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Chapter 4
Someone attacked our crystal
A few days later.
Shenhai City.
With intense drum beats shaking the eardrums, dazzling lights swept across the dance floor, and an ecstatic crowd shouted along with the DJ’s beats.
An Ace of Spades-like fountain poured down the champagne tower in cascades, shimmering with glamorous brilliance. Groups of champagne girls erupted in screams and applause, almost overturning the entire nightclub: “Gege is amazing!” “Zhao-ge is awesome!”
……
With a loud bang, Zhao Jun tossed aside the empty wine bottle and casually embraced a handsome boy beside him, propping his legs up and laughing: “I heard that ever since that guy named Shen arrived from B City to Shenhai, he has been controlling all the Evolutionists in Shenhai like caged birds. Is it really that frustrating?”
A group of well-dressed friends gathers around the private booth, and one of them smiled bitterly, “I’m not saying this, Zhao-ge; of course, you can do whatever you want in your family’s territory in B City, but be careful in Shenhai. You haven’t seen the methods of Shen Zhuo…”
Others nearby nodded in agreement with a solemn expression, and Zhao Jun sighed, “You guys are so hopeless. That guy, surnamed Shen, wasn’t so arrogant back in B City. How come he’s got you all under control since he arrived in Shenhai?!”
The group of people looked at each other, and the one who spoke earlier became curious, “Zhao-ge, do you know his background?”
They were all really drunk; under normal circumstances, they would’ve never dared badmouth Shen Zhuo behind his back like this. Zhao Jun waved his hand with a big laugh. “What’s there not to know? That guy, surnamed Shen, has an academic background. He used to be the director at the Central Research Institute, specializing in conducting human experiments on evolutionists. There isn’t a single evolutionist who doesn’t hate him. If it weren’t for Fu Chen covering him, he would have been killed countless times by now…”
“Fu Chen?” Someone drunkenly realized, “Isn’t he the chief of the Central Supervision Office back then? Why would he be covering Shen Zhuo?”
Zhao Jun chuckled and, with a hint of mockery and vulgarity in his eyes, leaned forward, lowering his voice:
“What do you think, why?”
This group of people was all open-minded and fun-loving. After a brief moment of silence, they burst into knowing laughter.
The young boy in Zhao Jun’s arms became uneasy and tried to casually cover the earring-like listening device on his ear with one hand, but another hostess discreetly held him back.
The two exchanged a glance while pouring more drinks, and their faces turned visibly pale.
“Zhao-ge,” the girl, who seemed more capable, forced a charming smile, “Why talk about those depressing things? Come on, help this meimei 1Used for a young girl roll the dice…”
“That’s not right,” someone from the other side of the private room chimed in curiously, leaning over, “Isn’t Fu Chen already dead? I vaguely heard people say that he was killed by Shen Zhuo himself?”
The hostess shuddered, almost breaking her beautiful manicured nails in shock.
Zhao Jun swayed his whisky glass, with one leg crossed over the other, and said, “Stop joking around. Do you really think Shen Zhuo is a normal person? He despises evolutionists and is a psychological pervert who enjoys taming people like dogs. Those he can’t tame will be killed in various ways. No matter how hard you try to please him, it’s useless!”
He chuckled to himself and continued, “—I’m really curious though; what does Shen Zhuo look like? How could he charm Fu Chen enough to be hanged alive on his poisonous tree?”
Laughter erupted around him.
Shen Zhuo usually kept an extremely low profile and rarely showed himself. No one at the table had ever seen him in person, but rumors about his handsome face had spread in high-society circles, leaving people uncertain about the truth.
“Perhaps Surname Shen is good at playing?” “That’s for sure!” “Who knows what goes on behind closed doors, haha…”
The young boy accompanying them turned pale, and if one looked closely, one could see his pupils trembling. He clutched his earring-like device tightly, but it was of no use.
The obscene language was being transmitted clearly through the listening device, reaching a command vehicle parked not far from the nightclub, in a corner of the parking lot.
Sitting in front of the monitoring screen, Shen Zhuo’s cold profile was illuminated by the fluorescent glow. There was no sign of emotion on his face.
All the team members inside the vehicle remained silent, frustrated by their lack of transparency.
“Considering his age, how did he manage to climb to the position of the first director at the Central Research Institute? No one would believe there’s no dirty business behind it…”
Finally, Shen Zhuo pressed the button on the microphone, and his voice remained calm, clear, and completely devoid of any fluctuations as if he were not the one being lusted upon by a group of men in the nightclub:
“Stop the meaningless discussion and shift the topic to Evolution Source trading.”
In the nightclub booth, the young boy struggled to swallow his saliva.
Unaware of the boy’s discomfort, Zhao Jun continued with his legs crossed, “Because Fu Chen died, everyone in the Central Supervision Office wanted to kill Shen Zhuo to vent their anger. He was demoted and expelled from the research institute…”
“Ah!”
With a cry of surprise, the young boy accidentally knocked over a wine glass, spilling champagne on Zhao Jun’s clothes.
“Zhao-ge, I’m sorry, I’ll clean it for you right away!”
Zhao Jun seemed to have a unique taste and was more patient with the young and beautiful “bar host.” Not only did he not get angry, but he laughed and reached out to hold the young boy’s hand.
At that moment, the “hostess” cooperatively leaned in and quickly picked something from Zhao Jun’s neck. “Hey, Zhao-ge, what’s this?”
Zhao Jun had a leather rope around his neck; hanging from it was a metal casing resembling a pocket watch, but when opened, it wasn’t a watch.
It was a palm-sized stone emitting a faint blue light.
Zhao Jun’s face immediately changed, and he snatched the stone back, pushing away the hostess with a fierce gesture. “Don’t touch it! Get out of here!”
With a loud crash, the hostess fell to the ground, causing everyone around her to be shocked and alarmed. Several people quickly stood up, their expressions changing, saying, “What are you doing? Pull her down!”
“How does the boss train people? Don’t you know the rules?!”
Someone hurriedly consoled, “It’s alright, Zhao-ge. Evolving genes are extremely rare. Even if she touches the stone, nothing will happen…”
Amidst the chaotic commotion, the hostess seized the opportunity to fixate her gaze on the stone, but in an instant, Zhao Jun stuffed it into his collar, and it disappeared from her sight.
At the same time, the image was simultaneously transmitted to the monitoring screen in the command vehicle through her transparent contact lenses.
With a snap, Shen Zhuo pressed the pause button, staring at the glowing blue stone on the screen.
“Can you tell if it’s a genuine evolutionary source?” After a moment, he frowned and asked Chen Miao.
Chen Miao leaned in and carefully examined the screen, hesitatingly shaking his head, “Senior, you specialize in this field, and even you can’t identify it. How could I…”
Illegally possessing an evolution source was a serious crime, but due to the huge profits in the black market, fake evolution sources have become a new burgeoning industry chain.
In the early days, they used low-quality fluorescent iron stones, and genuine evolutionists could easily recognize them as counterfeit. However, as technology advanced to purify radioactive substances and biological carbon sources, even top experts like Shen Zhuo couldn’t distinguish the real from the fake with the naked eye.
“The Zhao family has power, influence, and wealth, so I lean towards them not using fake evolution sources for profit. Nevertheless, it’s best to bring it back to the supervision office for instrument testing,” Chen Miao tightened his brow, “But we haven’t figured out who his buyer is yet, so it’s safer to wait for Zhao Jun’s meeting with the buyer and apprehend them all at once.”
Unexpectedly, the noisy voices in the booth came from the microphone at this time, and it sounded like they were dissuading: “Zhao-ge, Zhao-ge, please don’t leave!” “It’s only ten o’clock!”
But Zhao Jun clearly lost interest and said, “I have an appointment with someone, so I’m leaving. You guys can continue having fun.”
“—Why is he leaving? The intelligence said Zhao Jun’s meeting with the buyer is scheduled for 11 o’clock!” Chen Miao looked at his watch and became anxious, “No, the tracking team responsible hasn’t arrived yet!”
No one expected Zhao Jun to leave early due to his bad mood, catching everyone in the command vehicle off guard. Shen Zhuo whispered, “Contact the tracking team. Plans have changed; prepare to follow immediately.” Then he pressed the earpiece connecting to the scene, “1002, find a way to keep the target at the location or accompany him, right now!”
Action Number 1002, the “host boy,” was a recent graduate who just joined the supervision office. Dressing up as a money boy had already made him want to cry, but he was even more afraid of Supervisor Shen. He could only endure the discomfort and act like an innocent and pitiful character, reaching out to pull on Zhao Jun’s clothes:
“Zhao-ge, why are you leaving already? Stay with me a bit longer. Tonight, I won’t entertain anyone else except for you…”
Usually, Zhao Jun wouldn’t be able to resist the charms of such a young and clingy boy, but at this moment, he had no interest and was only thinking about the upcoming deal. He dismissively waved his hand, pushing the boy away, “Next time, next time I’ll come find you; be good.”
There won’t be a next time! If I don’t stop you now, Shen Zhuo will really castrate me and send me to be an MB (Money Boy)!
The boy rushed forward and hugged Zhao Jun’s thigh, his teeth chattering, ” Zhao-ge, please don’t leave. Take me with you! I can’t bear to be without you!!”
Laughter filled the surroundings as people commented on how “this kid is so clingy,” and tried to persuade him to stay.
Zhao Jun glanced at his watch, realizing there was still more than an hour until the agreed-upon time for the transaction. However, the little incident had completely spoiled his appetite, and he half-heartedly waved his hand, “Be good, there’s something important tonight. I’ll take you out tomorrow, okay?”
As Zhao Jun walked away, the boy became frantic, “Take me with you, Zhao-ge! I don’t want anything; I just want to be with you! Don’t go, don’t go!!”
“Hey, what are you pestering me for?!” Zhao Jun also became impatient, and with a swift kick, he pushed the boy away, saying, “Let go!”
Meanwhile, inside the command vehicle:
“We won’t make it in time, Captain!” An officer from the supervision office anxiously looked up, holding his phone. “The local police are preparing to send reinforcements, but it will take another half an hour for them to arrive!”
Chen Miao almost blurted out a curse word but managed to hold it back forcefully, “Senior, what should we do now—Senior?!”
To everyone’s surprise, Shen Zhuo took off the communication headset with one hand and quickly removed his suit jacket. Underneath, he wore a white shirt that accentuated his strong shoulders and slim waist, snugly tucked into black trousers.
“Everyone stay put, and the tech team, prepare to track my location.”
The people inside the car: “?”
Shen Zhuo got up, opened the car door, and loosened his tie with one hand. He swiftly walked towards the noisy nightclub in the distance.
All the team members behind him were dumbfounded, “—S-supervisor!”
As the nightclub’s doors swung open, booming music engulfed him, nearly swallowing him whole.
Inside, young men and women were dancing freely, their youthful faces shimmering under the colorful lights. Shen Zhuo’s face remained calm and composed as he walked through the dance floor. As he passed an empty table, he casually took the remaining whiskey bottle, lifted it to his lips, and downed a gulp of it. The rest of the drink he poured all over himself.
The strong liquor flowed in through his open collar, soaking his white standard-issue shirt and clinging to his chest and waist, even outlining a faint hint of abdominal muscles.
“Hey handsome, want to make a new friend?”
“Do you want to drink, handsome?”
The festive atmosphere engulfed him from all sides as people approached him from every direction. Shen Zhuo pushed away a few drunken young people and hurriedly entered a narrow passage. Just as he turned the corner, he unexpectedly bumped into Zhao Jun, who was walking out with a displeased expression, about to leave.
Bang!
The two collided head-on, catching Zhao Jun off guard and making him stagger a bit. His mood turned even worse.
“Don’t you have eyes, you—”
Shen Zhuo didn’t even lift his head, as if he were so drunk that he was swaying. In a hurry, he held Zhao Jun’s hand to steady himself.
Shen Zhuo’s half-drenched figure, with his slightly lowered eyelashes casting a slender shadow, caught the chaotic nightclub lights on his cheek, creating a moment of thrilling tension and unexpectedly captivating Zhao Jun’s sight.
In that instant, Zhao Jun felt his heart skip a beat.
But that was just a blink of an eye. Shen Zhuo released his hand without any attachment and staggered past Zhao Jun.
Zhao Jun couldn’t help but turn around and ask, “Who are you—”
At that moment, the “host boy” rushed over without hesitation, about to say “Zhao-ge” but was met with the scene in front of him. He was instantly shocked, “Superv—”
The quick-witted “hostess” threw herself forward without caring for her own safety and firmly covered the boy’s mouth, exerting so much force that she nearly choked her clueless colleague into unconsciousness.
Zhao Jun’s eyes went blank, unable to see anyone else or hear any other sounds.
He could only watch as Shen Zhuo pushed open the restroom door, possibly in a drunken haze, turned around, and gave him a faint smile. The corner of his lips, soaked with the strong liquor, curled slightly.
Then Shen Zhuo pushed the door open and walked in.
Host boy: “…”
Hostess: “…”
As thunder struck, the two detectives stood frozen in their tracks.
After a while, the young man tremblingly pinched himself hard.
If Zhao Jun’s heart had merely skipped a beat earlier, it was now pounding loudly, and before he even realized it, he was already in motion, following closely behind Shen Zhuo into the restroom.
Shen Zhuo splashed his face with gushing, cold water. The contrast of his white fingers against the black marble sink created an astonishing sight. The water-soaked side of his face seemed to emit an indescribable halo, making it hard for anyone to look away.
Zhao Jun reflexively adjusted his collar and grabbed a few tissues. His voice unconsciously softened into the most gentle and magnetic tone, although he could hear the tremor in his own voice due to excitement.
“Hello… Are you here with friends? Shall I help you wipe that off?”
Shen Zhuo leaned against the sink, looking quite dazed.
Zhao Jun stuttered, “B-beauty, can I add you on WeChat? My car is parked outside. How about I take you for a ride…”
With a loud splash, Shen Zhuo seemed to try to straighten up, but he couldn’t maintain his balance and began to fall. Zhao Jun quickly supported him.
The smell of alcohol immediately overwhelmed Zhao Jun, and he became intoxicated. His excitement caused his breathing to quicken, and he only heard the “beauty” place one hand on his shoulder, asking softly with a drunken tone in his ear, “Where do you want to take me, hmm?”
The restroom door opened, and both detectives were startled.
They saw Zhao Jun extremely attentively helping Shen Zhuo walk out. Shen Zhuo seemed unconscious as if he really was completely devoid of consciousness.
At that moment, both detectives were thunderstruck. The young boy nearly tripped and stumbled, with his left foot almost tangling with his right. He hurriedly rushed forward, “Ah, isn’t this our manager? Let me handle this, let me—”
Zhao Jun immediately intervened, “What are you doing? Get lost!”
“Zhao-ge, Zhao-ge, our manager can’t go out,” The hostess quickly came up with a plan and pretended to make a call, “I’ll call our boss to come and apologize to you…”
Zhao Jun angrily retorted, “I’ve been friends with your boss for so many years; who asked you to meddle in this? Someone, take her away!”
The female detective was pushed away, and her phone dropped to the ground with a clatter.
The commotion caught the attention of nearby people, and several nightclub bouncers turned their gaze in their direction.
In the midst of chaos, there was no way to resolve the situation. The two watched helplessly as Zhao Jun supported the unconscious Shen Zhuo, crossed the dance floor, and left the nightclub through the door.
The music on the dance floor was booming, but in this small area, a terrifying silence enveloped them.
In each other’s trembling pupils, they saw their own faces filled with extreme fear. After a moment, the young boy shakily pressed the earpiece and spoke with a sobbing voice, “Cap-Captain-Chen, something’s wrong…”
The spirits of the team members in the command vehicle heightened, and Chen Miao urged, “Report the current situation immediately! Where is the target now?!”
“The target, the target..” the young boy stammered, “The target took the drunk supervisor out to get a room!”
“Spurt!” Chen Miao spewed water all over the screen.
Everyone’s expressions were blank as they looked towards the distant nightclub, suffocated by a sense of death that engulfed the entire vehicle.
“Mr. Zhao, why did you come out early?” Outside the nightclub, a black Range Rover was parked, and the driver quickly got out to open the door. He saw Zhao Jun attentively supporting someone deeply intoxicated and couldn’t help but take a few more glances. Politely, he asked, “Are we going directly to the trading place, or…”
The driver was one of Zhao Jun’s trusted men that he brought specifically for this transaction, and Zhao Jun didn’t hide anything. As he helped Shen Zhuo into the car, he instructed, “Go directly to the trading place. The buyer arranged to meet at the hotel. Take this time to book a room for me as well.”
“Sure!”
Zhao Jun was filled with joy, and the driver smiled along. As he started the car, he set the navigation in the GPS—
Unnoticed, Shen Zhuo opened his eyes and glanced at the navigation.
Baifu Jinjiang Grand Hotel.
It was a newly opened ultra-five-star hotel. It was nearby, less than twenty minutes drive from here.
Shen Zhuo closed his eyes again, and suddenly, something stirred in his heart. He felt an inexplicable familiarity with the hotel’s name, as if he had come across it in some recent work report.
…Baifu Jinjiang?
He furrowed his brows. The GPS system in his pocket was silently running, transmitting signals to the supervision office’s command vehicle and integrating into the bustling night scenery of Shenhai City.
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