Chapter 116: He Truly Does Not Understand

“Shut up! If you dare to cause any more trouble, you will be treated as obstructing law enforcement and taken away immediately!”

“Yes, sir!”

At Director Zhou’s sudden sharp command, several officers on the scene responded instantly, their voices even louder and more decisive than Officer Yan’s earlier.

A director of such stature would never come alone. Moreover, he was here to resolve the issue!

With a rustling sound, three officers accompanying Director Zhou stepped directly beside Old Zhang. Their posture clearly warned: dare to cry out again, and you’ll be taken away on the spot! Did you really mistake this place for a stage to air your grievances?

Director Zhou was familiar with Wu Ya, but only enough to exchange greetings. Every word he spoke now was part of the investigation into tonight’s incident. Any act of defiance was unquestionably interference with the investigation.

“I—” Old Zhang, seeing the imposing trio beside her, was suddenly shocked. A gulp rose in her throat before she clamped her lips tightly shut, her sausage-like mouth pressed into a tight line, almost laughable.

“Heh…” Director Zhou then turned his gaze back to Officer Yan, who had regained his composure. Since the decision was made, there was no need to panic. After all, Wu Ya had initiated the assault and thus violated public order—this was indisputable. Moreover, organizing his family to resist law enforcement violently was also certain. Therefore, taking Wu Ya into custody was undeniable. As for the dealings with Old Zhang and other community officers, those were minor flaws compared to the bigger picture. They wouldn’t confess unless he spoke up; after all, they depended on him for their livelihood.

But Officer Yan had underestimated the situation.

“Officer Yan is a fair and just policeman? So just, indeed! Officer Yan, let me ask you: when Wu Ya violently resisted investigation, whose investigation was he resisting? And who gave anyone the authority to arbitrarily investigate Wu Ya? Furthermore, where did the incident of Wu Ya assaulting someone occur? Why did it happen?” Director Zhou’s tone suddenly hardened, the severity causing Officer Yan to break out into a cold sweat once more. He realized he had been careless.

Wu Ya, as an ordinary citizen, although young, had his rights. Unless it was law enforcement with sufficient evidence, no one had the right to investigate him—not even community officers. To do so was illegal.

Secondly, the place where Wu Ya assaulted Old Zhang was at home. The cause? An investigation. But Old Zhang was merely a community officer, possessing no law enforcement authority. Yet she had barged into someone’s home late at night with others, threatening to investigate. That alone was illegal. If Wu Ya hit her, it was self-defense. Not to mention she trespassed with ill intent.

“But… but he shouldn’t have organized his family to resist law enforcement, right? That was after I arrived—they were still trying to act! Especially his father, who even threatened to break anyone’s leg who dared touch his son! That’s blatant intimidation of law enforcement!” Officer Yan’s attempts to pin all blame on Wu Ya were crushed by the law he himself knew. What could he do now? Without a reason to absolve himself, it would be a serious dereliction of duty.

In desperation, Officer Yan recalled Wu Wanli’s attitude. Just that statement was enough to prove a tendency toward violent resistance, and that action had already been taken. But—

“Heh, Officer Yan, you are really quick to accuse without cause!” Wu Ya, who had been silent, suddenly sneered.

“What? Don’t you think I’m right? Threatening to break the legs of law enforcers—what audacity! I could accuse you of intimidating officers and obstructing official duties!” Faced with Wu Ya’s provocation, Officer Yan grew more righteous, thinking he finally had a legitimate excuse. Even if Director Zhou was connected with this kid, he couldn’t ignore the law and punish him, right? But again, he was mistaken.

“Hahaha! Officer Yan, you’re supposed to be in charge of our precinct’s security! Don’t you even know my age? A minor should be under parental protection, shouldn’t he? You enforce the law so arbitrarily, arresting people without cause, and don’t allow citizens to resist? What’s the difference between you and bandits?” The word “minor” had appeared countless times tonight.

Officer Yan was stunned. This kid was a minor? But he didn’t seem like one! His appearance was youthful, but his speech and actions were sharp, worldly, calm, and experienced. He always left himself an out while setting traps for others. Otherwise, why would Officer Yan be so helpless now?

But if this kid really was a minor, all of Officer Yan’s frantic reasoning was for nothing. Moreover, Wu Wanli not only had the right to protect his son, but Officer Yan’s brutal enforcement was truly unjust.

“That can’t be! You’ve already graduated high school—how can you still be a minor?” Officer Yan quickly retorted.

“Heh, you’re right—I did graduate high school. But sorry, my birthday’s late in the year. I won’t be eighteen for another three months!”

Three months! The kid’s birthday was at the end of the year!

Boom! Officer Yan felt as if his head had been struck by a heavy object. A dizzy spell nearly made him collapse.

Dereliction of duty. Serious dereliction.

Everything Officer Yan did tonight seemed justified but was in fact without legal basis due to his failure to understand Wu Ya’s full situation. Worse, he had even broken the law in places.

Who could have expected that a seemingly straightforward case under his control would attract Director Zhou himself? And that the whole affair would spiral beyond his control, entangling himself as well?

Sweating profusely, eyes full of anxiety and confusion, Officer Yan’s mind raced, desperately seeking a way to escape blame.

Suddenly, his gaze fixed on Wu Ya.

The one who tied the knot must untie it.

“Um… Wu Ya, everything that happened tonight was due to my negligence and insufficient investigation. It almost caused a misunderstanding that wronged and humiliated you. Here, I express my apologies and give you my assurance: we will strictly deal with anyone abusing official power and will not tolerate such behavior!” His words were sincere, apologetic, and full of promise.

Mercy where possible.

No matter what, he was still the precinct’s security officer. If Wu Ya was sensible, he should take this as a way out.

But at that moment, Old Zhang’s face shifted from flushed purple to sickly green. She had been too frightened by Director Zhou’s reprimand to speak, standing silently with drool at the corner of her mouth and eyes swollen like tiny slits, watching the exchange with her head tilted.

Yet Officer Yan suddenly shifted his tone, threatening to seriously punish those who abused official power. Who was he referring to? Obviously himself!

Passing the blame.

This bastard was trying to scapegoat and save face!

Outrageous.

Old Zhang would never take the fall for him.

As the saying goes, don’t have pig teammates when you want godlike opponents. Old Zhang was clearly a pig teammate.

No matter what Officer Yan said now, his only goal was to send Director Zhou away. If Wu Ya calmed down, Zhou wouldn’t pursue the matter, and all would be well.

But Old Zhang refused.

“Officer Yan, are you targeting me with those words? Don’t forget, we have intertwined interests! If you don’t want me to have it easy, then I might as well go all out and burn everything down!” One sentence shattered the calm on Director Zhou’s face, now clouded with a stormy expression.

Intertwined interests?

In just this district, there was a community officer bold enough to say that. There were fifteen community officers under Officer Yan’s jurisdiction. How deep was the corruption?

Considering this, could Director Zhou’s worst fears be true? Was the Fenghuangling precinct rotten to the core?

“Shut up!” Officer Yan shuddered at the command. A cold gaze pierced Old Zhang’s heart.

This fool.

He had wracked his brain to smooth things over. Even if he couldn’t completely quell Wu Ya’s anger, he could at least avoid being severely reprimanded.

But her words made things worse—not only risking his job and legal consequences but also prison. Old Zhang wouldn’t escape either. She had long abused her position, with neighbors too afraid to speak out. But if he fell, how many would step forward to expose her?

A complete mess.

Officer Yan wanted nothing more than to strike her down.

Yet—

“Hmph! You think I’ll shut up just because you say so? Officer Yan, as I said, if you try to pin this on me, I’m ready to go all the way with you!” Old Zhang, oblivious to the severity, thought Officer Yan was just trying to scare her, which only made her more brazen.

“What the hell is this?” Wu Ya glanced at her, his fury instantly deflated. Why argue with a fool? That would only lower his own IQ. Let’s just pretend all this was the act of an imbecile. That way, he could stay calm.

Meanwhile, from afar, Wu Ya’s parents, held back by Liu Qian and unable to approach, grew even more anxious, puzzled by the arrival of so many police officers.

“Dad, why are there so many cops again?”

“No idea. Do you think Ya’er is in more danger now?”

Their eyes darkened as Director Zhou appeared.

But Liu Qian suddenly smiled.

“Hehe, Uncle, Auntie, rest assured! Wu Ya won’t be harmed. As he said, he will bring those people to justice and dismantle the Little Feet Detective Squad entirely!”

Bring those people to justice? Dismantle the Little Feet Detective Squad? Was she insane?

The couple almost simultaneously turned to Liu Qian, whose expression was resolute, her earlier worry replaced by a radiant smile.

Could it be… true? Could their son really have the power to take down those people?

But on what basis? Just the police cars that just showed up?

But those were police cars! They were a real force!

Questions flooded the old couple’s minds.

Yet nearby, the situation abruptly changed.

“Officer Yan, it seems the one who needs to be taken away is you!” Director Zhou’s patience snapped.

The dog-eat-dog feud involving Old Zhang had escalated into a serious problem. What were they waiting for? The cleanup of Fenghuangling precinct would start with Officer Yan.

“Take him away! The other officers return to the station and stand by! Without my order, no one is to respond to calls or leave the station!”

Director Zhou’s lockdown order was swiftly relayed to the other officers accompanying Yan.

“Yes, sir!” They obeyed promptly, running off to pass on the instructions.

“I refuse!” Suddenly, a desperate Officer Yan shouted, breaking free from several officers who had twisted his arms behind his back, his eyes bloodshot as he stared at Director Zhou.

“You refuse? Why?” Director Zhou was unhurried now, amused.

Refuse? Fine. He would make him accept it one way or another.

“Hmph! Zhou, what exactly is your relationship with Wu Ya? If you can’t explain, I will suspect you’re abusing power for personal revenge! I will appeal and accuse you of using your office to settle scores!”

Facing inevitable ruin, Officer Yan had lost all respect in addressing Director Zhou. But even in despair, he wanted to go down fighting.

Wu Ya, once a poor child, had suddenly become wealthy. Now he even had ties to the director himself.

He just didn’t understand.

“Heh, you want to know? Fine, I’ll let you and everyone else know the truth!” Director Zhou smiled faintly, his gaze shifting toward Wu Ya.