Chapter 65: Preparing to Blow It Up

Chapter 65: Preparing for Detonation

Jian Ruochen had just risen when Liu Qishang’s phone rang.

Liu Qishang picked it up, glancing at the screen. "It's Duan Ming calling!"

The entire conference room froze as if a pause button had been pressed.

Everyone halted their movements.

Duan Ming—the corrupt cop!

Why would he call now?

Could Lu Qian have already suspected something, forcing Duan Ming to fish for information?

Lin Yazhi instructed, "Answer it. Everyone else, stay silent."

Jian Ruochen’s fingers gripped the edge of the table tightly.

A pivotal victory was within reach; they couldn't afford any complications.

Liu Qishang answered the call, holding the receiver to his ear. "Hello?"

"Brother Liu." Duan Ming’s voice, amplified through the earpiece, was strikingly clear in the silent conference room.

His tone sounded calm, even tinged with amusement. "Brother Liu, I came to the ICAC looking for you, but they said you weren't in."

"Oh," Liu Qishang chuckled. "What’s so urgent? Why come to me instead of Brother Ji?"

Duan Ming let out a short laugh. "Brother Ji has been so busy lately, impossible to track down. He wasn't in the building today either. You all aren't in another meeting, are you?"

He sighed. "Ah, if only I had been selected for the task force back then. Too bad I was cut."

Everyone sensed Duan Ming’s probing, clenching their back teeth, hearts pounding in their throats.

Jian Ruochen held his breath.

They couldn't say, "We're not in a meeting." The more they denied it, the more suspicious Duan Ming would become.

Under everyone’s watchful eyes, a thin layer of sweat beaded on Liu Qishang’s forehead. "Ah, being an Inspector means going from one meeting to another, doesn't it? Lu Qian is really tough to handle. I heard he secured a piece of land near the Kowloon Walled City?"

Duan Ming’s tense voice relaxed slightly. "You're working on the Kowloon Walled City?"

"Yeah, and there are still some small-time thugs—hard to catch..." Liu Qishang glanced at his watch. A minute had passed.

Small beads of sweat appeared on his nose. His body was taut, yet his tone betrayed nothing as he joked, "Seriously, Sir Duan, you've been talking for so long without saying what you need. Do you have any idea what my time is worth?"

Duan Ming laughed. "I wanted to ask you for updates on Detective Guan. He's been getting too close to that consultant, and I'm worried he might be deceived."

Liu Qishang: ...

He glanced up at Guan Yingjun and Jian Ruochen, who stood just a few steps away.

Duan Ming’s excuse was so transparent it made him cringe.

Duan Ming continued, "Isn't your task force trying to dismantle the Lu family's gang influence to prepare for what's next? In the end, aren't you just going against the British administration?"

"Jian Ruochen's mother is British. He inherited a large fortune, and most of his liquid assets are overseas. Whether he's on the level or not is still up for debate. I think you should be more careful."

Jian Ruochen caught the eyes of the task force members, then tilted his head and blinked.

Everyone: ...

Given the current situation, it seemed more likely that Jian Ruochen was the one being deceived by Guan Yingjun.

Did Duan Ming really think Guan Yingjun’s three years undercover were for nothing?

What kind of excuse was that?

Besides, Guan Yingjun’s informant network spanned all of Hong Kong. He could dig up dirt on anyone in a week.

If Jian Ruochen really had problems, he would've been behind bars long ago—no need for outsiders to point it out.

Liu Qishang couldn't hold back any longer. "Duan Ming, even though we have a good personal relationship..."

He felt a wave of nausea just saying it. "...I can't give you any information about Detective Guan. How have you become so unprofessional? Are you out of your mind?"

He slammed the phone down.

Trying to coax him into stirring up trouble?

What a malicious intent!

Lin Yazhi smiled faintly, patting Liu Qishang’s shoulder. "Well done."

Liu Qishang’s ears turned slightly red.

Ji Bailou said, "Duan Ming probably didn't suspect anything."

Jian Ruochen nodded. "Sir Liu mentioned the Kowloon Walled City. Even if Lu Qian receives word from Duan Ming, he won't care. The Kowloon Walled City is already a write-off for Lu Qian."

It was time to act.

Lin Yazhi said, "Let's go."

She reached out and ruffled Jian Ruochen’s hair. "We all know you've had it rough since childhood... We won't take Duan Ming's words to heart, and you shouldn't dwell on it either."

Jian Ruochen smiled. "Yes, madam~"

Lin Yazhi adored his response, patting his shoulder. "Detective Guan hasn't given you that surprise yet, has he? You should head to the changing room too."

Jian Ruochen: Huh?

Surprise?

What surprise?

He soon found out.

It was a service weapon!

Guan Yingjun took out a leather holster containing a gun and handcuffs. "The approval came through."

Jian Ruochen’s eyes lit up as he looked at the holster, beaming with joy.

Guan Yingjun smirked. "But this is temporary. We're bending the rules today because of the mission. After the mission, I'll take it back. It'll be officially issued once you pass the firearm qualification."

Temporary worked for him.

Just to curb the craving.

It would be even better if he could personally slap the cuffs on Lu Qian!

Jian Ruochen took the holster, opened it, and looked it over. The pistol’s serial number was 3098, a semi-automatic model capable of holding 13 rounds. The gun was pitch-black and gleaming brightly.

Zhang Xingzong watched, saying enviously, "Ah, getting a service weapon at 19—I’m not jealous at all, really."

Ding Gao laughed, "You couldn’t even hit the target in your twenties, let alone at 19… Haha."

The meaning behind the teasing was clear to everyone.

Zhang Xingzong feigned anger, giving Ding Gao a light kick.

Good-natured laughter filled the locker room.

Jian Ruochen joined in the laughter.

He fastened the holster, clipped the handcuffs to the back of his waist, put on the bulletproof vest, and got into the car headed for Tianquandu Entertainment City.

Thirty minutes later.

Over twenty black and white cars silently surrounded Tianquandu Entertainment City.

Lin Yazhi’s voice came over the team radio: "All units, hit your sirens."

The next second.

Sirens blared through the streets outside Tianquandu Entertainment City.

The display of force was intimidating.

Lin Yazhi said, "Let them wail for one minute. Turn them off once Tianquandu gets the message and opens up. Sir Gong, Sir Ji, both of you lead your teams to guard the exits and stand ready with weapons drawn. If any cars or people try to force their way out, do not hesitate—open fire immediately."

Jian Ruochen shot a glance toward the cigarette shop. The shop owner jumped up and pulled down the rolling shutter facing Tianquandu, so frightened that he closed up on the spot.

The walkie-talkie crackled.

"Madam, there are figures observing from inside Tianquandu’s main entrance. We're good to go."

Lin Yazhi said, "Detective Guan, isn’t the search warrant with you? Team A, you're up first."

Inside Tianquandu’s revolving door stood a thug.

He wore an unbuttoned denim jacket, a cigarette dangling from his mouth, and a pair of slippers on his feet. He leaned lazily against the wall and said, "Really, officers? Again? Didn’t you just check us out before the New Year?"

Guan Yingjun shook open the search warrant and said tersely, "Open up."

The thug cursed under his breath, his eyes shifting craftily. "You say open, so I open? Do you even know whose turf this is?"

Guan Yingjun folded the search warrant twice, making it into a neat square, smoothed it out, and tucked it into his chest pocket.

His movements were calm and deliberate.

In the next instant, he reached out and pulled Jian Ruochen behind him while suddenly lifting his leg. With immense force, his calf cut through the air and slammed into Tianquandu’s side door.

"Crash—"

Glass shattered and flew everywhere.

The thug inside scrambled backward to dodge but slipped in his slippers, landing flat on his ass.

Guan Yingjun looked down at him from above. "I’m informing you, not asking for your opinion."

He pressed the walkie-talkie. "The door is open."

Lin Yazhi...

After a few seconds of silence, she said, "Chen Jincai, Liu Qishang, get your teams and move in!"

Jian Ruochen stepped over the broken glass and looked down at the thug. "Did Lu Qian send you to block the door and buy time?"

The thug’s hands trembled slightly. He lowered his eyelids, avoiding eye contact, and shuffled backward under Jian Ruochen’s intense gaze.

Classic signs of guilt and evasion.

"Seems I was right," Jian Ruochen said, withdrawing his gaze.

Zhang Xingzong stepped forward, grabbed the thug from the ground, and slapped handcuffs on him. "Since you like the entrance so much, you can stay right here."

He turned and called to a newcomer from Team C, "Liang Xinyue."

Liang Xinyue stood at attention. "Here!"

Zhang Xingzong said, "Come watch him. Keep both eyes on him. Don't let him out of your sight for a second."

"Yes, sir!" Liang Xinyue stood beside the thug, training his gun on him.

Chen Jincai led Team C to guard the main entrance.

Guan Yingjun and Liu Qishang led their teams upstairs.

The sound of orderly footsteps echoed as four or five officers broke off at each floor to guard the stairwells.

Soon, the remaining eight officers stopped outside Lu Qian’s door.

Tianquandu Entertainment City was decorated in a European style. The tall, soundproof wooden doors reached from floor to ceiling, adorned with exquisite carvings and patterns. A bronze thorn totem twisted around the copper door handle, cold and rugged to the touch.

Jian Ruochen eased the door open.

The sound of a record player immediately spilled through the crack.

A crystal chandelier cast a dim, yellowish light. Lu Qian sat on a sofa facing the door, holding a whiskey glass. He raised it leisurely toward the doorway and said, "Detective Guan, was it really necessary to kick my door down the moment you arrived?"

Guan Yingjun glanced at him but didn’t respond, calmly saying, "Search."

The officers immediately fanned out.

Liu Qishang headed straight for the study, while several members of Team A exchanged glances and turned toward the bedroom.

Lu Qian scanned them, scoffing with confidence. "I’ve already contacted the press. If you come up empty-handed again this time, the reporters will have a field day."

"The reputation of the Police Headquarters will be ruined by your actions."

He downed the whiskey in his glass in one gulp and slammed the heavy-bottomed glass onto the table. "Detective Guan, how about this headline: 'Detective relies on uncle's connections to raid private home'? What do you think?"

Last time, even the Intelligence Division, experts at investigations, found nothing.

This time, these cops will likely return empty-handed again.

Lu Qian rested one hand on the back of the sofa, pressing down slightly.

Who would have thought an elevator was hidden behind the wardrobe?

Lu Qian looked toward Jian Ruochen standing beside Guan Yingjun, his eyes darkening.

Jian Ruochen was dressed particularly sharply today, his hair tied low at the back. He wore a round-necked white knit sweater, its hem tucked into high-waisted light blue jeans, paired with a pair of martin boots that made his legs appear long and straight.

It was a beauty entirely different from Jiang Hanyu.

Lu Qian thought of Jiang Hanyu, who was recuperating in the hospital, and gently rubbed his fingers.

His darling had recently taken a particular liking to outward compliance and play-acting.

It was irritating.

Guan Yingjun stepped sideways to block Lu Qian’s view of Jian Ruochen.

Lu Qian slightly parted his lips, but before he could speak, someone coming out of the bedroom announced, "Detective Guan, Sir Jian, there is indeed a concealed door in the wardrobe in the bedroom. Behind it is an elevator."

Everything matched the findings from the meeting!

Consultant Jian’s sense of spatial reasoning was astonishingly impressive!

Guan Yingjun fixed his gaze on Lu Qian. "Do you have anything to explain?"

Lu Qian’s pupils contracted sharply for a moment.

How could they have found it?

Last time, clearly…

He suddenly thought of someone.

Jian Ruochen!

This time, the police had an extra Jian Ruochen!

Lu Qian gave a strained smile, his tone calm and unhurried, as he shrugged and said, "Every wealthy Hong Kong family has secret passages in their homes. Although Tianquandu isn’t my home, it is my pride and joy. I spend more time here than at home, so having a secret passage is perfectly normal…"

He stood up and walked over to Guan Yingjun and Jian Ruochen, facing them head-on. "Would Detective Guan like to take the elevator down for a look? I can lead the way."

Jian Ruochen’s heart thumped heavily.

Why was he so composed?

Could it be that while Tianquandu indeed had an elevator, the place it led to contained nothing?

Had the items been moved?

No, the operation was kept quiet this time, and the police moved quickly. Lu Qian couldn’t have had time to move anything.

So why was he so self-assured?

Was he bluffing, or was he protected?

Jian Ruochen took a step forward, extending one hand in a gesture of invitation. "Then we’ll ask Mr. Lu to lead the way. Please."

Lu Qian smiled. "Please."

He walked slightly ahead of Jian Ruochen, his fingers clenched tightly. After a few steps, his nerves settled.

It was already a surprise that the police had discovered the elevator behind the wardrobe. No matter how clever Jian Ruochen was, he couldn’t possibly suspect that there was something suspicious about where the elevator led.

After a few steps, he pressed the elevator button and glanced down at Jian Ruochen.

Times had changed. The person who used to often stumble over his words, seem unhinged, and shrink away now had such a striking confidence.

If the Jian Ruochen of now were the one who liked him…

Ding—

The elevator reached the top floor. Lu Qian stepped in first.

The one-square-meter cab couldn’t fit many people. Eight of them squeezed in, packed in tightly, barely managing to fit.

Jian Ruochen stood in the corner, his back against the metal wall of the elevator, with Guan Yingjun’s chest inches from his face.

A warm heat, smelling of black tea mixed with a hint of mint, continuously emanated from the man.

He lowered his gaze, staring at the button on Guan Yingjun’s black shirt for a moment, until the elevator suddenly lurched downward.

They had arrived.

Ding—

The elevator doors opened. Lu Qian stepped out first. "This is Tianquandu’s warehouse."

Jian Ruochen looked up. The basement level was filled with numerous canned goods and alcohol, as well as stacks of new towels and bathrobes.

The entire floor was open and visible.

It was so clean there was nothing hidden, only load-bearing pillars and the elevator located in the center of the floor.

No drugs.

Guan Yingjun turned around and said, "Spread out and search."

Lu Qian remained casual, making conversation as if hosting a party. "Feel free to look around, officers. I don’t know what you suspect, but I, Lu, have always cooperated with official matters. Just last year, I donated a large sum to the medical foundation."

Jian Ruochen barely kept a straight face.

Truly a toad dressed in gold—all show and no substance.

It didn’t take a genius to guess that Lu Qian’s reason for donating to the medical foundation was related to Jiang Hanyu’s bone marrow transplant.

Guan Yingjun smirked. "How much? Six hundred million euros?"

Jian Ruochen couldn’t help but cover a smile with his hand as he pretended to wipe his face.

The total value of the drugs they had seized from Kowloon Walled City was six hundred million euros.

That remark really struck a nerve.

Lu Qian’s expression darkened for a moment, his fists clenched. "Six hundred million? I’m afraid I don’t have that kind of money, but I suppose Mr. Jian, as the wealthiest man, does."

Behind the three of them, the other officers looked tense.

"Detective Guan, nothing unusual in the southwest direction."

"Detective Guan, northeast direction all clear."

"...Detective Guan, basement level all clear."

Lu Qian's clenched fist relaxed, a smirk spreading across his lips. "Figure the reporters should be arriving soon. Has Detective Guan figured out how to handle the press?"

His voice was low, like the hiss of a snake. "Your search warrant was approved by Lei Jinwen, wasn’t it? I wonder if a mistake by a Senior Inspector like you might bring Lei Jinwen down as well?"

Jian Ruochen dug his nails into his palm.

Tianquandu definitely had something to hide.

If the underground level was just a warehouse, why would Lu Qian go to the trouble of installing an elevator with hidden mechanisms?

He closed his eyes, and the map he had once seen during a meeting reappeared vividly in his mind.

The first to fourth floors were spacious, and aside from wardrobes, the fifth floor showed nothing unusual.

What had he overlooked?

Their initial suspicion about Tianquandu had arisen because of the tire tracks at the back entrance.

The garage where trucks entered and exited was near the exit on the first floor, right between the legs of the "A" shape.

It wasn’t large.

Based on the floor plan, it should be right around...

Jian Ruochen took a few steps sideways until he reached the wall's edge, pressing his palm against it.

It should be directly above this spot.

Jian Ruochen reached up. The ceiling here was low, just over two meters, not even three.

Yet each above-ground floor of Tianquandu had a ceiling height of nearly five meters.

Could this level not actually be the first basement level?

Lu Qian headed to the elevator entrance. "Well, since you've found nothing, it’s time to leave my home."

Zhang Xingzong and the others clenched their fists tightly.

What a snake!

They looked at Guan Yingjun and whispered unwillingly, "Detective Guan."

Guan Yingjun glanced up at the ceiling. "Mr. Lu, isn’t the ceiling height in your underground warehouse a bit too low?"

Jian Ruochen hadn't expected him to notice that either.

Yes, for a warehouse, just over two meters was suspiciously low.

Detective Guan could reach the ceiling just by reaching up.

Jian Ruochen suddenly walked up to Lu Qian, looking up at his expression. "Mr. Lu, would you mind showing me around the warehouse?"

The underground lights flickered, making Lu Qian’s face look especially sinister.

His voice was raspy. "Sure."

They walked side by side, though their conversation wasn't about Tianquandu.

Lu Qian said quietly, "Back when you had feelings for me, we used to take walks like this by the river at Hong Kong University."

Jian Ruochen replied casually, "Back then? I prefer how things are now."

Each of his steps stomped, the heels of his leather boots echoing rhythmically against the concrete floor. His fingers curled, tapping lightly on the wall.

The intermittent "thump, thump" sounds grated on Lu Qian’s strained nerves.

From his peripheral vision, Jian Ruochen watched Lu Qian’s expression.

Amid the noise, irritation, unease, and anxiety flickered across the man’s face.

They were right—Tianquandu was definitely hiding something.

After walking full circle, Jian Ruochen and Lu Qian slowly stopped right beneath the "garage" location.

He lifted his eyelids, his gaze intense. "Mr. Lu, this isn’t the first basement level, is it?"

Lu Qian’s expression changed instantly.

His blinking rapidly, his pupils dilated, one eyebrow slightly raised, and the muscles in his cheeks tensed for a moment before he put on a strained smile.

This smile was unlike any that usually appeared on Lu Qian’s face—it was too prolonged.

All these expressions flashed by in a second, finally settling into an artificial grin.

Lu Qian raised a hand to scratch the back of his neck. "Of course it is."

Jian Ruochen spoke slowly, each word measured and firm. "No, it’s not."

He wasn't sure if Tianquandu’s hidden goods were above or below this level.

But he had a mouth, and Lu Qian had a face.

He could ask.

"Is there another level above this?" Jian Ruochen stared directly at Lu Qian’s face.

Lu Qian’s expression stiffened momentarily. Before he could speak, the person in front of him said, "Your expression answered me. There’s another hidden level above this one."

Lu Qian chuckled and shrugged. "Looking at you like this, even if I said no, you wouldn’t believe me."

He stepped closer to Jian Ruochen, leaning in until his shadow enveloped them, his tone threatening: "If you have the ability, show me."

Jian Ruochen took a step back, glancing around the warehouse.

Lu Qian had a knack for crime—he was really good at hiding things.

How could they find the hidden compartment in such a short time?

Before he could think it through, Guan Yingjun picked up his walkie-talkie. "Madam, the warehouse accessible by elevator shows no anomalies. But the warehouse is on the second basement level. We suspect there is another level above, directly below the garage."

He paused, then added softly under Lu Qian’s stunned gaze, "Tell Sir Gong to prepare to breach."

Lu Qian felt a chill run through his body, goosebumps rising all over. He clenched his fingers abruptly and whirled around to glare at Jian Ruochen.

Jian Ruochen hurried to Guan Yingjun’s side. "Breach? Just like that?"

Guan Yingjun's expression was calm, totally unruffled. "If anything goes wrong, I'll take the fall."

He looked down. "I told you, I've got your back."

Jian Ruochen was starting to sweat, beads of sweat forming at his temples. Watching Guan Yingjun avoiding eye contact, he suddenly realized, "There's more to it, isn't there?"

Even if Detective Guan was love-struck, he wouldn’t be this blindly reckless.

This was, after all, a Senior Inspector.

Guan Yingjun sighed. Was a little kindness that obvious?

He explained, "When I came down, I took note of the elevator brand. There's only one company in Hong Kong that makes villa elevators. I have detailed specs on the operating speed of this type of elevator, so I did some calculations."

"The elevator’s descent speed was off from the internal height of Tianquandu. It took about five seconds longer, so I deduced there must be another floor above."

He glanced at Jian Ruochen’s expression and added, "Came to the same conclusion as you."

Jian Ruochen:...

Who would have thought that the usually so proper Detective Guan would talk like this in private.

About two minutes later.

A thunderous explosion erupted from above.

Crumbs of plaster dust drifted down from the ceiling.

Jian Ruochen squinted, waving a hand to brush away the dust settling on the tip of his nose, his heart tightening slightly.

Did they break through?

"Bzzzt—"

Everyone’s pagers simultaneously buzzed twice.

Gong Yingjie’s ecstatic voice came through: "There really is another floor! Hell yeah, Little God of Wealth! Team A, you’ve outdone yourselves."

Lu Qian staggered a little, staring at Jian Ruochen in shock.

The young consultant’s face was calm, looking utterly composed.

As if he had anticipated this outcome all along.