He Yifeng's eyes widened, filled with shock and fear.
How did he know all this?
His seemingly secret actions had been uncovered by Chen Fan with absolute clarity. He saw no hope.
Ma Zhiguan, still groaning on the ground, also heard the conversation between Chen Fan and Cao Fang. He laboriously turned his head to look at He Yifeng, a wry smile appearing in his eyes.
It was impossible to tell if it was schadenfreude or a curse of resentment.
Luo Jiuzhang, the only one seated, became increasingly restless, fine beads of sweat appearing on his forehead.
He had nothing to do with these matters, yet from the moment he accepted Ma Zhiguan's invitation and saw Chen Fan, he had been filled with dread.
Strictly speaking, he hadn't committed any major offense, but he was becoming more and more uneasy.
Sometimes, a mere loss of impression was an immeasurable loss, a burden he could not bear!
As for the others, they were all utterly shocked.
Young Master Cao was dead!
How could the Cao family possibly let this go?
This person, rumored to be a discarded son-in-law kicked out by the Su family, had actually dared to kill Cao Fang?
The Cao family had immense influence in Hangjiang, so much so that it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call their connections pervasive. Why would this man dare to act so recklessly?
Even if Cao Fang were guilty, it wasn't this man's place to mete out punishment, was it?
Their sense of superiority, derived from their status, wealth, and power, vanished instantly. All that remained was fear and unease.
Under the shocked gazes of everyone present, Chen Fan's expression remained calm as he walked towards another person.
The noble and influential figures kneeling in his path immediately tensed up.
But at this moment, shouts came from the entrance.
"Who is causing trouble and engaging in a brawl here?"
"This is the police. Everyone stand still, do not move!"
...
Accompanied by sharp shouts, a team of police officers strode into the gambling hall.
However, the person leading them froze upon seeing the members of the Raptor Squad.
Coincidentally, the leader of the police unit was Director Chen from the Shuanglong branch. As soon as he entered, he felt that the people in the hall were familiar.
Upon recognizing the members of the Raptor Squad, a cold sweat broke out.
Damn it, why had he run into these troublesome individuals again?
The officer behind him was about to step forward to question them when Director Chen, with quick reflexes, pulled his colleague back.
Facing the approaching members of the Raptor Squad, Director Chen smiled obsequiously and said, "We received a report and came to see what was happening. We didn't expect this to be your unit's operation. My apologies for the intrusion."
Qin Tianyou walked over and smiled, saying nothing.
"Save me, please save me!"
Yuan Fangfei, seeing the arrival of the police, immediately cried out for help.
Her face, swollen like a pig's head, was pale. She was clearly shaken by Ma Zhiguan's plight and Cao Fang's death.
Young Master Wu also shouted loudly, "Director Chen, I am Wu Zekuan. They are committing murder. Why aren't you arresting these people, especially this man named Chen Fan?"
Director Chen's face twitched upon hearing this.
But when he clearly saw the scene in the gambling hall, his expression also changed, and his scalp tingled.
Peng Tianrong stood up and said in a deep voice, "I am Peng Tianrong of the Peng Group. I am here to testify. This man is a murderer, and there is a corpse right there. Why aren't you arresting this extremely dangerous terrorist?"
Director Chen began to sweat on his forehead.
He knew Peng Tianrong, and he even recognized most of the influential figures present.
Yet, these influential figures were kneeling here, and someone was dead.
Under normal circumstances, he would have arrested them without hesitation.
The problem was that he knew the background of the Raptor Squad and had seen their credentials.
How could he dare to get involved in this?
However, this was his jurisdiction. What would be the consequences if he completely ignored it?
He glanced at Chen Fan, looking to Qin Tianyou for help.
"The Raptor Squad is on official business, and it concerns classified matters. You should leave."
Qin Tianyou did not make things difficult for Director Chen this time.
Director Chen smiled bitterly and said in a low voice, "I will need a written letter!"
"Certainly!"
Qin Tianyou replied indifferently.
Director Chen nodded with a forced smile and turned to leave.
Yuan Fangfei, Wu Zekuan, and most people in the gambling hall were stunned.
They had never expected the police to react this way upon their arrival.
"Director Chen, you can't leave! How can you ignore such a serious incident?" Young Master Wu exclaimed, "This is the eldest daughter of the Yuan family from Jiangbei."
"Director Chen, what are you doing?" Peng Tianrong also said indignantly, "Abandoning people to die, are you still fit to wear that uniform?"
"Believe it or not, I can have you stripped of your uniform with a single word!"
"Arrest these people, or I will definitely report you!"
"..."
Director Chen felt a thousand "Cao Nima" stampeding through his mind.
Damn it, don't these people look at who they've provoked? They are afraid to even fart in front of them, yet they're picking on him relentlessly?
However, he couldn't just leave without saying anything. There were too many high-ranking officials present. If they all ganged up on him, even as a deputy director, he would be in serious trouble.
"Ahem."
Clearing his throat, Director Chen said, "I apologize, but this matter involves classified information, and we have no right to inquire or interfere. Please, take care of yourselves!"
With that, he didn't want to stay a moment longer and fled with his team as if escaping.
"You..."
Peng Tianrong and the others were completely dumbfounded.
What did "no right to inquire" mean? The implication was obvious. These people in plain clothes, exuding a murderous aura, were from the military zone?
Only the military zone would make local law enforcement departments unable to intervene.
But why would the military zone be involved in such matters?
For a moment, many people showed despair.
He Yifeng slumped to the ground, his expression numb.
He managed the Yincheng Club and had good connections with officials, often bribing them. Yet, now, Director Chen wouldn't even spare him a word or a glance.
There was no doubt that Chen Fan's influence was far greater than he had imagined.
If he had foreseen today's events, he should have fled after that phone call last night.
Ultimately, he had been too confident in his own status and connections. He hadn't taken the dismantling of the Chengnan gang too seriously.
His eyes were vacant and numb.
The numerous noble and influential figures also understood, gasping in shock.
At this moment, Chen Fan stood before Peng Tianrong.
Peng Tianrong's expression became uneasy, tense, and fearful.
Cold sweat seeped from his back, soaking his clothes.
Amidst his extreme unease, Chen Fan walked past him and stopped in front of another person.
Young Master Wu, Wu Zekuan.
Cold sweat beaded on Young Master Wu's forehead, and his face was as pale as paper.
A chilling aura engulfed him.
"No... don't kill me, I, I can make amends, apologize..."
Chen Fan grasped his neck and applied slight pressure. With a snap, Young Master Wu's head lolled to the side.
"Go to hell and apologize!"
Chen Fan's voice sounded as if it came from the depths of hell.
The remaining people trembled, their faces filled with terror.
Young Master Cao, Young Master Wu, who would be next?
Chen Fan, however, did not continue. He walked directly to He Yifeng and said indifferently:
"Given that we knew each other once, I'll give you a quick end. Is there anything you want to say?"
He Yifeng looked up and smiled wryly, asking, "You... which one of those children were you?"