"Master, the police are here!"
"You should escape first. We'll hold them off for you!"
Inside the house were three people, one of whom was Thief San, the very man Chen Yi and Luo Yan had seen in the hospital's surveillance footage. The other two were young men in their early twenties, named Fu Sheng and Ma Nian, both disciples of Thief San.
The sharp cries of Yellow Hair quickly caught their attention, and the expressions of Thief San's two disciples grew tense.
"Run? Hmph," Thief San scoffed, sipping his tea with a furrowed brow. "If the police are here, they've already cast a net so tight that even a bird couldn't escape. Where could I possibly run to?"
Having dealt with the law for decades, Thief San knew that when the police acted, they did so with precision and overwhelming force, leaving no room for escape.
As the saying goes, "The higher the road, the trickier the devil." Thief San, who had walked the razor's edge for years, was well-prepared for the day he might stumble. Taking on these disciples was part of that preparation.
"Then what should we do? Are we just going to sit here and wait to be arrested?" Fu Sheng, one of the disciples, asked nervously.
"What are you afraid of? Look at you, so spineless," Thief San snapped coldly, his eyes filled with disdain. "I've taught you all these skills, and now that I need you, you panic?"
From the very beginning, he had made it clear to his disciples: when the master is in trouble, the disciples must step up.
"You're right, Master. Forgive me for my weakness," Fu Sheng muttered, lowering his head. "But the police might not even be here for us. It could be about something else entirely," Ma Nian interjected, his tone calm and measured.
Thief San glanced at Ma Nian, noticing his composed demeanor and logical reasoning. He nodded inwardly, reassured that this disciple was far more reliable than the jittery Fu Sheng. Perhaps, he thought, Ma Nian was worth teaching a few more tricks in the future.
"Ma Nian is right. The police might not be here for us. If they were, would Yellow Hair still be alive to shout?" Thief San, ever the seasoned veteran, knew that maintaining morale was crucial at such moments. "Even if they are here for us, Fu Sheng, at most, you'll spend two years in prison. When you're out, you'll be well compensated."
With just a few words, Thief San revealed his plan to have Fu Sheng take the fall. Fu Sheng's face turned ashen, his legs trembling uncontrollably.
No one willingly walks into prison. If he had the choice, Fu Sheng would rather see Thief San executed than sacrifice himself as a scapegoat. But the memory of Thief San's ruthlessness kept him silent.
A year ago, Yellow Hair's older brother had disappeared after a minor disagreement with Thief San. Though Thief San claimed the man had left to start his own "business" in another city, Fu Sheng and Ma Nian knew the truth: Thief San had killed him, and they had helped bury the body. Only Yellow Hair remained oblivious.
"Let's go and see what's happening. The more critical the moment, the calmer we must remain," Thief San said, rising from his chair and leading the way outside.
Luo Yan and Chen Yi had just subdued Yellow Hair, cuffing him, when three figures emerged from the house. At the forefront was the man they had been searching for—Thief San.
Thief San appeared to be in his forties, tall and broad-shouldered, with a square face and prominent nose. His refined appearance made it hard to believe he was a criminal, a trait that had undoubtedly contributed to his repeated successes.
Luo Yan was momentarily surprised. She hadn't expected Chen Yi's prediction to be so accurate—Thief San was indeed hiding here. Her gaze toward Chen Yi grew more complex, tinged with newfound respect.
"What brings you two officers here? Yellow Hair may be a troublemaker, but I don't think he's done anything to provoke you. Or has the law become so arbitrary that the police can now assault civilians at will?"
True to his reputation, Thief San wasted no time in turning the tables, opening with a counterattack.
His two disciples, emboldened by their master's composure, straightened their backs and stood tall.
"That's right, Master! You have to stand up for me!" Yellow Hair chimed in, quick on his feet. "I asked these two for a search warrant, but instead of showing me one, they beat me up! My arm's broken!"
He began groaning theatrically, as though his arm were truly fractured.
"Isn't this a bit excessive? Or do you simply not care about us ordinary citizens?" Thief San added, his tone dripping with mock indignation.
Thief San was pleased with Yellow Hair's performance. He had successfully seized the upper hand in this confrontation. The absence of a search warrant suggested the police weren't specifically targeting him, giving him a chance to turn the situation around.
All he needed was a few minutes to clean up any incriminating evidence. The ten thousand yuan he had just stolen would vanish without a trace.
Thief San was a cunning old fox, but Luo Yan was no novice. With three years as a criminal investigator under her belt, she had encountered countless criminals. And with Chen Yi, who feigned cluelessness but was sharp as a whip, by her side, she wasn't easily intimidated.
"We police officers are one with the people. How could we not care about civilians?" Luo Yan replied with a playful smile.
Chen Yi watched her, suddenly reminded of their earlier encounter at the station. Her expression now was identical to the one she had worn then. Clearly, she was up to something.
"However," Luo Yan continued, her tone turning sharp, "while we are family to law-abiding citizens, we are sworn enemies of criminals!"
"Officer, you can't just throw around accusations like that. What proof do you have that we're criminals?" Thief San's face darkened. It was clear these two were here for him.
But he wasn't overly concerned. No matter how aggressive the police were, they still needed evidence to make an arrest. Without it, they couldn't pin anything on him.
"Proof? Let me search your house, and I'll find all the proof I need!"
From the moment she laid eyes on Thief San, Luo Yan had made up her mind. Search warrant or not, she wasn't letting him slip away. If he escaped today, who knew how long it would take to catch him again? She could always file the paperwork later.
Without waiting for a response, she strode toward the house.
"If you don't have a search warrant, don't take another step! How do I know you're not impersonators here to rob me?"
Thief San quickly blocked her path, his two disciples stepping in front of Chen Yi.
Three against two, they had the advantage.
"Ma Nian, Fu Sheng, these two must be fake police officers. Take them down and hand them over to the real police—that'll be a merit for us!"
Thief San's words were flawless, twisting the situation to his advantage. Even assaulting officers sounded like a public service coming from him.
Ma Nian and Fu Sheng moved forward, ready to act.
"Freeze! Hands up!"
The officers trailing behind finally arrived, guns drawn and aimed.
"Captain Luo, looks like we've hit the jackpot. It really is Thief San," said Zhang Fei, the vice-captain of the criminal investigation team. With his burly build and booming voice, he was a force to be reckoned with. "Cuff them all! If they resist, don't hold back!"
Thief San tried one last time. "What grounds do you have to arrest us? Where's your evidence?"
"Evidence? A quick search will turn up plenty!" Zhang Fei replied dismissively.
"And your search warrant?"
"Search warrant?" Zhang Fei sneered. "Are you stupid? We'll file one later. Right now, you're the priority. I've had my eye on you for a long time, just couldn't find your hideout."
"Search the house!"
The officers moved past Thief San and his disciples, entering the house.
"Chen Yi, you've done us a huge favor again!" Zhang Fei slapped Chen Yi on the shoulder, nearly knocking him over. "And this time, you didn't spout nonsense that almost got us killed."
Chen Yi forced a smile. "So, is there a reward for catching this guy?"
"Uh…" Zhang Fei scratched his head. "Not every criminal has a bounty, you know."
"So, he's not even worth a reward? What a letdown."
Their candid conversation nearly made Thief San cough up blood. Was this how people evaluated him? Did he need to be on a wanted list to prove his worth?
"Captain, we found it!"
"Let's take a look."
Luo Yan entered the house, bringing Thief San and his disciples along.
The interior was simple: a table, a few chairs, a TV, and a computer. The stolen ten thousand yuan was hidden in the TV cabinet.
Thief San's eyes turned venomous as he glared at Chen Yi. It was clear now who had exposed him.
Though he had planned for Fu Sheng to take the fall, this incident meant he could no longer operate in the city. He'd have to "relocate" to another place.
But Thief San swore to himself: if he ever got the chance, Chen Yi would pay dearly.
"Hey, what are you staring at? Think you can scare us to death?" Zhang Fei taunted.
"Thief San, anything to say? Where did this money come from?" Luo Yan asked, holding up the cash.
"Is it so strange for me to have ten thousand yuan? I won it from a scratch-off lottery!"
Thief San's experience showed as he deftly deflected the accusation.
"Really?" Luo Yan smiled coldly. "This ten thousand yuan is marked as police reward money. We have the means to prove it's not yours…"
Thief San's confidence wavered for a split second.
Realizing the situation was dire, he glanced at Fu Sheng, silently instructing him to step forward.
Fu Sheng hesitated but, fearing Thief San's wrath, reluctantly admitted, "I did it. Don't trouble my master!"
Luo Yan frowned. Though they had caught Thief San, he had once again managed to evade direct accountability.