90: Chapter 89 Divine Soldiers Descend from the Sky

Zhao San stared down at the white paper at his feet. The words "Application for Bankruptcy and Deregistration" were incredibly eye-catching.

Having spent so many years on the streets, he hadn't read many books, but being used as a pawn and ending up as a scapegoat was nothing new in his line of work.

He hesitated and raised a hand, stopping the few brothers beside him who were ready to take action.

He pulled his phone from his pants pocket and skillfully dialed Lei Dong's number.

A long, drawn-out ringing tone came from the receiver.

No one answered.

Zhao San gritted his teeth and redialed.

This time, the call went through.

However, it wasn't Lei Dong's hoarse voice that came through, but an extremely seductive female voice.

"Hello, who is this?"

"I am Lei Dong's assistant, Wang Xiaoqian."

Zhao San tightened his grip on the phone. "Beauty, where is Boss Lei? I have an urgent matter to discuss with him."

"Boss Lei is in a meeting. If you have anything to say, you can tell me first." Wang Xiaoqian's tone was languid.

Zhao San glanced at Zhu Wenhao standing not far away. "The investigator Young Master Lei mentioned is here. But this kid is weird; he brought a document saying the company is going to file for bankruptcy and deregistration? Our brothers are all going to lose their jobs. Is that true?"

Wang Xiaoqian chuckled on the other end of the line, a laugh that tickled the heart.

"Brother Zhao, the company is running just fine, with millions in turnover every day. Where would this talk of bankruptcy come from? It's just rumors started by outsiders."

"Wait a moment, I will ask Boss Lei for instructions. The brothers have worked hard today, and Boss Lei said he wants to prepare a big gift for you all."

The call was disconnected from the other end.

Zhao San squeezed his phone, and the scales in his heart began to tip.

The woman's delicate assurances, combined with the Lei family's customary generosity, made him cast the paper on the ground to the back of his mind.

He looked up at Zhu Wenhao.

Zhu Wenhao stood where he was, surrounded by a few thugs eager to make a move.

He had one hand in the pocket of his dark jacket, his index finger and thumb skillfully pressing three times on a hard object blindly.

The signal was sent.

After finishing this, Zhu Wenhao pulled his hand out, straightened his collar, and ignored the closing circle.

Zhao San was infuriated by Zhu Wenhao's composure.

This kid was too calm, unnaturally so.

He raised his hand to signal two brothers, preparing to go up and frisk him.

Just then, Zhao San's phone vibrated.

He answered, and Wang Xiaoqian's voice came through: "Zhao San, check your text messages. Boss Lei just transferred 200,000 to your card. Do you understand Boss Lei's intentions now?"

"Ding." The text message notification sounded right on cue.

Zhao San pressed the speakerphone button, exited the call interface, and glanced at the screen.

A notification that 200,000 in real cash had arrived. The account name of the sender showed: Zhang Jiao.

"Assistant Wang, I received the money. But why is the sender someone named Zhang Jiao?" Zhao San asked an extra question.

"Brother Zhao, it's enough that you received the money. Don't you understand the rules of transferring funds? Don't dwell on who sent it." Wang Xiaoqian's voice turned cold. "Boss Lei gave instructions to teach that investigator a lesson."

"Just make sure he's bedridden for a month. Remember, don't leave any obvious external injuries, and don't break any bones. Otherwise, if things get too big, it'll be hard to protect you from the Public Security Bureau."

The requirements were very specific. Inflict internal injuries, no blood.

"Understood. Beauty, just wait for the good news."

Zhao San hung up the phone and tucked it back into his pocket.

The confidence from 200,000 was enough for him to risk his life.

"Kid, you blocked the Lei family's path, don't blame our brothers for being ruthless." Zhao San spat and waved his hand. "Beat him up for me!"

Several thugs swarmed forward.

Zhu Wenhao did not retreat.

Two fists cannot fight four hands; this is an iron law.

He was once an emperor of the Great Ming, not a reckless brute of the underworld.

He took the initiative to bend his arms, shielding his head, face, chest, and abdomen—his vital areas—and fell to the ground with the momentum.

This was a calculated cost. If you don't enter the tiger's den, you cannot get the tiger's cub.

He took a few solid kicks to his back and thighs.

As the pain hit, Zhu Wenhao gritted his teeth and made no sound.

The thugs were hitting him with gusto, and someone even wanted to pick up a steel pipe from the ground.

A piercing police siren suddenly wailed outside the gates of the Red Star Machinery Factory.

Several anti-riot SUVs crushed the overgrown road, barreling into the factory area and directly surrounding the thugs in the center.

The car doors opened. Fully armed SWAT officers filed out, holding anti-riot guns, their dark muzzles aimed directly at Zhao San and his men.

"Don't move! Hands on your heads, squat down!"

Zhao San and his gang of thugs had never seen such a deployment of SWAT forces; they were scared out of their wits on the spot, threw down their weapons, squatted on the ground with their hands on their heads, and didn't dare to breathe.

Deputy Captain Shan Hu of the SWAT team slung his gun behind his back, strode forward in three steps, and pulled up the prone Zhu Wenhao.

"Comrade, are you alright?" Deputy Captain Shan Hu looked Zhu Wenhao up and down. "Jiangnan Province, Provincial Public Security Department, SWAT Deputy Captain, Shan Hu. Here to support on orders."

"Do you need to go to the hospital?"

Zhu Wenhao brushed the dust off his body and moved his limbs.

"Just superficial injuries, nothing serious."

He looked at the fully armed SWAT officers around him and asked, "Where is Captain Xiao Zhan of the Criminal Police Brigade, arranged by Director Qi?"

Deputy Captain Shan Hu snorted through his nose.

"Those criminal police, driving their beat-up cars, are still eating dust behind us. Our SWAT team, upon receiving your signal, just stepped on the gas and got here."

"Criminal police have good brains, but when it comes to response speed and skills, they're just this." Deputy Captain Shan Hu held up his pinky finger, gesturing.

"Little Hu, are you bad-mouthing me behind my back again!"

A voice full of anger came from behind the two SWAT vehicles. A police car with Provincial Public Security Department plates screeched to a halt.

A middle-aged man pushed the car door open and stepped out, moving with brisk, forceful strides. It was Captain Xiao Zhan of the Criminal Police Brigade.

Hearing this voice, Deputy Captain Shan Hu's previous arrogance vanished completely, and he went over with a fawning smile. "Captain Xiao, how could I dare? I was just praising our public security system's collaborative combat capabilities to the local comrades."

Deputy Captain Shan Hu winked at Zhu Wenhao.

Captain Xiao Zhan ignored him and walked straight up to Zhu Wenhao. He waved his hand. "Police Chief Zhao Gang, come here."

Police Chief Zhao Gang of the Jingjiang City, Lubei District Public Security Bureau Criminal Police Brigade hurried over.

"Police Chief Zhao Gang, take Comrade Zhu Wenhao to the hospital immediately for a medical examination." Captain Xiao Zhan instructed, his voice serious. "Remember, have a forensic doctor follow the whole process, and preserve all image and text evidence. Be thorough; don't miss a single bruise, understand?"

"Understood, Captain." Police Chief Zhao Gang accepted the order.

Captain Xiao Zhan turned his head and looked at Zhu Wenhao.

"Sorry, I let you suffer. There was a bit of traffic on the road, and I arrived a step late."

"It's fine; the plan was executed just right. Taking these hits to trade for the weight of the confession is worth it."

Zhu Wenhao pulled a black voice recorder from his inner pocket, removed a micro-camera lens from his button, and handed them to Captain Xiao Zhan.

"This is the recording of the scene. They mentioned Lei Dong, and the specific details of the 200,000 payment to hire thugs are all inside."

He pointed to Zhao San, who was squatting on the ground. "The bald guy's phone has the record of his call with Lei Dong's assistant just now, as well as the text message for the 200,000 deposit. The account name is Zhang Jiao. If you follow this flow of funds, you can dig out the source of Shengyuan Holdings' money laundering."

"I'm handing these over to you; you'll have use for them."

Zhu Wenhao straightened his slightly torn sleeve.

"I'll leave the remaining cleanup work to you, Captain Xiao Zhan. After I go to the hospital, I will give Director Qi a call to report the progress."

Captain Xiao Zhan took the voice recorder and camera, placing them into a special evidence bag.

He looked at the young man in his twenties before him.

Beaten to the ground, he showed no panic. Rescue was delayed, yet he had no complaints.

In an extremely dangerous environment, he was still able to calmly record audio and video, and even induce the other party to utter core criminal instructions.

How could this be a green junior official? He was clearly a veteran who had walked on the edge of a blade for half his life.

"Comrade Zhu Wenhao, please go to the hospital for a check-up. Leave this place to us."

Zhu Wenhao got into Police Chief Zhao Gang's police car and drove away from the Red Star Machinery Factory.

Captain Xiao Zhan watched the receding taillights of the police car until they disappeared from view.

Only then did he retract his gaze, turn his head to look at Zhao San and his men squatting on the ground, and put on a cold, ruthless face.

"Let's go, get to work!"

"Take all these criminal suspects involved in underworld activities back to the Provincial Public Security Department for overnight interrogation!"

The SWAT officers stepped forward, handcuffed Zhao San and his men, and shoved them into the anti-riot vehicles.

A targeted crackdown officially began.