10. A disturbing discovery

The drive to the hotel was surprisingly uneventful, apart from various incidents that regularly had the potential for at least one of the vehicle's occupants to die in an extremely unpleasant and painful way. Be it due to sudden strangulation, penetration of hard, sharp objects into the skull, or massive blood loss in a specific area of ​​the body between the legs after tearing it off.

Xu Kai, it seemed, was that one typical annoying person in the family who could piss off anyone just because he felt like it. He evidently made it his mission to constantly tease his sister-in-law about the disastrous suitcase incident from earlier in the apartment. Given our Chicken's temperament, the rage barometer was dangerously close to breaking the scale. No, it actually exploded and caused the car to sway hazardously several times.

The stupid brawlers were lucky that Xiao Zhan's current mood and patience level was that of an angel, or else the three-hour drive would have ended with both of them tied up and gagged in the trunk of his replacement car.

Reira and Xue Yang, who were driving behind them, could only shake their heads at the profound display of utter brainlessness clearly visible to them through the rear window. They looked at each other in silent agreement and saluted Xiao Zhan's endurance.

Finally, a few dreadful hours later, the cars pulled up in front of a remote, ancient Chinese countryside hotel with striking, pale wooden walls adorned with elegant carvings and decorations. The distinctive pagoda roofs and beautiful large mahogany windows with wooden shutters gave the appearance of something peaceful and traditional, just like the beautiful, gorgeous flowers that bloomed in the well-kept courtyards.

All five passengers got out, wearing various kinds of expressions. Agent Xiao, despite being exposed to the childish squabbling, strode handsomely and unfazed towards the welcoming entrance, his signature shades pushed up his nose. Wang Yi Bo ran after him, cackling and complaining like an old lady, while Xu Kai followed them happily with light steps. The other two idiot squad members sighed, annoyed, unsure if they should just leave the scene before their brains would suffer irreversible damage due to the presence of stupidity. But their vile conscientiousness compelled them to follow the musketeers reluctantly.

When Xiao Zhan reached the distinguished entrance area, he casually took off his shades and looked around appreciatively. “Who would have believed that our slave driver with choleric tendencies had such exquisite tastes? It looks so peaceful and quiet here.”

“Yeah, I admit, this surprises me too. Guess Haikuan has a good influence on my brother. That idiot is practically glued to his desk and considers holidays and vacations as a useless waste of time.” Reira stopped beside Xiao Zhan and rested her hands on her hips. A moment later, her attention was caught by a young man who approached them with quick steps. “Oh my god, who's this innocent looking lamb?” She shouted loudly, causing everyone in close proximity to flinch.

When his trained agent senses heard the sound in Reira's voice transform into something entirely uncharacteristically amorous and squeaky, Xu Kai's head immediately shot alarmed towards Wen Ning, the addressed "lamb".

"Excuse me?? You've never said anything so loving to me before!" He complained, his face contorted painfully and his hand placed on his chest as he quickly rushed to her side. But the officer just gave him a doubtful look and ignored his question. Instead, she focused her attention solely on Wen Ning.

However, the reason was different than you might think. The truth was that Xu Kai's intense persistence was beginning to wear on her, and her resistance was starting to crumble. So, to maintain her tough appearance, she did her best to keep him at a distance. Besides, she enjoyed his advances far too much to give in to his legitimate demands just yet.

“Aren’t you a cutie? I could eat you!!!” She was thrilled and walked towards the newcomer.

“Why eat him? Eat me!" Xu Kai exclaimed, deeply offended. The contemptuous look he received didn't make things any better. No, he even started to sulk and feverishly work on a counterattack.

Wang Yi Bo exchanged a meaningful glance with Xue Yang as if to say, “And you thought I was a lost case.”

With Wen Ning already within earshot, the outwardly shy-looking young man blushed violently and widened his eyes in absolute horror. He immediately looked to Xiao Zhan, attempting to seek help in this frightening confrontation of human interaction. 

Xu Kai lightly patted Reira on the shoulder and pointed to the little sheep. "See? You scared him!" He reprimanded before turning to his friend and adding with a mischievous yet soft grin: "Don't worry, Ning, I have her under control.”

Wen Ning breathed a sigh of relief but remained tense. Ever since Xiao Zhan rescued him, he had been a very introverted person who avoided social contact like the plague. Apart from the Agent, Wang Yi Bo and Xu Kai, as well as Wang Han, with whom Wen Ning had a very close relationship without reserve, he preferred to remain alone and withdrawn. He also carried out his work as an agent without a partner. The sad thing was that it hadn't always been like that. The bright and lively boy at the time had almost completely lost his open-hearted joy in life during his captivity.

Xiao Zhan smiled and shook his head as he noticed his discomfort. He decided to intervene and end this stupid but entertaining banter by extending an arm towards Wen Ning and walking away with him a few meters. “It's good to see you, buddy. But we really need to work on your social skills. Come on, let’s take a look at our accommodation first and then have a quiet chat over something good to eat later.” He said quietly to his protégé.

Wen Ning nodded eagerly, grabbed Wang Yi Bo's and Xiao Zhan's luggage and stormed into the hotel, successfully escaping the scene.

They agreed to meet an hour later in the hotel's restaurant to talk to Wen Ning about his findings in peace. Xiao Zhan, though, had previously spoken to him alone to save him from speaking in front of the whole group. He sat casually on his high-backed chair and sipped tea from a small porcelain cup, seemingly deep in thought and processing what he had just learned.

The large round table in front of him was already set with a Lazy Susan in the middle and a large selection of steaming local dishes. The fragrant aroma of the various spices was so intense that it made everyone's mouth water.

This also applied to Wang Yi Bo, who, unfortunately, was too “busy” in the morning to deal with the issue of food intake. But right now, the hungry Chicken, though remembering his impeccable table manners, was having an absolutely peaceful and friendly conversation with Xue Yang... or rather, an indignant dispute about his supposed best friend's lack of loyalty over a small notebook and betting tips that he had obviously collected as an informant for the office team.

He had just finished his lengthy lecture on Xue Yang's clearly misplaced priorities and the importance of remembering the much higher value of a best friend in contrast to the office team when his attention got diverted to the door. Xu Kai and Reira entered the dining room. Both seemed a bit distracted and nervous. They did their best not to look at each other and to appear inconspicuous to the people present, which, however, made their appearance even more conspicuous.

Xue Yang raised an eyebrow and casually tapped his pen. And even Wang Yi Bo's mental companions grasped the situation.

“What's even going on between them? One moment they are at each other's throats, and next, they are eye fucking one another so hard you are afraid they will go for it in front of your salad." Wang Yi Bo muttered in the direction of Xue Yang. He frowned and watched the pair at the table.

Xue Yang scribbled something in his hastily retrieved notebook and smirked. "Let's just say you're not the only one who sucks at betting.” He whispered and winked at his perplexed friend.

“What does that mean?!” Indignantly and ignoring the sad reality, Wang Yi Bo spun around and stared, deeply offended at his no longer best friend. How cruel!

“Exactly what you heard, you dumbass!” Xue Yang snickered and stuck out his tongue, knowing precisely what the other was thinking right now. He wisely pushed his chair back a few inches to create a safe distance.

“Calm down, Baby."

Wang Yi Bo was about to jump out of his seat and charge at his newly declared mortal enemy when Xiao Zhan's deep, silky voice reached his ears. Those three simple words, spoken so calmly yet subtly imperious, were enough to freeze all his movements. A pleasant shiver ran through him as Xiao Zhan's warm, large hand lay on his and tenderly intertwined their fingers. With a gentle push, he slumped inelegantly back into the chair. All his malevolent energy seemed to have evaporated as his gaze met his husband's unearthly face, whose dazzling smile turned his bones to pudding. Wang Yi Bo, you are such a weakling.

Good sense, sipping tea elegantly: That's right, we should focus on the important things instead of allowing ourselves to be deranged to a Neanderthal state.

Libido, gesticulating like an Italian: Look at that expression, that body language… we have to reward him later!

Guilty conscience, looking confused: For what exactly???

Good sense: … I take that back…

Libido, resigned: Existing! God, we have to get laid…

Good sense, raising an eyebrow: Right, since it's been so long since we got laid... But I have to admit that his presence makes my heart beat faster.

Libido: Exactly! So now everyone quiet down, let's get to work!

Guilty Conscience, still confused: But... wasn't the reason for the trip a little different and somehow important?

Libido, outraged: Are we now seriously having a discussion about what is important? Right in front of the deity who makes our secret fantasies come true?

Guilty conscience: But…

“Baby, if you keep staring at me like that, I might have to postpone our meeting…”

Smiling mischievously, Xiao Zhan leaned closer to his enchanted Baby until their faces almost touched. Judging from Wang Yi Bo's transfigured look, his thoughts seemed to be far away. Still, when he heard the amused innuendo, his eyes widened. He immediately sobered up, much to the disappointment of his mental companions. Behind him, Xue Yang facepalmed and shook his head. It seemed some things wouldn't change at all.

Wang Yi Bo needed all the willpower he had left in his body to fend off several attempts by his libido to take over his impaired mind and focus on Xiao Zhan, who, in the meantime, had invited everyone over for dinner.

For a while, it was comfortably quiet at the table. Only the soft clinking sounds of the porcelain bowls and wooden chopsticks could be heard as everyone enjoyed their meal.

After everyone had more or less finished eating, Xiao Zhan placed his teacup on the table and took out a brown envelope. “As you all know, Detective Nie's accusation is founded solely on a couple of photos taken in this hotel's nightclub.” He opened his speech.

“This hotel has a night club?” Xue Yang exclaimed, looking around skeptically. “Impossible. This place looks more like a yoga retreat for rich, dissatisfied women than a fancy party hotspot.”

“Don't judge a book by its cover. Maybe those elderly ladies can teach you one or another thing.” Wang Yi Bo sneered, making suggestive gestures with his hands.

“Are you crazy? That's gross!” Xue Yang shrieked, shacking in utter disgust. He suddenly missed his Jiyang. He would have let the ladies know their place for sure.

Reira rolled her eyes and pointed to the envelope. “I assume our lamb found something about the origin of the photo?”

Wen Ning, blushing profusely, winced and made himself as small as possible on his seat.

"That's right. Wen Ning can be very imaginative when it comes to obtaining the information he wants from electronic devices.” Xiao Zhan answered in his place and gently patted his young friend's shoulder.

"And that means?"

“We received photos from the evening in question. They actually show our beloved slave driver. I can't believe I'm saying this, dancing tightly entangled with our Haikuan.”

Both Wang Yi Bo's and Reira's eyes almost popped out of their sockets. The Chicken Officer choked on the goods he was chewing on as he tried to digest the disturbing information.

“Kidding?!” He retched out with difficulty as Xue Yang strongly slammed his hand on his back repeatedly.

Xiao Zhan stifled a laugh. “Besides, the hotel's owner sees in Wen Ning her lost son and grants him access to all surveillance cameras in the club. That will make it even easier to substantiate our doubts.”

After Wang Yi Bo's death was successfully averted, Xiao Zhan took out two photos and placed them side by side on the table for everyone to see. A series of gasps filled the air. The images looked exactly the same, apart from one small but important detail. One showed Chief Jiang in a close embrace with Liu Haikuan on the dance floor, their faces clearly visible to the viewer. The second photo showed the exact same scene, but instead of Haikuan, a young, scantily clad woman appeared to be having a go at the delighted-looking chief. The illusion was perfect.

“As you can see, no one could easily distinguish which was the copy and the original. Whoever did this is an expert in this field. Although we can easily prove that Haikuan was with Chief that night, we still need to prove that the picture is fake. The same goes for all the other pictures. Just because Haikuan was present does not mean that contact with the prostitutes is invalid.” Xiao Zhan continued his explanation.

“So to prove his innocence, we need to prove this is the real one.” Xu Kai pointed at the photo with Haikuan on it.

Xiao Zhan nodded. “Yes, and we need to find whoever did it. They must testify that they edited the photos. And we also need to retrieve all of the surveillance footage from that night to prove that there was no contact with women.” He paused and looked over at Wen Ning. “I know the owner gave you free rein, but you told me the recordings were conveniently deleted. How long do you need to restore them?”

Wen Ning nodded resolutely, pleased with Xiao Zhan's confidence in his abilities. “One, maybe two days. I don’t know how many obstacles await me, but I will do my best.”

“Great, I’m counting on you. All that’s left are the photos.” The Agent declared and took a USB stick out of the envelope.

“I know someone!" Reira and Xu Kai shouted at the same time. They froze and looked at each other with a strange expression. Reira recovered first and put her hands on the table. "My contact is one of the most renowned specialists, so I advise us to use him to consult!” She said harshly, straightening up and stretching out her hand for the USB in Xiao Zhan’s hands.

Xu Kai also stood up and gave his rival a disparaging look. "Excuse me? Our agency has the best experts in all fields in the world. I advise you to consult my contact if you want your brother free!" He grinned and challenged her to fight him.

“Oooh, and who could that be, you megalomaniac? Being overconfident is not healthy.”

“My trust is justified, my love. Remember, you've only just tasted this, and I don't remember hearing a complaint. So you liked it. But to give you some peace of mind, my contact is Li Bowen. Yes, THAT Li Bowen. Beat that!” Xu Kai claimed, crossing his arms over his chest and smiling triumphantly. Especially when he noticed the pretty blush on Reira's cheeks that grew hotter and darker with every word he said. The officer snorted indignantly.

"That is... You asshole! I did not! And besides, Li Bowen is also my contact! How on earth could such a high-profile figure humble himself and work with someone like you?”

“Just admit I won, darling. It won't hurt you. And if you do, I’m here to comfort you.”

“OK OK OK! Stop that, right?! Save your foreplay for later. We should really get down to business!” Wang Yi Bo intervened and slammed his fist on the table.

Xu Kai quickly grabbed the USB stick and put it out of reach of Reira, who was a head shorter and tried to kick him on the shins, which he cleverly avoided. “I guess we have to go together, darling. And after that, we should continue where we left off before. I’m not done with you yet!”

“You sneaky bastard… Fine, let’s go! Right now!" Reira growled angrily. "It would take a few days to go through all the metadata. We don't have time to waste. So get your ass over here!"

"Of course, honey. And you still owe me a date!”

"I don't!!"

As they were about to leave, Xiao Zhan stopped them. “You’re not staying the night? You could use the time to sort out a few… things.” He suppressed a giggle and winked at his brother. But the blue-haired pit bull heard him.

“How shameless! And no, we can't do that! Our time window is already tight, and forensics could take a few days to analyze the photos. My brother should be free as soon as possible.”

Xu Kai nodded apologetically. "Sorry, my future wife is in a bit of a hurry." He laughed and ran for his life, Reira on his heels. Their screams could be heard throughout the hotel grounds.

Xue Yang stood up slowly, his pen flying across his notebook. “I will go with them. I know you two have other things to do here, but I'll return and ensure the USB stick arrives safely in Li Bowen's lab. Plus, I can’t miss this show. This is going to be so entertaining!” With that said, he set out to find the screaming fools in love.

“Baby and I will stay here to find out what this all means and who is behind the pictures while you get the Chief out of custody. This is the top priority.”

As soon as they were alone, Wen Ning also excused himself. Wang Yi Bo breathed a sigh of relief. "What the hell was that? Did you see that? And everyone complains about me? I'm harmless compared to these freaks!” He whined and leaned on Xiao Zhan, who put his arm around his distraught Baby. "Of course, Baby. Of course..."

"So we know the photos are fake, but we still don't know who took them." Wang Yi Bo mumbled after a while.

“I have an answer to that, too, if you pay attention to this photo.” Xiao Zhan replied and took another photo.

“Isn't that….?”

-to be continued-