Chapter 3: Tearing Apart a Wanted Criminal in Broad Daylight

The chubby man also noticed the police car nearby; his eyes darted around, and he quickened his pace, intending to leave.

Qin Chuan withdrew his gaze and his mind raced. What should he do? A murderous robber was right in front of him—should he arrest him or not?

A wanted notice for this man was posted on the bulletin board at the station, though the photo showed the suspect in a baseball cap, captured from a high-angle surveillance camera that obscured his features. In his past life, this man had also been caught in Changning Town, but it wasn't the Changning police who apprehended him; it was the Haizhou City Criminal Investigation Detachment. Qin Chuan hadn't been involved in the operation then, but he later heard that the suspect was extremely vicious; a detective had been killed during the arrest. Stabbed in the heart, he hadn't survived.

If he chose to make the arrest, Qin Chuan knew his own limitations. Despite graduating top of his class from the police academy, he lacked real-world combat experience. In his ten years of service in his previous life, he had at best caught petty thieves; as for combat skills... they were barely better than the scraps he’d learned in prison.

Furthermore, this was a robber and murderer with brutal methods. Seven days ago, when he committed the robbery, the victim had held onto her bag, and he had stabbed her over thirty times! Never underestimate the destructive power of a murderer facing arrest. For police, catching someone is a job; for the criminal, it’s a matter of life and death!

But if he didn't intervene... he was a police officer! To let a murderous robber go? Qin Chuan couldn't do it!

Yes! He could report it. He could call in the information. That way, he would avoid the risk while still receiving credit. But that credit would pale in comparison to capturing the man single-handedly.

Qin Chuan gritted his teeth. Damn it! In his past life, he hadn't even managed to find out why his father disappeared, ended up failing as a cop, and spent ten years in prison! If he remained this cowardly after being reborn, how was he any different from a salted fish?

He would do it! But he couldn't be reckless. Old Hu, who was with him, had been a cop his whole life but had spent most of it in Changning Town and had no combat skills to speak of. At over fifty, he wouldn't be any help. Qin Chuan couldn't put him in danger just for the sake of credit. Besides, his sudden braking had already made the suspect suspicious.

He couldn't be reckless; he had to use his head!

With this in mind, Qin Chuan turned the car and rolled down the window. "Fishmonger, give me two catfish." He stepped out of the car and walked briskly toward the stall, calling back to Old Hu, "Old Hu, wait for me, I'm picking up some fish."

At this moment, Zhao Sihu was right to his left. The man was on high alert, and Qin Chuan could almost feel his taut muscles trembling.

Qin Chuan walked straight past him and squatted in front of the fish stall. "Boss, how much for the catfish?"

"Twenty-eight a jin, freshly caught from the North River. Want two?"

"Sure, and give me three jin of loach!"

"You got it!"

"You aren't skimping on the weight, are you?"

The vendor nimbly grabbed the fish and placed them on the scale, grinning to reveal yellowed teeth. "It's my, Old Sun's, fish—you just eat it. If I short you even a bit, you can smash my stall!"

Seeing Qin Chuan truly buying fish, Zhao Sihu’s tense nerves relaxed. He stopped and walked behind Qin Chuan. By then, Qin Chuan had finished paying, and the vendor had handed him the fish.

"Take care..."

*Thwack!*

Before the vendor could finish, to his utter astonishment, Qin Chuan slammed the bag of fish directly onto the chubby man to his right! Simultaneously, Qin Chuan grabbed a rusted steel pipe he had spotted earlier near the stall and swung it at Zhao Sihu!

The strike was sudden and incredibly fast. However, he had clearly underestimated a murderous robber's vigilance toward the police. As fish and water blurred Zhao Sihu's vision, his right hand whipped a sharp knife from his waistband, turning the air into a flash of steel.

*Clang!*

The steel pipe collided with the knife, and the surrounding crowd scattered in terror. The water cleared from Zhao Sihu’s face, and his vision began to return.

No! Qin Chuan knew that if he didn't take decisive action now, he would be in an even more dire situation once the suspect regained his sight. Forget about earning credit; if he let innocent bystanders get hurt, he would be ruined!

Damn it! Fight!

Qin Chuan tossed the pipe aside, and as the suspect’s guard opened up, he lunged at him. His left hand slammed down on the suspect’s knife-wielding wrist, while his right fist rained blows onto the man's head. "Old Hu! Wanted man! This is a wanted man!" he shouted.

Old Hu, having seen Qin Chuan move, realized something was wrong and jumped out of the car. He arrived just in time to see Qin Chuan tackle the man, yelling about a wanted fugitive.

*Whack!*

There’s a reason people say ginger gets hotter with age. Despite his years, Old Hu landed a kick to the crotch that was both precise and ruthless!

"Augh!" Zhao Sihu, who had been struggling violently, turned liver-colored. As he choked, Qin Chuan took the opportunity to twist the man's arms behind his back.

*Click.*

He snapped the handcuffs on. Qin Chuan panted heavily, his limbs suddenly feeling numb and drained, and he slumped to the ground.

"Little Qin, what wanted man?"

"The... the 618 one... the robber from Chengguan County... *huff*... *huff*..."

Only then did Old Hu remember the wanted photo on the station's bulletin board. But... he didn't look much like this chubby man. As Old Hu reached out to grab him and ask his name, his eyes caught a pool of blood beneath Qin Chuan!

"Damn! Little Qin! You're hurt?"

Huh? Hearing Old Hu's voice, Qin Chuan finally realized it. He looked down to see a deep gash on his right arm, blood gushing out. He checked his stomach... damn, he was fine.

"Just a cut on my arm. Won't kill me."

Ten minutes later, Wang Xuebing arrived with several auxiliary police officers. Zhang Jun had been left to guard the station, as they were still holding a human trafficker there.

"Chief Wang, this guy has confessed. His name is Zhao Sihu, the 618 robber and murderer from Haizhou City."

Wang Xuebing didn't even glance at the suspect, heading straight for Qin Chuan. "How are you?"

Qin Chuan grinned. "Heh, I'm fine, Chief. Just a flesh wound on my arm."

Seeing Qin Chuan’s pale face and the blood-soaked cloth wrapped around his arm, Wang Xuebing finally let out a breath. God knows how terrified he had been when he got Old Hu's call.

"Next time, report it! Stop trying to be a hero!"

"Yes, yes, you're right, Chief Wang. It won't happen again!"

"Old Hu, take Little Qin to the town clinic to get bandaged. I'll take this guy back."

"You got it."

The pain only set in now that the adrenaline had faded, and Qin Chuan winced. He wasn't worried about Wang Xuebing stealing his credit; with so many people watching, and knowing Wang Xuebing’s character, he knew he was safe. In his past life, if it hadn't been for Wang Xuebing protecting him, he would have been destroyed long ago.

"Take him away!"

Only then did Wang Xuebing turn to look at the handcuffed Zhao Sihu. A 618 robber and murderer! The Haizhou police had been searching like madmen for him; he hadn't expected the guy to run straight into his territory.

This kid, Qin Chuan, was truly something else. He had just arrested a "mother-in-law" trafficker, and now he had taken down a murderous robber! This was a massive achievement—at the very least, a third-class merit!