18: Chapter 18 Xu Jiang Admits Defeat, But the Show Has Only Just Begun

After coming out of Meng Dehai's office, Zhao Yang took out his phone and made a call.

"Hello, Xiao Lan, it's me."

"Brother Yang! Is your work finished?" Gao Qilan's voice carried an unconcealable surprise.

"Yeah, it's done. It's too late today; I'll go to your house tomorrow."

"That's great! I'll have my brother prepare something delicious."

"See you tomorrow."

Zhao Yang hung up the phone and looked up, his eyes immediately lighting up.

Chen Yan was standing in front of him.

She was no longer wearing the flashy, street-wise clothes of a bar hostess, but a dark professional suit. Beneath a hip-hugging skirt that reached just to her knees, her long legs, clad in black silk stockings, were straight and slender. Stepping in high heels, her figure appeared even taller.

She was also sizing up Zhao Yang, her eyes flashing with intense admiration.

At this moment, Zhao Yang had changed back into his police uniform and dropped the act, returning to his usual appearance—a devastatingly handsome, sunny young man. Combined with the masculinity and righteousness brought by the uniform, Chen Yan's heart rate doubled.

"I didn't expect such a handsome man to exist in this world," Chen Yan praised from the bottom of her heart.

Although the few officers passing by were busy, they still looked over, their faces practically saying: 'Indeed.'

Zhao Yang rubbed his nose. "Don't say those inner thoughts so loudly; you sound like a fangirl."

Chen Yan smiled slightly. "So your name is Zhao Yang. I finally know what you're called."

"Then I don't need to introduce myself."

"Regarding this case, I still want to understand some things."

"Oh? What do you want to know? I'll tell you whatever I'm allowed to."

"It's not convenient to talk here. Let's go to... a hotel and talk."

Zhao Yang's gaze fell on her black stockings, and he gave a light cough. "Fine, let's go."

...

Hotel room.

As soon as the door closed, Chen Yan pinned him directly against the wall.

"You look a hundred times better in a police uniform than in a floral shirt."

"And so?"

"So stop talking."

...

Over an hour later.

Chen Yan curled up in his arms, her hair disheveled, her fingers unconsciously tracing circles on his chest. Her voice was lazy. "I'm going back to the Imperial Capital the day after tomorrow."

"Mm."

"Getting married next month."

Zhao Yang looked down at her. "Serious?"

"Serious," Chen Yan said calmly. "My family arranged it; I don't have a say. The other family has a powerful background, and my parents are counting on me to climb the social ladder."

"What about you? Do you want to marry him?"

"I have to marry whether I want to or not." She looked up into his eyes. "But meeting you before the wedding was nice. At least I know what it feels like to be with a man I like."

Zhao Yang was silent for two seconds. "Then I'm quite honored."

Chen Yan laughed. "Aren't you going to ask who my husband is or what his family background is?"

"What would asking change? Would you call off the wedding?"

"..."

"Then why bother asking?"

Chen Yan was stunned for a moment, then burst out laughing. "You're really interesting."

She flipped over to straddle him, looking down at him. "Again."

Zhao Yang raised an eyebrow. "Can you handle it?"

"None of your business if I can."

...

As dawn approached, Chen Yan was completely exhausted. Her voice was as faint as a mosquito's buzz. "Go do your work when it gets light; don't wake me up. I need to rest properly..."

Before she could finish, she had already fallen asleep.

Zhao Yang lightly kissed her cheek, got up, dressed properly, and left the hotel.

...

In the taxi, he closed his eyes to rest, sinking his consciousness into the System.

In his skill bar lay 'Mechanical Manufacturing Level 6' and 'Electronic Information Specialization Level 6'. Zhao Yang stared at these two, always feeling something was missing in between—like two iron plates that weren't welded shut; he couldn't exert full force.

With his intuition as an engineering student, that missing piece was what could assemble these two into a complete System.

"System, give me a hint. What's missing?"

[Host's needs detected—Pay 100 emotion points to narrow the range to within 1,000 items, or pay 1,000 emotion points for a precise recommendation.]

"Damn profiteer. Pay 1,000, precise recommendation."

[Based on System judgment, the Secret Manual that currently best fits the Host's needs is—'Smart Industrial Technology Compendium'.]

Zhao Yang glanced at the price—after the exchange, his emotion points would drop straight to zero.

[Do you wish to exchange and learn?]

"Exchange."

His head throbbed as a massive amount of knowledge flooded in.

It wasn't scattered pieces of knowledge, but an entire complete industrial technology System—from basic Materials to precision machining, from circuit design to System integration, everything was linked together seamlessly.

A new item appeared in the skill bar: 'Smart Industrial Equipment Manufacturing Specialization: Level 6'.

Zhao Yang opened his eyes, the corners of his mouth curling up slightly.

In this world, there was much that could be done.

...

Just as he entered the Public Security Bureau gates, Cao Chuang stopped him.

"Xiao Zhao, Xu Jiang wants to see you."

Zhao Yang paused. "Did he confess?"

Cao Chuang shook his head. "Not a word. Since he was locked up last night until now, not a single syllable. He's silent no matter what we ask. Just now he suddenly said he wants to see you."

"He asked for me by name?"

"By name."

Zhao Yang didn't say anything and walked straight toward the interrogation room.

...

In the interrogation room, Xu Jiang sat in a chair, his handcuffs attached to the iron ring on the table.

After staying up all night, his eyes were bloodshot and his hair was messy, but his back was still straight—late-stage posturing syndrome, no cure.

Zhao Yang and Cao Chuang sat opposite him.

Xu Jiang stared at Zhao Yang for a full half-minute before speaking. "What exactly is your name?"

"Zhao Yang."

"Zhao Yang..." Xu Jiang smacked his lips and suddenly laughed. "Great acting, handsome looks—why are you a cop? Making a few hundred a month, why risk your life? Wouldn't it be better to go into acting?"

Zhao Yang tapped the table. "You called me here just to say this?"

Xu Jiang's smile vanished, and his gaze became fierce. "I'm asking you, do you have a grudge against me?"

"No personal grudge. Just doing my duty."

"Bullshit," Xu Jiang sneered. "You started plotting against me back in the detention center, led me all the way onto that boat, and now you tell me there's no personal grudge?"

Zhao Yang didn't respond but threw a stack of documents in front of Xu Jiang.

"Feng Lvzi has already confessed. Huang Cuicui's murder, the business at the Platinum Palace—your people have said everything they should. Think about it yourself, can you still hold out?"

Xu Jiang didn't even look at the documents. He leaned back in his chair and said nonchalantly, "Then just go ahead and execute me. Why waste your breath?"

Zhao Yang stared at him for a few seconds.

"Your son, Xu Lei, will be released very soon."

Xu Jiang's body visibly tensed.

"Will Bai Jiangbo let him go? Will Chen Tai let him go?" Zhao Yang's tone was flat, as if he were saying the weather was nice today. "After you're gone, how will he survive in Jinghai? Will the people you offended over the years come knocking?"

"Are you fucking threatening me?"

Xu Jiang suddenly leaned forward, slamming both hands on the table, making the iron chains rattle. His eyes were wide and bloodshot, like a beast backed into a corner.

"You're fucking using my son to threaten me?"

Zhao Yang leaned back in his chair, watching him unhurriedly.

"I'm telling you the facts. If you talk, I'll keep him safe. He won't be rich or powerful, but continuing the family line won't be a problem. If you don't talk—"

He didn't finish.

The interrogation room was so quiet that the ticking of the clock on the wall could be heard.

Xu Jiang stared deathly at Zhao Yang, his chest heaving violently.

Ten seconds.

Thirty seconds.

One minute.

Xu Jiang suddenly laughed.

The laughter went from low to high, getting louder and louder, finally turning into a raspy dry laugh that made his eyes turn red.

"Zhao Yang, you're fucking ruthless."

He stopped laughing, took a deep breath, and leaned back in his chair as if he had been hollowed out.

"I'll talk."

His voice was very low, but every word was articulated clearly.

"Bai Jiangbo, Chen Tai—whatever you want to know, I'll tell you. But I'm telling you—you do what you promised me. Protect my son, let him live in peace."

Zhao Yang stood up, walked over to him, and extended his hand.

"A gentleman's word."

Xu Jiang looked at the hand extended toward him, hesitated for two seconds, and then reached out to shake it.

"Cannot be taken back."

Zhao Yang let go, walked to the door, and glanced back at him.

"Let's begin."

Xu Jiang took a deep breath and leaned back against the chair, his gaze completely relaxing.

"Ask away. I'll tell you everything I know."