Chapter 24 Cleanup

Lin Xiaowei, Zhang Qing, and Ye Yuhe each looked like frostbitten eggplants, completely wilted and lifeless.

Xia Wuyuan had no choice but to shift his attention, "First, let's figure out how to rescue the people."

Ou Zhengyang, the chairman of Yulong International, realized the situation was getting out of control. No longer displaying his previous formidable demeanor, he tried to quietly slip out of the room.

"Did I say you could leave?"

Alkaid picked up a broken section of the baton from the ground and kicked it with precision.

"Whoosh!"

Explosive force unleashed!

Shrill whistling cut through the air!

Ou Zhengyang, who had just turned to leave the office, had his calf pierced by that half of the baton. He screamed and fell to the floor in agony.

"Where is the 'merchandise' mentioned by General Manager You?"

Alkaid stepped forward and asked.

"I... I don't know, I'm just in charge of operations..."

Ou Zhengyang's forehead was dripping with cold sweat, his face deathly pale, "Young Master Su... our Ou family in Shanlong City and the Su Family have a lot of dealings in the logistics industry too, considering our families are business partners... please spare me..."

"I'll ask one more time, where is the 'merchandise'."

Alkaid wielded his sword, aiming at Ou Zhengyang's head.

"Su Alkaid, don't kill anymore."

Lin Xiaowei hurriedly shouted.

"I'm not killing a person, I'm killing a demon," Alkaid said.

A moment later, he looked at Ou Zhengyang with an expressionless face, "A demon living among us."

That look...

Instantly filled Ou Zhengyang with an unprecedented fear, terror sweeping over his entire body.

He realized that if he didn't speak, the man before him, who seemed as mad as a hatter, the third young master of the Su family...

Would really kill.

"I don't know, I truly don't know!"

He shouted loudly, "These matters are all handled by You Long... I never inquire... just that every year, I receive three portions of Divine Blood..."

"Divine Blood!?"

Xia Wuyuan suddenly looked up.

"What is Divine Blood?"

Lin Xiaowei couldn't help but ask.

"A special drug that can only be extracted from the human body, reportedly, it can prolong life, and if consumed in large quantities, can keep one eternally youthful."

A trace of solemnity flickered through Xia Wuyuan's eyes, "As early as ten years ago, this drug was explicitly banned by the World Health Organization."

"Then you're of no use..."

Alkaid, however, ignored the conversation between Xia Wuyuan and Lin Xiaowei, instead raising the sword in his hand.

"Basement Level Four!"

Ou Zhengyang immediately shouted, "Basement Level Four! All their unspeakable dealings are handled there! If there really is 'merchandise', it must be on Basement Level Four. You can go straight down by swiping a card on Elevator Six!"

After hearing this, Alkaid turned toward Lin Xiaowei, Xia Wuyuan, and the others, "What are you waiting for? Get the card, go down and rescue them."

Coming to their senses, Xia Wuyuan, Lin Xiaowei, and the others quickly went to You Long's corpse and soon retrieved a card from him.

The two of them hurried outwards.

However, just as they were about to exit the room, Lin Xiaowei paused in her steps.

She said to Xia Wuyuan, "I'll stay behind."

Xia Wuyuan glanced at her then gave Alkaid a side glance, "It's pointless. If he really is..."

He paused, choosing not to continue, and skipped to saying, "You'll only be sacrificing yourself in vain."

"What if he has always been forced to kill in pursuit of the Divine Blood affair?" Lin Xiaowei said.

Xia Wuyuan knew why she would say that.

On one hand, the Lin Family and Su Family had some connections.

Lin Xiaowei and Su Yaoyu could even be considered friends.

On the other hand...

Su Alkaid's identity was too sensitive.

Unless there was irrefutable evidence, the Su Family's legal team would find numerous ways to extricate him from this incident.

Even if they personally witnessed Su Alkaid kill You Long, it would be seen as a brave struggle against a criminal. Not only would they be unable to bring him to justice for this, but the Security Bureau might even present him with a silk banner for his valor.

"Be careful," Xia Wuyuan said, quickly leaving with Ye Yuhe, Zhang Qing, and the others.

Time was pressing.

Just as Alkaid had said, every second delayed could result in someone's death; they couldn't afford to linger even a moment.

Xia Wuyuan and the others left in a hurry, also not daring to call for backup.

From the previous conversations of Ou Zhengyang and others, it was not hard to surmise that the Security Bureau of Shanlong City and Yulong International were in cahoots and untrustworthy.

If they called for backup, it could only come from Yunmeng City.

It would take those people more than an hour to arrive.

"If you confess willingly, you might earn some leniency. Otherwise..."

Lin Xiaowei turned her gaze to Jiang Feng and the few pale-faced security personnel left in the room.

"We confess! We will confess!"

"I was wrong, we shouldn't have aided a tyrant!"

Before she could finish her sentence, several people had already started to speak up, one after another.

It seemed they were afraid of "surrendering" too slowly, following in the footsteps of their colleagues who had gone before.

Alkaid didn't bother with Lin Xiaowei, who was locking up these people in the room across to await punishment, but instead squatted next to Ou Zhengyang.

"Su... Young Su, I've told you everything I could, could you please call me an ambulance... I even had drinks with your dad, Su Huaifeng, back in the day..."

Ou Zhengyang's forehead was covered in cold sweat.

It was unclear whether it was due to excruciating pain or sheer terror within his heart.

"Had drinks? You didn't hesitate even for a moment when you ordered people to go after me," Alkaid said.

"They know their limits, they would never really harm Young Su..." Ou Zhengyang hastened to explain.

"Speak, where's You Long's superior?" Alkaid asked calmly. "I know he's got someone above him."

Ou Zhengyang's pupils contracted momentarily.

But soon, with an extremely resolute tone, he said, "That's it, You Long is the main culprit behind all this. They somehow came up with the technology to refine Divine Blood and used the facilities of our Yulong International..."

He quickly changed the subject and began to proclaim his innocence: "We had no idea they were committing illegal activities at the start. If we had known, not even a hundred guts would've been enough for us to allow them to settle in. Holding Yulong International, this treasure trove, why would we engage in such a risky trade that could land us in jail? We boarded their ship of thieves unwittingly..."

"Looks like he's a big shot whom your Ou family can't afford to offend," Alkaid said.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I've committed a crime, and I'm willing to face my punishment!" Ou Zhengyang immediately turned and shouted towards Lin Xiaowei, who was returning from the door: "Inspector Lin, I surrender! Whatever the sentence for my crime, how many years I have to serve, I'll accept it all! It's what I deserve..."

"A few years in prison?"

Alkaid laid the Chengying Sword directly on Ou Zhengyang's neck.

Lin Xiaowei, who had just temporarily locked up Jiang Feng and others, seemed to realize something and rushed over: "Su Alkaid, stop!"

The cold blade caused an unprecedented surge of terror in Ou Zhengyang's eyes.

He struggled violently, screaming, "Inspector Lin, save me..."

"Shh!"

Before he could finish, the Chengying Sword sliced through his throat.

Blood spurted out.

Ou Zhengyang's eyes bulged as he grabbed at his own neck, as if this would lessen the blood spray and slow the ebbing of his life.

"Don't!"

Lin Xiaowei, who had hurried over, called out with a trembling voice.

But she could only watch in horror as Ou Zhengyang's struggles grew weaker.

She suddenly looked towards Alkaid.

He had killed a man, yet Su Alkaid looked as if nothing had happened.

This cold-bloodedness, this ruthlessness...

While she found it unbelievable, it also sent chills down her spine.

Alkaid wiped the Chengying Sword on Ou Zhengyang's expensive suit, then stood up.

"You will testify for me that he was killed after resisting with incontrovertible evidence against him, right?" he asked.

"You... You..."

Lin Xiaowei stared at him, her chest heaving violently.

"Or do you think, with his stature and background, the legal punishment would make him serve a few years in prison? Five years? Three years? One year? Or maybe he'd simply get a suspended sentence, as good as no punishment at all?" Alkaid stood up and said.

Lin Xiaowei opened her mouth, wanting to say something in rebuttal, but in the end...

She couldn't utter a single word.

"That's that then, take care of the rest," Alkaid said, and started walking towards the door.

"Wait."

Lin Xiaowei looked at Alkaid: "Recently, a number of martial masters have been killed. Were they... did you kill them?"

"I did not kill anyone," Alkaid replied calmly.

Lin Xiaowei looked silently at the corpses strewn across the office floor.

How could you say that with a straight face?

Alkaid seemed to realize that his previous statement was somewhat out of place for the current situation and decided to phrase it differently: "Those I killed, do not deserve to be considered human."

"Su Alkaid."

As he was about to reach the door, Lin Xiaowei called out to him again.

She took a deep breath: "For now, I will believe you wouldn't kill the innocent needlessly. With your status, there's no need to lie to me, but I hope... if something like this happens again, you could let us know..."

"You all?"

Alkaid responded indifferently: "Like just now, could you have gotten any useful information out of Ou Zhengyang's mouth? By the time you got anything, dozens of people would have already been killed, all traces wiped clean. What could you possibly find out then?"

At this, Lin Xiaowei was silenced once more.

"I spoke a bit harshly. Actually, it's just that your positions limit the way you can act," Alkaid shook his head. "Alright, the aftermath is yours to handle."

With that, he turned and left.