The middle-aged man who had lost the money finally caught up, panting heavily. Seeing the subdued robber and the briefcase lying not far away, he rushed over, picked up the briefcase, and clutched it tightly to his chest.
He bowed repeatedly to Lu Zhiyan, his voice trembling with emotion. “Thank you!”
“Thank you, comrade soldier!”
“I’m so grateful!”
“If it weren’t for you, how could I ever explain this to the factory?”
“This is over five thousand yuan of public funds!”
“Even if I gave my life, I couldn’t repay it!”
Lu Zhiyan held down the still-struggling, groaning robber with one hand and nodded to the middle-aged man. “Uncle, check if any money is missing.”
“If any is missing, report it to the police station.”
“Yes! Yes!”
The middle-aged man hurriedly opened the briefcase to check, and his expression immediately relaxed. “Nothing’s missing! Not a single note is gone! I’ll go report it to the police station right away!”
Lu Zhiyan maintained his subduing posture, motionless, his figure as straight and firm as a pine tree, not even a drop of sweat on his forehead.
His calm and resolute demeanor stood in stark contrast to the disheveled robber on the ground.
Ji Nanxi stood at the entrance of the restaurant, surrounded by a crowd whose gazes were filled with admiration for Lu Zhiyan. When facing the violent criminal, he had acted without a moment’s hesitation.
Lu Zhiyan’s bravery and reliability filled Ji Nanxi with joy. This was the soldier of China!
Just like the soldiers of her 22nd-century Zhonghua Nation, they were all admirable people!
Soon, two comrades in public security uniforms came running over. With the middle-aged man’s report, they thanked Lu Zhiyan while handcuffing the robber.
As the robber was hauled to his feet, he glared fiercely at Lu Zhiyan. “You damn outsider! Just you wait!”
His words immediately drew a low rebuke from one of the younger comrades. “Shut up! If you keep talking nonsense, don’t blame me for not giving your uncle any face!”
Lu Zhiyan raised an eyebrow, brushed off nonexistent dust from his military uniform, and looked at the arrogant robber, retorting, “If you want to die, go ahead and try.”
“Don’t think your uncle can protect you. Within three days, do you believe the uncle you’re talking about will be brought down?”
The robber’s face flushed red with anger, his neck stiffening. “What the hell are you talking about?”
The robber strained his neck, the flesh on his face trembling with rage as he shouted recklessly, “Do you even know who my uncle is?”
“Luo Yonggui, the director of the Ya County Supply and Marketing Cooperative, is my own uncle!”
“How dare you mess with me? My uncle won’t let you off!”
Lu Zhiyan’s eyes suddenly darkened. Luo Yonggui, the director of the Ya County Supply and Marketing Cooperative?
A mere supply and marketing cooperative director, and his nephew could run amok in the county, robbing money in broad daylight. This Luo fellow even had lackeys in the police station!
The attitude of the young comrade at the police station toward the robber was far from the righteous demeanor one would expect when dealing with a criminal.
He seemed to be wary of something, yet had no choice but to swallow his anger.
This Luo Yonggui had likely done plenty of things behind the scenes to exploit the common people.
Lu Zhiyan swept a cold, sharp gaze over the robber, his eyes as piercing as an eagle’s. The chill in his stare made the still-yelling robber shudder involuntarily, and he instinctively shut his mouth, not daring to utter another sound.
“Take him away!”
The older comrade frowned, shoving the robber forcefully before turning to Lu Zhiyan. His tone carried an apology and a hint of barely concealed tension. “Comrade soldier, don’t listen to his nonsense.”
“I’m the deputy director of the Ya County Police Station, Shao Yang.”
“We will handle this matter impartially and report it truthfully to the higher-ups.”
Lu Zhiyan remained calm, giving only a slight nod. “Deputy Director Shao, thank you for your hard work.”
He turned and walked back to Ji Nanxi, his tone as usual. “Are you finished eating? Where would you like to go next?”
Ji Nanxi smiled knowingly. “Let’s just take a casual stroll and familiarize ourselves with the surroundings.”
Lu Zhiyan nodded. “Alright.”
Carrying the items in both hands, he headed out of the state-run restaurant.
Ji Nanxi followed behind him, a faint smile curling at the corners of her lips.
She knew that the matter of the robber and Luo Yonggui would not end here.
When Lu Zhiyan had earlier told the robber that he would have his uncle removed from his position within three days, his attitude was serious, without a hint of jest.
This Luo Yonggui was merely the director of the supply and marketing cooperative in Ya County. With such a position, he had allowed his relative to commit robbery in broad daylight. It was likely that he himself was not clean either, and he was surely headed for a major downfall.
After Lu Zhiyan and Ji Nanxi left, Deputy Director Shao Yang of the police station returned to the station and wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.
The young officer had taken the robber to the interrogation room and left him under the watch of a colleague.
Then, with a worried expression, he approached Shao Yang. “Deputy Director, if we don’t release Luo Biao, will the station chief and Director Luo cause trouble for us?”
Shao Yang raised an eyebrow, beckoned the young officer closer, and whispered, “The matter of Luo Biao can no longer be covered up.”
“Who knows who gave Luo Biao the audacity to even brandish a knife and assault a soldier…”
“With a nephew like this, Director Luo’s good fortune has come to an end. From now on, he’ll have to fend for himself!”
Upon hearing this, the young officer’s eyes lit up. “Are you saying someone is going to deal with Director Luo?”
Shao Yang smiled without answering. “Do you still have time to chat idly? Hurry up and interrogate Luo Biao, then write a detailed report!”
“Remember, describe Luo Biao’s street robbery in detail, and write it truthfully.”
The young officer nodded emphatically. “Yes, I’ll make sure to complete the task!”
With such good news, he eagerly went to interrogate Luo Biao so he could write the report properly!
As the young officer busied himself, Shao Yang took out a cigarette from his pocket, lit it, and took a puff.
The dark cloud that had been hanging overhead would likely dissipate before long.
…
In the afternoon, around five o’clock, the military vehicle returned to the Base.
Lu Zhiyan carried the items and settled Ji Nanxi back at the old courtyard before heading straight to the commander’s office.
Without exaggeration, he calmly and objectively recounted the events of the afternoon: the robbery outside the state-run restaurant in Ya County, subduing the perpetrator, and the perpetrator revealing his identity and attacking a soldier with a knife. He also mentioned Luo Yonggui’s name.
After listening, Commander Liang’s expression turned grave. He tapped his knuckles on the desk. “Director of the Supply and Marketing Cooperative, Luo Yonggui.”
“Alright, I’m aware of the matter now.”
“Zhiyan, you did the right thing. Your response was swift, and your handling was appropriate.”
“This incident is severe in nature, involving not only robbery and assault on a soldier but also potentially implicating the conduct of grassroots cadres and their relatives.”
“Rest assured, we have channels to report local matters. Such lawless individuals who harm the interests of the people must not remain in key positions.”
Lu Zhiyan’s expression remained stern. “It was my duty.”
Commander Liang nodded, his face serious. “Tomorrow, it’s your turn to lead the regiment on a mission, patrolling at sea. You need to be prepared.”
“According to reliable intelligence, an international drug lord will be entering our territorial waters for smuggling. Keep a close watch and ensure there are no slip-ups.”