RLTT CH 22

Chapter 22: Handcuffs · Wei Jiayi · Police

As soon as they stepped into the safe house, Eva received an urgent phone call.
“…What? It’s gotten this serious?” Eva glanced at Yun Shaofeng, her expression conflicted. “It’s fine. I can handle it.”

“What happened?” Yun Shaofeng already had a pretty good idea.

“Xin Qing and Red Alliance are clashing in several different locations at the same time,” Eva sat down beside him. The other police officers had been dispatched to handle these sudden incidents, leaving her as Yun Shaofeng’s sole companion for now. “Coincidentally, there’s a public protest happening today, so most of the police force is focused on maintaining order. We’re short on manpower.”

“They did this on purpose, didn’t they?” Yun Shaofeng looked at her, his tone serious.

Eva was momentarily at a loss for words and simply looked back at him.

“They did this on purpose,” Yun Shaofeng repeated. “They deliberately chose today, knowing that the protest would tie up police resources, and created disturbances in multiple locations to spread the force thin. All of this so that Wei Jiayi would personally step out.”

“Shaofeng, you…” Eva froze in shock.

“I’m not an idiot. Besides, this entire thing revolves around me.” Yun Shaofeng remained exceptionally calm. “Right now, you don’t have enough manpower to manage every location where a conflict is breaking out. If the smaller skirmishes can’t be controlled, they’ll escalate into large-scale fights.”

“…Did Brother Xi tell you all this?” Eva was surprised to hear such a detailed analysis from him.

Yun Shaofeng shook his head. “He didn’t say a word. But I’m not a three-year-old child. You’ve been protecting me all this time, planning for the day Wei Jiayi gets caught so I can step out and testify against him. Now, the opportunity to catch Wei Jiayi has arrived. Do you believe me when I say he will definitely appear at one of these conflict sites today?”

“I… I believe you,” Eva admitted, though she hadn’t thought that deeply about it herself. “Then… what’s your plan?”

“That idiot Wei Jiaxi… he must already know,” Yun Shaofeng chuckled softly, lowering his gaze. “I want you to let me go find him.”

“What? Absolutely not!” Eva’s eyes widened in shock. “You might be their target!”

“Precisely because I might be their target, I have to go,” Yun Shaofeng said gently, his gaze firm. “The news of my return to the Special Administrative Region has been kept under wraps. Wei Jiayi might know, or he might not. But as long as my presence is confirmed, even if something happens to me, Wei Jiayi will be the prime suspect.”

“But you can’t risk your safety for that!” Eva couldn’t make sense of his logic at all.

“It won’t be a risk, trust me,” Yun Shaofeng said, smiling slightly. “Because today, Wei Jiayi will definitely be caught. If there’s ever been a perfect moment for me to step out, it’s now.”

Eva furrowed her brows, still unable to understand. “…I just don’t get it.”

“Eva… all you need to do is trust me.” Yun Shaofeng reached out his arms and suddenly pulled Eva into a gentle hug.

Eva hadn’t expected this sudden action and froze completely, but she didn’t resist. She gave him a symbolic pat on the back. “Huh? Shaofeng?”

Yun Shaofeng hummed softly in response. His hands slowly moved toward Eva’s hands resting by his side.

Click!

A handcuff suddenly locked around Eva’s wrist.

Eva gasped in shock, struggling to break free from the handcuff. She shoved Yun Shaofeng away, realizing he must have slipped it out of his pocket at some point without her noticing.

“Ah!” She tried to jump up, but the other end of the handcuff was already in Yun Shaofeng’s firm grasp. With a swift pull, he yanked her back down, causing her to lose her balance and fall onto the sofa. Moving quickly, he secured the other end of the handcuff to the sofa’s armrest.

“Sorry, Eva…” Yun Shaofeng looked at her apologetically. “Your colleagues will be back soon. Don’t worry, everything will be fine. Please don’t be mad.”

“Shaofeng?!” Eva struggled but couldn’t break free. She could only watch in dismay as Yun Shaofeng grabbed the car keys and walked out of the safe house.

---

Queen’s Road.

Although it was broad daylight, most shops had pulled down their shutters. Pedestrians rushed to leave, and the blaring of police sirens echoed through the streets. Occasionally, the sharp sound of police radios and the shattering of glass broke through the tense atmosphere.

Inside his house, Uncle Xi sat calmly, brewing tea at the small table as he always did. The door to his home was wide open, yet there was no one else inside.

Liu Yi appeared at the doorway but didn’t step in. “The brothers are all ready.”

Uncle Xi grunted softly in acknowledgment, finishing the last cup of tea with deliberate slowness.

Meanwhile, down on the main road, a completely black seven-seater car with dark tinted windows was parked by the curb, its interior obscured from view. Around the vehicle, dozens of thugs stood armed with iron rods and machetes, their expressions fierce and threatening.

Leaning against the car door was Mo Chao, wearing his usual sunglasses.

The area beneath Uncle Xi’s building was also crowded with people. Two groups stood facing off in tense silence, neither side making a move. The oppressive atmosphere felt like the calm before a violent storm.

At last, Liu Yi and Uncle Xi appeared at the staircase entrance.

The Xin Qing gang members parted to create a clear path for the two of them to walk out of the building. Someone brought a folding chair to the roadside, allowing Uncle Xi to take a seat.

Mo Chao adjusted his sunglasses as he stood by the car door. Immediately, angry shouts erupted from the Hong Sheng gang members:

“Old man! Get down on your knees and apologize!”
“Avenge Sister Anna!”
“Flatten Xin Qing!”
“Kneel and kowtow!”

Uncle Xi sat composedly in his chair, glancing at Liu Yi. With a slight nod from Uncle Xi, Liu Yi raised his voice: “Quiet down! Uncle Xi has something to say!”

The crowd gradually fell silent.

“Kids, stop talking about fighting and k!lling all the time,” Uncle Xi said in an unhurried tone. “So many people have shown up today. Isn’t it better to sit down, have a good discussion, and come to a resolution?”

“Uncle Xi, are you admitting to what happened with Sister Anna?” Mo Chao asked calmly but with an underlying sharpness.

“On the streets, there are rules. If there’s a debt to settle, we gather to talk it out over tea and food,” Uncle Xi replied, skillfully avoiding the question. “But you bringing so many people to my doorstep—isn’t that breaking the rules?”

“Uncle Xi, Sister Anna’s death isn’t something that can be solved over tea and food,” Mo Chao said, his tone measured as always.

“You’re saying I caused Li Anna’s death?” Uncle Xi countered, feigning ignorance. “Without evidence, such accusations shouldn’t be made lightly.”

“Xin Qing put a ten-million-dollar price on Sister Anna’s life. That’s what he said,” Mo Chao said, pointing at Liu Yi, who stood beside Uncle Xi.

Liu Yi smirked, replying nonchalantly, “When did I say that? You believe everything I say?”

“You’re messing with us, aren’t you?”
“Trying to play games?”
“You’re asking for it!”

The Red Alliance members behind Mo Chao exploded in anger upon hearing those words, shouting furiously. Mo Chao, however, merely shook his head, completely unbothered by the tension.

“If I were to say—” Uncle Xi raised his voice, immediately silencing the commotion, “If I were to say that Li Anna’s death has absolutely nothing to do with Xin Qing, then what?”

If Li Anna’s death had nothing to do with Xin Qing, then all the conflicts between the Red Alliance and Xin Qing over the past two months would be reduced to the Red Alliance’s own misguided provocations. Not only would they lose face, but they’d also be branded as troublemakers who disrupted the peace of the underworld.

In that case, the Red Alliance would end up as the ultimate laughingstock.

Mo Chao let out a chuckle. “Uncle Xi, do you think I’d believe that?”

“It doesn’t matter whether you believe me,” Uncle Xi replied, his tone calm. “What matters is whether Wei Jiayi believes me.” Uncle Xi turned his gaze toward the tinted windows of the seven-seater car. “What do you say, Young Master Yi? Do you believe me?”

A tense silence fell over the crowd.

For a solid half a minute, not a single sound was made.

Finally, the door of the car slowly opened. A man in a luxurious suit, its collar undone, paired with casual sneakers, stepped out. His features bore a slight resemblance to Wei Jiaxi.

Wei Jiayi—he’d finally decided to make an appearance.

“It’s been a long time, Young Master Yi,” Uncle Xi said with a faint smile, still seated. “When did you get back to the Special District? How was Canada?”

Wei Jiayi frowned slightly as he stood in place, his gaze lowered to the seated Uncle Xi. “You’d better give me an explanation for my mother’s death.”

“My explanation is simple—it has nothing to do with me,” Uncle Xi answered quietly, unfazed. “All the small moves your Red Alliance has been making recently, taking over so many of our brothers’ businesses—of course, we had to respond. But that has absolutely no connection to what happened to your mother.”

“Nothing to do with you?” Wei Jiayi scoffed coldly. “A ten-million-dollar bounty and a tip to the cops that got our base shut down—that’s your so-called ‘response’? Your damn lackey spread that all over!” He raised his voice angrily, pulling out a gun from his pocket and pointing it directly at Liu Yi. “You’re going to kneel down and admit your guilt, or I’ll blow his head off right here!”

“Young Master Yi, are you here to avenge your mother, or are you just looking for an excuse to flex your power and stir up trouble?” Liu Yi stood with his hands in his pockets, entirely unfazed. “If you k!ll me here today and the real culprit gets exposed tomorrow, not only will you look utterly ridiculous, but you’ll also lose all credibility in the underworld.”

“You think you can scare me?” Wei Jiayi’s grip on the gun tightened as he glared at him. “If it wasn’t you, then who was it?”

“It was me.”

A bold voice echoed from the street corner. All heads turned toward the sound.

Standing alone in the distance was Wei Jiaxi.

His gaze swept across the two groups in the street, lingering briefly on Mo Chao and Uncle Xi, before finally settling on Wei Jiayi.

“It was me,” Wei Jiaxi said as he strode forward. The crowd instinctively parted to make way for him. “I was the one who shot and k!lled Li Anna.”

Wei Jiayi’s fists clenched tightly, and he swallowed nervously. After a brief hesitation, he redirected his gun toward Wei Jiaxi. “You finally have the guts to show up, don’t you, little yacht boy?”

Wei Jiaxi stopped in front of him, making no effort to dodge the barrel of the gun pointed at his head. “Watch your words. I took care of Red Alliance’s internal mess. That’s none of your business. Be careful, or I might clean you up as well.”

“Shut up!” Wei Jiayi roared, his eyes bloodshot with rage. His face twisted in fury. “From the moment you decided to enroll in the academy and become a cop, you lost the right to speak for the Red Alliance!”

“Is that so?” Wei Jiaxi smirked arrogantly, his demeanor relaxed yet mocking. “Well, just so you know—I’m no longer a cop. And as of now, the Red Alliance is mine.”

Wei Jiayi’s hand trembled violently as he held the gun. Just as he was about to say something, the sudden screech of brakes interrupted the standoff. A seven-seater car skidded to a halt on the opposite side of the street, drawing everyone’s attention once more.

Wei Jiaxi’s expression shifted instantly when he saw the car. Noticing Mo Chao’s hand discreetly moving toward the weapon at his waist, Wei Jiaxi quickly dashed toward the car door.

The car window rolled down slowly, revealing Yun Shaofeng’s familiar face.

Their eyes met, and both froze for a moment before breaking into smiles. Yun Shaofeng said nothing as he pushed the car door open and stepped out. Wei Jiaxi hesitated for half a second before reaching out and firmly grasping Yun Shaofeng’s hand. Together, they returned to the sidewalk, hand in hand.

Uncle Xi and Liu Yi exchanged knowing smiles at the sight before them. Surprisingly, even Mo Chao cracked a smile.

“Yun Shaofeng…” Wei Jiayi gritted his teeth, spitting out the name with venom. He raised his gun once more, disengaging the safety—this time, aiming directly at Yun Shaofeng.

Before Yun Shaofeng could even react, Wei Jiaxi had already pulled him behind and stepped in front of the barrel, shielding him.

Wei Jiayi froze for a moment before erupting in anger. “Don’t think for a second I won’t shoot!”

“Then do it!” Wei Jiaxi roared back without a hint of fear. “If you’re ready to go against thirty thousand cops in the Special District, then pull the trigger!”

Wei Jiayi faltered, clearly hesitating. Even though Wei Jiaxi had just claimed he was no longer a cop, no one in the underworld would ever underestimate the solidarity and unity of the police force. Even if he was retired, if anything happened to Wei Jiaxi, retribution would be inevitable.

For someone like Wei Jiayi, with his tainted background and countless enemies, giving his rivals such an easy excuse to strike him down was unthinkable. And if the cops decided to handle it themselves? No one would bat an eye.

But Yun Shaofeng wasn’t a cop.

To be continued…