Police, the Last Friend of a Journalist

"Sir, your bag has been recovered. Only…"

The security team responsible for maintaining order at Jingdou's INDIGO rubbed at his head with a bashful expression. He threw a questionable glance towards the ephemeral man standing before him, then down towards the badge he once proudly affixed to his chest.

Blue Rivers Security Company.

The top-ranking security company in the entirety of Quanzhou Province, and one who possessed skills that many expensive and endeavoring corporations sought after. He, in particular, had worked in this specific mall for over twenty years with great diligence, but couldn't believe that the young man before him could be more efficient at stopping a perpetrator in his tracks.

A thief had dared to steal his bag directly after confirming the purchase. Without displaying a single indication of panic, the young man had immediately contacted both the Blue Rivers Security Company and the local police of Jingdou.

In one smooth, clear breath, he had reported the serial number of the bag when it was registered in the CHARM ME warehouse. Moreover, the tracker module that INDIGO placed in all Louis Vuitton bags had yet to be removed by either the young man nor the thief, making their job as security extremely easy and swift.

INDIGO mall's policies regulated that all purchasable merchandise exceeding 2000 RMB were to be tagged with a removeable tracker module. Upon confirmation of purchase, the employees would guide the customer in the proper method of removing the module without damaging their product, upon which the great haste of the customers made the lives of thieves smooth-sailing and the security team moan with masochistic pain.

It was just a sticker stamped onto a tag, which was placed in the bag. They seriously couldn't wait a few minutes for the employee to rip it off?

"What happened?"

Du Lang raised an eyebrow and followed the security officer through the restricted access passageway. When the clean, white-tiled corridor opened into a room and he was led through the sliding doors, his eyebrows shot through the roof. The room was barren, save for a single chair, a wooden table sourced from the hardware sector of the mall, and a young girl in handcuffs.

Only the right hand of the young girl was shackled, and the other cuff clamped itself around the thick arms of the chair. Both Du Lang and the security officer's eyes cramped when they witnessed the captured thief continue to growl and struggle at the handcuff.

"Young lady, the chair is specially made of industrial grade reinforced steel. You won't be able to break it, much less the strongest prisoner in the world," the middle-aged security officer couldn't restrain the urge to coax his prisoner.

"You're a young girl, and have a vast future before you. If you can obtain this young man's forgiveness, there won't be a blot on your credentials, alright?"

The young girl immediately broke into a frenzied stream of struggling, and curses spewed from her lips with great speed. As the security officer erupted in sweat at the unexpected profanities, Du Lang glanced towards the table and felt his heart sink.

The bag had been completely ruined…

The outer layer of leather appeared relatively untouched and free of harm, save for a slight bruising and dust on the checkered texture. Alas, close inspection of the bag revealed that the inner, protective layer of canvas had been slashed into strips, and the threads frayed at the ends.

The bag cost 19,700 RMB, which wasn't considerably painful to Du Lang personally, but it was a unique selection of the CHARM ME accessories store. If he were to buy the same bag, he would have to run to another INDIGO mall or CHARM ME store…

"We are being humanitarian by only confining you to a chair for now. Do you take the Blue Rivers Security Company as nothing?"

The middle-aged security officer had reached his limits for the young girl's tolerance. He strode towards the table and whipped the wooden surface with a telescoping, metallic baton, causing the young girl to flinch at the harsh and sudden impact.

"You attempted to steal a bag worth over 19,000 RMB from this customer. By Jingdou's laws, that warrants as an attempted act of grand larceny. Do you want to go to jail for a few months at the least?"

"I won't go to jail! I also won't grovel and beg to this person, either!" the young girl screamed back with a flustered expression, before glaring at Du Lang with undisguised anger.

"You're just looking for a chance to make use of me, and sell me off to some trafficking organization. I know of it! All of you rich, young men are like that!"

"We're only seeking an apology, and have the bank issue a debtor's note. Do you really think that I will let illegal things happen under my watch –"

"Just send her to the police. Wanton destruction of property, attempted grand larceny – this should net her about two years at the minimum, no?" Du Lang interrupted the security officer in the midst of his tirade.

"The young lady here clearly has no desire to come to a private settlement. Just process this under the law, then."

"Young lad, isn't that a bit harsh…"

The young girl's eyes immediately bulged at Du Lang's cold and indifferent suggestion, and the fear of imprisonment gradually began to sink in. She gaped in dumbstruck silence as the security officer pondered over the issue, and eventually left the room with a nod and a faint sigh. Du Lang sat on the partially destroyed table, and leveled an interested stare at the young girl.

"What… what do you want from me?" the young girl began to shiver with dread.

"Don't put me in jail for a few years… anything but that…"

This young man was scary… he was a handsome Adonis with a divine countenance, but his personality was too scary…

It was only a bag! With his looks, he could probably buy three more in a heartbeat!

When did handsome men stop pitying pitiful, weak girls like her!?

The door opened once more after three minutes, revealing a male and female set of police officers standing idly in the hallway. The security officer bobbed his head in to ensure that Du Lang hadn't committed any 'swift and irrevocable' acts of vindication, and gestured for the police officers to enter. When Du Lang's eyes glanced onto the female officer's countenance, his mood quickly dove from mild annoyance to complete irritation.

Always Gu Ling! This woman always stuck at his heels like dog plaster!

And none of their encounters were ever pleasant…

囧.

"Young man, you are the one who filed a report for theft?"

Gu Ling gazed at Du Lang's countenance and questioned with a calm voice. Her colleague immediately whipped out a small notepad and pencil, fulfilling his duty as an assistant with great faith and diligence. The security officer quickly intervened, and a flattering smile was displayed in full view.

"Ah, yes, yes. The young man over here was the one who filed a swift report after the young lady snatched the bag that he had just finished his purchase for. Unfortunately, as we were apprehending her, she destroyed its interior with a switchblade."

"Security Head Wang, where is this switchblade now?"

"We placed it into appropriate custody and sent it to the local police station as evidence," the security head surnamed Wang nodded.

"After apprehending the thief, we attempted to privately settle with a debtor's note issued from the state bank – without illegal compulsion, of course – but she refused to cooperate. Hence, we dispatched a call…"

Gu Ling raised the bag from the table to carefully inspect the damage inflicted onto the short-lived luxury accessory. When she had confirmed the magnitude of the security officer's words to be true, she stepped back to cross her arms.

"If a private settlement cannot be reached, then leaving the task to us is the right decision. However, cases including grand larceny and damage of property exceeding 8,500 RMB in value must be reported to the police even if private settlements are reached," Gu Ling creased her brows.

"I will require identification from both parties. Young lady, do not try resisting the police if you want a chance at a lighter sentence."

The helpful citizen as he was, Du Lang presented his identification and driving license regardless of his unwillingness to interact with the woman standing before him. Alas, the details had to be wormed out of the young girl's possession, causing the male colleague to sweat as he discovered his intimidation tactics to be an utter failure. When the policewoman Gu Ling had grasped the two state-issued cards and given them a close inspection, her brows sunk.

The young girl had just ceased to be a minor a few months ago, hence she wouldn't receive much mercy from the law. But as for the astonishing handsome man with flawless looks… his name was Du Lang?

"There are many called Du Lang in Jingdou, much less Quanzhou Province… wait."

That birthdate! And the image stamped on the corner of the driving license! And what the f*ck, even the privilege code stamped on the card was the same as her memories!

"Y-y-y-y-y-you, you are Du Lang?" the policewoman stammered in shock, and pointed at Du Lang with a quivering finger.

"You damned journalist, how in the Heavens did you change your appearance so much! And your height as well!"

Gu Ling rushed at Du Lang, pinning him against the wall as she shoved with great force. There, before a young girl, security head, and her male colleague's stricken and astonished gaze, she began frisking his body without consent.

"How did you change your looks so much? And this isn't a face mask at all – meaning that a cosmetic enhancement was at hand!?"

"Home remedy."

He couldn't say that Sibyl was the one that changed his appearance. Moreover, he didn't even know how his entire physique had transformed, save for the knowledge of a massive amount of a black, noxious substance and hundreds of small, crawling and wriggling white things…

"A home remedy could achieve this much? This radical change to skin texture?" Gu Ling immediately began plotting with a crafty gleam in her eyes.

"Honorable Citizen Du Lang! We, the police of Jingdou, will offer you a deal. Sell the recipe you used to me, and I'll make sure we don't come after you for some of the charges placed against you!"

If it truly was an ancient remedy as he stated, then she could…

(///∇///✿)

Gu Ling stepped back and observed Du Lang with great pride and a triumphant expression on her countenance. In response, Du Lang, the handcuffed young girl, and a middle-aged security head gaped with a mixture of bemusement and awkwardness until the male colleague brusquely failed to clear his throat, almost choking on the process.

"Captain Gu, I thought the last deal of information with Du Lang resulted in a promise that we wouldn't prosecute him for any charges pressed against him related to his work as a journalist…"

"Don't worry! Du Lang isn't a journalist anymore – have you checked the news lately?" Gu Ling reassured with confidence.

"He retired a few days ago, causing many prodigal company heads and their sons to file charge after charge of damages, defamation, emotional harm, and much more against him. We can start with those!"

"T-those charges are still related to his career as a journalist, so they won't be realized. The court will throw the case out without taking a single look! Du Lang's information also helped our department, hence many will be unwilling to take action…"

"Lian Chu, are you arguing against your superior?"

The male colleague immediately shrunk his head into his shoulders, daring not to speak of another word. Du Lang heaved a bitter sigh and marched towards the smiling Gu Ling, only to wrench his identification card and driver's license from her grasp.

"Since you know who I am, I'm sure you can finish the process by yourself, right? Officer Gu?"

"Of course I can, who do you think settled the legal affairs for you – wait! Come back here, give me my remedy! I need it!"

"You don't need it! You're already the best-looking policewoman in Jingdou, what more do you want!?"

"What kind of woman doesn't want to make herself look pretty!? Come back here, Du Lang!!!"

A renowned, now-retired journalist fled from the INDIGO mall, having spent 19,700 RMB for a Louis Vuitton bag and obtaining nothing in return. A beautiful, stunning policewoman chased after him with waving fists, leaving behind a trail of hands palming their face.

What happened to the honorable creed of respecting the blessings and virtues of justice and defending the law from the worldly temptations!?