Chapter 134: Capturing Zhang Xun'er

In general, Zhoujing Street is truly a top-tier entertainment destination, even housing its own brothels. Of course, these establishments only offer music, dining, and drinking; they do not provide the core services typically associated with such places.

The four of them took a taxi back to the building where the First Bureau is located. Upon returning, Li Changqing entered his room and opened the sword box. He reached out to touch the blade, eager to understand what connection it might have with the three dice in his mind. The moment his fingers brushed the surface, the sword began to tremble slightly. The thick patches of rust covering it started to flake away. The longsword, which had been caked in mud and rust just moments ago, suddenly became incredibly sharp, glinting with a cold, piercing light.

"This is..." Li Changqing touched the blade again. Two characters, "Changhong," slowly appeared on the metal before flickering and vanishing.

"Changhong Sword?" Li Changqing reached out to pick it up, but suddenly, the sword disappeared from his hand. Stunned, he closed his eyes and discovered that the blade was now hovering around the three dice and the six books. He was astonished. Testing it, he found that with a simple thought, the sword instantly appeared back in his hand. After trying it a few times, Li Changqing smiled; carrying a weapon this way was certainly convenient. However, he knew nothing of swordsmanship, so the blade in his hand was little more than a fire poker. He decided to see if he could find some sword manuals to study once he returned to Nanlin City.

...

In the Madelent Special District, the night became quiet after ten o'clock. Although the public continued to protest against the curfew, it had yet to be lifted, and all entertainment venues were required to close at ten.

After leaving Zhoujing Street, Zhang Xun'er quickly returned to her residence, a quiet villa complex. She parked her car and had just opened the door when she sensed something was wrong. Zheng Pingchi slowly emerged from the bushes, followed by nearly twenty people who surrounded her.

Zhang Xun'er stepped back, her expression alert. "Who are you? What do you want?"

Zheng Pingchi smiled and handed over an identification card. "Miss Zhang, we are from the Federal Tax Bureau. Your company is suspected of fraudulent accounting and tax evasion. Please come with us for an investigation."

"The Federal Tax Bureau?" Zhang Xun'er frowned, taking the ID to inspect it. "I need to make a call to verify your identity." She began to walk aside to pull out her phone.

Suddenly, Zhang Xun'er kicked the person blocking her path and attempted to flee. These people did not look like tax officials, and she knew her company had committed no such crimes. Whatever the situation, escaping was the priority.

"Trying to run?" Seeing this, Zheng Pingchi waved his hand. The others gave chase the moment she moved.

Zhang Xun'er turned suddenly, her eyes flashing with an eerie red light. Anyone who met her gaze instantly stood frozen in place, like wooden statues.

"Illusion arts?" Zheng Pingchi caught up to her quickly. He held a pair of sharp blades that glowed with spiritual energy, slashing them toward her. Four massive, white fox tails sprouted from behind Zhang Xun'er, sweeping toward him in defense.

Zheng Pingchi did not dodge; instead, he struck the tails hard with his blades. A fox demon's tails are vital; while they can be used for offense, they are also the seat of their cultivation and magical power. If one were severed, it would take a long time to heal and would cause great damage to their vitality. With one strike, Zheng Pingchi cut off one of Zhang Xun'er's tails. Her face turned deathly pale.

Soon, others rushed forward. Three of them grabbed her tails while the others swarmed her, pinning her arms. In a very short time, Zhang Xun'er was subdued. The members of the Seventh Group were highly coordinated and skilled; they quickly apprehended her and forced her into a vehicle. They left men behind to take her car, and others broke into her villa to find papers with her handwriting, forging a letter to claim she had gone away to clear her head.

Inside the First Bureau building, the third floor had been converted into an interrogation wing.

"Do you know why you were arrested?"

Zhang Xun'er, her shoulder blades pierced by steel pins and her body bound in heavy chains, lay on the floor, looking weakly at Zheng Pingchi, who stood before her.

Zheng Pingchi stood with his hands behind his back and spoke loudly again: "Zhang Xun'er! I am trying to talk to you nicely. Don't make me lose my patience."

A smile appeared on Zhang Xun'er's face. She closed her eyes and ignored him. She knew all too well that she had fallen into the hands of the Investigation Bureau. Though she was terrified, she understood that there was no escaping from them—only death awaited.

"Apply the torture. Let's see how long her tongue stays stiff," Zheng Pingchi declared before turning to leave the interrogation room. He lit a cigarette, and as he heard Zhang Xun'er’s screams echoing from behind him, he snorted coldly and strode away.

...

The following evening, in the top-floor conference room of the Jiade Group.

Shen Yan sat at the head of the table, wearing glasses and reading a newspaper intently. Across from him sat Shen Qingzhen, Huang Shangui, and Shen Qingchi, all of whom appeared quite nervous.

"Father, we still haven't found the second sister's whereabouts. We checked her residence, and she left a letter saying she wanted to go away for a while to clear her mind." Shen Qingzhen placed the letter on the table with both hands. He bore several injuries, some from his battle with Bai Chuan, but most were punishments from Shen Yan for failing to locate Shen Qingdai.

Shen Yan kept his eyes on the newspaper and said calmly, "Xun'er has always been the most sensible of you all. If she truly intended to leave the Madelent Special District, she would have reported to me in person. Something must have happened."

Huang Shangui, a balding, slightly pudgy middle-aged man who looked more like a merchant, spoke up: "Father, perhaps the second sister encountered something that upset her..."

*Bang.*

Shen Yan slammed the newspaper onto the table. His gaze was icy. "What about the old couple's house? Did you check there?"

"We did," Huang Shangui nodded repeatedly. "They don't know where she is either."

Shen Qingchi then interjected, "Father, could she have been... by the First Bureau?"

"We have been extremely careful over the years; it is impossible for us to have been targeted by the First Bureau," Shen Qingzhen countered, frowning slightly. "Unless..."