Chapter 375: An Unexpected Phone Call

As the sky began to lighten, Chen Erbao's eyes opened out of habit.

A knowing smile touched Chen Erbao's lips as he felt the soft body beside him. He turned his head, gazing at Bai Xiaoqing's smooth, delicate face, then tilted his head and gave her a gentle kiss.

He slipped out from under the covers, walked into the living room, and began to stretch.

After a night of dual cultivation, Chen Erbao felt his own cultivation had advanced significantly. The Fifth Layer Qi Refining was not far off!

His Dragon Elephant Divine Fist grew more fluid. As his fists cut through the air, the surrounding currents swirled.

With his eyes tightly shut, Chen Erbao's feet moved in the Misty Step. His entire body became graceful and nimble, weaving and darting about the living room.

He didn't stop until the sun was fully up. Breathing lightly, he made his way to the bathroom.

After a quick shower, Chen Erbao walked out, completely naked.

Bai Xiaoqing had just woken up, and the first thing she saw upon opening her eyes was Chen Erbao standing stark naked in the room.

The giant dragon below his waist swayed in the open air, causing Bai Xiaoqing's cheeks to flush slightly red.

"You're awake?"

Wiping his face with a towel, Chen Erbao found it rather amusing to see Bai Xiaoqing bury her head under the covers, too shy to peek out.

"I've already ordered breakfast from the hotel. Go get washed up, and we'll eat together in a minute."

After a long moment, Bai Xiaoqing's muffled voice came from under the covers:

"You... you put on some clothes first..."

"It's not like you haven't seen it before. What's there to be shy about?"

Chen Erbao didn't understand, but he pulled on his pants anyway, concealing the giant dragon that had made Bai Xiaoqing cry all night.

Only then did Bai Xiaoqing throw back the covers. Clutching her clothes to cover her own graceful figure, she avoided Chen Erbao's gaze, her face beet red, and scurried into the bathroom.

While Bai Xiaoqing was getting ready, a hotel attendant delivered their breakfast.

Chen Erbao didn't wait for her. He helped himself to a bowl of soy milk and three eggs, then took out his phone to call his contact for Sanjiang City.

They agreed on a meeting place and promptly hung up.

Bai Xiaoqing had taken her time in the bathroom to put on some makeup before she finally emerged.

Her delicate face was now dusted with a light layer of powder and adorned with vibrant red lipstick. Chen Erbao's eyes immediately locked onto her lips, unable to look away.

A tickle of desire stirred within Chen Erbao as he remembered the things those red lips had done the night before...

Unable to bear Chen Erbao's scrutinizing gaze, Bai Xiaoqing quickly moved to the dining table and began to eat.

As she ate, Chen Erbao went over the day's schedule.

"This morning, we'll sort out the factory business. This afternoon, we'll do a little shopping, and then it's on to the next place. Oh, and for the factory manager in Sanjiang City, you need to pick someone with strong social skills. This place is different from the others!"

Chen Erbao instructed.

With her mouth full of bread, Bai Xiaoqing nodded to show she understood.

The criminal underworld in Sanjiang City was just too rampant. Chen Erbao worried that an ordinary manager wouldn't be able to hold their own.

But Chen Erbao wasn't too worried. After all, once his factory business was settled, he planned to return to Sanjiang City.

He hadn't forgotten about the problem with the Giant Whale Gang!

Until he eradicated this malignant tumor, Chen Erbao felt it would be like a thorn in his side, a constant source of discomfort.

For him, this matter was both simple and complicated.

If it were just a matter of cleaning up some gangsters, it would be simple. He just needed to know their location, and he could charge in single-handedly and destroy their headquarters.

But the Giant Whale Gang was different. To have been rooted in this place for decades, they definitely had backers in high places.

If he didn't pull those people down, even if he eliminated the Giant Whale Gang, a Crocodile Gang would just pop up to take its place.

In short, the Giant Whale Gang were just the muscle. What Chen Erbao needed to do was find the mastermind and take them down!

But that couldn't be accomplished with brute force alone. He would need some finesse—to gather evidence, find a reliable person in a high enough position, and then work together to bring down the people at the top.

If Chen Erbao recklessly went and killed the big boss behind the Giant Whale Gang, the Security Bureau would probably not let the matter rest.

Taking action against ordinary people and taking action against high-ranking officials were two entirely different things.

Chen Erbao leaned back in his chair, watching Bai Xiaoqing eat as he mulled over his options.

A moment later, his phone rang again. Chen Erbao picked it up and saw it was a call from the Capital City.

'I don't know anyone in the Capital City...'

'It's probably a spam call.'

"Hello, is this Mr. Chen? This is Hua Yueqing."

A crisp, professional voice came from the other end of the line.

'Hua Yueqing?'

'The captain of the Security Bureau's First Squad? The woman at the Qi Refining Third Layer?'

'What does she want with me?'

'I haven't caused any trouble recently, have I?'

Filled with questions, Chen Erbao adopted a cheerful tone and said:

"Captain Hua, what can I do for you?"

"Were you responsible for what happened at the abandoned factory in Sanjiang City?"

Hua Yueqing asked in a calm tone.

Chen Erbao's brow furrowed slightly.

'I was careful not to show my face last night. How did she find out?'

"That's right, I caught a few human traffickers... Captain Hua, you're not calling to reprimand me, are you?"

Hua Yueqing chuckled.

"Not at all. It's just that you didn't leave a name last night. The Patrol was investigating the surveillance footage, saw your car, and tried to look up your personal information, but they found it was encrypted. So, they reported it up the chain. I only received the report this morning... Mr. Chen, you handled this matter very well. You didn't get too heavy-handed, and you struck a blow against crime. I fully support it."

Chen Erbao was surprised his personal information was encrypted, but it wasn't something he really cared about anyway.

Thinking of the Giant Whale Gang, he immediately asked:

"Captain Hua, from what I understand, those traffickers were just petty thugs from the local Giant Whale Gang. The Giant Whale Gang has been running rampant here for years. I hear they have backers in high places?"

Hua Yueqing had only meant to touch base with Chen Erbao about the previous night's incident. She was taken aback when he brought up a local gang.

"Mr. Chen, I'm not too familiar with these small-time gangs... Did you just say they have backers? Mr. Chen, please don't do anything rash. If something happens to an official, you'll be in big trouble!"

Hua Yueqing was startled, thinking Chen Erbao was planning to go after an official.

It was a known fact that people in official circles had complicated networks. One small incident could open a can of worms, implicating a whole host of people.

If Chen Erbao acted recklessly and drew the ire of some major figures, they might resort to extreme measures.

Chen Erbao knew Hua Yueqing's worries were valid. He was only planning to sound her out for now.

"Don't worry, I won't do anything reckless. But if I do manage to get some key evidence, can I count on you to step in, Captain Hua?"

The other end of the line fell silent.

Hua Yueqing's face was a mask of conflict.

'As the captain of a special squad, I shouldn't be getting involved in local politics. But Chen Erbao's status is different, and I can't just turn him down!'

'What if he acts on impulse, gets violent, and causes some irreversible damage? What then?'

'And I was even planning to recruit him!'