Chapter 120: Prison Break

Chapter 120: Prison Break

“Li Huihui is missing? How is that possible?” Bai Zeshao was taken aback, then turned to Tian Yaopeng beside him.

“Team Leader Tian, you should know what’s going on, right?”

“Captain Bai, you shouldn’t make baseless accusations,” Tian Yaopeng retorted coldly.

“After what happened just yesterday, and now Li Huihui disappears today? If this has nothing to do with Team Leader Tian, I doubt anyone would believe it,” Bai Zeshao said, staring straight at Tian Yaopeng.

“Enough. This is not the time for bickering,” Wu Zhengke interrupted with a cold expression. “I don’t care who’s responsible. You all get out there and find her.”

“If you can’t find her, don’t come back. The Wen family has already put pressure on the higher-ups,” Wu Zhengke said irritably.

“Report!” came a voice from outside Wu Zhengke’s office.

“Come in,” Wu Zhengke called.

The door opened, and a man hurried over, whispering a few words into Wu Zhengke’s ear before quickly leaving. Wu Zhengke’s expression darkened as he fixed his gaze on Tian Yaopeng. “Team Leader Tian, do you have an explanation?”

“Captain, I’m not sure what you mean. I’m a bit confused,” Tian Yaopeng replied, perplexed.

“Seems like you won’t believe it until you see evidence. Bring the person in,” Wu Zhengke ordered toward the door.

Everyone’s eyes turned toward the entrance, where three members of the task force escorted someone inside.

Tian Yaopeng’s eyes narrowed sharply when he saw the person, a bad feeling rising in his gut.

“Team Leader Tian, don’t tell me you don’t recognize this person,” Wu Zhengke asked.

“Captain, this is a member of our second unit. What is he doing here?” Tian Yaopeng answered, while quickly thinking of how to handle the situation.

“Heh, what do you think?” Wu Zhengke sneered.

Tian Yaopeng fell silent, his mind racing. This second unit member was one of those he had sent to the Wen family to monitor Li Huihui yesterday.

But how did he end up in Wu Zhengke’s hands? And it seemed he had confessed to something, or Wu Zhengke wouldn’t have spoken like that.

Could it be that Li Huihui’s disappearance was connected to the second unit? Or perhaps it was their doing. But if that were true, why wasn’t he informed?

“Captain, please let me explain—actually—” Tian Yaopeng tried to speak, but Wu Zhengke cut him off flatly.

“No need for explanations. Hand the person over. You really are reckless,” Wu Zhengke said harshly.

“Captain, I truly don’t know anything about this. Although I did want to get revenge and even took action, this disappearance is not my doing,” Tian Yaopeng said earnestly, eyes falling on the second unit member. “Did you do something behind my back that I don’t know about?”

“Team Leader, you’re accusing us unfairly. We only followed your orders to monitor, nothing more,” the member protested, clearly aggrieved.

“Nothing else?” Tian Yaopeng pressed again.

“Nothing,” came the reply.

“Captain, as you can see, though I crossed some lines, Li Huihui’s disappearance is unrelated to me,” Tian Yaopeng said sincerely.

“Even so, I have to discipline you. If everyone ignores the rules, chaos will follow,” Wu Zhengke said, pausing briefly. “Effective immediately, you are relieved of your position as leader of the second unit and placed in solitary confinement for three days.”

He then glanced toward Bai Zeshao, signaling him.

“Team Leader Tian, please come with me,” Bai Zeshao said with a smile, receiving the cue.

Tian Yaopeng’s face darkened as he left Wu Zhengke’s office.

A moment later—

“What do you two think? How much of what Tian Yaopeng said is true?” Wu Zhengke asked Bai Zeshao and Ye Mao.

“Captain, I think it’s probably true. Even if he wanted revenge, he wouldn’t be so reckless,” Ye Mao mused.

But Bai Zeshao had a different opinion. “If Tian Yaopeng is bold enough to monitor the Wen family and Li Huihui without permission, what else wouldn’t he dare do?”

Bai Zeshao was not eager to let Tian Yaopeng off easily, whispering poison into Wu Zhengke’s ear.

“Xiao Bai might have a point. The Wen family is already using their connections to look for Li Huihui, so we must act quickly. Other matters can wait,” Wu Zhengke said with a frown.

“Understood,” Bai Zeshao and Ye Mao promptly left the intelligence office to continue the search.

Suddenly, all of Shanning grew tense. Police and plainclothes officers flooded the streets.

Unaware onlookers might have thought a major incident was unfolding, or that the Red Party was being hunted again.

Bai Zeshao gazed at the scene, silently acknowledging the Wen family’s influence in Shanning.

The search for Li Huihui rivaled, if not surpassed, efforts to track the Red Party. Nearly all the military, police, and intelligence forces in Shanning had been mobilized.

Yet despite the massive deployment of manpower and resources, there was no sign of Li Huihui—as if she had vanished into thin air.

By seven in the evening, the sky had darkened.

Bai Zeshao and the task force returned to the intelligence office, but just as they entered the gate, a piercing alarm suddenly blared.

All the floodlights snapped on, illuminating the once-darkened building.

Caught off guard, Bai Zeshao and his team barely had time to react before a group of armed agents poured out from the building and immediately surrounded them.

Facing a dozen black-barreled guns, Bai Zeshao cursed his luck under his breath and looked around. “Brothers, there’s been a misunderstanding. We just returned from a mission outside. What’s going on?”

But the armed men showed no sign of lowering their weapons or responding.

A tense standoff ensued. A fine sheen of cold sweat appeared on Bai Zeshao’s forehead as the night wind blew.

Then, the crowd parted to make way for Wu Zhengke, who appeared in Bai Zeshao’s sight.

“Captain, what’s going on?” Bai Zeshao called out anxiously.

Wu Zhengke recognized him and ordered the guards, “It’s a misunderstanding. These aren’t the people we want. Lower your weapons.”

Relieved, Bai Zeshao exhaled deeply and turned to Wu Zhengke. “Why such a large mobilization? What’s happened?”

“Someone escaped prison,” Wu Zhengke said gravely.