Chapter 12: Worse Than Monsters

Fatty Chin guffawed. Laughing at Zhou Qi's face through the phone.

Zhou Qi's eyes twitched. He wondered if Fatty hid something on his shirt. It was clear that this Fatty is definitely spying!

Zhou Qi imagined Fatty laughing with his fats jiggling and couldn't help but smile.

"At least, I'm not a spineless hopeless romantic."

"What did ya say punk!?"

"Nothing, I just thought that you're very smart indeed. Okay, kidding aside. I found a lot of interesting things here. I'm going to send it in a moment. Please also check the address."

"Copy, Cheng Shi, and Sasa are on the way. By the way, I'm not fat!"

"Fine! Think of it that I had no eyes! Anyway, send Cheng Shi the videos and pictures that I'm going to send. Don't send it to Sasa. Let Cheng Shi deal with her."

"…"

From the other side of the line, Fatty turned silent before asking. "It's that worst?"

"Yeah, the worst that I have seen in my life. I want them all dead, but I'm not stupid."

"Noted. I'll make a plan base on the intel you send me. After all, that's the reason for your call right?" Fatty spun his chair, returning to work.

"You're the best Fatty. I wish I could say I love you but I can't."

"Don't sweat it. I'll rather hear that from the ladies."

Zhou Qi smirked in turn. He continued to look around, assuring that he wouldn't miss anything important. He then took a sit on the boss chair, his legs crossed.

"Back to the topic. The armed dumb mutts are about 50. The information from the lieutenant is quite right. Anyway, I think I stumbled into something big. There's a lot of ammunition and military hardware here. Smuggled, bro!"

"I'm listening. Did you manage to find some clues already? Send it to me, fast. I'm having chills here. I have a bad feeling about this."

Zhou Qi found it nice talking to smart people. They're straight to the point. A lot of time could be saved when you talk to them. Fatty understands the word – conservation of energy. He never wastes time.

"Alright, I'm putting it down. Oh, please do send the images to our lovely lieutenant. It's enough to fix our debt."

"Hmnn, copy that."

Tut. Tut. Tut.

Zhou Qi sent the pictures, videos, and everything to Fatty.

"Time to check more places."

Zhou Qi took the time to check the sticky mutts. Shooting a few pebbles, to the barriers again. He decided to hit some dumb mutts in the arm. Just enough to keep them scared, bloody, and busy.

Zhou Qi jumped from window to window once again. The creator of this slaughterhouse was a mad man. Zhou Qi thought. The intrinsic design of the warehouse was like a maze. The freak who created the place assured that no captive would dare to rebel or escape.

The creator of this place had a clear understanding of human psychology. The warehouse itself instilled the captives with no hope at all. This was a place of despair and darkness.

Zhou Qi's brows creased. After getting his sanity in check, Zhou Qi realized a lot of things. It seemed like the creator of this place wanted others to feel the despair in his heart.

"A monster in human skin."

Zhou Qi concluded that the man behind this was both a reasonable man and an intellectual psycho. The hardest guy to face was this type. They weren't someone stupid, only mentally challenge. The gears of these guys' brains worked differently.

If Zhou Qi would use an analogy. A normal person would use the road for cars and trucks. These madmen would lay dead bodies on the roads, calling it a straight cemetery. They're twisted for a reason.

Zhou Qi felt a headache coming. In the last window, Zhou Qi saw something different. Zhou Qi saw sick and malnourished captives. The place was filled with the smell of death. Unlike the first few windows, these places had no to too little ventilation.

"It reeks."

Zhou Qi would rather see dead people than half-dead people. At least, the dead ones had found peace. He saw no guards in this place. Well, no man with a brain would stay here even how stupid they were.

This place reeks of despair.

He walked at one of the cages, his steps silent. He saw a man, his ribs were sticking on his skin. It was clear that this man was near death. Pity.

The man opened his eyes, he saw the shadow of Zhou Qi. His eyes weak, he could only see blurry lines due to malnutrition. He reached out his hands to Zhou Qi. With a hard gasp, the man uttered.

"Reaper, please kill me. Take me now. I want to see my daughter. I-I want to follow her. Take me away."

Zhou Qi watched the debilitated man. The edges of his mouth shook. Fury made its way to his eyes. Death was like train stations. And we are the riders, everyone would reach the end of their journey. Some in the first station, and some at the last station. Many feared the day they would die. But this man in front of him, he wanted nothing but to die.

Zhou Qi wondered what hell this guy saw.

The man's eyes were covered with streaks of dried tears. He was dehydrated. Of course, he also seemed to suffer a lot as compared to the others. Those dark bruises were clear signs that this guy tried to fight back and ended up getting beaten until near death.

With his face hiding all emotions. Zhou Qi replied like a robot.

"I'm not a reaper."

"T-then I'm not dead yet?"

"Shh, keep it low. You're almost there. I'm an investigator hired by the police."

The ears of the man perked up, he gasped.

The man felt that this was the best news he heard in his whole life. Were they finally going to get saved?

Zhou Qi reached out his hands, checking the man's pulse. He tried to check the current status of the old man.

Although he's not a physician, he knew a few things about first aid. A little bit of Chinese medicine helped him.

The man was suffering from malnutrition based on his looks. His pulse was also weak. The problem was his dehydration. He needed a medic here now.

Zhou Qi thanked his teachers during his high school years. He never thought that health education would come in handy.

"Don't talk old man. I'm checking you out."

"S-save the kids. The kids first."

The man tried to move his hands away. His hand was gripped hard by Zhou Qi.

"I'll check them later one at a time. Calm down."

"Thank you, thank you, thank you so much…" The old man squeezed his voice. He sounded as if he was choking.

Zhou Qi looked at him and sighed. "Save your strength."

After wasting a lot of energy, the man soon fell asleep. Zhou Qi cursed himself for not bringing any first aid kits with him. Well, at least the old man would still be able to survive this day.

Zhou Qi looked around, he saw more cages. These places were full of sick people and children. Zhou Qi's sharp eyes could even see shaking children. He remembered one of the commissions offered to him by Lieutenant Chu.

Zhou Qi's eyes flashed.

"Kidnapping. Heh, so it was those guys. It seems like the lieutenant will owe me something again."

All of a sudden, Zhou Qi's phone vibrated. He almost jumped in shock. With an awkward smile, he checked out the new message. Oh, speaking of the devil.

Big Boss Chu: "We're already nearby."

Another message followed.

Cheng Cheng: "Boss we're here."

Zhou Qi heaved a sigh of relief. He messaged the two immediately. Zhou Qi stood up, dusting his knees. His smile was indescribable. His face was a combination of laughing, crying, and wrath.

"Time for ass-kicking."

Fatty Jin, Cheng Shi, Sasa, and Lieutenant Chu's phones rang. They all had received the message of Zhou Qi, each of their phone ringing.

"You have received a message. You have received a message. You have received a shitty message! You have received your husband's handcuff."

Zhou Qi: "53 armed men - 1 dead, 5 injured. About 500 people are waiting to be saved. Cheng Shi will join me inside. I'll first distract them. Don't show yourselves yet."

"They think I am a sniper. Sasa will assist Lieutenant Chu. Please don't have a catfight this time. Put your sniper on use Lieutenant. You'll see me on the rooftop. I want them all dead!"

Big Boss Chu: "Are you the police or I am?! At least, give me some alive."

Sasa: "Fine."

Cheng Shi: "Affirmative."

Fatty Jin: "I already hacked all their gadgets. I also tracked a few of their calls and messages in that area. It's Basil Street Boss. I'll send data later."

Zhou Qi looked at the captives before gritting his teeth.

"I'll save you all. Just wait for me."