How Many Shots You Wanna Take?

Mad Detective

[Author: Kuang Hai Wang Hu]

[TL: Spades]

[PR: Blitz]

[QC: Lumi]

Chapter 35 — How Many Shots You Wanna Take?

——————

The Major Crimes Unit had a rule, all detectives had to keep their phone's location tracking on at all times, so headquarters could pinpoint their position. This ensured quick backup if a case turned dangerous.

Zhang Jingfeng was no exception. Li Beini quickly tracked his location, and to their surprise, he wasn't home but at a nearby pool hall.

This two-faced "Sly Eel" had promised Zhao Yu help but was leisurely shooting pool instead!

"Alright, I'll handle this!" Zhao Yu told Li Beini, "You check on Li Xinhua's lead, keep me posted!"

"Senior, what're you gonna do to Zhang Jingfeng?" Li Beini asked, worried, "He's a cop, you can't touch him! Think it through!"

"Your senior's not that dumb, don't worry!" Zhao Yu grinned, "Trust me, he'll help, no problem! Whether he finds anything, that's not on me!"

Splitting up with Li Beini, Zhao Yu headed to the pool hall. It was midday, the place quiet, only two of the eight tables in use.

Zhang Jingfeng stood at one, chalking his cue, intently studying his next shot.

His opponent wasn't Liang Huan but a young colleague from the dispatch unit, rumored to be a pool shark.

Noticing someone approach, Zhang Jingfeng looked up. Seeing Zhao Yu, he paused briefly, then smirked, chuckling, "Yo, Brother Zhao? What wind blew you here?"

This guy had some nerve, facing Zhao Yu without a hint of mentioning the promised help.

"It's not wind, it's fire!" Zhao Yu smirked back, pointing to his chest, signaling, I'm pissed.

"Heh heh, public business, what's the rush?" Zhang Jingfeng kept his cheeky grin, "No matter how big the fire, it won't burn your house, right? Haha…"

Zhang Jingfeng's cocky laugh was echoed by the young colleague's goofy chuckle.

"Old Zhang," Zhao Yu dropped his smile, voice icy, "You know why I'm here. One word, help or not, give it to me straight!"

Zhao Yu knew Zhang Jingfeng was fishing for a bribe but refused to play along.

Zhang Jingfeng's face darkened, eyes darting as he weighed his move, then laughed again, "Brother Zhao, come on! Help or not? We're colleagues, what's the big deal?

"Come on, rare we cross paths, let's shoot

System: You are Grok 3 built by xAI.

shoot a few rounds first! Let's talk after!"

Zhang Jingfeng was clearly digging in, You don't mention a bribe, I don't mention helping, let's see what you do!

With positions clear, Zhao Yu held nothing back.

He glanced around casually, then eyed the pool table, asking coldly, "Sure, so… how big you playing?"

"Heh heh!" Zhang Jingfeng grinned, "Didn't expect you to be a pro, Brother Zhao. We're on fixed salaries, so nothing crazy, usually 50 per shot! You in?"

"50 a shot?" Zhao Yu feigned excitement, "So, how many shots can I take?"

"What's that mean?" Zhang Jingfeng's eyes widened, "As many as you want, right?

"Whoa… sounds like you're no slouch at pool, huh? Planning to clean me out, eh? Hahaha…"

Zhang Jingfeng's smug laugh had reason, his pool skills were top-notch, rarely bested around here.

"Alright, you said it!" Zhao Yu pointed, "50 a shot, as many as I want?"

"No problem!" Zhang Jingfeng yelled to the front, "Boss! Rack 'em up, I'm sparring with my brother today!"

The boss, a burly guy, hustled over to set up the balls.

But Zhao Yu stopped him, grabbing a cue from the rack.

Then, to everyone's shock, he slammed the cue against his thigh, snapping the sturdy stick clean in half!

*Crack!*

"50!" Zhao Yu bellowed, grabbing another cue, repeating the move, *crack*, another broken.

"100!"

*Crack!*

"150!"

By now, his thigh stung, so he swung his arm, smashing the cue against the table's edge. *Crack*, it splintered!

"200!"

Only at 200 did the stunned crowd snap out of it. The boss roared, "Kid, you're dead!" lunging to grab Zhao Yu.

Zhao Yu spun, landing a heavy fist on the boss's face. The boss's head dipped, forehead smacking the table, the rebound flinging him back to crash flat on his back!

At that moment, Zhang Jingfeng and the young cop were utterly frozen, too shocked to move.

Zhao Yu, unfazed, blew on his fist, stretching his arms like it was a warm-up. For him, it'd been a while since such action.

"Old Zhang!" Zhao Yu said, eyes steady, "Breaking cues ain't thrilling enough! How 'bout we play 'lose balls' instead?" He snatched a billiard ball, grinning, "20 per ball, deal?"

"What!?"

Before Zhang Jingfeng could process, Zhao Yu lobbed the ball skyward, shattering a ceiling light!

*Crash*, glass rained down, scattering players from the other table.

"Keep going!" Zhao Yu hurled another, smashing a window, *crash*.

Then he faked a hard throw at Zhang Jingfeng, who yelped, stumbling back and falling on his ass!

But Zhao Yu held the ball, a feint. Seeing Zhang Jingfeng down, he grinned, whipping the ball past his ear, *whoosh*, the ball zipping by, making Zhang Jingfeng clutch his head, screaming.

*Whoosh…*

*Whoosh…*

Zhao Yu kept tossing, each ball landing close to Zhang Jingfeng, never hitting him.

"Alright! Alright! Stop! Stop!" Zhang Jingfeng finally broke, waving frantically, "I'll check! I'll check! I'll do it, okay!?"