Chapter 4: What Did You Say? The 618 Case... The Suspect Has Been Caught?

Setting aside Wang Xuebing’s report to the county bureau regarding the capture of a murderer, Qin Chuan had already arrived at the local health center.

His injuries were not severe, though he had lost a fair amount of blood and looked quite pale. Much like the local police station, the Changning Town Health Center was understaffed and quiet. The doctor treating Qin Chuan happened to be an old acquaintance—a childhood friend from Wangjiagou Village.

"How did you get yourself into this mess?"

Qin Chuan curled his lip, offering no explanation. "Qingfeng, are you up to this? Maybe I should just head to the county hospital."

Wang Qingfeng had graduated from a vocational school with a degree in veterinary medicine three years ago. When he returned home to raise pigs, he happened to catch a recruitment drive for the town health center and somehow managed to get hired. Based on what Qin Chuan knew of him, the guy was fine for postpartum care for sows, but as for treating actual people…

"A little scratch like this is nothing. Get a tetanus shot and you’ll be fine. Wait here, I’m going to grab the medicine."

Old Hu was chatting with the director of the health center, leaving Qin Chuan alone while he received his IV drip. This provided the perfect opportunity to check the system notifications.

*Ding! Congratulations to the host for capturing a robbery-murder suspect. Reward: 62 Virtue Points!*

*Host’s cumulative Virtue Points: 111. You are eligible for one roulette draw.*

*Would you like to draw now?*

"Draw!"

As the words left his lips, a colorful roulette wheel appeared in Qin Chuan’s mind. It spun so rapidly that the rewards were a blur. Only a bright, crimson pointer remained clearly visible.

"Stop!"

The wheel screeched to a halt, the red pointer landing on a blue square.

*Congratulations to the host for obtaining the skill: Combat Elite!*

The system rewards were diverse. During the brief moment the wheel had paused, Qin Chuan had caught a glimpse of at least a hundred different options. Skill rewards were generally divided into three tiers: Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced. Combat Elite was an intermediate skill; the basic version was "Combat Novice," and the advanced version was "Combat Master."

The colorful wheel in his mind dissolved into a stream of light, drilling deep into his consciousness. In an instant, a wealth of combat knowledge flooded his brain. System-granted skills not only affected the mind but also instilled direct muscle memory into the body.

After two deep breaths, Qin Chuan opened his eyes and reached out with his uninjured left hand, clenching it into a fist. If he had possessed this skill while apprehending Zhao Sihu earlier, there was no way he would have been wounded. He could have disarmed him in a single move and taken him down instantly.

***

Haizhou City Criminal Investigation Detachment.

Duan Weiguo hadn’t closed his eyes in three days. His eyes were bloodshot, looking like a rabbit’s. Seven days ago, a shocking robbery and murder had taken place at the entrance of the Construction Bank in Chengguan County. The perpetrator had committed the crime in broad daylight, stabbing the victim over thirty times before vanishing with thirty thousand yuan.

The Chief of the Haizhou Public Security Bureau had issued a strict ultimatum: if the case wasn’t solved within seven days, Duan Weiguo would be out of a job. Now, there were only four hours left before the deadline. What could he do?

The phone on his desk rang suddenly. Duan checked the caller ID—it was his office director. He ignored it. With so little time left and the case at a total standstill, he had no heart for administrative matters. In truth, Duan didn't care about his own career; he was ashamed that he couldn't catch the suspect. The victim had been four months pregnant—two lives lost in one horrific act. That killer… deserved to be torn to shreds.

The phone kept ringing, persistent and shrill. Finally, Duan snatched up the receiver. "Zhang Yuan, if you don't give me a good explanation—"

"Captain, we’ve got him!"

Huh?

Duan, who had been ready to explode, sounded like a duck being strangled. "You… say what?"

"Captain! The 618 case… the suspect has been caught!"

"Damn it!" Dropping the receiver, Duan bolted toward the office.

***

Changning Town Health Center.

Qin Chuan had finished his treatment and received his tetanus shot. As his veterinarian friend put it, it was nothing serious and would heal in a few days, provided he kept the wound dry and avoided infection.

It was already past three in the afternoon when he stepped out of the health center. Looking at the bustling crowd on the street, Qin Chuan let out a long breath. This rebirth was turning out to be quite the thrill. He’d been gloriously wounded on his very first day. It seemed that showing off came with a price.

"Old Hu, was I cool earlier today?"

Old Hu gave him a sharp glare. "You should have tipped me off." Old Hu had genuinely thought Qin Chuan was just going to buy fish.

"I should have reported it to my superiors and waited for the county or city to handle the arrest," Qin Chuan admitted, scratching his head. "But I felt like he had spotted me; there was no time to think."

Old Hu’s suggestion had been the safest path, but Qin Chuan wanted to earn merit, so he had taken the risk. Looking back, it was a risk well worth taking. Setting aside the credit for the arrest, the Combat Elite skill was a tangible gain.

The Santana had been driven away by Chief Wang, so the two had to walk back. The town market was just beginning to disperse, and many people passed by. Having experienced the benefits of the "Eyes of Sin" twice already, Qin Chuan couldn't resist activating it again.

Suddenly, a string of information appeared above the heads of a dozen people in front of him.

*Zhang Bo, Sin Value: 1. Stole and slaughtered a neighbor’s chicken yesterday.*

*Sun Weibao, Sin Value: 0.*

*Zhang Feng, Sin Value: 12. Habitual thief. Currently carrying three mobile phones and six wallets; total stolen value: 18,000 yuan!*

Damn! Qin Chuan, who had thought the world was peaceful, hadn't expected to run into a thief. Should he catch him? There was no need to think twice. Just as they were about to pass each other, Qin Chuan moved with lightning speed. A quick grab, a swift turn, and *click*—the shiny handcuffs were locked onto the man's right wrist.

"Kid, care to take a trip with us?"

Zhang Feng stared at the handcuffs on his wrist, utterly bewildered. How had he been found out?

Old Hu jumped in shock. Why on earth did he just cuff the man without a word? Could handcuffs just be used willy-nilly? What a mess!

"Little Qin…"

"Old Hu," Qin Chuan said, immediately sensing his confusion. "This guy is a habitual thief. I spotted him planning his move from a distance." He added, "I’m injured, so it’s inconvenient for me to search him. You do it; he’s definitely carrying stolen goods."

Old Hu looked at Qin Chuan skeptically. A thief? Was this for real? Despite his doubts, he trusted Qin Chuan and showed his credentials. "Police. We suspect you’re a thief. Cooperate."

Zhang Feng was terrified; he had no choice but to comply. "Officers! Officers! This is my first time, I swear!" Before Old Hu could even search him, the guy emptied his pockets, producing the phones and wallets. "Officer, it really is my first time. My family is starving, please, let me go this once? I promise I’ll never do it again!"

"Enough talk. Back to the station with us!"

There were no good people among habitual thieves, and not a word out of their mouths was ever true. Besides, what honest person calls the police "the government"? He had definitely been through the system before.

*Ding! Congratulations to the host for capturing a thief. Reward: 12 Virtue Points!*

Good, that brought his total to 23 Virtue Points. He was one step closer to another draw!