hotmtlnovel Chapter 646 Fire War
Chapter 646 Fire War
Zhao Lei immediately assigned two policemen to guard Jiang Hu on either side. They said it was for "protection," but in reality, they were like two door gods, keeping a close watch on him. Even if he moved half a step to the side, someone would be watching him.
Just as Jiang Hu was about to explode with anger, Zhang Chuan and Zhao Ci came out from inside. "Director He, you've finally arrived." Zhang Chuan stepped forward quickly, his tone urgent.
Jiang Hu was stunned when he saw the two of them: "Professor Zhao? What are you doing here? This is not a place for you, go back!"
Zhang Chuan and Zhao Ci completely ignored him and walked straight up to He Feng: "Director He, our mission is complete. We know exactly where those people are hiding."
"Traitors! You two are traitors!" Jiang Hu was both shocked and furious, his hand trembling as he pointed at them. "I was blind to have believed you..."
He wanted to continue cursing, but found that his arms were firmly held by the two policemen, and he couldn't move. He Feng glanced at him coldly: "Director Jiang, now that things have come to this, you'd better save your energy."
"Zhang Chuan, take Zhao Lei and the others to arrest them," He Feng instructed, turning to Zhao Ci. "Professor Zhao, could you please take Ma Xin, the expert, to find evidence of Jiang Hu's crimes? Those ledgers and transaction records should still be hidden, right?"
Zhao Ci nodded, his gaze falling on Jiang Hu's furious face, and calmly said, "They're all in the hidden compartment of the abandoned winch room. I'll take you there."
Jiang Hu watched them walk inside, making a "hoarse" sound in his throat, but he could only be held down by the police, like a wild beast trapped in a cage, with none of his previous arrogance remaining.
Zhao Lei stared at Zhang Chuan, his brows furrowed, and asked in a very low voice, "Do they have any weapons?"
Zhang Chuan's Adam's apple bobbed, his tone heavy: "Yes. I don't know exactly how many are hidden, but I paid special attention to the two guards at the gate last night. They had two submachine guns gleaming on their waists, the black muzzles angled towards the way they came, the trigger guards worn shiny, clearly indicating they were always cocked, exuding a ruthless aura."
Zhao Lei turned around abruptly, looked at the team members lined up behind him, and said in a deep voice, "Everyone, put on your bulletproof vests and check the safety on your sidearms. Remember, these people dare to hoard heavy weapons; nine times out of ten, they are desperate criminals. Be extremely careful during the operation. Do not fire without my orders. Ensure your own safety first, understand?"
"Yes, Captain!" the team members behind him responded in unison, their voices short and powerful. They deftly opened their equipment bags, put on their body armor, the nylon Velcro snapping and the metal holsters clanging. Every face showed the tension of impending battle, but their eyes shone with an astonishing brightness.
Zhao Lei followed Zhang Chuan toward the bungalow hidden at the end of the alley. Deep in the alley were piles of abandoned wooden crates, moss-covered walls, and dim lighting. Zhang Chuan knew the area like the backyard, deliberately choosing to walk in the shadows along the walls, his footsteps so light they were almost inaudible. He frequently gestured—pointing out broken glass, sections of wall prone to crumbling plaster, and so on. He Feng followed closely behind, dressed in gray civilian clothes, sleeves rolled up to his forearms, revealing his strong wrists, exuding the characteristic efficiency of a soldier.
“Director,” Zhao Lei suddenly stepped aside to stop him, lowering his voice to dissuade him, “it’s too dangerous here. You can stay outside and command the operation. There’s no need to go in and take this risk.”
He Feng smiled, raised his hand and patted his shoulder. The warmth of his palm seeped through the fabric, and his steady tone reassured him: "I also came from the army. I used to fight bandits on the border. I can handle this kind of situation. Don't worry, I'll follow your command this time and won't cause any trouble."
The group followed Zhang Chuan to the outside of the courtyard wall of the bungalow. The wall, made of yellow earth and broken bricks, wasn't high, but it exuded a sense of oppression. He Feng approached a crack in the wall and squinted into the courtyard—two guards were leaning against a mottled gatepost, smoking cigarettes, the cigarettes burned down to just butts. Two submachine guns lay at their feet, their barrels gleaming coldly in the dim light. Their fingers occasionally caressed the triggers, a look of alertness mixed with laziness. He gave a wink to the two team members beside him, making a "chokehold" gesture with his right hand, indicating to take care of it silently.
The two men nodded, and like two agile geckos, they shuffled along the wall to either side of the gate. Suddenly, the man on the left flicked his wrist, and a specially made short stick wrapped in anti-slip cloth flew out with a "whoosh," striking the left gatekeeper precisely on the back of the neck. The man's head lolled to the side, and without a sound, he slumped to the ground like a heavy sack of grain. The gatekeeper on the right, just realizing something was wrong, whirled around, his hand already reaching for his gun at his feet. The man on the right pounced like a cheetah, his left arm tightly gripping the gatekeeper's throat, his right hand covering his mouth. Using the momentum, he slammed the man to the ground, his knee slamming into his back. In less than three seconds, the man's struggles weakened, and he fell completely still.
After dealing with the gatekeeper, the two quickly dragged the body to a woodpile behind the wall and made a "safe" gesture towards the outside of the wall.
He Feng gave a "go" signal, and the team members immediately split into two groups. One group guarded the main gate, pointing their guns outwards and keeping a watchful eye on their surroundings, while the other group followed him, crouching low as they crept into the main room. Dim light shone through the paper-covered windows, and faint voices could be heard from inside, mixed with the crisp sound of dice hitting the ground.
Inside, the leader, with his buzz cut, paced restlessly, his army green jacket open, revealing a gruesome knife scar on his chest. He toyed with a dagger in his hand, the metal blade reflecting his sinister face. For some reason, a sense of unease crept over him, like ants crawling on his heart. He shouted to a henchman beside him, a cigarette dangling from his lips, "Go check what's going on outside? I heard them smoking just now, and now it's all silent? Are they fucking asleep?"
Just as one of the underlings was about to get up, there was a sudden "bang" from outside the window. A smoke bomb emitting white smoke was thrown in, hit the corner of the table, and bounced off, instantly filling the room with a pungent gas that made everyone's eyes water.
"Damn it! An ambush!" The leader's expression changed drastically. He grabbed a double-barreled shotgun from under the table and slammed the butt on the ground. "Grab your weapons! Fight them!"
Zhang Jie reacted quickly, saying he would fight to the death, but he had already started to retreat.
Chaos erupted inside the room instantly. The sounds of tables and chairs overturning, screams, and the clashing of weapons mingled together. Some people fumbled for machetes hidden under the bed, while others searched for pistols behind cabinets—it was utter chaos. At that moment, He Feng and his team kicked open the door. With a bang, the door slammed against the wall and bounced back. He shouted sternly, "Police! Don't move! Put down your weapons!"