169: Chapter 170 Dragon King? Let's talk inside the station!
Before Xiao Chen could finish shouting about "leveling the Police Station," Qin Xue's voice, cold as an ice-tempered blade, cut through his clamor. "I don't care if you're the Dragon King or the Phoenix King! Here in Jiangcheng, on the soil of our country, only the law has the final say!"
She raised her hand, pointing her finger at Xiao Chen and the Four Great Generals, her tone ringing with authority: "You are all suspected of gathering a mob to fight, intentional injury (Zhao Lei's severed finger), and illegal possession of weapons and firearms. Now, take them all away!"
As soon as she finished speaking, one of the Four Great Generals beside Xiao Chen suddenly lashed out. He violently broke free from the SWAT officer's control, pulled a switchblade from the inside of his trench coat with his right hand, and lunged with the blade tip toward the nearest plainclothes officer, shouting, "Who dares touch our Dragon King Hall Master!"
But his movements were fast, and the SWAT officers' were faster. Before the blade could touch the plainclothes officer, two SWAT officers flanked him from both sides. One grabbed his armed wrist, while the other raised a baton and struck his elbow joint with precision.
With a dull "crack," the Four Great General's arm went limp instantly, and the switchblade clattered to the floor.
Immediately after, the SWAT officer pressed a knee into his lower back and pushed down hard. The Four Great General collapsed to his knees with a thud, his face pressed firmly against the cold floor. His fingers clawed at the floor gaps as he struggled, but he couldn't muster an ounce of strength. The imposing "aura of a general" he had just displayed vanished in an instant.
"You are acting against the natural order!" Xiao Chen's eyes were wide with rage, and a surge of fury rushed to his head.
When he was the "Dragon King Hall Master" overseas, everyone had always been submissive to him. Let alone being pressed to the ground, there wasn't even anyone who dared to speak loudly to him.
He instinctively clenched his fists until his knuckles turned white, images of "subduing with force" during overseas missions flashing through his mind—back then, when a traitor refused to submit to him, he had twisted the man's arm off with one hand, scaring everyone else into submission.
But as his gaze swept over the dark muzzles of the Type 92 pistols held by the surrounding SWAT officers, that impulse was instantly doused by cold water.
No matter how good a fighter he was, he couldn't withstand bullets; no matter if he was the "Dragon King," he was no match for armed law enforcement officers. Reason eventually triumphed over impulse. He loosened his fists, his fingernails digging deep marks into his palms, but he didn't dare to move again.
Watching his transition from rage to restraint, a cold sneer curled at the corners of Qin Xue's mouth.
She stepped forward and pulled out handcuffs from behind her waist. The metal chain glinted coldly under the crystal lights. With a "click," they were precisely locked onto Xiao Chen's wrists.
The moment the handcuffs locked, Xiao Chen stiffened. This was the first time he had ever been restricted in such a way. The cold sensation of the metal felt like a brand of shame, striking hard at the self-esteem of the "Dragon King Hall Master."
"Let's go, Your Highness the Dragon King." Qin Xue leaned close to his ear, her voice tinged with mockery yet filled with unquestionable authority. "The jasmine tea at our station has just been brewed; it's more thirst-quenching than the foreign liquor on your private jet. If you have anything to say, you can tell us slowly at the Police Station."
Xiao Chen gritted his teeth, his face livid, but he didn't dare to say a word.
He was led away by two SWAT officers, his arms held, the hem of his black trench coat dragging on the floor and covered in dust; he no longer looked as upright as he had a moment ago.
Passing the center of the banquet hall, he glanced at the uncollected divorce agreement on the floor, then at Qin Yan, who was crouching on the ground with a calm expression. A surge of inexplicable frustration welled up in his heart.
The "grand return" he had meticulously planned had, in the end, turned into a farce that everyone watched as a joke.
As he reached the corner, Xiao Chen happened to run into Zhang Fan.
Zhang Fan was still holding half a glass of unfinished juice, leaning against the back of his chair, shaking his head with an "innocent" look on his face. His voice, neither too loud nor too soft, was just enough for Xiao Chen to hear: "Oh dear, young people these days are so hot-headed. Turning a perfectly good birthday banquet into this mess—if you had known to listen to advice and not staged this 'Dragon King's Return,' you wouldn't have to go to the Police Station to reflect."
Xiao Chen glared at Zhang Fan, his eyes full of venom. He suddenly realized that this person had been watching coldly from the sidelines all along, and even before the police arrived, he had been in contact with that woman in the police uniform!
Perhaps everything today was orchestrated by this person!
"It was you... you're the one who caused this!" Xiao Chen struggled, trying to lunge at him, but was held down firmly by the shoulders by the SWAT officers. He could only roar in vain, "I won't let you get away with this! When I get out, I'll make you..."
"Make me what?" Zhang Fan raised an eyebrow, his tone relaxed. "Have your Dragon King Hall come and arrest me? What a pity, you can't even protect yourself right now. Oh, by the way, a word of advice: the food at the Police Station might not be as good as what your nanny makes. Remember to drink plenty of water and don't get too worked up."
These words were like a needle, piercing deep into Xiao Chen's heart.
Pushed by the SWAT officers, he stumbled out of the banquet hall. The police lights at the entrance were still flashing, the red light reflecting on his face, illuminating his wretched state clearly.
The Four Great Generals were also led away one by one, handcuffs on their wrists, their heads pressed down by SWAT officers, unable to even lift them up.
The entire banquet hall was silent. The guests, who had been trembling with fear just a moment ago, were now frozen in place, watching the backs of Xiao Chen and the Four Great Generals as they were led away, their eyes filled with shock.
The Dragon King, who a second ago claimed to "control thousands" and "have over a dozen strongholds overseas," was instantly shoved around like an ordinary criminal. His so-called "kingly aura" was shattered to pieces in front of the police badge.
Mother Qin hugged Qin Yan and finally couldn't help but sob, not out of fear, but out of relief. She patted her daughter's back and choked out, "Yan-yan, it's okay now. It's all over. No one will ever bully us again."
Qin Yan raised her head, looking at the flashing police lights at the entrance, her eyes as calm as a pool of water. She gently wiped away her tears and shook her head at her mother: "Mom, I'm fine. From now on, let's live our lives well and never mention him again."
In the corner, Gu Jingshen watched the empty doorway and couldn't help but pat Zhang Fan on the shoulder, his tone full of admiration: "Fan Zi, you're still the best! You expected this 'Dragon King' to fall and even contacted the police in advance. You should have seen his pathetic look earlier; his face turned green when he was being handcuffed and taken away!"
Zhang Fan set down his juice, the relaxed look in his eyes replaced by a touch of gravity: "This is just the beginning. Xiao Chen is a member of the Tianming Group; uncovering the connection between the Dragon King Hall and Tianming from him is the key. Let's go, we're heading to the Police Station too, to see if Qin Xue can get any clues out of him."
Gu Jingshen nodded and followed Zhang Fan out. As they passed the entrance of the banquet hall, Zhang Fan looked back—the birthday banquet decorations hadn't been taken down yet, and the red "Longevity" lanterns were still hanging from the ceiling, but the liveliness from before was gone, leaving only the mess scattered everywhere.
He knew that the end of this farce was not the conclusion, but the true beginning of their confrontation with the Tianming Group. And Xiao Chen, this "Dragon King," was merely the first small pawn thrown out by Tianming; there were even more powerful opponents waiting for them ahead.