Defiance

Hua Yin's words were like an ice wall, blocking every attempt Chen Xingfeng made to gloss things over or invoke connections.

"The assault was witnessed by more than twenty people at the scene, and the entire incident was recorded by law enforcement body cameras."

Every word landed clearly on Li Xiulin's and Chen Xingfeng's hearts, utterly shattering their last sliver of hope that it might have been a misunderstanding.

The color drained completely from Li Xiulin's face, and her lips trembled faintly.

She looked at the familiar yet unfamiliar face before her, at the unfathomable calm in his eyes, and a chill shot from the soles of her feet straight to the top of her head.

That chill carried fear of the punishment Chen Xu was about to face, helplessness in the face of this sudden situation, and an indescribable panic at being shut out.

She suddenly realized that she knew nothing at all about this "eldest son" of hers.

When had he awakened his abilities?

How had he joined the Special Affairs Bureau?

What had he gone through to become so cold?

She knew none of it.

All these years, she had deliberately avoided it, wrapping herself in a new family, a new life, and a new son, as though the "burden" from her past would cease to exist if she simply refused to look at it.

But now, that "burden" had crashed back into her life in a way she had never expected and could never control, smashing the façade she had so carefully maintained.

"Hua Yin..."

Li Xiulin's voice was dry and tight, tinged with tears as she tried to reclaim some of the status and influence belonging to a "mother." "You... how can you do this? Xiao Xu is your younger brother! He's immature. As his older brother, can't you... can't you just give in to him? If this leaves a record, his whole life will be ruined!"

She stepped forward and looked at Hua Yin almost pleadingly, her eyes red as tears rolled down her cheeks.

"Mom knows that before... maybe Mom neglected you in some ways, but Mom always had you in her heart! Think about it, when you were little, Mom loved you too... For the sake of that affection, can't you... show some mercy? We can settle this privately—compensation, an apology, anything! Don't go through the formal process. Mom is begging you!"

Affection?

Neglect?

Hua Yin felt not even the slightest ripple at those words.

Those distant, vague, and even self-glorifying so-called "bonds" sounded nothing but pale and laughable now.

And as for neglect... it had been far more than that.

He looked at the genuine tears in Li Xiulin's eyes. Perhaps they were truly shed for Chen Xu, for the perfect life before her that might now collapse—but how many of them were shed for Hua Yin?

How much of it was repentance for her past indifference?

He could find none.

"Ms. Li."

Hua Yin's form of address remained distant and formal. "First, while carrying out official duties, there are no personal relationships—only law enforcement personnel and involved parties."

"Second, Chen Xu's actions were not simply 'immaturity' or a conflict between brothers."

"He assaulted a Special Affairs Bureau officer who was carrying out official state duties. The nature of his actions was severe, and the impact was extremely bad. This has already gone beyond something that can be settled privately within a family."

His voice was calm and even, but his stance allowed no room for negotiation. "The Special Affairs Bureau's rules and regulations, as well as the relevant laws of the state, are not a joke. His actions must be handled in accordance with the law."

"You!"

Li Xiulin felt as though her chest had been blocked by his words. Her tears flowed even harder now, no longer out of pure sorrow, but more from indignation and the anger of being "defied."

She had grown accustomed to neglecting Hua Yin. Deep down, she had even believed that Hua Yin should accept any attitude from her without complaint. This cold and absolute rejection was something she could not accept.

"Hua Yin! How can you be so heartless? He's your own brother!"

She shouted out of control, her finger nearly poking Hua Yin.

Seeing his wife lose control, Chen Xingfeng hurriedly pulled her back, his expression equally ugly.

He was more realistic than Li Xiulin. From Hua Yin's attitude and words, he had already understood that playing the family card, weeping and begging for mercy, would be completely useless before this suddenly unfamiliar and forceful "stepson."

He took a deep breath and forcibly suppressed the irritation and faint unease in his heart. Offending the Special Affairs Bureau was no small matter, so he adopted a more conciliatory tone and tried to approach the matter from the angle of interests.

"Hua... Officer Hua, look, what's done is done. Xiao Xu did make a mistake, and he deserves punishment. We accept that."

"But can't you... show a little flexibility within the boundaries allowed by the rules?"

"When ads like 'Are you a real person?' pop up, there is no need to pay attention to them. Simply close them. Do not scan any codes or send text messages!"

"For example, regarding the method of punishment or his record?"

"We are willing to offer the greatest possible compensation, whether financial or... I know the Special Affairs Bureau also needs resources. Our Chen Family may be able to help through certain channels..."

An exchange of interests?

Hua Yin sneered inwardly. Chen Xingfeng truly was a businessman; the first thing he thought of was a deal.

Unfortunately, he had miscalculated.

"Mr. Chen."

Hua Yin turned his calm gaze toward him. "The Special Affairs Bureau handles cases based solely on facts and the law."

"There is no such thing as the 'flexibility' you speak of, nor can compensation be exchanged for a reduced punishment."

"All handling results will strictly follow the prescribed procedures and be subject to oversight."

"As family members, you currently have the right to understand the situation, the right to hire a lawyer for Chen Xu, and the right to express your views within the prescribed scope."

"But the final result will not be decided by you, nor by my personal will."

He paused before adding, "Given that Chen Xu is a minor and this is his first offense, these factors will be taken into consideration during the handling process. But that does not mean he can be exempted from the punishment he deserves."

His words were airtight. They established the principle while offering the faintest suggestion that leniency might be possible, yet completely cut off every path to a private deal.

Chen Xingfeng's face alternated between red and white, his fists clenching and relaxing.

For the first time, he felt so powerless and passive before a young man.

The other party was completely immune to his usual tactics.

Li Xiulin, meanwhile, seemed to have been drained of all strength. Leaning against her husband, she stared blankly at Hua Yin.

At last, she fully understood that the son she could once easily ignore and casually forget had gone too far away—so far that she could neither reach nor influence him.

Between them lay a chasm called the "Special Affairs Bureau" and the "supernatural world," as well as an ice wall called "indifference" and "neglect," built over the years by her own hands.

Hua Yin looked at the two of them, finally fallen silent with nothing left on their faces but despair and confusion, and the last trace of his desire for confirmation vanished.

The result was just as he had expected.

There was no curiosity about his identity, no concern for what he had experienced, not the slightest guilt or attempt to understand him.

There was only their protection of Chen Xu, their panic at the trouble descending upon them, and their instinct to solve the problem with pale sentiment or naked self-interest.

Fine.

This made it final.

He stopped wasting time and turned to the duty clerk at the side. "You will handle the follow-up reception and notification procedures. Chen Xu will remain in temporary custody pending the results of the preliminary investigation and the next handling decision. If the family has questions, answer them according to procedure."

"Yes, Officer White Butterfly."

The clerk immediately responded.

Hua Yin gave one last look at the distraught Li Xiulin and the dark-faced Chen Xingfeng, then gave a slight nod. His tone remained as bland and businesslike as ever.

"The situation has been explained. Please wait here for the moment. A colleague will follow up with you later. I still have duties to attend to, so excuse me."

With that, he did not linger. He turned, pulled open the reception room door, and walked out.

The door closed softly behind him, shutting out the suppressed sobbing and oppressive silence within.

The cold air in the corridor made Hua Yin take a deep breath.

He stood where he was and paused for two seconds.

The wilderness in his heart seemed to have become a little flatter.

The faint vines of "blood ties" and "family affection" that had still remained—things even he himself had never clearly recognized—were now cleanly severed by his own hand.

From then on, the last thread of karmic entanglement between him and that family was completely cut off, along with Chen Xu's foolish kick and Hua Yin's resolute decision.

He started walking toward the interrogation observation area, his steps calm and firm.

He was Hua Yin, and he was also an Operations Department officer of the Special Affairs Bureau, codenamed "White Butterfly."

His path lay ahead—in the Special Affairs Bureau, in that supernatural world filled with power, danger, and responsibility.