Back in the holding cell, Bai Hao sat cross-legged on the long bench. His eyes stared somewhat vacantly at the gray-white walls surrounding him, though he no longer saw walls, only a field of gray—much like his current state of mind, as if he had fallen into a pit of despair, moving further and further from the light. To be honest, he now felt a twinge of regret. Had he known it would come to this, he would have either refrained from slapping her altogether or delivered a few more slaps. One single slap seemed far too cheap.
The night was interminably long. Bai Hao found it hard to sleep, not because he didn't want to, but because he was desperately hungry. The people who arrested him were likely doing this on purpose; otherwise, how could they neglect something as basic as food? Bai Hao couldn't be bothered to dwell on it. Even if he protested, it would probably be futile.
"I wonder how things are at Research Lab No. 2? Will Teacher and Senior Sister notice something is off tomorrow?" A trace of helplessness crossed Bai Hao's face. In the lab, Teacher Huang Shujian and Senior Sister Yan Yifei usually worked during the day, only staying late occasionally for overtime. His own shift had been moved to nights, so his absence from the lab tonight would likely go unnoticed.
Time flowed silently. Bai Hao felt this night was exceptionally long, every minute and second an agonizing crawl.
There was a small window in the cell wall. From his seated position, Bai Hao could tilt his head to look at the night sky outside. The sky was like a faint, watery curtain; the stars were like glittering gems, shimmering with dazzling light.
However, Bai Hao was in no mood to appreciate the view. The watery curtain of stars seemed oppressively gloomy to him. The bright starlight was like an unreachable dawn, so dim it could never dispel the darkness of night.
He glanced at it a few times before ignoring it again.
He didn't know how much time had passed. Peering up at the sky through the small window, Bai Hao saw the stars had faded, the night gradually receding. The sky was a hazy gray, like primordial chaos before the division of directions.
"Daybreak?!"
Having stayed awake all night, red streaks now webbed his eyes.
Bai Hao rubbed his somewhat reddened eyes, let out a soft sigh, and stood up from the bench. He began practicing his fist forms. This technique required practice to achieve skill; a few days without training could lead to rustiness. So, no matter how busy with work and study, Bai Hao would make time to stretch his limbs and practice the forms every couple of days.
Hng! Ha! Hng! Ha!...
With soft exhalations, Bai Hao began practicing punch by punch, kick by kick, with precise form. The holding cell was small but relatively empty, so practicing his moves wasn't too hindered, though some larger, sweeping motions were slightly constrained.
Half an hour later, breathing heavily, Bai Hao sat back down. Sweat beaded his forehead and cheeks, dripping one by one from his chin.
Gurgle... gurgle...
"Oh no!"
Bai Hao wiped the sweat from his face and touched his stomach. In his momentary zeal, he had forgotten about his empty stomach. This fist form was extremely taxing. One full set burned through at least a meal's worth of energy. He hadn't eaten last night, and now he was probably running on the meager fat reserves in his body.
"This is bad. Will those guys not give me any food today either?" Bai Hao's expression darkened as a dreadful thought struck him. Those officers were clearly out to make him suffer. It was entirely possible they'd starve him for a day or two.
Bai Hao wiped the sweat from his forehead and temples again, glancing outside the window. The sky was now faintly lightening, a pale glow barely visible.
"Finally dawn. I wonder how they plan to deal with a nobody like me today?" Bai Hao thought with self-mockery. Judging by the two officers' words yesterday, the Ning family likely wouldn't let him off easily.
Knock, knock...
At seven in the morning, the cell door was knocked upon.
Bai Hao was slightly surprised. He walked to the door and opened the small flap. It was a breakfast tray. This was a great surprise. Though it was just a simple nutrient bar, he was overjoyed. At least he wouldn't have to go hungry.
At Research Lab No. 2, Second Research Institute, Baoli Corporation, Huang Shujian, head of the Second Group, sat in his office chair, brows slightly furrowed. Today, an anomaly lay on the desk before him: there was no data material provided by Bai Hao. This was highly unusual. It was the first time such a situation had occurred; nothing like this had ever happened before.
"Could it be Bai Hao didn't come to work last night?"
Huang Shujian stroked his chin, his mind working. Based on his understanding of Bai Hao, this shouldn't have happened.
Knock, knock.
A knock at the door interrupted Huang Shujian's thoughts.
Before he could respond, the door was pushed open. Yan Yifei strode in quickly. She glanced at Huang Shujian, a trace of worry on her face. "Teacher, I just checked. Junior Brother didn't return to Baoli Corporation last night."
Hearing this, Huang Shujian's frown deepened. After a few seconds, he said, "That is indeed abnormal. Bai Hao has never been in such a situation before."
Yan Yifei took a seat and nodded. "It really is unusual."
"By the way, is his comm still off?" Huang Shujian continued.
Yan Yifei shook her head helplessly. "Still powered down."
Huang Shujian let out a soft sigh. After a moment of silence, he said, "Could something have happened? Zhiqiu, go check at Qin Yuan Academy later. See if Bai Hao is there."
Yan Yifei nodded. "Alright, I'll go now. Junior brother's situation is really strange."
With that, Yan Yifei stood and left the room, soon exiting the Second Research Institute.
Two hours later, Yan Yifei returned to the Second Research Institute.
Back inside Research Lab No. 2, Yan Yifei entered Huang Shujian's office with a concerned expression.
Seeing her face, Huang Shujian's heart sank, though he maintained a calm exterior. "Well? Any news of Bai Hao?"
Yan Yifei shook her head, her face still worried. "None. I inquired with the school administration. Junior brother attended classes yesterday, but he didn't go today. It seems something really has happened. Could he be missing?"
Huang Shujian's expression darkened. "It seems the situation isn't good. Have someone look into it, see if they can find out anything. A living person can't just vanish into thin air."
"Alright, I'll get someone on it right away." Yan Yifei nodded, an unconcealable look of concern on her face. Based on her understanding of Bai Hao, this situation meant he was likely in some trouble. She cared deeply for this new junior brother. As part of the Second Group, they were a team. None of them could be missing.
A few hours later, Yan Yifei hurriedly entered the group leader's office once more. The moment she stepped in, she spoke urgently to Huang Shujian, "Teacher, Junior Brother is indeed in trouble. He was arrested and taken to the Southern District Police Station."
"Southern District Station?" Huang Shujian showed a flicker of surprise. He couldn't help but wonder: Bai Hao was studying at Qin Yuan Academy; how could he have ended up at the Southern District Station?
Yan Yifei nodded, a hint of worry still on her face. "Yes, the Southern District Station."
"What did he do?" Huang Shujian's brow furrowed slightly. Based on his understanding, Bai Hao was a law-abiding person. How could he suddenly get arrested?
Yan Yifei replied with some helplessness, "Brawling. One serious injury, two minor."
"Brawling? One serious, two minor? That sounds rather serious. Is he injured? Did you get the specific details?"
"Junior brother is fine. The specifics aren't clear yet, only the general picture. He got into a dispute with three... unsavory characters not far from the Qin Yuan Academy entrance and got into a fight." Yan Yifei let out a soft sigh.
Huang Shujian's brow knitted slightly. After a few seconds of silence, he asked, puzzled, "If the incident happened near Qin Yuan Academy, why was he taken to the Southern District Station? A brawl is a minor matter usually handled by a local precinct. Even if it went to a station, it should be the Western District Station."
Hearing this, Yan Yifei's expression changed slightly. She seemed thoughtful. "There is indeed something odd about that. Could there be something fishy going on? Did Junior Brother offend someone?"
Huang Shujian took a deep breath. Suddenly, a trace of anger appeared on his face. He snorted, "Zhiqiu, have someone get to the bottom of this, every last detail. There's definitely a problem here. Bai Hao might have inadvertently offended someone. Also, you go down to the Southern District Station yourself. Find out exactly what happened. If he truly did something wrong, he deserves the consequences. But if someone is manipulating, framing, or playing games... I, Huang Shujian, will be the first to object. I'll make them regret it. How dare they target someone under my wing? They think just because this old tiger doesn't roar, I'm a sick cat?"
Yan Yifei quickly reassured him, "Teacher, don't be angry. I'll get to the bottom of this as soon as possible. If someone really is manipulating or framing him, I won't stand for it either. No one in our Second Group should suffer this kind of injustice. You can rest assured, Teacher."
"Good. Get this sorted quickly. If you encounter any trouble you can't handle, notify me immediately. I may be old, but my bones are still strong. A small place like Baoli City? This old man doesn't even have it in his sights." Huang Shujian had somewhat calmed his emotions, though a hint of火药味 (gunpowder scent) still lingered in his tone.
"Alright, Teacher, I understand." Looking at the old man's demeanor, Yan Yifei反而 revealed a faint smile. Others might not know, but she was aware the old man's words were not empty boasting. Given his true identity and status, a mere Baoli City truly wasn't worth his concern. After all, the mountain standing behind him was towering and formidable. In the current Star Luo Empire, few forces could hope to shake it.