Crimson Instinct

Chapter 117: Showdown in Tianjin (10)

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"Meet Tian Song - an undercover cop whose real identity is an officer working in the Chinese Intelligence Services."

Liao Huifang widened her eyes in utter shock.

I-Intelligence services

"Wait, what! Intelligence Services!?" She unconsciously blurted out loudly. She looked at Tian Song in disbelief.

"Y-you are an officer?"

It was still hard to digest everything.

Duan Deming was thoroughly enjoying this. "Yes. He is from the Chinese Intelligence Bureau. Their noble work is to gather intelligence about other countries that could potentially harm China while also carrying secret investigations to stop any illegal dealings to safeguard public interests. That explains why he is here."

Liao Huifang felt her mind was spinning with the overload of too many truths that got revealed today.

'We completely misunderstood him! Every time it was Duan Deming behind everything, but we thought Tian Song did it. But he turned out to be an officer!'

"That also explains" Duan Deming continued, "why he joined Dongcheng police headquarters. It was an undercover job to know who, from the cops, was a part of this. Heh! You dogs suspected that somebody from the cops was helping the gang, so you entered the scene to keep an eye on every police officer."

Tian Song wasn't interested in answering him.

"But I was an idiot. I really didn't doubt you. You were flawless in your acting. I came to know after I talked to Xin Lei and Bai Li in the hospital. They told me how they suspected you, and then I realized that it was you all along. I felt so stupid. That explains why I saw you coming out of the forensic lab that night. I guess you were trying to find the DNA sample he retrieved from Liao Chuntao's body because you knew that I would destroy it."

"E-evidence?" She was confused.

"Yes, dear little sister, evidence. I was careless that night when I dumped her body in the alley."

She stiffened.

"I thought I took all measures of not leaving any trace of mine on her, but then I discovered that a drop of my sweat fell on her neck, which made me realize how hot it was that day. It didn't occur to me that such a thing could happen. It was already a mess that day with Fu Meili suddenly catching us in the act."

He tilted his head and looked at Tian Song. "But I don't believe that you didn't tamper with the evidence. Because when I took the sample, it was still there; the sample which I slipped in Xin Lei's pocket that day they came to meet Fu Ting in custody.

"You framed them!" Liao Huifang's anger knew no bounds.

She remembered how she saw their sketches as wanted criminals.

"Naturally," he shrugged like it was so obvious.

"At that time, when we caught them, I took the sample, and when they escaped, I feigned to drop the sample to destroy the evidence. But"

He squinted his eyes. "The real sample is with you, right? You replaced the sample with a fake one not to make anyone suspicious. I thought I successfully destroyed the evidence against me that could get me in trouble, but you fooled me."

Tian Song said nothing.

His silence and indifference were beginning to irk him. "Answer me, you bastard!"

Silence. Tian Song was simply aiming his gun at him, not bothering to say a single word.

"But so what if you have the evidence? That was a safety measure I took just in case of stealing it. But even if you release it, then do you think that it would put me behind bars, or is it enough to punish me? You don't have any idea of the backing we have. I would be out in no time."

Tian Song finally moved his lips. "And do you think that you are important enough in your gang for whoever your boss is, to save you?"

Silence.

"What is your position?"

No answer.

"Are you misunderstanding yourself to be at the same place as...Rodey?"

Duan Deming's brow twitched. He clenched his fingers into a fist and his gaze darkened.

The mention of Rodey irked him.

"Do you think that because they helped Rodey to escape from the court, they would help you the same way to get you out?"

His jaw tightened, and he couldn't retort.

Tian Song calmly continued. "You are not Rodey. You are not their right hand. Why would they waste their time on you? They cannot lose Rodey because he is their second-in-command. He has been working for them since he was thirteen, according to our report. For them, he is a useful asset. But you...you are replaceable."

"Shut up!" He roared. Something triggered him when he said that. "SHUT UP!!!"

That was the one thing he always hated. He always wanted to be Rodey's position one day. He was doing everything he could for the upper ups to notice him and put him in the same position as Rodey or, even better, replace him.

But to date, his dreams didn't come true. He yearned to be working under the boss and having its full faith like Rodey had. And every time he compared himself to him, he felt pathetic. Eh couldn't wait to usurp Rodey from his position.

Liao Huifang flinched. She shut her eyes instinctively as she thought he would attack.

Duan Deming couldn't stand his calmness. Right now, Tian Song was at a disadvantageous position. He was going to kill Liao Huifang, and the deal also got completed without any hitches. The clients must be stuck somewhere in this mess, but he had already made all the preparations to take them out and make their way to return to their country.

Yet why...why was Tian Song behaving as if everything was under his control? He didn't seem affected at all.

Duan Deming gritted his teeth. 

He wanted to wipe off that indifference from his face.

How dare he call me 'replaceable'?

"This ends right now, Tian Song!" He grabbed Liao Huifang's arm, and harshly pulled her towards him.

"Now, it's time for you to watch another helpless woman fie before your eyes just like that bitch Ming!"

Tian Song seemed unaffected.

"Sure. Kill her."

Liao Huifang widened her eyes. 

'How could he say that?'

She bit her lips hard.

Even Duan Deming was taken aback. "Don't pretend to be so indifferent. Don't you care if an innocent woman dies?"

Tian Song said, "Compared to saving her, I find catching you to be more beneficial. You can fire at only one person at a time. You have aimed your gun at her, and I am aiming mine towards you. You shoot her, and the next moment, I shoot you."

He sneered. "And you think you can keep your noble job if you let a hostage die?"

"That is my problem. You don't need to worry about it."

Duan Deming smiled. "Alright. So how about I shoot you first, and then I shoot this bitch? Problem solved, right?"

A flicker of light passed Tian Song's eyes.

Duan Deming moved his arm, and now he was aiming his gun at Tian Song.

Liao Huifang was struggling, but Duan Deming had tightly grasped onto her.

He smiled. "So, goodbye, the dog of the Intelligence Bureau."

"N-No!" Liao Huifang shouted in horror.

As he was about to press the trigger, Tian Song shifted his gaze towards a little right side and looked slightly surprised, but his expression immediately went back to normal.

But Duan Deming saw through it. 

'It felt as if he was looking at someone behind me. Was it'

He panicked and immediately looked behind him.

*Bang*

"Ah!"

*Clack*

The gun fell from his hands when Tian Song instantly fired a shot, taking the fraction of the second advantage when he turned his head. The bullet he shot hit his shoulder, and he lost the grip on his gun.

It made his grip on Liao Huifang loosen, and she pushed him away to escape.

"Haaaaa" she gasped as she could finally breathe.

Duan Deming groaned in pain. "Ughhhh"

He was trying to pick his gun, but in a flash, Tian Song appeared before him and kicked straight on his thigh, where he was shot before in Andingzhen.

"Aaahhh!!!"

Duan Deming collapsed. His wound opened up, and his pant was beginning to soak with his blood.

Liao Huifang immediately ran over to Tian Song's side. She felt embarrassed that she misunderstood again. She thought that he really didn't care about her life.

"Bastard" Duan Deming cursed, "There was nobody behind me. You tricked me."

"Why are you so surprised? It's not like you haven't played tricks before." Tian Song commented. "And you have played much worse tricks. Mine is nothing in comparison."

"You bastard...how dare you to fool me"

"Technically, he didn't."

A robotic voice came from behind.

Liao Huifang was shocked. She recognized it, and so did Duan Deming and Tian Song.

From the shadows, they heard light footsteps coming towards them. The flickering light from the lamp shone upon Xin Lei as she came into the light.