Xiang Yu sat in the dimly lit interrogation room, his handsome features illuminated by the harsh overhead light. His expression was cold and stoic, betraying no hint of emotion. Despite the cuffs on his wrists, he exuded an air of relaxed confidence, as if the situation was merely a minor inconvenience. His dark, piercing eyes scanned the room with a detached curiosity, taking in every detail. He leaned back in his chair, the metal cuffs clinking softly against the table.
With a slow, deliberate motion, he raised his hands and ran his fingers through his jet-black hair, pushing it back from his forehead. The gesture was casual, almost nonchalant, yet it carried an underlying sense of control and defiance.
Xiang Yu’s presence was magnetic, a blend of danger and allure that made it impossible to look away. He knew they had nothing on him; otherwise, they would have pressed charges when they picked him up. They wouldn’t have used a pathetic method to drag him here.
On the other side of the one-way mirror, Agent Lu and Agent Shen sat with steaming cups of coffee on the table, watching him. They had held him for forty-five minutes and hadn’t come in to speak with him. They thought he would be making a fuss or acting nervous over time, but he was acting like he was at home.
The door suddenly opened, and Chief Xi and Peng Xiu, wearing a mask covering half her face, walked in. Peng Xiu stood by the mirror, staring at Xiang Yu. She had heard of him before but had never met him. Despite having never laid eyes on him she felt a great sense of hatred towards him, hared she couldn’t quite explain. He had done a good thing rescuing those young women from the Die clan, but she felt this immense sense of disdain from the depth of her soul whenever she thought of him.
The Chief glanced at Xiang Yu through the glass before stepping into the observation room. "Has he said anything?" he asked, his voice a low rumble.
Agent Shen shook his head. "No, Chief. He’s just been sitting there, acting all calm."
The Chief nodded, his expression unreadable. "I will go speak to him." He turned and left the room, the door closing with a soft click behind him.
Agent Lu swivelled his chair around to face Peng Xiu, who was still intently watching the interrogation room. "Sister Xiu, isn’t it risky for you to be here?" he asked, his tone laced with concern.
Without taking her eyes off Xiang Yu, Peng Xiu replied, "No, I took precautions."
Agent Lu stared at her, admiration evident in his gaze. "Aren’t you going to sit down?" he asked, pulling a swivel chair over for her.
Peng Xiu’s expression hardened. She turned to look at him, her eyes cold. "No, I am fine," she said curtly, before turning back to the interrogation room.
Agent Lu didn’t take the hint. She obviously didn’t want to speak to him but he hadn’t seen her in a long time. "Sister Xiu, does that bastard Han Xin have anything to do with this?" he pressed.
Peng Xiu’s lips twitched, a flicker of irritation crossing her face. "No, he doesn’t," she replied, her voice tight.
Agent Lu felt a pang of annoyance. Every time he spoke to Peng Xiu, she seemed to be defending Han Xin. It was as though his perception of him was shifting, and Agent Lu couldn’t help but feel a twinge of jealousy. He feared that Peng Xiu was becoming compromised. After this, he planned to speak to the Chief about possibly pulling her out of her undercover role.
Meanwhile, the door of the interrogation room creaked open, and Chief Xi entered, holding two closed bottles of water. He placed one in front of Xiang Yu. "Here, you must be thirsty," he said.
Xiang Yu smiled sweetly, a smile that seemed sincere but made the Chief a little uncomfortable. Chief Xi opened the folder he had brought with him and said, "I am Chief Xi with the Bureau of Criminal Investigation, and this conversation will be recorded."
Xiang Yu looked at him as if he were looking at an idiot. His silence made the Chief quite restless. He had interrogated many criminals in his career, and the power dynamics were always clear. He was always in charge, but this time, he felt a great sense of unease. Xiang Yu hadn’t even opened his mouth yet, but he was already shaken.
"Do you know why you are here?" Chief Xi asked.
Xiang Yu replied in a calm tone, "I am here because I supposedly assaulted an agent in my shop," as he glanced at the one-way mirror, as though staring straight at Agent Shen, even though he couldn’t see him. On the other side, Agent Shen felt a shiver run down his spine, a little terrified by that look.
Chief Xi sighed, staring back at the one-way mirror, wondering if this was how they had dragged him here. He looked back at Xiang Yu, who said, "By the way, I have a lot of surveillance cameras in my shop that can clear this mess up."
Chief Xi replied, "Sure, we can take a look afterwards, but that’s not what I want to talk to you about."
Xiang Yu lifted his cuffed hands and said, "Since I am not under arrest, would you mind taking these off?"
Chief Xi hesitated. The young man before him was smiling and didn’t show any violent traits, but those eyes made him feel ill at ease as though he was facing off with the devil. Xiang Yu continued, "Chief Xi, I am not under arrest, right?"
Xiang Yu smiled again. "If you want to talk then take these off... please."
Chief Xi forced a smile and uncuffed him. Xiang Yu rubbed his wrists and leaned back in his seat, crossing his legs at the knees, exuding an air of calm control.
"So, what’s so important that the chief wants to talk about?" Xiang Yu asked, his voice smooth and