Reborn Cat Sheriff

Chapter 316 Crisis
Slow down! Be careful!

Several policemen carefully stepped onto the seats and carried the suitcase that Lin Ge had identified as problematic off the plane.

They didn't even need to open it; the three of them could tell there was something wrong with the suitcase just by feeling its weight. The heavy, uneven weight was definitely not what normal luggage should feel like.

"password!"

The box was laid flat on the ground. Wang Zeping glared at the woman who was being restrained by two policemen but was still trying to explain herself in a low voice.

The woman was startled by his fierce gaze and quickly shook her head, saying, "I...I don't know...this...this thing isn't mine...it has nothing to do with me! You...you can't frame an innocent person!"

"Hmph! Go say those things to the judge!"

Wang Zeping sneered, absolutely refusing to believe any of the damned woman's explanations.

Moreover, as a police officer, how could one not see the panic in this woman's eyes and the attempt to conceal it in her words?

And no matter how she tries to explain herself, or even if she manages to refrain from touching the box, even if she really is just a middleman, and even if there are no fingerprints on the box, the police have enough means to uncover everything she has ever done.

Amidst the curious gazes of the surrounding passengers, Wang Zeping accepted the handcuffs from his colleague. He forcefully pulled open the suitcase a crack and then yanked it open with the sturdy handcuffs, forcibly prying it open with a 'bang'.

"what!"

Exclamations came from the surrounding area.

Inside the box lay a small boy, curled up, his hands and feet bound tightly with duct tape, his face flushed and unconscious.

A bright red cotton-padded coat lay beneath him, and as the box was opened, a strong smell of mustiness and urine wafted out. The poor little guy, even under the influence of the drugs, couldn't control his bodily functions and had wet his pants sometime during the night. The urine soaked his pants and the soundproofing and shockproof clothes in the box, absorbing heat and making his body ice-cold. When Wang Zeping picked him up while cursing, he involuntarily shivered, his eyes closed, yet a look of utter discomfort etched on his face.

"That's really despicable..."

"Human traffickers deserve to die!"

Those around suddenly realized what was happening and began to curse.

Seeing that the little one was alright, the police breathed a slight sigh of relief. After all, the child had been found in time and was now out of danger. As for other matters, with the child promptly taken to the hospital, all they could do was hope for the best.

His colleague quickly took off his down jacket and helped Wang Zeping strip off his wet clothes before wrapping him in the down jacket again. They then hurriedly carried him to the doctor.

The others were responsible for taking photos as evidence, confirming the ownership of the other suitcases with the people around them, questioning all the passengers sitting next to them and noting down their contact information, and then taking the human trafficker woman away before hurriedly leaving again.

Before leaving, remembering something, Wang Zeping looked at the girl sitting next to the older woman and quietly asked her if she needed help.

Unexpectedly, he was rejected by the girl with a timid shake of her head.

Wang Zeping thought for a moment, then grabbed the train police officer who had rushed over upon hearing the news and whispered a few words of advice. The officer then warmly invited the girl to sit in the dining car, but for some reason, she still shook her head and refused.

The train clattered along again, and the whole carriage, even the entire train, began to discuss the incident, and the discussion spread. No one expected to see something like this on their way home; there were all sorts of reactions: some were curious, some were moved, and some were cursing.

Only the few people who had argued with Wang Zeping earlier remained silent, and the guy who had been punched was pale-faced and covered his face, not daring to look up for a long time.

The girl who had refused the police's help several times now stood up with a frown. She tiptoed to get her suitcase and bags from the rack, squeezed herself to the door, and stood there, too afraid to sit in that spot again, leaning against the wall and keeping her head down in silence.

No one was bullying her anymore, but the whispers and pointing fingers around her still made the girl feel embarrassed. She could only sigh and take out her phone to make a call.

An unexpected incident came to a swift and tense end.

"Hey? Where's that kid from Zhanghe Police Station? And what about that police cat?"

The busy police officers suddenly realized that Zhang Ke and Lin Ge had disappeared without them noticing.

"Mimi, you're leaving just like that!"

"Ow!"

Outside the train station, Lin Ge casually said goodbye to Zhang Ke and Zhao Zhigang. He knew that staying this long would arouse suspicion from Yang's group, so he needed to get back quickly.

Zhang Ke didn't stop her, after all, everyone in the station knew that Mimi was carrying out a very dangerous mission. Although Nie Guoqiang remained tight-lipped about the specifics, everyone had their own guesses based on what he had been doing recently.

Therefore, looking at this cat, which was much more serious than usual and even less willful, Zhang Ke didn't say much, but just nodded emphatically.

On the contrary, Zhao Zhigang knew more.

Staring intently at Lin Ge, he suddenly crouched down and whispered, "Mimi, be careful. Protecting yourself is the most important thing. Also, please take good care of that bastard for me, okay? You understand what I mean, right?"

It was rare to see Zhao Zhigang so serious. He stared intently at Lin Ge, wanting to say many things but unable to utter a word.

"Enough with the nagging! I'll keep an eye on him!"

Lin Ge rolled his eyes, no longer wasting time with Zhao Zhigang and Zhang Ke, and slowly strolled towards the repair shop, wagging his tail.

To be honest, I'm really happy to have saved another person!
Although the incident caused quite a stir, and even without his help, the police along the way would likely have been able to find the unfortunate boy in time, it was still good that he could suffer less and avoid one more danger. Lin Ge was quite satisfied.

Thinking this, Lin Ge's tail gradually perked up. He didn't care that his backside was being seen, and he lightly slipped into a bus.

"What did you say?"

Brother Yang stared wide-eyed at Brother Jian in front of him, stunned.

"That cat ran away. Nobody knows what's wrong with it. The check-up was going well, and suddenly it ran out of the hospital halfway through."

Jian Ge frowned, looking helpless, and spread his hands to Da Yang Ge, saying, "Blame Zhao Gao, that good-for-nothing who can't even keep an eye on a cat. I was too far away to react at the time, and the cat disappeared into the neighborhood in a flash."

Big Yang blinked, finally understanding what Jian was saying. His face instantly turned from red to green, and he glared at Jian, who had a rebellious look on his face, and roared, "Fuck you! The cat ran away, and you still have the nerve to come back? Jian, don't you know how important that cat is? Get out there and look for it right now! Seriously, how the hell did you have the nerve to come back? Why didn't you call me then?! Am I too nice to you? Do you want to die?! Get lost!"

Jian gave an awkward smile, turned around and left. Having already complained, he didn't intend to provoke Da Yang any further.

'Boom! '

The table of Kung Fu tea, which was meant to be enjoyed slowly, was kicked over by Brother Yang, along with the wooden tea table.

"Phew... Calm down! That cat just went out to hunt, it's not dead, it'll come back sooner or later. Even if it doesn't know how to come back, Zhang City is only so big, we'll definitely be able to find it."

Big Brother Yang forced himself to calm down and took out his phone to ask Little Brother Yang for the person.

But then, a phone call came in.

The contact list showed the name "Uncle Xin".

"Hey!"

Brother Yang answered the call impatiently and greeted him impatiently.

"Da Yang, is that cat still in the factory?"

Simba's voice on the other end of the phone was calm and steady. Without wasting time, he went straight to the point: "One of my fortune tellers saw your cat in Longquan Street just now. That guy makes a living with his eyes, there's absolutely no way he could be wrong."

"Hiss...did they run that far?"

Brother Yang's eyes lit up, but in the end, he had found the cat's trail, which should be good enough.

"Da Yang, that cat is riding in a police car!"

Simba suddenly spoke again, silencing all of Big Yang's thoughts and preparations with a single sentence.

Even that chilling word made Brother Yang freeze abruptly. He incredulously put his phone down, glanced at the names in his contacts, and then asked doubtfully, "Police car? Brother Simba, are you sure you're not joking?" "You think I'd joke about something like this?"

Simba's voice remained calm, saying only indifferently, "To be honest, I also think this is outrageous. A cat riding in a police car—no one in their right mind would believe it. But Yang, it's better to be safe than sorry, right? We're doing business that could get us executed, you know the gravity of the situation. Even if there's only the slightest possibility, I think we can't keep that cat. We can always find another one; it's just a little trouble. But if that cat really is something else… Yang, you know the consequences. Oh, and by the way, I think we should deal with that kid Zhao Gao too. Anyway, like I said, we've been so careful for so long; we can't afford any mistakes now."

"Hiss... Let me calm down, just for a few minutes."

Brother Yang's expression changed. He walked around the broken teacup on the ground to the balcony and looked down at the room opposite, which used to belong to Zhao Liang but was now occupied by a group of cats.

"Uncle Xin, are you sure you're not joking with me? And your man really didn't make a mistake, right? I just don't understand how this can be so absurd. It's just a cat, how could it be related to the police? And what kind of connection could it be?"

Big Brother Yang didn't even bother with the code name anymore, and said directly in his hometown dialect, "Uncle Xin, I think we've made a mistake. It's a cat, how could it be an undercover agent? With its meowing, what could it possibly tell the police?"

"Tell me how to execute you! Tell me how to confiscate all the money you worked so hard to earn, so that Xiao Rong and your Da Bao can continue to live a life of hardship!"

Simba laughed coldly without any mercy.

"..."

Brother Yang fell silent.

Who isn't afraid of death? Who isn't afraid of poverty? Who isn't afraid of losing their wife, children, and elderly parents? Xiao Rong is an honest and hardworking but not very capable country woman. If she loses herself, how will she manage to raise her child alone?
"Phew... I get it!"

Brother Yang, being a man of great importance, calmed down by now. A sharp glint flashed in his eyes as he nodded and said, "Uncle Xin, leave this to me! If that cat and Ah Gao really have problems, I won't hesitate."

"But you're already hesitating! Because that cat makes you feel like you can make a lot of money, makes you feel like you'll be rich in ten days or so, and you still can't bear to part with it!"

Simba's voice turned stern, and he said angrily, "Yang, you can't earn all the money in the world! I'm old and have enjoyed myself enough, but you're still young! Do you lack that little bit of money? Do you lack this one opportunity this year? Do you lack this cat?"

"I see!"

Brother Yang became impatient.

Who the hell isn't short of money and opportunities? You old codger, you've made enough, enjoyed enough, and had your fill of drugs, you could close your eyes anytime! But I'm different! I don't plan to deal drugs for the rest of my life, I just want to pull off one super big heist and then quit!

Before Simba could continue to persuade him, Big Yang hung up the phone after giving a few perfunctory words.

But he wouldn't ignore Simba's warning. Seeing that Ah Jian downstairs had already gathered people to go out and look for the cat, Big Yang quickly called him over, signaling him to come up and find out what was going on first.

"Brother Yang, is there anything else?"

Jian was getting impatient; he didn't think it was something he should do to look for the cat.

"Ah Jian, don't rush to look for the cat."

Big Brother Yang gestured for Brother Jian to sit down first, then stared at him with a cigarette in his mouth and said, "Brother Jian, tell me honestly, do you think there's anything wrong with A Gao and Mimi? Is it possible that they are undercover agents sent by the cops to our side?"

"Who? An undercover agent?"

Jian Ge was stunned.

Holy crap, who's so brave? Even I only thought that A Gao was a nasty guy who wanted to climb the ranks, yet someone actually used their undercover identity to report him to Brother Yang, directly digging up Zhao Gao's roots?
Wow, that's awesome! Why didn't I think of that before?
"Never mind, stop talking, I understand."

Before Brother Jian could speak, Brother Da Yang waved his hand to stop him.

You could tell from this guy's expression that he never considered Ah Gao and the cat to be undercover agents. How did Uncle Xin, in his senility, discover that Ah Gao might be an undercover agent when even the person responsible for surveillance didn't suspect it?
Based on his fortune teller seeing a cat in a police car?

Brother Yang didn't want to believe it, but he didn't dare not. Like he always said... what if?
He decided to play it safe for now and wait and see how Zhao Gao would explain himself.

"explain?"

Zhao Zhigao had just returned to the repair shop courtyard when he was immediately surrounded by Brother Jian and several other men. The menacing look on their faces made Zhao Zhigao's heart tighten, and then Brother Yang's words left him stunned.

"Brother Yang, it's my fault for not keeping an eye on Mimi! But how was I supposed to know that she would run away so inexplicably! You want me to explain something like this? What can I explain?"

Zhao Zhigao himself felt very wronged. Why should he have to bear the consequences of the cat's mistake?
Brother Yang narrowed his eyes, thinking that Zhao Zhigao's words made sense. But safety came first, so he said in a deep voice, "Then I'll ask you one more time! Ah Gao, who exactly are you? What did you do in the past? And what is your purpose in following me?"

"what?"

Zhao Zhigao was stunned, as were his several menacing henchmen. What did their boss mean by that? Was there something wrong with Zhao Gao?

"Hiss... That's ruthless!"

Jian, the only one who knew that Brother Yang suspected Zhao Zhigao of being an undercover agent, gasped. He felt that the method of reporting behind one's back was indeed ruthless, and he had to be wary of a bastard who would use this trick against his comrades.

"Brother Yang, I just want to make some money with you, what other purpose do I have?"

Zhao Zhigao's alarm bells rang suddenly, but he could only say awkwardly and helplessly, "To be honest, I never thought it would come to this. I've made some money, but I've also become addicted to drugs. I can't say whether this outcome is good or bad, but I know I'll never be able to get rid of that stuff and will have to follow you for the rest of my life. So, when you ask me what my purpose or thoughts are, I really have nothing left. You understand what I mean, right?"

So, you're still blaming me?

Brother Yang squinted, not mentioning whether he was satisfied with Zhao Zhigao's explanation, but just staring into Zhao Zhigao's eyes.

"Blame you? Of course not! After all, I never amounted to anything before, I was as poor as a pile of shit and never even experienced the pleasures of a woman. Now, following you, I'm enjoying this glamorous world, it's actually quite enjoyable! And the cigarettes are satisfying too, so at least my life hasn't been in vain!"

Zhao Zhigao's heart pounded, but his face remained impassive. As for an explanation... well, you've already driven me to drug addiction, why would you doubt me?

Brother Yang couldn't refute this statement.

indeed!

Zhao Gao has become addicted to drugs, and not just any ordinary cheap drugs, but high-purity premium drugs that only his brother Yang in the entire Zhang City possesses.

Once you're hooked on this, you'll never be able to quit!
Many people sell their wives and daughters for this thing, so how could Zhao Gao be an exception?

He's never failed in controlling his subordinates with drugs. Aren't these people only respectful to him because of money and drugs? If Zhao Gao really is an undercover agent, how could he possibly turn himself into a drug addict?

But Simba's words...

Brother Yang began to hesitate once again.

Even if killing Zhao Gao is a simple matter, he is still one of my underlings. If I go too far, others will have their own opinions, right?

Simba saw a cat in a police car and suspected there was a mole on his team. But it wasn't even something he saw with his own eyes; it was something one of his crooked fortune tellers said. How credible is that?
It's just a cat. There are so many cats out there, why are you so sure it's yours?
"Ouch?"

Just as Brother Yang was hesitating, a familiar voice suddenly came from the courtyard wall.

The group looked over and saw Big Yang's precious darling, squatting curiously on the wall, tilting her head and staring at them.

Upon hearing the cat's voice, the cats hiding in the prefab houses excitedly ran out, meowing and trying to climb the courtyard wall, making a mess of the atmosphere in the yard.

"The cat came back by itself?"

Jian Ge stared wide-eyed in surprise, not expecting the cat to be more loyal than he had anticipated.

"You idiot Uncle Xin, didn't you say this cat was over in Longquan Street?"

Brother Yang immediately realized that Brother Simba had definitely misjudged the situation.

Longquan Street is dozens of kilometers away from here. Even if this cat could fly, it couldn't possibly teleport back so quickly, right? In fact, according to the old man with the senile eyes, the fortune teller had only discovered the cat less than an hour ago!

One hour!
Unless the cat flew back, but who the hell would believe that! All cats look like balls, that idiot must have seen wrong.

(End of this chapter)