The fat man nodded, excitedly looking at the other band members. “Brothers, winning or losing doesn’t matter anymore. Let’s just play our own style!”
“Okay!” The other band members were also happy. Previously, to cater to the public’s taste, they had chosen quite outdated songs. Since they no longer cared about winning, they could play whatever they wanted.
So, after watching the fifth district’s dog-eating martial arts performance, Tao Yu then enjoyed a black heavy metal performance with an off-key, out-of-rhythm vocal.
Whether it was because the music was too loud, she felt waves of nausea, and her vision gradually began to darken, with the sounds becoming increasingly unclear.
“Officer, what’s wrong?” someone asked.
Tao Yu steadied herself and, seeing it was Skinny Monkey, lowered her head and said, “It’s nothing. I’ll just rest a bit.”
“I’ll take you to see a doctor,” Skinny Monkey frowned.
Tao Yu shook her head, but was still supported up, with his hand on her waist, making her feel inexplicably sick.
“Let go…” her voice was weak but still reached Skinny Monkey’s ears.
Skinny Monkey paused, glanced around to ensure no one was watching, and dragged her away. No one noticed two people missing from their seats.
Since it was a welcome party, there were almost no people outside. As soon as Skinny Monkey reached the exit, he carried Tao Yu on his back, softly reassuring, “Don’t be afraid, officer. I’m taking you to the infirmary.”
Tao Yu was drowsy, wanting to refuse but unable to speak. She gradually realized something was wrong. Especially as they moved further from the crowd, she struggled to open her eyes. “Where are you taking me?”
“The officer isn’t feeling well. I’m helping you get treatment,” Skinny Monkey laughed. At this moment, he no longer showed his previous respectful demeanor, speaking with a hint of wildness.
Tao Yu breathed heavily. “I’m a prison guard…”
“I know,” Skinny Monkey laughed even more happily, his steps quickening until they reached a seaside cave formed by large rocks. He put Tao Yu down, his gaze cutting across her face like a knife, breathing heavily. “But I don’t care.”
“…Why?” Tao Yu was sweating, feeling an unusual heat flowing through her body, torturing her.
Skinny Monkey stared at her for a long time, then laughed. “Looks like the drug is working. Officer, how was the candy?”
Tao Yu’s eyes slowly widened. Skinny Monkey looked at her with pity, reaching out to touch her face. “My neighbor’s kid also likes candy. He was as fair and clean as you, so lovable…”
He paused mid-sentence, leaning close to Tao Yu’s ear regretfully. “Pity he was too fragile, breaking with just a little play. If not for him, I wouldn’t have been sent here.”
Tao Yu felt chills. Her hand behind her back struggled to grab a rock, and with a determined look, she struck Skinny Monkey’s head.
Skinny Monkey didn’t expect her to still have the strength to resist. His head immediately started bleeding. In that instant, Tao Yu seized the opportunity to run, but lacking strength, she quickly fell to the ground.
Skinny Monkey’s face darkened as he chased after her, grabbing her top and flipping her over. After tearing open two buttons, he froze.
“You’re a woman?!” Skinny Monkey’s roar came from between his teeth, his face as dark as a demon in the moonlight.
Zhou Ying was stunned for a moment before realizing who Tao Yu was, and hurriedly replied, “She’s not here with me, what’s wrong?”
Yue Linze glanced at him and left expressionlessly, while Zhou Ying touched his nose and muttered, “Why is he so fierce to me…”
After leaving the medical room, Yue Linze stopped. He thought about how she had been unwell but still insisted on waiting until they finished performing, and now they had caused such a scene, which he estimated had made her angry.
Thinking this, Yue Linze couldn’t help but sigh, helplessly walking towards the staff dormitory. Along the way, he thought of various reasons. When he arrived and knocked on the door, he directly said the truth: “I’m sorry, today I didn’t want to win, so I let Fatty and the others do that. Are you angry?”
There was no sound in the room. Yue Linze nervously pursed his lips and after a while, said in a low voice: “I just didn’t want you to be alone with Li Xun. Initially, it was because you took care of me in the isolation room that I became so moved. What if he becomes like that too? Can’t I be afraid?”
The room was still silent. He couldn’t help but take out a wire from his pocket, picking the lock while acting pitiful: “Why aren’t you responding to me? Is it because I hit the nail on the head? Anyway, whether you respond or not, I like you, so I’m coming in!”
Before he finished speaking, the door opened. The room was pitch black, not looking like anyone was inside. Yue Linze frowned, turned on the light after entering, and found no one in the room.
His heart slowly sank, suddenly feeling a sense of panic. He didn’t care about anything else and rushed back to the venue, immediately dragging Li Xun’s collar outside.
Li Xun was stunned and then tried to resist. People from both districts quickly stood up, ready to fight.
“What are you doing?!” Their commotion attracted the inspection team’s attention. Lao Chang hurriedly apologized and then ran over to reprimand them in a low voice.
Li Xun didn’t want to cause trouble at this moment, immediately telling his people to sit down, then shaking off Yue Linze’s hand: “Nothing, he started it first.”
“Sit down everyone! Otherwise, everyone’s going to isolation!” Lao Chang said sternly, staring until everyone sat before leaving.
Li Xun glared at Yue Linze, straightened his clothes, and walked back to his area.
“Tell me, where is Tao Yu?” Yue Linze asked coldly.
Li Xun scoffed: “How would I know?”
“Where’s Skinny Monkey?” Yue Linze’s eyes gathered like a storm.
Li Xun frowned: “What do you mean? First asking about the police officer, then about Skinny Monkey. Are you suggesting my people captured the police officer?” He found it utterly ridiculous.
“Skinny Monkey has been courting Tao Yu recently,” Yue Linze said calmly, “Have you forgotten why he was brought in?”
Li Xun was stunned, a preposterous idea flashing through his mind. He quickly stopped himself: “Impossible! Skinny Monkey has changed. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have kept him by my side.”
“If he changed, then what about the young boy who died in your district before?” Yue Linze questioned coldly.
Li Xun was about to say the boy drowned, but looking at Yue Linze’s eyes, suddenly became unsure.
“You suspect Skinny Monkey took the police officer?” Li Xun’s voice darkened.
Yue Linze tightly clenched his fist, restraining the urge to punch the bald face: “I’ll take people to find Tao Yu. You go find Skinny Monkey. We must find them in the shortest time possible.”As water rose past Shou Hou’s waist, Tao Yu’s nose and mouth began to fill with water. The icy seawater momentarily cleared her mind, and she immediately started struggling.
However, this struggle meant nothing to Shou Hou, who effortlessly pulled Tao Yu out of the water, coldly saying: “Captain Tao, don’t blame me. You were the one who interrupted my meal. Do you know how long I’ve waited for today? And then you suddenly turned into a woman…”
He stopped mid-sentence, suddenly pushing Tao Yu’s head underwater. Caught off guard, she choked and struggled desperately.
Shou Hou pressed her down, a hint of excitement on his face: “Don’t worry, Captain Tao. You’ll die without pain, as a thank you for taking care of me these days. When you meet my neighbor’s child on the other side, tell him I miss him and ask him to come find me for revenge…”
