Chapter 56: Calling the Police

Qiong Cang was tossing and turning.

She had always been a light sleeper, easily awakened by the slightest noise. In the dead of night, just as her mind was drifting in a hazy state, a rustling sound of footsteps drifted through the air.

The footsteps first echoed from further down the stairwell, pacing up and down before finally stopping on her floor.

Qiong Cang initially assumed it was a resident returning late who would soon head inside after finding their way, as it was already two in the morning. However, after a brief moment of silence outside, other strange noises started up, accompanied by voices deliberately kept low.

When one’s senses are partially obscured, it is easy to let one’s imagination run wild, especially in the middle of the night.

Qiong Cang switched on her bedroom light and sat up, leaning against the headboard as she tried to identify the strange noises and visualize what was happening.

She listened closely, distinguishing the clatter of objects made of different materials, the sloshing of some liquid, and then a rough scraping sound, as if something was scratching against the plaster of the wall, causing bits of plaster to rustle as they fell.

The sound of scraping plaster was so close, sounding as if it were happening right on the other side of her wall. Finally, Qiong Cang, who had been listening with detached curiosity, snapped out of it.

…Did a pack of huskies show up to tear her house down?

Qiong Cang got out of bed, went to her study, turned on her computer, and checked the feed from the security camera installed above her front door.

In the darkness, illuminated by the dim yellow motion-sensor light of the hallway, four or five people were standing right outside her door, working away with great enthusiasm.

Due to the camera’s angle, the wall itself was out of frame, but from the messy floor and the paint bucket kicked to the side, it was easy to imagine what the group had just done.

Qiong Cang let out a dry laugh of sheer exasperation, cracking her neck to loosen up.

On the monitor, two of them were a man and a woman in their prime, around their thirties, while the other two were an elderly couple with white hair, likely in their seventies.

Qiong Cang logged onto the WeChat police reporting platform, sent the video along with her address, and reported that a group of people was planning an illegal break-in in the middle of the night.

The report was quickly accepted, and the operator stated they would dispatch officers as soon as possible, advising her to stay in a safe room and wait for the police to arrive.

Qiong Cang went to the balcony and grabbed a broom. She gripped the long handle, testing its weight, and then walked barefoot to the front door.

When she pulled open the security door, the young man was bent over, tampering with her lock and preparing to stuff something inside. Caught completely off guard by her sudden appearance, he failed to hide the look of utter shock on his face.

Qiong Cang raised an eyebrow, took a step back, and asked, “Who are you?”

The four of them froze for a moment, though they did not seem inclined to run.

Qiong Cang tilted her head and saw the graffiti painted on the door. They had written Qiong Cang’s name in red paint, with a large character for “DEATH” underneath, along with several unsightly insults.

The paint had not dried yet, and the red liquid dripped down, leaving several streaks. Combined with the atmosphere, the lighting, and the setting, it was indeed rather gruesome.

The way Qiong Cang looked at the four of them instantly changed. Getting worked up over mentally unstable people seemed like a losing battle.

The elderly woman, who possessed a rather robust build, stepped forward quickly to shield the others. Tilting her chin up defiantly, she challenged, “What are you looking at? What are you glaring for? Don’t think I’m afraid of you! If you’ve got the guts, step right over this old woman! Let me tell you, I have high blood pressure, high blood sugar, high cholesterol, and a heart condition. I might just drop dead right here, so try touching me and see what happens!”

Qiong Cang was thoroughly amazed.

In ancient times, women, children, and the elderly were used as human shields to ward off enemy armies. She had not expected modern criminals to be so well-equipped, bringing their own high-level meat shield when going out. It was practically a lethal weapon against law-abiding citizens like her.

Qiong Cang’s eyes flicked over them. The irritation of having her sleep disrupted cast a dark shadow over her face as she asked coldly, “Who are you?”

“You killed my son, and you have the nerve to ask who I am?” the old woman wailed. “My son died such an unjust death! His body isn’t even cold yet, and you’re already throwing mud behind his back, trying to make sure his soul never finds peace! What kind of poison is your heart made of? You, Fan Huai, and that bitch Fan An are all scourges! You’ve done so many wicked things, aren’t you afraid they’ll come knocking on your door in the middle of the night?”

Qiong Cang now knew who these people were, and she could not help but study their faces a bit longer.

They all had ordinary features; their round faces and thick earlobes might even make them look somewhat amiable when they were calm or smiling. Unfortunately, the downward-sloping wrinkles at the corners of their mouths and eyes added a touch of harshness to their faces, and the way they unconsciously squinted when they spoke gave them a rather shifty air.

Before this Instance was made public, these people were still the ones receiving public sympathy. They had constantly played the victim in front of the media, showing their faces to boast about how outstanding their son was, expressing their endless grief, and accepting donations from many concerned citizens. These people deserved the most credit for Fan Huai’s current reputation.

After this Instance was made public, they must have experienced the feeling of becoming infamous and losing everything overnight.

Although they could not be prosecuted by law, their enabling had harmed Fan An, their malice had murdered Jiang Ling, and their deception had disrupted public order. These were things society could not tolerate.

However much they had benefited from public opinion in the past, they now had to pay it all back like rats crossing the street, facing even more condemnation.

They were used to a privileged life of being looked up to and cared for, so how could they accept such a fall from grace? No wonder they had come looking for Qiong Cang like madmen.

“Oh?” Qiong Cang sneered. “Is it because your public image crumbled and the charity organizations are demanding you return the donations, or is it something else that has made you so desperate?”

The woman behind screamed, “What nonsense are you talking about!”

Qiong Cang raised her chin proudly and said in an extremely contemptuous tone, “Get away from my home.”

Provoked, the old woman raised both hands and lunged at Qiong Cang.

“I’ll fight you to the death today!”

Qiong Cang was already on her guard. Without hesitation, she thrust the broom handle forward, holding it steady in midair. The old woman could not stop her momentum in time and slammed her abdomen straight into it.

The impact made the old woman’s vision go blurry. Although she had managed to avoid a vital spot, she still trembled in pain, unable to make a sound. She bent double at the waist, stumbling backward from the recoil until her husband caught her in his arms.

“Are you crazy? You even dare to hit an old woman?” the group shrieked, their eyes wide with disbelief.

“She threw herself at me. At most, it counts as a scam.” Qiong Cang pointed a finger at the security camera. “Surveillance. Got it?”

The young woman stepped forward, pointing her index finger straight at Qiong Cang’s nose, spitting out every syllable with force as if she wanted to drown Qiong Cang in her saliva.

“Let me tell you, acting against your conscience like this will bring karma! I’m going to take what you did today and-“

Before she could finish, Qiong Cang flicked her wrist and whipped the stick right across her face.

“Ah!” the woman shrieked, stumbling in a half-circle before collapsing to the ground.

“You dare hit me!” The woman clutched her face, trembling. Through her fingertips, she could clearly feel her face burning and swelling.

The searing pain shot through her nerves, blocking out all other sounds. She glared fiercely at Qiong Cang, her teeth bared as if she were about to lose her mind and lunge forward to tear into her.

“You entered my residence without my permission.” Qiong Cang’s white pajamas hung loosely on her, and combined with her casual, dismissive tone, carried a strong sense of mockery. She recited, “‘The crime of illegal intrusion into a residence refers to the act of entering a citizen’s residence against the will of the occupants or without legal basis, or refusing to leave after being requested to do so.’ Get lost, or get beaten. Take your pick.”

The woman screamed in frustration, “Hubby!”

The young man rolled up his sleeves, his eyes red as he stepped forward to teach Qiong Cang a lesson.

Residents from upstairs and downstairs had already run out in their coats, some not even bothering to put on shoes, just slipping on sandals. They arrived at Qiong Cang’s floor and were startled by the red paint splattered all over the stairwell. After a brief daze, they rushed over to help.

On one side was a solitary, seemingly helpless former university lecturer.

On the other side were fierce-looking, numerous outsiders.

The neighbors knew exactly whose side they were on. Without a second thought, their first instinct was to stop the young man. Two of them worked together, grabbing his shoulders and pulling him back, while shouting for others to come help.

Before the man could do anything, he was pinned against the wall by a group of people, unable to move. With wet paint smeared on his face, he couldn’t even turn around, only able to let out useless roars.

By the time the duty officers arrived, the four were escalating their shouting match from personal insults to family attacks. Disgusted, the young officer handcuffed them and took them away.

·

At past three in the morning, He Jueyun was having a bizarre dream. One moment he was beating up his employees, the next Qiong Cang and his subordinates were teaming up to beat him. Just as he was about to successfully fight back, the phone on the nightstand suddenly rang.

The vibrating noise woke him instantly from his sleep, causing his heart to race and blood to boil, making him feel extremely uncomfortable.

He Jueyun reached for the phone on the nightstand, squinting. Without looking closely at the caller ID, he answered.

“Hello.”

It was a male voice.

The other party had only said one word when He Jueyun, thinking it was one of his immature employees, cut him off.

“Song Shu, if you harass me in the middle of the night again, I’ll drag you to the police station myself. Do you even know what time it is? You’re working overtime tomorrow!”

The person on the other end paused, then continued, “…This is the police station. Are you free right now-“

He Jueyun hung up the call and cursed, “Psycho.”

·

Wearing her pajamas, Qiong Cang sat calmly in the empty police station, a steaming cup of tea placed in front of her.

The curling white steam made her face look even paler, making one wonder if she would collapse from weakness the next second.

…The truth was, her combat ability was not to be underestimated at all.

Qiong Cang asked, “What did he say?”

The duty officer held the phone, looking dazed for a moment, and said, “He said if you harass him again, he’ll drag you to the police station.”

Qiong Cang fell silent, then said, “Perfect. Tell him to drag me over.”

The officer didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “Is this really your friend?”

Qiong Cang: “Really.”

Officer: “Anyone else?”

Qiong Cang: “No.”

Her eyes flickered, and she said, “Otherwise, just follow the normal procedure. I’m an adult, I don’t need a guardian.”

Not long after, probably realizing something was wrong, He Jueyun called back.

“Hello,” the young officer answered. “This is the police station.”

He Jueyun was clearly a bit embarrassed and laughed it off, “Oh, it really is?”

“It really is,” the young officer said. “Your friend is at the XX Street Police Station. Come pick her up.”

He Jueyun immediately backed down. “Alright, alright, I’ll be right over. What happened to her?”

The officer said, “She got into a fight.”

“She was beaten up?” He Jueyun’s voice went up an octave. “I’m coming right now! Don’t let them leave!”

The young officer glanced at the young man and woman not far away, who were bruised, swollen, and huddled in the corner like quails^[1], and then at the young woman sitting before him, sipping tea like a serene Buddha…

Did he ever say Qiong Cang was the one who got beaten up?