Sitting in the command vehicle, Kane lowered his voice to relay the tactical orders. “The target remains inside the building. Execute a silent arrest operation—no random gunfire. We have no intel on the interior layout.”Officers from each unit acknowledged the order and stood ready. Kane stepped out to inspect his sidearm, when Holt rushed over gasping for breath.“Station yourself at the Fenglin Road intersection and hold the main thoroughfare. Report instantly if you spot enemy reinforcements.” Kane had no time for small talk. “Cruz, take your men to seal off the front entrance of the alley.”Three minutes later, Cruz, fully kitted out in bulletproof tactical gear, led a ten-man squad to crouch against the wall and hold position. The perimeter unit seized the external staircase to provide covering fire for the second floor.Kane changed into plain clothes, then dragged Black along to pose as drunkards, trundling slowly deep into the alley.When they passed a sentry gangster, Kane s

He dragged Kane outside to borrow money, vowing firmly that he would take full responsibility for repaying the debt. Moved by his hardship, Kane emptied all his savings and lent him the entire 1,300 US dollars. Combined with Cruz’s savings, the two scraped together a total of 3,500 US dollars, which they handed over to Holt in full.Overwhelmed by their help in his darkest hour, Holt bowed deeply to the two men, his eyes brimming with gratitude and heavy sorrow.That afternoon, the three drove out of Novara District, crossed the snow-blanketed, frozen expanse of Novara, and walked three kilometers to the entrance of North Platform Village.A weather-beaten middle-aged woman came to meet them and led them straight into a run-down shanty with drafty walls. The room was packed with women waiting to be wed—all destitute migrants without legal residency, priced openly for anyone to pick and choose.The woman spoke bluntly and crudely, leaving Cruz lost for words. Seeing Holt standing there

Kane stood up, saluted and acknowledged Wade’s words. Though he appeared deferential and obedient on the surface, cold unease swelled inside him. This exceptional promotion and deliberate flattery were never genuine admiration—merely a calculated move in the game of power.Deep into the night, inside Holt’s house.Jett bowed his head, gulping down bland plain noodle soup, guilt lingering in his rugged eyes. Once he finished eating quickly, he walked over to the window, pressed himself against the icy glass, and silently stared at their mother sleeping soundly inside the room.“How much worse has her illness gotten?” His voice came out hoarse.Holt replied in a low murmur. “She’s barely hanging on.”Jett fell quiet for a long time, then pulled out a thick stack of cash and held it out to Holt with an unyielding gesture that brooked no refusal.“Ten thousand US dollars. Eight thousand goes toward Mom’s medical treatment; use the rest to cover household costs.” His tone remained calm. “I

Holt completely lost control of his emotions and roared with bloodshot eyes, “He’s my own brother—my full-blooded elder brother!”Kane froze rigid where he stood, every muscle locking up at once.“I held my fire during the raid not out of dereliction of duty, but because I couldn’t bring myself to pull the trigger!” Holt gasped, spilling everything in a rapid rush. “If our blood relation comes out, I’ll be suspended immediately pending investigation, and I’ll lose every chance to break him free. My plan was to pull an all-night shift, forge logged attendance via the surveillance feeds, then ambush the transport convoy en route. Even if I failed, I’d leave no trace linking me to it!”Kane shot back coldly, “You froze up just from a face-to-face confrontation back there. How do you expect to stand your ground against a fully armed prisoner escort unit? This isn’t a rescue—it’s you throwing your entire future away.”Only bleak despair lingered in Holt’s gaze. “If I do nothing, I watch hi

After hanging up the call, Holt’s eyes burned red as he dialed Cruz to confirm his sister had been abducted. Layer upon layer of schemes, exploitation, and humiliation inflicted on his family shattered the last line holding him back. He resolved to cast aside every rule and force Cruz to dig up every secret of the Wade clan. With nowhere left to run, he had staked everything he owned.Late that night, inside the standalone building at No.75 Century Avenue on Black Street, Kade — Wade’s blood uncle and the core figure of the Wade family — sat feasting on hot pot with two trusted lieutenants, daydreaming about the enormous profits from monopolizing the city’s entire drug market. They agreed on a seventy percent cut, planned to operate from the shadows, manipulate drug prices through official channels, and crush every rival completely.Midway through their drunken revelry, Holt, covered in wind-blown snow, silently climbed the stairs to the second floor.Spotting the unfamiliar intruder,