Chapter Sixty-Seven: The Blade Above Endurance

After his shower, Kang Ning opened the bathroom door, only for the shrill ring of the telephone to interrupt his plans for breakfast.

"Xiao Ning, could you answer the phone for me?" came Lu Jing's weak voice from the bedroom.

"Alright." Kang Ning walked to the telephone in the living room and picked up the receiver. "Hello!... Yes... What?... Understood, I'll be there right away!"

He raised his head and took a deep breath. The hand that always rested at his waist unconsciously lifted, forming a silent, poised tiger-claw stance, as his brows drew together and his eyes flashed with an aggressive, piercing light.

Staring for a long moment at the receiver, now crushed in his right hand without his realizing, Kang Ning forcibly suppressed the torrent of anger and grief rising within him. Deep remorse and regret welled up—he could not forgive himself for his carelessness regarding the factory and Uncle Wang's safety after Lu Jing's misfortune yesterday, leading to this irreparable disaster.

If only he had gone to the factory after Lu Jing fell asleep last night, perhaps Uncle Wang would still be alive, and the old man could have returned to the countryside tomorrow to enjoy his retirement in peace!

But now, nothing could change what had happened. What he had to do first was comfort the already frightened Lu Jing and help her bear her grief; only after uncovering the mastermind behind all this would he decide what to do next.

Kang Ning was no longer the optimistic, sunny boy he once was. After suffering injustice and hardship, he had learned much and seen through much; the lessons of blood and tears had steeled his heart, making him resilient and cold, with a trace of cynicism in his demeanor.

At this moment, he swore silently that he would never let the culprit escape, or greater dangers and harm might befall Lu Jing!

But until the truth was revealed, all Kang Ning could do was endure.

Even if his heart bled, he had to grit his teeth and bear the pain in silence.

With a somber face, Kang Ning walked into the bedroom, embracing Lu Jing from behind as she dabbed medicine before the mirror, turning her to face him. "There's been trouble at the factory—we have to go."

Lu Jing's mind buzzed, and she was instantly at a loss. Her face, having just regained its delicate beauty after a night's rest, turned deathly pale. After a long moment, she snapped back to reality and asked anxiously, "Who was on the phone just now?"

"The police."

Lu Jing finally understood the gravity of the situation. "Tell me, has something happened to Uncle Wang as well?"

Kang Ning nodded. "Let's go. Be strong."

He supported Lu Jing down the stairs, opened the garage, drove the car out, locked the garage, and got back in. He gently suggested to Lu Jing, who sat in the passenger seat, "Call your sister, ask her to let Brother Gao know and get to the factory as soon as possible. He’s the only one who can help us now. I’m sure the other workers will be arriving soon, too."

Seeing Lu Jing, with tears in her eyes, retrieve her phone, Kang Ning started the battered Passat, slowly pulling away. As soon as they left the complex gate, he sped toward the repair shop, careening through intersections at such speed that traffic police stared in shock as the car flashed by, realizing too late they hadn’t caught the license plate. Each, in turn, cursed furiously. One officer, pointing at the car’s distant shadow five hundred meters away, swore, "Next time, just wait 'til I catch you…"

Kang Ning only slowed when they were about three hundred meters from the factory. Twenty meters from the gate, two policemen stopped them.

Lu Jing hurried out, trying to rush inside, but was blocked by a middle-aged officer. "Who are you? Didn’t you see the police tape?"

Only then did Lu Jing notice the yellow tape cordoning off the area outside the factory, two police cars, and dozens of onlookers kept at a distance. She quickly explained, "I’m the owner here. What happened?"

The officer glanced at Kang Ning, who had come to stand behind her, then back at Lu Jing. "Your factory was vandalized early this morning. We got the call at six and came at once. The night watchman is dead—initial investigation suggests he was run over. You can go in to take a look, but don’t wander around or disturb the scene."

Kang Ning supported Lu Jing as they passed through the gap in the ruined gate. There, on the blood-smeared ground, lay a body covered with a sheet. Kang Ning recognized Uncle Wang’s bedsheet at once, and knew the truncated body beneath must be his. He was about to comfort Lu Jing when he saw she had already fainted. He quickly stooped to pick her up and strode toward the office, but after only a few steps, two police officers blocked his path.

"You’re the one who answered the phone earlier, right?" the shorter one asked.

"Yes, I’m an employee here—and Lu Jing’s boyfriend."

The officer looked at Kang Ning without expression. "Both of you will need to come to the station and give statements right away!"

"Officer, look at Lu Jing’s condition—she can’t go anywhere right now. Why don’t you come to the office, have some tea, and wait until she wakes up?" Kang Ning replied calmly.

On the drive over, Kang Ning had carefully considered all possible scenarios and devised several responses. He was certain the police would question them and take statements, which was risky for him as a wanted man on the run, but it wasn't in his nature to stand aside and let Lu Jing face this alone. No matter the danger, he would shoulder it with her.

The taller officer interjected, "Let’s just do the statements in their office. It’s about eight-ten now; the workers will be here soon, so we can get more information."

The officer called Xiao Shen nodded in agreement, fetched a satchel from the police Jetta nearby, and followed Kang Ning and the others into the office.

It took some effort to find the key in Lu Jing’s bag and unlock the door. As Kang Ning carried her inside, she awoke and broke down crying in his arms. He held her for a while, then helped her to the short sofa. "Calm down, the officers need to ask us some questions. Sit here, I’ll get you some water."

Seeing Lu Jing nod, Kang Ning busied himself, pouring purified water for everyone. He pulled up a chair beside Lu Jing, while the two officers, seated on the sofa, took out their notepads and began the interview.

After ten minutes of questioning, they asked for Kang Ning’s ID. The taller officer compared the photo to Kang Ning just as Lu Jing’s sister, Lu Lin, and brother-in-law, Gao Qinghua, hurried in. Lu Lin collapsed onto her sister, the two embracing in tears, while Gao Qinghua came over to ask what had happened. Kang Ning quickly explained the situation.

Gao Qinghua adjusted his glasses and turned to the two officers. Suddenly, he exclaimed to the tall, cold-faced officer, "Xiao Du, is that you?"

The officer, still holding Kang Ning’s ID, looked up and broke into a delighted grin. "Squad Leader, what brings you here?"

He stepped forward, returning the ID to Kang Ning without even glancing at it, and warmly shook hands with Gao Qinghua. The other officer, seeing this, put down his pen and watched with mild curiosity.

This officer was Du Jianwu, an old comrade of Gao Qinghua from their army days—they had both been promoted and demobilized the same year. Three years ago, Du Jianwu was assigned to the Luejiang Public Security Bureau’s Criminal Investigation Division, while Gao Qinghua went to the Chongqing Justice Bureau. A year later, as Gao’s parents refused to move to Chongqing, he transferred back to Luejiang, married Lu Lin, and then went to Chengdu for further studies. He and Du Jianwu, now the busy deputy captain of the CID, hadn’t seen each other since—so this unexpected reunion was especially heartfelt.

From there, matters proceeded smoothly. With Du Jianwu’s help, the statements were quickly taken. The factory workers, who had been gathered together, were briefly questioned and then allowed to leave. As everyone exited the office, Du Jianwu surveyed the devastated factory and sighed deeply. He suggested Lu Jing let him handle Uncle Wang's remains, promising to notify them before cremation. Lu Jing nodded in agreement, and Du Jianwu ordered the police tape removed, shared a few words about the case with Gao Qinghua, and then led his team away.

As the police departed one by one, Kang Ning paused in thought, then strode into the midst of the workers. Seeing him approach, the anxious group instinctively gathered around him.