"Who was that girl?" Xia Dongdong asked as Cao Yang got back into the car. She had seen the scene outside from the car but hadn't heard their conversation.
"Just a hostess."
"What? You went to a hostess?"
"I did it for the mission! Necessary sacrifices," Cao Yang explained. Xia Dongdong looked skeptical.
"Did you find him?"
"Yes. He's inside. Just wait for him to come out."
Cao Yang lit a cigarette, leaned back, and waited quietly.
At 12:30 AM, Bai Wei appeared, accompanied by two men and four women.
Cao Yang nudged Xia Dongdong, pointing at the group. "That's them. Follow carefully."
Xia Dongdong nodded, slightly nervous, ignoring Cao Yang's playful pokes.
The seven took two taxis to a hotel. They went inside and checked in — all seven in one room, suggesting a chaotic night ahead.
Cao Yang and Xia Dongdong followed but kept a safe distance, unaware of the room number.
Cao Yang instructed Xia Dongdong to find it.
"How?" she asked.
"Listen at the doors; the room with the most noise is probably them."
Xia Dongdong hesitated. This felt perverted. She shook her head, telling Cao Yang to do it himself.
"Efficiency — we do it together. You take the left, I take the right," Cao Yang suggested. He pressed his ear to the door, listening.
Quiet. Either asleep or no one inside.
Seeing Cao Yang already in action, Xia Dongdong hesitated but then imitated him.
As soon as she pressed her ear, she heard a woman's moan. Her face turned red, and she quickly stepped back.
"Did you hear anything?" Cao Yang asked.
"Yes… a woman," she whispered, almost inaudibly.
"How many?"
"One."
"Then keep listening."
She moved to another door and pressed her ear again.
A sudden click — the door opened.
A man in a robe saw her. "What are you doing?"
Xia Dongdong stammered, explaining herself.
The man, noticing her beauty, assumed it was a high-class hotel service. Excited, he asked, "Pretty lady, how much?"
Xia Dongdong realized he misunderstood her role, and her expression darkened. She turned to leave.
The man tried to grab her, but she delivered a strong kick.
Cao Yang, observing, stepped forward and pointed his gun. "Shut up, or you're dead!"
The man froze. Cao Yang had no time for him and pulled Xia Dongdong to room 2218, pointing inside.
"This is it."
"What's the plan?" she asked.
"Simple. Tie them up and take them away."
Xia Dongdong nodded, drawing her own gun.
"Bang!" Cao Yang kicked the door open.
Inside, seven people were completely naked — three men with three women, one woman assisting.
The group froze at the sudden intrusion.
Xia Dongdong, shocked, covered her eyes and stepped back.
"You've got this," she said, trusting Cao Yang to handle it.
"Who said that?" one man glared.
Cao Yang kicked him hard against the wall.
"Police! Hands on your head, against the wall!"
Hearing that it was the police, and seeing the gun, the seven complied.
"Can I put on some clothes?" one woman pleaded.
"Clothes? Squat down!" Cao Yang snapped. "No shame before, now you feel shame?"
All seven squatted against the wall, hands on their heads.
Cao Yang kicked a shorter man. "Name?"
"Chen Facai."
Another man: "Bai Wei."
Cao Yang nodded. "You. Get dressed."
Bai Wei complied, eyeing Cao Yang warily, but the gun kept him in check.
The others were told to remain in the room. Cao Yang focused on Bai Wei, dragging him outside.
Xia Dongdong started the car. Bai Wei resisted, realizing something was off. These weren't local police; they spoke standard Mandarin.
"Are you with the Chaozhou gang?" he shouted, struggling.
Seeing the Dongguan-registered black Honda, he panicked. He had cheated the gang out of 200,000 yuan — now they were here.
Cao Yang slapped him twice. Bai Wei fell silent.
Xia Dongdong, seeing his bloodied mouth and missing teeth, frowned. This police officer was violent… too violent.
Cao Yang didn't care — results mattered. This was his method.
Bai Wei, now in the car, begged.
"Relax. I'm not Chaozhou gang. I'm with Lushan International."
Bai Wei trembled.
"Want to stay alive? Take me to those two."
He nodded frantically.
"I only brought them to Chaozhou gang. I don't know they went to Lushan International. It's not my business," he stammered.
Cao Yang nodded: "As long as we find them, you're free."