It was already afternoon. Russell remembered the coach saying that police officers would be arriving one after another around this time. He did not want to run into any old acquaintances, so he left early.
Mostly because of Father Luo and Mother Luo's hidden occupations, Russell felt uncomfortable all over whenever he saw former colleagues. Even photos of himself in a police uniform looked awkward no matter how he looked at them.
The parking lot was in the ground-floor plaza. As Russell passed by, he spotted three suspicious-looking guys standing beside a White Cayenne.
The three Hooligans were young, but they were seasoned troublemakers. They were not afraid of being seen. Seeing that Russell looked clean-cut and skinny, they shot him several vicious glares.
"What are you looking at? Stick your nose in our business and we'll mess you up!"
Russell confirmed it with one look. They were not good people!
He shrugged and turned toward his van. The three Hooligans acted as if they had won a battle, laughing arrogantly. They did not notice that once Russell got into his vehicle, he took out his phone and began filming.
These days, it was hard for the police to get things done. Everything required evidence. If he simply beat the three of them flat, they might even turn around and accuse him instead. But evidence changed things.
The three were not very lucky. Before they could successfully pick the lock, the owner caught them. She was a woman around thirty, dressed like a White-Collar Woman, with a three- or four-year-old Little Lori holding her hand.
The White-Collar Woman was at a loss when she saw the situation. Thinking quickly, she took her daughter and tried to go around them. Unfortunately, the Little Lori did not understand such things. Pointing at the three Hooligans, she said, "Mommy, thieves are stealing our car..."
The White-Collar Woman did not answer. She pulled the Little Lori along faster, but the three Hooligans still heard her words. They chased after them and surrounded the mother and daughter.
Russell expressionlessly put down his phone, pushed open the car door, and walked over. Suddenly, his hands felt itchy. He wanted to find a few faces to scratch that itch.
Surrounded by the three Hooligans, the White-Collar Woman's face turned pale. She pulled a spray bottle from her bag and held her daughter protectively against her chest.
"There are cameras in the parking lot. Don't do anything stupid!"
The three Hooligans exchanged glances. They had only wanted to steal the bags inside the car, and her words immediately made them hesitate. But when you ran with a crew, pride mattered. If there had been only one of them, it would have been one thing, but with two others watching, leaving like this would be too embarrassing.
The White-Collar Woman was perceptive. She opened her handbag and threw out her wallet. "Don't hurt us. I promise I won't call the police."
One hoodlum picked up the wallet and tossed the cards and identification onto the ground. There were about two thousand yuan in cash inside. They exchanged glances, all quite satisfied.
This should have been the end of it. The White-Collar Woman had cooperated, and the Hooligans had no intention of causing more trouble. But among everyone present was an innocent Little Lori.
Reality differed from what she had been taught. Confused, she asked, "Mommy, why did you give them the money? Daddy said that's wrong. It encourages criminals and makes them bolder. We should call the police!"
The White-Collar Woman said nothing.
Hadn't her father told her to wait until they were safe before calling the police?
The three Hooligans had been about to leave, but they turned back in annoyance at her words, looking ready to teach the little brat a lesson. The White-Collar Woman gripped her pepper spray, sweat breaking out in her anxiety. She knew a little self-defense herself—such as kicking the groin, kicking the groin, and kicking the groin—but her daughter was beside her, and she was afraid of hurting her.
Pepper spray was still quite intimidating. None of the three Hooligans wanted to be the first to step up. One of them pulled out a switchblade. With a snap, the White-Collar Woman stiffened all over and tightened her arms around the Little Lori.
The three Hooligans burst into laughter again. Encouraged by it, the hoodlum holding the knife started waving it around recklessly.
Smack!
Russell grabbed the hoodlum's wrist. As the man stared at him in disbelief, he said, "Under Article 32 of the Public Security Administration Punishment Law, illegally carrying controlled instruments regulated by the state carries detention of up to five days and a fine of up to five hundred yuan!"
"What!?"
"You're under arrest!"
Holy shit, it's a cop!
The hoodlum shuddered and desperately tried to shake free, but the five fingers around his wrist felt like cast iron. The pain made him bare his teeth, yet he could not break loose.
Russell did not hold back. He knocked away the knife, then drove an uppercut into the hoodlum's stomach. The man dropped to his knees and began vomiting acid.
"Bro... bros, run..."
The hoodlum was quite loyal, afraid that the other two might get carried away and stay. But when he looked up, his good brothers had already vanished without a trace.
"..."
When disaster struck, everyone flew their separate ways. Russell had seen it too many times. He did not chase the two fleeing Hooligans. Catching one and bringing him back to the station for questioning would be enough; the other two would not get away.
The hoodlum grimaced in pain and began begging for mercy. "Big bro, give me a chance! This is my first offense, and I didn't even do anything!"
Russell glanced at him and rattled off smoothly, "Armed robbery! Attempted rape! Resisting arrest! Assaulting a police officer!"
The hoodlum said nothing.
Who the fuck are you talking about!?
The hoodlum cursed his bad luck inwardly, his eyes darting everywhere. Rubbing his agonizing stomach, he scrambled to flee. But the moment he lifted a foot, Russell stuck out his leg and tripped him. He slammed headfirst into the Cayenne's door and rolled his eyes back before passing out.
"See? I didn't frame you. Didn't you just resist arrest?"
Meanwhile, the White-Collar Woman had already called the police. Thinking back on the dangerous scene just now, she was still terrified.
"Thank you so much. If it hadn't been for you today..." The White-Collar Woman thanked him profusely. When she got a clear look at Russell's face, she suddenly froze and asked hesitantly, "You're... Xiao Luo from the police force, right?"
Russell nodded. "That's me. And you are?"
Once she realized he was an acquaintance, the White-Collar Woman relaxed and said with a smile, "We met just last year. Don't tell me you've forgotten?"
"Last year... Oh, right, right, right! I remember now!" Russell looked embarrassed. The White-Collar Woman did seem familiar, but he still could not remember.
The White-Collar Woman smiled and did not take it to heart, graciously intending to change the subject. At that moment, the Little Lori spoke up again. "Mommy, Uncle is lying. He definitely forgot!"
Russell said nothing.
The White-Collar Woman said nothing.
You could not expect a child to understand social etiquette. The two smiled awkwardly, and the White-Collar Woman said, "Last year, the city organized an outing for police families. We met on the tour bus, and you helped me carry my luggage. Our Old Wang... you might not remember him. Our Old Wang is with the Riot Squad!"
At those words, Russell finally remembered. He really had met the White-Collar Woman before. He had forgotten a small favor, yet she still remembered it. Thinking of this, he could not help casting a sympathetic glance at the unconscious hoodlum. If he remembered correctly, Old Wang was the captain of the Riot Squad.
Tsk, tsk. He was beyond saving. Just wait for death!
Russell was not familiar with Old Wang, but the man's legendary stories had once caused a sensation. Rumor had it that he had a terrible temper, like a stone in a cesspit—stinky and stubborn. Even in his thirties, he had not found a wife. Everyone thought he would remain a bachelor for life. Then, during an act of heroism, he saved a rich miss. Though they were ten years apart, somehow the rich miss fell for him.
Old Wang got married. A beauty ten years younger had pursued him, shocking Fengning City's police circles, because getting a wife had made him rich!
"What a coincidence today. If you hadn't helped, who knows what might have happened." The White-Collar Woman was the rich miss who had fallen for Old Wang back then. She was an easygoing woman and chatted cheerfully with Russell for a while. When she learned he had come here to work out, she immediately declared, "I own that Fighting Club. From now on, you can come for free for life!"
Russell said nothing.
So that was the connection the coach had mentioned. Those beasts in the Riot Squad really did have boundless energy. If they went a day without training, their whole bodies felt uncomfortable.
"Xiao Luo! Are you married yet? You're not that young anymore. Don't end up like Old Wang. I've met your girlfriend—she was quite pretty..."
Listening to the standard Chinese-style interrogation, Russell's balls hurt. What was he supposed to say at a time like this? That they had broken up long ago?
Russell could only smile and nod. Before long, the police car arrived, and he finally breathed a sigh of relief. He greeted a colleague he knew. Though he had resigned, they were still acquaintances. After giving a brief explanation and sending over the video he had recorded, it was practically the same as taking a statement.
The hoodlum was loaded into the police car. The White-Collar Woman drove behind it with the Little Lori, and before leaving, the Little Lori even waved goodbye to Russell.
Russell got into his van. As he turned the key, something suddenly occurred to him, and his entire face darkened at once. The White-Collar Woman said she had met his girlfriend, but... Russell did not remember that ever happening...
His ex-girlfriend was an industry insider and had been abroad for nearly a year. Coupled with being kicked out of the Assassin Group last night, Russell felt something was wrong. Someone had investigated him!
"Could they have caught me lurking... and that stupid woman took a job to come kill me!?"
Russell's expression was a little ugly. To be honest, he still had feelings for his ex-girlfriend. If it really came to fighting, he would not have the heart to be ruthless...
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