Chapter 43: That flame was beautiful, but unfortunately it couldn't burn through this wall

Dong Lin City.

A northern city famed for heavy industry, its air always carries a faint whiff of coal ash.

Xu Zhengzhi sat in a corner of a 24‑hour fast‑food shop, his eyes blood‑shot, staring intently at the data on his tablet.

Mobility is his most powerful weapon.

Based on clues and evidence supplied by fans, he spent three days and two nights and managed to expose a massive infant‑trafficking ring entrenched in Dong Lin City, led by Hua Jie.

In the chat logs, those people discussed the babies' gender, weight, health condition, and even haggled over prices worth a few thousand yuan, as if picking pork at a market.

"This male baby has big eyes; it can fetch a good price."

"Female infants are pricier, starting at one hundred thousand, no bargaining."

What chilled him even more was that he uncovered the head of obstetrics at a local hospital, who had long supplied the ring with forged birth certificates, allowing the abducted children to "legally" assume new identities.

Each word was like a red‑hot needle, piercing Xu Zhengzhi's eyes.

The flame in his chest burned so fiercely that his internal organs ached.

He turned off the tablet, picked up his phone, and dialed the local police tip line.

An old residential complex under the night sky.

Xu Zhengzhi wore a faded jacket, pulled his hat brim low, and posed as an out‑of‑town small boss desperate to "adopt a child".

According to the arrangement, he met Hua Jie's subordinate—a skinny, tall man with a sharp nose and monkey‑like face—in a garden pavilion.

"Where's the goods?" Xu Zhengzhi asked in a hoarse voice, mimicking a movie scene.

The man glanced warily around, then pulled a swaddled infant from a massive black travel bag.

The baby was still asleep, its little face flushed.

The moment he saw the baby, Xu Zhengzhi's heart was violently tugged.

He swallowed his raging fury, kept up the act, and produced a thick envelope: "The money's here, you count it."

Just as the man took the envelope and bent down to count the cash,

Xu Zhengzhi pressed the shortcut key on his phone in his pocket.

In an instant.

"Don't move! Police!"

In the darkness, several beams of bright flashlight erupted simultaneously, and seven or eight police officers surged forward from behind the flowerbed and the stairwell!

The skinny tall man was terrified, the money scattered on the ground, and he was pinned down on the spot.

A wail pierced the night.

A female police officer carefully lifted the baby, soothing it with a gentle voice.

Watching the scene, Xu Zhengzhi let out a long sigh of relief.

Got it!

Dong Lin City West City Branch.

Xu Zhengzhi sat on the sofa in the Director's Office, his cheeks hot with excitement.

"Director, the traffickers have been caught, but the ringleader Hua Jie is still out there!"

He handed over his phone; the screen displayed all his investigative results from the past few days, including the chat logs with Hua Jie and the complete audio‑video recordings of the transaction.

"My contact with Hua Jie isn't broken yet! She definitely hasn't grown suspicious now! I can keep posing as a buyer, cooperate with you, lure her out! Then we can take them all down in one net!"

He grew more and more animated, as if he could already see justice triumphing completely.

The branch chief is a man in his fifties, his hair slicked glossy.

He took the phone, swiped it casually a couple of times, his face showing little expression.

He lifted his eyelids, looked at the hot‑blooded young man before him, and spoke slowly.

"Comrade, I understand your feelings. However, your unsanctioned investigation and baiting criminals into a transaction is, under the law, called 'entrapment'."

"The evidence you obtained is procedurally illegal and cannot be admitted as courtroom proof."

Xu Zhengzhi's smile froze on his face.

"What?"

How could it be illegal? He graduated in law; there's absolutely no way it could be a problem…

The branch chief placed the phone on the table, his tone unyielding: "Therefore, we need to temporarily confiscate your phone and all recording devices as case material for safekeeping."

He pressed the call button on the table.

"Someone, take Mr. Xu to the waiting room for a moment; we need him to cooperate on a detailed statement."

Two police officers entered, one on each side, gripping Xu Zhengzhi's arms.

The force was not a "request" at all, but more like an escort.

"Director! You can't do this! This is the best chance to capture Hua Jie! If she escapes, who knows how many babies, how many families will suffer!" Xu Zhengzhi rushed, trying to struggle.

"Let go of me! Listen to me......"

"Bang!"

He was roughly shoved into an empty Interrogation Room, the iron door slamming shut behind him.

Xu Zhengzhi was stunned.

Hero, how did you become a prisoner?

He rushed to the door, pounding it forcefully.

"Open the door! I need to use the restroom!"

No one answered.

"I'm going to call! This is illegal detention!"

It remained a dead silence.

A sense of foreboding, like cold water, poured down from above his head.

Outside the door, the end of the corridor.

A young police officer was holding Xu Zhengzhi's phone, operating it rapidly under the branch chief's gaze.

Delete the video.

Delete the recording.

Clear the chat logs.

The branch chief looked satisfied at the phone whose contents had been cleared, turned and walked into his office, and placed a call.

The call connected, and he switched to a familiar tone.

"Hua Jie, your people have been taken down."

"He's a hotheaded volunteer who runs a net‑blogging gig; he fished and caught one of your people."

From the other end of the line came a woman's cold voice: "Where's the stuff?"

"Don't worry." The branch chief laughed, "We've detained that meddlesome blogger and cleaned up the evidence. Lay low for a while; we'll talk later."

"Understood, thank you."

Nearly ten hours later.

The door of the interrogation room finally opened.

Xu Zhengzhi was released.

His phone was returned to him.

But he discovered that all the key evidence had vanished without a trace, as if nothing had happened.

The harsh sunlight at the police station entrance made him barely able to keep his eyes open looking up; he could only lower his gaze.

By now he clearly understood which side the police were on.

Anger.

Endless anger nearly burned away his reason.

But gradually, a more piercing chill rose from his feet, freezing that anger.

He recalled Dr. Chu in Jiang Hai City, warm and smooth as jade.

He recalled the way Chu Che looked at him—sympathetic yet indifferent.

"I've seen that fire in your eyes."

"It's beautiful, but unfortunately… it can't burn through this wall."

Back then he hadn't truly felt it, so he didn't grasp the weight of those words.

Now he understands.

What's rotten goes far beyond Hua Jie's scum.

Plus the hospital that issued her a fake birth certificate.

And… the "protective umbrella" that deleted evidence for her and covered her back.

This isn't just one or two bad actors; it's a deeply entrenched system already rotting and breeding maggots!

An invisible yet unbreakable wall.

He clenched his fists, nails digging deep into his palms.

Can't burn through?

Then I'll use my life to smash a crack in that wall!

I will expose all of this!

Even if I'm smashed to pieces!

The confusion and anger in Xu Zhengzhi's eyes faded, replaced by an almost obsessive emotion.

He turned and strode away.

Across the street.

An inconspicuous black van silently started its engine the moment he turned around.

Inside, a thick‑necked thug stared at Xu Zhengzhi's back and dialed a number.

"Hua Jie, he's out. Look at that kid's eyes—he's not giving up. What do we do?"

Over the phone came Hua Jie's cold voice.

"Make him shut up forever."

The other end paused, then added, "That's also the branch chief's intention."

The thug licked his lips, grinning wickedly: "Understood."