Xiao Zhang turned his gaze to Chu Jiang and looked him up and down.
“Hello, I’m Xiao Zhang.”
He reached out and shook Chu Jiang’s hand through the glass.
“Hello. I look forward to working with you.”
Chu Jiang smiled as he replied, his voice clear and strong.
“Come on, Little Chu. Give me your ID.”
Xiong He turned to Chu Jiang.
Chu Jiang took his ID from his pocket and handed it to Xiong He.
Xiong He took the ID, turned, and passed it to Xiao Zhang.
“Xiao Zhang, get Little Chu’s hiring paperwork done first. We’ll deal with the rest in a bit.”
“Sure thing.”
Xiao Zhang took the ID and began entering information on the computer.
“Name?”
“Chu Jiang.”
“Age?”
“Twenty-one.”
“Place of origin?”
“Linjiang District, Jiangzhou City.”
As he asked the questions, Xiao Zhang entered Chu Jiang’s basic information into the system.
The crowd in the lobby was still bustling.
Some people waited anxiously for their numbers to be called, some chatted quietly, and others kept scrolling on their phones to pass the time.
Chu Jiang stood to one side, silently watching Xiao Zhang work.
Xiao Zhang typed with practiced ease, lines of information flashing across the screen.
Suddenly, a shrill alarm exploded in Chu Jiang’s mind!
“Beep, beep, beep—”
He was the only one who could hear it.
It was the Crime Radar!
Chu Jiang’s mind raced as information from the Crime Radar flooded into his head.
【Name: Wang Ji, 35 years old. Crimes: intentional murder, robbery…】
【He went on a killing spree in Heshan Province, murdering 13 people. The police have issued a wanted notice for him, classifying him as an A-Level Wanted Criminal!】
Chu Jiang’s heart jolted, and his gaze instantly sharpened.
He quickly scanned the area, trying to locate the source of the alarm.
People streamed in and out of the lobby, each face telling a different story.
Keeping his expression neutral, he continued to watch the crowd. The radar whirled rapidly in his mind, scanning everyone who passed by.
“Beep, beep, beep—”
The alarm grew more and more urgent.
A red dot suddenly appeared on the radar.
It pointed straight to Window 3!
Chu Jiang’s heart began pounding. Without drawing attention to himself, he watched the people gathered at Window 3, then fixed his gaze on a broad-shouldered man.
The man wore a black jacket and a baseball cap pulled so low it hid nearly half his face.
His back was turned to Chu Jiang, and he seemed to be taking care of some paperwork.
It was Wang Ji!
Chu Jiang’s pupils contracted. A surge of anger rose within him.
That murderous psychopath had actually dared to come to a police station!
It was an open challenge to the police!
He was trampling on the dignity of the law without the slightest restraint!
Chu Jiang rose and quietly moved toward Window 3.
His eyes never left the man in the black jacket.
“Instructor Xiong, what’s…”
Xiao Zhang watched Chu Jiang and frowned in confusion, unsure what he was doing.
Xiong He frowned too, watching Chu Jiang’s back with a puzzled look.
……
Wang Ji stood at Window 3, leaning forward slightly as he passed a temporary ID through the window.
His heart was beating fast, but he did his best to keep his face calm.
“Name?”
A staff member’s voice came from inside the window.
“Zhang San.”
Wang Ji answered in a low voice, without a hint of a flaw.
It was a fake identity he had prepared with care.
“Age?”
“Thirty.”
The staff member typed on the computer, checking the information.
Wang Ji glanced around the lobby. People were sitting or standing, anxious or bored, and no one seemed to have noticed him.
A hint of smugness crossed his mind.
A bunch of fools, he thought with scorn.
He was an A-Level Wanted Criminal, yet he had strolled right into the police station and applied for an ID right under their noses. And they hadn’t noticed a thing!
What a joke!
In just a few minutes, he’d have his new ID and could leave the shadow of his past behind for good and start a new life.
At the thought, the corners of Wang Ji’s mouth lifted slightly.
Just then, someone approached without a sound.
Chu Jiang!
Holding his breath, he moved closer to his target with light, measured steps.
Not a single one of Wang Ji’s subtle movements escaped him.
He could sense Wang Ji’s nervousness, as well as the arrogance concealed beneath his calm exterior.
This murderous fiend would pay for what he’d done today!
Chu Jiang’s gaze grew colder, while the blood in his body began to boil.
He was now right behind Wang Ji, so close he could even smell the faint tang of sweat on him.
The moment had come!
Chu Jiang lunged forward and whipped out his right leg!
“Thud!”
His kick struck the back of Wang Ji’s knee.
Caught completely off guard, Wang Ji instantly lost his balance and pitched forward.
Chu Jiang followed him down, clamped both hands around Wang Ji’s wrists, and slammed him to the floor.
“Don’t move! Police!”
Chu Jiang’s shout echoed through the lobby.
Wang Ji struggled desperately, trying to fight back, but Chu Jiang was so strong that he couldn’t move at all.
The sudden scene left everyone stunned.
The lobby fell silent, every eye fixed on the two of them.
Xiao Zhang and Xiong He were stunned too. They had never expected Chu Jiang to suddenly attack someone who was in the middle of handling paperwork.
Wang Ji’s expression suddenly darkened.
Had he been found out?
Impossible!
He was an A-Level Wanted Criminal with nerves of steel.
How could he have been discovered so easily?
It had to be a mistake!
Chu Jiang had him pinned firmly beneath him, leaving him unable to move.
“You… What are you doing? Let me go!”
Wang Ji shouted, trying to wrench himself free of Chu Jiang’s grip, but his voice lacked conviction.
“I’m an honest citizen! What gives you police the right to arrest me?”
“Are there no laws left in broad daylight?”
He struggled and yelled, trying to draw the attention of the people around him.
“The police are beating me! Help!”
“They’re beating people at the police station! Is there no justice?”
“Is nobody going to do anything?”
He feigned calm, raising his voice slightly.
He was trying to conceal his panic while discreetly watching those around him.
He was taking a gamble.
Gambling on how the crowd would react.
If he really had been exposed, then he had no choice but to fight to the death.
His eyes darted around, watching every person. Not a single movement escaped him.
His muscles were taut, like a bow drawn to its limit.
He was about to explode at any moment.
If he fell into police hands, his life would be ruined.
Maybe he might as well…
Take his chances!
There might still be a sliver of hope.
The crowd’s eyes all turned toward Chu Jiang and Wang Ji.
Then a buzz of discussion surged through the lobby like a rising tide.
“What’s going on? Why are they beating someone at the police station?”
“I don’t know. That young man looks pretty honest. What if they’ve got the wrong person?”
“Who knows? He doesn’t look like a bad guy…”
“Are police officers this violent these days?”
“Ah, the world’s gone to the dogs…”