Bao Longtao hadn't seen clearly what happened under the tree, but that didn't stop him from treating the hooded boy before him with due caution. He stepped closer, leaned down, and whispered into Xu Le's ear through the brim of the boy's cap, "Maybe I shouldn't be asking you. Maybe I should be asking Li Wei."
For a federal officer, dealing with the shadows of the streets was like a zookeeper handling unruly beasts. Whether it was with a whip or a slab of fresh meat, there were always a hundred methods at their disposal. Dropping Li Wei's name was no casual remark—it was a threat. Bao was making it clear: even if he didn't act personally, Xu Le shouldn't expect his identity to stay hidden.
But Xu Le wasn't worried. In his view, Li Wei's orphans had ways of surviving. Without a word, he sidestepped the Deputy Commissioner's faux-familiarity and walked off into the shadows, head bowed, posture humble.
Bao Longtao let go of his baton and called after the boy, "We'll meet again."
They met again sooner than expected—shockingly soon, absurdly so.
In the darkness by the side gate of the Qingse Garden complex, Xu Le looked up in surprise. His bright eyes narrowed into crescent slits as he stared in disbelief at the man leaning casually against the wall, as if controlling the moment was second nature. Xu Le couldn't understand how Bao had followed him here—so far off the grid—and how he'd done it without being noticed.
"I told you we'd meet again," Bao said, stepping out from the shadows in his black police uniform. "And I'm pleased to see there are no cameras this time… no nosy passersby to get in the way of our little talk."
He was smiling—a dark, smug kind of smile. The metal tip of his baton sparked with a faint blue arc of electricity. It wasn't loud, but it carried a terrifying charge.
There was no warning, no interrogation. Bao had no intention of letting the boy run, nor of giving him time to speak. His plan was simple: knock Xu Le to the ground with a sudden surge of pain, then pry the information out of him—the identity of whoever had breached internal police networks and exploited the political chaos in Hexi Prefecture.
But just as the electrified baton was about to strike Xu Le's side, Bao was the one who felt a jolt of agony.
A powerful current surged through his body. His muscles seized up, his limbs spasmed violently, and he collapsed in a heap, foaming at the mouth like an epileptic in seizure.
The acrid scent of burnt ozone lingered briefly. The wall bore a faint scorch mark where the electricity had snapped.
Xu Le calmly confirmed that Bao wouldn't be moving again anytime soon. He tucked away his own stun baton—only finger-length, but far stronger than the one he'd given Li Wei, and leagues beyond the one Bao had tried to use.
Bao had pretended to let him go, planning to interrogate him in a dark alley instead. He never expected the thin, unassuming boy to turn the tables so easily.
Xu Le crouched beside the unconscious officer, checked his condition, then slipped a small metallic chip into his ear. In a low voice, he said, "Unit 78, Reporting. Situation's changed. Do we proceed with elimination?"
He waited in silence for a response, crouching motionless by Bao's side. A few moments later, the answer came. Xu Le stood, adjusted his clothing, pulled his hood tighter over his face, and disappeared into the darkness beside Qingse Garden.
That, of course, wasn't where he lived.
Much later, Bao Longtao stirred. His eyes flickered open, and only after confirming the boy was gone did he dare sit up, wiping the foam from his lips. His expression darkened as he stared in the direction Xu Le had vanished.
His body still ached. The pain lingered deep in his nerves and muscles. But it was nothing compared to the chill in his heart. Bao hadn't lost consciousness. He'd heard every word the boy said—the talk of "termination," of "field agents"—and the fear had kept him from even opening his eyes.
Field agents? Who would believe that?
The Federal Broadcasting Commission was under the joint control of the Executive Council and the President himself. Could this boy really be a covert operative from Capital Star? Bao shivered. The weapon Xu Le had used—a baton no longer than a finger, strong enough to short-circuit a suit—wasn't gang-made. No way. Only the military had tech like that. Elite tech. Spy-level tech.
So was this boy working for the Council? Or the President?
Either way, he belonged to a tier far above Bao's reach.
Groaning, Bao dragged himself up by the wall. He knew he'd made a grave mistake. He couldn't touch this case again.
Hot water poured from the tap, steam filling the tiny bathroom. Federal welfare had always been generous with the basics. The warm mist blurred the mirror in front of Xu Le as he stood still, staring at the foggy reflection of his own face for what felt like an eternity. Then, finally, he exhaled—a long, heavy breath.
His fingers clenched around the porcelain sink, knuckles pale, faintly trembling. He was scared.
He pulled a tiny metal chip from his ear, then fished out another from under his tongue—the voice modulator. With a soft clink, he dropped them onto the sink. They were nothing more than two buttons from his jacket.
Xu Le bowed his head, gasping, trying to flush the fear from his lungs. He had fooled Bao Longtao—the man every orphan feared—with two metal buttons. But there was no pride in that. None at all. If not for his fear that Bao might go after Li Wei, he would never have gone this far.
He wasn't a special agent. He had no ties to Capital Star or its faceless power brokers. He was just a boy. A kid with a knack for electronics.
Bao believed there was some powerful force behind him. But only Xu Le knew the truth: there was nothing behind him but that damned person. If that bastard hadn't begged and cried, he wouldn't have dragged the orphans—and himself—into this farce.
Would Bao give up the case?
Xu Le didn't know.
He washed his face over and over under the scalding water until his skin turned red. Then he looked up at the mirror, scowling at his reflection, and muttered under his breath:
"Feng Yu... you son of a bitch. Who the hell are you?"