Chapter 90: Just Keep It Under Control

Zhou Dongyun said, "So, Officer Zhang, you’re overthinking this. Both Zhen Yuqi and I can vouch for him; he has been with us ever since we left."

Zhang Jing felt a slight sense of relief upon hearing this. Otherwise, if the "intentional assault" case from before—which was still unresolved—were compounded by him being officially labeled a "suspect," he would likely end up spending a few months in a detention center.

Of course, their testimony wasn't entirely flawless. Since both Zhen Yuqi and Zhou Dongyun were involved in the incident with Tian Jia, they were not only interested parties, but according to the analysis of various statements, the trio of Ma, Zhen, and Zhou were considered to be "in cahoots" at the time, having clashed with Tian Jia and Han Siyi together.

"Stay put, I need to take a call!" Zhang Jing felt her phone vibrate, pointed at Ma, and walked away to answer it.

A moment later, Zhang Jing hung up and returned. "Confirmed. Time of death was about an hour ago. The tricky part is that Tian Jia’s residence is very close to here. You’ve all been drinking; can you truly confirm he never left?"

"Big sister has video proof."

Zhou Dongyun started showing off, pulling out her phone. She had indeed recorded over an hour of explicit footage. Although the guy was lecherous, he hadn't stepped away for even a minute; he had been too busy enjoying the perks.

Zhang Jing was incredulous. "You don't actually have an hour-long video, do you?"

Zhou Dongyun’s expression was peculiar. "I’ve always been stubborn and focused in what I do. You’ll see, Officer Zhang."

Zhang Jing decisively started watching. The more she saw, the darker her face grew. That little rascal was sprawled over some temptress in such a lascivious manner—it was even more outrageous than last time.

Although his suspicion was cleared, Zhang Jing felt a lingering frustration. "Ma, come out with me. I need to talk to you about something."

Zhen Yuqi, feeling slighted, walked over and said, "If you have something to say, say it in front of me."

Zhang Jing’s temper flared again. She intentionally bumped Zhen Yuqi with her shoulder, sending her collapsing onto the sofa. "Go cool off somewhere. This is a private matter, not official business."

"Try touching me again and see what happens," Zhen Yuqi yelled, emboldened by the alcohol.

"Try me."

Still fuming, Zhang Jing unholstered her service weapon, shoved it into Zhou Dongyun’s hands, and proceeded to press Zhen Yuqi into the sofa as if kneading dough. She was twisted into a crouch with her knees tucked against her forehead, leaving her exposed in a pose reminiscent of a complicated yoga maneuver.

Ma, observing the scene, didn't know who to help. He pointed nervously and shouted, "Release that witch!"

Zhou Dongyun, clutching the police pistol, felt her legs go weak. Unsure if the thing might go off, she nearly cried, "I told you that female thug was bad news! Her existence is a constant threat to everyone."

Zhang Jing awkwardly let go and spread her hands. "I’ve known her for years. It was just a joke; don't make me out to be a villain."

After securing her weapon, she pointed at Ma and walked out first. Ma followed her out and saw her heading toward the restroom, so he decided to follow and see what was going on.

As soon as he turned into the hallway—a deserted spot—he was met with a palm to the back of his head. "How can you be so bad? Spending your whole day sprawled over that temptress? You’re so heartbreaking."

Ma started clawing at the wall. "You’re the bad guy here, you know."

Zhang Jing’s face reddened slightly. She realized his point had some merit, but she couldn't bring herself to back down. She poked his chest with a finger. "It’s not like today is the first day you’ve known I like to break the rules. Come on then, if you’re not convinced, let’s have a go."

"Stop poking me, I’m not tofu," Ma said.

"You are tofu. If you’re not happy about it, come at me. I’ll teach you, train you, and then you can poke me like I’m tofu," Zhang Jing said, acting somewhat irrational.

*What!* Ma wondered if he had misheard.

"Don't worry about it. It’s settled. In three days, we’re going to the gym. I’ll teach you how to stop being such a weakling, and you can just pay me the rate of a mid-tier personal trainer." Zhang Jing walked away after saying this.

Ma watched her back. If you ignored her "human weapon" attributes, she was a woman with quite a lot of benefits.

While pondering, he pulled out the twenty-dollar bill she had given him and looked at it with a strange expression. The Great Demon King had masochistic tendencies, so the body actually liked Zhang Jing. As for Ma himself, he needed to slowly get used to her detestable side.

She wasn't a temptress, but interacting with her felt like a form of cultivation. Every time he engaged with her, the Demon King’s body responded intensely.

That made sense. Just as muscles needed stimulation to grow larger and stronger, the Demon King’s body likely required constant trials and triggers to slowly reclaim its full power.

Only with the return of the Demon King could he have real wealth and strength. Otherwise, everything was just a mirage.

Ma now understood that his current life was a facade—a game of posturing. At most, he would exhaust that million or so and then crash, or perhaps something would go wrong before he even finished spending it.

The ominous signs were multiplying. Unfortunately, Tian Jia had actually been beaten to death, which proved that these related events were becoming increasingly sensitive.

The "Masked Sheep" that the Demon King was concerned about had also appeared. All signs pointed to the fact that a Third Cyber War was not far off.

The connection between the virtual world and reality was growing tighter, becoming inseparable. This was the Demon King’s domain and home turf, but it was also the world’s home turf. Thus, the Third Cyber War would likely evolve into a real-world Third World War.

"I have to find a way to take out the Masked Sheep. On the Demon King’s turf, he’s nothing but a terrorist."

He felt helpless thinking about it. The Demon King would fall into a slumber whenever it pleased, only awakening briefly when triggered, with no pattern to the duration.

Therefore, he had to cultivate!

This was the source of Ma’s interests and logic.

While deep in thought, he noticed Zhen Yuqi had found him. With a pout, she punched his shoulder. "You’re mean for calling me a witch." As she walked toward the restroom, she blushed slightly and hinted, "I’m going to the bathroom. Are you coming?"

*Er, this...*

Ma felt a surge of heat, but the Demon King had just woken up slightly and wasn't in a deep sleep; it was easy for him to ruin things. Besides, Officer Zhang was truly miraculous—she seemed to be everywhere, almost in league with the Demon King, catching him in the act every time something good was about to happen.

He decided not to risk it tonight and shook his head slightly, though he reached out to hold her hand, stopping her from leaving.

The sensation was pleasant enough, but Zhen Yuqi said, "It’s fine if you don't come, but I really need to go. Can't you let me in? You forced so much alcohol on me."

Ma continued to hold her hand.

Zhen Yuqi sighed, reached out to tidy his hair, and asked gently, "Are you thinking about Tian Jia?"

Ma didn't really care about Tian Jia, but it would be impossible to say he wasn't affected, so he nodded.

Zhen Yuqi said, "Before Zhang Jing left, she went back to our side. There’s a new revelation: Han Siyi has disappeared too."

Ma couldn't help but frown. "How was her disappearance confirmed?"

Zhen Yuqi shook her head. "It hasn't been, which is why I used the word 'revelation.' The latest news is that the person who reported it confirmed Han Siyi went back with Tian Jia, but later she wasn't there."

"Could Han Siyi have left early on her own?" Ma asked.

Zhen Yuqi said, "It's possible, but based on the details of the report, it doesn't seem likely."

Ma frowned. "So, the person who killed Tian Jia kidnapped Han Siyi?"

"I can't be sure, but I think it's a strong possibility," Zhen Yuqi nodded seriously. "You seem a bit concerned about her?"

"The temptress just needs to be suppressed, not killed. If that’s really the case, I have to save her," Ma said suddenly, acting erratic again.

Zhen Yuqi thought he was joking and touched his face affectionately. "Fine, you’re actually a decent person. If you have the ability and the means, even if she is annoying, rescuing her is obviously the best and right thing to do. By the way, are you going to let me go pee now? If I wet my pants, you’re the one who’s going to have to deal with it."