Good and Evil Chapter 139: Pity the Hearts of Parents Everywhere

Give me the phone, Xu Lang said to Jin Enpei.

Jin Enpei hurriedly handed the phone over. Taking it, Xu Lang immediately dialed Ning Yanran's number.

The phone rang only once before it was picked up, and Ning Yanran's voice sounded from the other end: Hello, Enpei. Did that guy Xu Lang think of something again?

It's me, Xu Lang said.

Oh, it's you, Xu Lang. What is it? How is your health? Ning Yanran asked with concern from the other end.

Xu Lang had no mind for idle chatter and said bluntly: Ning Yanran, no matter what, by whatever means necessary, you must find Wen Xuelan before the plane takes off and bring her back to the public security bureau. Do you understand?

Upon hearing Xu Lang's words, Ning Yanran was momentarily stunned, but she immediately grasped his meaning. She said directly: No problem, leave it to me. I'm already on my way to the airport.

All right, good then. I'll wait for your good news at the public security bureau.

Without another word, Xu Lang hung up.

Lowering the phone, Xu Lang told Jin Enpei: Let's go to the public security bureau now.

Ah? We're not going to the airport? Jin Enpei asked, somewhat surprised.

Xu Lang shook his head and explained: It's too late to go to the airport now. Even if we went, the plane would probably have already taken off. Since Ning Yanran and the others are already on their way there, there's no need for us to make the trip. Right now, the only thing I want to know is where Wang Yiming has gone.

That Wang Yiming is just a bodyguard. Is he really that important? Jin Enpei muttered.

Ziche Hexun also looked at Xu Lang with a trace of doubt. Although he had been following Xu Lang and observing Wang Yiming from a short distance, knowing that this Wang Yiming was different from ordinary bodyguards, he had only thought of him as somewhat unusual, nothing more. As for martial arts prowess, Ziche Hexun was confident he could easily defeat the fellow; beyond that, Ziche Hexun could discern nothing special.

Xu Lang offered no explanation. By now, sensation had gradually returned to his limbs and he was capable of moving freely. He tossed aside the quilt and prepared to get out of bed.

At that moment, Zhou Jianju's voice rang in his ears.

Detective Xu, thank you. Thank you for bringing my son back to me.

Having dressed, Xu Lang stood up and looked at the man before him who seemed to have aged a decade overnight, as well as Chen Shulan, whose hands trembled slightly as she peeled an apple, and Zhou Hongwen, who kept his gaze fixed on him. A tumult of complex emotions welled up in Xu Lang's chest; words of comfort stuck in his throat, impossible to utter.

It was true that Xu Lang had found Zhou Hongwen and brought him back alive, but the Zhou Hongwen he returned was not whole. During the more than two months he had been missing, Zhou Hongwen had had one of his kidneys removed—a devastating blow to an eighteen-year-old youth who had just come of age. Although modern medicine was highly advanced and the physical trauma would undoubtedly heal, the loss of a kidney was an irreversible reality that would inevitably cast a long shadow over his future life.

When a child suffered such harrowing torment and trauma, the ones who felt it most acutely, aside from the victim himself, were his parents. Even Xu Lang was ultimately an outsider, incapable of truly sharing their agony. Yet, he understood the weight of that inexpressible grief. A heavy sorrow settled in his heart, and he swore an oath to bring these vicious executioners to justice and restore a measure of fairness to all those whose organs had been plundered.

Throughout the period of Zhou Hongwen's disappearance, Zhou Jianju and Chen Shulan had never ceased their search. If not for their persistence, if not for their decision to seek out the Lang Brother Detective Agency, Xu Lang would never have taken on this case, nor would he have uncovered the wickedness lurking beneath the facade of a missing persons investigation. In truth, whether it was Xu Lang, the police, or the other victims, all owed a debt of gratitude to this ordinary couple. Without them, who knew how many more would have fallen prey to the butchers?

Xu Lang cast a deep, lingering look at Zhou Hongwen and his parents, but in the end, he said nothing. With a gloomy expression, he walked out of the hospital room. As for the other two victims in the room, they were still unconscious; had Ziche Hexun and the others not rescued them in time, those two might well have died from wound infections, given how primitive the sanitation conditions were in the place where they had been imprisoned—a reality Xu Lang knew firsthand from having been there himself. As for why their own families had not come, Xu Lang had no desire to know; these were not matters of immediate concern to him. As the old saying went, every family had its difficult scriptures to read. The descent of these morally warped youths down such a path was inextricably linked to their family upbringing. Some truths were universally understood, yet habitually ignored until tragedy struck and forced a belated reckoning. It was a profoundly tragic thought.

After the group left the hospital, Xu Lang discovered that this was the First People's Hospital of Y City. Ziche Hexun drove, Jin Enpei occupied the front passenger seat, while Xu Lang, Dong Ganen, and Liao Mei sat in the back. Dong Ganen's decision to accompany Xu Lang to the public security bureau stemmed primarily from his status as a victim; although he had suffered no organ loss, he remained a crucial witness whose testimony would prove indispensable during the upcoming trial against Zheng Lei's gang.

I have to thank you this time, Liao Mei. If not for you, my kidney would probably be gone by now, Xu Lang said from the back seat, looking at Liao Mei, who wore glasses and clutched a laptop.

To Xu Lang's expression of gratitude, Liao Mei merely lifted his head, offered a brief nod, and remained silent.

Far from feeling any displeasure at this reaction, Xu Lang found Liao Mei rather endearing. Every member of the Lang Brother Detective Agency—whether it was Ziche Hexun, a former special forces soldier; Liao Mei, the computer prodigy; or Jin Enpei, holder of dual degrees—held a high place in his regard. To gain entry into the detective agency required genuine competence.

By the way, how is Zhong Yue? Xu Lang asked.

Zhong Yue? Who is Zhong Yue? Jin Enpei inquired from the front seat, looking puzzled.

The patient who wanted to swap kidneys with me, Xu Lang explained.

Oh, him? He's currently lying in the hospital's intensive care unit.

His life isn't in danger, is it? Xu Lang asked with a hint of anxiety.

Although Xu Lang had nearly surrendered his own kidney to that fellow, he still hoped to avoid causing the man's death, especially since Zhong Yue still had some time left to live. Should Zhong Yue die, both the police and Xu Lang would become indirect executioners. While they would bear no legal responsibility, a persistent unease would linger in the depths of their souls.

The fellow's life isn't in danger; he's just still unconscious, Jin Enpei replied slowly.

Hearing this, a stone finally dropped from Xu Lang's chest.

Before long, the group arrived at the Y City Public Security Bureau. Entering the premises, they found the building unusually sparse; the vast majority of police officers were absent, with only a handful rushing about. It seemed that most of Y City's police force was concentrated at the private hospital and the airport.

Inside the bureau, Xu Lang spotted an old acquaintance, Lü Xing, who was currently staring intently at a computer screen. As Xu Lang walked in, Lü Xing happened to look up. Their eyes met for a few seconds before a wave of joyful relief washed over Lü Xing's tired face. He sprang to his feet and said with a smile, Big Brother Lang, are you alright? Did you lose any parts?

Go to hell! You can't spit out ivory from a dog's mouth. How could anything possibly happen to me? Xu Lang joked back with a laugh.

After a few more words of banter, Xu Lang steered the conversation to the core issue, inquiring about the interrogation of Zheng Lei and his associates.

According to Lü Xing, following the arrest of Zheng Lei's gang, the police had launched a blitz interrogation, but with negligible results. Perhaps realizing that their heinous crimes left them with no hope of escaping the death penalty, the three men had maintained a stony silence throughout the questioning, offering not a single word in a bid to thwart the investigation.

Both Xu Lang, upon first hearing of it, and the police officers understood this reaction all too well. It was the standard defiant posture adopted by hardcore criminals upon arrest. Yet, there was another reason for their silence: Wen Xuelan had yet to be captured. As long as she remained at large, they harbored hopes of evading legal sanction, given her considerable wealth.

After learning that the interrogation of Feng Liang and the others had yielded little progress, Xu Lang turned to the question that weighed most heavily on his mind.

Have you found any trace of Wang Yiming?

Lü Xing shook his head. After arriving at the private hospital, the Y City police completely sealed off all exits and detained all medical personnel inside. No trace of Wang Yiming has been found yet.

With that, Lü Xing asked in confusion, That Wang Yiming is just a bodyguard. Why are you so concerned about him, Big Brother Lang?

Fixing Lü Xing with a stern look, Xu Lang said gravely, That fellow is a murderer. He definitely has blood on his hands. He's extremely dangerous.

Ah? Really? How do you know that? Lü Xing asked in astonishment.

Intuition.

Xu Lang uttered the two words flatly. Lü Xing was momentarily speechless, but he offered no argument. Having worked alongside Xu Lang for quite some time, he knew that while such a claim from anyone else would be dismissed, coming from Xu Lang, it demanded absolute credence and the utmost gravity.

Who's in charge here right now? Xu Lang asked next.

Captain Ning took Zhao Hua and rushed to the airport. Zhang Lei and Li Li are assisting the Y City police with the interrogation of Zheng Lei's group. The officer in charge here is Gu Hongsheng, the Chief of the Y City Public Security Bureau, Lü Xing replied.

I want to see this Bureau Chief Gu. I want to take part in this interrogation, Xu Lang said in a tone that brooked no dissent.

Hearing this, Lü Xing looked troubled and said, Bureau Chief Gu is currently interrogating Feng Liang. I'm afraid—

Lü Xing left the sentence unfinished, but Xu Lang understood his meaning entirely. He was worried it violated protocol. After all, the 1130 case fell under the primary jurisdiction of the Y City police, with Ning Yanran and her team from S City acting merely in a supporting capacity. Furthermore, Xu Lang was merely an investigative consultant for the S City bureau; he had no standing to casually participate in the interrogation of suspects, particularly on foreign turf.

At that moment, the door to Interrogation Room Number One swung open, and a man in his forties emerged. With dark skin, a robust build, and an aura of stern authority, he bore the unmistakable stamp of someone who had climbed the ranks from the grassroots level. If Xu Lang's guess was correct, this must be Bureau Chief Gu Hongsheng.

Emerging from the room, the man caught sight of Xu Lang. Their authoritative gazes locked for a second before a smile touched the man's face as he walked toward them. Reaching Xu Lang, he extended a hand and said, You must be Xu Lang. We truly owe the success of this operation to you.

Xu Lang shook Gu Hongsheng's hand, and upon releasing it, went straight to the point: I take it you are Bureau Chief Gu?

The man nodded. I am Gu Hongsheng.

Since you're Bureau Chief Gu, I won't beat around the bush. I wish to join this interrogation, and I hope you will give your approval.

This—

Gu Hongsheng had not expected such a direct request. Upon receiving a call from Lu Ye, the head of the S City Public Security Bureau, he had reviewed Xu Lang's background and credentials. Though incomplete, the file gave him a general sense of who Xu Lang was—an investigative consultant for the S City bureau and the owner of a detective agency. Permitting an outsider to participate in an interrogation was technically a breach of regulations, which gave him pause. Yet, reflecting on how swiftly Zheng Lei's gang had been netted primarily due to Xu Lang's undercover operation, Gu Hongsheng relented after a few seconds of hesitation and agreed with a smile.

Rather than rushing straight into the interrogation room, Xu Lang requested Feng Liang's case file from Gu Hongsheng. Dealing with cunning criminals required thorough preparation; as the saying went, knowing oneself and the enemy ensured victory in every battle. To breach their defenses, one had to master all available intelligence.

The files on Zheng Lei and Zheng Maocai had already been forwarded to S City by the Y City police prior to the operation, and Xu Lang had reviewed them back then. What he needed now was the dossier on Feng Liang.

Once the documents were in hand, Xu Lang began reading through them. Meanwhile, Ziche Hexun, Jin Enpei, and Liao Mei departed the bureau. With this phase of the operation concluded, Liao Mei and Jin Enpei needed to return to S City. The Lang Brother Detective Agency remained busy, and Du Ziqiao alone could not handle everything; thus, the two had to hurry back. Ziche Hexun, however, remained behind as a direct participant in the case to continue assisting the police.

As for Dong Ganen, he had to provide a formal statement to the police; every word he uttered here would serve as vital testimony in court to convict Zheng Lei's syndicate.

Feng Liang, thirty-nine years old, a native of Y City, junior high school graduate, and former laborer. In his youth, he had engaged in no illegal activities, but roughly a decade ago, he fell into the trap of gambling, lost heavily, and accumulated a mountain of high-interest debt. His wife and child had多次 quarreled bitterly with him over his gambling addiction until, finally, they divorced. Feng Liang's son went with his ex-wife, leaving Feng Liang to live alone.

It was common knowledge how ruinous gambling could be. As the old proverb went, wine, women, and wealth—or rather, sex, gambling, and drugs—were three bottomless pits that, once entered, were nearly impossible to escape, particularly gambling and narcotics. Countless families had been shattered, broken, and driven to ruin by these vices, pushing some toward crime and others to an early grave.

Upon sinking deep into debt, Feng Liang had scrambled everywhere to borrow money, but it was merely a drop in the bucket. Eventually, debt collectors cornered him and severed three of his fingers as a warning. Driven to the brink of despair, Feng Liang had even resorted to selling his blood to pay off creditors.

According to the file, he too was missing a kidney. To whom it had been donated remained unknown, but police investigations into local hospitals revealed that the facility where Feng Liang had undergone his kidney transplant was none other than the private clinic recently raided by authorities.

At this point, a bold hypothesis formed in Xu Lang's mind. If the reports regarding Wen Mingde's failing health were true, then the kidney Wen Mingde ultimately received was likely Feng Liang's. As for why Feng Liang was now colluding with Wen Xuelan in such heinous crimes, the reasons were known only to the two of them.

The records indicated that despite his divorce, Feng Liang had never remarried. He frequently went to look in on his son—clandestinely, of course, though police surveillance had uncovered the pattern. Reading this, Xu Lang locked onto a breakthrough. Every human being possessed a weakness, and Feng Liang was no exception.

Despite the atrocities Feng Liang had committed, Xu Lang could discern that he still cared deeply for his teenage son; otherwise, he would not have remained single and continued seeking glimpses of the boy. Armed with this vulnerability, Xu Lang was confident he could crack Feng Liang's psychological defenses.

Setting the files aside, Xu Lang stood up and addressed Gu Hongsheng: Bureau Chief Gu, let's go. Let's go meet this Brother Liang. Perhaps we can extract some useful clues from him.

Watching Xu Lang, Gu Hongsheng asked, Do you have a way to make him talk?

Xu Lang smiled faintly. We won't know until we try, will we?