Creak...
Amid a teeth-grating screech, Captain Liu pushed open the iron door to the detention room.
He did not enter, however.
Instead, he put on a fawning, obsequious smile and said, "Mr. Wei, young master Wei, that kid's inside. Please, go in!"
Wei Bohu and Wei Qiance entered the detention room, one behind the other.
Captain Liu said respectfully, "Mr. Wei, the surveillance in the room has been temporarily switched off as you instructed. Whenever you've finished questioning him, just send me a text and I'll come open the door for you."
With that, Captain Liu shut the door without waiting for Wei Qiance to respond.
Wei Bohu looked down at Ning Chuan with an arrogant expression and asked mockingly, unable to wait, "Weren't you so fond of talking before? Why have you gone quiet now? Come on, say something!"
"I have nothing to say to two despicable people."
Ning Chuan sat on the edge of the bed, his back as straight as a javelin. He did not shout or yell, but spoke calmly.
Killing intent hidden in its sheath was true terror!
"You're calling me despicable?"
Wei Bohu gave a disdainful smile, then said menacingly, "Once you get to prison, you'll find out what truly despicable means!
That pretty face of yours will be in high demand in prison!"
"Bohu, be a little more polite to your classmate."
Wei Qiance rebuked him.
As he spoke, he pulled over a chair and sat down in front of Ning Chuan. Smiling, he said, "As long as you give Bohu your spot at the Mountain and Sea Genius Training Camp as compensation, I won't pursue the matter of you stealing the Hundred Beasts Nutrient Solution."
A cold smile appeared at the corner of Ning Chuan's mouth. "Me? Stealing?" he asked sarcastically.
"If I say you stole it, then you stole it. It doesn't matter whether it's true or not!"
Wei Qiance's smile remained unchanged, but his voice took on a sense of pressure as he said, "That's why the police are holding you now, and you're facing a sentence of at least ten years in prison!"
"Dad, there's no need to talk nicely to him!"
Wei Bohu said coldly, looking at Ning Chuan. "You're in no position to refuse.
If you don't agree, you'll die!
Even if the court can't sentence you to death, you won't last long in prison!"
Ning Chuan's face was expressionless. "Don't you have any morals?"
Wei Qiance smiled, a hint of mockery in his eyes. "You're too young right now. You don't understand this society.
For ordinary people, including you, morality is a cage that restrains you, but it's also a necessity you can't do without. That's why you're ordinary.
For people of our class, morality is jewelry. When we want to dress up, we simply put it on."
Creak!
Suddenly, Captain Liu opened the door again.
A trace of displeasure appeared between Wei Qiance's brows. "Don't you know to knock before opening the door?" he snapped.
Captain Liu trembled all over, unable to speak.
He seemed to be under some immense pressure.
"Don't know. Never heard of it."
A tall figure entered the detention room, his gaze like lightning, an overbearing air radiating from him.
Qingshan City's number one Martial Artist, Lu Zhan!
A flicker of surprise crossed Wei Qiance's face. The visitor was somewhat beyond his expectations.
He rose and smiled. "Hall Master Lu, may I ask what brings you here?"
Lu Zhan ignored him and looked at Ning Chuan. "Let's go."
Ning Chuan got up from the bed.
Wei Qiance narrowed his eyes. He did not stop them, merely drawing out his words. "Captain Liu?"
"Knight Lu... Ning Chuan can't leave. He's currently a suspect in a theft case, and all the evidence... points to him."
Captain Liu blocked the doorway and spoke through clenched teeth.
But his voice still trembled uncontrollably because he was too afraid.
Captain Liu's guts had turned green with regret.
Had he known Lu Zhan was involved, he would not have taken part even if he had been beaten to death.
Lu Zhan asked, "What did he steal?"
"Hundred Beasts Nutrient Solution!"
Wei Qiance smiled faintly. "Bohu and I met with him to discuss a business deal. When we couldn't reach an agreement, he helped himself to three vials on his way out. Fortunately, I noticed early and called the police in time to recover the stolen goods!"
Lu Zhan's voice was mocking. "He stole them right under the eyes of a Seventh-Grade Martial Artist like you?"
"He's Bohu's classmate. I trusted him too much and wasn't paying attention."
Wei Qiance smiled casually.
Ning Chuan explained, "Uncle Lu, I didn't. Wei Qiance gave them to me of his own accord, saying they were a reward for killing Zhao Weiping."
Wei Bohu gave a cold laugh and sneered, "You really are shameless!
Three vials of Hundred Beasts Nutrient Solution are worth more than five hundred thousand. Why would we give them to you?
You clearly resented failing to make a deal, so you stole my family's property for revenge!"
"The police personally found the three stolen vials of Hundred Beasts Nutrient Solution on you. Instead of repenting, you've turned around and bitten me. The human heart is treacherous!"
Wei Qiance shook his head and sighed, seemingly a little saddened.
Ning Chuan looked at the father and son and argued no further. His dark eyes were calm, without a ripple, like an ancient well.
But deep in his heart, where no one could see,
killing intent surged ever more fiercely, like enormous waves at sea.
Lu Zhan glanced at Ning Chuan, his gaze showing a hint of surprise. "Since you didn't steal them, let's go."
"Hall Master Lu, no matter how strong you are or how influential the Lu Family is, you can't defy Federation law."
Wei Qiance spoke in a peculiar tone.
Whether financial groups or prominent families, all had to submit to Federation control and obey the law on the surface.
If they wanted to do dirty things, they could only do them in secret, leaving no evidence for anyone to find.
Just as when he framed Ning Chuan, he had first made sure Ning Chuan accepted the Hundred Beasts Nutrient Solution.
"Captain Liu, something terrible's happened!"
Just then, the young police officer who had accompanied Captain Liu earlier came rushing over, panting. "Ning... Ning Chuan's bail has been approved. The court has ordered his immediate release!"
Captain Liu's face turned deathly pale at the news.
Wei Qiance, however, remained fairly calm. When he saw Lu Zhan appear in person, he had anticipated that Ning Chuan would be released on bail.
The plans he had arranged beforehand certainly could not stop Lu Zhan.
"Being released on bail doesn't mean you're innocent. You can't leave Qingshan City, and we have a long lawsuit ahead of us."
Wei Qiance smiled confidently, as though everything was still under control.
"Student Ning, the Mountain and Sea Genius Training Camp starts in a few days. I hear the rules there are very strict. If you're late, you're considered to have forfeited your place."
Hearing this, Lu Zhan frowned.
This would not be easy to resolve. It was an open scheme.
If Wei Qiance really wanted to drag it out, he could keep the lawsuit going until the college entrance exam was over!
"Ning Chuan, think it over carefully these next few days. Bohu's original offer still stands.
And on top of that, I won't pursue the matter of your theft.
I believe you'll make the right choice."
Wei Qiance spoke with a smile, confident of success.
Then he strode away with Wei Bohu.
Ning Chuan narrowed his eyes, withdrew his gaze, and said to Lu Zhan, "Uncle Lu, sorry to trouble you to wait a little longer. All my things were confiscated, so I need to get them back."
Lu Zhan nodded. "I'll wait for you at the entrance."
"Young Master Ning, I'll take you there. This way, please!"
Captain Liu hurriedly stepped aside, forcing a fawning smile onto his face.
A few minutes later.
The property room.
Captain Liu held out the cloth bag with both hands and respectfully offered it to Ning Chuan. "Please check it!"
Ning Chuan looked through it. Nothing was missing, but he said, "Half of it is gone."
Captain Liu and the young officer were instantly drenched in cold sweat.
They had inventoried the contents of the cloth bag. They were worth two or three million, far more than they could afford to repay!
Unless they sold their organs on the black market.
Smack!
Captain Liu quickly slapped himself across the face.
He did it so hard that five blood-red finger marks instantly appeared.
Then he bowed deeply. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have mouthed off. Please spare me!"
Quite a few colleagues nearby heard the commotion and looked over.
Captain Liu caught sight of them from the corner of his eye, his face flushing red with shame, but he still did not straighten up.
He could not afford to offend someone who could bring Lu Zhan out in person.
The Wei Financial Group only gave him a little money now and then. It certainly would not offend Lu Zhan for his sake.
Ning Chuan glanced at Captain Liu and ignored him, opening his phone to check it.
The recording was still there.
Ning Chuan felt a faint sense of relief.
The reason he had not used the recording to refute the Wei father and son in the detention room
was that he had worried they would secretly contact the police and have his phone destroyed.
Of course, more importantly,
he wanted to strike hard from the shadows.
"Didn't you say you'd change your surname if I made bail? Go on, then."
After leaving Captain Liu hanging for a while, Ning Chuan strode away.
The man had not really done much to him, merely taken a few verbal jabs. A lesson was enough.
"Yes! I'll ask for leave and go to the civil affairs office right away!"