Qiao Yong's sudden fall from the building happened to be witnessed by Gao Min, who was standing across the street.
Of course, she didn’t see the entire incident clearly. Like Xiao Bin, she only noticed two black-clad members of the Wanlong Society peering down from the upper floors, glancing at the scene below.
To an uninformed observer, their actions might have looked like they were checking whether the person had actually kicked the bucket.
After spending so much time together, Gao Min had started to waver in her judgment, even beginning to think that Liu Yutong might not be as "dark" as she appeared on the surface.
But now, how could she explain this?
Sure, the victim was a suspect, but the methods of these black-clad men were way out of line—this was outright vigilantism, a deliberate killing. If Liu Yutong hadn’t authorized this, no one would believe it.
Ironically, Liu Yutong herself had no idea she’d suddenly become a "suspect."
She was just as shocked to see someone fall from the building.
But she was certain—this couldn’t have been the work of her subordinates.
Everyone in the Wanlong Society knew exactly what they could and couldn’t do. Only a fool would believe they’d orchestrate such an obvious "accident."
Gao Min left without even saying goodbye. The events of the day had shaken her deeply. As a cop who despised evil, showing enough restraint not to slap handcuffs on Liu Yutong right then and there was already a miracle.
To brazenly kill someone right under the noses of the police—this was lawlessness, a blatant slap in the face of justice.
Despite her fury, she still couldn’t bring herself to throw away the photo booth pictures they’d taken earlier.
Though now, she no longer saw them as tokens of friendship. Instead, they’d serve as souvenirs—for the day she personally put Liu Yutong behind bars.
Either way, the game was on.
Her first move? Get Scarface out of custody. Then, she’d wait and see how Liu Yutong planned to use her.
Back at the police station, Gao Min reported the incident to the chief.
Given her rank, frequently bypassing the chain of command to meet with him wasn’t proper protocol. But since they’d already coordinated on the undercover operation targeting Liu Yutong, it wasn’t an issue.
Qi Wei motioned for her to sit. "Lawyer Zhao from Wanlong just gave me a full debrief. Thanks to your sharp instincts and quick action in preventing the suspects from escaping, we’ve shut down an underground casino and arrested multiple drug dealers. You’re taking the lead on this one."
"Chief, I—" Gao Min stood abruptly, ready to explain.
She didn’t deserve credit. All she’d done was make a phone call. Why did it sound like she’d single-handedly pulled off the bust?
She fell silent.
Something felt off. The chief seemed… different. More career-driven. Not that it was unusual—everyone in the force wanted recognition. But as a rookie, she wasn’t quite used to this side of him.
Unaware of her thoughts, Qi Wei continued, "About what you mentioned earlier—I’ve got it handled. Go ahead with the plan. Just brace yourself for some… discomfort."
Gao Min straightened. "Chief, I can take it!"
"Good." His expression hardened. "Releasing Scarface on your own is a violation. By the book, you’d face disciplinary action. But this stays between us. Once the mission’s over, I’ll personally reinstate your rank and clear your name."
"Yes, Chief!" The fire in her heart burned hotter.
If this was what it took to earn Liu Yutong’s trust and gather evidence against her, every hardship would be worth it.
There was another reason, too.
She wanted to infiltrate the Yilian Society as an undercover agent. She needed to know the truth about her father’s death—whether it had really been an accident.
The case files stated he’d been stabbed during a routine patrol, bleeding out before help arrived.
The suspect? Still at large.
For years, she’d investigated in secret. Now, she was almost certain: Her father’s death was tied to the Yilian Society.
That’s why she’d agreed to Liu Yutong’s demand to free Scarface.
Before, she’d had no way to gather proof or bring the culprits to justice. As a cop, digging into gang affairs was near impossible—they’d always be on guard around her.
But now? The opportunity had fallen into her lap.
She’d also learned something crucial: Liu Yutong was rumored to be the daughter of the Yilian Society’s former boss—their so-called "young mistress."
At first, she’d wondered why Wanlong members addressed her that way. Later, she realized it was a holdover from Liu Yutong’s earliest followers within Yilian.
It all made sense.
Wanlong’s rapid rise? The feud between the two groups ran deep.
A bloody clash was inevitable.
Whether Liu Yutong sought vengeance for her "father"—and that term deserved skepticism, given she had a living dad—or for the Yilian Society’s past attempts to kidnap or assassinate her in Wushui County…
Reconciliation was impossible. Only one side would walk away.
For Gao Min, this was the perfect chance.
A two-for-one deal.
In the detention cell, Scarface slumped on the floor, convinced his life was over.
Busted tonight, with his "accomplices" ready to testify against him—even if he was innocent, the evidence painted him guilty.
With Qiao Yong dead, their alibi for the casino and drug operation was gone.
Wanlong had handed the cops a watertight case. Claiming they’d been duped by Qiao Yong? Not a chance.
Facts spoke louder than words.
Scarface had considered reaching out to his boss, pulling strings to get released.
Xie Dong and the others had the same idea. But knowing Wanlong’s cozy ties with the police? Hopeless.
As Qiao Yong had once bragged—connections could spring you loose, but only under normal circumstances.
This wasn’t normal. Wanlong had set them up, planned this takedown for ages. No way they’d let them slip free.
If they had connections, Wanlong had better ones.
Way better.
So in this rigged game, escape was a pipe dream.
