Chapter 96: I Don't Know Him!

"How could Tang Zhong possibly kill someone? He's just a student," Luo Huan said with a look of shock. For girls in their prime, murder was always something distant, something that only appeared in TV shows, movies, and the mystery novels they bought. They never imagined it would happen right in front of them.

"I don't believe it either," Cheng Pei echoed. "Tang Zhong is such a good person; how could he kill someone?"

In their minds, killers were bad people. Tang Zhong was a good person, so he couldn't possibly be a killer.

He Na put her arms around Luo Huan and Cheng Pei's shoulders and asked Liang Tao, "Have you asked them what happened? What exactly happened?"

"How could they tell us?" Liang Tao said with a gloomy face. "We're not his guardians or his teachers. They might have already called the school."

"Ah? So Tang Zhong is finished?" Luo Huan said. "If they call the school, won't everyone in the school know?"

"Let's try to get him out first," Liang Tao said. "Who cares if the school finds out?"

Hua Ming squatted at the edge of the train platform, smoking one cigarette after another.

After a long time, he threw the cigarette butt away and pulled out his phone to dial a number.

The phone rang again and again, but no one answered.

He hung up and dialed again.

This time, someone finally answered.

"What is it?" a man's steady and serious voice came from the other end of the line.

"Uncle, I'm sorry," Hua Ming said in a low voice.

"Hmm," the man's voice softened a bit. "What's done is done. Don't dwell on it. Look forward. You have a long road ahead."

"I know," Hua Ming said. "I know what to do from now on."

"Alright. I have a meeting. That's all for now."

"Uncle!" Hua Ming called out urgently.

"Is there something else?"

Silence.

"Speak up. Don't act like a woman," the man urged.

"Uncle, a friend of mine is detained by the Yvnu Mountain Police Station for involvement in a murder case. I want you to call the Mingzhu City Police Bureau and ask them to handle the case fairly. I believe he is innocent," Hua Ming said hesitantly.

This time, it was the man's turn to be silent.

"I'm curious, who is this person?"

"Tang Zhong."

"Indeed," the man chuckled softly. "Hua Ming, you're too naive. If I make this call, can the case still be handled fairly?"

"But Uncle—"

Click.

Hua Ming could only bite his lip tightly as he heard the busy signal.

He bit so hard that it bled, but he didn't notice.

Hua Ming flipped through his phone contacts, his finger hovering over a name for a long time without moving.

Sigh. Thinking about how the police had treated him and Liang Tao coldly when they went to ask about the situation, he finally dialed the number.

An individual's power is very limited, especially for an ordinary person without any status.

The phone rang twice before it was answered. A man's uncertain voice said, "Qian Ming?"

"Brother. It's me," Hua Ming said hoarsely, his fingers digging into his thigh.

"If I'm not mistaken, this is the first time you've called me in years, right?" the man chuckled.

"I have a favor to ask," Hua Ming said.

"Sure, calling me 'Brother' isn't for nothing. You're already starting to make demands. Why don't you lay the groundwork a bit more and let me feel our brotherly bond?" the man's voice was playful, as if he was playing a fun game.

Hua Ming pulled the phone away from his ear, feeling an urge to smash it to pieces.

"What? Can't take it? You can hang up anytime," the man said.

"I have a friend involved in a murder case. I want you to call the Mingzhu City Police Bureau and ask them to handle it fairly. You work in the police system, so they should give you some face," Hua Ming said through gritted teeth.

"Oh, a murder case?" the man pondered for a moment. "Why should I help you?"

"..."

"Qian Ming, what you did last time already made the family very angry. What are you trying to do this time? If I make this call, I'll owe someone a huge favor. How will I pay it back?"

"Besides, this call isn't something to be made lightly. Involving a murder case, whoever handles it will bear the risk of the case being overturned. Why would they take such a big risk? Naturally, they would want to gain something bigger. What can I offer them in exchange?"

"I'm not asking you to favor my friend. I just want someone to—"

"It's the same thing," the man interrupted Hua Ming. "As soon as I make this call, they'll know my connection to the suspect. Then, can the case still be handled fairly? No matter what I say, once I make this call, the case will go the way I want it to. Do you understand, my good brother? This is the power of authority."

"I understand," Hua Ming said in a low voice, his heart feeling like it was being stabbed.

"You don't need to call anyone else. Without Uncle and Dad's help, they won't do anything for you," the man said and hung up.

Hua Ming was about to throw his phone.

His hand paused in mid-air.

After some thought, he put the phone back in his pocket.

Maybe they'll change their minds?

The Yvnu Mountain Police Station Chief Li Bo Tao, Deputy Chief Chen Feng, Deputy Chief Wei Ming, Captain Jiang Kai, and several officers were waiting at the entrance of the police station.

They kept looking into the distance, as if an important guest could appear at any moment.

Indeed, an important guest was coming. An hour ago, Li Bo Tao received a call from the Mingzhu City Police Bureau, informing him that Deputy Chief Huang Chao would be visiting the Yvnu Mountain Police Station.

Since the establishment of the Yvnu Mountain Police Station, only a low-ranking deputy chief had ever come to inspect the work. Someone like Huang Chao, a powerful figure in the entire Mingzhu police system, had never visited, and might have never even paid attention to this place.

The Yvnu Mountain Police Station was too small and too remote. As they put it, working here was like being "exiled."

Now, the deputy chief who could decide their fate was coming. They couldn't afford to be anything but cautious in their reception.

Even with the fastest speed, it would take at least forty minutes to drive from Mingzhu.

However, after receiving the call, Li Bo Tao immediately rushed to the station, gathered some information, and then led the station's leadership to wait at the entrance.

"Here they come," someone shouted.

Li Bo Tao secretly stretched his muscles and put on a smile that he rarely showed.

Vroom.

A black Mercedes-Benz stopped at the entrance of the police station. Li Bo Tao ran over and opened the rear door.

Sure enough, sitting in the back were Deputy Chief Huang Chao of the Mingzhu City Police Bureau and a young man Li Bo Tao had never seen before.

"Chief Huang, thank you for the long journey," Li Bo Tao greeted respectfully.

"Hmm," Huang Chao nodded indifferently and turned to the young man beside him. "William, do you want to come in and sit down?"

"No need. I'll go see Yihan first," the young man named William smiled. "Such a big incident, the little girl must be scared."

Li Bo Tao's eyes flickered, thinking, "They are indeed here for the girl from the Qiu family."

"Hmm, that's fine," Chief Huang smiled.

He got out of the car and said to Li Bo Tao, "I heard there was a murder case here?"

"Report, Chief. Yes," Li Bo Tao saluted and then recounted the situation he had just learned.

"Hmm. What is the relationship between the girl named Qiu Yihan and this murder case?" Huang Chao asked, frowning.

"Report, Chief. She is the victim," Li Bo Tao answered loudly. "She and her friends were sightseeing at Tianyi when they encountered this incident. Both the suspect Tang Zhong and other witnesses can confirm this."

"Is she hurt?" the handsome young man named William asked with a smile.

"We have already had a doctor examine Miss Qiu Yihan. She only has minor injuries," Li Bo Tao said, not knowing the young man's identity but recognizing his importance from the fact that Huang Chao accompanied him. Therefore, he treated the young man with the same respect as Chief Huang.

"Where is she?" William's sharp eyebrows arched. Clearly, he was not satisfied with the "minor injuries."

"She is resting in the lounge. Shall I have someone bring her here?" Li Bo Tao asked.

"No need," William waved his hand, which was whiter and more delicate than a woman's. "I'll go get her."

He then said to Chief Guo Bo Tao, "Chief Guo, if Yihan is only a victim and not involved in the murder case, I want to take her home first. Her grandmother must be worried. If there are any other matters, you can communicate with my lawyers."

He pointed to three lawyers, two men and one woman, standing not far away.

"No problem. Absolutely no problem," Chief Guo Bo Tao smiled. "What about Tang Zhong?"

"Tang Zhong?" William's lips curled into a cold smile. "I don't know him."

PS: It's said that today is Yun Yun's birthday? Happy birthday! Thank you for your selfless dedication to me and the Guard Corps.