Chapter 50: Does This Count as a Confession?

In the ensuing two days, the city was in an uproar. Not only banks had been targeted, but jewelry stores and even exclusive private clubs were also victims of robbery. Although the police responded swiftly, their actions were consistently a step behind, and the robbers' firepower was devastating, resulting in heavy casualties during the few encounters that occurred.

News reports detailing where yet another group of criminals had struck and the resulting casualties had become all too commonplace.

To curtail the rampant criminal activities, the police departments of the four major districts united to establish several security perimeters, setting up roadblocks and checkpoints to scrutinize any suspicious vehicles and pedestrians. They also scrutinized the entry records of individuals who had recently entered the city in hopes of uncovering a clue to apprehend the culprits.

Yet, these cunning and brutal criminals vanished without a trace, as if they had never existed. The police's efforts yielded no results, leading some keen observers to speculate whether there were traitors within their ranks; after all, how could there be no clues left behind?

Those more perceptive among the city's elite sensed that this was merely a smokescreen deployed by the robbers, likely aimed at acquiring something of great significance. This realization added to the weariness of the already beleaguered leaders, causing them to sprout more gray hairs as they discreetly arranged for their family members to leave the area. They issued stern orders to their subordinates to solve the case by a certain deadline, or face demotion to a small town with a population under a thousand, where they would be reduced to cleaning toilets.

The streets were filled with the wailing of patrol cars and "auxiliary personnel" bearing military insignias, which significantly reassured the public. Far from retreating into their homes due to the bank heist, citizens gathered their friends and strolled the streets.

Tie Wan was restless, pacing in the office of the chief. Since the day she had dined with a despicable individual and received that phone call, she had rushed back to the precinct to change into her uniform and respond to the robbery scene, only to be met with a scene of devastation. Fortunately, the crowd had already dispersed, leaving only a few unfortunate souls with minor injuries, while the robbers had long since fled.

Initially thought to be an isolated incident, the continuous occurrences over several days suggested a far more sinister pattern. The criminals grew increasingly violent, resulting in casualties that were shockingly highest among the police, who were supposed to represent justice. The firepower wielded by the perpetrators was overwhelming, with handguns featuring large calibers, not to mention semi-automatic rifles like the AK-47.

"Damn it!" Tie Wan cursed vehemently, directing her ire towards customs. If they had done their job properly, how could so many dangerous contraband items have made their way in? Had the criminals not possessed such formidable weapons, they could have been easily subdued. Suddenly, she recalled that a certain someone possessed a formidable firearm—three, in fact. This wouldn't do; she must ensure he surrendered them once this was over, even if it meant dragging him back to the precinct, lest he pose a greater threat to the public.

Two days had passed without any news. Tie Wan tugged at her hair in frustration. Though she was not worried about facing repercussions, the chief—who had been supportive of her—would undoubtedly bear the brunt of responsibility. Moreover, he had become a nuisance, coming to her seeking leniency instead of pursuing leads. He resembled a persistent scoundrel rather than a chief. Just then, an idea sparked in her mind: the police might not be able to find leads, but surely those familiar with the streets—like the local delinquents—would have insights. If a certain individual could foresee the arrival of a major drug lord, then it was likely he had his own intelligence network. Perhaps leveraging his connections could yield some results.

Unbeknownst to Xiang Ri, he was being maneuvered into a corner, as he continued to leisurely accompany the young woman to classes. During idle moments, he would take advantage of the situation to indulge himself, much to the envy of onlookers.

Garlic Head was particularly disgruntled with him, having used the so-called "dating techniques" taught by Xiang Ri to pursue girls, only to be nearly bruised in the process. He suspected that Xiang Ri, fearing that he would learn and sweep all the girls from school, had withheld the true "dating techniques" from him. How selfish! Watching the two behave as if he were invisible, Garlic Head seethed with frustration, wishing he had at least held a girl's hand; it was a blow to his pride, prompting him to turn away in despair.

Since he was tucked away in the last row of the classroom, his minor antics went unnoticed by others, emboldening Xiang Ri to act without reservation, which drew exasperated glares from Chu Chu.

"Still not satisfied?" Chu Chu exclaimed, pinching his soft flesh.

"If I don't find something to occupy my time, I'll go mad!" Xiang Ri replied, justifying his antics.

"You should just go die!" Chu Chu pouted playfully.

"What would you do if I were dead?" 

"Hmph! I'd find a handsome man to marry!" Chu Chu feigned a lovestruck demeanor.

"Oh, is that so? Then we should hurry and get our marriage certificate!" 

"On what grounds?" 

"Did you not say you wanted to marry a handsome man? Unfortunately, I fit your criteria perfectly."

"How shameless of you! I meant someone else, not you!" The girl began to contradict herself.

"That's rather harsh. In that case, I'll find another woman!" 

"You wouldn't dare!" The moment she heard Xiang Ri mention seeking another woman, Chu Chu's tone turned fierce.

"Weren't you the one who said you wanted to marry someone else?" 

"First, I'd have to poison you!" 

"That's rather cruel! Are you plotting to murder your husband? No wonder they say a woman's heart is the most treacherous. Oh, isn't that Xiao Qing?" As Xiang Ri pondered the ferocity of women, he suddenly spotted a beautiful silhouette passing by outside.

"That's Sister Qing, isn't it? She's probably here looking for you again. I bet she has questions about martial arts. I mean, Xiang Ri, can't you take it seriously and teach her? She genuinely loves martial arts. Just teach her everything you know; it would be a favor for me, wouldn't it?" Chu Chu said with a hint of self-sacrifice, unaware that someone had already charmed her idol.

"Next week, you'll do everything I say, and I'll agree!" Xiang Ri seized the opportunity to make a "reasonable" request.

"Absolutely not!" Chu Chu's cheeks flushed as she pinched his arm, playfully scolding him.

"Could you refrain from using your nails? That hurts!" Xiang Ri recoiled, but when he noticed that she was still clinging to him, he urgently said, "Xiao Qing is already at the door; I'll go see what she wants." With that, he darted out of his seat before she could get too close, startling the professor at the podium, who thought yet another student had a stomach ache.

"Teacher!" Shiqing, draped in a moon-white dress, looked ethereal as she beamed at the suddenly reappeared figure.

"I just saw you pass by, so I came out to check," Xiang Ri indicated towards a window.

"Oh!" Shiqing replied softly, hesitating to say something, but Xiang Ri cut in, "That dress looks beautiful on you!"

"Really, Teacher?" Shiqing exclaimed, momentarily forgetting her intended question.

"Absolutely! It looks even more stunning on you!" Xiang Ri generously showered her with compliments.

Shiqing was momentarily rendered speechless by the praise, trembling with excitement, and then made a surprising decision: "Teacher, then I'll just wear it all the time. Is that alright?"

"Ah?" Xiang Ri was taken aback. Did she really not need to change?

"What's wrong, Teacher? Isn't that okay?" 

"It's not that it's not okay. It's just that people tend to experience aesthetic fatigue. If you wear one outfit for too long, it loses the charm it had when you first wore it, you see?" 

"Oh!" Shiqing nodded, somewhat understanding.

"By the way, did you come here for something specific?" 

"Teacher, I want… I want…" Shiqing stammered.

"What is it?" 

"I want to live with you, Teacher," Shiqing summoned her courage to declare.

"Is this a confession?"