Chapter 691 — The Hidden Families
The Blossom Guardian · Page 1 of 2
"Zhong Yongliang?" Wei Zhao was briefly taken aback. How had Zhong Yongliang gotten mixed up in this? The kid didn't even have kidneys anymore—and he was still running around poisoning people?
"Yes, but Zhong Yongliang was a victim too, so we ultimately decided not to punish him. Personally I was against it, of course, but the final decision wasn't mine to make." Qiu Lingshan spoke coolly, clearly harboring no fondness for Zhong Faibai and his son. "Still, I hear someone higher up is protecting Zhong Yongliang. Apparently he's been running around with Zhao Qibing lately?"
"I see." Wei Zhao had finally worked out who was behind this. Barring any surprises, it had to be Zhao Qibing—and behind Zhao Qibing, apart from Uncle Zhu, there lurked someone of considerably greater stature.
"Is there anything else? I did you a favor—aren't you going to treat your brain… little fool girl to a meal?" Qiu Lingshan had grown so used to calling herself a brain-dead girl in front of Wei Zhao that she nearly let it slip again! What was wrong with her mouth? Did she actually want to be the brain-dead girl?
"You've got it backwards, haven't you?" Wei Zhao had realized that Qiu Lingshan and the eldest miss were truly two different creatures. Both had been seen naked, both had witnessed deeply embarrassing things—yet Qiu Lingshan had instantly grown far more familiar with him, while the eldest miss had only grown colder.
"Then I'll treat you instead," Qiu Lingshan said. "Come to my place next Saturday?"
"No time." Wei Zhao's reply was flat, a direct refusal.
Wei Zhao figured that although Miss Song was beautiful and alluring, and something happening with her might seem rather wonderful—the consequences, ah, the consequences! He had enough troubles as it was. Get any closer, and the moment she had some problem she'd come running to him. Was he supposed to have no other business in life?
"Oh. Well, next time, then." Qiu Lingshan sounded a little deflated. Wei Zhao really did seem to have no interest in her; her seduction had failed. Wei Zhao's guess had been right: Qiu Lingshan had indeed been treating him as a sucker. He'd seen everything there was to see anyway—she'd already suffered a huge loss, and that couldn't be changed. Better to get more help out of Wei Zhao. Qiu Lingshan wanted him to clear out all the backlogged cases at the police bureau—the theft rings, the motorcycle gangs, and so on and so forth…
Granted, these organizations had been around for ages and were hard to wipe out entirely, but Qiu Lingshan still harbored some fantasies! Her momentum was excellent right now; if she kept developing at this rate, becoming bureau chief wasn't a dream at all. How long had she been in the post? And she'd already cracked so many major cases in succession!
Qiu Lingshan was feeling far more at ease than before. She figured that since Wei Zhao had already seen her, she counted as his girl—so if he helped her solve cases, what was there to feel guilty about?
Wei Zhao hung up the phone, a bit of a headache coming on. Rescuing Qiu Lingshan had turned into a whole mess of trouble. Miss Song had now learned to pester him relentlessly—she'd gotten much cleverer than before.
Back at the villa, Wei Zhao dialed the old man's number.
There was no one else in the villa, so Wei Zhao didn't need to be discreet. "Old man, someone here is using the Seven-Grass Death Powder."
"Oh?" Old Man Wei was startled. After a long pause, he asked, "You're certain?"
"Yes, certain. I tasted it," Wei Zhao said.
"Could it be that those people have come out again?" Old Man Wei sounded uncertain himself.
"What people?" Wei Zhao asked.
"People of the hidden families," Old Man Wei said.
"Hidden families? I've heard of the four great families and the five lesser families, but I've never heard of any hidden families. What are they?" Wei Zhao was taken aback.