Chapter 28: He Clocked Out

Hearing this, Chen Ling finally placed the glass back on the ground and wrote a line on the form:

"No witnesses."

Immediately after, he ordered a new whiskey and walked to the next Ice Spring Street resident.

"Name."

“……”

"Name!"

"Sun Laoliu."

"Did you see the disaster?"

"I... I..." Sun Laoliu saw what happened to the burly man and swallowed hard. "Didn't see it."

Chen Ling nodded and continued to the next person.

Watching Chen Ling take down everyone by himself and then calmly ask questions, a thought surged into the minds of Sun Laoliu and the others...

Did the guy named Ma set me up?!

Wasn't it said that the ones sent over were just fledgling reserve members?

Looking at his ghost-like dodging ability just now, he’s not far off from an Enforcer Officer, or rather... is he an Enforcer Officer already?

Could it be that the Ice Spring Street matter was exposed, and the guy named Ma intends to use this opportunity to wipe them all out and then clear his own name?

The more they pondered, the uglier their expressions became. They stared at Chen Ling in unison, terrified that after he finished asking questions, he would pull out a gun and shoot them one by one.

Chen Ling unhurriedly recorded everyone's testimony and had them press their fingerprints. For those who had been knocked unconscious, he simply wrote "No witnesses" and forcibly pressed their fingerprints for them.

Next, he asked the boss for a thick rope, tied everyone's hands together, and pushed open the tavern door.

"Thanks for your cooperation... See you tomorrow."

The boy in the tattered cotton coat stood at the door, smiled slightly at the people in the tavern, and turned to leave.

The chaotic tavern fell into a deathly silence.

They didn't die?

I don't know how much time passed before Sun Laoliu woke up from that gaze, his back already soaked in cold sweat.

He turned to the boss.

"...What are you standing there for? Come help us untie this!!"

……

"Did you guys hear any gunshots just now?"

In the teahouse, an enforcer asked hesitantly.

"No... did you mishear?" Qian Fan replied casually while shuffling mahjong tiles. "Don't worry, those people on Ice Spring Street have some sense. At most, they'll use knives when they play around. If they pull guns and make a big scene, it's bad for everyone."

"That's true."

"Will that kid named Chen Ling be able to come out today?"

"Hard to say... He looks better than Wu Youdong. If that group is ruthless... tsk."

"What if someone dies? Will it be hard to explain to District 3?"

"What's hard to explain? A poor kid from Frost Street, heard his parents were scared silly by the disaster. Even if he dies here, just bury him somewhere; who would know? Who would come to make trouble?"

"Don't worry, District 3 is Brother Ma's territory; he can handle it... Three Bamboo."

"Pong!"

Bang, bang, bang—

Knocking sounds rang out again.

"Tsk, who is it now?" Qian Fan stood up, somewhat displeased. "Every single day, where do all these issues come from?"

"Probably that kid realized something was wrong and ran out to complain to us, haha."

"He hasn't been gone long, has he? He wouldn't have just looked around the door and come back, would he?"

Amidst the discussion, Qian Fan opened the door. Seeing Chen Ling standing there, his brows furrowed immediately.

"Why is it you again? Haven't I made it clear to you?"

"This is my work report."

“……？”

Chen Ling pulled the form from his coat, preparing to hand it to Qian Fan, when he suddenly saw some bloodstains and skin fragments on the corner of the form. He flicked them off with his finger, wiped it clean, and handed it to him with a smile.

Qian Fan was stunned.

The other enforcers playing mahjong inside were also stunned.

"..." Qian Fan took the form, looked at it suspiciously for a while, and then laughed. "Little Chen... I know this job is a bit challenging for you, but you can't just press fingerprints yourself to fool people..."

"I'm not fooling anyone."

Chen Ling said seriously, "They are right there in the tavern. If you don't believe me, you can go ask them."

Qian Fan's brows furrowed even tighter. He looked at Chen Ling, not knowing for a moment if he was joking or serious... No, how could that group be so obedient and do the survey for him?

Could this kid have sold his looks to get them to...

But this time is too fast, right?

"I'll go take a look." Qian Fan stood up immediately. Just as he was about to walk out the door, he thought of something and turned back. "You should know that falsifying task results will lead to disqualification from the exam, right?"

"I know."

Qian Fan put a cigarette in his mouth and walked toward the tavern, refusing to believe it. The other enforcers exchanged glances and curiously followed.

Seeing the many enforcers leave, Chen Ling looked down at the mahjong table, and a few lines of characters flashed by:

[Audience Expectation +1... +1... +1...]

……

Black Axe Tavern.

"Can you hurry up?"

In the chaotic tavern, wails echoed one after another. Sun Laoliu was among those with lighter injuries. Looking at the boss who was cutting the ropes slowly, he couldn't help but curse.

The boss gave him a cold look. "One more word, and I'll slaughter you."

"...Why weren't you this tough just now?"

"That kid is an Enforcer Officer; what use would it be for us to be tough?"

"He's really an Enforcer Officer??" Sun Laoliu widened his eyes. "Are you sure?"

"Many years ago, when I was trafficking drugs in District 3, I was tracked by an Enforcer Officer... His movement style was exactly the same as that young man's. If I hadn't been lucky, I wouldn't have been able to escape to District 2." The boss paused for a moment. "Do you know who that Enforcer Officer is?"

"Who?"

"District 3 Enforcer Chief, Han Meng."

Sun Laoliu stood frozen in place.

Creak—

The tavern door was opened.

Qian Fan stood at the door, seeing the chaotic tavern and the blood-covered, dying residents of Ice Spring Street. A look of disbelief appeared in his eyes!

"This..." Qian Fan stood at the door like a statue. "Did that kid do this?"

The many enforcers who arrived later were also shocked.

Qian Fan walked into the tavern, carefully stepping over the corpse-like Bone Blade and the wailing burly men. Everyone who was still conscious stared at the enforcers with wide eyes, fury burning in the depths of their eyes.

"Qian Fan!!" Sun Laoliu gritted his teeth and sat up. "You son of a bitch! I'll kill you!!"

Qian Fan frowned. "What are you cursing for?"

Click—

The sound of a bullet being chambered rang out. The boss had walked up at some point, his gun aimed at Qian Fan's forehead.

The other enforcers were startled and drew their guns simultaneously, aiming at the boss and the tavern crowd who were struggling to get up.

The atmosphere in the blood-scented tavern suddenly froze.

"What do you want?" Qian Fan broke into a cold sweat and said in a low voice. "Don't forget, we have a cooperative relationship."

"Cooperation? You sent that guy to smash the place, and you're talking to me about cooperation??" Sun Laoliu gritted his teeth.

"...I don't know what's going on. Chen Ling is just a reserve member..."

"Bullshit reserve member!!" Sun Laoliu pointed at the wailing crowd. "Tell me again, is this a reserve member?!!"

"I..."

Qian Fan was speechless.

"...Where is Chen Ling??" He turned to ask another enforcer.

"He seems to have left."

"Left?"

"Yes... He said he clocked out."