Chapter 124 - The Shameless Constable (Part Two)

"You... what did you say? Say that again?" Officer Wang seemed taken aback by my arrogance. Surprise quickly gave way to anger as he barked, "You cocky brat, you truly have no idea how high the sky is. You think you're tough? I'll make sure you regret it soon enough!"

My disgust for this man grew with every passing second. A mere patrol squad leader acting as if he were the lord of the land—how could the public ever live in peace? Seeing him with that blond thug, it was clear he was accustomed to such dealings; I wouldn't be surprised if the thug had already lined his pockets with bribes. With police and hoodlums colluding, it would be a miracle if the world remained peaceful. Suppressing my anger, I decided to give him one last chance. I sneered coldly, "Whether I'm tough or not is none of your concern; you only need to uphold the law impartially. Firstly, from any perspective, isn't it the blond man over here who was using his numbers to bully others? Secondly, have you even conducted any on-site evidence collection? You're interrogating me based solely on one person's word. I am not a prisoner, and your approach is a violation of human rights. I can report you for this."

Officer Wang was rendered speechless by my retort. His face flushed a deep red, and unable to find a comeback, he glared fiercely at the blond thug. The thug, sensing the cue, jumped forward and pointed a finger at me. "Don't get cocky! Don't think you're something special just because you know a bit of legal jargon. I'm telling you, you're insulting the police and showing contempt for the law right now. Everyone here can bear witness!"

"Hmph, so expressing my dissatisfaction is now considered insulting the police and contempt of law? Do you think we're still in the old society where you can act lawlessly?" My expression turned icy. "This is the last chance I'm giving you. Don't waste it."

"Oh? Who do you think you are, giving me chances? I’m telling you, the way you’re disregarding the police is enough for me to arrest you right now!" Officer Wang, now red with fury, waved his hand sharply. "Take him down! Handcuff him and drag him to the station!" But as he finished his command, not a single officer moved. Having seen me take down all those thugs single-handedly, they were clearly unwilling to play the hero.

"You bunch of useless trash! He's good with his hands, so can't you use your guns?" Realizing why they hesitated, the captain began to berate them. Only then did the officers seem to snap out of it, hurriedly drawing their Type 54 service pistols and aiming them at me.

"Is this your so-called law? Is this how you police maintain order? Am I some kind of violent criminal that requires you to point guns at me?" I gestured to myself, then to the blond thug. "When law enforcement is lax and unfair, it breeds public resentment. This country is not a place for you to abuse your power. You use guns against an ordinary citizen while shielding a hooligan? Good, very good! You patrol officers have truly opened my eyes today."

My words caused a few of the thin-skinned officers to blush. Any observant person could see the fishy nature of this situation, and they knew it wasn't right, but out of deference to their captain, they didn't lower their weapons. Sensing that I was articulate and fearing further complications, Captain Wang waved his hand again. "Hurry up and arrest him! We can talk about everything back at the station!"

"How can you do this? He's innocent! He was just trying to help..." Seeing the two officers cautiously approaching me, Cheng Shan could no longer hold back. She tried to intervene, but several staff members pulled her back, signaling her not to get involved. Fight the police and the thugs? Not unless they wanted to close their shop for good.

I looked coldly at the two officers creeping toward me and said calmly, "If you have the guts, go ahead and arrest me. But I’m warning you, don't blame me when you end up in the hospital."

"You dare! If you lay a hand on them, that's assaulting an officer!" Captain Wang stared at me triumphantly, clearly thinking that the charge of assaulting an officer would trap me completely. Indeed, in 1997, the power of the police was immense, and in this country, the police controlled almost everything. If you were accused of assaulting an officer, it was nearly impossible to avoid a detention center.

But how could I, Xiao Qiang, be intimidated by a mere patrol captain? I didn't fear someone with the background of Song Jie; would I fear him? I sneered, "Assaulting an officer? Well, I’ve never tried that before. It might be an interesting experience today!"

"Kid, you can be arrogant, but you need to know the situation! I know you've got some skills—taking down all those guys proves that—but no matter how good you are, are you faster than a bullet?" Captain Wang retorted coldly. "Go to the station with me quietly, and I won't make things difficult for you. But if you insist you're innocent and refuse to go, once I take you in, it won't be just a simple chat at the station. I can throw you in a detention cell and make your parents come pick you up! You look like you're still a student, right? If you won't think for yourself, shouldn't you at least think for your parents?"

"Oh? Haha, I must say, Officer Wang, you're quite something—you even brought my parents into this when you couldn't move me." I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. This cop was certainly clever. He was right; many young students would be terrified at the mention of their parents. It was a classic way to subdue them. But for someone like me, reborn and seasoned, this was as ridiculous as a game of house.

Seeing my reaction, the officer's face flushed, and he grew even more incensed. "What are you waiting for? Handcuff him! Don't tell me you police are afraid of a student!"

"I'd like to see who dares to move!" Seeing the two officers near me ready to act, I shouted, my voice booming. "If you really arrest me, don't regret it!"

"Regret? There’s no such word as regret when the police make an arrest! Get him!" As soon as the captain’s cold command dropped, the two officers lunged at me. I smirked and, with a speed they couldn't even track, I grabbed each of their arms, gave a sharp twist and a jerk. Before they could even scream, they were forced to their knees, their arms pinned by my grip.

"You... you really dared to assault an officer! This is rebellion! Use your guns! Aim at him—I don't believe he's not afraid of bullets!" Captain Wang was truly stunned. Perhaps in his life, he had seen tough people, but never a student as formidable as me. Usually, those he wanted to arrest would just resign themselves to their fate. As a patrol captain, he had seen plenty of people, and since I was a stranger and my clothes weren't flashy, he’d assumed I wasn't anyone of consequence. He had felt secure in taking me back to the station, but now, not only had he failed, but his own men had been subdued. He was going to lose face in front of everyone.

"If you have the skill, go ahead and fire. Police killing a civilian in the street—heh, I’m sure tomorrow’s newspapers would make for a very exciting read." As they say, the ruthless are no match for the fearless. Seeing my calm demeanor, Captain Wang stood frozen, unsure of what to do.

"Captain, don't listen to him! He knows you can't fire! Just have all the officers swarm him at once. Let's see how he fights off so many people with just two fists!" the blond thug chimed in, seeing the captain’s resolve falter.

"You're right! With so many officers, why should I fear a kid? All of you, get him! He's assaulted an officer, which is a crime—no need to go easy on him!" Officer Wang, realizing the thug’s point, immediately ordered the rest of the police to charge. I shook my head in frustration. Were they all blockheads? Those hoodlums on the floor were proof enough of my capability, yet they still wanted to throw their lives away. If so, don't blame me. Police? I truly didn't care.

For these patrolmen, who were used to bullying the common folk and lacked proper training, dealing with them was no harder than dealing with the thugs. However, out of respect for their official status, I went much easier on them. Soon, several more officers were on the floor, while the others, now terrified by my prowess, hesitated and stood in a stalemate with me.

Just as the captain was fuming with rage and helplessness, a fleet of police cars arrived—five of them—completely surrounding the bustling clothing store. I had already noticed citizens nearby making calls; it seemed the police station had realized the severity of the situation and sent reinforcements. The scene was becoming increasingly chaotic and loud. This performance was getting more and more interesting.

Nearly ten more officers stepped out of the vehicles, led by a burly man in his thirties wearing an officer's uniform, who looked like a man of status. He walked to the entrance, his sharp eyes sweeping the scene. Seeing his officers sprawled on the ground and me restraining two of his patrolmen, his expression turned grim. "What is the meaning of this? What is going on here! Who is in charge of this patrol? Step forward!"