At eight o’clock that evening, inside the main ancestral residence of the Zhuang family, Elder Zhuang Yan was drinking tea and playing chess in the living room. His eldest grandson, Zhuang Zhuoran, accompanied him. As he discarded the first round of water from the pot, Zhuoran remarked, “Grandfather, it is your turn to move.”
Capturing Zhuoran’s chariot with his flying horse, the old man tossed his chess piece aside and asked leisurely, “What did you and Zhuoyi discuss this afternoon?”
Steadily picking up his elephant to swallow his grandfather’s cannon, Zhuoran replied, “He wants me to secure a legal identity for his new assistant.”
Crossing the river with a small pawn without looking back, the elder chopped down his eldest grandson’s elephant. “He is always messing around with miscellaneous things. He refuses to come back to see me—what is he busy with out there?”
“Helping me investigate a case,” Zhuoran laughed. “Check.”
“Chinese chess is boring. Go swap it for Go.”
Refusing to throw the game even in front of his grandfather, Zhuang Zhuoran stated bluntly, “Grandfather, you lose at Go as well.”
Looking thoroughly displeased, the old man dropped the pieces in his hand and barked, “No more playing. Go get some sleep, and report to work as usual tomorrow morning. Be more steady on your feet lately. Call your younger brother and tell him to come back and see me tomorrow!”
Achoo! Zhuang Zhuoyi had already sneezed four times while standing in the shadowy corner. Rubbing his nose and sizing up the situation at the surveillance site ahead, he estimated that they would need to wait a little longer before breaking in.
In order to track down clues regarding the missing Bobby, Zhuang Zhuoyi and Qi Junyang had traded their usual gear for high-end designer suits to scout the location as elite gentlemen.
Glancing back at Qi Junyang, who was dressed in an Armani casual outfit, Zhuang Zhuoyi felt a persistent sense of envy no matter how he looked at the man. That appearance, that imposing aura—it seemed as though every bone in this fellow’s body was naturally oozing sex appeal. Why were all the special forces operatives he had encountered in the past such crooked melons and split dates, with not a single high-grade specimen among them?
While Zhuang Zhuoyi’s mind was off wandering through wild, unrelated thoughts, Qi Junyang, growing somewhat impatient under his gaze, cast a sidelong glance. “Barging in directly is unwise. Think of a way quickly.”
“You do not need to remind me,” Zhuang Zhuoyi smiled. “We should be considering how to make our escape if we are discovered.”
“We will not necessarily be discovered, as long as we minimize drawing attention.”
Ha! Zhuang Zhuoyi inwardly scoffed at the other man’s optimistic outlook. Avoiding attention was utterly impossible; Qi Junyang’s shock of silver-white hair alone was enough to draw everyone’s gaze.
In fact, during their wardrobe change that afternoon, Zhuang Zhuoyi had stubbornly insisted that he not dye his hair black. Qi Junyang had found it baffling, and heavily regretted letting his curiosity prompt him to ask for the reason. Recalling the blinking eyes and the matter-of-fact justification of “I just like it,” Qi Junyang felt as though his soul had taken a rather heavy blow.
At precisely twelve o’clock midnight, Zhuang Zhuoyi, dressed in a Zegna suit and wearing narrow-rimmed gold wire-framed glasses, appeared before the entrance of the prestigious Noble Club. The two security guards at the door froze the moment they laid eyes on him. Having seemingly never witnessed a man quite this sharp, their gazes were laced with deep suspicion, as though trying to figure out whether he had come to lord over others or to be lorded over.
Strolling up to them with an air of detached, aloof arrogance, Zhuang Zhuoyi caused the pair to scramble in a panic to open the doors for him, completely forgetting to check his membership card. Just like that, he sauntered right inside with effortless ease.
Coming toward him was the club’s floor manager. Zhuang Zhuoyi presented his VIP card, and upon sliding the card through the card reader, the manager paused for a fraction of a second before flashing a smile. “Welcome to our establishment, Chairman Zhuang. Please follow me.”
He followed the manager at a leisurely pace down the corridor at the back of the club, or rather, a secured passageway.
Passing down the narrow, elongated corridor and pushing open a small iron door, they caught sight of two burly men standing guard outside a heavy dark-red double door. Guided by the manager, they boarded an elevator that descended all the way to the lowest basement level, finally arriving at the true Red Gate.
The Red Gate was the name of Guo Sheng’s underground erotic establishment. Within its walls lay a realm of decadent luxury and fleshly indulgence, saturated with the ugliest facets of human nature. Here, young men and women of every imaginable appearance were kept on display for guests to select at whim. The manager ordered a drink for him and bowed deeply before withdrawing. At that moment, Qi Junyang slipped in as well; acting as though they were utter strangers, the two took separate seats facing one another.
After a brief while, ensuring no one was paying attention, Zhuang Zhuoyi slipped swiftly toward a door at the rear.
00:30 AM
Having already showered and prepared for bed, Zhuang Zhuoran picked up the phone on his nightstand, opened a text message, and immediately locked his brows into a deep frown. After a moment of contemplation, he changed back out of his pajamas and left the main ancestral residence.
Meanwhile, Zhuang Zhuoyi had already penetrated the VIP zone within the Red Gate.
He had gathered during the afternoon that Guo Sheng invariably departed the Red Gate past midnight. Seizing this window to sniff out clues was the most opportune plan. Threading his way past the bustling gambling hall and the guest accommodations with nary a misstep, he soon caught sight of the door to Guo Sheng’s office.
The pitch-black double door lacked a traditional handle; instead, a numerical keypad was mounted on the wall nearby, indicating that a passcode was required to unlock it. Exercising caution, he swept the interior using a portable thermal scanner. Confirming the absence of any biological heat signatures, he produced a compact electronic device, slapped a multi-frequency decoding magnetic strip over the keypad, and tapped the touchscreen. Thirty seconds later, the door emitted a dull click, parting just enough to reveal a narrow crack.
“Grace’s gadgets just keep getting better and better,” he muttered in praise of his friend across the ocean, gently pushing the door open.
To his utter surprise, seated upright inside the office was a man—Guo Sheng!
Guo Sheng was clad in a black Tang suit with a few strands of hair dangling across his forehead. His narrow, slanted eyes, hooked nose, and thin lips formed the quintessential physiognomy of a venomous, treacherous villain. His expression remained utterly unruffled, an ambiguous, half-amused smile playing on his lips as he surveyed the sudden intruder. “They say seeing is believing, and Young Master Yi is truly astonishing. Such a fine appearance.”
Damn it! There is a signal-jamming device in here. Zhuang Zhuoyi inwardly cursed in annoyance, though he swiftly regained his composure on the surface. Riding on Guo Sheng’s compliment, he quipped, “Is that so? I personally feel I fall short of Boss Guo’s ruggedness. Your features genuinely carry a hint of violent aesthetics.”
Guo Sheng’s facial muscles twitched slightly before he let out a cold hum. “I wonder what pressing business brings Young Master Yi sneaking into my office using your esteemed brother’s invalidated VIP card?”
“Tch!” He clicked his tongue. “I should have swapped for someone else’s card.”
Guo Sheng burst into laughter, stepping right up to him. Adopting a tone as intimate as a lover’s, he murmured softly, “You only needed to give me a call, and I would have welcomed you personally.” Catching the malice glinting in Guo Sheng’s eyes, Zhuang Zhuoyi realized that rumors labeling the man an insatiable satyr in the underworld were entirely true. Knowing he had to evacuate immediately, he took an imperceptible step back and spoke with an earnest tone, “I came to ask Boss Guo about a specific matter regarding the gigolo named Bobby here at your establishment.”
“There is indeed such a person. I even took the initiative to introduce him to Manager He as a gift. I simply never anticipated that the recipient would be Chairman Zhuang, nor that the affair would escalate into a murder investigation.”
Guo Sheng’s attitude caught him off guard, suggesting that the matter surrounding Bobby harbored hidden depths. Just as he prepared to press for further details, Guo Sheng suddenly surged forward. Startled, Zhuang Zhuoyi spun on his heel and bolted.
“Do not run off,” Guo Sheng moved with lightning speed, clamping a dead grip on his arm. “Young Master Yi, do you not wish to know what happened afterward?”
The man’s words carried a double entendre, and how could Zhuang Zhuoyi fail to understand? If he didn’t leave now, he was about to lose his chastity; investigating clues took a backseat to sheer survival. Yet circumstances refused to cooperate: two bodyguards burst in unexpectedly, pinning him and shoving him forcefully onto the bed. Guo Sheng strolled in behind them, unbuttoning his Tang suit as he declared, “If you wish to extract information from my mouth, you must pay a price. My Red Gate is not a place you can waltz into and out of as you please.”
Maintaining his calm as the two bodyguards retreated, Zhuang Zhuoyi issued a stern warning to Guo Sheng, who was preparing to force the issue: “Boss Guo, you had better think carefully. Offending me is by no means a wise move.”
“I have offended plenty of people. One more makes no difference.”
The buttons of his suit jacket were yanked apart, and his shirt torn open. Rather than flushing with embarrassment, a blinding wave of rage turned his face deathly pale! The freezing hostility radiating from his eyes was chilling enough to cow any timid soul into submission. Yet the person pressing down upon him was no ordinary adversary it was Guo Sheng, the ruthless lord of the underground sex trade! The slightest misstep tonight would leave him picked clean to the bone.
Direct confrontation was a dead end. Planting a foot squarely against Guo Sheng’s collarbone, Zhuang Zhuoyi offered a half-smile. “Boss Guo, I do not mind trading my body for clues. Just be gentle, as I have no prior experience with same-sex relations.”
“So I am your very first man? How flattering.”
“Since you find it flattering, do me the favor of unbuckling my trousers the conventional way. This suit was rather expensive.”
Such an unbothered, indifferent reaction genuinely bewildered Guo Sheng. Taking a closer look, Zhuang Zhuoyi’s half-smiling expression proved utterly irresistible. The slightly upturned outer corners of his eyes flushed with a faint crimson hue, his gaze shedding its chilling hostility to take on a teasing, playful nuance. Meanwhile, the curved corners of his lips and slightly elevated chin made him look radiantly arrogant. This inadvertently fostered a bizarre illusion in Guo Sheng’s mind that he was actually the fortunate one being favored. Muttering a low “little goblin,” he leaned down to sink his teeth into the man’s neck.
Throughout the moment Zhuang Zhuoyi was pinned down, Qi Junyang, lurking within the adjoining washroom, had steadfastly held his ground. He refused to believe Zhuang Zhuoyi lacked an exit strategy, choosing instead to observe and wait…
Until Zhuang Zhuoyi’s expensive suit trousers had their belt unbuckled, and he caught the flash of explosive murderous intent erupting in Zhuang Zhuoyi’s eyes!
This fellow really cannot handle this.
Just as Zhuang Zhuoyi’s trousers were on the verge of being compromised, a figure darted out silently from the washroom. Gliding ghost-like to the bedside, a hand rose and fell; Guo Sheng collapsed into unconsciousness without managing a single sound.
Panting heavily, Zhuang Zhuoyi shoved himself upright into a sitting position and delivered a vicious kick to Guo Sheng’s ribs. Glaring at the wooden-faced man with a trace of lingering exasperation, he thought: Forget it, regardless of the means, he still came out. Prioritizing business, he demanded, “How is the situation outside? Did anyone spot you?”
“No one noticed. You had best leave quickly; there are still guards stationed outside. If they notice the silence within, they will inevitably force their way in.”
“We cannot leave yet. I need to inspect Guo Sheng’s computer and extract Bobby’s records. Take care of the two men outside first.”
Nodding in acknowledgment, Qi Junyang pivoted and advanced toward the exit, taking up a concealed position by the door.
The two guards stationed outside kept their ears pressed against the wood, wondering how long their boss intended to drag things out. That man was far more stunning than the Red Gate’s top headliners; the mere thought of it made their mouths water.
As they drifted off into stray fantasies, two muffled gunshots suddenly rang out from inside! Instantly evaporating all romantic illusions, they pounded frantically on the panel, shouting, “Boss, Boss, what is happening in there?”
With no response from within, one of the anxious guards drew his firearm and kicked the door wide open!
At that instant, Qi Junyang materialized behind the guards like a phantom. Before either could react, he seized their wrists, twisted them into dislocated angles, disarmed them, and delivered a flurry of synchronized palm strikes. To Zhuang Zhuoyi’s estimation, the entire sequence took no more than three seconds. Staring in shock at Qi Junyang, who stood entirely unperturbed without breaking a single sweat, as he kicked the two unconscious bodies aside, Zhuang Zhuoyi felt a creeping wave of alarm.
What kind of monster have I actually hired as an assistant?
Pushing aside distractions, Zhuang Zhuoyi fired up the computer only to discover that it was protected by a startup password. Frustration gnawed at him, leaving him grinding his teeth in anger.
“Hurry up,” Qi Junyang urged.
“What do you call this? This blasted computer requires a password.”
Though Qi Junyang remained somewhat deadpan, he offered a practical suggestion: “Rip out the hard drive.”
“My friend, I am a detective, not a bandit.”
“Is there a difference?”
“A massive difference!” Zhuang Zhuoyi snapped in annoyance. “At the very least, one does not act with such brazen flagrance.”
Striding right past the threshold, Qi Junyang shoved Zhuang Zhuoyi aside. Wielding brutal efficiency to rip open the computer casing, he reminded him, “You have already traded blows with Guo Sheng. What difference does brazen flagrance make now?”
Ugh… Zhuang Zhuoyi found himself completely speechless. The man had a point; he seemed to have bogged himself down in overthinking secrecy and keeping a low profile. Since their cover was blown already, why bother mincing words? Reconciling himself to this realization, he tacitly endorsed Qi Junyang’s approach. The enigmatic, ambiguous look in his eyes instantly chilled into lethal frost. Striding with long, purposeful strides into the inner lounge, Zhuang Zhuoyi looked down upon the unconscious form of Guo Sheng sprawled across the floor as though gazing upon a crushed cockroach.
Producing a fountain-pen-like gadget from his pocket, he extended its telescopic shaft. Once fully expanded, he clicked a miniature button at the tip, generating an instant flash of high-voltage electrical current that he drove mercilessly straight toward Guo Sheng’s crotch!
Swift-handed as ever, Qi Junyang stepped in before a minute had elapsed. Approaching the lounge entrance, he spotted Zhuang Zhuoyi aiming his specialized stun pen directly at Guo Sheng’s heart, and hurriedly intervened: “Not yet. Killing him right now will only invite unnecessary trouble.”
Beneath Zhuang Zhuoyi’s veneer of calm lay a genuine, unadulterated intent to kill. Yet he reined himself in upon hearing Qi Junyang’s warning. Landing a final, vicious kick to Guo Sheng’s face, he hissed, “Live well, for there will come a day I return to take your life.”
Qi Junyang finally grew impatient. Stepping inside, he hauled Zhuang Zhuoyi away by the arm. Still fuming with resentment, the latter allowed himself to be dragged along while managing to sneak in one parting kick.
“Let us go,” Qi Junyang advised with a profound, seasoned tone.