77: Chapter 77 It was you all along!

The moment the call ended, Lu Cheng had already turned and walked toward the car.

"Back to the police station." He shoved his phone back into his pocket. "Chu Xiuxiu has woken up and says she wants to see me."

The few guards who had been running around with him all night perked up instantly.

The duty captain didn't ask any questions and pulled the car door open. "Get in, quick."

The car sped back through the night, the streetlights outside the window blurring into streaks as they flew past.

A few minutes later, the car pulled up in front of the police station.

As soon as Lu Cheng stepped out, someone came to meet him and led him straight to the rest area in the back.

The corridor was brightly lit, and the air was filled with a mixture of disinfectant and coffee, with footsteps echoing one after another.

When he pushed the door open, Chu Xiuxiu was leaning against the headboard.

Her complexion was still pale, an IV needle was taped to the back of her hand, and she was huddled under the blanket, revealing only her small face.

Seeing Lu Cheng enter, her eyes visibly brightened, and her fingers tightened on the bedsheet.

"I'm here." Lu Cheng walked over, pulled up a chair by the bed, and sat down. "What have you remembered?"

The policewoman and the captain nearby didn't interrupt, standing quietly to the side.

Chu Xiuxiu pursed her lips, her voice very soft and slightly trembling.

"I... I remember..."

Lu Cheng leaned forward slightly. "Take your time, no rush."

Chu Xiuxiu closed her eyes, as if struggling to recall.

Her brows were furrowed tightly, and after a few seconds, she spoke intermittently.

"I was locked in... a very dark place."

"There was a door... an iron door."

"From there... if I looked to the right... I could see Xingrong Plaza..."

Everyone in the room looked up at the same time.

The duty captain immediately turned to look at the officer beside him. "Map."

The officer quickly handed over the tablet, bringing up the city map of Rong City.

Lu Cheng stared at Chu Xiuxiu. "What else? Think, what else is nearby?"

Chu Xiuxiu's eyes were vacant, her fingers unconsciously clutching the corner of the blanket, as if groping bit by bit in the dark.

"There's... there's a small grove."

"I remember the trees... there were many, and it was very dark."

Underground, able to see Xingrong Plaza, with a small grove on the right.

The search area narrowed down instantly.

The duty captain took the tablet directly, his fingers sliding quickly, his expression growing increasingly grim:

"There is an old green belt on the southeast side of Xingrong Plaza, which connects to an abandoned warehouse area in the back. Construction there was halted a few years ago, and there are still unsealed civil defense structures underground."

An old guard nearby also realized. "That place is the property of a shell company under the Cheng Family..."

As soon as those words were spoken, everyone's expression changed.

Lu Cheng stood up. "Let's go."

The captain didn't waste words and immediately gave the order. "Teams one and two, come with me. Team three, notify the SWAT team and higher-ups for support, seal off the perimeter, move fast!"

The police station sprang into action instantly.

...

A dozen minutes later, several police cars pulled up silently to the perimeter of Xingrong Plaza.

The night was already deep. The lights on the plaza were still on, and the large screen on the distant shopping mall was still playing advertisements. The faint sound of music drifted over, and on the surface, everything looked normal.

The wind blew through the old green belt, leaves rustling.

The small grove ahead was pitch black.

Behind it was a row of abandoned warehouses, the wall plaster peeling off in large patches, the rolling shutters rusted red, and the ground covered in rubble and trash.

As soon as Lu Cheng stepped out of the car, Seeking Good Fortune and Avoiding Bad Luck reacted.

"It's below." Lu Cheng raised his hand and pointed forward...

The captain waved his hand, and several fully armed guards immediately dispersed to search.

Soon, someone shouted from behind an abandoned warehouse. "Here!"

Everyone quickly surrounded the spot.

Behind the warehouse was a pile of rotten boards and sheet metal, covering a heavy metal cover plate. There were fresh drag marks on the edges, and the latch was stained with blood.

"Pry it open!"

Tools were driven in hard, and the metal cover plate was pried up bit by bit.

A thick, cloying smell of blood and rot instantly surged up from below.

The faces of several young officers turned pale on the spot.

Below was a set of concrete stairs leading down. Most of the lights were broken, leaving only one dim yellow light at the end flickering. The light pulsed, illuminating the stains on the walls in a particularly jarring way.

"Move out!"

The captain gave a low shout, and the guards pressed down with their weapons drawn.

Lu Cheng also rushed into the passage.

The further down they went, the heavier the smell became, and they could faintly hear the muffled crying of children.

When they reached the bottom, everyone saw clearly.

It was a space that had been converted into an underground prison.

There were iron cells one after another, holding over a dozen children, some big and some small. They were all terrifyingly thin, with traces of restraints on their hands and feet.

Some had already passed out, while others were huddled in corners, shivering, their eyes filled with terror.

"Damn it..." An officer's eyes turned red.

But before they could rescue anyone, a flurry of hurried footsteps suddenly came from ahead.

Several people in black, wearing masks, rushed out from a side passage, all carrying guns and short blades. Upon seeing the guards, they didn't say a word and opened fire immediately!

Bang, bang, bang, bang!

The underground space exploded with sound instantly.

Gunfire flashed, and wall plaster and rubble flew everywhere.

"Cover the children!"

"Suppress them!"

The guards reacted quickly and immediately launched a counterattack.

Several standard-issue firearms opened fire simultaneously, sweeping across with fierce firepower.

The black-clad figures in front were knocked backward as soon as they appeared, blood erupting from their chests and shoulders as they slammed onto the ground.

The crying of the children, the sound of gunfire, and angry shouts were all mixed together.

But the next second, the heavy iron door at the very back was suddenly burst open.

A figure stumbled out.

Lu Cheng looked up, his pupils constricting instantly.

Zhou Lize.

He was covered in blood, his clothes almost soaked through. His face and neck were covered in twisted, dark blue-black blood vessels, his chest heaving violently, and he reeked of a heavy, fishy stench.

His eyes were also wrong; his pupils were slit, staring fixedly at the group with a ferocity that made one's scalp tingle.

"Zhou Lize?!"

The captain's expression changed abruptly.

Zhou Lize raised his head, staring at Lu Cheng, his mouth slowly curling into a twisted smile.

"I didn't expect you guys to actually be able to find this place..."

His voice was extremely hoarse, as if his throat were clogged with blood.

"Lu Cheng, you're fucking annoying."

He was supposed to be the one everyone fawned over, yet this guy had to stick his nose into everything...

Why?

Zhou Lize grinned and let out a low laugh.

"Do you know how many good things are here?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the guards' guns were all turned toward him.

"Fire!"

Rat-tat-tat-tat-tat!

A dense hail of bullets was poured into Zhou Lize.

Sparks flew, and blood exploded.

But what made everyone's scalp crawl was that this guy didn't fall.

The bullets had clearly penetrated—his shoulders, abdomen, and chest were all hit. If this were a normal Source Gathering Realm martial artist, they would have been turned into a sieve after taking such a volley.

Yet Zhou Lize was only knocked back repeatedly; his flesh was torn, but his bones were terrifyingly hard, and his aura was even rising.

An officer's voice changed. "What the fuck kind of monster is this?!"

"Hahahaha!!!"

Zhou Lize suddenly looked up, the blood veins on his face throbbing wildly.

"You... all must die!"

Boom!

The ground beneath his feet exploded directly.

He lunged out instantly, his speed astonishing, almost leaving an afterimage.

The two guards in front had just raised their guns when they were swiped away by his claw. Their bulletproof armor was torn open, and their chests were a bloody mess.

Lu Cheng's eyes darkened. He stomped his foot, instantly unleashing Wandering Step, and cut across, throwing a punch toward Zhou Lize's temple.

Zhou Lize raised his arm to block it hard.

Bang!

The two collided, and the force of the wind exploded in the narrow passage.

Lu Cheng felt as if his fist had struck a scalding steel plate. Zhou Lize was also shaken, his head tilting to the side, the ferocity in his eyes intensifying.

"Lu Cheng..." He stared at Lu Cheng, his voice starting to warp. "It's you again..."

"You're tough." Lu Cheng shook his hand, his tone turning cold. "But tonight is the end for you."

Zhou Lize suddenly let out a hoarse, low roar.

The next second, his bones began to crack and pop. His spine arched high, his skin tore in large patches, and dark red flesh bulged outward.

His two arms rapidly elongated, his fingers turning into hooked claws. Scales bulged out on the sides of his neck, and half his face twisted into the hideous outline of a snake.

Beast Transformation!

A collective gasp of cold air instantly echoed through the underground space.

"Back off!" The captain shouted sharply. "All personnel retreat, protect the children!"

After Zhou Lize fully unleashed his power, his aura became so oppressive it made people's chests feel tight. He whipped his tail, that thick, long snake tail slamming hard against the wall, cracking a large section of the concrete wall.

Lu Cheng didn't hesitate anymore.

With a thought.

Dragon Scale Holy Armor, activate!

Golden-white holy radiance suddenly burst from his body. Dense dragon scales covered him piece by piece, and shoulder guards, arm guards, and a chest plate formed instantly, with holy runes flowing across the armor's surface.

The entire underground space was illuminated, and even the smell of blood in the air was suppressed a bit.

The surrounding guards' eyelids twitched as they watched.

When Zhou Lize was hit by the holy light, his eyes immediately showed more irritability and pain. He let out a low hiss from his throat and lunged to kill.

Lu Cheng rushed forward to meet him.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The two collided violently.

Zhou Lize's claws tore frantically, and his snake tail swept repeatedly. His strength was terrifying, and the ground and walls exploded piece by piece.

Wearing the Dragon Scale Holy Armor, Lu Cheng withstood several heavy blows. The holy radiance on the armor's surface vibrated, dispersing the impact layer by layer.

Zhou Lize's claw swiped empty. The next second, Lu Cheng had appeared at his side and rear, throwing a punch hard into his ribs.

Crack!

The sound of bone breaking was clear.

Zhou Lize roared and turned back, his snake tail whipping over. Lu Cheng raised his arm to block, and he was knocked back several steps, dragging two deep marks on the ground.

"Still able to take it." Lu Cheng spat out a breath mixed with blood, his eyes growing brighter.

Zhou Lize's state was very sinister, and his recovery speed was ridiculously fast.

The just-opened wounds were wriggling and closing, and black-red granulation tissue was churning beneath the scales.

Lu Cheng felt his heart sink as he watched.

This thing had almost transcended the category of a normal martial artist.

"Dragon Rage!"

Boom!

The golden-white holy runes on the holy armor suddenly shone brightly. Lu Cheng's aura surged, his speed and strength both skyrocketing, and he charged forward, carrying an oppressive force.

Collapsing Fist - Three Styles: Origin!

Bang!

Zhou Lize's entire chest collapsed inward. His body flew backward, off the ground, and slammed heavily into the iron door behind him, denting and warping the entire door.

Before he could crawl up, Lu Cheng had already caught up, driving his knee into his face, then grabbing one of his mutated arms and twisting it down hard!

Crack!

The entire arm was twisted off directly.

Zhou Lize let out a shrill scream, his snake tail whipping around frantically, sending rubble flying.

Lu Cheng ignored the strikes, raised his foot, and stepped hard on his neck. The power of the holy armor pressed his entire head into the ground.

"Didn't you want to kill me?" Lu Cheng looked down at him, his voice flat. "Continue now."

Zhou Lize's mouth was full of blood, and he struggled like a madman.

But he couldn't break free.

With the Dragon Scale Holy Armor pressing down, his ferocity after unleashing his power was suppressed.

Several guards immediately rushed up, locking his limbs and neck with special restraints, and injecting tranquilizer darts one after another.

Zhou Lize was still roaring, but the slit pupils in his eyes were gradually dilating.

The underground prison was finally completely under control.

Follow-up personnel soon arrived, beginning to rescue the children, seal the scene, and take photos for evidence.

Lu Cheng stood in place, his chest still heaving, and the holy armor slowly dissipated.

The captain walked to his side, took a look at Zhou Lize, who was pinned to the ground, and then looked at the iron cages, syringes, record books, and blood bags around them, his expression so grim it could drip water.

...

After the news was sent up, the military and the police system moved simultaneously.

Before dawn, a large number of vehicles were already bearing down on the Zhou Family.

Outside the Zhou Family mansion, police lights and military vehicles blocked the entire street tightly. It was a dark mass of heavily armed personnel. A blockade line was quickly established, and the surrounding residents were all evacuated.

At the same time, people from the Lin Family and the Cheng Family also arrived.

Both families arrived extremely quickly, obviously having received word long ago.

"The Zhou Family is involved in kidnapping, illegal experiments, and the imprisonment of minors. All related personnel must submit to investigation!" The lead officer held an evidence bag, his voice carrying far. "The on-site physical evidence, witness testimony, and video records are all here. Anyone who dares to obstruct will be dealt with for obstruction of justice!"

The Zhou Family gate finally opened.

Zhou Tingyue walked out, his complexion livid, suppressing anger in his eyes.

"With just a few things, you dare to surround my Zhou Family?"

The officer directly displayed the evidence one by one.

Photos of the underground prison.

Injury reports of the children.

And transaction records of the Zhou Family's affiliated pharmaceutical companies.

On-site video of Zhou Lize after his transformation.

And the ledgers and lists of contacts found inside.

Every time something was brought out, the faces on the Zhou Family side grew uglier.

People from the Lin Family and the Cheng Family also saw it, and their expressions began to change.

The scene remained deadlocked for a dozen seconds.

Finally, the head of the Cheng Family, Cheng Fusi, said in a deep voice, "For this matter, the Zhou Family must provide an explanation."

Zhou Tingyue turned his head sharply, his eyes terrifyingly dark. He couldn't understand... with people from the military in his hands, and all clues cut off by him, how did they find that place?

"These things are nothing but those pharmaceutical companies deceiving their superiors and subordinates! Colluding with Zhou Lize to use the Zhou Family's reputation! That damn thing! To have committed such a crime!"

"Our Zhou Family will never tolerate this!"

The captain of the SWAT team, Chen Wenjie, walked up to Zhou Tingyue... his eyes staring fixedly at him.

"Are you saying... the Zhou Family has absolutely no connection to this matter?"

Zhou Tingyue remained expressionless.

"If there is, please produce the evidence..."

A stretcher was soon carried down from a vehicle.

The crippled Zhou Lize lay on it, his limbs fixed, his body wrapped in restraints, his complexion ashen, his eyes still retaining resentment and unwillingness.

The policewoman who had been with Chu Xiuxiu at the police station walked over to Lu Cheng and said,

"We may need Chu Xiuxiu to make an identification later... I hope you can help calm her down."

Lu Cheng nodded.

Soon, Chu Xiuxiu, under police escort, stepped out of a police car.

And the moment she appeared, the dying Zhou Lize suddenly seemed to be stimulated by something. He opened his eyes wide, staring fixedly at her, and slowly squeezed out a twisted and miserable smile on his face.

"It's you... so it was you..."

"No wonder... no wonder... hahahahaha!!!"

He seemed to have suddenly understood something. His laughter was filled with madness and mockery, and even mixed with some indescribable fear.

The next second, a sudden change occurred.

The exposed blood vessels on Zhou Lize's body rapidly turned black, the blood inside his body seemingly contaminated by some power, instantly turning an eerie ink color. Immediately after, the vital signs on the nearby monitor began to plummet wildly!

The officers' expressions changed drastically, and they immediately surrounded him.

But everything happened too fast.

In just a few seconds, Zhou Lize's body completely lost all signs of life.

He was dead.

Lu Cheng stood in place, his brows furrowing bit by bit, his gaze subconsciously falling on Chu Xiuxiu.

Judging by Zhou Lize's reaction just now...

The person following behind Chu Xiuxiu that day was likely not sent by the Zhou Family at all.