##Cheng Fuqiang stood on the spot, dumbfounded.
He thought someone had played a trick on his eyes.
What sort of a figure was Old Master He? He was one of the founding fathers of the nation. The amount of influence he wielded was immeasurable. He had many sons and daughters, and the He family was considered one of the most prominent families in Province Z.
Old Master He was the patriarch of the He family. His influence could be felt throughout the entire Huaxia. Needless to say, he was an extremely powerful figure in his home province of Province Z.
The Cheng family was small fry compared to the He family.
How would a VIP of such caliber appear at the police station?
What made him even more panicked was that Old Master He had called the kid in front of him “Divine Doctor Tang”. Did it mean that they knew each other?
Upon arriving at that thought, his entire body trembled and his face turned pale as a sheet. Cold sweat rained from his forehead uncontrollably.
‘How could it be like this? How did it end up this way? How is this filthy kid related to a VIP like Old Master He?’ The thought repeated in his heart, and he could not believe it even if he tried.
He had investigated that Tang Hao kid. Tang Hao was a poor kid born in a mountain village, but somehow, a string of fortuitous events caused him to be connected with many rich people and even Secretary Lin.
From there, he had started a company.
He might have some accomplishments, but to District Mayor Cheng, he was still a normal peasant with only Secretary Lin backing him. Handling him would have been a piece of cake.
That was why he was so brazen in using the city police force to handle the kid.
He was dumbstruck when Old Master He suddenly appeared.
Something connected in his brain. “Ah!” He exclaimed audibly, then his face turned ashen.
He turned around, trembling. He lifted a hand to point at Secretary Lin while looking at him incredulously. “You… You…”
He finally understood why Secretary Lin dared to oppose the Cheng family. It was because he had connections with Old Master He.
Secretary Lin was impassive. “Now you’re regretting it, right? This is all your own doing. If you had brought up your son properly so that he doesn’t use his family background to bully others, all of this won’t happen today,” he said coldly.
“Hear, hear!” Old Master He said, his voice still booming and strong. “If one commits a crime, he ought to be judged!”
He walked over in big strides with his walking stick. He was thin and bony, though he stood straight and tall and looked intimidating.
He swept his eyes across the crowd. The Cheng family members dared not look into his eyes. All of them lowered their heads and seemed frightful.
“Old… Old Master He!” Cheng Fuqiang greeted him with a trembling voice.
“Cheng Fuqiang, you’re the one who calls for Divine Doctor Tang’s arrest?” Old Master He walked next to Cheng Fuqiang and asked him sternly.
A shiver went down Cheng Fuqiang’s spine and he trembled even more violently. His knees were weak in front of Old Master He.
“I… I…” He stammered, unable to finish a sentence.
“Hmph!” Old Master He grunted with a stern face. “I’ve heard all about what happened today. Cheng Fuqiang, your son is a wretch!
“I’ve already retired a long time ago, so I shouldn’t be involved in such matters. However, I can’t bear to see you run rampant in Westridge District. This case must be investigated. I’d like to see all your wretched son’s crimes being dredged and scrutinized. Justice ought to be returned to the victims.”
Cheng Fuqiang trembled again. His eyes were soulless.
He knew that with Old Master He keeping an eye over the case, his son was as good as dead. There was no chance in hell that he could be saved.
“Don’t think that the Cheng family can get away scot-free either. The case was suppressed five years ago because of interference from the Cheng family. Your actions have shown a total disregard of the law and a mockery to the process of justice. That is a serious crime.
“Ask yourself truthfully. Do any of you have a conscience?” Old Master He asked with an impassioned voice.
His speech had gained him the respect of all the police officers in the corridor.
Even Tang Hao had a newfound admiration for Old Master He.
Soon after, Cheng Fuqiang kneeled on the floor with a thud. His face showed utter dejection and he mumbled, “I’m finished, it’s all finished…”
Not only his son was finished; the Cheng family was finished too.
Suddenly, the phone in his pocket rang.
He was stunned for a while before he awkwardly fished the phone out of his pocket.
“Hey, Fuqiang! How are things? Where’s Zhijie?” An urgent voice was heard over the phone.
Old Master He harrumphed, then took the phone and said coldly, “Hello! Is this Cheng Fugui?”
“Who are you?” Cheng Fugui was surprised.
“My surname is He, and my name is Weiguo. You must have heard of it, right?”
“He Weiguo?” Cheng Fugui mumbled a little doubtfully. Soon, he cried out in surprise.
“Old Master He!”
A loud bang was heard over the phone, as though a chair had fallen on the floor.
“Listen here, Chen Fugui. You were also involved in the case five years ago. You can just wait where you are. Someone will be coming for you soon!” Old Master He said coldly, then hung up the call and threw the phone back to Cheng Fuqiang.
He glanced at Cheng Fuqiang again and smirked disdainfully. Then, he turned around and walked toward Tang Hao with his walking stick.
An enthusiastic smile appeared on his face. “Oh, Divine Doctor Tang, I’ve finally met you! You are as handsome and accomplished as they’ve described you!”
Then, he stretched out a palm and passionately shook Tang Hao’s hand.
“These old bones have lived long enough, and I was already prepared to depart this world forever. I didn’t expect that you saved me! I can live another day thanks to your blessings, Divine Doctor Tang!”
“Eh! You flatter me, Old Master He. It’s my duty as a doctor to save lives. You can’t call that a blessing,” Tang Hao said urgently.
“Haha!” Old Master He laughed heartily, “Hear, hear! Divine Doctor Tang!”
Old Master He then looked left and right and nodded at Secretary Lin and Commissioner Xia.
“Hey, all of you, don’t just stand there like idiots!” Old Master He said to the police officers who were surrounding them. “Quickly, investigate this case! Remember to investigate this thoroughly, no crime shall go unpunished.”
The police officers quickly scattered and returned to their tasks.
Tang Hao stayed to chat with Old Master He.
A few hours later, the case had a giant breakthrough. While searching Cheng Zhijie’s house, the police found a notebook. Taped to the pages were strands of hair from different girls. Next to each strand of hair, he recorded the characteristics of the owner of the hair, including looks, age, and how he carried out the heinous deed.
Among the girls was Zhou Lingxue, who had disappeared five years ago.
He had written about how he failed to violate her, and in a fit of anger, he had strangled her, then buried her body in the countryside.
That was the ironclad evidence the case needed.
Tang Hao was mournful. Cheng Zhijie must have kept such a notebook to fulfill his perverse fantasies because he thought that he would never be caught.
Tang Hao breathed a sigh of relief. The case was as good as settled, and justice could be restored to the victims.
“Unfortunately… The dead can’t be revived!” Tang Hao lamented as he looked at a photograph in his hands.
On the photo was an innocent-looking young girl in a red dress that billowed gently in the wind.
On her radiant face was a smile like a blooming flower. It was so carefree and so pure.