"Xu Le is willing to meet you because after the mining accident, your mother took care of him for two years, and he feels grateful... but you should know that he doesn't like people who cause trouble. Some things are better left unspoken," Li Wei said as he returned to the dimly lit apartment block on Bell Tower Street, his eyes filled with concern for the young boy. After all, the child was only ten years old, and it was easy for him to inadvertently say something inappropriate.
The young boy pouted his lips, as if he was about to cry from the fierce look in Li Wei's eyes. Although Li Wei's eyes were always clear and innocent, in the rough and tough world of orphans on Bell Tower Street, the sixteen-year-old leader was truly determined and capable of cruelty.
Li Wei, who was holding a metal rod in his hand, didn't know where he had obtained it. He was currently drinking a bottle of beer, sitting under the streetlight humming a folk song, seeming quite self-satisfied. The young boy looked at him timidly, hesitated for a moment, and couldn't help but ask, "In the past two years, Elder Brother Le rarely came back to Bell Tower Street. What has he been doing?"
"Who knows? But this boy seems to have a knack for craftsmanship. Who would have thought he could be so ruthless? Do you remember the incident from that year?" Li Wei took another sip of beer and nodded approvingly.
"I was only five years old at the time, I've forgotten," the child licked his lips and looked at the beer in Li Wei's hand, appearing curious. For orphans in the Eastwood Grand District, life was not easy, and it was quite difficult to find things like alcohol. The black market liquor was too expensive.
"Right, I was only eleven at that time, and Xu Le was only ten," Li Wei threw the empty beer bottle into a nearby garbage heap and took a deep breath. His young and somewhat immature face revealed traces of weariness. "If it weren't for that incident ten years ago, we might still be in school now. Perhaps we would have obtained our diplomas and gone to West River University... or even to the capital star for an exchange program."
The streetlight flickered, and the silhouette of two figures appeared in the distance, drawing closer as they walked past the garbage heap. A black cat slipped by in the shadows, its yellow eyes scanning anxiously. Today, there were no signs of mice, only a sense of lonely stillness in the air.
...
...
That mining accident ten years ago, where over 300 miners were trapped underground, was a terrifying event. What was even more horrifying was the collapse of the temporary housing complex, which claimed the lives of many family members who had come to visit their loved ones. Countless families were torn apart as a result.
This incident shook the entire federation and led to the downfall of many officials in the technologically advanced society. The government officials in the capital's Homeland Security Council, the Governor of Hexi Province, and even the vice-minister responsible for security in the Eastwood Grand District were all condemned and faced penalties. The federal government and the judicial system responded swiftly and fiercely, but they couldn't bring back the lives lost. The mining industry in the stagnant Eastwood Grand District suffered a fatal blow, leading to the closure of the crystal ore integrated corporation, which was taken over by the federal government.
The impact of this incident was profound, but few people realized how significantly it would affect the lives of these orphans.
...
...
During the daytime, the orphans of Bell Tower Street staged a protest, representing the victims of the mining accident. Li Wei, the young boy, and even Xu Le were part of this group.
Xu Le was one of the orphans in this crowd, but he was different. Over the years, he never looked with envy at the seemingly attractive and glamorous leaders of the criminal syndicates. Instead, he enjoyed watching others repair appliances at the corner general store.
He didn't appear tall or strong, nor did he possess a cruel or callous nature. In fact, he could suddenly switch from a hostile expression to a happy one. No matter how difficult the circumstances, he never seemed to be affected.
But what was strange was that these combative orphans dared not provoke him. There was even a certain level of respect for him among the orphans in the Santiao Street alley. This respect was largely due to the genuine respect Li Wei held for Xu Le.
Five years ago, a fortunate incident involving a government raid revealed the existence of a criminal syndicate operating in the shadows. The orphans took advantage of the chaos and, with their cold-blooded and fearless nature, successfully seized control of the abandoned block in the rear area of Bell Tower Street. In just two short hours, the three oldest and bravest orphans who resisted paid with their lives.
The orphans, who had once appeared so fierce, were nothing more than paper tigers. Xu Le, who did not participate in the community activities that day, couldn't break through the police force and the armament of the lower-level blocks in the west of the capital area. Instead, he took an underground utility passage and arrived behind the vast land of Bell Tower Street.
Many people died, and the orphans returned to their place. The grudge of the three dead orphans was avenged. However, no one knew that on that cold, rainy night, the carefree Xu Le, outside the garbage dump, used an abandoned machine armor and a sharp hydraulic pipe to unite and lead the faction that finally escaped. Apart from Li Wei and the young boy trembling in the abandoned factory cafeteria, that year Li Wei was eleven, the young boy was five, and Xu Le had just turned ten.
...
...
"Four years ago?" Xu Le, with his face concealed by a hat and coat, repeated the words of the middle-aged man in front of him, smiling cheerfully. He confirmed that the man was trying to deceive him rather than knowing his most dreaded memory deep within his heart. "Four years ago, I was taking the makeup test for the state education office."
Deputy Director Bao looked at the young man in front of him with indifference, aware that the young man was definitely involved in the afternoon's incident. However, he couldn't confirm his suspicions. How could a young man have knowledge of the internal conflicts and struggles at the upper echelons?
"I need to know who's backing you," Bao Longtao thought his tone of indifference was just right, and the question he asked was precise. Of course, he didn't think that these orphans from Bell Tower Street would be unaware of who he was.
After Xu Le heard the question, he couldn't help but lower his head and smile bitterly. He shrugged his shoulders, as if there was no middle-aged man staring at him like a black dog. He walked under the bright streetlight, preparing to go home and sleep.
Bao Longtao's hand gripped the nightstick tightly.
Youngster Xu Le extended a long, slender, and steady finger.
He pointed to the darkness behind the streetlight and said, "There are five surveillance cameras here. You're a police officer, not a judge or a member of the administrative committee. You can't erase the recorded footage, so I suggest you not attempt to... If you have anything to say to me, please first manage the evidence, and I will cooperate with the investigation."
A cold chill ran through Deputy Director Bao's eyes, and his body stiffened. After a long silence, he finally said, "Search and seizure. I need to check your chip."
Xu Le turned around, still wearing his hat, and spoke sincerely, "Tomorrow, the deputy director of the Second Police Station will be scolded by the governor like a dog. Perhaps it's because of today's protest on the television news. Do you really think he would have the thought to personally take action in the early morning and search an unassuming, skinny youngster?"
He pointed to the dark neutron monitoring device swinging in the peaceful night, and Xu Le lowered his head and said sincerely, "I'm a good person. Believe me, everything I've said is for your own good."
Suddenly, Bao Longtao felt a mixture of fear and suspicion towards this calm and sincere young man whose status was unknown. The doubt in his eyes grew thicker, and his grip on the nightstick tightened.