Chapter 142: Admission of Guilt

As Le Fangyun and Zhao Cheng were quietly whispering amongst themselves,

“Lin Xiao, don’t worry. While there are bad apples within the police force, we won’t wrongly accuse an innocent person. I’ll resolve today’s matter for you and ensure the guilty parties face the law,” said Su Mengjia, who stood nearby.

Her demeanor instantly changed, her prior smile evaporated as she shot a cold gaze at Zhao Cheng, “Captain Zhao, anything else you’d like to add?”

Hearing Su Mengjia’s statement, Lin Xiao maintained a calm exterior, though he held little hope internally. It might be easy to punish Zhao Cheng, but implicating Le Fangyun, the true instigator, would be challenging.

Despite the hushed tones Le Fangyun and Zhao Cheng used, so quiet that no one else heard them, Lin Xiao caught every word, thanks to his acute hearing.

Even so, if Zhao Cheng chose to bear all the blame alone, Lin Xiao would be powerless to stop it.

Zhao Cheng understood that had his actions gone unexamined, he might have escaped scrutiny. However, he had been exposed by none other than Su Mengjia, a rising star in Jinghai City and a woman with even more influence and a brighter future than himself.

Seeing no other way out and relying solely on Le Fangyun’s influence, Zhao Cheng openly confessed his guilt.

“Captain Su, I acknowledge my mistake. In this affair, the responsibility is mine alone, unrelated to anyone else. I’m willing to accept the police department’s investigation.”

“Is that so?” Su Mengjia knew very well that Le Fangyun, standing swollen-faced next to her, was the instigator. She pointed at him and questioned, “What about him?”

“He? Just a bystander,” Zhao Cheng replied, glancing nervously at Le Fangyun who stared intently back at him, “This matter has nothing to do with him.”

Le Fangyun breathed a sigh of relief. However, Su Mengjia became visibly furious, her expression icy as she pressed, “Are you certain?”

Unwavering, Zhao Cheng responded, “Captain Su, let’s not use this as a pretext to hassle others. I, too, am part of the police force and understand its regulations. Deliberate misdirection violates departmental rules.”

“Very… very good, isn’t it?” Su Mengjia said, her laughter tinged with exasperation as she looked at Zhao Cheng.

Zhao Cheng, however, was uncharacteristically calm, meeting Su Mengjia’s gaze without a hint of guilt. He understood that since he had already assumed full responsibility, he would face suspension at the very least, according to the police department’s regulations.

His only glimmer of hope now lay in Le Fangyun’s influential background.

Witnessing Zhao Cheng’s resolve to take all the blame upon himself, especially considering he was the captain of the public security team and fully aware of departmental regulations, Su Mengjia found the situation to be rather challenging.

If Zhao Cheng were to shoulder all the responsibility for this incident, she genuinely wouldn’t have any evidence to charge Le Fangyun.

“Captain Su…”

At that moment, Lin Xiao, who was nearby, looked at the stone-faced Su Mengjia and started to speak. He had initially intended to call her Captain Su, but upon noticing her irritated expression, he quickly corrected himself, “Mengjia, don’t stress over it.”

Hearing Lin Xiao’s words, Su Mengjia felt increasingly remorseful, although she was at a loss for how to proceed. She looked at Lin Xiao, helpless, and said, “I’m sorry.”

“No worries,” Lin Xiao shook his head, signaling that he bore no grudges.

For Lin Xiao, even if Le Fangyun managed to slip away this time, it would make no difference. Whenever he wanted, he could make Le Fangyun regret ever crossing his path.

Relieved to see Lin Xiao didn’t mind, Su Mengjia took a moment to compose herself. Then, casting a cold glance at Zhao Cheng, she took out her phone and dialed a number.

Although it was clear Zhao Cheng was guilty, she was not from the central district’s police division. Hence, she needed to consult their leadership on this matter.

Shortly, Su Mengjia spoke briefly on the phone. After ending the call, she turned to Zhao Cheng and said, “Captain Zhao, I’ve just discussed your situation with Director Wang from the central district division. He’ll be arriving shortly, so I expect your full cooperation.”

After saying this, she turned to the young police officer who had escorted her and ordered, “Take Captain Zhao to the police station’s interrogation room for questioning.”

“Yes, Captain Su.”

Zhao Cheng, expecting this outcome, walked out of the interrogation room with an air of calm. Before leaving, he stole a glance at Le Fangyun.

However, Le Fangyun was too caught up in celebrating his narrow escape to pay any attention to Zhao Cheng, who had essentially become a disposable scapegoat.

A sudden sense of foreboding filled Zhao Cheng as he noticed Le Fangyun’s disregard, but he quickly pushed that thought aside.

“Young Master Le will surely save me. Given his background, this whole situation is just a minor hiccup. No need to overthink it,” Zhao Cheng reassured himself.

Once Zhao Cheng had left, Su Mengjia’s gaze turned to Le Fangyun, whose face was swollen and bruised, yet oddly relieved. Her expression soured immediately. Without concrete evidence, she couldn’t arrest anyone arbitrarily, but she couldn’t suppress her inner anger any longer. Angrily, she snapped, “What are you still doing here? This is an interrogation room, not a public space. Leave immediately.”

“You…”

Anger surged within Le Fangyun, but he restrained himself, not daring to create a scene inside the police station. Fuming, he left the premises.

Once outside, he couldn’t contain his anger any longer and roared into the sky, “Lin Xiao, you got lucky this time. But mark my words, next time you won’t have a place to be buried.”

From Le Fangyun’s perspective, Lin Xiao’s luck had to do with encountering Su Mengjia, someone he knew. Had she not interfered, Lin Xiao would probably already be beyond saving.

What Le Fangyun didn’t realize was that even if Su Mengjia hadn’t shown up, it was they who would be worse off, not Lin Xiao.

When the Night Emperor is angered, the aftermath is a field of corpses.

In some sense, Su Mengjia had saved Le Fangyun’s life.

Just then, his phone buzzed. Le Fangyun glanced at the caller ID, and his expression shifted instantly. The arrogance vanished, replaced by sudden reverence. Without hesitation, he answered, his tone unusually respectful.

“Hello, Uncle Le. What can I do for you?”

A stern voice emanated from the other end of the phone. “I’ve heard rumors of an underground car race at Panlong Mountain recently. Were you involved?”

“Absolutely not, Uncle Le,” Le Fangyun quickly denied, his forehead breaking out in a cold sweat despite the chill in the air.

“Good to hear. You’re well aware of the Le family’s principles. Though you’re a distant relative, should I discover you’re exploiting my name for personal gain, don’t expect any leniency.”

“Understood, Uncle Le. I won’t do anything reckless, I promise.”

Le Fangyun sighed in relief after hanging up, as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders.

***

Meanwhile, in a secure and grand estate, a dignified middle-aged man sat on a sofa. Beside him was an attractive, mature woman.

Placing the phone down, the man turned to the woman and said, “Sister, I’ve just spoken to him. He denies being involved. You can rest easy now.”

“I still find Le Fangyun untrustworthy,” the mature woman replied, brushing her hair away from her forehead. “I’m just cautioning you. Given your sensitive position, both your reputation and that of the Le family must remain untarnished.”

If Lin Xiao were here, he’d recognize the mature woman as Le Zhenglan, someone he knew.

“Don’t worry, sister. I have everything under control. After all, he’s a distant relative and his parents have been quite supportive when I assumed this role,” the middle-aged man reassured her.

“That’s reassuring. Now that you’ve recovered, when do you plan to thank the person who saved your life?” Le Zhenglan asked, smiling.

“I’ve been swamped recently, but things should ease up in a few days. How about you call to invite him then?”

“Sounds like a plan. It’s been a while since I last saw him.”

Le Zhenglan thought back to her brief interactions with Lin Xiao, who had left an indelible impression on her.