Chapter 42: Arrest

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It was ten o’clock at night, the wind was high and the darkness deep. Inside the police station, a large force had already assembled, each member fully armed. Tonight, they had received a special assignment: to crack down on vice and illegal publications. This surprised many; when had such an operation ever required so many officers, and with such advanced equipment—Type 79 submachine guns, pistols, bulletproof vests, bulletproof helmets—nothing was missing. Anyone paying attention could see that this was no ordinary crackdown.

“Comrades!” Zhang Yantong, clad in a bulletproof vest, gripped a Type 79 submachine gun in her right hand, raising it as she addressed the assembled officers with solemnity. “The situation tonight is extremely urgent. Please hand over all your cell phones now!”

There was a flurry of movement as everyone quickly produced their phones from their pockets. Fang Qin collected them all, placed them in a box, and sealed it with tape. Saluting Zhang Yantong, she reported, “Captain, all phones have been collected and sealed. They will be returned tomorrow morning!”

“Good,” Zhang Yantong nodded. “Now, I officially announce tonight’s mission: we are to ambush Zhang the Bold’s drug trade at Dock Number Two!”

A collective gasp rippled through the group. As expected, the crackdown was just a smokescreen for something far more dangerous. The last operation had yielded no arrests; instead, several officers had been injured. At once, someone voiced concern, “Captain Zhang, is the intelligence reliable this time? Are we going to walk into another ambush?”

“No, absolutely not!” Zhang Yantong shook her head. “Last time, there was a mole among us. This time—hmph—I hope the mole behaves. Without phones, let’s see how you tip anyone off.”

Ye Chen stood behind Zhang Yantong, also clad in a bulletproof vest. He was not a police officer and therefore could not be armed. Tonight, his role was that of a strategist—though, more bluntly, a supervisor. After all, it was Ye Chen who brought the information; if he wasn’t present, who could guarantee he wasn’t one of Zhang the Bold’s men? Zhang Yantong’s intentions were inscrutable to Ye Chen.

“All right, everyone, move out!” Zhang Yantong commanded. Over a hundred officers boarded three police vehicles. She glanced at Ye Chen. “Ye Chen, ride with me.”

She led Ye Chen to a Volkswagen. With the lead car, they sped away from the station entrance. By ten forty, the force was already lurking at Dock Number Two. This dock was far more complex than Dock Number One, with containers filling the entire port. The officers spread out in more than a dozen locations, encircling the dock from all directions.

Now they waited for their prey to enter the trap…

“What time is it?” Ye Chen glanced at Zhang Yantong.

“It’s already midnight,” she replied, holding her Type 79 submachine gun as she lay atop a container.

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“Hey, can you relax a little? Didn’t they say the deal’s at one? Why are you so tense?” Ye Chen grumbled.

“Hmph, you think they’ll stick to one o’clock just because they said so?” Zhang Yantong turned to him. “As the old saying goes, war is deception. Put simply, the more unpredictable a commander, the better. If they say one o’clock, it’s quite likely they’ll come an hour early.”

“Really?” Ye Chen was taken aback and quickly lay down to hide with Zhang Yantong.

Sure enough, within minutes, the sound of engines drifted from the dark sea. A flickering light appeared, signaling in three long, two short bursts, alternating on and off. As the signal flashed, a group of armed men emerged from the shadows of the dock, forming a defensive line.

“They’re here!” Ye Chen tried to stand, but Zhang Yantong pressed him down, whispering angrily, “Idiot, what do you think you’re doing? Want to spook them? If you move now, you might as well tell the traffickers we’re here!”

“Right, right!” Ye Chen nodded, immediately ducking down. “I’m just eager to catch Zhang the Bold, didn’t think about the guys on the sea.”

“Stay calm,” Zhang Yantong ordered, casting him a stern look.

Truth be told, Zhang Yantong looked striking when serious—her eyes resolute, helmet strapped under her chin, her dainty head topped with a large hat, making her appear all the more charming and adorable. Especially under the hazy moonlight, Ye Chen was utterly captivated by her.

On the dock, the outlines of the speedboat were visible. Five men aboard, each wielding a submachine gun that glinted coldly in the moonlight; their builds were robust, hinting at their formidable skills.

The five carried a large crate ashore. Zhang the Bold, with more than ten men, approached with several crates, while the rest stood guard at the dock entrance. The guards had two submachine guns; the others wielded machetes and iron rods. Zhang’s chosen men also had two submachine guns, the rest had pistols—these were evidently his core crew.

The goods were handed to Zhang the Bold for inspection. After his underlings verified their authenticity, he exchanged his crate in return. Five million dollars—a considerable sum in Jianghuai City. Who would have thought Zhang the Bold, mere campus thug, could possess such wealth? One could only imagine the other gangs, especially Yanlong Gang, the city’s largest, whose power was truly formidable.

“Now—attack!” Zhang Yantong decisively gave the order. She fired the first shot; two of the guards at the dock fell instantly, and over a hundred officers surged forward.

“Damn, are you robbing us?” the traffickers were stunned.

“Shit, it’s the police!” Zhang the Bold erupted, grabbing his machine gun to return fire. The traffickers wasted no time, grabbing the cash and leaping onto their speedboat, vanishing across the sea. As for Zhang the Bold and his crew—whether they lived or died was none of their concern; having secured the money, they fled.

Ye Chen smiled, wiping the corner of his mouth. He pressed the low-frequency communicator on his ear and spoke softly, “Mouse, Shrimp, the prey is headed your way. There are five of them, all armed.”

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“Boss, don’t worry, with us here, they won’t escape!” Mouse replied, ever talkative and fond of banter. Shrimp was silent, preferring action to words—the pair complemented each other.

“Surrender your weapons and you’ll be spared!” the police shouted loudly. The traffickers dared not challenge the police’s firepower. In moments, they tossed their weapons aside—especially those with machetes and iron rods, powerless against officers wielding Type 79 submachine guns.

Zhang the Bold, carrying the goods, retreated quickly along the coastline with his men.

Rat-tat-tat...

Zhang Yantong pursued them, firing her submachine gun. She was stubborn, charging ahead instead of delegating the chase. With several shots fired, two more of Zhang’s men fell. Discounting the dozens at the dock, only a handful of his core crew remained—clearly outgunned.

“Damn it, who leaked the information?” Zhang the Bold roared.

“Boss, hurry up!” Black Ghost, clutching his machine gun, nudged Zhang the Bold. “I’ll cover you—get going!”

“Black Ghost, come back alive. I, Zhang the Bold, will be good to you!” Zhang the Bold, eyes brimming with tears, glanced at Black Ghost, then fled with his remaining men.

Fang Qin quickly spotted Zhang Yantong’s situation and, without hesitation, led a dozen officers to support their captain. Zhang Yantong continued her pursuit, while Black Ghost lay in wait, hoping to take out this mobile firepower in one blow.

Ye Chen watched the unfolding drama, witnessing Black Ghost hiding with his machine gun, while Zhang Yantong charged toward him. Eyes wide, Ye Chen sprang into action, sprinting across the top of the containers—seven or eight meters above the ground. A black shadow streaked across the container tops, swift as lightning...

“Die!” Zhang Yantong had just rushed past Black Ghost’s hiding spot when he lunged out with his machine gun. She turned, spotting him in the corner, her eyes wide, mind blank. She knew it was too late to raise her weapon; she could almost see death’s door opening for her, even envisioned the grinning specters waiting in the darkness.

Suddenly—

A dagger plunged into Black Ghost’s skull, emerging from his mouth. His eyes widened, and within moments, life left him. His finger twitched on the trigger, but his strength vanished, and he collapsed to his knees, supported only by the machine gun.

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