"Hong Liao you have a visit…"
Upon hearing the call, all the red-clothed men's eyes moved in one direction. The called person stood up calmly and walked to the security man.
"Who is it?" He asked.
The security man ignored him and walked away in dead silence. Hong Liao raised one eyebrow and followed without a single complaint. When he got to the visiting room, the man pointed at Qian Deming who was sitting next to the window and left.
Hong Liao looked around doubtfully only to notice that no one was there except for him and the security man.
"Mr. Huang! I'm here." Qian Deming waved after smiling playfully, "Come and have a seat, it's been a long time~"
Huang Liao raised an eyebrow and repeated after him, "It's been a long time?" he stood before him and asked, "Man, I've never seen you before. Who are you?"
"Oh, so it's like that…" Qian Deming giggled, "Your brother has never told you about me? Weird…"
Upon hearing the word "brother", Huang Liao narrowed his eyes. He stepped forward and placed his hands on the table. He bowed next to his face and said in a low, hateful tone, "Listen up, young man…" He looked him up and down, "Tell that man that I've had enough of his little games. I swear that if he sent me more people, they wouldn't get out of here safely."
Qian Deming puffed a little laugh, his expression was silly. However, his eyes showed a great risk inside them.
"Sorry old man, you've got it the wrong way." He stood up and murmured next to his ear with a tricky smile, "I'm here to help you rebuild your fallen empire. I work under no one else. I'm the master of myself. So feel free to sit down and have this conversation with your future savior."
Huang Liao didn't add a single word. He kept the idea rolling inside his head as he sat down, never lowering his guard.
After all, that was his first time seeing Qian Deming around.
"I've got no time, you know this right? So you better get to the point right away." Huang Liao said indifferently.
Qian Deming sat down slowly. He fixed his expensive watch and said, "It looks like I'm talking to a second version of Mr. Huang. Not so exciting if you asked me~"
Without waiting for any reminders, Qian Deming took out the bottle of drugs and handed it to him with a cunning smile.
"I know that you are good with those things. Hide it well, I'll need it later." He declared.
Huang Liao was surprised.
What kind of daring behavior was that?
Weren't they watched from every corner?
Qian Deming noticed the man's discomfort, so he did not help but place the bottle between them and sigh.
"I see… Not the courageous type…"
"Are you out of your mind or what?" Huang Liao asked furiously, yet in a low tone.
Qian Deming looked around. Acting dumb, he asked, "huh? What do you mean? Is there anyone other than us around?"
Huang Liao frowned at him and kept his silence.
Only after Qian Deming's playful gaze landed on him anew, he understood what was happening.
The prison guards were under that man's control. Therefore, he extended his hand and hid the bottle silently inside his shirt.
Qian Deming supported his head with his hands and smiled anew, "Looks like you've never heard of money power before, Have you?" He didn't wait for Huang Liao to say anything as he pointed his finger at the prison guard who was watching them yet remained unmoved.
"Money can make people blind and deaf…" He pointed at the camera in the corner and added, "It can even make any machine break down…"
Huang Liao couldn't help but watch. He tried his best to read through him. However, he saw nothing. Indeed, that lad was something else.
Qian Deming asked, "So are you ready to know what's about to happen?"
Huang Liao frowned at him. So the latter took it as an acceptance.
"I want you to cook something for your dear brother, can you?"
////
Fei Beach, 8:00 PM.
Ye Xiao Xie stopped the car behind the stage and got out silently.
Unlike all the times, he wasn't wearing his uniform. Not only him but all his mates.
"Detective Ye…"
Ye Xiao Xie turned around. It was Sing Tao.
"What is it? Are the main suspects here?" He asked after closing the car door.
"Yes. Four of them are already here. They wore the shirts Ying Yang Li handed them at the entrance."
"Hm, good." He took out his phone to make a call.
When Xian Wen saw his name, he hesitated to answer. However, for the sake of work, he picked up.
"Make sure that you are in position. Four of the main suspects are there."
Xian Wen looked at the laptop and said, "Yes, we're already watching them."
"Good job." Ye Xiao Xie said. He was silent for a long while before he asked, "Where is Mei Han?"
"With the rest of the hidden police on the stage." He answered, "Why does it look as if you're concerned about him?"
Ye Xiao Xie was quiet for a long while before he said, "Tell him that we have something to discuss after we catch the criminal."
Xian Wen wanted to cut the line immediately, but something inside him stopped his finger.
"Alright." He muttered coldly.
Ye Xiao Xie watched Sing Tao and ordered, "Is the musical group ready?"
Sing Tao nodded, "Yes. They'll start after 15 minutes."
Ye Xiao Xie nodded at her and walked away.
A tall guy walked through the gateway, he was all dressed in black. When Ying Yang Li saw him, she smiled and greeted, "Welcome mister."
It was one of the suspected five, so she gave him a shirt from the bottom of the box, "You must wear this to enter."
Their plan was simple, but it required a lot of work and items.
They had to pay for more than 1000 shirts with the name of the band they cooperated with. Inside five of them, they inserted tracking devices so they could watch the suspects' movements between the crowds easily.
That was the mission of Xian Wen and his team.
They also put cameras in many corners including the backstage rooms.
To decrease suspicion, they welcomed many people who didn't have any clues of what was happening.
That was their only hope of catching at least the last killer.
The young man accepted it from her with a light smile,
"Thank you." he wore it and went inside.
Ying Yang Li walked behind the sign and announced, "The five suspects are all inside. I repeat, the five suspects are all inside."
With that, the music started, and everybody listened joyfully.
Ye Xiao Xie watched every corner in an extreme high guard. And the rest of the police walked around as security guards to make sure that no one would remove his shirt.
Ying Yang Li got from behind the poster just to find the last guy who just entered standing before her. When she noticed that he removed the shirt, she stepped back and faked a smile.
"May I help you?"
The guy smiled at her, "I no longer wanna watch that performance. Listening is just fine. I find that you are so cute, so can we talk?"
Ying Yang Li put her hand behind her back and smiled at him, "Of Course, why not? But can I know where you put the shirt I just gave you? You won't have the right to go inside if you did not wear it, you know this right?"
The guy fixed his hair and said, "To be honest, I didn't like the design."
Ying Yang Li was speechless. Still, she followed him from behind.
When she put her hand behind her back earlier, she turned on the talkie-walkie so everyone could hear her talking to him and informed them that he wasn't wearing the shirt.
Ye Xiao Xie announced, "Mei Han, Fao Ling, Xing Huan. Be in position and follow up Ying Yang Li." He quickly added, "No need for me to repeat that."
They all answered, "Understood."
The guy stopped with her at a corner where nobody was around and said, "The view is beautiful here… I wonder what a lovely girl like you was doing by standing at the entrance and welcoming people with those stupid shirts? Did they hire you?"
Completely high-guarded, Ying Yang Li answered under the eyes of her mates, "Yes… I'm working with them."
"My name is Wei Zhou…" The guy looked around to make sure that no one was watching them. "What about you?"
Ying Yang Li faked a smile, "You can go with Yan Fei"
"A cute name indeed."
He smiled at her and placed his hand inside his pocket to take out something. However, Ying Yang Li didn't give him the time to do so. She caught his hand fast, slammed him against the ground, and placed it behind his back as she wailed, "Charge!"
Mei Han rushed along with the others towards her.
"THE FUCK IS THAT!? Hey! Are you insane?" Wei Zhou asked furiously after spitting out the sand.
Ying Yang Li frowned at him and said, "Save the parole for later. Quickly, search him up!"
Xing Huan and Mei Han trapped the young man and Fao Ling searched his pockets. His eyes widened after he took out the item.
Ying Yang Li asked, "What was that?"
Fao Ling didn't know whether to laugh or to cry. He said as he pressed down the feeling, "I found this…"
Ying Yang Li's face flushed red immediately, "This was a necklace?" She hummed.
"Yes! I was about to give it to you because I liked you, but you insane woman made me eat the sand! Is this how you usually treat men?" he looked at the other guys and uttered, "Who are you, insane people?"
Mei Han gave it a silly smile and said, "We are so sorry for this. We've wronged you for someone else. We are…"
He didn't get to continue the words when he heard Xian Wen say, "Someone gets to the backstage room! I repeat someone gets to the backstage room! Suspect number 3 took a young guy forcefully there!"
Ye Xiao Xie puffed a sarcastic laugh and said, "Are you this stupid? Going on the same road again?"
He was near the room, it took him only a few steps to get there. Anyway, when he entered he found nothing but the shirt and an unconscious boy drowning in a pool of his blood.
"Crap!" Ye Xiao Xie hurried to examine. He was about to inform the others. However, the door slammed and the lights turned off as he felt a light step behind him.
He rose to his feet to act, but the person behind him was faster. He placed his hand on his mouth and dragged him backward. Ye Xiao Xie tried to fight back, but the man injected his neck.
Ye Xiao Xie gritted his teeth. At that moment, he analyzed two things.
One, that man applied some kind of strong perfume that strangled him.
Two, he was taller than all the five suspects.
He played a recording next to his ear.
"My little gangster, how are you doing?"
Ye Xiao Xie, "!"
That was Abraham's voice! Ye Xiao Xie's eyes widened.
The recording continued, "I heard many rumors about you trying to break out from my spine. Is this right? You learned how to rebel, didn't you?" Abraham laughed, "You little traitor… You grew up faster than expected."
Ye Xiao Xie ceased fighting back. Luckily, that injection was just an anesthetic. He listened silently, "Someone killed two of my boys, and I'm sure that it has a lot to do with you. You were smart enough to get your hands near the last one of them, but I've got more power. With a little order of mine, the last pawn is already down."
Ye Xiao Xie gritted his teeth as he moved his eyes toward the guy.
He was dead.
That day, when they found that taxi driver's corpse. It was later confirmed that he was the one who killed the woman at Yung Lu farms. They also got all the evidence to prove that he was on XTDX's team.
The next day, a 37-year-old man was found dead next to Huang's hotel. That time, Ye Xiao Xie didn't take care of that case. But it was another detective from the second police station of the city. However, that didn't mean that he hadn't a clue about what happened in general. Since this case was getting bigger and bigger, it was much more convenient for the involved detectives to have secret contact with each other. Therefore, Ye Xiao Xie was somehow in charge of that matter as well. Later, it was confirmed that it was murder as well and that that man was the second member of XTDX.
His matter was what Qian Deming asked Shen Yuan about at the hospital. It was the one he referred to by the words "Making up the scene."
All in all, Qian Deming was behind every death. Even this last one was involved.
Abraham stopped for a while and added, "My little Ye Xiao Xie, this time, I'll let you shine a little. I want you to find the person who dared to mess around me in no time. Or else…" He laughed, "You know what I can do."
With that, the recording finished and the mysterious man let Ye Xiao Xie get on his knees, unable to lift a single finger.
"Shit…" he cursed under his breath.
"Detective Ye! Is everything fine?!"
Ye Xiao Xie tried to move toward the talkie-walkie, "Send reinforcements you asswholes…" He ordered.
After a few minutes, Sing Tao broke the door and numerous police officers got in.
"A-Ye!" She cried and ran towards him.
"What happened?" The fear was evident in her eyes as she helped the numb man up.
This last one frowned at her and pointed at the unconscious guy at the corner, "I'm drugged. Take me to that corpse. I need to examine it."
"Corpse? You mean…" Sing Tao's eyes were wide as she watched it. She pulled herself together and did what Ye Xiao Xie ordered, "Okay, fine…"
"Looks like they used the harsh method this time…" Ye Xiao Xie said in an exhausted voice, "They stabbed his neck from behind, but they left no evidence behind them." He stopped for a while and said. "What Xian Wen saw on the screen was not suspect number 3 dragging someone. It was him being dragged."
"Him getting killed means that he was the last serial killer in XTDX," he added.
One of the police officers asked, "And what happened to you, Detective Ye?"
"When I entered, the first thing I noticed was this guy. I was about to reach him when someone got me from behind and injected my neck with a drug." He put his hand on his neck and said, "Anyway, It won't last for too long. I'm feeling better than when I was trapped between his arms."
"His?" Sing Tao exclaimed, "So it's a man…" She said, "Could it be one of the suspects?"
"No, it's not. They were watched. If there was anything, Xian Wen could have told me." Ye Xiao Xie answered. Everyone paid attention to his words, "Moreover, this man was taller than those guys and at the same time, not taller than me."
Ye Xiao Xie frowned, "What matters now is for us to catch the person who's messing around us." He looked at the boy anew and ordered, "XTDX's file has been closed. We must find the ones who are behind those criminals' deaths."
Of course, by saying those criminals. That only included the first and the second cases.
\\\\
Everything that happened and was discussed in the backstage room was transmitted on a big screen.
Abraham was sitting cross-legged on the head of the reunion table while drinking his red bourbon cheerfully.
"Not bad…" Ran Xuan Zhang said, "It was all expected from a big brain like you, Abraham!"
Abraham gave it a loud laugh before he pointed with the hand he was holding the cup with at the other side of the table.
"It's thanks to his brain, not mine."
Qian Deming fixed his glasses and smiled humbly under the dim light, "It's nothing. Mr. Abraham. That's my priority…"
He did not continue his words when someone knocked on the door.
Abraham allowed his bodyguards to open it.
It was Shen Yuan.
Qian Deming smiled and gave him the sign to stand next to him.
"Anyone who dares and stands in your way…" he pointed with his finger down to Shen Yuan, so this last one got on his knees. He put his hand on his head and caressed that short beautiful hair gently, "I will make him or her know their place."
Ran Xuan Zhang looked Qian Deming up and down as he said pleasantly, "What a good man you've got, Abraham! Where did you find such a smart gentleman?"
Abraham laughed after another sip, "He is the son of an old acquaintance of mine." He watched Shen Yuan and said, "Good job you too, Shen Yuan. I liked the way you caught that little bastard off guard."
Without feeling it, Qian Deming tightened his grip on Shen Yuan's hair until this last one felt a glimpse of pain. Yet, his face remained as calm as ever. Being praised by that man didn't move a single hair on him. Still, he nodded under his master's hand.
Quan Yi Shao cleared his throat before he said, "Sorry gentlemen, but can we give some light on the matter of the slaves and drugs we're about to smuggle?"
"Oh, yeah… that subject…" Abraham watched the screen and said, "For now, things are under control as long as that little bastard and his likes are sealed. Yet, we still have a little traitor to deal with."
"Huang Feng Mian…" Qian Deming smiled.
"Exactly."
Ran Xuan Zhang asked, "And how are we planning to take care of him?" He stopped for a while and added, "He is also a man with great power."
Abraham gave Qian Deming a meaningful look.
This last one smiled under his beautiful tall hair and ordered, "Let the guy in."
The bodyguards opened the door of a little room and a young man came in. He stood before the four men silently.
Quan Yi Shao raised an eyebrow and said, "What's the matter with this guy?"
Qian Deming played with Shen Yuan's hair gently and said with a light smile, "He is into guys."
Quan Yi Shao, "..."
Ran Xuan Zhang, "..."
Everyone fell speechless.
"A gay man? What's the big deal with him?" Ran Xuan Zhang asked as he watched Abraham, waiting for a clear explanation, "What is your plan exactly?"
Qian Deming finally gave Shen Yuan the sign to stand up, "I'll explain a little." He said as he walked toward the screen. Since the lighting around him at the beginning was too weak, none of the two men noticed his features or clothes until that instant. When they saw him, they couldn't help but feel slightly amazed. He was wearing a black old Chinese robe. It was brocaded with gold strings and glittered with tiny diamonds at the ends of its wide sleeves.
Quan Yi Shao commented in a low voice, "So this is Qian Deming's appearance… Such a beauty…"
Ran Xuan Zhang answered, "I've never expected to see a man this attractive before me…"
Qian Deming noticed their landing gazes. Anyway, he faked a smile for them and took a red flower from the vase next to him. He stood next to the guy and said, "This young man will be my gift to Mr. Huang tomorrow." He puffed a little laugh and caressed the guy's neck with that flower as he added, "What makes him unique is his great greed and desires." He moved the flower down and hit the guy's lower abdomen slightly, "You can do anything for money, right Bai Chen?"
Bai Chen looked down and nodded.
Qian Deming smiled at him and said, "A dog that licks money and a pig full of lust is all we need to let Ji Tian City watch a good show."
Abraham smiled at him, "Enough, enough, little boy. Don't spoil the surprise. Let us enjoy it."
Qian Deming nodded at him and walked towards the two men. He said, "Misters, I want you all to consider Mr. Huang Feng Mian, a matter that I've dealt with." He placed the flower in front of Mr. Ran's face as if he wanted to give it to him. This last one was about to accept it, but Qian Deming took a lighter from the table and lit it up.
He raised it in the air and watched it burning slowly with a mischievous look. He smiled insanely and said in great excitement, "Mr. Abraham. Mark my words. I'll burn him down. His money, his reputation, and his life. I'll make him pay your part for his betrayal! Not only him…" He let go of the flower and watched it burn on the table mercilessly, "...but all his like as well."
When the flower became ashes, Qian Dmeing placed the lighter inside Mr. Ran's pocket. He touched his chest gently and smiled at him, "This lighter is yours, right?" He got closer to his face until this last one felt a spine of joy burning through him. He smiled at him and said, "Yeah, it is. Take your time, young man."
"How dangerous~" Quan Yi Shao said with a smile, "Looks like the sir knows what he's saying."
"He does."
Abraham stepped towards them slowly. He stood before Qian Deming and smiled.
"Mr. Qian, I'm thankful for your hard work. It's really good to have such an ally." He clapped, and one of his men hurried to him with a big red box.
"Please, accept this humble gift from us."
Qian Deming smiled at the red diamond earrings and said with a slight laugh, "Mr. Abraham, do I look this feminine?"
"Hahahaha… no! Of course not!" He placed his hand on Qian Deming's shoulder, "Please don't misunderstand. It's just that in our family, we have a habit of giving diamond earnings to the youngest virgin, be it a man or a woman."
Qian Deming didn't move his eyes from them as he moved his seductive lips, "Is Mr. Abraham trying to say that I have to get married soon?"
"Hahaha, How funny!"
Quan Yi Shao pulled his sleeve gently and said, "Now Mr. Abraham favors you a lot. He even considers you as a part of his family. How lucky can someone be?"
From his family? Lucky? Hmph, my ass.
Qian Deming extended his far beautiful hand to those earrings in maximum calmness. Shen Yuan watched him silently from the distance as he applied them.
Abraham was all smiles. "Are they to your liking?" He asked.
Qian Deming took the mirror from the bodyguard next to him and said, "Not bad."
Ran Xian Zhang smiled at him and said, "You can go with a single one if you want to."
Abraham smiled, "Yeah, that's a good idea I guess. A-Qian, go with the right one. "
"Oh, you mean the gay earring?" Qian Deming said with a hypocritical smile.
"Hahaha, you can say so."
Qian Deming shook his head, "I like it. I'm going with both of them." He stopped for a while before he extended his hand to him, "So, I guess I'm going now, Mr. Abraham. Thanks for the cute jewelry."
"It was such an honor that you liked this friendly gift."
Qian Deming was about to let go of him, but the latter tightened his hand around him and pulled him slightly. He murmured into his ear, "However, a friendly gift can turn into a calamity in any second, right?"
Qian Deming's eyes shone dangerously behind the man's neck as he kept his smile.
"Exactly."
Abraham hit Qian Deming's shoulder jokingly as he said, "Hahahaha! I was just kidding, young boy!"
Qian Deming smiled at him and said, "I can welcome it all if it was from your part."
Shen Yuan opened the door for him in full respect and Qian Deming walked out in steady, perfect steps.
///
It was already 10:00 PM when Ye Xiao Xie got the chance to close his office. His phone rang. It was Madame Feng.
"My son…"
He completely forgot about her!
"Madame Feng… uh, sorry for this delay. We'll be there right away."
On the other hand, Qian Deming has just reached his mansion. Shen Yuan hadn't said a single word since they came and went straight to prepare the flower bath.
"Take those out of my face." Qian Deming handed him the earrings.
"Should I throw them away?" Shen Yuan asked. "Or keep them until the next time?"
Qian Deming let his hair loose as he watched his reflection in the mirror, "There is no next time. Give them to the first beggar you go across tomorrow." he puffed a sarcastic laugh, "Red diamonds? What a joke!" He removed his outer robe and threw it to Shen Yuan, "Wash this shit well, I don't want to smell those pigs' scents on it" He caressed his black strands and said, "Those earrings are worth only ten million Yen per carat, they aren't even worth my gaze, let alone me wearing them."
Shen Yuan nodded as he picked it from the ground. He was about to leave when he heard him order.
"Wait a minute."
Qian Demng stepped towards him and scented his neck.
"The perfume is mixed with blood scent. The smell became stronger. I bet that it strangled A-Ye earlier. Go change those clothes before you come to wash my hair."
"Understood, Master."
He was about to remove his clothes and get inside the water. However, Cristina brought him his phone, "Master, you have a call."
"Who is it?" Qian Deming said with a bare shoulder.
"Detective Ye."
"Oh, my~ did I bewilder him to that extent? Calling me at such a late hour?" He took the phone from him and answered, "Hello, A-Ye~" He played with his hair in front of the mirror and said, "What's up? Just talk to your heart's content. I know that you missed me so much~"
"Hahaha, I'm not the one who missed you, it's Madame Feng."
"Oh, she has got the greatest taste~"
"Yeah, old people's sick tastes."
"Did my darling grow a taller tongue? Looks like you're keeping up with me now."
"It's been always sharp. It's just that you didn't have much experience to make me use it against you."
"Oh dear god! Do you know what else my tongue is experienced at?"
Ye Xiao Xie frowned, he kind of expected what he was about to say. However, he still asked, "What else?"
Qian Deming licked his lips as he murmured some words through the phone.
Cristina's face rendered slightly. However, Ye Xiao Xie laughed nervously, "If it wasn't for madame Feng, I would've cut the line."
Qian Deming smiled, "Why? You don't believe it? Try me."
Ye Xiao Xie rolled his eyes and said, "Stop wasting time and come to the police station. I'm waiting for you here."
"Oh? Really? Sorry, but I'm a man of word, you told me that there would be no need for you to see me in that place again, so I won't meet you there."
Ye Xiao Xie frowned, "What fantasies are you having? I'm not asking to meet you."
"Then what is it?"
Ye Xiao Xie sighed and told him about the whole matter.
"Alright then." Qian Deming said, "Wait a few minutes, I'll be there."
"Cris, Tell Liu Yie to prepare my new supra. I wanna try it out tonight." He said with a little smile.
Cristina nodded, "Understood."
Author's note:
No mini interview for today, Xiao Xiao is tired :(