Screams

"Deputy boss, Wang Yang passed the gang's many tests before he got into the Inspection Office."

"He shares the Wutu Gang's fortunes, for better or worse."

"As long as there's even a sliver of hope, Wang Yang won't betray the gang."

"But loyalty isn't something that can withstand being tested forever."

"If he stays isolated under investigation, I'm afraid he'll start thinking the gang has abandoned him."

Wei Tong assessed Wang Yang as "objectively" as he could.

So far, Wang Yang probably hadn't betrayed the gang.

But a month under investigation was a little too long. It was pushing Wang Yang close to the limits of his endurance.

"Yes, loyalty can't withstand the test of time!"

"If Wang Yang betrays us, how much damage will it do to the gang?"

"More importantly, will it expose anything about that matter?"

Although Chen Wansen wanted to believe in Wang Yang's "loyalty," he didn't dare gamble on it.

As deputy boss, he had to prepare for the worst.

Unfortunately, the boss was still in "seclusion." Otherwise, Chen Wansen wouldn't have had to shoulder this pressure at all.

"Deputy boss, Wang Yang doesn't know about that matter."

"But the gang did use him to erase the files and records of certain people's existence."

"Since he's our only remaining insider at the Public Security Office, he handled quite a lot of that work."

"If Wang Yang tells the Inspection Office about it, it'll definitely draw their attention."

After considerable thought, Wei Tong finally offered his opinion.

Wang Yang was a fuse, but whether he ultimately set off that matter would depend on what people chose to do.

"Ah, in the end, our Wutu Gang just isn't as strong as it used to be."

"Seven years ago, if the Inspection Office dared arrest one of our people, we'd have surrounded the Public Security Office."

"Back then, over ten thousand people gathered outside the Public Security Office. Even with solid evidence, didn't the Inspection Office still have to release the insiders we'd planted there?"

"But we can't do that now. We'd only be bringing disaster down on ourselves."

"This business with Wang Yang is tricky!"

Chen Wansen's brow furrowed into a mass of tight wrinkles.

The best outcome for the Wang Yang situation would be for Xin Ya and her people to catch the Mutant Beast.

Then the Wutu Gang would only have to pay a small price to get Wang Yang back.

But that would take time. No one knew how long it would take useless fools like Xin Ya and her people to find the Mutant Beast.

The longer it dragged on, the more things could change.

"Find a way to get word to Wang Yang. Tell him the gang won't abandon him, and ask him to hold on a little longer."

"But prepare a backup plan too. If things go wrong on Wang Yang's end and he shows signs of betrayal, get rid of him."

"That will draw the Inspection Office's attention too."

"But as long as we keep them from getting their hands on any clues connected to that matter, it'll be worth it."

"The gang needs time to wait for the great upheaval in District 9. The boss needs time too, to break through that barrier."

Chen Wansen finally made his decision. It might not have been the best solution, but it was the most suitable one for now.

As long as they could keep buying time, whether until District 9 fell into turmoil or until the boss successfully took that next step, either outcome would work.

Either would give the Wutu Gang room to breathe.

"Ridiculous!"

"What on earth are those Wutu Gang idiots thinking?"

"They actually connected me to Lu Zhan!"

"Hmph, Lu Zhan really has been throwing my name around to scam people."

While the Wutu Gang "hurled abuse" at Xin Ya, she thought they were all out of their minds and suffering from persecution complexes.

She had isolated Wang Yang only to keep news of the "Blood-Red Antenna" from spreading.

Yet the Wutu Gang actually thought she was "avenging" Lu Zhan, or taking her anger over his enlistment out on them.

That didn't make the slightest sense!

Although the Wutu Gang's decline had left them jumping at shadows, that wasn't the whole story.

Xin Ya also believed they wouldn't connect her to Lu Zhan for absolutely no reason.

Most likely, Lu Zhan had done something that led the Wutu Gang to misjudge the situation.

Whenever she remembered how Lu Zhan had used her name to freeload at the Ninth Medical Security Center for three days, the answer became obvious.

It wasn't hard for Xin Ya to guess that Lu Zhan must have pulled the same old trick again.

The Wutu Gang wanted to bribe Xin Ya into releasing Wang Yang. That was out of the question, of course.

Had it been anything else, Xin Ya wouldn't have wanted to offend the Wutu Gang either. Even in decline, they still carried considerable weight.

But now, Xin Ya had a powerful team behind her, and that team might grow even stronger.

Although Xin Ya had successfully rejoined the team, as a newcomer, she wasn't much help with "solving the case," or rather, finding the Mutant Beast.

So Ouyang Hao planned to expand their ranks and bring more people into the Special Task Force.

That would give them more manpower and help with the search for the Mutant Beast.

It would also drag more agents into the mess, so they could all face the "Blood-Red Antenna" issue together.

Doing that was a little "underhanded," and might even offend people.

But for the sake of "self-preservation," Ouyang Hao and the others felt it was worth it, even if they burned through all their goodwill within the Inspection Office.

However, expanding the team-or, more accurately, roping people in-wasn't something they could simply do whenever they wanted.

A month ago, when the bloody incident first occurred, recruits would have flocked to the team, all eager to "earn credit."

But now, Xin Ya and the others had gone so long without solving the case that anyone with eyes could see how tricky it was.

Getting people to join at this stage would be a real test of Ouyang Hao and the others' powers of persuasion.

Xin Ya was busy "conning people" now. How could she have time to bother with the Wutu Gang?

Yet perhaps their luck was bad, or perhaps Yero City had entered a troubled period.

Unrest kept breaking out across the outer city's thirty-six districts. Although the incidents were all minor, they still kept everyone at the Inspection Office running in circles.

Under these circumstances, Xin Ya and the others could see almost no hope of getting more people to join them.

"It's here! A new day has finally arrived!"

"Today, I'm going to show what I can do in basic combat class and make Liu Chenghu see me in a whole new light."

"I, Lu Zhan, have gotten stronger!"

The turmoil outside the Training Center had no effect whatsoever on Lu Zhan as he worked up a sweat.

On September 1, Lu Zhan had been so absorbed in his training that by the time he came to his senses, the moon of September 2 was already out-it was 00:01.

Although the Training Center had no curfew, Lu Zhan, who believed in looking after his health, decided to return to his dorm and catch up on sleep.

The moment his left foot entered the dormitory building, Lu Zhan suddenly remembered something.

He had been so busy training that day that he'd forgotten to check the ugly cat's "backflip" homework again.

Fortunately, it was only a minor matter. Lu Zhan yawned and put it out of his mind.

As fatigue spread through him, heavy drowsiness enveloped Lu Zhan.

What Lu Zhan needed now was to lie down in bed and rest.

But the instant his right foot crossed the doorway, three screams of "utter terror" shattered the dormitory building's silence.