Xiao Fei strode forward, and Zhang Yang rose at the same time, refusing to back down.
Boom!
Two terrifying surges of energy, one cold and one hot, collided, and the shock wave tore the room apart.
Hiss, hiss, hiss!
The temperature in the room dropped below freezing, and a layer of ice crystals coated the walls and floor.
Xiao Fei gave a light stomp. The ice crystals shattered, and the temperature rose again.
Just as the two were about to come to blows, Mr. Li slowly stood up and interrupted them.
"Are you trying to demolish the building?" Mr. Li stepped between them with a displeased look, pulled out his phone, and showed it to Zhang Yang.
When Zhang Yang saw what was on Mr. Li's phone, he froze for a moment. Then his eyes turned bloodshot, and every hair on his body stood on end.
Rage.
True rage.
Zhang Yang clenched his fists, his eyes filled with murderous intent.
The images showed Old Ding's warehouse, where people were caged like animals for others to pick out.
Each close-up, each terrified child's face, pierced Zhang Yang's heart like ten thousand needles.
"Is this real?" Zhang Yang asked through gritted teeth.
"We've known each other for quite a while. You should know that every penny I make can at least stand up to scrutiny. I admit I take shortcuts, buying low and selling high, but I won't make money stained with blood."
Mr. Li smiled calmly. "My offer still stands. If you want to arrest me, you're welcome to do it anytime-as long as you have evidence."
Zhang Yang hesitated. The material on Mr. Li's phone was far too explosive.
Mr. Li walked the line between the law and the underworld. Old Ding, on the other hand, was simply a monster.
Yet Zhang Yang couldn't stomach just letting Old Ninth and the others go.
"Why did you kill A Lang?" Zhang Yang asked Little White Tiger darkly.
Mr. Li gave a light cough, and Little White Tiger understood at once.
"Spend a few months in the West Garden District and you'll understand. Old Ninth and I once delivered a shipment for them. It was all children. We're orphans too, so we felt sorry for them. If it hadn't been for Mr. Li, Old Ding's men would have killed us already. Killing A Lang was revenge-for ourselves, and for those children."
Little White Tiger's words were half true and half false, but Zhang Yang believed him.
He could sense the change in Little White Tiger's aura as he spoke.
Old Xie had indeed killed many of Little White Tiger's brothers. That was the one thing he would never tolerate.
"Old Zhang, demand spotless purity and you'll have no friends. Be too rigid and you'll break. Haven't you learned anything from what happened to you?"
Mr. Li shook his head regretfully. He admired people like Zhang Yang.
In this apocalypse, there weren't many left who held to their principles as firmly as Zhang Yang did and devoted themselves wholeheartedly to the people.
"Why were you suspended and investigated the moment your mother-in-law took that million? Everyone knew you were innocent, but who was willing to speak up for you? The people above you could have protected you with a single word. Why did you still get stripped of your position?"
"The people below you are afraid you'll investigate them. The people above you are afraid you'll turn against them. Your colleagues all fear you because you're the odd one out. Who would dare employ you?"
"This is the fucking apocalypse. Humanity is almost gone. If you want to accomplish anything big, you first have to climb high enough and gain absolute power. Only then will you have the right to talk about absolute justice. Otherwise, you'll face endless suppression. If I can spend a million to buy your career, someone else can spend five million to buy your life."
"We may be despicable, but can you guarantee the world would be any better without us? At least we'll never cross the line." Having spoken earnestly, Mr. Li stepped aside.
"Arrest them if you want. Without them keeping Old Ding in check on the streets, you won't stand a chance against those powerful figures. For the sake of the justice you believe in, work with us just this once. Together, we can bring down the people who are truly sucking the Ice Prefecture dry."
After Mr. Li's earnest appeal, Little White Tiger and Old Ninth voluntarily held out their hands to be cuffed.
They were all gambling.
Gambling on whether Zhang Yang could tolerate their existence in order to bring down the powerful figures behind the scenes.
Gambling on whether Zhang Yang had seen this world for what it was.
Gambling on whether Zhang Yang could compromise with the ugly present for the sake of the perfect world in his heart.
For a moment, the atmosphere in the room grew unbearably oppressive.
"Reporting!"
After a long while, one of Zhang Yang's subordinates called from outside the door. "Director, our men are assembled. Do you need us to come up and support you?"
"Pfft." Mr. Li laughed.
Old Ninth breathed a sigh of relief and plopped down on the floor.
Xiao Fei gave the men outside a thumbs-up through the door. "What a star teammate."
Zhang Yang's expression turned utterly grim.
He had come to Dongpu alone. How had his subordinates found his location?
Why were these men, who normally hid from danger and rushed toward any benefit, so eager to wipe out Mr. Li's group this time?
It took no thought to realize that Zhang Yang's subordinates had all been bought off.
That was the tragedy of the times, and the reality.
Zhang Yang wanted to change the entire system and fight against the whole era. How could that possibly be easy?
"Stand down!"
Zhang Yang shouted through the door, then unlocked Little White Tiger's and Old Ninth's handcuffs.
Making a move against Old Ninth and the others now would only make him a weapon for Old Ding and the people behind him.
How could someone as proud as Zhang Yang let them have their way?
Compared with Mr. Li and his people, he despised Old Ding's actions far more.
"I'll give you ten days. Find where Old Ding is hiding people in the city."
Zhang Yang had compromised.
At the same time, he laid down his own demand to Little White Tiger. "Prove your worth to me."
"No problem."
"Here's to working together."
Little White Tiger reached out to shake hands, only for Zhang Yang to slap his hand away.
"You're criminals. I'm the law. Don't fucking act like we're friends. If I find out you've hurt civilians or committed crimes, I'll arrest you just the same."
Zhang Yang straightened his collar and strode away.
"That man can be trusted."
After Zhang Yang left, Xiao Fei sighed. "If everyone in this world were like him, I'd go sell flatbread right now. I'd go straight on the spot."
"Heh. You'd be Wu Dalang, huh?" Little White Tiger grinned.
There was no denying that Little White Tiger and his companions genuinely admired people who could stay true to their convictions.
The apocalypse needed people like that, but it had no room for them.
Mr. Li wiped the sweat from his forehead.
"At last, the most important link is in place."
In Mr. Li's plan, Zhang Yang was the most crucial link.
He had begun laying the groundwork two years ago, gradually engineering Zhang Yang's downfall, then spending money and pulling strings to have him transferred to the Ice Prefecture.
Everything had been part of Mr. Li's plan.
He needed a sharp blade that dared to strike upward. If Little White Tiger and Old Ninth had been unexpected gains, Zhang Yang had been Mr. Li's first choice from the very beginning.
An ambitious man, Mr. Li knew exactly how destructive Zhang Yang could be. Soon, the upper ranks of the Ice Prefecture would be shaken to their core.
"Everything that happened today was part of your plan, wasn't it?" Old Ninth gave Mr. Li a meaningful look.
Little White Tiger and Xiao Fei exchanged a glance, chilled to the bone.
If a man like this were their enemy...
"If you ever turn against him, don't try to outsmart him. Call me directly. I'll send men into the city to kill him." Xiao Fei patted Little White Tiger's shoulder with grave sincerity.
"Trying to sow discord, buddy? You won't be happy until both of us are dead, huh?" Old Ninth rolled his eyes at Xiao Fei.
"That's settled."
Mr. Li stretched luxuriously. "I'll be leaving the Ice Prefecture for a few days to bring in someone powerful enough to keep the people behind Old Ding in check. You can do as you please while I'm gone. Remember, the bigger the commotion, the better. Expose Old Ding completely to the public."
"Done."
Before you continue