Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

  Xiao Luo had bought the chicken leg from the supermarket, anticipating that they would have a long stakeout, so he came prepared. Of course, the chicken leg wasn’t the only thing that he brought along with him.

  The members of the Narcotics Squad drooled as they watch Xiao Luo gobbling up the chicken leg, and now he had even taken out a lamb roll from his pocket. They stared longingly at it, only wishing that they could sink their teeth into that delicious lamb roll.

  Xiao Luo wasn’t on familiar terms with the members of his team; therefore, he didn’t feel obligated to share the food with them. Besides, he was still hungry even after eating all of the chicken.

  As if that wasn’t tempting enough, after finishing the lamb roll, he took out a bag of fries from his other pocket. And he even had a sachet of ketchup with him. He laid the wrapper of the lamb roll on the ground, squeezed the ketchup on it, and then dipped the fries in the ketchup, continuing to gorge himself.

  “What the f*ck!”

  “This is too much. He had gone too far!”

  No one said a word, but their eyes told everything. None of the people from the Narcotics Squad could remain calm anymore. They were so hungry that they felt like they could eat up a whole elephant. To make matters worse, the guy next to them was having a picnic right in front of them as if nothing was wrong. He was truly testing their resolve!

  “Xiao Luo, we’re in the middle of the operation!”

  Wang Yongjia spoke sternly and reminded Xiao Luo, even as he eyed the fries in Xiao Luo’s hands.

  “Captain Wang, I’m not trying to make an irresponsible and unwarranted comment here. But this operation is probably going to fail.” Xiao Luo said.

  Wang Yongjia and his other team members looked at him. Some people were confused, some curious, while others felt annoyed.

  Xiao Luo put down the fries and peered at Hei Lang and his men on the dock, and he said, “Look at them. They’re having fun there. They have drunk dozens of beer, played drinking games, and even sang a few songs. Do they look like they’re here to make contact?”

  Wang Yongjia’s brows knitted. It was indeed, abnormal. Drinking would affect their performance in the event of a situation. Besides, it would give a bad impression to Khun Sa, and that would be bad for their business.

  “You mean, my informant got fake news?”

  Xiao Luo shook his head, said, “No, it’s a real tip. But they’re only here to make initial contact. Otherwise, Hei Lang would not have to come and wait out here in the middle of the night.”

  Xiao Luo’s comments baffled some members of the Narcotics Squad. They heard him first said that those men were not here to make contact, then he said they were here to make contact.

  “Make your point clear,” Wang Yongjia responded, not understanding him either.

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  Xiao Luo laughed lightly and continued to explain, “They’re not here to make contact yet. They will only make contact after we go out there to question them, find nothing and leave. Hei Lang knows that we’re watching them closely in the dark. How would he let Khun Sa show his face without first making sure he has dealt with any police threat?”

  The squad members began to see the point now that he had elaborated on his thoughts.

  “D*mn, how crafty could these people be? However, could these scum of the society really be so thorough and thoughtful with their plans?”

  One of the squad members interjected, “Xiao Luo, these are only your words. How do you know that Hei Lang knows we’re here?”

  He had a valid point. How would Hei Lang know they were watching them? Was it possible that the informant had lost his cover?

  Everyone looked at Xiao Luo and waited for his response.

  Xiao Luo raised his eyebrows and said, “My intuition.”

  The team member who had refuted Xiao Luo’s earlier words laughed scornfully and said, “We’re the police. How can we act on intuition? We will only alert the enemy if we expose ourselves by acting rashly and recklessly. Khun Sa is like an octopus that smells danger and submerges to the bottom of the sea, disappearing completely.”

  Wang Yongjia nodded, then waved his hand and said, “Alright. Quiet down. Let’s wait for them to make contact.”

  Xiao Luo smiled, shaking his head and said nothing. He went back to devouring the fries without bother.

  One hour went by.

  Two hours went by.

  Three hours went by.

  It was already 5 a.m. The sky had turned a greyish white over the horizon in the east. The sun was about to rise.

  The Narcotics Squad had been on the stakeout for a whole night. They were sleepy, exhausted, starving, and miserable in every way. Hei Lang and his men, on the other hand, had a campfire going. Hei Lang had laid down next to the warm fire and slept from 2 a.m. till now.

  “These b*stards. Are they playing us?”

  It was the same team member who mocked Xiao Luo’s opinion hours ago. His name was Cheng Chusheng, and he was a senior member of the Narcotics Squad.

  His words instantly drew everyone’s attention to the earlier discussion. They thought: “It looks like Xiao Luo was right, and Cheng Chusheng was wrong.”

  Wang Yongjia asked Xiao Luo, “Is it too late to go out now?”

  Xiao Luo shook his head, answered, “No. But once we go out, it will prove to them that they have a mole in their midst. If we move in, we won’t be able to ensure his safety. Hei Lang has probably already locked on to our informant. After all, it doesn’t take too long for them to kill someone.”

  “Xiao Luo, how are you so sure that is their plan?” Cheng Chusheng asked.

  Xiao Luo answered honestly, “It’s easy. I put myself in Hei Lang’s shoes and consider everything that might happen from his perspective.”

  “Did you study criminal psychology?”

  “Only a little bit.”

  Xiao Luo couldn’t tell Cheng Chusheng that he had just spent 100 points and purchased the basic knowledge of criminal psychology right before the operation. It was not particularly impressive but was enough to help him think from the suspects’ angle.

  “I don’t care anymore. Let’s rush out and bring back our informant to ensure his safety. Then we will wheel around and head back.”

  Wang Yongjia had had enough. After staking out for a whole night, even an officer with a mild temperament would become grumpy.

  Following his order, the two dozen members of the Narcotics Squad dashed out. They were frustrated and furious with how this operation had turned out and was now eager to beat up those goons who had been enjoying beer and barbecue through the night.

  “Freeze! Put your hands on your heads and squat down!”

  “Quickly!”

  They barked at the people on the dock, keeping their weapons trained on them.

  Hei Lang woke up and heeding the order, crouched down with hands on his head. But there wasn’t a shred of fear etched on his face. He glanced at Xiao Luo, then glared at Wang Yongjia and asked impassively, “Officer Wang, what do you want?”

  “How dare you ask me questions?”

  Wang Yongjia threw him an angry look, and said, “Hei Lang, what are you doing here all night?”

  Hei Lang pointed at the campfire and answered, “Officer Wang, isn’t it obvious? We’re having a barbecue and enjoy the sea breeze at the same time.”

  “Enjoy the sea breeze for a whole night?” Wang Yongjia asked in a cold voice.

  Hei Lang smiled derisively and retorted, “Is it illegal to enjoy the sea breeze for a whole night?”

  “Of course not.”

  Wang Yongjia said, feeling a little foolish with his answer. He then started walking toward his informant, a short man.

  Just when he was trying to find an excuse to take his informant away, Xiao Luo pranced forward and kicked the short man out of the way. He then placed his foot on Hei Lang’s shoulder and bent forward to tie his shoe. It was a show of arrogance that was very disrespectful, and deeply insulting Hei Lang.

  “Xiao, move your dirty foot!”

  One of Hei Lang’s subordinates was enraged. He stood up and pointed at Xiao Luo as he shouted.