As soon as she pushed the door open, Mu Lingshan was hit by a pungent smell—smoke, alcohol, and a strange odor she couldn't quite place.

The room inside was brightly lit, creating a stark contrast with the darkness outside, and for a moment, Mu Lingshan couldn't adapt, instinctively raising her hand to shield her eyes.

Once she adjusted to the intense light, the scene on the first floor came into her view.

The entire first floor was a single large room with old flooring, covered with shoe prints and so dirty that its original color was unrecognizable. In the center, seven men were sitting around a hot pot on tires used as seats, several of them wrapped in bandages to varying degrees.

Mu Lingshan had seen every one of these men not long ago; they were the ones who had attacked Chu Ge with batons.

As Mu Lingshan assessed these men, they also turned to look at her.

Wang Meng took a gulp of beer, grinning, "Yo, isn't this the little police flower from earlier? What's up, are the police doing house calls now? Did you come all the way out here just to take my statement?"

Seeing Wang Meng's facetious expression, Mu Lingshan frowned, feeling a wave of nausea, and for some reason, she suddenly thought of Chu Ge.

Although Chu Ge also called her Officer Mu flower, she initially just found it annoying, later even gradually getting used to it, never feeling this disgusted.

"I received a citizen complaint about illegal gambling going on here," Mu Lingshan looked around the room and used this excuse again.

Wang Meng laughed loudly, "We're just here drinking, gambling my ass! Want to join us for a few drinks?"

"Little police flower, since you're here, why not come over?"

"Yeah, they say police and civilians are one family, never got to drink with such a pretty policewoman like you before."

The others laughed in agreement.

Seeing these people not taking her seriously at all, Mu Lingshan couldn't help but feel angry, further confirming to herself that these people were definitely up to no good.

"All of you better take me seriously now. I'm going upstairs to inspect, and none of you are allowed to leave. Stay here and don't move; I still have questions for all of you after I'm done."

Although Mu Lingshan felt these guys were so fearless it seemed they weren't lying, since she used that excuse, she still went upstairs for a look.

Mu Lingshan checked every room, all of which looked like pigsties, but indeed there was no one nor anything suspicious.

Coming back downstairs, she stood facing these men and said sternly, "Who can explain what happened this evening? Why did you eight attack Chu Ge?"

"Chu Ge? Don't know him." A man with bandaged hands asked knowingly.

"Quit pretending, did you also beat someone else this evening?"

"Oh, I remember now, the guy you're talking about? Officer sister, how can you say that? Look how badly we're hurt here, ever seen people gang up on someone and end up like this? Aren't you supposed to stand up for us?"

Honestly, Mu Lingshan found it incredible too; Chu Ge clearly didn't fight back and was just dodging clumsily, yet among these eight, six were somehow injured to varying degrees.

After questioning them for a while longer, these eight nonchalantly dodged her, offering no useful information, leaving Mu Lingshan increasingly frustrated, disappointed, and disgusted.

"I hope you stand by what you've said today and don't let me catch evidence of your crimes!"

She said coldly and turned to leave, followed by more frivolous laughter behind her.

But just as Mu Lingshan took a few steps, the doorbell suddenly rang loudly.

The moment it rang, the conversation stopped abruptly as they all looked at each other, and the previously noisy hall fell momentarily silent.

Mu Lingshan's eyes brightened, her spirit lifted, intuitively sensing that this time she might not come away empty-handed. Maybe the person at the door would be the key to uncovering something!

Mu Lingshan stopped, her eyes fixed on the group, waiting for someone to open the door.

The man who had opened the door for Mu Lingshan earlier stood up and strode toward it, and Mu Lingshan quickly followed.

"Who's there?" This time, the man with his right hand bandaged didn't open the door immediately but asked first. Mu Lingshan stood off to the side, a bit tense and excited, watching his expression closely.

"San Ge here? It's me, Shoko."

"Shoko? Don't know you, you…"

As the voice of "Shoko" came from behind the door, "San Ge's" pupils contracted, and Mu Lingshan was momentarily stunned before immediately realizing that she indeed came to the right place this time!

These people were indeed connected to the recent kidnappings!

This voice was clearly from the hook-nosed man she had interrogated all night without getting any answers!

Before the man inside could finish speaking, Mu Lingshan swiftly pulled out the iron gate bolt. With a "bang," she shoved the gate open, staring right into the eyes of the hook-nosed man who was just about to speak!

"It's you!" Mu Lingshan said sharply.

"It's you?" the hook-nosed man exclaimed in surprise.

The hook-nosed man turned and ran, and Mu Lingshan sprinted after him. However, she had just lifted her foot and hadn't had time to take a step when she suddenly heard a gust of wind by her side. In her peripheral vision, "Third Brother" was throwing a punch at her head.

Mu Lingshan ducked low, narrowly avoiding the punch. A "whoosh" sound instantly rang in her ears.

She knew that even if she could subdue this "Third Brother," she surely wasn't a match against the many people inside. Her top priority now was to leave this place immediately.

Confirming that these people had a connection with the hook-nosed man was already a surprise, and it was enough!

However, to Mu Lingshan's surprise, the man called "Third Brother," after missing his punch, immediately blocked her path and delivered a fierce kick, a cruel smile on his face.

"Little cop flower, originally I didn't intend to mess with you, but since you've seen what you shouldn't have, it's just your bad luck."

Mu Lingshan's anxiety heightened, fearing that all seven men inside would come out, making it even harder for her to escape.

Unexpectedly fortunate was the fact that the man in front of her didn't seem inclined to call his accomplices for now, and his cold eyes were full of contempt.

Looking at the man opposite her, Mu Lingshan's anger flared. What was this? Look down on her? Think he could defeat her alone?

Involuntarily, Mu Lingshan thought of Chu Ge again.

She really didn't believe in this evil; if Chu Ge could handle all eight of them, could she not take down even one?

Moreover, the man in front of her had an injured hand!

Yet, the reality was, as she grappled with him, in just a few exchanges, she was kicked in the stomach, landing on her back on the ground. Her stomach churned violently, and she coughed a few times, her whole body felt like it was drained of strength, unable to get up.

Watching the sneering face approaching in her vision, Mu Lingshan's heart sank deeply. It was only then that she realized how useless she really was, so powerless in front of an injured criminal.

What would her fate be? Mu Lingshan didn't dare to think anymore.

But, even as the large hand of the other party came closer and closer to Mu Lingshan's collar, she did not regret coming here at all.

In her mind, she was still thinking about how to get this information out so that her colleagues, who stood for justice, could bring these criminals to justice.

However, she also knew well that she probably wouldn't get this chance.

Just as Mu Lingshan's heart was sinking completely, and "Third Brother's" hand was about to grab her collar, a pebble suddenly flew in from above, striking "Third Brother's" temple with precise accuracy.

"Ah!"

"Third Brother's" hand, which was about to touch Mu Lingshan, shook violently. He let out a scream like a pig being slaughtered, clutching his temple and stumbling back a few steps, his sturdy body swaying, his consciousness momentarily blurred.

Finally, with deep unwillingness, he fell to the ground with a "thud," losing consciousness without even knowing who had attacked him.

Looking at "Third Brother" who had fallen beside her, Mu Lingshan was stunned. This powerful man, who could knock her down with just one hand, actually... fell so easily?

Instinctively, Mu Lingshan lifted her head, looking towards the direction from which the pebble had come.

As Mu Lingshan looked up, a gust of wind swept by, and in her vision, the moon in the sky gradually emerged from the clouds, spilling its brilliant moonlight over the eaves of this two-story building.

At the same time, it illuminated a man wearing a black top hat, a silver mask on his face, and white gloves on his hands, like a prince ready for a masquerade ball.

"Tha... thank you..."

Staring at the prince-like man, Mu Lingshan was stunned for several seconds before she came back to her senses.

However, just as Mu Lingshan finished speaking, a flurry of footsteps echoed in her ears, and the seven men inside all rushed out.

"Old Third!"

"Third Brother!"

Seeing their comrade lying at the door, his life uncertain, all seven men's eyes turned red.

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