Chapter 89: The Abandoned Slaughterhouse

No.

Just as Su Yao was about to tell Liu Hong not to cause trouble, Lin Qing unexpectedly spoke up and refused. This left Liu Hong bewildered, unsure why Lin Qing would refuse!

Liu Hong thought, ‘I’m pretty good at fighting. Bringing me along wouldn’t be a burden; in fact, I’d be a helpful asset. Besides, this is about capturing Wang Fanran. Even if you dislike me, there’s no need to refuse. As long as we catch the guy, that’s all that matters.’

‘Sure, I’ll go with Lin Qing,’ Su Yao interjected, correcting Liu Hong’s statement. This caught Lin Qing off guard, causing him to turn and look at her.

Su Yao raised an eyebrow, her expression a mix of amusement and threat. Her eyes, dark and intense, conveyed a clear warning to Lin Qing, making it clear that refusing her company would come at a steep price.

Seeing Su Yao’s determination, Lin Qing didn’t argue further. Instead, he turned his attention to Liu Hong and explained, ‘If this were a routine capture, I wouldn’t refuse your help. But things are more serious now… Wang Fanran just told me that Chen Sen’s dog-theft gang is just a training ground. They’re selecting suitable people to traffic children.’

Lin Qing noticed Liu Hong’s eyes light up as he looked at Su Yao. Knowing Liu Hong wouldn’t back down, Lin Qing decided to share everything he knew. ‘This information came straight from Wang Fanran, so I have no reservations about sharing it. Even if it’s false, it’s Wang Fanran’s problem. If it makes Liu Hong give up, that’s a good thing.’

As for why he didn’t refuse Su Yao’s company, Lin Qing thought, ‘Other than the fact that I can’t oppose Su Yao, she was right there and heard everything Wang Fanran said. She understands the danger we’re in.’

‘What, trafficking?’ Liu Hong exclaimed, stunned. Zhou Lin and Wang Jian, who had been listening, also looked grave. Recently, there had been several cases of missing children in their city of Lian. If Chen Sen was involved in child trafficking, going there would indeed be dangerous!

‘So, I should definitely go with you,’ Liu Hong thought, his resolve strengthening. He looked at Lin Qing with determination, ready to make amends for his past mistakes and ensure Su Yao’s safety.

Although Liu Hong’s family was involved in criminal activities and often bullied others, they never touched trafficking or similar crimes. According to Liu Hong’s father, to ensure long-term success, it’s best to avoid such morally reprehensible activities. In their line of work, they had to maintain a certain level of respect. If anyone was caught doing such things, they would be severely punished.

As the future leader of the Liu family, Liu Hong felt a responsibility to investigate this matter and find out if Chen Sen was truly involved in trafficking. Considering all these factors, Liu Hong’s decision to join them was firm, despite the worried looks from Zhou Lin and Wang Jian.

Lin Qing sighed, realizing that Liu Hong was determined to join them. ‘Fine, come if you must. Just don’t regret it later.’

‘Sure, we’ll go. You two stay here and wait for us,’ Liu Hong said, nodding in agreement. Zhou Lin was about to speak but was cut off by Liu Hong. He explained that the situation was too risky for them and that they should stay safe at home.

As Liu Hong and Zhou Lin were leaving, Su Yao supported Lin Qing, who was limping. Seeing the new injuries on Lin Qing, Su Yao’s dislike for Liu Hong grew. ‘He dared to hurt my property,’ she thought, her expression unreadable.

‘Since you hate Liu Hong so much, why did you let him join? This isn’t a game,’ Su Yao said, gently touching Lin Qing’s bruised mouth. Lin Qing flinched but didn’t pull away. ‘I didn’t force him. He’s a capable fighter and will be a good asset in capturing Wang Fanran. I only refused him at first because he didn’t know the full story. Now that he does, there’s no reason to refuse him.’

Despite everything going smoothly, Lin Qing felt a strong sense of unease, as if something was about to explode.

After changing into clean clothes, Lin Qing found that Su Yao had already brought Shirley home. The three of them were ready to leave. Liu Hong kicked the still-crying Zhou Lin and Wang Jian, waved goodbye, and got into the car with Lin Qing and Su Yao, heading towards the abandoned slaughterhouse on the outskirts of the city.

As they drove, Lin Qing watched the scenery change from bustling streets to desolate fields, where wild grasses grew unchecked.

‘Sorry for hitting you earlier,’ Liu Hong suddenly apologized from the passenger seat. Lin Qing, sitting in the back with Su Yao, replied calmly, ‘You don’t need to feel guilty. Coming with us to this dangerous place is enough. But I need to make this clear one more time: Su Yao and I have no relationship. You don’t need to keep imagining things.’

Liu Hong, who had been suspicious of Lin Qing and Su Yao’s relationship, was taken aback by Lin Qing’s insistence. He realized something was off but decided to put his doubts aside for now. ‘Let’s talk about this after we finish the job,’ he said, trying to stay calm.

Su Yao, watching them through the rear-view mirror, smiled to herself, thinking how well they were getting along. But she couldn’t shake off the sense of impending danger.

As they approached the abandoned slaughterhouse, Su Yao’s heart raced with excitement. After all their planning, they were finally at the crucial moment.

‘Should we just walk in?’ Liu Hong asked as they parked nearby and started walking towards the slaughterhouse.

‘Chen Sen doesn’t have many people here, and the place is large. We can sneak in and search for Wang Fanran. Once we find him, we’ll bring him out,’ Lin Qing explained, realizing he hadn’t shared the plan with Liu Hong.

The plan was simple but effective. Although they could call the police, they lacked evidence to prove Wang Fanran’s claims. If it turned out to be a lie, they would not only be reporting a false alarm but also risk offending Chen Sen. It was better to act quickly and find Wang Fanran before something worse happened.

‘Huh, if there aren’t many people, that’s my cue,’ Liu Hong said, eager to show off his skills in front of Su Yao. Of course, he would only step in if they were discovered.