108: Chapter 108 Rescuing Feng Hualian

The story goes back to when Liang Lingmeng finished her phone call.

After Cao Kun learned she was going on a mission, he looked up at the sky.

He said to Liang Lingmeng,

"I'll take you. It's so late, it's not safe for you to be alone."

Liang Lingmeng hesitated for a moment before agreeing.

After all, she knew that Cao Kun's combat prowess was very high.

The two of them quickly returned to the car.

After getting in, Liang Lingmeng gave Cao Kun the address, and he started the car.

On the way, Cao Kun asked,

"What's the specific situation?"

"The caller only gave the address and mentioned domestic violence before the call was cut off."

"There were people on duty at the station, but they happened to be out on patrol and weren't there, so they called me."

The car sped through the snowy night.

The two chatted as they drove.

They soon arrived at Jinxiu Home.

The Residential Complex had no gate security, so Cao Kun drove directly to Building 3.

They got out of the car; a thin layer of snow had already accumulated, crunching under their feet.

The stairwell was pitch black; the sound-activated lights were broken.

Liang Lingmeng turned on her phone's flashlight, and Cao Kun followed behind.

"Which floor?"

"Fourth floor, Room 401."

When they reached the third floor, they heard noises.

A man's cursing, the loud crash of things being thrown, and... a muffled, heart-pounding thudding sound.

Liang Lingmeng's expression changed, and she quickened her pace to rush up to the fourth floor.

The door to Room 401 was closed, but the commotion inside was clearly audible.

Liang Lingmeng took a deep breath and knocked: "Open up! Enforcement Officer!"

The noise inside stopped for a moment, then a drunken male voice came through: "Get lost! No Enforcement Officer here!"

Liang Lingmeng knocked harder: "Open the door! Or I'll break it down!"

A few seconds later, the door opened a crack.

Liu Zhen was shirtless, reeking of alcohol, his eyes bloodshot as he stared at the two people outside: "What is it?"

"We received a report of domestic violence here." Liang Lingmeng showed her ID. "Step aside, I need to go in and check."

"Domestic violence? No such thing." Liu Zhen tried to close the door. "Just a couple's quarrel, what's it to you?"

Liang Lingmeng held the door open: "Step aside!"

During the standoff, Cao Kun saw the scene in the living room through the crack in the door.

A young girl was curled up in a corner, her clothes torn and her face covered in blood, looking toward the door with eyes full of terror and despair.

Broken items were scattered around her, and there were blood spatters on the wall.

In that instant, the blood rushed to Cao Kun's head.

He had seen many terrible things, but the scene before him was still harrowing.

The girl's eyes reminded him of a small animal driven into a corner; that look, a mixture of fear, pain, and a final sliver of hope, stung him.

Liang Lingmeng saw it too.

Her face instantly darkened, and her voice was as cold as ice: "I'll say it one more time, step aside, or I'll arrest you for obstructing public duties."

Liu Zhen wanted to say more, but Liang Lingmeng had already pushed the door open and strode inside.

Cao Kun followed closely behind.

The scene in the living room was even more gruesome than what they had seen through the crack.

Feng Hua Lian looked like a broken doll; her exposed skin was covered in a mix of old and new bruises, her left eye was swollen shut, and blood was still seeping from the corner of her mouth.

Her body trembled violently from the cold and fear, yet she didn't even dare to cry out loud.

Liang Lingmeng knelt down, her voice softening: "Don't be afraid, I'm an Enforcement Officer. What's your name?"

Feng Hua Lian's lips moved, but no sound came out.

Her gaze moved past Liang Lingmeng to Liu Zhen at the door, and her body jerked.

Cao Kun followed her gaze; Liu Zhen was glaring threateningly at the girl, his right hand quietly moving behind his back.

"What are you doing with your hand?" Cao Kun suddenly spoke up, stepping to Liang Lingmeng's side to cover her blind spot.

Liu Zhen was startled and brought his right hand from behind his back.

In his hand, he was clutching a fruit knife.

"Drop it!" Liang Lingmeng shouted sharply, standing up to shield Feng Hua Lian.

Liu Zhen's eyes grew even redder: "Sticking your nose where it doesn't belong, eh? I'm teaching my own woman a lesson, what the hell does it have to do with you!"

"Drop the knife!" Liang Lingmeng reached for the pepper spray at her waist. "I'm warning you, assaulting an officer with a weapon is a serious crime!"

"Officer?" Liu Zhen laughed maniacally. "There's only two of you, who are you trying to scare?"

He brandished the knife and was about to rush forward.

Cao Kun moved.

Before his system-strengthened body, Liu Zhen's movements were as slow as a slow-motion movie.

Cao Kun sidestepped the blade, grabbed the wrist holding the knife with his left hand, and delivered a precise elbow strike to his ribs with his right.

"Argh!" Liu Zhen cried out in pain, and the knife fell to the floor.

Cao Kun smoothly twisted his arm, tripped him, and pinned his shoulder, pushing Liu Zhen face-down onto the floor in one fluid motion.

He pressed his knee into the man's back, pinning him down.

"Let me go, damn it! Do you know who I am!" Liu Zhen roared, struggling. "My brothers are right downstairs! You won't be leaving this Residential Complex today!"

Cao Kun applied more pressure with his foot, and Liu Zhen was suddenly unable to speak, only able to let out painful whimpers.

Only then did Liang Lingmeng turn back to look at Feng Hua Lian.

The girl had completely broken down, slumped on the floor, her body shaking like a leaf in the wind.

"It's okay, you're safe now." Liang Lingmeng took off her down jacket and draped it over Feng Hua Lian, then carefully checked her injuries. "We need to call an ambulance."

She took out her radio to call for backup and emergency services, then looked at Cao Kun: "Keep an eye on him for me, I'm going to check the rooms."

Cao Kun nodded and knelt beside Feng Hua Lian.

The girl shrank back in terror, her eyes filled with fear.

"Don't be afraid, we're here to help you." Cao Kun tried to make his voice as gentle as possible. "What's your name?"

"Feng... Feng Hua Lian..." the girl finally spoke, her voice extremely hoarse.

"How old are you?"

"Twenty-three..."

"Where are you from?"

"Nanhe County... Chenjiagou..."

Through the questions and answers, Feng Hua Lian's emotions calmed down slightly.

But her gaze never dared to leave Liu Zhen, who was cuffed on the floor, as if she feared he would break free from his restraints and pounce at any moment.

Looking into Feng Hua Lian's desperate eyes, Cao Kun knew in his heart: they had arrived just in time tonight; any later, and the consequences would have been unthinkable.

Just then,

the system's voice suddenly rang in Cao Kun's mind.

[Ding! New mission issued: Help Feng Hua Lian escape Liu Zhen's clutches.]

[Mission reward: 400,000 huaxia coins.]

Cao Kun's spirits lifted.

He hadn't expected that by tagging along with Liang Lingmeng, he would receive a system mission.

Originally, he had thought that after sending Feng Hua Lian to the hospital and catching this bad guy, it would be over.

Now it seemed he had to get involved.

...