"Can we go now?" asked Xian Hong.
"Let's go." Zhao Yuan nodded and got into the front passenger seat of Xian Hong's Jetta. Squeezed into the back seat were another police officer and the two Ji Family Brothers.
Seeing Zhao Yuan in the same car, the Ji Family Brothers couldn't help but tremble, terrified that Zhao Yuan would become displeased and torture them again.
Zhao Yuan rolled down the window and waved goodbye to the reluctant miners standing by the car. He didn't forget to add a final reminder, "Uncles, I'm leaving now. Remember to take the medicine I prescribed for you. Trust me, it's definitely effective!"
"Don't worry, we'll definitely take it!"
"I'll go get the medicine from the township clinic later. If they don't have everything, I'll go to the city! Don't you worry, kid. We'll be sure to take the medicine and not let your kindness go to waste!"
"Kid, when you have time, remember to come visit us in Jiantai Village. We'll be sure to treat you well!"
The miners all spoke at once, their words filled with deep gratitude.
Xian Hong drove the Jetta, leading the way. As he was the first to drive out of the Ji Family Coal Mine, the scene outside took even this worldly-wise old policeman by surprise.
The road was lined with people on both sides—men and women, old and young. Among them were not only villagers from Jiantai Village but also people who had just rushed over from several other nearby villages.
"What's going on?"
Xian Hong was stunned. None of these people had been here when they first arrived.
When the people on the roadside saw the police cars emerging from the Ji Family Coal Mine, they erupted with excitement.
"They're coming out! They're coming out!"
"The Ji Family Brothers are in the first car! I can see it clearly, their hands are cuffed! They've really been arrested!"
"Look, the thugs the Ji Family Brothers hired have been arrested too! They're in the cars behind!"
"The heavens have finally opened their eyes! Those bastards who did nothing but evil are finally getting what they deserve!"
It turned out that all these people were from Jiantai Village and the surrounding hamlets, all of them victims of the Ji Family Brothers. After hearing the news of the brothers' downfall, they had all rushed here to witness the moment the Ji Family Brothers were taken away.
The miners also came out at this time. Hearing the crowd's chatter, Li Qingbo pointed a big hand at Zhao Yuan and announced loudly, "What does this have to do with the heavens? It was all thanks to this kid, Zhao Yuan, that the Ji Family Brothers were taken down! Yes, that's him! The one in the passenger seat of the first car!"
As soon as he said this, all eyes on both sides of the road focused on Zhao Yuan.
"Benefactor!" an old woman sobbed, wiping away her tears as she thanked Zhao Yuan for avenging her son.
Her son's legs had been broken by the Ji Family Brothers' thugs for refusing to work at their coal mine. To this day, he still needed crutches to walk.
"Kid, thank you for ridding us of this plague! You are the great benefactor of our entire family!" A middle-aged woman dropped to her knees before Zhao Yuan.
Her husband had been a miner at the Ji Family Coal Mine. After he was injured on the job, not only did the Ji Family Brothers refuse to compensate them, but they also sent people to their home to extort money, demanding they pay for the mine's losses. The situation had driven her entire family to the point of preparing to eat rat poison. When she suddenly heard that the Ji Family Brothers and all their men had been arrested, she felt as if the clouds had parted to reveal the sun! She saw Zhao Yuan as their great savior.
More and more people rushed forward to express their gratitude to Zhao Yuan.
More and more people, overcome with emotion, knelt before Zhao Yuan with tears in their eyes.
Zhao Yuan got out of the car more than once, pleading with the crowd to rise and not to kneel. But each time, it only prompted more people to kneel!
Wish Power surged toward him like a tidal wave, drowning him. But more than the harvest, he was moved by their sincere gratitude!
This situation stretched on for about a mile or so.
It took Xian Hong's car a full half-hour to drive that short distance! Even after they had cleared the main crowd, many people were still chasing after the departing police cars, just to say 'thank you' to Zhao Yuan one more time!
"How does it feel?" Xian Hong asked while driving.
After a moment of silence, Zhao Yuan replied, "It's overwhelming. And very moving."
"Me too," Xian Hong said with emotion. "I've been a cop for so many years, but this is the first time I've ever seen anything like this! It just goes to show how much people hated the Ji Family Brothers!" As he spoke, he shot a harsh glare at the Ji Family Brothers in the rearview mirror.
「Two hours later.」
The car pulled into the police station, where everything was already on high alert.
The crimes committed by the Ji Family Brothers were too numerous and too severe. The city bureau had been alerted, and the police chief, Yuan Gang, had personally led a team to form a special task force. He was waiting right there at the station for Xian Hong's return.
Before the car had even come to a complete stop, Yuan Gang and a group of officers surrounded it.
"Chief, you came in person?" Xian Hong got out of the car, greeted the chief, and then introduced Zhao Yuan to him, detailing Zhao Yuan's crucial contributions to the case.
Yuan Gang grabbed Zhao Yuan's hand and shook it vigorously, saying with a smile, "Zhao Yuan, I've heard so much about you, and now I finally get to meet you in person! The stories of you helping Lu Qing catch drug traffickers and single-handedly arresting the Class-A wanted criminal Yan Hong have already spread throughout the force! I never thought you'd be capturing a group of such utterly depraved criminals today. A young hero indeed!"
"You're too kind, Chief. I just got lucky," Zhao Yuan replied. His poised and humble demeanor made Yuan Gang even more certain that he was no ordinary person.
The Ji Family Brothers and their thugs were quickly escorted into the interrogation rooms. Xian Hong produced their written confessions. With these confessions in hand, the police's interrogation work would undoubtedly be much easier.
Once the handover was complete, Xian Hong said, "Chief, I promised Zhao Yuan I'd take him to the hospital to see Lu Qing. If you don't mind..."
"Go on." Yuan Gang waved his hand.
Xian Hong happily agreed, immediately starting his Jetta and driving away from the station with Zhao Yuan.
「Twenty-some minutes later.」
They arrived at Lu Qing's hospital. Xian Hong parked the car, and the two went straight up to the surgical ward.
As soon as they entered the room, they saw Lu Qing packing his things, with a middle-aged woman helping him.
Xian Hong called out, "Lu Qing, all packed up already? Hey, look who's here."
Lu Qing turned around and saw Zhao Yuan. A surprised smile instantly spread across his handsome face. "Zhao Yuan? What are you doing here?"
Zhao Yuan replied, "I heard you were being discharged today, so I came to see you. And to bring you some medicine."
"Medicine? What medicine?" Lu Qing was taken aback.
"The kind that won't leave a single scar, of course," Zhao Yuan said with a smile.