Capture

Just as Wang Wu signaled the guards to take the Shark Person away, Chen Jin suddenly stepped forward, blocking the path between his companions and the captive.

"Squad Leader, wait," he said, lowering his voice.

"Hmm?" Wang Wu frowned, casting an inquisitive glance his way.

Chen Jin rubbed his hands together, his face twisting into a mercenary grin. "Squad Leader, brothers, think about it: if we just hand this thing over as is, how much of a reward will the superiors actually give us? At most, a few dozen Spirit Coins. After it passes through every layer of skimming, how many scraps will be left for us?"

"But what if... we keep her hidden and raise her ourselves? My place is a dump, but there's an abandoned cellar. If we clean it up and get a large water vat, we should be able to keep her alive. This thing can weep pearls and weave a treasure called 'Shark Silk'—it stays dry even when submerged, and it's worth a fortune! Even if she dies, the oil rendered from her body can burn for ten thousand years!"

Observing their expressions, he continued to fan the flames. "When the time comes, the Shark Silk she weaves and the pearls she produces can be 'turned over to the state treasury' through your reliable connections, Squad Leader. We'll split the reward four ways! How about it?"

"Split four ways?" Ju's breathing grew ragged.

"But..." Ji still hesitated. "Is this... considered concealing tribute? That's a capital crime..."

"Isn't that exactly why that tough nut we caught a few days ago ended up behind bars?"

"Hey!" Chen Jin interrupted him immediately. "You can't put it that way. We four found this Shark Person ourselves, and we'll still be turning over the pearls and silk she produces to the treasury. Concealing Southern Pearls is a grave crime, but is raising a Clam Mother really a crime?"

Ji's eyes lit up. "You have a point!"

The last shred of hesitation was swept away by ecstasy; the men seemed to already see a future where they lay back and counted their money. All the resentment and exhaustion from being called in for overtime on their day off to chase criminals through the rain were washed away by the sheer joy of this "windfall from heaven."

The atmosphere turned heated in an instant.

"Fine! Let's do it!" Wang Wu slapped his thigh, making up his mind. He looked around. "Keep your mouths sewn shut! If even half a word of this leaks out, don't blame me for being ruthless!"

"Don't worry, Squad Leader!" the two guards promised, patting their chests, their faces beaming with excitement.

"Heifu," Wang Wu turned to Chen Jin, his tone much warmer. "Since you proposed this and provided the place, the Shark Person is under your care. Be careful—don't let her die, and don't let her escape!"

"Rest assured, Squad Leader, leave it to me!" Chen Jin promised, thumping his chest.

Squad Leader Wang Wu acted decisively, barking a low command: "Don't just stand there like idiots! Ju, Ji, give a hand—lift her up, gently, quickly! While the rain is heavy and no one is around, get her to Heifu's place! Stay sharp, and don't let any other night patrols spot you!"

The men immediately complied, lifting the heavy, slick fish tail and the upper body of the Shark Person, who was still struggling weakly, as silently as possible.

Chen Jin pointed to the Law Eye in the sky.

Wang Wu understood immediately. He gripped his Identity Tablet and muttered a few words; the Law Eye, which had been looking their way, shifted its gaze to stare unblinkingly at a civilian house in the distance.

Sheltered by the rain and the cover of night, the group moved quickly along the quiet alleys toward Heifu's residence.

On the way, they passed the alley entrance where the middleman and the merchant lay dead. The two corpses still rested coldly in the mud; the rain washed over their stiffening outlines and the long-faded bloodstains, ignored by all.

Wang Wu glanced at them, his tone indifferent as he spoke to Chen Jin. "Hmph, judging by the signs left behind, it's similar to the traces of the fight in your courtyard. It seems the thief didn't just ambush you, but also slaughtered these two. We were investigating their bodies earlier, which is why we didn't arrive to assist you in time."

Chen Jin looked at the two desolate corpses and followed the lead. "Are we just leaving the bodies here? Won't their families come to collect them?"

The guard Ju, walking beside him, scoffed. "Families? Ha, since when do merchants and middlemen get to have wives? Heifu, were you hit so hard last night that you've lost your mind and are spouting nonsense to make us laugh?"

Squad Leader Wang Wu offered a rare bit of explanation. "When His Majesty attacked Nanyue, he conscripted a large number of merchants, matrilocal sons-in-law, and those of lowly status to fill the miasmic lands of Lingnan; nine out of ten never returned. Decent families—who would marry their daughters to men in such lowly trades? If they die, they die; no one cares."

He paused, then added, "Don't worry, the brothers on patrol today will handle it. It's not our shift, so don't be too eager, lest you arouse suspicion."

The group arrived silently outside Heifu's low, mud-brick house. Chen Jin quickly unlocked the door, and together they carried the Shark Person inside, carefully placing her into the abandoned water vat filled with fresh water.

The moment the Shark Person touched the water, she seemed to regain a sliver of vitality, though she remained weak, curling up at the bottom of the vat and staring at the group with only her deep blue, terrified eyes.

"Alright, today's business ends here. Keep your mouths shut tight!"

Wang Wu scanned each of his subordinates sternly once more. Seeing that they all solemnly agreed, he let out a breath and waved his hand. "Dismissed! Go home, each of you. Nothing happened tonight."

Ju and Ji disappeared into the rainy night, filled with irrepressible excitement and visions of the future.

Wang Wu was the last to leave. He gave Chen Jin a meaningful look and whispered, "Take good care of 'our' treasure." Then, he turned and merged into the darkness.

Chen Jin bolted the door. The room returned to silence, save for the patter of rain outside and the faint sound of water swirling in the vat.

Almost the moment he completely relaxed, he felt the Identity Tablet at his waist vibrate slightly. The light of the [Law Enforcement] characters on it dimmed completely and finally vanished.

At the same time, the countless bronze-colored seal-script characters of Qin Law that had been floating and flowing before his eyes like solid matter dissipated like smoke in the wind, vanishing without a trace.

His vision returned to "normal." The special sight and authority he had gained through the power of Great Qin Law were stripped away as he "clocked out."

"Walker, you have collected a wealth of Qin Law this time. Please continue to work hard and enter the [Law Enforcement] state as often as possible."

Next, it was time to have a proper talk with the Shark Person.

"You don't have to be so nervous; I'm not a bad person. Do you have a name?"

"Xi, Xi is my name."

"Alright, Xi. What do you like to eat?"

"Huh?"

"Don't be nervous. It's safe here, just think of it as a casual chat."

"I like to eat seaweed, and fish—any kind of fish is fine."

"What is your gender?"

"Uh, I'm currently female, but my transition period is coming up soon, so I can't really say what gender I'll be in the near future..."

There are some fish in the ocean that can change their gender; they are female in their juvenile stage and male in their adult stage.

There are also some that are hermaphroditic, with gender shifts influenced by social status and body size.

"..."

Knowledge entered his brain in a rather strange way.

Chen Jin suddenly lost all desire to grind for favorability with the Shark Person.