Chapter 147: Raiding the Estate and Seizing Wealth

Ning Zhiheng looked at the three siblings of the Zuo family and said, "Since you intend to follow me, I will make things clear right from the start.

First, you must obey my orders unconditionally without any questioning or slackness!

Second, while executing missions, provided the mission is successfully completed, you must avoid killing innocent civilians indiscriminately as much as possible!

Third, and most importantly, keep your mouths sealed tightly. Not a single word of what I entrust to you must leak out! Otherwise, you will be dealt with according to military law! Do you understand?"

"Understood!" The Zuo siblings nodded in agreement one after another.

Zuo Qiang even chimed in specifically, "Rest assured, Officer Ning! We all know what the Military Statistics and Investigation Bureau does. Officer Ning's tasks are naturally military secrets. We won't spill a word even if beaten to death. We understand!"

They were well aware of Ning Zhiheng's identity. The Military Statistics and Investigation Bureau was the nation's exclusive intelligence agency—the Jinyiwei specializing in intelligence and assassinations. In external rumors, this department was shrouded in mystery and darkness.

Serving Officer Ning from now on meant serving this very Military Statistics and Investigation Bureau. Thinking that the legendary colossal behemoth was actually going to be their backing, the three Zuo siblings suddenly felt their spines straighten a bit. They, too, were now people with an organization behind them!

Naturally, Ning Zhiheng had no idea what wild imaginations were running through their heads at the moment, and even if he did, he couldn't be bothered to care.

Ning Zhiheng called Lao Liao over and instructed, "Release them. I'll take them with me in a moment!"

Hearing this, Lao Liao hurried forward to unlock and open the cell door. The Zuo siblings stepped out of the cell, smiles blossoming across their faces. They had survived yet another calamity, walking the line between life and death once more!

Ning Zhiheng waved his hand to dismiss Lao Liao, then asked, "When you were working under Dai Daguan before, your hands must have gotten stained with quite a few lives. Do you have criminal records?"

The Zuo siblings exchanged glances, and it was Zuo Gang who spoke up, "We've done it a few times, but we cleaned up after ourselves thoroughly and left no criminal records! However, we never struck against good people. Those we killed were either underworld figures, turf-fighting local ruffians, or street thugs. It was all at Dai Daguan's bidding. He once saved our lives, so we considered it repaying the debt!"

"Brother, we paid that debt off long ago!" Zuo Ruo snapped, disliking what she heard. Over the years, risking life and limb and selling their lives out for that man surnamed Dai, the initial debt of gratitude had been paid off ages ago.

"Very well. It's good that there are no criminal records. As for this latest case, I will have your records expunged!" Ning Zhiheng didn't take these matters to heart; to him, it was merely a flick of the wrist.

"However, Dai Daguan knows the ins and outs of those past affairs. Now that we've had a falling out with him, I'm afraid he might run his mouth outside!" Zuo Gang suddenly interjected from the side.

"Hmph," Ning Zhiheng sneered coldly. "Don't worry your head over nothing. Dai Daguan is a Japanese spy, which is a capital offense. He won't make it out alive, so you have nothing to worry about. Just follow me honestly from now on, and if any trouble arises, I'll take care of it! By the way, where do the three of you currently live?"

"Right near Dai Daguan's house. We bought a residence there!" Zuo Gang replied.

Ning Zhiheng fetched a piece of paper, took his Pelikan fountain pen out of his breast pocket, wrote down his office telephone number and residential address on the paper, and handed it over.

"Sell the house when you go back, and find a place near this address. That way, if I have matters to attend to, I can find you quickly. Contact me once you've settled the arrangements!" Ning Zhiheng instructed.

The Zuo siblings took the paper and nodded in agreement. At that moment, a hesitant expression appeared on Zuo Gang's face. After a moment, unable to hold back any longer, he pleaded in a low voice, "Officer Ning, is there truly no hope left for Dai Daguan this time? Can you show mercy outside the law and spare his life?"

Ning Zhiheng narrowed his eyes, a trace of murderous intent shooting toward Zuo Gang. Instantly, Zuo Gang felt as though he had been targeted by a hungry tiger, and a cold sweat broke out, streaming down his back.

"What? You've just stepped out of the tiger's jaws and clawed back your life, yet you're already thinking of pleading for him?" Ning Zhiheng said coldly.

The atmosphere instantly grew oppressive. Seeing Ning Zhiheng's menacing gaze, Zuo Ruo was frightened and quickly shouted, "Brother, have you lost your mind? Dai Daguan may have saved your life, but how many things have we done for him over the years? Whatever we owed, we've paid back. Now he's the one who has wronged us! Officer Ning has already said he is a Japanese spy and cannot possibly make it out alive."

Her older brother was simply far too sentimental, and as a result, he had landed himself in this miserable state.

She hurriedly pleaded with Ning Zhiheng, "Officer Ning, my brother didn't mean anything else by it. He just has this stubborn, die-hard temperament. Please don't hold it against him!"

Zuo Gang knew that this Officer Ning was now the person he served, and he was well aware that with Officer Ning's power, crushing the three siblings would be as easy as crushing three ants.

His lips twitched slightly, but he finally whispered, "Officer Ning, please don't misunderstand. I only want to ask you for one favor: can you spare Dai Daguan's wife and son, and leave them some property to get by? From now on, this life of mine belongs to you. Even if it means stepping into a sea of fire or climbing a mountain of blades, I won't even frown!"

Hearing this, Ning Zhiheng's heart relaxed slightly, and the murderous intent in his eyes receded. It turned out Zuo Gang was still harboring lingering affection for Dai Daguan, wishing to leave a way out for Dai Daguan's wife and child to honor that bond!

By acting this way, Ning Zhiheng felt even more certain that his judgment had been correct. The fact that Zuo Gang could be so benevolent and righteous toward Dai Daguan, repaying his life-saving grace to such an extent, proved that Zuo Gang was an extremely loyal and steadfast person. Having such a person work for him naturally brought much greater peace of mind.

"Your life already belongs to me, yet you still dare to negotiate conditions with me—you have a death wish! Considering that you are a man of loyalty, I'll let it slide this time. Show some sense of proportion from now on, or I will deal with the three of you together to save myself trouble down the road!" Ning Zhiheng's frigid words carried a piercing chill. He could understand, but he could not condone Zuo Gang's actions. For the sake of future operations, he had to make the Zuo siblings understand what ought to be done and what must not be done!

The three siblings were instantly too terrified by Ning Zhiheng's words to utter another sound. Following Ning Zhiheng, they left the cell block and quickly departed.

When Ning Zhiheng arrived at his office, the sound of footsteps echoed from outside—it was Wang Shucheng leading the Third Action Team.

"Captain, I've brought everyone here. Is there a major operation?" Wang Shucheng asked with an excited look on his face. Right now, he was single-mindedly focused on earning new merits to lay the groundwork for a promotion to lieutenant. His enthusiasm was running high, and the moment he received Ning Zhiheng's call, he had immediately led his team over.

Ning Zhiheng nodded. Looking at his subordinates assembled before him, he issued his orders: "Divide into two groups. Sun Jiacheng will lead a team to seal Dai Daguan's residence, and Wang Shucheng will lead a team to seal the trading firm. Remember, Dai Daguan has underworld ties and numerous subordinates; he undoubtedly still harbors firearms. If you encounter any resistance during the operation, execute them on the spot without leniency!"

"Understood!" Everyone shouted in unison to acknowledge the order!

Soon, the men dispersed to carry out their respective assignments. Ning Zhiheng headed to the interrogation room, where Dai Daguan was securely bound to a thick wooden pillar, panting heavily.

His entire body was covered in wounds, dripping with blood, and long iron nails had been driven through all ten of his fingertips.

Hearing someone enter, he opened his eyes slightly. Seeing that it was Ning Zhiheng, his eyes suddenly lit up. He forced his swollen eyelids open as wide as possible and rasped in a hoarse voice, "Officer Ning, I really told you everything! Please let me go, stop torturing me, just let me go!"

Ning Zhiheng walked up to him, a cold sneer forming on his face. "Dai Daguan, you're an old hand who has long been accustomed to the underworld. At this stage, do you really think you can make it out alive?"

Dai Daguan froze upon hearing this. In truth, he had long prepared himself for this. Having fallen into a den of ghouls like the Military Statistics and Investigation Bureau—where they devoured even the bones without spitting them out—how could anyone possibly escape alive?

It was just that he still held onto a lingering shred of stubborn hope. Between life and death, who could easily let go? He had continued to harbor a faint glimmer of hope.

Yet now, upon hearing Ning Zhiheng's words, that fragile bubble of hope for survival was finally shattered. His head slowly drooped, and his hollow, turbid eyes revealed a trace of utter despair!

Ning Zhiheng pulled over a chair, placed it directly in front of Dai Daguan, and sat down. Staring straight into Dai Daguan's face, he asked softly, "Are you feeling completely desperate? Do you feel like you've been deeply wronged?"

Dai Daguan did not answer Ning Zhiheng; he merely kept his head lowered in silence.

"You brought this entirely upon yourself. Having gotten entangled in this major Japanese spy case, no one can save you. Besides, you're no saint either. Over the years, how many people have died by your hands—innocent and guilty alike?

Three years ago, the six members of Liu Jiujin's family, old and young, who fought you for turf and suddenly vanished without a trace—that was your doing, wasn't it? And how did the three-member family of Cheng Gui from the Commercial Bureau disappear? You know very well, don't you? Wasn't it because he refused to stamp your shipping manifest, so you sent men to take care of it?

I don't even need to investigate these matters; people on the streets all know about them. It's just that you bribed officials up and down, so no one dared to trouble you!

Men may act, but heaven is watching; all of this is karmic retribution!

Originally, I had no intention of coming to see you. Once you were locked up in the dungeon of the Military Statistics and Investigation Bureau, that would have been the end of it! However, someone pleaded on your behalf today, begging me to spare the lives of your wife and child. Tell me, what are your thoughts on this?"

Hearing this, Dai Daguan suddenly raised his head to look at Ning Zhiheng. Tears welled up involuntarily in his eyes, and he rasped a hoarse, pleading plea: "I know the sins I've committed over the years are too heavy, and if I pay with my life, I've already lived a profitable one. But my son is the sole continuation of the Dai family lineage! I beg you, Officer Ning, spare his life. I am willing to hand over all my property—I beg you to show mercy!"

Ning Zhiheng frowned and rebuked in a low voice, "I haven't sunk so low as to slaughter women and children! But with all the enemies you've made through your tyrannical acts over the years, do you have any idea how many vengeance-seekers are out there? The Military Statistics and Investigation Bureau has already begun officially sealing your home and your trading firm, confiscating all your ill-gotten wealth. Once those people get word that you've been arrested, I estimate your wife and child won't even make it out of Nanjing before their corpses are left rotting on the streets, without even their bones remaining!"