Looking at the officer sitting opposite him, a cigarette dangling menacingly from his lips, his cold eyes fixed on him, Xu Ze suddenly felt things were taking a turn for the worse. Judging by the other’s demeanor, this time, he really might be in some trouble.
However, Xu Ze wasn’t too scared. Although this was a state institution of force, notorious for its dark corners in some places where ordinary people had no choice but to endure, Xu Ze naturally wasn’t too fearful. He was no ordinary person, and he now had some connections in Star City. At the very least, in this place, he didn’t need to worry excessively. As long as he hadn’t committed any serious crimes, it shouldn’t be a big deal.
If someone really intended to use their authority to scheme against him, he wasn’t all that afraid…
“You’ve got quite the nerve, kid…” The officer opposite, seeing Xu Ze sitting there with a calm, almost indifferent expression—not a trace of nervousness or fear, even seeming a bit curious—couldn’t help but feel extremely displeased.
No one who ended up here had ever behaved like this. At least, in Niu Bo’s memory, some trembled in fear, others pretended to be calm, but no one had been like this: utterly composed, even looking at him with a hint of curiosity and expectation.
Niu Bo couldn’t resist slapping the table in front of him hard, his face cold as he snorted.
Seeing the glint of menace in the other’s eyes, Xu Ze was genuinely curious. What had he done to provoke such hostility? He couldn’t help but smile faintly and said, “My nerve has always been decent, but not to the point where it would bring you people after me. So, I’m quite curious: on what grounds did you bring me here?”
“On what grounds?” Niu Bo recalled his sister crying in front of him, the blood on her face, and the missing teeth. His plump face, bearing some resemblance to his sister’s, couldn’t help but show a cruel expression as he stared coldly at Xu Ze and said, “Intentional injury. Don’t tell me you don’t know?”
“Intentional injury?” Xu Ze frowned in thought and finally remembered something. He rarely got into fights. Apart from that incident by the river recently—which could hardly be called a fight—there really wasn’t anything that could be labeled as causing injury.
Then, looking at this officer who bore some resemblance to the fat woman whose teeth Sun Lingfei had knocked out, Xu Ze suddenly understood. He couldn’t help but smile. So, it was about this…
Seeing this kid smile, revealing a mouthful of white teeth in that infuriating way, Niu Bo thought of his sister’s missing teeth. A cold glint flashed in his eyes, and he suddenly slapped out hard.
Xu Ze’s reactions were naturally quick. Seeing the sudden slap coming his way, he frowned slightly and leaned his head back gently, avoiding the blow.
Watching the other easily dodge the slap, Niu Bo’s eyes flashed with menace. He had brought Xu Ze here today precisely to vent his sister’s anger. After his subordinates caught this kid, he had notified his sister and brother-in-law. He had rushed over as soon as he finished his business, eager to see just who dared lay a hand on his sister.
Who would have thought this kid would be so arrogant? In his territory, he dared to act so provocatively. If he hadn’t already investigated the other’s background thoroughly, he wouldn’t have dared act so rashly.
But now that he had confirmed this kid was just from some rural area in Lianyang, he had nothing to fear. Niu Bo had been a Public Security Team Captain for two years. Although he had dealt harshly with many people, he had never run into trouble, all thanks to his caution.
So, before taking action against Xu Ze, he had already used the bureau’s system to gather information. Only then did he order his subordinates to wait outside Star University to bring this kid back, planning to use the charge of intentional injury to teach him a proper lesson.
Seeing that his slap hadn’t hit Xu Ze, Niu Bo flew into a rage and swung another hard slap.
Witnessing Niu Bo act as brutally as some rumors about violent institutions suggested, Xu Ze’s expression also turned cold. He raised his hand gently to block, then chopped down on Niu Bo’s wrist artery.
Seeing the other actually dare to fight back, Niu Bo grew even angrier. He was about to put more force into it, determined to knock out a few of the other’s teeth, when suddenly his wrist went numb. He couldn’t help but cry out in surprise and quickly pulled his hand back.
Seeing Niu Bo clutching his wrist yet still wearing a savage expression, Xu Ze frowned slightly. So, some police officers nowadays really were this brazen. On TV, they often showed people about to hit someone placing a book underneath to avoid leaving marks.
But this officer, seeking personal revenge, casually attempted to injure someone without any restraint. It seemed some parts of society really were dark. If it had been someone else today, they probably would have been doomed. Although the officer likely wouldn’t dare go too far, some physical suffering would have been unavoidable.
Niu Bo stared fiercely, yet with some astonishment, at the composed young man opposite him. He couldn’t help but laugh angrily, “No wonder you’ve got such nerve, kid. Coming into my place and still acting so confident. So, you’ve got a few tricks up your sleeve…”
“But you think this is what place? A police station! And who am I? The Public Security Team Captain… Here, I’m the boss. You think just because you know a few moves, you can act tough here? Today, I’ll teach you what it means not to know your place!”
With that, he turned around and pulled a baton from behind the door. He looked at Xu Ze with a cold sneer and snorted, “Originally, I just planned to knock out a few of your teeth, let my sister vent a bit, and then let you off for now. But it seems I can’t let you off that easily… I need to teach you a proper lesson, let you know exactly where you are…”
Seeing Niu Bo take out the baton, Xu Ze frowned slightly. Before coming here, he truly hadn’t expected this place to be so dark. If he had known, he definitely wouldn’t have come so willingly.
But now that he was here, there was no choice. He had to figure out a way to handle the situation first and then call someone to bail him out.
After all, this wasn’t just any place; it was a state institution of force. If he caused a commotion here, it wouldn’t be easy to settle. If things really got out of hand, there could be major trouble, possibly even bigger than the incident in the courtroom back then…
Xu Ze sighed softly. His phone had been confiscated earlier. Now, he could only rely on Xiao Dao.
He immediately commanded the automatic response system in his mind, “Help me dial Tang Zhi’s number…”
However, as soon as he gave the command, the automatic response system didn’t react. Instead, Xiao Dao popped up, chuckling, “What’s wrong? Can’t even handle a small matter like this? Need to call for help?”
Hearing Xiao Dao’s gloating laughter, Xu Ze couldn’t help but purse his lips, speechless. “This is a police station, you know. It’s not just any place. If I take down the guy in front of me, I’ll still need someone to get me out. Otherwise, the charge of assaulting an officer will be firmly pinned on me…”
“And this is a state institution of force. They might not have heavy weapons, but if they bring out a few guns, can I just put up a shield and fight my way out? Directly confronting a state institution—do I still want to live here? If I really cause such a scene, even Grandpa might not be able to protect me then!”
“Heh heh… That’s true…” Hearing Xu Ze’s words, Xiao Dao felt a bit disappointed. He had originally wanted to egg Xu Ze on to stir up some trouble. Since Xu Ze’s advancement, there hadn’t been many chances for him to act. Xiao Dao really wanted to test Xu Ze’s current abilities.
But he naturally also knew that causing trouble here wouldn’t be fun. He had calculated that even if Xu Ze caused a scene, it wouldn’t lead to anything too serious, but it would inevitably affect Xu Ze’s ability to stay in Star City. So, since Xu Ze was unwilling, he naturally wouldn’t push further.
He then helped Xu Ze connect Tang Zhi’s call, letting Xu Ze speak with him…
Niu Bo, of course, had no idea Xu Ze was using the super system in his mind to contact backup. He was now holding the baton, ready to give Xu Ze a good beating.
Just then, a knock came from outside the door. Niu Bo snorted lightly, put away the baton, and stood up to answer it.
As soon as he opened the door, a man barged in, shouting loudly, “Niu Bo, Niu Bo… Where’s that little bastard? I’m gonna teach him a lesson today…”
Seeing his brother-in-law rush in and start rolling up his sleeves to fight as soon as he spotted the kid, Niu Bo couldn’t help but snort a warning, “Brother-in-law… This kid knows a thing or two. Don’t end up getting hurt again…”
Hearing Niu Bo’s reminder, the man remembered being easily kicked to the ground by this kid that day. He immediately shrank back and stopped, only glaring resentfully at Xu Ze and saying coldly, “Niu Bo… He’s the one who hit your sister. Aren’t you going to beat him up for your brother-in-law?”
“That’s right… Niu Bo, what are you waiting for? Hurry up and beat this little bastard for your sister!” Another person rushed in from outside—the fat woman who had been slapped several times by Sun Lingfei that day. Now, with her leaky mouth, she was yelling loudly.
“Keep it down! Quiet!” Niu Bo snorted, quickly closing the interrogation room door, then said coldly, “Be more careful. Do you really think this police station is our home?”
Scolded by Niu Bo, the two quieted down. However, when the fat woman saw Xu Ze, remembering the incident that day, her anger surged. She pointed her leaky mouth at Xu Ze and sneered triumphantly, “Heh… Little bastard, feeling humble now, aren’t you? Not so arrogant today, huh?”
Xu Ze had just finished explaining the situation to Tang Zhi through Xiao Dao. Seeing the fat woman and her family acting so arrogantly here, he couldn’t help but sigh. The Fuping District Bureau really seemed quite corrupt… Even people like this could throw their weight around inside, relying on connections…
He couldn’t help but sigh softly, “I say… You really do act like this is your home. This is a police station, a legal institution. You don’t need to be this arrogant, do you?”
Seeing Xu Ze’s helpless expression, the fat woman became even more smug. Pointing at Xu Ze, she said boastfully, “Heh… Kid, let me tell you something today. This place is pretty much like our home… If we say we’re going to teach you a lesson, we will… And you, little bastard, are gonna suffer here today!”
“That’s right… Kid, you kicked me pretty good that day, didn’t you? Today, I’m gonna return the favor… How about I give you eight or ten kicks? Sound good?” The man with triangular eyes looked at Xu Ze and couldn’t help but sneer triumphantly. Luo Sandao had been around Star City for a long time and hadn’t suffered such a loss in ages. That kick from Xu Ze still ached faintly. Today, he was determined to get even.
“Humph… A few kicks aren’t enough. I still want to knock out a few of his teeth… Couldn’t find those little bitches from that day, so I’ll settle for you…” The fat woman looked at Xu Ze smugly, then said to Niu Bo behind her, “Niu Bo… Your sister was bullied. You have to help your sister get even. Let your sister vent her anger first today, then you can take your time dealing with him…”
“Alright… Sis, let’s give him a beating today to vent our anger, then detain him for a few days to take it slow…” Niu Bo really seemed to dote on his sister, quickly agreeing. He then pulled out another baton and tossed it to the triangular-eyed man, saying, “Brother-in-law, this kid knows a thing or two. Let’s teach him a good lesson first…”
“Good!” The triangular-eyed man caught the baton Niu Bo threw, his eyes lighting up with glee. If he had to go up and fight this kid alone, he’d be pretty nervous. But with his brother-in-law by his side, he felt much more confident. He said happily, “Let’s deal with him together. Let’s see how long he can hold out…”
With that, the two of them, holding batons, sneered and closed in on Xu Ze, fully intending to give him a thorough beating…
Xu Ze sat in the chair, watching the two approach, and sighed softly. His backup would probably take a while to arrive. It looked like he really had to try out “assaulting an officer”…
Meanwhile, as Tang Zhi was arranging for someone to bail Xu Ze out, Secretary Zhang was also burning with anxiety. Director Wang had already made several calls and was waiting for responses from the other district bureaus. Two had already called back, saying they had no such person as Xu Ze. Only one bureau remained. If there was still no news about Xu Ze, he would truly go crazy.
If this kid really went missing in Star City, the city, which had been quiet for so long, would surely see some major upheaval. Whether it was Mayor Tang’s wrath or Grandpa Tang’s fury, Star City would shake a couple of times.
Finally, Director Wang’s phone rang again. He quickly answered, listened for a moment, uttered a few acknowledgments, then hung up with a disappointed expression. He turned to Secretary Zhang with a grim face and said, “Secretary Zhang, no news about Xu Ze…”
“None? All these bureaus have been asked?” Secretary Zhang’s face darkened as he stared coldly at Director Wang.
Director Wang’s expression was also extremely unpleasant. The person had disappeared in his jurisdiction, and it involved a police car. No matter what, he couldn’t escape responsibility. He replied sternly, “Really none… All these bureaus have checked themselves and said they don’t have such a person…”
“Then what are you waiting for? Send people to search immediately… If something happens to him, your position as director is probably over…” Secretary Zhang’s face twisted fiercely. He was the last person to see Xu Ze, and Xu Ze had been taken away right before his eyes. Now they couldn’t find him. He might have to bear some responsibility for this.
Secretary Zhang wished he could slap himself twice. Why hadn’t he memorized the police car’s license plate number? It would have made the search much easier.
Seeing Secretary Zhang’s grim expression and severe tone, Director Wang’s heart sank. He thought to himself, “What awful luck for this to happen in my jurisdiction. Judging by Secretary Zhang’s demeanor, that kid’s background is definitely not small… This is terrible. I’m in big trouble. I just hope nothing happens to that kid…”
Without daring to hesitate any longer, he immediately made calls to arrange for all stations and departments to mobilize and coordinate with other district bureaus…
Secretary Zhang, meanwhile, quickly called Secretary-General Lin to report. He couldn’t delay this any further; he had to inform his superior immediately…
At the same time, Yang Li, the Chief of the Star City Police Department, was also taking a call with a grim expression, nodding and responding carefully.
After hanging up, he slammed the table in anger, cursing under his breath, then grabbed the phone and dialed another number.
“Li Mozu, what the hell are you doing… Do you not want to be a director anymore?” Yang Li scolded the Director of the Fuping District Bureau, Li Mozu, fiercely before containing his anger and saying, “A student named Xu Ze has been unlawfully detained by your Public Security Brigade. He might be undergoing coercive interrogation right now. Go protect that student immediately. If anything happens to him, if I lose my position as chief, you’re all coming down with me…”
In the office of the Fuping District Bureau Director, Li Mozu didn’t dare argue. Sweating profusely, he hung up the phone, grabbed his hat from the desk, and hurried toward the Public Security Brigade, muttering angrily as he ran, “Damn it… What the hell is Tao Qiang doing? I specifically asked earlier, and they said they didn’t have this person. How did Chief Yang find out about it… If that Xu Ze is really here today, Tao Qiang is fired on the spot…”
Dragging his overweight body, Li Mozu panted heavily as he ran to the Public Security Brigade office, pushed the door open forcefully, and shouted angrily, “Tao Qiang! Get your ass out here!”
A police supervisor inside, hearing Li Mozu’s shout, quickly stood up and ran over cautiously, smiling, “Director Li, what’s going on? You came all the way here yourself…”
“Tao Qiang, I’m asking you, is there someone named Xu Ze here or not?” Li Mozu demanded angrily.
Hearing this, Tao Qiang was taken aback, then quickly replied, “Director Li, no, really not… Among the people we brought in today, there’s no one named Xu Ze…”
“No?” Seeing Tao Qiang’s seemingly genuine expression, Li Mozu was stunned for a moment before roaring furiously, “How is that possible? Chief Yang called personally and said Xu Ze is here!”
Tao Qiang was also shocked upon hearing this. Just as he was about to speak, someone nearby quickly said, “Director Li, Captain Tao… Earlier, I saw Captain Niu bring someone in. He went straight to the interrogation room. I don’t know if that’s the one…”
“What?!” Both Tao Qiang and Li Mozu were startled. They exchanged a glance and quickly ran toward the interrogation room. Li Mozu now felt like shooting Niu Bo. He knew exactly what kind of person Niu Bo was—formerly a troublemaker outside, later becoming an auxiliary police officer, and somehow climbing to the position of captain by currying favor with higher-ups.
But his habits hadn’t changed much. Relying on his connections, he acted quite arrogantly within the brigade. However, seeing that the guy had some capability and hadn’t caused major trouble, Li Mozu hadn’t bothered to rein him in. Now, this had happened.
Great. This guy was doomed, and he was probably finished too…
Li Mozu’s overweight body now moved swiftly, even leaving Tao Qiang behind. He rushed to the interrogation room door and, without stopping to catch his breath, began pounding on it fiercely.
After just a couple of knocks, Li Mozu faintly heard pained cries coming from inside. His face turned ashen. “It’s over, it’s over… This is really over…”
Putting all his strength into it, he pounded on the door while roaring angrily, “Niu Bo, you bastard, open the damn door!”
Seeing Li Mozu’s face turn iron-gray and hearing the occasional cries of pain from inside, Tao Qiang beside him also turned pale with fright. He finally understood the seriousness of the situation and felt waves of unease. “It’s over… As the deputy captain, I can’t escape responsibility for this either…”
After pounding for a while, the door slowly opened. Li Mozu charged inside, anxiously scanning the room. He saw a handsome young man standing calmly by the door, looking at him with a faint, somewhat apologetic smile.
In front of him, Niu Bo and a man and a woman lay on the ground, their faces swollen and bruised like pig heads, moaning in pain.
Seeing Li Mozu enter, Niu Bo struggled to get up as if seeing a savior. Pointing at Xu Ze with venomous eyes, he shouted loudly, “D-Director Li… Director Li, this kid assaulted an officer… Assaulted an officer…”
Seeing the handsome young man completely unharmed, Li Mozu heaved a huge sigh of relief. Now, seeing this idiot still daring to cry “assault,” Li Mozu’s anger flared. He swung a hard slap at Niu Bo: “Assault my ass!”
Niu Bo, who had just struggled up despite the pain, thinking a savior had arrived, was instead met with a fierce slap from that very savior. Before he could react, he felt the exquisite force of the blow, stars filling his vision. He spun twice on the spot before collapsing to the ground again.
Seeing Niu Bo slapped down, the triangular-eyed couple, who had been trying hard to get up, went limp with fear and fell face-first to the ground, howling in pain as they hit it…
“Tao Qiang, cuff all three of them… We’ll deal with them later…” After making the necessary show, and seeing Tao Qiang start handcuffing them, Li Mozu finally turned with a forced smile to the calmly smiling Xu Ze. He hurriedly said with a dry chuckle, “Xu… Xu Ze, my boy… are you alright…”
