Chapter Forty: Some Things, Once Passed, Will Tug at Your Heart

"Damn it, you’re asking for trouble!" Unexpectedly, the policeman immediately flew into a rage. With a sharp snap, he drew his gun and pressed it against Zhang Ye’s head. His other hand braced against the car seat beside him, and he thrust his foot forcefully at Zhang Ye.

Thud!

Zhang Ye didn’t dodge. This was his first time with a gun aimed at his head, but he felt no fear. He had died once already; what difference would another death make? What he feared was not death itself, but that the gun might accidentally discharge and hurt Guo Xiangqing or Wang Mengzi, who stood nearby.

"Ah... Xiao Ye..." Wang Mengzi burst into tears at the scene, her trembling hands reaching to touch Zhang Ye’s chest where he had been kicked, tears streaking her clean face.

"What are you doing? Do you even know what you’re doing?" Guo Xiangqing was shocked and furious, pointing at the young policeman, her voice quivering with anger.

The young policeman mistook Guo Xiangqing’s trembling for fear, glared at her, and barked, "Get out of the way." He waved his hand, knocking her hair clip off.

Then, he lifted his foot again and stomped heavily on Zhang Ye’s abdomen, again and again—not painful, but vicious. "Aren’t you supposed to be tough? Go on, fight!"

"Stop it, stop it now!" Wang Mengzi hurriedly grabbed the policeman’s leg, desperate to prevent him from kicking any further.

"You stupid woman, get—" The young policeman raised his hand, ready to throw her aside as he had Guo Xiangqing, but before the words left his mouth, he felt a blur before his eyes, pain in his hand, and then the gun was no longer in his grip.

Slap!

"Did you enjoy beating me?" Zhang Ye raised his hand and struck down hard.

Slap!

"You’re a policeman, so you think you can do whatever you like?"

Slap!

"All to curry favor with some so-called Young Master Du? So you’ve got a cruel heart?"

Slap! Slap! Slap! ...

Zhang Ye pressed the gun to the policeman’s head, his gaze fiercer than ever. "Some lines, once crossed, will come back to bite you." With that, he kicked him hard, sending him crashing into the police car’s glass. His head struck the roof with a heavy thud.

The glass was sturdy and didn’t break.

Zhang Ye didn’t care about being beaten or hurt himself; he could endure that, and later he’d repay it with greater vengeance. But the policeman had crossed the line by trying to hit Aunt Wang. For that, no matter how serious the consequences became, he could not tolerate it.

Now, the young policeman experienced the feeling of having a gun pressed to his head and being slapped repeatedly. The forceful blows instantly left his face swollen; Zhang Ye had used all his strength.

Yet the policeman dared not move, nor even show a hint of anger, for Zhang Ye’s expression was terrifying—savage, ruthless. He had no doubt that any wrong move would result in Zhang Ye pulling the trigger.

He wasn’t even thinking about the disastrous consequences of losing his service weapon; he only hoped Old Xu nearby would help, or that he could quickly escape from this demon.

"Hey, kid, calm down, calm down. Li Tao was wrong, but don’t lose your head. That gun isn’t a toy—put it down, please, put it down." The middle-aged policeman had sensed trouble as soon as Li Tao drew his gun, quickly pulling the car to the roadside. Just as he was about to intervene, the gun changed hands, and the one being beaten was now Li Tao, previously arrogant and untouchable.

"Zhang Ye," Wang Mengzi tugged at Zhang Ye’s hand; she too had been frightened by his glare moments ago.

"I’ll hold onto the gun for now. Later, I’ll hand it over personally to your superiors. I want to see since when the police could draw their guns so openly against innocent citizens." Zhang Ye knew well enough not to overstep, but Li Tao had pushed him too far. Besides, he understood that turning over the gun now would only invite more severe beatings. Without the gun, any blows suffered would be for nothing.

The middle-aged policeman’s face changed at this; if this got out, not only Li Tao, but he himself would be in trouble.

"Drive on, or call your superiors here. Today, I’m not afraid to make a scene." Zhang Ye knew that escalating things would be bad for everyone, but if he didn’t hold his ground now, he’d only suffer more later.

"Li Tao, apologize!" The middle-aged policeman’s expression shifted, and he barked at Li Tao, who was still glaring fiercely at Zhang Ye.

"No need, I can’t accept it," Zhang Ye shook his head. "I’ll give you the gun, but he absolutely can’t have it. If you can manage that, I’ll hand it over. If not, I’ll keep it." Zhang Ye knew the gun was a hot potato, but he had no desire to ever experience being threatened with a gun again.

"Alright, alright, I won’t give it to him. Just hand it to me," the middle-aged policeman agreed quickly. First, he had to get the gun.

Wang Mengzi and Guo Xiangqing said nothing, clutching Zhang Ye’s clothes tightly, their hearts a mix of anger and anxiety.

With confirmation, Zhang Ye finally handed the gun to the middle-aged policeman, who quickly secured it, not daring to pass it to Li Tao. Faced with someone as reckless as Zhang Ye, all his experience counted for little.

"You just wait," Li Tao muttered, but didn’t dare say more. He rubbed his head and his almost swollen face, slowly sitting down, all his attention fixed on Zhang Ye. This man was too fierce; even the police felt some fear.

The police car started up again, and this time, nothing unexpected happened. They returned smoothly to the station.

Once at the station, Li Tao regained his vigor. Without hesitation, he cuffed Zhang Ye’s hands and dragged him toward the interrogation room. Along the way, his fury was boundless. He’d always bullied others without resistance—never had anyone dared fight back, let alone snatch his gun and slap him.

Such humiliation could not go unavenged.

"You’d better think carefully. Once I’m inside, getting me out won’t be so easy," Zhang Ye glanced over at Wang Mengzi and Guo Xiangqing, saw Guo Xiangqing making a phone call, and relaxed. A faint smile appeared on his face, though with his bruises and scratches, it was hardly pleasant to look at.

"Hey, punk, still mouthing off? See how I teach you a lesson today." Li Tao spat and shoved Zhang Ye hard.

Zhang Ye, hands cuffed, lifted his hands slightly, grabbed Li Tao’s wrist, and with a twist and a push, there was a sharp crack. Li Tao let out a wretched scream and dropped to his knees.