Capturing the young master of the Yunteng Family, Ning Fan felt less wary of the Yunteng Family; after all, they would not ignore the life and death of the boy.
Teng Dong and Teng Huayang were held in the Shadow Team's base and, for safety, the two men were isolated and locked up in different locations.
After Ning Fan sealed their acupoints with Silver Needles, they couldn't exert any strength at all. Now, even an ordinary person could kill them both.
In the dark and damp dungeon, Teng Huayang's cries were ignored by heaven and earth. Locked in the pitch-dark narrow cell, he was nearly driven insane.
The day after capturing Teng Huayang, Ning Fan still sent a message to Zi Hongyu and the others, advising them to be particularly wary of suspicious individuals in Zhonghai. Thus, the underground of Zhonghai was anything but peaceful, with many taking notice of the unease. The City Public Security Bureau was also extremely tense, and the patrols by the SWAT had significantly increased these past few days.
The undercurrents flowed through Zhonghai, where the seemingly calm surface was actually a prelude to a storm brewing hidden danger.
Ning Fan alone stirred the situation in Zhonghai. To ensure the smooth progression of his plan and to avoid alarming the officials too much, he specially called Qian Nengde.
"God Doctor Ning, I have a general understanding of the situation. Don't worry, as long as they keep it steady, I can give you the green light!"
Qian Nengde's response was very supportive, willing to turn a blind eye so long as the people in Fourth District didn't cause trouble; after all, with so many gathered, there were risks without someone to control the situation.
Concerning this, Ning Fan assured him with a pat on his chest, indicating there would be no problems.
His reputation as Ninth Master was enough to intimidate the people of Fourth District, and with people like Eagle, Zi Hongyu, Kuang Tiexing holding down the fort, who would dare stir up trouble!
"Thank you, I will remember this favor."
"No need, no need. God Doctor Ning is a friend to the Qian Family, and my old master often thinks of you. When you have time, you must come and visit our home."
After a few more polite exchanges, Ning Fan hung up the call, then turned to look at Huo Zhanyun, who had been waiting in front of him for quite a while.
Ning Fan was now at Huo Qiuran's house. Originally planning to come alone, he ran into Huo Zhanyun along the way, and the latter followed him, sticking to him like glue.
Thinking Ning Fan had brought him along, this time Huo Qiuran didn't bar Huo Zhanyun from entering. However, she still didn't wish to see Huo Zhanyun, so she went upstairs at this moment, leaving the living room downstairs to the two men.
"You see, your sister doesn't welcome you," Ning Fan said with a smile, and Huo Zhanyun's expression gradually darkened.
Huo Zhanyun understood Huo Qiuran's attitude all too well. Following Ning Fan wasn't a spur-of-the-moment decision; he had long wanted to see Huo Qiuran and have a heartfelt talk with his sister.
Since being provoked by Ning Fan's words last time, Huo Zhanyun hadn't had a good night's sleep, tormented awake by regret and guilt. This made him realize that if he didn't address this issue soon, he might never sleep well again in the future.
Moreover, he owed Huo Qiuran a proper apology for so many wrongs he had done, for not appreciating her kindness toward him. If he couldn't obtain her forgiveness, he would never be at peace.
Huo Qiuran didn't want to see him, Huo Zhanyun knew, and this realization filled him with helplessness and added bitterness to his heart.
With a wry smile on his face, Huo Zhanyun didn't even dare to meet Ning Fan's gaze at this moment. He thought about apologizing, but Huo Qiuran didn't want to see him, and his path was fraught with obstacles.
Seeking redemption was not so easy, and furthermore, his epiphany might have come too late.
"Too little, too late, do you think I would say that?"
Ning Fan suddenly spoke, his gaze resting on Huo Zhanyun with evident interest.
It was rare for Huo Zhanyun to have such an awakening, but Ning Fan still ruthlessly crushed him. It truly validated the saying, "What use are apologies if they worked, what would we need the police for?"
It was a rather unreasonable statement, but it fitted Huo Zhanyun perfectly.
"Has it really become too late?"
Huo Zhanyun raised his head, his face filled with bitterness and his eyes bloodshot; his heart was incredibly unsettled at this moment.
Unlike his father, Huo Yuanshan, who was still concerned about the family's interests, Huo Zhanyun was here to try and win over Ning Fan, though he had already come to a clear understanding of his past mistakes.
For the first time, he felt incredibly foolish. If Huo Qiuran or Ning Fan were to scold him, Huo Zhanyun would wish for nothing more. He even hoped that they could berate him thoroughly.
But what hurt the most was his sister Huo Qiuran's indifference. If Huo Qiuran had descended to scold him, Huo Zhanyun would have been happy because that would mean Huo Qiuran still considered him her brother.
Now, to Huo Qiuran, Huo Zhanyun was just a stranger.
All of this was his own doing, and now Huo Zhanyun didn't want to explain anything; he just wanted to sincerely apologize to Huo Qiuran and express his heartfelt remorse.
"Brother-in-law, what exactly do I need to do for my sister to forgive me?"
It wasn't about forgiving the Huo Family but forgiving him; Ning Fan could discern Huo Zhanyun's current thoughts.
He shook his head, the young man's realization had come a bit late. As for the question Huo Zhanyun posed, Ning Fan had no intention of answering because he didn't acknowledge Huo Zhanyun as his brother-in-law.
"Don't call me brother-in-law just yet. Call me that once you've been forgiven by Qiuran," Ning Fan said mercilessly. Huo Zhanyun didn't dare to retort and could only hang his head in dejection, his mouth holding an extremely bitter smile.
"The young master of the Yunteng Family, Teng Huayang, is in my hands now. Let the Jiangcheng side be more vigilant about the Shangguan Family's moves; their people should have regained their strength."
After finishing speaking, Ning Fan gave Huo Zhanyun a look, effectively issuing a dismissal.
Huo Zhanyun took a deep breath and looked up intently at the floor above, his eyes filled with complexity.
After Huo Zhanyun left, Ning Fan shouted towards the upstairs, "You've watched for quite some time. It's time to come down, isn't it?"
A graceful figure appeared at the staircase entrance. Who else could it be if not the lady of the house, Huo Qiuran?
She had been watching from upstairs all along. Ning Fan had noticed her presence early on but simply hadn't pointed it out.
"How is it, want to forgive Huo Zhanyun, this kid?" Ning Fan teased as he embraced Huo Qiuran, who was descending the stairs.
Huo Qiuran shook her head, looking outside as if lost in thought.