Someone who had walked out of a world without law, where the strong preyed upon the weak?

Qin Wan’er felt as though a five-flavor jar had been smashed inside her heart. After returning to the medicinal cuisine restaurant, she had even thought of questioning Qiu Yan, but when she saw that Qiu Yan’s body was still somewhat weak, she forced herself not to ask.

“Why do you have time to come back at noon today?” Ruan Qingshuang asked with a faint smile. “Are you on holiday?”

“No, I’m just a little tired.” Qin Wan’er would never show her emotions in front of Ruan Qingshuang. She smiled and said, “I’ll go change and then come down to help.”

Ruan Qingshuang said with concern, “Wan’er, if you’re tired, then rest for a while. Qiu Yan and I can manage.”

Qin Wan’er shook her head. “It’s better if Qiu Yan rests for a while instead.”

Ruan Qingshuang had also been puzzled all morning. “Yes, Qiu Yan, what’s wrong with you? You look so weak.”

Qiu Yan did not know how to explain and could only remain silent.

“She probably got food poisoning eating out yesterday.” Qin Wan’er helped smooth things over for her. “She was already feeling unwell last night. She should take it easy and recover properly today.”

Qiu Yan glanced at Qin Wan’er. She had never thought much of Qin Wan’er before, but that feeling had already begun to fade. “Wan’er, I’m fine.”

Hearing Qiu Yan call her so warmly, Qin Wan’er felt that she had not spent the night taking care of her for nothing. “Really fine? If you feel unwell later, don’t blame us for not reminding you to watch your health.”

The toxins in Qiu Yan’s body had already been expelled by Xu Yun. Her current weakness was only because she had spent too much inner energy in yesterday’s battle with Red Scorpion.

At that moment, a red Golf pulled up at the entrance. Guoguo was the first to open the door and get out. She tugged Su Xiaoran along and ran into the medicinal cuisine restaurant, saying to everyone, “Hehe, we have guests today!”

“Teacher Su is here! Haha, please come in and sit down!” Ruan Qingshuang was naturally delighted that Guoguo’s homeroom teacher had come as a guest.

Qin Wan’er glared. “Xiaoran, how did Guoguo drag you here?”

Xu Yun followed close behind and pushed the door open as he entered. “Guoguo invited Teacher Su to taste my cooking.”

The moment Qin Wan’er saw Xu Yun, all her thoughts vanished. She immediately recalled what Director Chen had said, and at once stepped forward and grabbed Xu Yun. “Come upstairs with me and explain yourself!”

Qin Wan’er’s unusual behavior left everyone baffled.

Guoguo’s explanation somehow sounded convincing: “Oh dear, could Sister Wan’er be jealous of Teacher Su? Um, that’s way too complicated. If anyone should be jealous, it should be Mom...”

When I first began publishing, I never imagined I would have a chance to reach the number one spot on the new book chart. But with the strong support and recommendations from my editor, and with all the friends who believed I could write a good book, I slowly began to see that possibility. At last, The Demon Soldier King rose to first place on the new book chart on its thirty-fourth day of publication. The last time Working in an Office Full of Beautiful Women climbed to the top of the 17K new book chart was back in June 2010, when I was still someone who could not write a book at all... Enough sentimentality, haha! Once again, I bow in gratitude to every reader who has followed The Demon Soldier King. Thank you for taking care of this book. I also thank every editor who has looked after me, and thank you for helping me along the way.