Hearing Yang Chen threaten to expose the forged evidence, the semi-conscious bearded cop broke out in a cold sweat.
"You… you dare! Do you know who you've offended? That's Boss Chen's son! His men will wipe out your entire family line!"
Though the cop's roar held no real threat, it turned Yang Chen's face icy.
"Boss Chen again… You people are all the same. Don't you ever learn? I hate being threatened more than anything…" With that, he stepped forward and kicked the bearded man, knocking him out cold.
Bang!
Suddenly, the interrogation room door burst open. A figure rushed in.
"Stop!"
A crisp, stern voice cut through the air. Yang Chen turned in confusion—and his eyes lit up.
It was a sharp, capable policewoman with shoulder-length short hair. Her almond-shaped eyes were clear as autumn waters, her nose high and straight, her lips full with a faint pink gloss. At first glance, her face looked like a perfectly done Korean or Japanese celebrity's—but look closer, and an innate heroism radiated from her, making her far more beautiful than any so-called star. She was a stunning police flower through and through.
But what caught Yang Chen's eye next were her epaulets: two four-pointed star flowers pinned to them, the insignia of a Second-Class Police Supervisor.
In an instant, Yang Chen realized—this young, movie-star beautiful policewoman was the director of the West District Police Station!
Cai Yan was furious. She'd just finished a meeting, headache from a recent bank heist in the West District, when someone reported a suspect assaulting officers in her interrogation room. It was a direct insult to her authority.
"You! Put your hands behind your head and stand against the wall!" she snapped, pointing at Yang Chen.
Yang Chen looked her over, musing that uniforms really were something—no wonder so many people he'd known made their partners wear them… At her order, he smiled noncommittally.
"Beautiful Director, I think you should read this first."
He tossed the document to her.
Cai Yan wasn't reckless—she wouldn't have become police chief at such a young age, no matter her connections. So when she saw Yang Chen's calm composure, she sensed something was off. She grabbed the paper and scanned it.
Gradually, frost clouded her heroic, delicate face. She shot a glare at the two unconscious cops on the floor, then turned to Yang Chen, her voice cold. "Your name, sir?"
"Yang Chen."
"I'm Cai Yan, Director of the West District Police Station. I apologize for my subordinates' misconduct. But you assaulted law enforcement officers, so I must detain you first. You have the right to remain silent and hire a lawyer. If no one posts bail for you, you'll be held for at least 48 hours."
Before Yang Chen could speak, she ordered officers to carry the two unconscious men out. She shot Yang Chen a complicated look, then slammed the door shut.
Yang Chen watched the comings and goings, still locked inside. He smiled bitterly. Hire a lawyer? Get bailed out? He didn't even have a phone. It looked like he'd be stuck here for 48 hours.
Outside, Cai Yan faced a sweating Feng Biao, her brows knitted tight. "Captain Feng, I'll report your conduct truthfully in the month-end evaluation. You're on your own."
She left the trembling captain and returned to her office.
Cai Yan didn't rest. Though she'd only been on the force a few years, her sharp intuition had cracked major cases. Now she sensed something unusual about Yang Chen. A strange pressure radiated from the young man, even though he'd smiled so innocently. Why was she uneasy?
Proud and controlling by nature, she immediately pulled up Yang Chen's file.
To her surprise, the record was shockingly sparse. Glancing through it, she spotted countless red flags…
"Age 5: Separated from parents, taken abroad by human traffickers… Adopted by a kind couple… Age 23: Graduated with a Master's in Marketing Management from HF University, EM Country… Returned to China the same year."
At the bottom of the crude file was a photo: Yang Chen standing with Dr. Drew Foster, president of HF University, on campus. The iconic red buildings and striking school emblem of HF were in the background. Young Yang Chen, bookish and smiling brightly, stood next to Foster.
Police database photos couldn't be photoshopped—but Cai Yan still felt played. Cai Yan still felt played. A master's graduate from HF selling kebabs at a market? Ridiculous.
And what about the years after his adoption? Over a decade unaccounted for, jumping straight to graduation?
She calmed down quickly. Police database records weren't altered casually; authorities input them directly. This laughably flawed file existed for a reason. But why would high-level officials let it stand?
Two possibilities crossed her mind: One, Yang Chen was national classified personnel—a State Security Bureau agent, for example. Two, he was also a special figure, but one the state wanted to keep hidden.
She ruled out the first. SSB agents had flawless, detailed files to avoid suspicion. So Yang Chen must be someone so special that officials refused to reveal his true identity, leaving this empty shell as a cover.
Cai Yan was not just a cop and a beauty—she was a woman consumed by curiosity.
Now, Yang Chen became a puzzle: a master thief? An international fugitive? A Golden Triangle drug lord? A mad scientist? One thing was certain—Director Cai was fascinated.
Just as she plotted to dig deeper, there was a knock.
"Come in."
A pale young officer entered, fawning. To the force, their director was both a stunning beauty and a fearsome disciplinarian. "Director, Lawyer Zhang from East City Law Firm is here to post bail for the suspect Yang Chen."