"Gun? Who saw it? You defended yourself. If you say you defended yourself, then it was self-defense. You have to understand, foreigner, it's not you who has the final say here, but me. If I say you are guilty, then you are guilty. If I say you are not guilty, then you are not guilty." The man slowly walked in front of Jiang Hai and tapped the table in front of him with his fingertips, a look of disdain on his face.
"What do you mean by that?" Looking at the man in front of him, Jiang Hai couldn't help but laugh. He leaned back and looked at him with a calm expression, eager to hear the man's words.
"You still don't understand after I've said that? You Chinese people say every day that you are the second smartest race in the world. Your IQ is really the same as that of monkeys. Yellow-skinned boy, since you don't understand, I'll explain it clearly. Do you understand this?" The policeman sneered, rubbing the index finger, middle finger, and thumb of his right hand together.
"Money?" Seeing the other party's gesture, Jiang Hai quickly guessed what he meant. He smiled and shook his head.
"You seem quite skilled at this. You must have done it many times!" Jiang Hai rested his chin on his hand, looking at the man in front of him. He spoke slowly and clearly, wanting to see if all crows in the world were equally black.
"Oh, is this a rare thing? I advise you to put away your other little thoughts. Our police department, whether it's Winthrop, Boston, or even the entire Massachusetts police system, is the same. It may cost less for me to handle this matter. If the chief or deputy chief is involved, it will probably cost several times more." The man squinted his eyes and said, watching Jiang Hai closely. Jiang Hai didn't care if what the man said was true or false; he took it at face value.
"Come on, tell me a number!" Jiang Hai looked at the man and spoke slowly.
"Okay, that's great. We'll offer you a price of fifty thousand dollars. I guarantee you'll be safe." The man's pupils dilated with excitement as he saw how easily Jiang Hai was being tricked.
"Fifty thousand? Haha, are all you people in Winthrop so greedy? And look, the video recorder behind you is still on." Hearing the man's words, Jiang Hai sneered and spoke with a displeased look.
"That's our procedure, in case I hit you. But if I really wanted to hit you, I wouldn't do it here. Don't worry, though—if I say the camera is on, it is, and if I say it's off, it's off. I represent the law and the entire police department. I advise you not to have any more delusions. In short, fifty thousand dollars—will you give it to me?" The man, unfazed, said with a nonchalant attitude.
"I give it to you? I'll give you a short answer: I think we have nothing more to discuss. Let's talk when my lawyer arrives." Jiang Hai replied with a calm face.
"Your lawyer? You have a lawyer? If we don't hire one for you, you won't have one!" The man sneered coldly at Jiang Hai, clearly not thinking he was wealthy enough to afford a lawyer.
A person wealthy enough to hire a lawyer is someone who can pay top-dollar legal fees. In the United States, lawyers are highly paid, and their fees come from those who hire them to sue. In his eyes, Jiang Hai's outfit made him look like a small-time boss who finally had the chance to run a restaurant in the United States.
Jiang Hai's clothes, from head to toe, were mostly sportswear and outdoor gear—items that, while expensive in China, were not as costly in the U.S. Brands like Nike or Adidas, which were only worn by the wealthiest children in China, were popular among poor black Americans. Ordinary white people would never wear such clothes unless they were playing basketball or watching a game.
In the man's opinion, Jiang Hai couldn't possibly be a rich man, and people like him didn't have lawyers.
Jiang Hai didn't continue to speak, but simply smiled. His super hearing had already picked up on the sound of approaching footsteps.
"Mr. Adams, please come this way. Your client is temporarily detained here." A female police officer opened the door to the interrogation room and led in a middle-aged man in his forties. This man was energetic, wearing gold-rimmed glasses and a serious expression. His suit was straight, and his sharp eyes scanned the room. Upon spotting Jiang Hai, he walked over quickly.
"Hello, Mr. Jiang Hai, I'm sorry for the trouble. My name is Moses Adams, and I'm your lawyer." The lawyer said seriously, shaking Jiang Hai's hand, which was still handcuffed.
Jiang Hai was meeting this lawyer for the first time. He had found him through the Centurion credit card service. While in the police car, Jiang Hai had used his phone to call the number he had had for a long time but had never called before. As a VIP user of Samsung, once his identity was confirmed, he didn't need to worry about anything.
This lawyer was highly regarded, working for Sidley Austin LLP, the world's fourth-largest law firm, specializing in international arbitration, trade, antitrust, and policy. Normally, civil disputes like this weren't prioritized, but for someone wealthy like Jiang Hai, even the smallest dispute was a big deal.
"I don't understand why you're interrogating my client here. I watched the video from the street, and it's clear that my client is the victim. Yet, you've handcuffed him and detained him in an interrogation room. This is serious dereliction of duty." After shaking Jiang Hai's hand, Moses Adams turned and spoke loudly to the two officers.
The woman appeared calm, as she hadn't seen the video, but the man looked embarrassed and anxious.
"If they didn't lock me up, why would they ask me for a bribe?" Jiang Hai chuckled, his personality showing through. He wasn't a saint, and he never let an opportunity slip. He recalled how the man had arrogantly asked for money, and now he wasn't going to let that moment pass.
"What?" The woman froze for a moment before looking at the man.
"No, that's not true at all, sir. Are you out of your mind? How is that possible?" The man quickly shouted, quietly moving towards the camera.
"Don't let him destroy the camera. Our conversation is recorded there." Jiang Hai quickly recognized the man's intentions and warned the woman. The man turned around, attempting to destroy the camera, but Jiang Hai was faster. He stood up and tripped the man, bringing him to the ground. At the same time, the lawyer moved swiftly, grabbing the camera.
When the lawyer played the recording back, he was stunned. The words were crystal clear.
"No, I was just joking. Yes, really, I was just joking," the man stammered as he scrambled to his feet.
"Sir, we will investigate this matter thoroughly. If the situation is as you say, we will take action against him," the woman said after hesitating, glancing at the lawyer and Jiang Hai. She wanted the camera, which was now crucial evidence.
This situation had been a misunderstanding, but if it escalated, it would become much more complicated.
"That won't do. This guy said their police system operates like this. He even admitted to blackmailing the plaintiff. He mentioned that the chief, deputy chief, and his colleagues all accept such money. He also said that Boston police stations, and even the Massachusetts police system, are the same. This is a big deal." The lawyer glanced at Jiang Hai, knowing this matter depended largely on his attitude.
"Since that's the case, we don't know how many accomplices he has. So, Miss Police, I won't give this camera to you, because no one knows whether your chief, deputy chief, or even people in the Boston Police Department, and the Massachusetts judicial system, are involved. I will file a complaint with the federal government." The lawyer took the camera back, straightened his clothes, and said seriously.