69: The Devil's Cry

Inside the office of the underground Gambling Den on Xinmin Street,

smoke curled through the air.

Li Zhan tossed a cigarette pack onto the coffee table with a sharp 'thwack'.

"That woman planted a bug in the office over at New Sharp Entertainment. From now on, we'll talk business here."

Li Zhan pulled out a lighter, the flame illuminating his face, which wore a half-smile.

Shui Sheng couldn't help but chuckle.

"Brother Zhan, how long are you going to keep up this act?

The way I see it, she's about to become another sister-in-law for us."

The others joined in with a roar of laughter.

Li Zhan exhaled a smoke ring and narrowed his eyes.

"Soon.

This 'sister-in-law' of yours is no ordinary woman; she has a good foundation and people backing her."

He flicked his ash. "Once I've tamed her,

and we send her back, we'll give her another push. In the future..."

Old Zhou shook his head, looking impressed.

"Heaven really is unfair. When it comes to fighting and killing, we're the experts,

but when it comes to brains..."

He pointed to his temple.

"If you scooped out all our brains, they wouldn't weigh half as much as Brother Zhan's."

Another round of laughter erupted in the office.

Li Zhan chuckled along, then shifted the topic.

"AZu, how are the talks going with the defectors from the South City side?"

AZu flipped open a notebook. "I've spoken with several of the South City veterans I know.

They're all willing to come over, but they're worried..."

AZu looked up and paused.

Li Zhan sneered and exhaled a cloud of smoke.

How could he not know what they were thinking? They were simply worried about losing their former status.

"Tell them their original territories won't change.

Our territories will only increase in the future; I'm actually worried we won't have enough people.

Tell them not to worry so much and just do their jobs well for me."

AZu nodded and continued.

"Besides defecting themselves, they've also reached out to others with similar thoughts.

I've done the math. Aside from a few trusted aides, Seventh Uncle is now..."

He looked up with a strange smile. "Basically a general without an army."

Big Courage slapped his thigh. "Then what's there to fight!"

Li Zhan flicked his ash, his eyes narrowing.

"Seventh Uncle is getting old and is reluctant to step down; this is the fate he'll face in the end."

"But Seventh Uncle isn't easy to deal with either; he still wants to take a gamble."

AZu lowered his voice. "He recruited over a dozen mercenaries from Thailand and Southeast Asia. They arrived last night."

He handed over a slip of paper. "This is where they're staying."

Li Zhan didn't even look at it, handing it directly to Old Zhou.

"Arrange for people to clean them out tonight to avoid any complications.

Keep it quiet and make sure everyone uses silencers."

AZu suddenly interjected, "Brother Zhan, there's no need for that much trouble."

Li Zhan turned to him. "Oh...?"

"Those brothers who want to join us are eager to prove themselves..."

He made a gesture of drugging someone. "They said they can handle it.

And it's very simple: just add a little something to their meals."

Li Zhan and Old Zhou exchanged a glance, and Li Zhan gave a slight nod.

"Fine, then give them a chance to show their loyalty.

Tonight.

But Old Zhou, you still need to arrange for someone to go and confirm it."

He turned to Old Zhou. "Then, tonight, you and Shui Sheng will go and see Seventh Uncle off for the last time."

Old Zhou nodded understandingly, pulled out his phone, and began making arrangements.

Li Zhan stood up. "Big Courage, leave those few stubborn trusted aides to your squad.

Then arrange for the remaining squads without specific tasks to guard the various venues in South City,

and coordinate with AZu to take them over one by one."

Li Zhan exhaled a cloud of smoke toward the ceiling.

“I heard Seventh Uncle has no descendants?

I don't believe that. AZu, ask those brothers who came over; someone is bound to know something.

Also, this time you're responsible for taking over the assets over there.

All South City assets must be transferred to the name of Xinyue Entertainment."

AZu nodded, recording everything in his notebook.

Li Zhan's sharp gaze swept over everyone present, and he clapped his hands twice.

"That's it for today.

I wish you all success tonight. I'll be waiting at home for your good news. Meeting adjourned."

After everyone left,

Li Zhan sat in the empty office, stroking his chin,

contemplating whether there were any oversights in tonight's arrangements.

This time he deliberately chose not to act, wanting to see what his subordinates were made of.

South City could be said to be at its wit's end now;

it wouldn't make sense for him, the boss, to take action personally.

—

It was already past 3 PM when the meeting ended.

Li Zhan returned to the Xinyue Entertainment office.

He pushed the door open gently, his gaze immediately drawn to Lin Xia in front of the bookshelf.

Her back was to the door, her slim waist outlined by a tight black sweater,

her long legs wrapped in jeans,

and the curve of her rounded buttocks faintly visible as she organized the books.

He approached silently and suddenly embraced her from behind.

Lin Xia gave a small cry,

then felt Li Zhan's hot breath on the back of her ear,

his masculine scent surrounding her instantly.

"Don't..."

She protested weakly, but felt Li Zhan's hand already reaching under her sweater,

his rough palm pressing against her soft skin.

His body was pressed tight against hers, the irresistible force of his presence felt even through the fabric.

Lin Xia's legs began to go weak, and she involuntarily leaned back into his embrace.

Flashes of the explicit conversations she'd heard through the bug crossed her mind,

and her ears turned so red they looked like they might bleed.

When Li Zhan's fingers began to move downward,

she instinctively grabbed his wrist.

"No..."

She turned her head, her eyes a mix of resistance and desire.

...

The air in the office seemed to freeze,

leaving only the sound of their intertwined breathing and the ambiguous shadows cast by the bookshelf.

—

A long while later,

Li Zhan gently laid Lin Xia down on the sofa,

his arm still around her waist.

Their bodies were pressed close together,

feeling each other's gradually slowing heartbeats.

Lin Xia's hair was scattered across his shirt, carrying a faint fragrance.

"Tired?"

Li Zhan gently brushed the back of his finger against her cheek.

Lin Xia didn't answer, only unconsciously leaning her face against his chest.

One of her hands was interlaced with his, while the other gently gripped his shirt.

This action caused the corners of Li Zhan's mouth to slowly curl up—

Through his grooming during this period,

from her initial resistance to her current dependence, the prey was slowly falling into the net.

But he was in no hurry to pull the net in; the sweetest fruit must wait until it is fully ripe.

He didn't just want to possess her physically,

he also wanted to break her mentally, conquer her, until he possessed her completely.

When Lin Xia sat up from his embrace, Li Zhan deliberately let go.

He watched as she tidied her messy collar,

her eyes gradually clearing from their daze,

finally settling into a complex struggle.

"I'll go get some water."

Li Zhan stood up and walked toward the water dispenser, giving her space to think.

Lin Xia stared at her hands in a daze—

Have I fallen in love with a devil?

I am a police officer, I am a police officer, I am a police officer!

She kept reminding herself in her heart.

Lin Xia suddenly looked up, meeting Li Zhan's searching gaze.

Her eyes flickered in panic, and she stood up abruptly. "I... I'm going back now."

"See you tomorrow."

Li Zhan didn't try to make her stay, simply placing the water glass on the coffee table.

The soft clink of the glass against the table made Lin Xia's back tremble slightly.

It wasn't until he heard the door close that Li Zhan withdrew his smile.

He picked up the glass Lin Xia had used, his thumb stroking the lip print on the rim.

...

Lin Xia walked quickly out of the company building with her bag.

She stopped suddenly, looking at her flushed cheeks in the glass reflection of the entrance.

Her fingers unconsciously touched her lips,

where the scent of tobacco seemed to linger.

A terrifying thought suddenly surfaced:

If one day she had to choose between him and the police badge...

She shook her head vigorously,

but she couldn't suppress the voice in her heart that was becoming clearer and clearer.

It was the devil's call...