The Mitsubishi SUV gradually left the brightly lit city area and stopped in a dark alley on the outskirts of the city. Li Xinjian and Qiang Min, dressed in plain clothes, navigated the rugged, damp, and filthy narrow road. Li Xinjian remarked, "I had no idea Haizhou had places like this!" Qiang Min responded gruffly, "It's either you're too high up in your ivory tower or you're just seeing the world through rose-colored glasses. There are plenty of dirtier places than this."
As they reached the end of the alley and turned a corner, the scene transformed abruptly: neon lights flickered, and heavily made-up women in revealing outfits flirted with shadowy-looking men conducting transactions. Li Xinjian indignantly said, "This kind of place really needs a thorough cleanup!"
Qiang Min mockingly said, "The root of all evil starts with lust, and flies don't sting seamless eggs. It doesn't affect married men who know a thing or two about the birds and the bees much, but it's the ignorant teenagers and bachelors like you who are the real victims here." Li Xinjian, frustrated yet unable to tolerate his partner's unrestrained comments, retorted sharply, "Most of those who visit prostitutes are married men who quite well understand the matter of men and women!" He gave Qiang Min a fierce glare.
They soon arrived at the entrance of an entertainment city, with neon signs reading "Night Paris." As they attempted to enter, a burly bouncer in a security uniform stopped them, demanding, "Buy a ticket!" Qiang Min scoffed, "I've never heard of nightclubs requiring entry tickets." The bouncer arrogantly replied, "There's a lot you haven't heard of!"
Li Xinjian told the bouncer, "We're looking for someone with the surname Jiao."
The bouncer replied rudely, "If you want to find someone to screw, you need to buy a ticket even more!"
Unable to tolerate this further, Qiang Min snapped, "I have something here that might work!" He pulled out his police badge and inadvertently revealed the holster under his armpit.
The bouncer quickly changed his tone, "That'll work! Please, come in..."
Li Xinjian and Qiang Min walked through the dance hall where a vulgar type of exotic dance was performed against a backdrop of stained red velvet. Dozens of young men and a few scruffy-looking men were utterly engrossed in the performance. They passed dimly lit private booths filled with murmurs of love before reaching the manager's office. The so-called office was merely a small space partitioned with plywood, dimly lit and shabbily furnished, with a strong musty odor permeating the air. The outside noise of rowdy streets, piercing music, drunken singing, and women's laughter seeped through.
The manager, Jiao, a short man in his forties, offered cigarettes and tea with enthusiasm, "Officers, we always abide by the law here, never involving ourselves in escort services, let alone prostitution, which pollutes social atmosphere and is illegal, right?"
Qiang Min cut him off sharply, "You're blatantly lying!" pointing outside. Jiao, unabashed even when his lies were exposed, replied nonchalantly, "That's the world for you. Where there's demand, there will be supply. We just avoid serious trouble like causing deaths. Whatever you need—people, money, or goods—I can provide!"
Li Xinjian firmly responded, "You can ruin yourself, but better not corrupt our society. We don't need anything from you, just a conversation."
Thinking he had nothing to fear, Jiao casually said, "Ask away, as long as I know."
Qiang Min, his tone still cold, demanded, "Tell us about Haizhou Tower."
Jiao paused, surprised, "Haizhou Tower? You've got the wrong guy."
Qiang Min persisted, "Weren't you the manager of the entertainment division at Haizhou Tower?"
Jiao smoothly replied, "That's ancient history."
Li Xinjian pointed to a poster of a nude woman on the wall, "Let's dig into that ancient history." Jiao, remembering, said dismissively, "Nothing much to say, it wasn't a glorious revolutionary past."
Qiang Min's temper flared, "You were Lin Xiaoqiang's right-hand man, if you won't talk, who will? You think because I'm a cop I can't handle entertainment venues? I just park a police car at your door, flash the lights, and see who dares to sing here!"
Jiao, intimidated, stuttered, "What... what do you want to ask?"
Li Xinjian tapped on the desk, "Start from the beginning with Haizhou Tower, and be detailed." Jiao nodded obsequiously, "You know, the first owner of Haizhou Tower was Lin Xiaoqiang. He bought the newly completed tower at a ridiculously low price while his father was the Secretary of the Haizhou Municipal Committee, who then got promoted to deputy secretary of the province. The business boomed from the start, including the sex services. But it didn't last long before it all collapsed."
"What was the reason?" Li Xinjian asked.
"Probably because his father retired from active duty?" Jiao was vague.
Qiang Min was about to explode again, "Looks like you don't want to talk properly here?"
Jiao hastily assured, "Then Liu Mei came along. She started as the lobby manager and quickly became the deputy general manager. Our Mr. Lin went downhill day by day. First, he got into drugs, drained the building's cash flow, and had to borrow at high interest rates. In a year or two, the building was someone else's."
Li Xinjian's interest was piqued, "Who else?"
Jiao, cornered, reluctantly murmured, "You know who... his 'step-brother'..."
Li Xinjian's eyebrows twitched, "Guo Xiaopeng?"
Jiao nodded.
Li Xinjian fell into deep thought...