Over the past two days, the entire hallway had been reeking.
The stench was enough to make one's head spin. The residents of the entire building were tormented by it, and it took several days of searching before they finally pinpointed the source.
Upon hearing the news, the property management rushed over. However, they didn't have the legal right to break down doors, so they had no choice but to call the Security Bureau.
About half an hour later, the Security Bureau's car finally arrived.
“What's the situation?”
“Officer, those Li brothers haven't stepped out for days, and the smell coming from their place is deathly. We were worried something might have happened to them, so we called it in.”
“I see.”
Two security officers followed the property management into the hallway. The moment they stepped inside, they covered their noses.
“That's quite the kick. Which floor?”
“The third floor.”
The residential complex where the Li brothers lived was very old, a walk-up building with no elevator.
Enduring the foul odor, the security officers reached the third floor and knocked. They knocked several times, but no one answered.
After having the bureau check the brothers' phone numbers and receiving no response after several calls, they proceeded to break down the door.
Boom!
The door was kicked open. The stench was so thick it felt almost tangible, hitting them with enough force to nearly knock them over.
“Blegh!”
One security officer couldn't take it and began vomiting uncontrollably over the stair railing.
The other wasn't doing much better; his face had turned a sickly shade of green.
The property management staff had already bolted the moment the door opened. Not a single curious onlooker remained in the hallway.
After a long bout of retching, the two officers finally grew somewhat accustomed to the smell. They drew their guns and cautiously entered the apartment.
Creak.
The old floorboards groaned under their weight.
The moment the sound echoed, two bloated 'figures' lunged at them!
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The officers opened fire decisively, but a split second later, their heads were seized by a pair of massive hands.
Those hands were incredibly slimy and reeked of rot. Before the officers could even scream, the hands exerted a sudden, violent force. Following a series of sickening cracks, their heads slumped uselessly to the side.
Thud!
The apartment door was slammed shut once again.
Two or three minutes later, the property management staff cautiously returned to the hallway.
“Officers?”
“Officers?”
They called out softly, but there was no response for a long time.
...
The Security Bureau.
“How long has it been?”
“Over an hour.”
“Did the property management go in to check?”
“They said they were afraid of disturbing the scene.”
Hearing his subordinate's report, the Eldest Young Master of the Li family couldn't help but frown deeply.
Since his father had returned to the ancestral estate, the operations of the Security Bureau were under his full command, and his subordinates had no objections.
After all, his father was the Bureau Chief.
Moreover, his own strength and capabilities were among the best in the bureau.
With his combination of skill, power, and family background, who could possibly complain if he eventually inherited the position of Bureau Chief?
As the eldest son of his generation, the Eldest Young Master naturally knew many things.
For instance, he knew that those men surnamed Li were actually related to his family by blood.
“I'll go take a look myself.”
“Captain, should we notify the Bureau Chief?”
“Notify the Chief? Why? Do I look like a child to you?”
The subordinate immediately shut his mouth.
The Eldest Young Master thought for a moment before adding,
“We've lost two brothers; this is no small matter. Gather more men to come with us.”
“Yes, sir!”
The subordinate hurried out to call the team. By the time the Eldest Young Master stepped outside, five cars were already parked at the bureau's entrance.
Each car held four people, all of them elite officers from the Security Bureau.
This group was more than enough for a simple investigation—it was enough for a small-scale skirmish.
The cars sped toward the Old District, where the property management staff were already waiting anxiously.
Upon seeing the Security Bureau vehicles, they hurriedly guided them to the building.
“Officers, officers! It's this building right here.”
“Which floor?”
“Third floor, Room 301.”
“Step back for now.”
“Yes, sir.”
The property management staff were only too happy to comply and didn't dare stay close.
With a wave of the Eldest Young Master's hand, his subordinates kicked open the building's entrance.
The stench grew even more intense. Fortunately, the Eldest Young Master had anticipated this after reviewing the situation and had ordered everyone to wear gas masks.
The group reached Room 301 and kicked the door in.
Crash!
The door flew open, and a four-man squad rushed inside immediately.
“What's the situation inside?”
The Eldest Young Master commanded remotely via radio.
But there was only silence on the other end.
The Eldest Young Master frowned and asked again.
“What is the situation?”
Bzzt... bzzt...
Static crackled, followed by the sound of laughter coming through the radio.
“Hehehe... You must be Captain Li, aren't you?”
“Becoming a captain at such a young age... must be nice. Really nice.”
“Not like us brothers. We have to work ourselves to the bone just to survive.”
“We even had to work three jobs just to save up enough for university tuition.”
“Don't you think it's strange? We look so much alike and we share the same surname, so why are our lives worlds apart?”
“If it were the old me, I definitely wouldn't have been able to figure it out no matter how hard I tried.”
“But it's different now. Now, I've got a new head—a very useful new head. Hahaha!”
The voice on the other end was dripping with malice. The Eldest Young Master narrowed his eyes and turned to the property manager beside him.
“Are there still civilians in the building?”
“Yes!”
“I'm giving you ten minutes to evacuate everyone!”
“Huh?”
The property manager looked troubled.
“Can't the officers do that? You don't understand, sir. There are many elderly people in our complex who are used to having their way. No one dares to mess with them.”
“If I go, they definitely won't leave.”
The Eldest Young Master's expression was cold.
“Then tell them the Security Bureau is leveling the third floor in ten minutes. If they think they're immune to death, they're welcome to stay in their homes.”
“Now, you have nine minutes!”
The property manager was stunned. He had dealt with all sorts of people, and one look at the Eldest Young Master's face told him this was no joke.
‘What do I do?’
‘This guy is definitely serious.’
‘Am I really supposed to go in and notify them? What if something happens and I can't get out?’
‘I don't get paid enough to risk my life like this.’
‘Besides, I can't even collect the management fees from them. Why should I bother?’
Thinking of this, the property manager pulled out his phone and tagged everyone in the building's app.
【The Security Bureau says they're blowing up the building in eight minutes. Get out if you can, and good luck.】
After sending the message, the manager stuffed his phone back into his pocket, thinking that for his salary, he had done more than enough.
The property management group chat exploded instantly, followed by the sound of frantic, heavy footsteps.
With such a major incident happening in the complex, many people had been waiting to watch the drama and were glued to the group chat.
They never expected the drama to literally land on their own doorsteps.
As soon as they got downstairs, they went ballistic, surrounding the property manager and hurling insults. While they cursed him, they kept shooting glances at the Security Bureau, clearly directing their anger at the officers through him.
The Eldest Young Master didn't even give them a glance. When the ten minutes were up, he gave a hand signal, and several grenades were tossed into Room 301.
Boom!
The shockwave of the explosion shattered the surrounding windows. The owners stood there, slack-jawed and stunned.
Damn.
He's for real?
Rate on N.U.
