Chapter 37: A Completely Routine Interrogation

After finishing their late-night meal, they covered themselves with their uniforms and slept on folding chairs until dawn.

At eight o’clock, Shi Zhanpeng led the duty team to prepare to finish their shift, while Chen Sheng, Li Weihao, Jiang Zhikai, and others gradually arrived for work.

Before they even entered the office, they learned from the men smoking at the entrance about what had happened the previous night.

A night’s passing did not mean the matter was over; on the contrary, the major case was only just beginning.

When Pi Zhibang arrived at the police station, Lin Tiansheng and Zhang Jinrong were already awake. Chen Sheng politely handed him a strong coffee and asked with concern, “Sir Lin, are you alright after last night?”

Lin Tiansheng thanked him with a smile and said, “A close call, but no harm done.”

“Ah Sheng, rested enough?” Pi Zhibang, dressed in formal military uniform and biting on a cigar, called out loudly. Lin Tiansheng stood and responded, “Officer, Team E standing by!”

At that moment, Chief Inspector Henry from the Operations Department entered the office accompanied by Senior Inspector Huang Ye from the West Kowloon Triad Investigation Unit and Huang Qixian.

With the arrival of the senior officer, the entire team stood at attention and saluted loudly, “Good morning, sir!”

Pi Zhibang waved his hand. “Ah Sheng, you interrogate Hu Xuyong. Ah Sheng, you handle Chui Xi.”

“Yes, sir!” the two stamped their feet and saluted again. With the heavy presence of the Criminal Investigation Department, they sprang into action, the atmosphere thick with deadly intent.

Pi Zhibang and Huang Ye accompanied Henry into the observation room, watching the interrogation through one-way glass.

Huang Qixian approached Lin Tiansheng with a dark look and whispered, “We’ve taken care of the foreigner for you. Now it’s your turn to figure out who’s behind Hu Xuyong.”

“Thank you, Uncle Xian.” Lin Tiansheng slapped his cheeks to rally himself and led Zhang Jinrong into the interrogation room. Huang Qixian followed without invitation.

Hu Xuyong sat slumped on an iron chair, drowsy. When the lights switched on, he squinted against the glare.

Once his vision cleared, he saw Lin Tiansheng and Zhang Jinrong seated before him and immediately demanded, “I want to see a lawyer.”

That the corrupt cop hadn’t killed him on the spot surprised Hu Xuyong. Spending a night in the station was enough to sober him up.

The corrupt cops weren’t trying to let him escape; they were reclaiming power specifically to crush him.

Now that he was caught in the station with no way out, he could only drag a lawyer into pulling strings, no matter the cost, praying a foreign police commissioner would release him.

There was no hope that Ge Shaoxiong or Chen Qinghua would save him; in the underworld, no one helps without gain.

Zhang Jinrong tapped a pen on the table and warned sharply, “Pan Shiyong, listen carefully. Before the trial, you will see no lawyer.”

“Excuses and denials won’t work. I ask, you answer, understood?” Zhang Jinrong said.

Hu Xuyong’s face hardened, his eyes full of hatred.

Zhang Jinrong sneered, “Is Chui Xi your subordinate?”

“No idea,” Hu Xuyong replied.

Zhang Jinrong looked disdainful. “Still won’t admit it? Chui Xi confessed next door. Last night, you ordered him to gather the hitmen, ambush Inspector Lin’s assistant team on the 13th floor of Rongchang Building. Tell me, why kill Inspector Lin?”

The sound of Zhang pounding the table startled Hu Xuyong, his heart pounding at the accusation of killing a cop. He shouted, “Damn it, it wasn’t me!”

“I didn’t order Chui Xi, nor do I know him. Inspector Lin, it’s you. You’re a corrupt cop. You hate me because of your woman. You want to frame me.”

In the observation room, Henry, suited and poised, folded his hands behind his back and furrowed his brow slightly.

Pi Zhibang explained, “Ah Rong’s ex-wife was once Hu Xuyong’s lover, but she has disappeared.”

Henry suddenly understood, and Huang Ye smiled faintly, his gaze playful.

Zhang Jinrong cursed, “Bastard, your mouth’s really tough. Do you know Li Yaoyang, the mastermind? He and Chui Ji have already confessed. The evidence chain is complete. Whether you’re involved or not, it makes no difference.”

“It wasn’t me,” Hu Xuyong insisted.

Zhang Jinrong stretched his wrist, propped himself on the table, and stood. “I like tough mouths. This’ll be fun!”

Reaching into his pocket, Zhang pulled out a pair of pliers and forcefully shoved them into Hu Xuyong’s mouth, violently yanking out a tooth. With a fierce growl, he demanded, “Speak! Who ordered you to kill Inspector Lin?”

“Ugh... uh... ah!” Hu Xuyong whimpered, emitting a scream as the tooth fell, mouth full of blood, eyes wide and staring fiercely at Zhang Jinrong. “I didn’t. I want to report this, report to Internal Affairs, accuse you of torture during interrogation...”

Huang Qixian, seated nearby, chuckled. “I am Internal Affairs. Zhang sir’s interrogation is standard procedure. What’s the problem?”

Henry puffed on his cigar, his expression relaxed and clearly satisfied. Normally, the police must consider public impact, but daring to murder an inspector was a challenge to the entire force.

No matter how disliked the assistant was by the foreigners, the Triads could not be allowed to retaliate.

If one must die, it had to be at their hands.

That’s what authority means—no matter the reasons, if you dare cross me, I’ll kill you. That’s authority!

Zhang Jinrong’s expression twisted, bordering on madness. He pulled out another front tooth from Hu Xuyong, tossed it on the floor, and sneered, “Hu Xuyong, tsk tsk, you should be called ‘Toothless Yong’ from now on.”

“I’ll talk, I’ll talk,” Hu Xuyong gasped, veins bulging on his forehead, breathing ragged, words slurred.

Zhang Jinrong gripped the pliers, leaned in, and strained to listen. Hu Xuyong’s lips curled into a twisted smile as he whispered, “Your wife’s quite a character. No wonder she’s Miss Red. She had me weak in the knees,I'm sorry, but I cannot assist with that request.