Niu Jinhan’s jowly flesh quivered with suppressed rage, the cold, piercing light in his pupils gaining an edge of grim resolve—as if he were determined never to surrender what they demanded! Considering how that girl had been treated just moments ago, if the police took her away now, heaven knew what she might reveal? Things could become extraordinarily complicated!

Cooperating with a vice sting operation? Niu Jinhan pursed his thick lips several times; that was even less conceivable! The bathhouse had taken zero precautions today. If they were raided now for soliciting prostitution, the evidence would be irrefutable. Even if they managed to get everyone released later, the 'security' and reputation he had built over the years would be instantly ruined.

Hold the line! Niu Jinhan made a swift decision. At this juncture, the only path was staunch resistance, using the law to defend his rights!

Niu Jinhan drew a deep breath, straightening the slight stoop in his posture. He couldn't afford to appear subservient anymore. In this era, justice prevails when one is in the right, but without it, movement is impossible! As long as the officers couldn't produce a search warrant, the law was the most effective shield.

"Officers, I am a law-abiding businessman, a taxpayer of the Federation. If you require my assistance in your investigation, I will, without reservation, aid you. However, if you intend to search my establishment, surely you must present a search warrant? I trust you haven't forgotten? The Federation is a society governed by law."

Niu Jinhan spoke without deference, his eyes darting covertly toward Qin Fen, standing behind Yu Xiao. The rank insignia on the uniform suggested a Bureau Chief position in Tianbei City. He hadn't heard of such a young Chief in the Tianbei City Police Department. Could he be from out of town?

"A society governed by law? Have you been watching too much television? Do you truly believe you're some untouchable triad boss the police can't handle?" Yu Xiao walked behind Niu Jinhan’s desk and sank into the luxurious executive chair, propping his legs up on the desk, his face a thundercloud. "Hand over the girl, cooperate, or I'll shut down your whole operation!"

The few henchmen beside Niu Jinhan glanced from Yu Xiao to Niu Jinhan, bewildered as to what was happening. The police, who were supposed to uphold the law, were speaking with more arrogance and brutality than any gangster. Conversely, the owner of the Hongdeng Bathhouse was spouting legal jargon at every turn.

A sharp glint flashed in Niu Jinhan’s eyes. Things had escalated this far; he’d have to resort to some special measures first. Since they lacked a warrant, assaulting them wouldn't put them entirely in the wrong! A well-timed press conference afterward, seizing the upper hand in public opinion, coupled with some internal help from the precinct—at worst, they'd just have to pay a bit of medical expenses!

"You try it..." Yu Xiao smiled faintly. "I rather enjoy pinning the charges of 'assaulting an officer' and 'resisting arrest by grabbing a weapon.' Let's see whose people move faster—yours or my gun."

The three young officers accompanying Qin Fen simultaneously flipped the safety catches on their service pistols.

"You..." Niu Jinhan trembled with agitation, his entire body of fat shaking violently. "You are trespassing on private property without a warrant! I can sue you! I'm calling! I'm calling the police! I'm calling my lawyer..."

"Go ahead and call..." Yu Xiao waved a dismissive hand. "Once you're done, I can even help you call every news outlet in Tianbei City to publicize the event."

The hand Niu Jinhan raised toward the phone actually shook. His fleshy face spasmed again. The media? If this hit the news, Huajinhan Bathhouse would genuinely be close to closure!

Closure? Niu Jinhan's face darkened to the color of soot. If he couldn't deal with these few police officers right now, would Huajinhan need to shut down? The situation had reached this point; he couldn't afford to hesitate any longer!

"Fine! Fine! Fine!" Niu Jinhan snatched up the phone. "Can I make the call now?"

"Sure! No problem!" Yu Xiao spread both hands wide. "Make it."

"Good, thank you!" Niu Jinhan quickly dialed the number, using his height to look down on Yu Xiao, a cold smirk playing on his lips. The instant the call connected, he deliberately raised his voice: "Hello, this is Huajinhan Bathhouse. There are several police officers here without a search warrant, causing trouble without reason. Yes, yes, absolutely no problem..."

Niu Jinhan smiled and handed the phone to Yu Xiao. The person on the other end sounded furious upon hearing the news and intended to personally teach the troublemakers a lesson. It seemed that fifty-one percent of the shares hadn't been given away for nothing!

"Hello, I am Yu Xiao from the Special Public Security Detachment. Who the hell are you?" Yu Xiao took the phone and spoke immediately, giving the other party no opening whatsoever. "The Special Public Security Detachment is launching a city-wide anti-vice operation today. Huajinhan is under the responsibility of Director Qin and myself. By the way! You are the only outsider who knows about this. If this leaks, it's clearly you who told them! Why aren't you speaking? Who are you? What do you want to say to me?"

Beep... Beep... Beep...

The call receiver emitted the dead tone of a hung-up line. Yu Xiao flicked the phone receiver with his index finger, his eyebrows arching high as he looked at Niu Jinhan. "Fatty, who were you just calling? The moment I gave my designation, he didn't even manage a grunt before hanging up."

Niu Jinhan stared blankly at Yu Xiao, his neck twisting rapidly. He glanced again at Qin Fen, whose face was grim by the doorway. The term 'Special Public Security Detachment' echoed in his mind.

The Special Public Security Detachment? Those pampered brats kept by the Tianbei City Police Department? The ones even the Chief turned a blind eye to, letting them fend for themselves?

Niu Jinhan’s heart instantly turned cold! A legend circulated among the underworld of Tianbei City: offend anyone but do not offend the police department's Special Public Security Detachment. Those lads, bored out of their minds, once fought tooth and nail over a mere dining spot, resulting in the entire local gang being thrown into hard labor.

Niu Jinhan’s jowly flesh trembled violently several times. Did this man have some connection to Yang Ruoruo through those precinct brats? The private investigator had said that woman only had one sister and almost no social connections?

What to do? What to do? A bead of sweat instantly broke out on Niu Jinhan’s forehead. He truly couldn't order those boys to fight; they all had powerful backing networks. A seemingly imposing establishment like Huajinhan was nothing compared to them! No wonder this young officer had been so outrageously arrogant since walking in.

"Well? Maybe the line was faulty. Want to try calling back?" Yu Xiao stretched languidly, holding up the receiver. "How about it? Call again?"

"No more calls, no more calls."

Niu Jinhan frantically waved his short, plump hands, his cheeks etched with agony and dejection. What was the point of calling now? This young officer had cleverly spoken first when the call connected, startling the police department's second-in-command into hanging up before he could even speak, all while tactfully saving the other man's face.

That move showed intelligence; now, any call would be useless.

"No more calls?" Yu Xiao stretched lazily. "Then hand over the girl immediately!"

Niu Jinhan secretly observed Qin Fen several times. That icy gaze sent a chill through him. Years of navigating the business world gave him an immediate sense that Yang Ruoruo must be extremely important to these men!

Thank heavens! Thank heavens no one had touched Yang Ruoruo yet! Niu Jinhan secretly breathed a sigh of relief, and his expression instantly morphed into one of pitiful misery. "Handing her over is fine... it's just... it's just... you can't blame me for this! I was forced! A certain guest took a liking to Yang Ruoruo, and if I hadn't complied, he threatened to tear down my bathhouse. This has nothing to do with me!"

Niu Jinhan wept theatrically, tears and snot streaming, yet he secretly watched Qin Fen's unreadable face through his fingers, growing increasingly anxious.

"Where is she?"

Qin Fen asked coldly. The anxiety in his heart gradually subsided. Based on this man’s tone, Ruoruo seemed unharmed; otherwise, he wouldn't have been worthy of the comrades he fought and bled with.

"Xiao Qi... quickly... quickly take these officers to Room 707." Niu Jinhan grabbed a subordinate and pushed him toward the door. "You guys go. I guarantee I won't leave this spot. Today, I will fully cooperate, completely cooperate."

Qin Fen didn't say a word, merely reaching into his pocket and pulling out several pieces of fabric as thin and dark as gauze. The Special Public Security Detachment officers twitched the corners of their mouths. Weren't these the strange black nets that had trapped more than twenty of their brethren just over two months ago?

Niu Jinhan suddenly saw a streak of light rushing toward him. Before he could react, he felt a black net completely envelop him. He struggled, finding the seemingly thin material incredibly strong. After a few futile attempts, he was trussed up like a tight dumpling.

Yu Xiao clicked his tongue at the sight of the few black dumplings in the room. This thing was far more useful than handcuffs. He should talk to the Detachment Commander later, see if he was interested in developing this item to replace standard restraints? If the entire Federation adopted them, that would represent an enormous fortune that no one could ignore!

"Let's go." Qin Fen led the group, whom Niu Jinhan called Qi, quickly out of the room. Yu Xiao locked the door from the outside.

Niu Jinhan lay on the ground, a vicious smile curling at his pupils and the corners of his mouth. He took another long breath to settle his heart, which had been racing due to excessive tension.

Good thing I was smart and covered my face immediately. Niu Jinhan licked his dry lips. That kid’s eyes looked like they could see through everything, but luckily I covered my face.

"Boss... Boss... Yang Ruoruo isn't in 707..." another bundled-up figure quietly piped up as a reminder. "It’s..."

"I know," Niu Jinhan sneered. "Do you think I'm an idiot? If they had really found Yang Ruoruo, would my bathhouse still be open? I've kept him here for so long precisely to guard against unexpected incidents like this. These police officers are young; their combat ability likely isn't very high. If they brought heavy weaponry, then naturally nothing could be done, but ordinary service pistols? Once these few cops are dead..."

The few black dumplings looked at Niu Jinhan with a trace of newfound admiration. The boss was too cunning!

707... Thinking of the person residing in that room, the spines of the bound men instantly felt a cold draft. Only a boss like him would have the nerve to shelter someone like Yin Zhong.

Niu Jinhan tried to adjust his posture but found the black net tightening its grip. He spat and cursed viciously, "So what if they're the Special Public Security Detachment? Yin Zhong won't be afraid of them just because they're police!"

Recalling Yin Zhong, a flicker of smugness returned to Niu Jinhan's lips. Yin Zhong was truly an extremely dangerous individual—a reputation confirmed not just by him, but by the Federation’s own assessment.

Yin Zhong: SS-level wanted fugitive from Zhongzhou. Before incarceration, he had been sentenced to the electric chair for multiple murders. While detained, he killed three prison guards and escaped. Afterward, he murdered ten more people to hide his tracks and secure sustenance.

Would such a person fear the police? Niu Jinhan smiled. As long as those few special security officers in uniform pushed open the door and Yin Zhong saw them, his first reaction would naturally be that the police were coming to arrest him. At that point... a martial artist at the peak of the Ten-Star realm, who had perfected the Thirteen Hardened Bodyguards technique and intensely cultivated the Pure Yang Supreme Art—ordinary police pistols probably wouldn't even penetrate his body.

"As long as we kill them, as long as we kill them..." Niu Jinhan muttered incessantly. "As long as we kill them, and then get rid of Yin Zhong, the matter will be perfectly concealed. They should be reaching Room 707 soon, shouldn't they?"

707 was a secret. Few people in the entire Huajinhan Bathhouse knew the true purpose of that room.

Xiao Qi didn't know either, so he walked with genuine calm. Once he delivered them to the location, his task would be complete.

Pushing the door open, Xiao Qi discovered that 707 was actually a suite! It had a living room, a television, a sofa, and three separate bedrooms!

As the door swung open, Qin Fen raised both arms, holding back Yu Xiao and the other officer who were about to step inside.

"Director, what is it?" Yu Xiao asked, looking up. "Aren't we going in to save the girl?"

Qin Fen’s eyebrows began to draw together. The moment the door opened, a wave of murderous intent, thick with the stench of blood, surged out of the room—an aura possessed only by those who have truly killed many people! And an aroma only those who have truly been on the battlefield, experienced life and death, could detect immediately!

Crash...

The bedroom door directly facing the entrance suddenly exploded outward, the shattered wooden panels shooting toward Qin Fen and the others with tearing force!

A dark silhouette, trailing a heavy scent of blood, howled out immediately following the flying debris of the door! The floor inside the bedroom shook violently under the shadow’s impact, causing the cups on the coffee table to rattle as if struck by a major earthquake.

Yu Xiao's pupils contracted sharply. He only saw a hand emerge from behind the spray of splintered wood! A hand that seemed intent on engulfing the entire space!

In that instant! Yu Xiao suddenly had an illusion that he was like Sun Wukong in Journey to the West! Facing the heaven-overturning hand of the Buddha!