The night grew deeper.
Liu Yutong leaned against the headboard, a book in her hands. With her phone practically useless as a brick these days, she had taken to reading before bed to pass the time.
Knock, knock, knock—
Suddenly, a series of urgent knocks echoed at the door.
Liu Yutong’s brows furrowed slightly. She set the book aside, straightened her silk nightgown, and stepped out of the bedroom to answer the door.
A group of uniformed officers stood outside. The middle-aged leader, Captain Zhang, flashed his badge the moment he saw her.
"Ms. Liu, you’re suspected of intentional homicide. Please come with us to the station for questioning."
Liu Yutong remained composed. "May I change my clothes first? I can’t very well go with you in my nightwear."
Captain Zhang nodded. "You have five minutes."
Liu Yutong turned back into the bedroom and shut the door.
Standing in the suite’s living room, Captain Zhang scanned the furnishings with a hint of surprise. He’d heard of this girl before—the rising leader of a new faction in Wushui County. But he hadn’t expected her to be so young.
And yet, she’d managed to deal Niu Ben a crushing blow.
Who was Niu Ben? Captain Zhang knew all too well.
A local underworld kingpin, a man who ruled the shadows.
Yet, not long ago, Niu Ben had called him, claiming two of his men had been killed—by this very girl.
At first, Captain Zhang had been skeptical. But after hanging up, he’d immediately ordered an investigation.
The report from the bridge south of Chengqiao Village was shocking: Niu Ben’s men had clashed with a group of black-clad figures, only for Niu Ben himself to flee in disgrace.
The outcome had stunned him.
But a sliver of doubt remained—until now. Seeing the girl in person, he finally believed it.
Despite her youth, she was unnervingly calm. Not a trace of fear or nervousness, even in the face of so many officers.
Inside the bedroom, Liu Yutong changed into a simple black outfit, then picked up her phone and dialed a number.
Captain Zhang faintly heard her speaking but paid it no mind.
No matter who she called, the outcome wouldn’t change.
Homicide was a serious crime, one that demanded the highest priority no matter where it occurred.
This wasn’t something a mere phone call could smooth over.
Even a man like Niu Ben, a self-styled emperor of the underworld, wouldn’t dare cross that line lightly.
For years, Niu Ben had thrown his weight around, but he’d never actually taken a life.
He knew better. Once blood was spilled, things got complicated. Messy.
Unless, of course, you had someone powerful enough to clean it all up for you.
The Imperial Hotel was Wushui County’s only three-star establishment, catering mostly to guests with status and means.
In this era, ordinary folks couldn’t afford to splurge on such luxury.
The lobby was opulent, adorned with lavish decor.
Yet, the atmosphere tonight clashed starkly with its grandeur.
Multiple police cars, lights flashing, were parked outside the entrance.
A group of officers solemnly escorted a young girl—no older than eighteen—from the elevator into the lobby.
Guests milling about, waiting to check in or relax, stared in shock.
"I’ve seen that girl before. She’s been staying here for a while. Why’s she being arrested? And with such a heavy presence?"
"Yeah, look at all the police cars. You’d think they were apprehending some dangerous criminal."
"Don’t you know? That girl is the young mistress of the Wanlong Society, a newly risen gang in Wushui County. I’ve seen gangsters coming to meet her here all the time."
"Underworld ties, huh? No wonder! But even so, why such a high-profile arrest? What did she do?"
"I heard she and her people clashed with Niu Ben’s crew down south by the bridge. Rumor has it Niu Ben came crawling back with his tail between his legs."
"No way! Seriously?!"
"My cousin saw it himself. He’s from Chengqiao Village. You think he’d lie?"
A collective gasp rippled through the onlookers.
Niu Ben, the tyrant who’d ruled Wushui County’s underworld for years, humiliated by a teenage girl? Unthinkable.
Truly, appearances could be deceiving.
But no matter how formidable she was, she’d still end up behind bars.
Just as the officers led Liu Yutong toward the hotel’s exit, rapid footsteps approached from a distance.
Ma Da, Zhao Tianyi, and others rushed forward, trailed by a swarm of black-clad subordinates.
The moment they saw the handcuffs around Liu Yutong’s wrists, their eyes burned with fury. They surged ahead, blocking the officers’ path.
"Let the young mistress go!"
"Let her go!"
"What right do you have to arrest her?!"
"..."
Captain Zhang stepped forward, his voice stern. "Step aside! Your young mistress is being taken in for questioning. I’m warning you—anyone who obstructs us will be detained!"
At that moment, Zhao Tianyi emerged from the crowd.
"Captain Zhang, if this is merely for questioning, why the handcuffs? This constitutes misuse of restraints!"
Captain Zhang’s expression darkened. "She’s suspected of murder. And some of you here aren’t off the hook either."
Zhao Tianyi smirked, raising his voice. "You call it murder, so it’s murder? Where’s your evidence? Even if you had any, until a court rules otherwise, the young mistress is merely a suspect. Choose your words carefully."
With that, he pulled out a lawyer’s license and flashed it at Captain Zhang.
"I am Zhao Tianyi, the young mistress’s personal attorney."
Captain Zhang faltered, his face grim. Finally, he waved a hand. "Remove the cuffs."
It wasn’t fear that made him relent—just the lack of solid evidence.
But he trusted Niu Ben wouldn’t make baseless accusations.
Once Liu Yutong was in custody, Niu Ben would deliver the evidence soon enough.
Then, he’d round up these arrogant thugs in one sweep.
With the handcuffs off, Zhao Tianyi—permitted due to his legal status—approached Liu Yutong.
He examined her wrists carefully. "Young Mistress, are you all right? If they overstep, I’ll file a complaint immediately."
"I’m fine," Liu Yutong replied softly, her tone unshaken. "Send someone to pick me up later. Everyone, go back now."
"Yes, Young Mistress!" Zhao Tianyi acknowledged.
He then turned to Ma Da and the others, murmuring a few words.
Reluctantly, the group parted, though their eyes remained locked on the officers with undisguised hostility.
As the police cars drove off, several of Liu Yutong’s men immediately tailed them in their own vehicles.
Captain Zhang sat in the passenger seat of the police car, watching the scene unfold through the rearview mirror. He couldn’t help but sneer, "Did she really think this was a place she could just walk out of?"
Exactly.
Under normal circumstances, summons or detainment couldn’t last longer than twelve hours.
In special cases, it still couldn’t exceed twenty-four.
But that only applied when there was no evidence to hold someone.
Did this little girl really think she’d be out in no time?
She must be dreaming.
However.
What Captain Zhang didn’t expect was that before he could even get the evidence Niu Ben was supposed to provide, a call came from higher-ups demanding her immediate release.
No matter how hard he argued, the voice on the other end remained firm with just two words: "Let her go."
Left with no choice, Captain Zhang had to comply.
Both he and Niu Ben had underestimated this girl.
Originally, they’d assumed Liu Yutong had no connections in Wushui County.
Now, it was clear they’d miscalculated.
With a dark expression, Captain Zhang walked into the interrogation room and glared at Liu Yutong, who sat there calmly. Through gritted teeth, he muttered, "You’re free to go."
But Liu Yutong didn’t move. Instead, she lifted her gaze slightly and said, "You were the one who brought me here. Don’t I at least deserve an explanation? Otherwise, people might think I’m some kind of criminal. A lot of witnesses saw what happened."
Captain Zhang scowled. "What do you want?"
Liu Yutong smiled faintly. "You’ll personally drive me back and apologize publicly, admitting tonight’s operation was a misunderstanding. After all, I’m a law-abiding citizen. I can’t let your mistake ruin my reputation."
"Impossible!" Captain Zhang refused outright.
Liu Yutong shrugged. "Then I guess I’ll just wait here until you’re ready to give me the explanation I deserve."
Captain Zhang’s face turned livid. "You—"
