Family

The public security department is extremely efficient.

Perhaps the death toll was too high.

Perhaps it involves prominent young entrepreneurs from this province.

There might be another reason.

In short, around six o'clock in the morning, Kang De received a call from the police.

The police officer was very polite on the phone, and even breathed a sigh of relief after Kang De answered the call.

Then ask him where he is now and whether he is safe.

"I'm at my hometown, what's up?"

Kang De yawned as he spoke, looking sleepy and puzzled.

The police officer then said that he needed his cooperation in an investigation and that someone would come to pick him up shortly. The person on the other end of the line asked for the exact address, told him not to move around, and then hung up.

Kang De tossed his phone aside and slept for a while longer.

About twenty minutes later, there was a knock on the gate. Kang De opened the door to find two police officers in uniform who also looked a bit bewildered. They were not from the city's public security bureau, but from the local township police station. Their mission was to find and accompany Kang De before the city officials arrived.

Kang De invited the two police officers into his home, his expression a mixture of curiosity and unease.

What exactly happened?

The disciplined police officers revealed nothing... mainly because they didn't know either.

Several tens of minutes later, the city police car arrived. The leader was a kind-looking middle-aged man who spoke gently and was very amiable. He conducted the first questioning at Kang De's old home.

The main questions were what Kang De did yesterday, when he returned to his hometown, what he did there, who could vouch for him, whether he went out last night, and so on.

Kang De answered truthfully that he went back to his hometown after getting up yesterday to pick up a package, and he had logistics records and the courier's phone number as proof. His ride-hailing order proved his itinerary yesterday. He went to Grandpa Wang's house for dinner last night and then came back to play on his phone until the early hours of the morning. His phone had access records for various websites and browsers. His hometown has surveillance cameras, which are uploaded to the cloud, all of which can prove his story.

The kind-looking middle-aged policeman carefully checked each item, even examining the delivered package. Kang De presented the evidence with an innocent, bewildered, and puzzled expression, but inwardly he felt relieved.

--Damn, thank goodness the package that arrived yesterday contained a camera and a workstation. If it had delivered dozens of axes, that would have been really embarrassing.

After confirming everything, the police officer's expression became even more amiable, but he still spoke to Kang De in an apologetic and consultative tone, saying that a case had occurred last night that was somewhat related to him, so he still needed to ask Kant to come to the station to make a statement and cooperate further with the investigation.

Upon hearing this, Kang De's expression turned timid, but more so confused and bewildered, successfully portraying the image of a naive college student.

I don't know what happened, yet I have a clear conscience, but I still feel a little panicked.

He said timidly, "You won't arrest me, will you? I haven't done anything wrong, have I?"

What are you thinking about?

The police officers all laughed, "It's just cooperating with the investigation; it's a citizen's duty."

So Kang De tidied himself up a bit and went out with the police officers. But before he could get in the car, the village's uncles, aunts, and other relatives surrounded him, blocking his way in layers. Some of the young, hot-headed uncles even brought out their own cars, and it seemed they were going to block the road.

Grandpa Wang, as a respected figure in the village, the father of a well-known entrepreneur, a respected elder of Kang De, stepped forward and asked questions on behalf of everyone to the police officers.

"Officer, what happened?"

The scene was somewhat heated, but everyone was quite confident, firstly because they had faith in Kang De's temperament and upbringing, and secondly, mainly because they saw that Kang De wasn't wearing handcuffs.

The kind-looking middle-aged man stepped forward to explain to the villagers that Kang De had neither broken the law nor committed a crime; it was just that a case had occurred in the city the previous night that was somewhat related to him, so he was asked to cooperate with the investigation.

They also promised to return it in the same way they picked it up.

Grandpa Wang then asked, "May I speak with this child alone for a few minutes?"

The police officer naturally agreed.

So the two came in and started talking. Grandpa Wang immediately asked, "Have you had any conflicts with anyone lately?"

Kang De paused for a moment, then laughed, "Even so, they can't possibly order the police around, can they?"

Grandpa Wang sneered, "Heh, that's hard to say. Of course, government agencies won't be manipulated, but rules and laws are inanimate and can be exploited by bad people."

He pondered for a moment, then said, "Don't be afraid. Just answer whatever they ask. Treat it as broadening your horizons and gaining experience. You don't see this kind of world easily. Get in the police car, go for a walk around the station, and treat it with a calm mind. You won't have any unknown fear of it in the future. That kind of place is the execution ground of demons, the hell of bad people. For us good people, there's nothing to be afraid of."

Kang De nodded.

"I'll call your uncle." Grandpa Wang snorted again. "He's out making money and messing around all day, what kind of career is he building? He doesn't care about his family much, he doesn't take care of his daughter much either. He's made enough money to last eight lifetimes and he's still not satisfied. That little bit of filthy money and career of his can at least be put to some use."

Kang De smiled and said, "Uncle Wang isn't as bad as you make him out to be—and it probably doesn't matter much, he's just cooperating with the investigation, no need to trouble him."

Grandpa Wang glared and said, "Whether you have connections or not is one thing, whether he puts in any effort is another. If he doesn't care, I won't break his legs; I'll just see if Xiaoman acknowledges him."

Kang De, feeling helpless, said again, "Whatever makes you happy, there's one thing I need your help with. Please tell the old folks outside, but please don't tell my parents, so they won't worry."

Grandpa Wang nodded and said, "Yes, his filial piety is commendable; he's much better than that bastard."

"..."

Kang De pretended not to hear.

He got into the police car and drove away from the village, watched by the villagers. It was early morning, and there were few vehicles on the national highway. The atmosphere in the car was relatively relaxed. The police officer driving even asked Kang De how the air conditioning was and whether he needed it adjusted. Kang De said no.

The middle-aged policeman in the passenger seat would chat with him from time to time, asking questions like how old he was, whether he had a girlfriend, where he went to school, and who his family was.

Then comfort him, tell him to relax and not be afraid.

But when Kang De asked what exactly happened, he wouldn't say, only saying that he would find out when he got there.

It was nearly nine o'clock when we entered the city.

The group stopped at a breakfast stall and bought some breakfast. Kang De naturally got one too, paid for by the middle-aged policeman who warmly invited Kang De to order whatever he wanted.

After the police car arrived, Kang De, holding a cup of soy milk and carrying the remaining thirty or forty steamed buns, followed the police officers into the city police station while chewing.

The breakfast provided by government officials was delicious.

He was taken to a separate room for questioning and recording. It wasn't the kind of small house you see on TV or online, but a fairly normal small office, with even tea provided. The police officers questioning him were a man and a woman, both quite young, and the middle-aged man was also there, giving him a kind smile.

There was no interrogation involved; it was just a routine questioning.

This is perfectly reasonable.

The two people asking the questions were also very polite, with gentle eyes and expressions.

Kang De knew why.

When the car accident and fire occurred, onlookers immediately put out the fire and called the police. Firefighters, police, and ambulances all arrived. They then learned the identities of those involved, the number of the deceased, and even quickly learned what Xie Guangjun said when he went crazy and made a self-inflicted explosion at the nightclub.

This number of deaths already qualifies as a major traffic accident. Leaving Xie Guangjun aside for now, the public security authorities will definitely review surveillance footage and look for the other vehicle's driving records. They will find that this vehicle had previously entered Kang De's residential area and then drove out again after a period of time.

Therefore, the investigation team split into two groups. The first group naturally continued to check the vehicle's driving records, while the second group went deeper into the residential area to find out what these people did there.

They will use surveillance footage to find the parking space where these hooligans parked, then find the owner, who will be completely unaware of it, claiming it was lent to a friend. However, the police will also know who the friend who lent the parking space is. This is one lead, and they will continue to investigate.

Another approach is to find surveillance footage of these people getting out of the car and heading to the entrance of a building, even confirming their faces. They can then use a large database to identify these individuals and further gather relevant information to investigate their interpersonal relationships, financial transactions, bank accounts, assets, and any past grievances.

Then they will see that these people went to the floor where Kang De was and then came out.

They would go to that floor and knock on the doors of three households. One household was home, while the other two were empty. However, surveillance cameras on the surrounding streets and even the building captured the moment when, during that time, the lights were on in Kang De's home and someone drew the curtains.

Meanwhile, the investigations and interrogations by those around Xie Guangjun, including Xie Guangjun itinerary, social interactions, and phone records over the past few days, all pointed to one person.

Kang De.

He had spoken with Xie Guangjun a day or two ago, and they had even met and had a conflict.

They even met in front of the police station.

Therefore, two conclusions can be drawn.

First, Kang De hired hitmen to kill Xie Guangjun, sending these men to his home to assign tasks, and they ran him over.

Secondly, Xie Guangjun hired thugs to break into his house, but by a twist of fate, he was killed by them.

Having identified this crucial juncture, the state apparatus began to operate.

They knocked on Kang De's door but received no response, so they had to have someone pick the lock and break in. There were no signs of a struggle, no blood, and no sign of Kang De. So they started checking the surveillance footage and records.

At the same time, they also investigated Kang De's criminal record. He was clean and a law-abiding citizen. The only record was that he had a conflict with someone at a comic convention, supposedly to stand up for his girlfriend. The other party had started the trouble first, so it was not a bad record. In short, he was a very ordinary person.

Just then, the preliminary results of Xie Guangjun's investigation also came out. Compared to Kang De, it was truly fascinating. Fights, speeding, conflicts, big and small, overt and covert, some old stories from years ago were dug up. Combined with the testimonies of the people who were with him that night, as well as his open madness, his ugly behavior and howling that were captured on camera, and the continuous digging and investigation of another line, it can be concluded that Xie Guangjun is a major suspect in the crime, and the four people suspected of illegally breaking into the house were most likely acting under his orders.

Kang De was the victim.

Therefore, finding Kang De was of paramount importance. It wasn't about arresting him as a suspect, but about ensuring he hadn't been murdered. Fortunately, they managed to lock onto his cell phone signal, find his phone number, and even access surveillance footage.

I contacted Kang De.

The person is still alive and well, and doesn't even know what happened.

The police breathed a sigh of relief and then, following procedure, summoned him for questioning. In their view, Kang De had escaped a close call; if he had been at his home in the city last night, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

But they still questioned him according to procedure.

This includes her relationship with Xie Guangjun, whether they knew each other before, whether they had any conflicts, and so on.

Kang De naturally cooperated and did not hide anything.

I had never met Xie Guangjun before. The first time we contacted each other was when Xie Guangjun suddenly wanted to buy a house that I had recently bought. He asked someone else to convey the message, and the person's tone was very impolite. I was sleeping at the time and was woken up, so I cursed back. The next few exchanges were also unpleasant and even hostile because he was condescending and treated me like I was doing him a favor. I felt very unhappy.

These facts are all verifiable, and there is no need to hide or lie about them.

The police also revealed some things to Kang De that concerned him—mainly about those people entering his house last night, since he was a party involved and had the right to know.

Kang De's confusion and bewilderment transformed into shock, anger, and lingering fear. He even became unusually agitated. Upon hearing that the four people had died in the car accident, their bodies burned beyond recognition, while Xie Guangjun had somehow escaped with his life, suffering severe burns and multiple injuries and still undergoing emergency treatment, he murmured, which eventually turned into a roar and howl, "Retribution! This is retribution!"

The police officers calmed him down.

After learning about Xie Guangjun's numerous serious criminal records and even suspicion of murder, although they didn't say it aloud, they secretly felt that this statement was quite accurate.

After confirming all the issues and having Kang De sign the papers, the police officers reassured Kang De, telling him not to panic and that they would ensure Kang De safety. They also advised him not to live alone and to stay in touch with the police station at all times. They said many things like that.

Finally, he hesitated, lowered his tone, and said what he really wanted to say.

--Hey, can we please stop talking about this online for now?

Kang De was, after all, a naive child. After his initial shock, anger, and rage, he felt a lingering fear and unease about the Xie Family's power.

The police officers made a solemn promise to investigate the matter thoroughly and to guarantee the safety of him and his family. Kang De eventually agreed and promised not to publicize the incident.

Thus, Kang De's role in this extremely complex and bizarre case came to an end.

He was seen as an innocent person, or even a victim.

Because Kang De had no criminal record, a clean background, an ordinary family, a perfect alibi, no grudge against Xie Guangjun, and was located a hundred or two hundred kilometers away when the crime occurred.

Compared to Kang De, Xie Guangjun and those four vagrants were a complete cesspool. They had a ton of criminal records, Xie Guangjun had a long criminal history, was filthy, and had a terrible reputation. Those four thugs didn't have stable jobs, had criminal records, and had mysterious large sums of money flowing into their accounts. After the incident, Xie Guangjun's cronies at the nightclub that day could also testify that Xie Guangjun said "there was someone who had to kneel there." On the other hand, more and more things were being uncovered. Even a police academy rookie with a little common sense could make the right judgment.

Therefore, Kang De was not wrong.

This is indeed retribution.

After the statement was taken and the questioning was completed, the matter was basically closed, but a report and other procedures still needed to be followed, so Kang De was temporarily kept at the station.

Of course, he wasn't a criminal. They even arranged for a pretty policewoman to accompany him and soothe his emotions. As for who Kang De wanted to see, whether he wanted to ask a friend to accompany him, whether he wanted to eat something else, whether he was thirsty, and whether he needed a charger—the police station's WiFi was quite fast—they really took care of him. You could say they did everything except find someone to play games with him.

The more gentle and considerate the police officers were, the more embarrassed Kang De felt.

But what else can we do?

He is neither a saint nor a robot that never makes mistakes. What happened yesterday is done, but although he has a clear conscience, he still feels some regret.

If possible, he still wants to be a law-abiding citizen on Earth.

Forget it, I won't dwell on it anymore. I'll just secretly do more for the country in the future.

He calmed down until the kind-faced middle-aged policeman came to find him again, smiling and saying, "Are you full? I've never seen anyone eat so much. I'll treat you to some more at noon."

Kang De smiled and said, "I should be the one treating you."

"That's unnecessary." The police officer said sternly, "Public officials cannot accept bribes."

He then laughed, "Just kidding... I might want to make up for what I missed this morning, but I can't be a third wheel—look who's here."

Kang De stood up, a fragrant breeze wafting through the air, and a pretty girl walked in, like a swallow returning to its nest, rushing into his arms and embracing him.

"It's alright, it's alright, don't be afraid."

Kang De also hugged Wang Xiaoman, burying his head in her hair. The policemen inside smiled knowingly, withdrew, and closed the door, leaving only the two drama queens embracing.

Kang De said in a barely audible whisper, "I never realized you were such a good actor."

No sooner had she finished speaking than she felt a sharp pinch on her waist.

Wang Xiaoman took two steps back and straightened Kang De's collar. "Let's talk outside."

Last night, after receiving the tip from Xiao An, Wang Xiaoman immediately called Kang De. At that time, Kang De had already disappeared into the nightclub and immediately refused to answer—that's why Xiao An heard those two rings.

He simply sent a message like, "Wow, Miss, I was sleeping, why did you suddenly make such a racket?" Xiaoman immediately understood, and then the two had no further electronic communication.

Now that the dust has settled, Wang Xiaoman's eyes still hold worry and shock. Even though she already knows that her childhood friend has become a powerful figure who roams the infinite world, it still doesn't feel real until she hears about Xie Guangjun's matter.

She felt it was necessary to talk to Kang De.

The two stayed in the room for a while before leaving hand in hand to say goodbye to the middle-aged man. However, they couldn't see anyone around. After a while, the policeman hurriedly arrived.

"Come on, I'll lead you away, but don't go through the main gate."

Upon hearing Xiaoman, Xiaoman raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong?"

The other person sighed, "Xie Guangjun's family is causing trouble. It's best if you don't meet them."

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PS1: I updated a little late today, I'll update twice tomorrow. The main reason is that I saw some readers' questions about the last chapter, so I struggled with the deductions for a while and even consulted friends, which took a lot of time.

PS2: It's about the base station signal record issue... The conclusion is that, logically speaking, the police wouldn't list the protagonist as a suspect, and naturally wouldn't check any base stations. Besides, the alibi is extremely complete. Even if they found a problem with the base station record, they would definitely think it was a bug, and wouldn't think the protagonist knows spatial teleportation or invisibility. That's how it is.