Chapter 0035: Nighttime Maniac!

"Old Huang, you're not doing a stellar job as security captain. Gunshots this loud, and no one noticed?" Chen Liuhe remarked casually.

Huang Baiwan's head drooped instantly, a mix of guilt and nervousness washing over him. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and said, "Sixth Brother, I won't make excuses. I'll be more careful next time." He could've rattled off a dozen reasons, but he didn't. Having survived in this cutthroat world for so long, he'd learned one truth: right is right, wrong is wrong.

Qin Ruohan's expression darkened. "This isn't entirely Old Huang's fault. He's only been at the club a few days—getting the hang of things takes time. If anyone's to blame, it's those slackers in the monitoring room. They were probably playing cards on the job again and didn't check the footage."

Chen Liuhe gave Qin Ruohan a peculiar glance, chuckling inwardly. This woman's starting to wise up—she's even learning how to win people over.

Tossing his cigarette butt aside, he said to Huang Baiwan, "Lock down this room and preserve the scene." Then, turning to Qin Ruohan, he added, "A life was taken here, inside the club. Best to report this to the police, or it'll get messy—there were witnesses."

Chen Liuhe had a thousand ways to dispose of the body without a trace, but he had no reason to trust the beautiful woman or the massage therapist to keep quiet. Better to call the cops than risk them investigating later.

Both Qin Ruohan and Huang Baiwan were taken aback. Qin Ruohan frowned. "Report it? Are you sure? You killed this guy—won't that cause trouble?"

Chen Liuhe grinned nonchalantly. "You said it yourself—he's an assassin. I doubt the police can't figure out his identity. Plus, I've got that bomb he made in my hands. With that, the whole situation changes—it's not excessive self-defense."

He added, "Don't worry, it won't bring trouble to the club."

Though meant to reassure Qin Ruohan, his words made her scowl. She glared at him and snapped, "At a time like this, you're still spouting useless crap? As long as you're fine, that's what matters."

Chen Liuhe chuckled softly. "Heh, you're getting better with words. Whether that's heartfelt or not, I'll take it."

With that, he stood and headed for the door. "You report it. I'm heading back for a bit, then I'll go to the station myself."

Qin Ruohan called after him, "Don't worry, I'll get the best lawyer in Bianzhou. You'll be fine."

Chen Liuhe waved without looking back.

Twenty minutes later, he returned to the old courtyard. In the quiet yard, Shen Qingwu sat in her wheelchair, gazing at the northern night sky, lost in thought.

"Little sister, dark clouds cover the sky—no moon to admire, no stars to wish on. What's on your mind?" Chen Liuhe asked gently, standing beside her. He reached out to stroke her silky hair but stopped—his hands were still stained with blood.

Shen Qingwu didn't turn, but as if sensing his gesture, she tilted her head and pressed it against his palm, rubbing lightly.

"Brother, sitting here facing south and looking north, I wonder if those people can truly live with themselves. Does that woman wake up from nightmares? She deserves the depths of hell," Shen Qingwu said calmly, her voice devoid of joy or sorrow.

Chen Liuhe smiled faintly. "No grudges, no blame, no hate."

At those words, Shen Qingwu—usually as still as a tranquil well—showed a rare surge of emotion. Her face turned icy, thick with resentment. "No grudges, no blame, no hate? Brother, I can't do that. Even if that woman climbed a mountain of blades or boiled in a cauldron of oil, it wouldn't be enough! She ruined you!"

Chen Liuhe gave a self-deprecating smile, running his fingers through her hair. "You give her too much credit. She didn't ruin me—she doesn't have the right or the ability."

Shen Qingwu sneered. "Even with a thousand excuses, even if she was trapped with no choice, she still chose to stand against you. Brother, I hate her. I've never hated anyone this much!"

"You can't hate," Chen Liuhe shook his head.

Shen Qingwu, in a rare defiance, lifted her head stubbornly. "Why? I can't help it!"

"Because you're Shen Qingwu, and I'm Chen Liuhe!" His soft words made her tremble. Only she understood their weight.

He looked at her tenderly. "As long as I'm around, I won't let you carry any burdens."

"Don't worry. What's mine, I'll take back. No one can steal what belongs to me!" Chen Liuhe caressed her smooth cheek, his face showing a warmth and affection reserved solely for her.

After a long pause, Shen Qingwu suddenly said out of nowhere, "Brother, they ran off. I didn't kill them." The simple statement carried a depth of meaning no outsider could grasp.

Chen Liuhe remained unfazed, as if it were no surprise. "If you didn't kill them, you didn't kill them."

Anyone who thought Shen Qingwu was just a powerless, fragile girl would be gravely mistaken.

Her brilliance was something ordinary people couldn't even glimpse!

After spending a bit more time with her, Chen Liuhe said, "Rest early. I've got some things to handle tonight—might not be back."

Silently watching the man who carried too many burdens on his shoulders walk away, Shen Qingwu didn't ask where he was going or who wanted him dead. She simply stayed by his side, waiting…

Chen Liuhe arrived at the police station, following standard procedure. A homicide was a big deal, so the process was inevitably tedious. But the evidence—onsite forensics, traces—clearly pointed to the deceased being a dangerous assassin.

Add to that two handguns with the assassin's fingerprints and a homemade high-powered bomb that shocked the station, and from every angle, Chen Liuhe's actions were justifiable self-defense. He bore no criminal liability. If anything, he'd earned merit for preventing a potential public panic.

He spent the night in the interrogation room, questioned repeatedly by officers. Chen Liuhe handled it like a seasoned pro, his account watertight.

The next morning, he was released. The matter was resolved with surprising ease—whether someone had pulled strings behind the scenes was anyone's guess.

True to her word, Qin Ruohan had hired a renowned Bianzhou lawyer who stayed with him all night at the station, though the lawyer hadn't been needed much.

Stepping out of the station into the bright daylight, Chen Liuhe yawned and stretched. Seeing Qin Ruohan's car parked quietly at the entrance, he smiled. That woman had some heart.

Just as he started toward it, a flashy Porsche 911 pulled up to the station. The door opened, and a breathtakingly mature woman stepped out.

Her movements were graceful, her demeanor refined. She wore delicate high heels and a summer suit from the world-famous luxury brand Chloe—the latest design.

Mature, charming, elegant, poised—these finest descriptors of femininity all fit her perfectly.

Admiring her stunning figure and exquisite face, Chen Liuhe couldn't help but marvel. Some women were truly heaven's darlings. If there was a God, even He'd have spent countless hours sculpting such a beauty.

Her mysterious Chloe black gauze dress, with its delicate transparent lace sleeves and collar, sent a ripple through Chen Liuhe's heart.

It was one thing for a woman to be drop-dead gorgeous, but to also know exactly how to accentuate that beauty with the perfect choices? That was rare and irresistible.

As she stepped out, her eyes landed on Chen Liuhe. A flush crept up her flawless face, and her bright, captivating eyes flashed with羞恼 (shame and annoyance).

Though clearly no longer a youthful girl, this mature woman's shy blush carried a unique allure.

She tried to ignore Chen Liuhe, quickening her pace toward the station, but he stepped in her path.

"Sister, did my words go in one ear and out the other? I made it clear last night—don't bring trouble on yourself. What are you doing at the station now? Not giving me face?" Chen Liuhe grinned at the stunning woman. Who else could this breathtaking beauty be but the one he'd seen in all her glory last night?

His tone was brash and roguish, like a street punk trying to spook this vixen-like lady.

Sister…?

The woman stared at him in disbelief, then fury clouded her face like a storm. Every woman in the world was hypersensitive to that word—it could drive them all mad!

"Move!" she said, her voice icy. Her opinion of Chen Liuhe couldn't be worse—she had no desire to exchange even half a sentence with this despicable, shameless lunatic.

"Heh, not only are you bold, but you've got quite the temper too."

Chen Liuhe's eyes roamed over her unabashedly, his tone dripping with mischief. "You've seen my ruthless side, but let me tell you—that's not my specialty. What I'm best at is stuff like midnight stalking or breaking in for a little 'robbery' of sorts."

With a wicked grin, he added, "The brothers in the streets who give me respect call me the Night! Time! Maniac!"