Infinite Ebullience
Chapter 1067 - 40 The Image of Justice

Chapter 1067: Chapter 40 The Image of Justice

The reporters all turned their cameras to see how Tang Zheng would respond. If he backed down, they’d have their story for tomorrow’s news.

Christina eyed Tang Zheng curiously, recalling the old man in the suit’s words. She wanted to know the truth; was this guy really a villain?

"It’s a simple question," Tang Zheng retrorted to the Director, wishing he could arrange for a sniper to take out the old fool, hollowed out by sex and booze, "thinking of harming me, Tang the Great Leader? Dream on."

"Grab a couple of rocket launchers and blow them up, and that solves all problems," Tang Zheng wasn’t going to make a move. These were Northern Europeans, and even though he was fearless, killing Newbies still carried some risks, "unless we’ve sacrificed too many of our own? What’s the benefit to you?"

Tang Zheng aimed to become the Director, and since this guy wasn’t likely to get promoted, he’d naturally become an obstacle; so, he had to be kicked aside. Slinging mud was naturally the easiest way to go about it.

The policemen were stunned, then those who were injured looked at the Director with hostility, not to mention the close friends of those who had been killed felt the Director wanted to get rid of them to fill the vacancies and then take bribes to recruit new cops.

The Director, due to retire soon and already lacking authority, focused solely on grasping for money, and now relations had dropped to an all-time low.

"You go, take down the gangsters." The Director no longer dared to order Tang Zheng around, fearing he might stir up more trouble. Although the other policemen didn’t refuse the command, their reaction was noticeably slower, beginning to take a passive stance.

The reporters immediately took pictures, capturing the moment for tomorrow’s news. Even if the story didn’t make the report, they could earn a nice sum for their silence.

The Nordic People wouldn’t wait to be surrounded and killed at ease by policemen. While the Director was still rambling, they had already started breaking out from the back. Two men sporting Blood Cross tattoos, incredibly fierce, threw smoke bombs and, armed with heavy machine guns, opened fire, preventing the policemen from even raising their heads.

The two women were neither panicked nor afraid, their faces painted with blue paint, backpacks strapped on their chests. They continued to pull out smoke bombs from inside and threw them outward, obscuring vision. These people were ferocious, like their Viking ancestors, with a brutality carried in their blood. Sadly, they would never have a chance to ferment and grow.

This obstruction greatly affected the policemen, but it was a minor issue for the Nordic People, who had finally learned to get familiar with the terrain. Still, the situation remained dire.

The other two men, armed with AK47s, cleared areas of concern. Together, they exerted force to suppress the policemen’s firepower. However, after the initial confusion, the policemen recovered and began organizing a defense. The hiding spots selected by the Nordic People were too exposed, prolonging their escape time and actually causing themselves trouble.

The policemen’s random shooting managed to yield results as one tattooed man was hit in the head and died instantly, and a woman was shot in the calf and fell to the ground.

"Cover me." The young man with the AK47 didn’t abandon her; he called out to his companion before helping her up. But after just a few steps, he was struck in the chest by a high-caliber sniper rifle, blowing a hole through him.

"Don’t mind me, get out of here," the woman screamed, picking up her companion’s weapon and firing back in the direction from where the bullets whizzed by.

Bang, the sniper struck again, blowing her head apart.

Tang Zheng, with his infrared night vision device, observed the battlefield. The City of God’s soldiers had completed their deployment, taking over the job of the policemen, and began to encircle the gangsters. The crossfire in South City had become too intense tonight, the Mayor’s office continuously receiving calls from the citizens, prompting the immediate dispatch of the military to suppress the violence.

Only the Blood Cross man managed to break out. The other AK man and the woman were encased in a dumpling-like trap and forcibly pushed back into the building, ultimately killed by fully armed soldiers, leaving at least an intact corpse.

The Blood Cross man, pursued by a large group of soldiers, fled in panic. Suddenly, he heard the thunderous roar of an engine; then a beam of headlight light pierced the night, as a double-wheeled, flame-engulfed heavy motorcycle charged wildly forth. Its rider was a man in black leather, his entire skull in the shape of a skeleton, burning with flames.

The Ghost Rider glared furiously, sweeping his gaze over the pursuing soldiers, and instantly, five of them ignited out of nowhere, turning into charred remains in moments. The rest of the pursuers immediately ducked for cover, having all heard legends of this Ghost Rider.

The Blood Cross man tried to break into civilian houses to take hostages and escape, but after running just a few steps, the Ghost Rider flung the chain wrapped around his armature, shooting it like an arrow, which nailed the man directly in the shoulder blade. With a tug, he was pulled in.

The motorcycle zoomed past, and it was bad luck for the Blood Cross man, tossed about like a broken sack, wounds emerging, blood spurting. At first, he screamed in agony, but in less than thirty meters, he went utterly silent. His breastbone shattered against a telegraph pole, and then, in turning around a corner, due to inertia, he slammed into a wall, his head burst open, and his body twisted beyond recognition.

The soldiers watched as the Ghost Rider vanished, looking at each other in dismay. With this, all the Nordic Newbies have been wiped out.

"Crisis resolved, pull out," the Director, exhausted from a whole night, lacked spirit and needed to get some sleep.

"Director, please wait a moment," Tang Zheng emerged from the crowd and stopped him.

The reporters immediately picked up their cameras, sensing a big story.

"With the Tuna and Viper Gang eradicated, a power vacuum has now emerged in the underworld of South City. We should take this opportunity to eradicate those smaller gangs once and for all. Otherwise, if they engage in turf wars, it could pose a significant threat to the lives and safety of the citizens of South City," Tang Zheng began his passionate acting, with a serious face as if he was a hero ready to sacrifice his life for the cause of justice.

The reporters immediately snapped photos of this moment and even wanted to interview him.

"Nonsense, do you know how many policemen would get killed or hurt? Those gang members are like cockroaches, impossible to get rid of completely," the Director sneered. He was stating a fact; the underworld would never disappear. But what did that have to do with him? Regardless of which gang ultimately emerged victorious, they would have to bribe him, and by now, his home was probably already stuffed with US dollars.

"Not being able to get rid of them completely is one thing; whether we do something about it is another!" Tang Zheng said forcefully, glaring at the Director. Since he had decided to take him down, he wanted to strike a fatal blow, "Or is it that you actually enjoy seeing this chaos?"

"What are you implying?" the Director frowned, "I could sue you for defamation."

"South City is recognized as the most chaotic area in the City of God. Director, don’t you feel ashamed? This is your jurisdiction!" Tang Zheng showed an expression of self-reproach, "We ordinary officers also want to serve the people, but we also need opportunities."

Tang Zheng needed the support of these ordinary officers, so he singled them out. Some scheming individuals immediately began to make noise, seeking to drive the Director out of office, giving these older guys a chance to climb up the ladder.

"You’re in charge then!" The Director became flustered, dropped this remark, and left. He saw that the reporters were all swarming around him, seeking to interview him.

"If that guy doesn’t drop dead of anger, it’ll be a failure." Tang Zheng shrugged, watching the officers look listless. Anyone would hesitate to wade into these troubled waters; the chaos in South City could well implicate them. However, with just one phrase, Tang Zheng reinvigorated them.

"Think about it from another angle—it’s a great opportunity to make money." The reporters had all chased after the Director’s car, so Tang Zheng wasn’t worried about being overheard.

The policemen began to move. Led by Tang Zheng, they launched targeted clean-up operations. By the end of the night, only Dantai’s stronghold and his gang members had remained untouched. Such a scene made the newbie hooligans believe that their big boss had a powerful backing and become even more loyal.

Tang Zheng took the opportunity to win over those policemen, and of course, there were some who resisted, but they were taken out by Dantai’s men, reported as having died in the line of duty, without causing so much as a ripple.

After the police withdrew, Dantai began to suppress the smaller gangs. With the crushing power of the Conquerors, massacring them was effortless. In less than two days, Dantai’s Hammer Gang quietly became the most prominent gang in South City.

Tang Zheng flourished. The next day, the newspapers were full of his praises, hailing him as a new star in the police force and a good policeman with a conscience.

Since his record was flawless, he wasn’t worried about any scrutiny, but he still arranged for Pang Meiqin to act, setting the record office ablaze.

Citizens too yearn for a safe living environment. Incited by some manipulative individuals like Dantai, they petitioned against the Director. Consequently, the old man fell from grace amidst widespread jeers and, after being found with some evidence, was clapped into jail. He had planned to deal with Tang Zheng after the dust settled, but unfortunately, he was pre-empted.

However, Tang Zheng didn’t benefit much either. Though he was promoted and had been bribed, he was still passed over and the position of Director went to a middle-aged policeman who was parachuted in. The police system in the City of God was more complicated than he had expected.

"Don’t worry, there will be a way." In the Dali Hua Hotel, Dantai consoled Tang Zheng. However, the other newbies looked a bit gloomy, for the dilapidated corpse of a Nordic man was hanging in the hotel lobby, with some words burning in flames on it.

"No more crimes are allowed, or punishment will come!" This was the warning left by the Knight of Demons.

"What’s there to be anxious about? It’s just a demon knight," Sha Ou tried to buoy the spirits of the group, but unfortunately, his authority was too low to be taken seriously.

"Let’s discuss Tang Zheng’s promotion first. Honestly, I have a plan." Dantai tapped his fingers on the table, which had a newspaper featuring an image of Tang Zheng in his police uniform, and suggested with a smile, "How about a bank heist? We should elevate Tang Zheng’s renown even higher, making him the only one that the citizens look up to."

"That’s not enough, you need to carry out an assassination and kill the Director." Tang Zheng needed to create an alibi; otherwise, he would have taken matters into his own hands directly. (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, please come to Qidian.com to vote for recommendation tickets and monthly passes. Your support is my greatest motivation.)