"Director Pang, I am Xu Zhengyang."
Pang Zhong frowned as soon as he saw Xu Zhengyang's number on the caller ID. He thought to himself that this kid never called unless he was in trouble. However, this time Xu Zhengyang's voice sounded rather somber, unlike his usual carefree and nonchalant tone when he called. So Pang Zhong held back his scolding and asked directly, "What is it?"
Xu Zhengyang briefly recounted what had happened, and then described the current situation where the police station was being surrounded by local villagers.
Upon hearing that over a hundred people had blocked the police station, Pang Zhong realized the seriousness of the situation. He quickly said, "I understand," and hung up. He then contacted the Bu County Public Security Bureau, which had already received the call from the police station and was dispatching additional officers to the scene.
On the way here, Xu Zhengyang had already considered this: given the magnitude of the incident, the only way to get Chen Chaojiang and his sister out as soon as possible was to pull strings and use connections. Otherwise, should he simply use the ghost messengers to intimidate the authorities into releasing them?
Xu Zhengyang had also thought it through. Since he had seriously injured someone, he couldn't just let it go like before. After all, the people he and Chen Chaojiang had injured in the past were all criminals, but the person Chen Chaojiang injured this time was a thug. The nature of the matter was definitely different. Moreover, even if it was self-defense, it was still too much to justify seriously injuring someone.
Therefore, Xu Zhengyang was prepared to pay the fine, and if necessary, cover some medical expenses. He had to make sure things were done properly in public, so that Chen Chaojiang wouldn't actually end up in jail for this, which would only make him feel more guilty. No matter how he planned to secretly plot revenge in the future, he still needed to follow the proper path in reality and not do anything too outrageous.
But when he saw the crowd so agitated, indiscriminately favoring the families and relatives of a few thugs, and even some villagers who had come to join in the commotion, Xu Zhengyang's anger, which had subsided slightly, rose to its peak again.
I won't pay any fines or medical expenses.
Moreover, even if those unlucky guys were beaten up and injured, it wouldn't be enough!
Parents, relatives, and neighbors who blindly help and stir up trouble should all learn a lesson!
The reason is simple: based on their behavior and mentality, Xu Zhengyang was certain that the parents bore absolute responsibility for these young people becoming hooligans and thugs, and for them being beaten and injured!
It's good for them to learn from this experience, so they won't make irreparable mistakes that hurt themselves and others in the future.
From another perspective, Xu Zhengyang was also helping them, specifically them! Of course, he was also helping himself. What was he most concerned about these days? Why did he send out more than ten ghost messengers to punish evil and promote good? Wasn't it precisely to specifically cause trouble for those wicked scoundrels, petition for the people, accumulate merit and faith, and enhance his divine power?
In other words, this time, hundreds of people suddenly appeared, eagerly wanting Xu Zhengyang to deal with them. While Xu Zhengyang was angry, he couldn't help but sneer inwardly. Damn, when luck comes, it's unpredictable. Business is booming! It's truly a case of "a loss may turn out to be a blessing in disguise."
In the long run, this is a good thing for both sides.
While keeping these thoughts in mind, Xu Zhengyang's divine sense was also monitoring the situation of Xu Rouyue and Chen Chaojiang inside the police station.
Chen Chaojiang was locked in a room alone. He was wearing a white short-sleeved shirt, black trousers and leather shoes. His hands were cuffed as he sat on a chair. His pale and cold face showed no expression. His narrow eyes remained icy and devoid of any warmth. His bare left forearm was wrapped in gauze.
The interrogation of him had ended, there were no police officers inside, and the door was open.
Just then, a man with a somewhat fierce appearance, who looked to be in his thirties and was wearing a community defense team uniform, walked in and closed the door behind him.
Then, the man strode forward, cursing rudely, and pulled out a belt to whip Chen Chaojiang hard.
Even in handcuffs, Chen Chaojiang was still a formidable man. How could he be easily beaten by someone like this? So, the enraged man who wanted to teach Chen Chaojiang a lesson rushed forward and swung his belt, but before it could even strike Chen Chaojiang, Chen Chaojiang suddenly stood up and kicked him in the lower abdomen. The man cried out in pain, staggered back two steps, and squatted on the ground, his face contorted in extreme pain.
Hearing the cries of pain from inside the house, the door was suddenly pushed open, and two policemen rushed towards Chen Chaojiang, shouting at him.
Chen Chaojiang initially intended to retaliate, but considering the other party's identity as a police officer, he held back and did not make a move. As a result, he was punched and kicked several times.
Rewind a dozen seconds. Outside the crowded area in front of the police station, Xu Zhengyang, standing on the roadside, noticed Chen Chaojiang's attack. Two police officers were standing outside, and the auxiliary police officer's entry to assault Chen Chaojiang was clearly tacitly approved. Xu Zhengyang feared that Chen Chaojiang, in his rage, would also attack the police, which would be a huge problem. He was also worried that Chen Chaojiang would be beaten by the police. So, at the same moment Chen Chaojiang attacked, Xu Zhengyang sprinted towards the crowded area outside the police station, choosing the least crowded spot. He leaped up, using people's shoulders and heads as footsteps, and before anyone could react, Xu Zhengyang had already scaled the gatepost, then flipped and jumped into the police station courtyard, rushing into the office building with lightning speed.
From the start of the race to leaping over the crowd, passing through the gate, and rushing into the building, it takes only about ten seconds.
It's definitely faster than a rabbit!
Volume Four, Chapter 186: Encircling the City from the Countryside
Warnings and shouts rang out inside the police station's office building.
With lightning speed, Xu Zhengyang rushed into Chen Chaojiang's room, instantly knocking two policemen who were assaulting Chen Chaojiang to the ground and dragging Chen Chaojiang behind him.
"Stop! What are you doing?" The deputy director, who had been chasing after them, drew his pistol. In that instant, the deputy director felt a wave of dizziness, but then regained his senses and pointed the pistol at Xu Zhengyang.
At this moment, apart from Xu Zhengyang and the ghost messenger Su Peng, even the deputy director himself didn't know that if he really wanted to fire the gun, he couldn't.
Xu Zhengyang stood in front of Chen Chaojiang, his eyes narrowed and his face grim as he said, "Are the police and criminals in cahoots?"
The deputy director, the police officers who arrived later and blocked the door, as well as the two police officers and one auxiliary police officer inside the house, were all stunned for a moment.
"Hands behind your head, squat down!" the deputy director shouted.
Xu Zhengyang snorted and, instead of crouching down and covering his head as the other party had asked, turned his head and looked at Chen Chaojiang, saying, "You were right not to fight back just now."
Chen Chaojiang nodded coldly. He knew Xu Zhengyang was referring to his decision not to impulsively tackle the two policemen who had assaulted him. However, the bandage on Chen Chaojiang's left forearm was bleeding again from the kick he had received; and his face was bruised from the punches.
"Squat down!" The deputy director's voice grew increasingly stern.
Xu Zhengyang turned around, looked at the deputy director, and said, "You're a good person, I know that."
The deputy director was stunned, not understanding why Xu Zhengyang would say such a thing out of the blue.
The other police officers had already slowly approached Xu Zhengyang and Chen Chaojiang.
Just then, hurried footsteps came from outside the door, and two policemen pushed through the crowd and entered the house. Seeing the standoff inside, they frowned and asked in a deep voice, "What's going on?"
Before the deputy director could answer, Xu Zhengyang spoke first: "Just now, my friend was beaten by police officers from the police station here. I went inside to stop it, which caused some misunderstanding."
"Director Zhang, this man stormed into our police station and violently attacked the officers." The deputy director suddenly realized that it was inappropriate to be holding a pistol, so he put it away.
"Which of you is Chen Chaojiang? Which one is Xu Zhengyang?" Zhang Yun, the deputy director of the county public security bureau, asked with a frown.
Xu Zhengyang calmly said, "I am Xu Zhengyang." Then he turned to the side, pointed at Chen Chaojiang, and said, "He is Chen Chaojiang."
"Stay inside and don't cause any trouble!" Zhang Yun's expression was grim. He turned to the deputy director and said, "Send someone to keep an eye on them. You come here and explain the situation. What happened?"
As he spoke, Zhang Yun turned and walked out.
The two policemen who came with Zhang Yun stayed inside. The deputy director asked another policeman from the local police station to stay behind, whispered a few words of advice to him, and then left with the other policemen.
At this moment, an even louder commotion erupted outside.
Xu Zhengyang looked at the four policemen left in the room. He sighed softly, took out a cigarette, lit one for Chen Chaojiang, and lit one for himself.
To be fair, Xu Zhengyang wasn't entirely against police brutality. Some people really did need to be taught a lesson. Trying to reason with criminals and thugs about principles and the law was like talking to a brick wall. Just like how Zhong Shan, as a police station chief and an elder, used to give them a stern lecture.
However, Zhong Shan did not protect Xu Zhengyang and his group. Even when Xu Zhengyang and his group had conflicts with others, they always put reason first.
Xu Zhengyang had read many social news articles on the internet and he found that the reason why so-called criminal gangs and bullies were able to run rampant was not only because their own ferocity instilled fear in ordinary people, but also because of the protective umbrellas behind them. Local bullies have small protective umbrellas, and big bullies have big protective umbrellas.
It is under the protection of this protective umbrella that the arrogance of those so-called bullies has been emboldened, making them increasingly unscrupulous and capable of doing whatever they want.
In this situation, how can ordinary people expect to obtain fairness?
Leaving aside the serious cases that result in disability or death, even in ordinary fights, brawls, and acts of violence and oppression, to put it bluntly, local thugs operate on the principle of "avoiding major offenses, committing minor offenses constantly, avoiding jail time, and avoiding court appearances." Relevant laws can only offer reasonable punishments such as detention, fines, and warnings—insufficient and ineffective in addressing the root of the problem. Moreover, some people may deliberately show favoritism and condone such behavior.
So when sensational major cases occur these days, with police eradicating criminal gangs here and arresting countless people there, everyone seems to overlook one thing: how did these so-called criminal gang members gradually grow into a social cancer? And how many ordinary people suffered oppression and persecution at their hands during their upbringing?
Xu Zhengyang smoked a cigarette, his expression calm as he looked out the small window at the blazing sun. He thought to himself: Since Jingniang Village has so many people involved this time, then... let Jingniang Village become the second Shuanghe Village after it has been punished.
"The countryside surrounding the cities?" This thought suddenly flashed through Xu Zhengyang's mind. He then shook his head with a wry smile. Currently, the ghost messengers under the City God were simultaneously conducting irregular surveillance and enforcement activities in villages, counties, and cities. This seemed somewhat inappropriate. Xu Zhengyang secretly pondered that perhaps he should specifically assign a few ghost messengers to carry out regular and targeted operations. That might be more effective.
Just like the positive atmosphere in Shuanghe Village today, it has already influenced some people in several nearby villages, and perhaps one day in the future, it will spread to the whole township, or even the whole county.
This has a much greater impact than some simple cases, and the faith value and merit will increase many times over.
As Xu Zhengyang pondered these matters, the police officers inside the room looked at him with some surprise. This young man was extremely agile, so agile that it was astonishing. He rushed into the police station like a whirlwind, just to prevent his friend from being beaten, and even knocked down two police officers. This was blatant assault on the police! But now, looking at him, he was completely calm, slightly tilting his head to look out the window, as if he was thinking about something else, and didn't seem to care about what had just happened at all.
What gives him the right to be so arrogant? So nonchalant...
Chen Chaojiang, handcuffed, stood beside Xu Zhengyang with a cold expression, his eyes and face revealing no worry or concern.
With a friend like Xu Zhengyang around, and the fault not being on his side, what does Chen Chaojiang have to worry about?
"Chaojiang, you've had a long day." Xu Zhengyang said with a smile, snapping out of his reverie.
Chen Chaojiang shook his head: "Minor injury."
The police officers inside were even more puzzled. The two men seemed very calm and unconcerned about the consequences of their actions.
Just then, the noise and commotion outside suddenly stopped.
Xu Zhengyang frowned slightly, his consciousness reaching out, and he was surprised to find that the originally aggressive crowd had suddenly fallen silent, and then they began to mutter something in small groups before leaving the police station.
This sudden turn of events left the police officers, who had already arrived as reinforcements and lined up in front of the police station with a cordon, puzzled.
Could it be that they suddenly changed their minds?
Inside the police station, several parents of the injured young men were talking with the station chief and Zhang Yun, the deputy director of the county bureau. Then, the station chief, Jiang Yuhe, received a phone call, and two of the parents' representatives also received calls shortly afterward…
Soon, the parents of the injured young man changed their attitude. They went from being tough and domineering, demanding severe punishment for the perpetrator and vowing no leniency, to agreeing to a private settlement. They also subtly expressed their apologies, saying that they hadn't disciplined their children much, which had led to these kids causing trouble and creating problems for the government.
Zhang Yun was puzzled. Although this was the outcome he hoped for—because the higher-ups had instructed him to ensure the safety of Chen Chaojiang and Xu Zhengyang and to thoroughly investigate the matter to prevent wrongful accusations—it was still a serious brawl that had resulted in injuries, including two serious hospitalizations. In any case, it was a malicious fight that would incur criminal charges.
Now, the party who was beaten is no longer pursuing the matter and is willing to settle it privately through mediation.
This seems like a win-win situation.
After asking more detailed questions, Zhang Yun also received a phone call...
What started as a vicious brawl that resulted in injuries and mass incidents, inexplicably subsided in an instant.
Zhang Yun gave a few more instructions, then left with more than 30 police officers urgently dispatched by the county bureau.
Xu Zhengyang, who had been racking his brains trying to figure out how to resolve this incident in a way that would allow him to vent his anger and leave the police station without incurring any legal or criminal liability, was now puzzled. What the hell was wrong with these people? Why were they joking around with something like this?
As the City God, Xu Zhengyang could use his supernatural powers to investigate any major or minor events that occurred within the territory of Fuhe City, but he was just a human being, a god. How could he possibly investigate all the unknown situations in such a short time? So he was confused.
When he used his divine sense to investigate the mental state of the parents of the injured young people, he suddenly realized that he had underestimated the people of Jingniang Village and Jingniang Lake Scenic Area.
Soon, under the personal arrangement of the police station chief, Xu Zhengyang and Chen Chaojiang were taken to a conference room on the second floor.
There were several men in their forties and fifties in the meeting room. The man sitting in the middle looked to be in his fifties. He was dressed very well, his hair was slightly balding, and his eyes, which were not very big, were almost always squinting. His face was full of the vicissitudes of life.
They were there as representatives of the other party to accept mediation from the police officers at the local police station.
Now that Xu Zhengyang knew the identities and backgrounds of these people, he naturally had no more doubts. After sitting down, without waiting for the police station chief Jiang Yuhe to say anything, he didn't even look at the men, but just looked at Jiang Yuhe and said, "The deputy chief is more suitable to be the chief than you."
Everyone in the room was stunned.
Volume Four, City God Chapter 187: Black-on-Black, Extortion of Money
Xu Zhengyang was unaware that this mediation scenario itself was against regulations and somewhat out of line.
However, he knew that this farcical incident had come to this point entirely because Pang Zhong had made a phone call to the Bu County Public Security Bureau.
When Xiang Heping, the director of the Bu County Public Security Bureau, received the phone call, Wang Xiquan, the deputy director in charge of criminal investigation, was present and learned that Pang Zhong, the director of the Municipal Public Security Bureau, was personally involved in the matter. At that time, Zhang Yun had already led a large number of police officers to the police station where the incident occurred.
Wang Xiwang hurriedly called his cousin Deng Qingfu from Jingniang Village, telling him that it was best not to make a fuss about this matter anymore, as those young men had connections and the city bureau chief Pang Zhong had personally called to inquire about it.
Deng Qingfu, 52 years old, is the village head of Jingniang Village. He is practically all-powerful and highly respected in the village, commanding immense influence. Among the young people who were beaten were his son, Deng Zichang, and his nephew, Deng Zihe. Fortunately, his son, Deng Zichang, was not seriously injured, while his nephew, Deng Zihe, suffered two broken ribs.
There are five villages near Jingniang Lake Scenic Area. Jingniang Village is the closest and has the most geographical advantage. The road leading to the main scenic area of Jingniang Lake passes in front of the village, and some of the mountainous fields in the village have been developed for tourism projects.
In the Jingniang Lake Scenic Area, half of the development and operation of supporting facilities for tourism, leisure, and vacation are enjoyed by the villagers of Jingniang Village.
Blessed with natural advantages and resources, this is not controversial; it can only be said that the villagers of Jingniang Village are lucky.
More than a decade ago, when the municipal party committee decided to develop Jingniang Lake, Deng Qingfu saw the huge profit potential. He led a group of villagers who were known for their fighting spirit and caused numerous violent conflicts with other villages. With his cousin Wang Xiquan, who was then the head of the local police station, as his backer, he finally managed to secure more benefits for Jingniang Village.
However, human nature is inherently greedy. Deng Qingfu was originally an ambitious and greedy man. The huge profits he gained from countless violent conflicts made him increasingly believe in the direct effectiveness of violent means. The villagers' blind trust and gratitude towards him made him more and more confident and complacent.