The sudden scream quieted the open-air food stall, and everyone turned their heads towards the direction of the sound.
In a corner, there was a little girl eating, probably just over ten years old.
She curled up on her seat, covering her shoulder strap with her hand, looking fearfully at the young man passing by.
The young man, wearing a floral shirt, with his sun-darkened skin, seemed to be a local of Saint Rivelan, displaying an innocent look.
"Excuse me! Excuse me!" Not far away, a man hurriedly rushed back after hearing the scream.
He gathered the frightened little girl into his arms, asking with concern, "Pomelo, whatâs wrong?"
The little girl called "Pomelo" looked fearfully at the young man beside her, saying, "Dad, he pulled my shoulder strap..."
The man was angry after hearing this and pointed at the young man, questioning, "Why did you touch my daughter?"
Judging by the young manâs slouch and hands in pockets, he appeared to be a loafer. He glared and said, "I warn you, loser, donât frame me, or Iâll sue you for libel."
With that, he was about to leave.
"Donât you leave!" The man pulled the young man, "Why did you pull my daughterâs shoulder strap? Are you a pervert? Sheâs only ten years old! Youâre not going anywhere!"
From his wandering eyes, it was clear the young man was somewhat guilty, yet he continued his thug-like attitude: "Who touched her? Did anyone see it?"
The man looked around at the customers, hoping someone would step forward to help him.
But since the food stall was dimly lit, everyone was focused on eating and enjoying the sea breeze; no one saw what happened, and they all shook their heads.
Facing the young manâs provocative gaze, the man said harshly, "Donât you move, Iâm calling the police!"
The man called the Saint Rivelan Public Security Bureau, and since there was a security point at the beach, a sheriff arrived within minutes.
The sheriff walked into the food stall and asked, "Who called the report?"
The man protected Pomelo, saying to the sheriff, "I did, this guy next to me pulled my daughterâs shoulder strap, heâs a pervert!"
The sheriff clicked his tongue, his tone unfriendly: "You, calling the police over a shoulder strap pull? Think weâre that idle?"
As he said this, at the security point a hundred meters away, a few sheriffs with nothing to do were cracking sunflower seeds and swiping short videos in the pavilion.
The man didnât expect such a response and said unwillingly, "This is molestation! Why canât I report it?"
The sheriff didnât bother to argue, impatiently pulling out a notebook: "Name? Where are you from? What do you do? What are you doing here?"
The man answered truthfully, "Iâm Chen Hao, from New Moon City, a taxi driver, and part-time food delivery. My daughter is on winter break, so I brought her to Saint Rivelan for vacation."
Upon hearing he was from New Moon City, the sheriff showed obvious signs of disdain.
Although New Moon City is a megacity vastly larger than Saint Rivelan, itâs infamously notorious throughout the entire World Government Territory.
An oppressive living environment, backward happiness index, an absurdly high crime rate, mercenaries, hooligans, and other illegals are everywhere... In many peopleâs eyes, New Moon City is a cesspit under a shiny façade.
Upon learning Chen Hao is a taxi driver and part-time deliveryman, the bottom of the cesspit, the sheriff immediately put on an unfriendly face.
The sheriff looked at the young man, "Whatâs your situation?"
The young man, full of swagger, said, "Officer, Iâm local, came here to swim and eat. I just wanted to order food, and this girl suddenly screamed, saying I pulled her shoulder strap. Iâm innocent! Donât believe me? Ask if anyone saw it."
Pomelo, feeling wronged, burst into tears, "Itâs him, Iâm not lying..."
Chen Hao was also indignant, "My daughter wouldnât make this up!"
"Whether itâs made up or not isnât decided by you, itâs what the evidence says. Without evidence, anything you say is nonsense." The sheriffâs attitude visibly improved towards the local, telling the young man, "Itâs fine, you can go."
The young man was extremely proud, glanced provocatively at Chen Hao, and turned to leave.
"You... you canât leave!" Chen Hao blocked the young man, angrily questioning the sheriff, "Even if you donât believe us, this place must have surveillance, you can check it, why let him go without checking?"
Angry, the young man pushed Chen Hao away, a nearby table was toppled, with various bottles and plates smashing to the floor.
He pointed at Chen Haoâs nose, angrily scolding, "Stinky New Moon City guy, came to Saint Rivelan to beg, what are you being arrogant for?!"
"Dad!" Seeing Chen Hao being hit, Pomelo ran over crying.
The young man intentionally tripped Pomelo, causing her to fall into the broken glass with a thud, her palms getting several cuts, full of blood as she curled up crying loudly.
"Pomelo!!!" Seeing his daughterâs blood, Chen Haoâs eyes reddened, losing his mind, he lunged at the young man, "Iâll fight you to the end!"
The sheriff immediately drew his rubber baton at the sight, beating Chen Hao harshly.
"Thump! Thump! Thump!" Several blows landed on Chen Haoâs head, his body, long lacking exercise, couldnât withstand it and he was knocked to the ground.
"Damn you, causing trouble in front of a sheriff? You deserve to be detained." The sheriff pressed Chen Haoâs neck with his knee, taking out his communicator, saying, "Haiquan Dapaidang, weâve got a troublemaker here, everyone come over."
The few sheriffs playing with their phones at the security point quickly arrived on the scene to cuff Chen Hao.
Chen Hao struggled to breathe under the knee, instinctively struggling, the leading sheriff immediately shouted, "Still resisting arrest? Take him down!"
The sheriffs all pulled out their batons, treating Chen Hao as if dealing with a vicious criminal, taking turns beating him.
The scene was chaotic, Chen Hao was on the ground wailing, the young man sneered beside him, the young Pomelo cried loudly, and none of the surrounding customers were willing to stand up for the "stinky New Moon City guy."