The old man entered the room carrying a pot of rice, with He Ku following behind with a dish in hand. Ye Tian and Chuanzi both knew at a glance that this was their biggest trump card from now on, and also the one Zheng Dazhi would fear the most.
"Come on, let’s eat."
Ye Tian got everyone moving, and the atmosphere in the room started to liven up. Taking Ye Tian’s cue, Chuanzi also began to tidy up the table.
As soon as he entered the room, he had said that from this point on, they were grasshoppers tied to the same string. United in glory, united in loss.
The old man’s place was very safe. Although he did not reveal his identity, Chuanzi was one hundred percent certain that this man was the legendary Thief Saint, the great-grandson of Shi Qian. Ye Tian was curious, but he didn’t actively ask. It didn’t matter if he wasn’t the Thief Saint. As long as Ye Tian was there, he wasn’t worried about protecting He Ku. If he were the Thief Saint, it would be even better. At least so far, he had shown no malice, and this was evident from the cooking he did with He Ku every day.
With no more concerns to look back on, Ye Tian’s mind started pondering how to rescue He Biandan. If He Biandan was still at the police station, he would definitely use what he had to threaten Zheng Dazhi to release him. Zheng Dazhi would have no choice but to comply; the things Ye Tian held were absolutely not within the control of a mere police officer, and God knows how many people were watching him from behind.
In the past few days, Ye Tian’s plans had begun to take shape, but his plan needed the participation of many people. He alone, an outsider, could not settle so many people and a myriad of things. At this time, Ye Tian began to miss the team he had left behind in Tianhe City.
The first person he had to find was He Biandan, who was still detained; he was the core of this case. Without him as the scapegoat, Zheng Dazhi would have to face death.
That afternoon, while eating, Ye Tian proposed his initial idea, which was to go to the City Public Security Bureau to talk to He Biandan and see how things were progressing. Everyone had no objections, but when he suggested taking He Ku with him, Chuanzi disagreed.
"Why do you have to take him with you? You alone are enough."
Ye Tian shook his head, "Not enough. He’s He Biandan’s direct relative. Without him, I can’t possibly see He Biandan. First, I’m not his family. Second, I’m not his lawyer. If someone else decides to create obstacles, I’ll have no excuse. At this time, He Ku is the best pretext."
"But he’s also the biggest danger. How do you know no one is watching him in secret?"
"You? Aren’t you also on the run?"
The room went quiet for a moment, and Chuanzi stopped talking as well. He realized that he had misspoken; with the abilities that Ye Tian had shown, which he himself could not match, he had no right to criticize.
Ye Tian knew this was not the time to be unpleasant, and turned to He Ku, who was eating, and asked, "Do you want to go see your dad?"
He Ku looked down at his food, "If you tell me to go, I’ll go. I’ll listen to you."
His words weighed more than anyone else’s.
Chuanzi didn’t speak anymore. He was aware of his current situation; there was no point in speaking up, it was better to stay put. He had the will of a thief, and also the intelligent mind of one.
These documents were the kind that could alarm the highest authority; a mere glance could bring about significant trouble. It’s not about whether you understand what’s inside; if you catch even a glimpse, they’ll lock you up. Better to execute a thousand by mistake than to let one slip through.
What this meant was that one can just mention a name at will, in other words, he can have the state target anyone.
Ye Tian was no exception.
After lunch, Ye Tian put on a cap and wrapped a scarf around his neck, He Ku followed his lead, wrapping himself up tightly, and then the two left the house.
There is only one Public Security Department in Beiping City, but there are dozens of police stations. Logically, people from Erwanzi Street should be detained in the Yuhua West Police Station above them, but Ye Tian got news from Xiao Jian that He Zixuan was taken directly to the Beiping City Public Security Bureau.
The Public Security Bureau, as the name implies, is the boss of all the police stations and sub-bureaus.
On their way, Ye Tian was not overly cautious. Sometimes too much protection draws more attention. They took the number eleven bus and arrived at the entrance of the Public Security Bureau. Ye Tian had previously notified Xiao Jian. As the head of a department in the Beiping City Public Security Bureau, he was considered a big official in the eyes of ordinary folks, but in a place like Beiping, where a signboard could fall and hit five office heads, his influence wasn’t as significant as one might imagine.
At the entrance, Xiao Jian was waiting for them in plain clothes.
Ye Tian trusted Xiao Jian, but also did not. Mixed in was Mo Yan; he could latch onto this connection, but without her? And that night, was he really drunk?
Seeing the spirited Xiao Jian, Ye Tian thought maybe he was overthinking it; after all, the man had already helped him substantially.
"Yeah. This is He Ku. You’ve seen him before."
Xiao Jian nodded, looking at He Ku, "Yeah, the same little guy. I’ve already arranged everything with the school. After the New Year, he can go there to study."
Ye Tian hesitated for a moment, neither praising nor criticizing; study? That would have to wait until this matter was settled.
Two soldiers stood on either side of the entrance, looking spirited with handsome faces. The bright red belts matched the green hats, and the white gloves made them look crisp and sharp. Beiping was Huaxia’s window to foreign interactions, so matters of facades and security were naturally well attended to.
"Let’s go, everything’s arranged. You just need to sign."
Ye Tian nodded, felt He Ku’s small hand grabbing his in the palm, the grip intensified. Ye Tian gave a reassuring squeeze and then followed Xiao Jian.
"He Zixuan, someone’s here to see you."
He Biandan, squatting in the corner, heard someone outside calling his name. He looked up but couldn’t see who it was, just guessed it was a police officer from the color of the uniform.
Inmates weren’t allowed to wear glasses in detention, to prevent using them for suicide or harming others. The legs of glasses could be sharpened into an invisible lethal weapon, and the lenses could easily slit a carotid artery in the neck.
Under the gaze of his fellow inmates, He Biandan stepped out of the cell. Since arriving here, his mood had undergone many ups and downs.