If They Wouldn't Reason, I Knew a Little About Fists Too

The prison reeked of mold and blood, with the faintest trace of rot hanging in the air.

Captain Song gaped at Hu Yu and Zhao Fu as they were dragged in, utterly dumbfounded. He felt like his brain couldn't keep up.

For some reason,

he always felt like a raw recruit whenever he was around Lin Fan.

That morning, Lin Fan had beaten Headman Chen so badly he couldn't take care of himself.

And before half a day had even passed, Lin Fan had gone out for a stroll and come back with Young Master Hu in custody.

One look at Hu Yu's face, swollen like a risen dough bun, and the dust smeared across his fine clothes told Song that he'd been treated exceptionally well on the way back.

He glanced at Xu Ming, whom he remembered quite clearly.

Yang Ming had told him that Xu Ming had transferred over to their side to work under Brother Lin, and would be entered under their master's name from now on.

Song Qing had nothing to say about that.

Their trio would now be a quartet.

"Yang Ming."

Lin Fan's voice rang out especially clearly in the silent prison.

"Right here, brother."

Yang Ming answered at once, his eyes glinting with excitement. He looked eager to get to work.

"Young Master Hu is a delicate scion, and he's new here. He probably hasn't experienced our hospitality yet. Go on, give him the full Family Portrait treatment. Make sure he gets a proper taste of our warmth."

The Family Portrait was Lin Fan's latest invention: a complete run through all kinds of punishments, from head to toe, leaving nothing out. Every street thug who'd tried it said it worked wonders.

"Sure thing."

Yang Ming grinned, flashing his white teeth. He chained Young Master Hu up as Hu Yu wailed and cursed, using every filthy word he could think of. Zhao Fu, beside him, roared just as loudly.

"Young Master Hu, how did you end up here too?"

He Sen, pale and disheveled, hadn't realized it was Hu Yu. The man had looked familiar, but when He Sen took a closer look, it felt as if the sky had fallen. How had the little tyrant of Yong'an ended up being tortured too?

Hu Yu struggled and roared. In the middle of all that, he shot He Sen a glance and recognized him. "It's all that bastard Lin's fault! He arrested me—dragged me here from my own home! Wait, why does your mouth stink so much? Don't talk. You'll knock a man out with that breath."

He Sen was furious, his face turning red with shame and humiliation.

"He ate shit," Yang Ming casually remarked as he worked.

"What? He ate shit? Get away from me! Don't talk!"

Hu Yu looked utterly disgusted.

He Sen grew even more furious.

Inside the prison, Shopkeeper Wang's son, Wang Hao, lay curled up on the withered straw, completely motionless, as though he'd been beaten to death. Shopkeeper Wang rushed to the bars, tears streaming down his face as he called out to his son, heart aching and voice choked with emotion.

"My boy..."

Wang Hao seemed to hear the familiar voice. With agonizing slowness, he struggled to turn around. When he realized it was his father, his clouded eyes suddenly cleared. Overcome with emotion, he cried, "Father, what are you doing here?"

Then, as if he'd suddenly thought of something,

he shouted, "You dog-catching lackeys! If you're going to hurt someone, hurt me! Leave my father alone!"

Seeing that his son could still move and speak, Shopkeeper Wang felt somewhat relieved. But hearing his son speak so thoughtlessly made his anger flare.

He reached a hand through the wooden bars. Wang Hao thought his father wanted to comfort him by touching his face, so he instinctively leaned his swollen, bruised cheek toward him, ready to savor that small moment of tenderness.

But—

"Smack!"

A crisp, resounding slap caught Wang Hao completely by surprise and struck him across the face, leaving him stunned.

Clutching his cheek, he stared at his father in disbelief, unable to make sense of what had just happened.

"You little fool! What nonsense are you spouting? If Master Lin hadn't been sharp-eyed and upheld the law impartially, those people would've framed you, and you'd have rotted in this dark, miserable prison until you died! Hurry up and thank Master Lin for his great kindness!"

Shopkeeper Wang scolded him angrily.

Lin Fan opened the cell and let Wang Hao out. He hadn't expected Wang Hao to be locked up here; he'd genuinely had no idea. It seemed many of the prisoners inside had been framed or made to take the blame for someone else.

He'd have to get the case files out and go through them carefully.

Wang Hao was still dazed. He'd never imagined that someone in the Security Bureau would clear his name and get him justice. His enemy was Hu Yu, after all—a man with influence everywhere.

"What are you standing there for? Hurry up and kowtow to Master Lin! If he hadn't helped us, you'd still be stuck in there!" Shopkeeper Wang said, giving his son's back another smack when he saw him standing there like a fool.

Only then did Wang Hao come to his senses. He dropped heavily to his knees with a thump, his head hitting the cold ground hard. His voice broke with tears and overwhelming gratitude. "Thank you, Master Lin! Thank you for saving my life! Thank you for clearing my name!"

Lin Fan helped him up and sighed inwardly. The father and son had been selling wine peacefully, their business thriving, but just because a local powerful family had taken an interest in them, they'd nearly been ruined. Lin Fan had merely done what a constable was supposed to do, yet they were thanking him for delivering justice.

He couldn't feel the slightest bit of happiness about it.

It was as if the suffering of ordinary people was being dressed up as a benevolent gift they ought to be grateful for, all to praise some illusory era of peace and prosperity.

Lin Fan said, "I've finished investigating your case. People in the Security Bureau took bribes and framed you. Hu Yu and that constable are both locked up now. Do you want to go see them?"

"Huh?!"

Wang Hao jerked his head up, eyes wide and mouth open enough to fit an egg.

What?

Master Lin was saying that Hu Yu was locked up too? The news struck him like a thunderclap. He couldn't believe it.

Who was Hu Yu?

He was a young master of the Hu family.

Wang Hao had thought his father must have sold off who knew how much of their property, begged every connection he had, and suffered countless humiliations just to get him out.

Who could have imagined that Master Lin would really uphold the law impartially and arrest Hu Yu?

As if sleepwalking, he stumbled farther into the prison. Before long, he came back, his face deathly pale, but his eyes completely transformed, brimming with unspeakable shock, fervent admiration, and profound respect.

Thump!

He fell heavily to his knees before Lin Fan again. This time, he prostrated himself from the bottom of his heart, his forehead pressed firmly to the ground, his voice trembling with emotion.

"Master Lin, you truly are a living embodiment of justice!"

"Really, there's no need." Lin Fan helped Wang Hao up. "You and your father should go home and rest. I'll handle the rest. When the Hu family's compensation comes through, I'll send it to you. Don't worry. If you ever face another injustice, come to the Security Bureau and look for me."

"Yes, yes..." Wang Hao nodded again and again. Master Lin seemed taller and more imposing by the moment, as if he were surrounded by a dazzling radiance.

At that moment, Lin Fan had gained a devoted admirer.

After being wronged and having nowhere to appeal, Wang Hao had made Lin Fan his idol.

Lin Fan saw Wang Hao and his father out of the Security Bureau. As he headed back toward the prison, Song Qing said gravely, "Have you thought about what comes next? Arresting Zhao Fu is no problem, but Hu Yu won't be easy to deal with."

Song Qing was truly worried; beads of sweat had even appeared at his temples.

How could the Hu family possibly stand by and let Hu Yu be convicted? In fact, no one in Yong'an City had ever imagined that anyone could bring the Hu family to justice.

"Not easy to deal with? What's so difficult about it?" Lin Fan kept walking, his tone calm. "The evidence is conclusive, and the law is as solid as a mountain. It won't matter who pleads for him."

Song Qing said anxiously, "The Hu family has been entrenched in Yong'an for years. Their roots run deep! They'll definitely go to Steward Li, maybe even put pressure directly on the county magistrate! If the higher-ups give the order, what will you do? Are you really going to stand your ground no matter what?"

At that, Lin Fan finally stopped and turned his head to look at Song Qing, a faint, knowing smile on his face.

"Headman, after spending all this time with me, do you think I handle things reasonably? Do I go by the evidence?"

"You do! Of course you do!" Song Qing nodded at once. "You always act reasonably and follow the evidence!"

"Exactly." Lin Fan's smile didn't change, but his voice carried a chilling calm. "If they're willing to reason and present evidence, I'll see it through to the end. Everything will be handled according to the law."

He paused, his eyes narrowing slightly, then continued walking. His voice wasn't loud, but Song Qing heard every word.

"If they think a higher-ranking official can crush a lower one, and they don't want to reason anymore... that's fine too. I, Lin Fan, happen to know a thing or two about fists and feet. I can reason with them that way."

So far, he hadn't met a single expert. If this were a world crawling with martial arts masters, he wouldn't dare be so brazen. He'd definitely keep his head down and bide his time.

But right now, he wanted to force the experts out of hiding.

Even half an expert would do.

Song Qing stood frozen. When he finally snapped out of it, he jolted and hurried after Lin Fan. "My young lord! Please don't do anything reckless! Whatever happens, we have to think it through carefully before acting! Don't be impulsive—please, don't be impulsive!"

Yong'an was a small city, but lately it had kept producing one unbelievable story after another.

The news that Hu Yu, the young master of the Hu family, had been arrested by Lin Fan, a constable from the Security Bureau, spread through Yong'an's streets and alleys in the blink of an eye, as if it had sprouted wings. In teahouses and taverns, everyone was talking about the earth-shattering news.

A crowd of neighbors had gathered outside Shopkeeper Wang's tavern.

Seeing Shopkeeper Wang supporting his son, Wang Hao—who looked battered but was clearly alive and out of prison—everyone marveled and chattered among themselves.

"He really got out!"

"Master Lin really does get things done!"

"From now on, I'll only trust Master Lin in the entire Security Bureau. No one else will do!"

Wang Hao pulled away from his father's support and shouted, "Master Lin of the Security Bureau is a living embodiment of justice! He cleared my name and got me justice!"

A neighbor who sold cloth shouted, "Where's Ah Hai? My kid just took a fresh dump—come eat it!"

As for Ah Hai, the one who was supposed to eat shit, he stuck out his chin and argued back, his face flushed red.

"Who said that? I didn't! You're framing me!"