In a holding cell at the Southern District Police Station, Bai Hao quickly finished the nutrient bar in a few bites. He then sat idly on the long bench, beginning the interminable wait. For him, every minute was counted. Despite his efforts to maintain inner calm, the feeling of having fallen into a bottomless abyss left a stone-like weight pressing on his chest, making each passing second an ordeal.
It wasn't until 2 PM that the cell door was finally opened by two officers in neat uniforms. One, with a slightly portly build, glanced at Bai Hao, a cold sneer at the corner of his mouth. "Bai Hao, out."
Bai Hao's expression remained calm. He rose unhurriedly and stepped out.
Soon, the two officers escorted Bai Hao to an interrogation room. Inside, three officers were seated. One of them was Yan Song, who had interrogated him the previous night.
Yan Song sat in the center. He looked up at Bai Hao and said coldly, "Bai Hao, right?"
Bai Hao gave a slight nod.
A flicker of a cold smile passed over Yan Song's face. After a pause, he said, "The assessment results for the three men you assaulted are in. One serious injury, two minor. It's about what we estimated earlier. Do you have anything to say?"
Hearing this, Bai Hao's expression darkened slightly. As he had predicted, the assessment conclusion matched what the officer-like figure had said last night. It was truly difficult to argue now. Should he say he was very confident in the measure of his strikes and such severe consequences were impossible?
After over ten seconds of silence, Bai Hao finally said slowly, "May I see the hospital's assessment report?"
Yan Song scrutinized Bai Hao, let out a light chuckle, pulled a paper document from the table before him, and handed it to a relatively thin officer beside him. He spoke unhurriedly, "Sure. We police work based on evidence. This is a copy. Xiao Li, let him have a look."
"Yes, Brother Song."
Xiao Li immediately took the document from Yan Song, stood up, walked to Bai Hao's side, flipped through the hospital-issued assessment conclusion a few times in front of Bai Hao, and then returned to his seat at the interrogation table.
"Well? Any objections?" Seeing Bai Hao had finished looking, Yan Song promptly asked coldly.
After reading the assessment, Bai Hao felt a chill. It seemed the other side had gone to great lengths. The injured areas of the three men were indeed where he had struck, making it appear as if he had indeed caused the injuries. However, he still absolutely refused to believe it. This assessment report definitely had something fishy about it. If the Ning family could buy off people in the police station, obtaining a hospital assessment conclusion should be a breeze.
Bai Hao didn't answer Yan Song's question. Instead, with a serious expression, he said, "I was acting in legitimate self-defense. And they struck first."
Yan Song sneered, a hint of mockery in his tone. "Legitimate self-defense requires evidence. As for who struck first, don't jump to conclusions. We've collected several witness statements from people at the scene. They all say you threw the first punch."
"Witness statements?" Bai Hao's heart sank further. It seemed the other side had indeed gone to great lengths, even procuring witness statements. However, the fight with those three had erupted in an instant. Even those who saw it probably couldn't make a definitive judgment about who started it.
A cold glint flashed in Yan Song's eyes. "Enough talk. The reason you're in this interrogation room is to clarify a few details. Just answer the questions honestly."
Subsequently, Yan Song and the other two officers conducted another brief interrogation of Bai Hao.
Half an hour later, escorted by two officers, Bai Hao left the interrogation room. However, this time, the direction wasn't toward the holding cells. According to Yan Song's final reminder, the police station's procedures were basically complete. Now, he was to be transferred to the detention center in the southern suburbs.
Bai Hao had just stepped into the corridor outside the interrogation rooms when a young man in white casual wear and sunglasses, accompanied by two tall men in black suits who looked like bodyguards, walked straight towards him.
"Halt."
The young man directly blocked Bai Hao's path, looked him over, and said coldly, "Hmph. You dare hit my little sister, Ning Weiwei? Kid, you must be tired of living."
As soon as the words were spoken, the young man, right in front of the two officers, suddenly swung a fierce slap at Bai Hao.
Hearing the young man's Extremely arrogant words, Bai Hao frowned deeply. Seeing the sudden slap, he was even more surprised. His hands were currently firmly gripped by the officers on either side, making it impossible to strike back. So, his first reaction was to dodge.
Bai Hao bent his body slightly, easily avoiding the young man's hand.
Slap!
However, a sharp, clear slap still echoed in the previously quiet corridor.
The young man had indeed hit someone—not Bai Hao, but the officer on Bai Hao's right.
The officer was nearly knocked over by the slap but managed to steady himself in time. He raised a hand to his cheek, a flicker of anger flashing in his eyes that quickly subsided into a look of aggrievement.
The young man was momentarily stunned, his mouth twitching slightly. "Missed," he said awkwardly.
Yet, his tone held not a shred of apology.
The officer's face showed no trace of anger. Instead, he offered the young man a pitiful smile. However, inwardly, he was seething. This fire, though, he dared not direct at the young man before him. This was no ordinary person; this was the eldest young master of the Ning family, the foremost of Baoli City's four great clans. In Baoli City, the Ning family's eldest young master was notoriously overbearing and arrogant. He had visited the Southern District Station countless times, and each time, Section Chief Lao Da would see him out with bows and nods, not forgetting to clean up his mess afterward. As a mere low-ranking officer, even with the greatest courage, he wouldn't dare show the slightest displeasure towards the Ning family's young master. This slap would have to be accepted silently, and on the surface, he even had to appear willing to take it.
Watching the officer's reaction beside him, Bai Hao felt his body stiffen instantly. You get nearly slapped to the ground, and you're smilingat the person? Are you even a police officer? Did that slap scramble your brain?...
Indeed, the young man standing before Bai Hao was none other than Ning Dapeng, reputedly the most profligate young master of the Ning family in Baoli City, and Ning Weiwei's biological older brother. His visit to the Southern District Station was naturally to seek "justice" for his sister. In Baoli City, the Ning family was the law. Bullying Ning Weiwei was equivalent to slapping Young Master Ning's face—absolutely intolerable and unforgivable. This time, he wanted to get a good look at this fool who didn't know his place, to make him understand the terrifying consequences of offending a member of the Ning family.
Ning Dapeng retracted his somewhat aching right hand. He had put almost all his strength into that slap, yet such a fierce strike had been dodged, landing on an officer's face. He inwardly cursed his unluck.
Rubbing his sore palm, Ning Dapeng raised an eyebrow, his eyes glaring angrily at Bai Hao. In an extremely arrogant tone, he said, "Kid, it seems you really have a death wish, daring to dodge my slap. I'll make you learn how to write the word 'regret.' Da Dong, Er Dong, get him."
As he spoke, Ning Dapeng made a simple gesture to the two men behind him.
At Ning Dapeng's command, the two tall men in suits immediately stepped forward, cracking their knuckles. Both stood nearly two meters tall, with robust builds. Standing before Bai Hao, they were like two small mountains.
"Young Master Ning, please don't."
Seeing the situation, the officer on Bai Hao's left immediately stepped forward to intervene. He knew something about these two bodyguards by Ning Dapeng's side. When they acted, they had no sense of restraint. This was the Southern District Police Station. If something serious happened, he would be in deep trouble.
Seeing the officer intervene, the two tall men hesitated, looking towards Ning Dapeng.
Ning Dapeng frowned, his face full of displeasure. He snorted at the intervening officer, "You. What do you mean?"
The officer's body gave a slight tremble, his heart sinking. The Ning family's young master was not someone a mere low-ranking officer like him could afford to offend. He quickly forced a smile and explained, "Young Master Ning, it's not that I'm stopping you. It's just... this really isn't the place. Look at the walls, they're covered with cameras. Besides, this is the Southern District Police Station. If a life is lost and things blow up, the fallout wouldn't be good. Our station can handle it, but I'm worried it might damage your reputation, Young Master Ning."
This officer had some sense, speaking earnestly.
Ning Dapeng's expression relaxed slightly, a thoughtful look appearing on his face. Beating someone inside the Southern District Station was indeed inappropriate. If his father found out, it would inevitably lead to a scolding, perhaps even some punishment. That wouldn't be worth it.
After a moment's silence, Ning Dapeng's eyes flashed. He said coldly, "What you say makes some sense. Da Dong, Er Dong, stand down for now."
"Yes, Young Master." The two tall men nodded quickly and retreated behind Ning Dapeng.
Seeing this, the intervening officer let out a slight sigh of relief, his face still wearing a forced smile. "Thank you, Young Master Ning."
Ning Dapeng waved dismissively and refocused his gaze on Bai Hao.
After dodging the slap, Bai Hao had been standing to the side, watching coldly. What utterly astonished him was the behavior of the two officers escorting him in the face of this brazen, arrogant Young Master Ning. One, nearly slapped over, was still ingratiatingly smiling. The other was groveling without a shred of backbone. It was truly an eye-opener. In his subconscious, police officers held a position of strength in the social system. The two before him had sunk to a level not much different from lapdogs. Being police officers to this extent was probably a rarity.
Of course, as someone from the remote, nearly desolate B5 Mining Planet, Bai Hao didn't have a truly clear understanding of power and influence. In his mind, this world was a society governed by the rule of law, where all activities should follow the track of legal operation.
However, the events of the past two days were hard for him to accept. His perceptions were rapidly动摇. Some people, some families, could disregard and even trample upon the basic rules of law, even manipulate them. They could buy off, even control, the public institutions meant to uphold justice and fairness in the eyes of the people, to wantonly play with small fry like him. A strong sense of injustice began to slowly spread in his heart.
The police's wanton framing had shocked him!
Ning Dapeng's extreme arrogance had shocked him!
The officers' utterly unprincipled subservience had shocked him!
What was wrong with this world?
Bai Hao watched everything unfolding before him with cold eyes, his gaze already numb. It wasn't until Ning Dapeng's eyes, brimming with violent and cruel and fury, once again fixed fiercely on him, a mere nobody, that he seemed to find himself again. A rage that had been building for some time instantly ignited in the depths of his heart.
Facing Ning Dapeng's brazen, furious stare, Bai Hao didn't avoid it. Instead, from his pupils erupted an unprecedented fierce and icy coldness, instantly glaring back.
"If this world has gone mad, then I shall go mad with it!" Bai Hao thought to himself.
Seeing the fierce and icy coldness erupting from Bai Hao's eyes, Ning Dapeng was momentarily stunned. A chill ran through his heart, and his body involuntarily shivered. It was the first time he had seen such a fierce and cold gaze. The feeling was like looking at a cold, lifeless corpse. His soul felt as if instantly frozen in ice.
Unconsciously, Ning Dapeng took two steps back, a flicker of fear appearing on his face. But it lasted only an instant before he quickly composed himself. Though he intensely disliked Bai Hao's ice-pick-like gaze, someone as habitually overbearing as him wouldn't back down because of a mere look. If word got out, where would his face as the Ning family's young master be?
"Kid, what are you looking at? Keep glaring, and I'll have someone dig out your dog eyes," Ning Dapeng mustered his bravado and shouted arrogantly.
The coldness in Bai Hao's eyes instantly intensified. His hands, though cuffed, clenched into fists. At such close range, dealing with an arrogant, profligate young master, he felt he had a fair chance.
Ning Dapeng's heart chilled again. His body involuntarily took another step back.
Simultaneously, the two officers seemed to sense something were wrong. They immediately tightened their grip on Bai Hao's arms. One of them snorted coldly, "Kid, behave yourself. This is a police station."
Hearing this, Bai Hao regained a sliver of clarity, quickly suppressing the impulse to rush forward and pummel the other. The凶厉 and icy coldness in his eyes also receded somewhat.