Chapter 8: Insufficient Authority

Lin Xiao’s eyebrows knit together slightly as he looked up, noticing a team of police officers had arrived.

Yongnan District might be known for its disorder, and the location of Lin Xiao’s skirmish was relatively secluded. But making such a loud commotion naturally attracted attention, prompting someone to call the police.

About a dozen officers encircled Lin Xiao and the other men, keeping a vigilant watch on him. Leading them was a tall policewoman, her body language emanating an air of striking boldness.

As the policewoman moved, her long, toned legs, her dynamic persona, and her full figure drew everyone’s attention. Even Lin Xiao, no stranger to beautiful women, found himself slightly entranced.

Su Mengjia briefly surveyed the thugs wailing on the ground before turning her startled gaze towards Lin Xiao, seemingly categorizing him as a potential threat.

Seeing the policewoman’s intense gaze, Lin Xiao quickly realized they had misunderstood the situation and took the initiative to explain.

Officer, I’m just a passerby. This group showed up out of nowhere and tried to rob me. I had no choice but to defend myself,” he said calmly.

“Let’s take this to the station and record your statement there. The police won’t penalize the innocent, nor let the guilty one escape.” Su Mengjia didn’t let her guard down as she signaled to her team, “Take them all away.”

Surrounded by officers, Lin Xiao said nothing more and quietly allowed himself to be escorted into the police car.

***

At the Criminal Investigation Department in Jinghai City’s Yongnan District, Lin Xiao was led by several officers into an interrogation room encased by steel bars.

“Officer, I’ve already clarified everything in the car. Taking a statement doesn’t necessarily require an interrogation room, does it?” Lin Xiao asked, his eyebrows furrowing as he surveyed the stark interrogation room, its blinding white lights, and the solitary chair at its center, addressing his concerns to Su Mengjia.

With a resonating clang, Su Mengjia responded to Lin Xiao’s question by shutting the iron door.

She then settled into the interrogation chair and announced, “Enough with the chatter. Sit here obediently and answer my questions.”

“Are you certain there’s no mistake?” Lin Xiao asked. “You should have investigated the identities of that group by now. They’re just ruffians causing trouble. My actions were purely in self-defense.”

Su Mengjia recalled the pitiful state of the earlier thugs. She arched an eyebrow, scoffed, and retorted, “They provoked you? Self-defense? Keep spinning your tales. They might fool a child, but not me. Now, tell me your true identity and your purpose for being in Yongnan District.”

Su Mengjia’s gaze bore into Lin Xiao, clearly unconvinced by his words.

“Lying? Purpose? Officer, I think you’re mistaken. Don’t let your emotions cloud your judgment.” Lin Xiao felt slightly perplexed by the accusation.

Su Mengjia slapped the table abruptly, her eyes frosty as she glared at Lin Xiao and snapped, “Don’t think playing dumb will work here. I’ll have you know we already have information on you. It’d be in your best interest to come clean. Otherwise…”

“I have no idea what you’re implying,” Lin Xiao replied coolly, raising an eyebrow. “Officer, if you fail to provide a legitimate explanation, this matter won’t end here.”

“A legitimate explanation?”

Despite Lin Xiao’s firm stance, Su Mengjia remained composed. She smirked.

“According to the law, every citizen has an obligation to help in police investigations for a maximum of 24 hours. Is that explanation satisfactory?”

“…” Lin Xiao was somewhat taken aback. The buxom policewoman before him, while blessed with a voluptuous figure, was by no means lacking in brains. She knew how to employ rules efficiently.

“Name?” Su Mengjia, flipping open the interrogation record book, asked.

“Lin Xiao.”

“Age?”

“Twenty-two.”

“Sex?”

“Can’t you tell? Do you need to ask?” Lin Xiao said, somewhat flabbergasted.

“Do I have to remind you you’re in a police station? Answer whatever I ask. Sex?” Su Mengjia’s face turned stern, and her ample chest heaved as if riding tumultuous waves. They were indeed quite prominent.

“Male.” Lin Xiao’s gaze inadvertently drifted to Su Mengjia’s chest.

Su Mengjia noticed Lin Xiao’s gaze. Her face flushed, and her look toward Lin Xiao turned decidedly colder.

“Your occupation?”

This time, Lin Xiao kept silent.

“Occupation?” Su Mengjia repeated, her voice firmer, her gaze more challenging. But she noticed that the usual calm in Lin Xiao’s eyes had vanished, replaced by a palpable heaviness, a burden that seemed to cause pain. Yet it vanished as quickly as it appeared, almost as if it was an illusion.

“Unemployed.”

“I suggest you stop resisting and cooperate with the authorities. It’s in your best interest,” Su Mengjia retorted coldly.

“I’m not sure what you’re implying, officer. I’ve already explained everything,” Lin Xiao said with a hint of exasperation. He was puzzled by the unwavering scrutiny of the beautiful policewoman.

“You’re telling me that you, a single man who managed to take down a dozen weapon-wielding thugs, including a notorious figure from the Yongnan District, are unemployed? You expect me to believe that? Do you think I’m stupid?”

“As a matter of fact, yes,” Lin Xiao responded, pausing to seriously consider Su Mengjia’s question before nodding affirmatively.

Incensed by his nonchalant reply, Su Mengjia stood up abruptly, pointing an accusatory finger at him. “What did you just say?”

“What exactly does my employment status have to do with my ability to fight? Can’t a person practice martial arts from a young age?” Lin Xiao brushed aside her hostility and said calmly.

Silence engulfed Su Mengjia as she was rendered speechless by his logic. If it wasn’t for a piece of intelligence she had recently received, she wouldn’t have connected these dots. But with that intelligence in hand, Lin Xiao became the prime suspect in her eyes.

Regaining her composure, Su Mengjia warned Lin Xiao, “Don’t think you can talk your way out of this. If you choose not to speak up, we’ll still investigate.”

“Well, by all means, do your investigation,” Lin Xiao said nonchalantly.

Glaring at Lin Xiao, Su Mengjia made a phone call. Approximately ten minutes later, a knock was heard at the door. A male officer entered, holding a stack of documents.

“Captain,” he saluted Su Mengjia and handed her the documents with a peculiar expression. “Here are the documents you requested.”

Su Mengjia barely noticed his strange demeanor. She shot Lin Xiao a threatening glance, expecting to see a reaction, but his expression remained unchanged.

“Keep playing dumb. Let’s see how composed you’ll be after this,” she murmured.

She opened the documents, and her face dramatically changed from confidence to disbelief as she read what was written. Emblazoned across the page were two big words.

“Insufficient authority!”