Chapter 77: Building Momentum
The designated driver froze. There were still seven seconds left on the green light, and their car was only twenty meters from the intersection. If he’d just stepped on the gas, they could have easily made it through. ’Why are we stopping?’
Though he didn’t understand, Cheng Yuan was the client, after all. The designated driver could only obey his command and stomped the brake pedal to the floor!
On the west side of the intersection, the light for east-west traffic was red, yet a large truck showed no signs of slowing down.
The truck driver wore a baseball cap, his eyes glinting menacingly as he periodically glanced at his phone screen.
Displayed on the screen was a real-time map tracking the position of Cheng Yuan’s car.
Clearly, someone didn’t want the two criminals to be taken back to the Patrol Office.
While monitoring their position, the driver floored the accelerator!
Three... two... one.
’Impact is imminent!’
At this critical moment, the driver no longer bothered checking their position. He gripped the steering wheel tightly, bracing for the familiar sensation of impact!
But to the driver’s surprise, the other car—despite having plenty of time to clear the intersection—had stopped!
VROOOM! VROOOM!
The large truck roared past. The driver instinctively craned his neck to look back at the police car stopped at the intersection, his face a mask of confusion. ’Why did the police car suddenly stop?’
’That shouldn’t have happened!’
The sudden braking threw the two criminals about, leaving them completely disoriented. They didn’t dare say a word, but in their minds, they were cursing Cheng Yuan and his entire family tree.
However, the moment they saw the familiar truck, the silent curses died in their throats. A look of utter disbelief washed over their faces.
Old Mo?!
’Why is he here?’
’Is he here to silence us?’
’Damn it!’
’That damned bastard!’
The designated driver broke out in a cold sweat. He looked at Cheng Yuan with pure admiration. "Man, thank God you told me to stop. Otherwise, we’d have been smashed into pulp! That truck just ran a red light! Son of a bitch! Does he have a death wish?"
Cheng Yuan didn’t answer. He turned to look at Zhu Wenhu and Xiaozhou.
"See that? Your accomplices want you dead. Are you still going to protect them?"
The two remained silent.
The moment they saw Old Mo, they wanted nothing more than to take him down with them, but they had families to think about.
Cheng Yuan shook his head slightly and stopped trying to persuade them. He turned to the driver. "Friend, we’re being followed. Can you take a safer route? One where it’s hard for them to tail us."
"I know the roads in Luocheng like the back of my hand. I’ll take the side streets. No one will be able to keep up!"
"Do it!"
BEEP... BEEP...
Cheng Yuan’s phone rang. It was Wu Mengyao. Her voice was tense. "Cheng Yuan, are you alright?"
"I’m fine. Are the kids okay?"
"They’re fine."
"Good. But we’re being followed. To keep the kids out of it, we’re taking a different route. Let’s meet up at the Patrol Office."
"Alright. Be safe."
You had to hand it to him, the designated driver was a legend. He found a series of back roads Cheng Yuan had never seen before, and with a few twists and turns, he lost all their pursuers by several miles.
In less than twenty minutes, the police car arrived safely at the Patrol Office.
"Hey, what’s going on up there?" the driver stammered, unnerved by the grand scene inside the Patrol Office courtyard. "Am I seeing things? A bunch of top officials! This is a huge reception... Are we really supposed to just drive in?"
Cheng Yuan was taken aback as well.
In the Patrol Office courtyard, all of Luocheng’s top leadership was gathered. Even Director Dai could only stand by, offering ingratiating smiles in the presence of these heavy hitters.
Even reporters were there.
It was clear that all parties involved were taking this child trafficking case very seriously.
"They’re back! The police car is back!"
Someone’s shout electrified the crowd. All eyes turned to the police car as it slowly pulled into the courtyard.
Dai Zhen was the first to rush forward. Seeing the criminals in the back seat, he breathed a small sigh of relief. ’The criminals have been brought back!’ he thought. Then a flicker of confusion crossed his face. ’But these two guys look unfamiliar. Are they rookies from Team Two?’
Dai Zhen knocked on the window. Cheng Yuan rolled it down. "Where’s your captain?" Dai Zhen asked amiably.
Cheng Yuan paused. ’This Director from the Patrol Office thinks we’re his officers?’
Cheng Yuan didn’t correct him, simply matching the Director’s pleasant tone. "Our captain is in the vehicle with the children. She’s right behind us."
Dai Zhen let out a full sigh of relief. ’Pan Guang really is reliable,’ he thought. ’It was worth arranging this whole spectacle to build up his reputation. The Deputy Director position is in the bag.’
Seeing the two of them just sitting in the car, staring blankly, Dai Zhen’s voice grew stern. "You two, what are you waiting for? Get those criminals out of the car, now!"
Er...
Cheng Yuan and the designated driver exchanged a look of consternation. ’This misunderstanding has really gotten out of hand!’
’With so many people watching, including reporters, there was no way to explain. Neither of them were Patrol Officers, so why were they driving a police car? And escorting criminals?’
Cheng Yuan and the driver exchanged a glance. They wordlessly decided to just go along with it for now. They had to get through this press event first and avoid becoming a laughingstock.
The two of them got out of the car cooperatively and hauled the two criminals out as well.
Under Cheng Yuan’s control, the two criminals were perfectly docile, dragging their injured legs as they limped toward the crowd.
Dai Zhen strode quickly to Teng Qingshan’s side and reported respectfully, "City Lord, the 3.12 trafficking case has been successfully closed. The criminals have been brought back by the officers from Team Two!"
Shen Jiangnan, who was standing to the side, narrowed his eyes. He was the City Lord, yet Dai Zhen had reported to Teng Qingshan.
Shen Jiangnan wasn’t angry, however. He had spotted Cheng Yuan. ’What is Dr. Cheng doing escorting criminals?’
’Perhaps there’s a surprise in store today!’
Teng Qingshan looked at Shen Jiangnan with a wide smile. "I’ve long heard that Captain Pan Guang of Team Two is a very capable man. A fine officer like that ought to be given more responsibility, don’t you think, Jiangnan?"
CLICK, CLICK.
The reporters’ cameras flashed furiously, capturing the two leaders.
Shen Jiangnan knew exactly what Teng Qingshan was doing. It was an overt political maneuver. In front of so many reporters, he couldn’t possibly object; it would demoralize the rank and file.
’It’s just the Deputy Director position at the Patrol Office, right?’
’He can have it!’
"Qingshan makes a good point," Shen Jiangnan conceded. "Capable officers should indeed be given more responsibility."
Seeing the two heavy hitters reach an agreement, Dai Zhen felt a great sense of relief. Pan Guang was his confidant. Even if his own position were to change in the future, his influence within his little fiefdom of the Patrol Office would remain secure.
"The van is back! Is it the children?"
WHIR! WHIR!
The cameras all swiveled in unison to film the van pulling into the Patrol Office courtyard.
Dai Zhen strode forward to meet it.
SQUEAL.
The van came to a halt. The driver’s door opened and Wu Mengyao stepped out. With brisk efficiency, she slid open the side door, and the children began to file out one by one.
Dai Zhen stopped in his tracks. The smile on his face vanished, replaced by a look of utter bewilderment as he stared at Wu Mengyao. His mind simply couldn’t process what he was seeing.
’What the hell was Pan Guang doing?’
’How did Wu Mengyao end up bringing the children back?’
’What the fuck!’
’This has turned into a complete farce!’
But with so many people watching—not to mention the reporters—Dai Zhen could only force a smile that looked worse than a grimace. "Captain Wu, thank you for your hard work."
The officials behind him were equally dumbfounded.
Especially Teng Qingshan and Shen Jiangnan.
Teng Qingshan’s face turned ashen. ’What the hell is this Dai Zhen playing at?’
Shen Jiangnan, on the other hand, was so delighted he almost burst out laughing.
’I knew something was off when I saw Cheng Yuan escorting the criminals!’ he thought. ’And sure enough, it was a wonderful surprise. It was Captain Wu who brought the children back!’
’And here I was, wondering how I was going to justify promoting Captain Wu!’
’This is perfect!’