Chapter 9: Darkness Exists Everywhere

Qi Fei was led to the second floor by a police officer, where she met Zhao Shan, the narcotics squad captain. He was in his forties, with dark, weathered skin and a face etched by years of hardship.

She had already rehearsed her story on the way: if this man turned out to be corrupt, she would claim she was there to pull strings, asking him to help investigate the "scandal" that had ruined her reputation.

When Zhao Shan saw Qi Fei, who had recently cut her hair short, he paused in surprise. The change from her long-haired look was truly striking.

Qi Fei touched her short hair as she heard him speak.

"Are you busy, Officer Zhao?" she offered as a polite opening.

[The Snakehead's men have already entered the country; how could I not be busy?]

Though his inner thoughts were racing, his expression remained perfectly neutral. "I'm not busy at the moment. Is there something I can help you with, Miss Qi?"

"Boss."

Before they could get to the point, a man in his thirties burst in, panting.

Qi Fei caught the subtle exchange of glances between the two men, but she chose to ignore it. As they stepped out, she quietly crept toward the door.

"Good news. Shi Jiang has cracked, and we've already sent people to the transaction site."

"We caught them red-handed as soon as we arrived. Once Shi Jiang saw he was cornered, he spilled everything."

"The identity of his supplier is confirmed; it's 'Scarface Jiang,' and we've already got people tailing him." Zhao Shan’s head snapped up as he looked at the man.

[They found out that easily?]

Instead of feeling relieved, Zhao Shan’s brow furrowed.

That inner thought made Qi Fei’s heart sink. If even Zhao Shan was one of "them," who else could she turn to? If she found someone else, would it be in time?

Who would have thought that while the world looked safe and peaceful on the surface, it was rotting to the core underneath? She really had been too naive. It turned out that there was no such thing as a truly clean place anywhere.

Qi Fei was just about to open the door to leave when she heard:

[The Snakehead’s men have always been cautious. We’ve been investigating for years and don't even know what the man looks like. How could the transaction site be uncovered so easily? Is there a trap? Or... have we been discovered? Was this intentional?]

[This makes me suspicious. These drug traffickers are far too cunning.]

[I need to ask 787 later.]

Hearing this, Qi Fei pulled her hand back from the door.

Talk about a plot twist—her poor heart couldn't take much more.

She couldn't imagine how broken the world must be if even the head of the law enforcement department was a mole for the villains. The "787" Zhao Shan mentioned must be the undercover officer.

It seemed Zhao Shan had been tracking this group for a long time and likely received word from the mole before they even arrived. 787 must have provided the intel on Shi Jiang, which led the police to Scarface Jiang.

However, the police probably hadn't anticipated a leak, nor did they expect the traffickers to be so capable—not only knowing there was a mole in their midst but also being prepared to kill based on the slightest suspicion.

[We must bring all these suspects to justice this time. That kid has been undercover for so long; it’s time for him to reclaim his identity.]

[Living on a knife's edge, playing a game of wits with those ruthless monsters every single day... I never know when his cover might be blown. If he were to die in a foreign land, how could I ever face his late brother?]

Well, that was that. Qi Fei felt completely reassured; a person’s inner thoughts never lied.

"Keep a close watch on them. Remember, don't alert them."

[I need to verify if this information is reliable first.]

Seeing the man return, Qi Fei skipped the pleasantries. Time was of the essence; any further delay and people would be dead.

She scanned the office, worried about surveillance devices, then leaned in close to Zhao Shan's ear and whispered three digits: "7-8-7."

She watched as Zhao Shan’s gentle expression instantly sharpened. He stared at her intensely—and he had to admit, the aura and the gaze were genuinely intimidating.

Zhao Shan didn't know how Qi Fei had heard the code 787, but he didn't dare gamble. He immediately stood up and closed the door.

[Only I know the codename 787, and we’ve always maintained a single-line contact. How could Qi Fei know this?]

[Could something have actually happened over there?]

Qi Fei didn't waste time. Ignoring his questions, she went straight to the point: "Are you sure there are no listening devices in this office?"

Zhao Shan: "..."

[That question is an insult to me.]

"I am sure."

"Good."

"Are you tracking Scarface Jiang?"

That question made Zhao Shan’s brow knit even tighter. His expression turned stern, and his tone became accusatory. "Who are you? How do you know that?"

[Did she hear it just now?]

[Otherwise, as a celebrity, how would Qi Fei know about Scarface Jiang? Is she with the Snakehead? No, if she were with them, why would she tell me this? What exactly is her identity?]

[Is she involved with the overseas traffickers?]

The stern expression and the interrogative tone irked Qi Fei, but she chose to swallow her frustration.

She didn't play games; time was running out.

"Don't be nervous. I have no ill intentions, and I am not one of the traffickers."

There was no need for her to introduce herself; they had already looked her up. When he asked "who are you," he wasn't really asking; he knew she was the woman who had just had her "scandal" and was disgraced across the entire internet as a homewrecker.

"I came here because I accidentally overheard a conversation."

Zhao Shan: "..."

[Accidentally overheard again? Why does this keep happening to you? Can’t you come up with a more credible excuse?]

Seeing the look in Zhao Shan's eyes, Qi Fei felt a pang of guilt.

She pretended not to notice and dove right in, spilling everything she knew. Time was life.

"I ran into a group of people at the mall. I don’t know who they are, but I heard the names 'Fei San' and 'Qiang Gao' mentioned. They already suspect that Qiang Gao is your undercover officer, and they plan to take care of him today."

"Also, they suspect the original location is compromised. They should have moved the transaction to the abandoned building on the outskirts of the city by now."

"As for exactly where in the abandoned building? I don't know that."

"That's all I know."

Seeing him still doubting her identity, she would have snapped at him if time allowed. This was not the moment for skepticism—they needed to save a life.

She chanted to herself: *Saving lives is priority, saving lives is priority.*

"I’m a public figure, after all. You can investigate me whenever you want, but your colleague, 787, is in danger. If you don't go now, it will be too late."

Qi Fei did it on purpose; emphasizing the codename again was meant to force him into action. Could they not just save the man first and deal with the questions later? He was so tedious.

Seeing Zhao Shan still standing there, Qi Fei finally understood the meaning of "the bystander is more anxious than the protagonist."

Her tone grew involuntarily impatient. "What are you hesitating for? If you really don't trust me, I'll stay right here and wait for you to come back. I’m not going anywhere, am I?"

Zhao Shan wasn't a man prone to hesitation, but he was stunned by what she was saying. This wasn't information a celebrity should have, and her story was riddled with holes.

"Accidentally overheard?"

He had spent his whole life dealing with these people; he knew better than anyone how cautious they were.

And the codename 787—how could she possibly know that?