Chapter 34: Wounded

Beep beep!
A strange sound echoed from the dock. Soon after, several shadowy figures hunched low as they darted out from the darkness onto the pier, followed by a group of men sprinting rapidly in the same direction. One of them, clutching a large sack, ran swiftly along the dock's path.

"Captain, they're here!" Fang Qin's black eyes gleamed with excitement.

"Don't rush. Wait until they're making the deal, then we move!" Zhang Yantong brushed her hair from her forehead. The sea breeze was gentle, and on this midsummer night, the atmosphere should have been comfortable; yet, under such tension, not a single person felt at ease. Instead, sweat poured down their faces from the heat.

Out on the pitch-black sea, a powerful lamp suddenly flashed in rhythmic bursts, seemingly transmitting a signal. Soon after, the men on the dock whistled, mimicking the call of a cuckoo. Moments later, the sound of an engine rumbled over the waves—a speedboat charged toward the dock.

The men on the dock scurried quickly, backs bent. The speedboat eased to a stop beside the pier.

"All units, stand by!" Zhang Yantong pressed her radio, issuing the order swiftly: "Move in, everyone!"

Crash!

A swarm of police officers surged out from behind the shipping containers, their lights flickering, police dogs barking madly. In an instant, over a hundred officers charged forward like the wind. The people on the speedboat froze in shock.

"Don't move! Hands in the air!" Zhang Yantong led the charge at the front.

"Haha… Die!" The men on the boat seemed prepared. They pulled out a cache of weapons and unleashed a hail of bullets on the police.

Rat-a-tat-tat…

The officers were completely unprepared; no one had anticipated that this was a trap. Zhang Yantong hesitated for a brief second before diving to the ground, but it was too late—a bullet tore straight through her shoulder, spraying blood. Several other officers were also hit in that single instant. Fortunately, most wore bulletproof vests, so only a dozen or so suffered injuries.

Rumble…

By the time the officers scrambled to their feet, the speedboat was already speeding away, leaving only waves in its wake. The detectives could do nothing but fire their guns at the fleeing criminals in frustration.

"Enough!" Zhang Yantong pressed her hand to her shoulder, her face pale as a sheet.

"Captain Zhang…" Fang Qin rushed over in alarm, staring at the wound. "You… you're hurt!"

"It's nothing," Zhang Yantong replied, casting a glance at her team. "Hurry and get the wounded officers to the hospital. We need to file a report on this operation—everyone, return to headquarters!"

Her face clouded with gloom. Ye Chen, oh Ye Chen, you scoundrel, you actually tricked me. Could you be working with Bold Zhang? But even Bold Zhang wouldn’t dare go head-to-head with the police. Lost in thought, Zhang Yantong gritted her teeth through the pain and dialed Ye Chen’s number, only to find, to her fury, that his phone was switched off.

"Captain Zhang, you need to go to the hospital too!" Fang Qin hurried to support her. The ambulances arrived, sirens wailing. For minor wounds, treatment was given on site; but Zhang Yantong’s injury was serious. Luckily, the bullet had passed through and not remained lodged, so a minor procedure at the hospital would suffice.

The following morning, all the city’s papers reported on the gunfight at Dock One, immediately capturing the attention of Jianghuai’s citizens. Jianghuai was a coastal city, long plagued by drug trafficking—vast amounts of narcotics were smuggled through its port, then sold inland. The city faced Hong Kong, Shenzhen, and Macau across the sea, making smuggling and drug trafficking particularly troublesome here.

"Xiao Zhang, you owe me an explanation for this incident." Deputy Director Zeng tapped his fingers on the desk.

"Director Zeng, I’ll submit a formal report on the matter," Zhang Yantong said, keeping her head bowed. She hadn’t expected things to spiral so far. The tip from Ye Chen, after all, had never been properly verified—they’d relied solely on his word.

"Very well." Deputy Director Zeng nodded. "How’s your injury?"

"Thank you for your concern, Director. It’s much better now," Zhang Yantong replied, though her shoulder still burned with pain, and even the slightest movement tugged at her wound, despite the doctor's stern warnings to rest.

"Take medical leave if the wound bothers you," Zeng instructed.

"Yes, I’ll head back now," Zhang Yantong replied, glancing at him.

Leaving the director’s office, Zhang Yantong’s eyes were red and puffy from a sleepless night. After reporting to the station in the early morning, she drove straight to Xinhai Community. It was already 8:10 a.m.—Ye Chen would likely still be home at this hour.

Knock, knock, knock.

She rapped on the door, but there was no answer. Zhang Yantong hesitated—was he not home? Well, no matter. This was a good chance to investigate and see if Ye Chen had any connection to Bold Zhang. If he did, there would be no mercy. She glanced around, then pulled a master key from her pocket. The key fit perfectly in Ye Chen’s lock. With a twist—click—the door swung open.

Her heart raced. This was her first time breaking in like a thief, and she couldn’t help but feel awkward about it.

The entrance opened directly into the living room, which was a mess. In the corner stood a Haier double-door refrigerator, with a water dispenser to its right. In the center was a thirty-two-inch color TV and a set of fabric sofas. There wasn’t much else.

Drugs were usually hidden in refrigerators, so that became her first target. She opened it quietly; it was spotless inside, save for a few cans of Tsingtao beer. Zhang Yantong frowned and checked the freezer—nothing.

Maybe the bedroom? She tiptoed across the living room. The bedroom door was open, and the room was a mess. The wooden floor was strewn with clothes, the heavy curtains still drawn, the air conditioner’s chill lingering in the air. She searched the bedroom thoroughly but found nothing. Only one place left—the bathroom.

Her years on the force told her that the bathroom was the most likely hiding spot for a drug dealer. It was inconspicuous, and most traffickers were also users, making the bathroom their preferred spot.

A faint rustling came from the bathroom. Zhang Yantong froze—was Ye Chen actually home? Her heart pounded. She was about to turn and leave when she thought, if he was using drugs in there, she’d catch him red-handed. No—this had to be investigated to the end.

Without hesitation, she strode over, kicked open the door, and burst in—

Ye Chen had just gotten out of bed, his bladder bursting from a night of deep sleep. Despite his reluctance to get up, the pressure was unbearable, so he shuffled to the bathroom, rubbing his disheveled hair, yawning, barely able to open his eyes. He was mid-stream, enjoying the relief, when the door suddenly slammed open.

Startled, he turned and saw—damn! Wasn’t that Officer Zhang? In his shock, he forgot he was still urinating; as he turned, the stream hit Zhang Yantong squarely.

"Ah!" Zhang Yantong was stunned, staring wide-eyed at Ye Chen’s impressive, upright member—so intimidating that she screamed in terror. Her police uniform was soaked in his urine.

Ye Chen snapped awake at her scream. Looking down, he realized his "dragon" was still spraying. He hastily cut off the flow and tucked himself in, awkwardly stammering, "Officer Zhang… what brings you here?"

"You bastard! You’re shameless! You… you have no decency!" Officer Zhang’s tirade was relentless, her composure gone. In that moment, she was no longer a police officer, but a frightened young woman. She hurriedly stripped off her uniform, revealing a cropped binder, her pale, smooth stomach, and a proud, shapely chest that made Ye Chen’s morning arousal even worse.

Smack!

Ye Chen licked his lips, swallowing hard, his eyes blatantly roaming over Zhang Yantong’s slender, statuesque form. Her upper body was bare, and if it hadn’t been for the binder, he would have seen everything.

[Author’s Note: From today, there will be two updates. Next chapter at 9 p.m. Please support by voting, registering, and adding the novel to your favorites. Spread the word for Eggplant!]

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