He Said His Skin Was Itchy

"Headman, Headman, what happened to you?"

An officer slumped on the ground, wailing and shouting as he held the unconscious Headman Chen. He was bloody and mangled. Was this the mighty and imposing Headman Chen he knew?

He looked up, his eyes bloodshot, and roared, "What have you done?"

To the officers who rushed over, the scene before them was like the sky collapsing. This Lin fellow was truly lawless, utterly lawless.

Yang Ming stood stunned at the prison entrance, his mouth slightly ajar, staring blankly.

He had come out to see what the commotion was when he heard the noise, and the sight had completely dumbfounded him. He saw Brother Lin wildly swinging a whip, lashing at Headman Chen, who was desperately trying to escape. He was truly going all out, showing no mercy.

At this moment, Song Qing arrived. Seeing so many officers gathered, he was startled and quickly pushed through the crowd. The first thing he saw was Headman Chen's tragic state, and then he saw Lin Fan holding a bloody whip.

Without thinking, he knew what had happened.

He just didn't expect it to happen so quickly.

"What's going on?" Captain Song asked.

"What's going on? Ask him."

Headman Chen's confidant, like a frenzied lioness, heartbroken and sympathetic towards his headman, tightened his grip on him.

Lin Fan said, "Captain, it's like this. Early this morning, I was interrogating a prisoner in the jail. As soon as I came out, I saw Headman Chen rushing over. He said his skin was itchy and asked me to whip him. Then he just stuck himself to the wall. That's how it happened."

"You're spouting nonsense," Headman Chen's confidant roared.

Lin Fan shrugged indifferently. That was the situation, believe it or not.

Captain Song coughed a few times and said, "Alright, what he said is probably the truth. My subordinate's temper might be a bit fiery, but he's honest and never deigns to lie. It's just, when did Headman Chen develop such a peculiar habit? Strange, truly strange."

"You're spouting nonsense too," Headman Chen's confidant yelled again.

"Insolence!"

Captain Song berated him angrily. A regular officer daring to speak to him, a captain, with such insolence was utterly disrespectful and audacious.

The confidant lowered his head and shouted to those around him, "What are you all standing around for? A stretcher, where's the stretcher?"

They all followed Headman Chen.

Now that their headman had been insulted and beaten, they wanted to stand up for him, but they knew that this Lin fellow was terrifying and they were no match for him. They just wanted to wait until their headman woke up.

"It's here, the stretcher is here!"

Four officers carrying a stretcher rushed over. They carefully placed Headman Chen on it and quickly carried it towards the medical clinic.

With a rip.

The stretcher couldn't bear Headman Chen's weight and broke apart. With a bang, Headman Chen fell to the ground.

"Ah... Headman!"

The officers cried out in anguish.

A moment later.

Silence fell.

Captain Song shook his head. "Lin Fan, doing this means you've completely fallen out with Headman Chen."

"We fell out long ago," Lin Fan said cheerfully. He didn't take Chen Xingzhi seriously; the other party's only advantage against him was his status. "Captain, look at my current merits. Should I be able to get promoted from a commoner to a regular officer now?"

"Yes, no problem. To be promoted from a rookie officer to a regular officer, you just need to have certain merits. I'll write a recommendation letter and submit it to the clerk. It shouldn't be a big issue," Captain Song said.

Yang Ming was very envious.

Although he was already a regular officer.

It had taken him a long time, mainly because he didn't have enough merits, and the clerk was difficult to deal with. Headman Chen had been secretly obstructing him. If it weren't for the merits he earned with Brother Lin's help a while ago, his promotion path wouldn't have been so easy.

Lin Fan looked at the captain and Yang Ming.

His faction was too short-handed; they didn't have any useful people.

On the other hand, Headman Chen's side had many officers, most of whom followed him.

"Then I'll trouble you, Captain," Lin Fan said.

Captain Song nodded and didn't say anything more.

At this time, Lin Fan took Yang Ming and left the Security Bureau. They first went to the docks to gather their brothers and continue patrolling and sweeping the city. Those who engaged in petty theft and swindling had met the most terrifying nemesis of their lives.

His purpose in doing this was to increase his prestige and leave a good impression on the citizens.

The things he had done during this period had indeed earned him a good impression from the public, but it was far from enough. He wanted all the citizens in the city to hear his name, Lin Fan.

And immediately give him a thumbs up, saying he was top-notch.

The tavern.

The once bustling tavern was now very deserted. Inside, the tavern keeper sat there listlessly, looking around with a dazed expression. He had thought things would gradually get better.

But who could have imagined that such a thing would happen?

The neighbors knew that Old Wang, the tavern keeper, was in trouble, but they were also ordinary people with no ability to help. They could only come to offer a few words of comfort.

"Old Wang, we can't fight them. Once Xiao Hao is released, we'll just live our lives properly again. Don't think about impossible things."

"Corrupt officials, all of them! Beasts, a bunch of beasts!"

The neighbors were furious, but their anger quickly subsided. They saw someone standing at the entrance – it was an officer. Those who had been full of resentment moments before now lowered their heads, not daring to make eye contact.

They were afraid the officer would hear what they had just said and beat them severely.

Whether they were rookie officers or regular officers, in the eyes of ordinary citizens, they were not to be provoked. They carried swords and held power; with just a few words, they could ruin families and lives, making pleas to gods and ancestors useless.

Xu Ming walked into the tavern.

Old Wang, who had been looking down dejectedly, suddenly raised his head and rushed to Xu Ming, begging, "Officer, I've already given you the formula. When will you release my son? I won't cause trouble anymore. I've given you everything. I just want my son back."

The formula was his life's work.

When it was snatched from him, he naturally resisted. But their methods were too ruthless; he couldn't withstand them. By seizing his son, they had grasped his lifeline.

Xu Ming looked at Old Wang before him, then at the crowd of people with their heads bowed. Even though they were looking down, he could sense the contempt and disgust in their eyes.

The matter at the tavern wasn't handled by him.

He hadn't taken over the case.

When he first joined the Security Bureau, he was full of fighting spirit. But the people he had arrested back then were released not long after, and they even gave him the middle finger right in front of him, mocking him.

Walking home at night, he was ambushed and beaten until his face was bruised and swollen.

Gradually, he accepted it. The burning, passionate heart within him gradually extinguished, and he went with the flow.

Xu Ming spoke in a low voice, "Shopkeeper, there's been a change. The higher-ups want to add charges to your son because he bit Young Master Hu. I can't make the decision on this."

"Ah..."

Upon hearing this, the shopkeeper collapsed to the ground, nearly fainting. Fortunately, Xu Ming caught him.

The neighbors who had come to comfort him clenched their fists, wishing they could beat the officer to death on the spot.

"Officer, please help me, please! I'll sell all my belongings, and I'll thank you handsomely." The shopkeeper only had one son. Hearing that more charges were being added, how could he remain calm?

Xu Ming said, "I can't help you. I just came here to inform you. If you really want to appeal this case, there's only one person you can find."

"Who? Who should I look for?"

"Lin Fan. Go find him. Go to him and plead your case; perhaps it will be effective."

Xu Ming recalled what had just happened. That person even dared to beat Headman Chen; what else wouldn't he dare to do?

After speaking, he turned and left, ignoring the shopkeeper's desperate pleas.

The shopkeeper looked at everyone, lost and bewildered.

"Old Wang, I think I've heard of this Lin Fan. He's arrested a lot of people recently. People say he's an upright and just officer."

"I think this is going to be difficult. In my opinion, this is just a power struggle due to unequal distribution of benefits. There's no such thing as upright and just, no such thing as an honest officer. It's just a fight."

"Why doesn't Old Wang give it a try?"

"This Hu Family has a background. They're considered a prominent clan here. Can one officer handle this?"

"If he can truly get justice for Old Wang, I'll eat excrement in public."