Era: Rise from the Wilderness

"I know!"

"I heard it all from right next to me!"

Li Wanting pressed down on his arm gripping the steel pipe, feeling its cold yet firm touch. "That's why you absolutely cannot be the one to do it!"

"Are you trying to commit murder in public?"

"So many people are watching!"

She glanced around at the dense crowd and the teenagers waving their weapons, her voice, though soft, reaching everyone clearly: "For people like this, a criminal record will ruin your life!"

"What about your parents?"

"What about your future?"

"Remember, you're over 18, you can't do this!"

Fu Chao calmed down a bit, walked over, and whispered, "Old Li, Wan Ting is right. We've vented our anger, but the consequences..."

Seeing that the violence in Li Yunjing's eyes had subsided slightly, Li Wanting immediately continued, "Listen to me, don't do anything. Leave this to me."

"Is it for you?"

Li Yunjing and Fu Chao were both taken aback.

Li Wanting didn't explain, but directly took out a mobile phone from her small shoulder bag and quickly dialed a number.

"Brother, it's me, Wan-ting."

She turned her back and lowered her voice, but Li Yunjing and Fu Chao, who were nearby, could still vaguely hear her, "I'm across from Ma Ji's stir-fry shop on North Street... Yes, it's near the school."

"There's a group of people here armed, yes, they brought knives, machetes... Also, they're driving a white Lada, the license plate number is..."

She read out the license plate number she had just noted down.

"...Yes, they were plotting in the restaurant just now to cause harm. Their target was very clear...Yes, it was a very serious offense."

"Brother, you need to quickly ask Director Liu to bring his men over and take control of the people and the car. The evidence is conclusive; they can't escape."

"Okay, I'll wait here."

After hanging up the phone, Li Wanting turned around and said to Li Yunjing and Fu Chao, "I called my brother. He has a good relationship with the branch office."

"He'll bring his men over right away."

"Keep an eye on them and don't let them escape, but don't attack them again."

"Keep an eye on that car too."

Her words were like a bucket of ice water, instantly extinguishing the restless flames in the hearts of most people present.

Is the government going to get involved?

Is someone from the branch office coming?

Many of the teenagers, who had just been so full of enthusiasm, subconsciously shrank back and hid their "tools" behind their backs.

They are fearless, but they still have a natural awe for people in uniform.

Upon hearing the words "branch station," "armed," and "intentional injury," Ma Youcai turned ashen-faced and lost all strength to struggle.

Fu Chao reacted the fastest, immediately giving a wink to several core members: "Did you hear that? Hold on! Keep an eye on them! Send two people to that car, keep a close watch on it, don't let anyone get close!"

Li Yunjing slowly put down the steel pipe in his hand, the metal hitting the ground with a dull thud.

He glanced at Li Wanting, his expression complex.

Anger, resentment, but also a hint of fear and gratitude.

If that steel pipe had actually hit, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

Ma Youcai would definitely be bleeding from his head. If he accidentally killed someone in his rage, he would be finished.

"Sigh... When it comes to my parents, even with my fifty years of experience, I can't suppress the anger in my heart!"

Li Wanting's appearance was like a timely brake.

Thanks.

His voice was a little hoarse.

Li Wanting shook her head, her gaze sweeping over his still bleeding calf, her brows furrowing slightly: "Take care of yourself first."

"When the police arrive, just tell them the whole story, including what they said in the restaurant."

"They premeditatedly attempted assault; the evidence is conclusive, and they're in for a world of trouble."

Less than ten minutes later, the piercing sound of police sirens grew louder as they approached.

Two blue and white police jeeps and a 212 SUV with a police license plate roared to a stop on the side of the road.

The car door opened, and seven or eight police officers in olive-green uniforms (model 89) quickly got out. The leader was a male police officer in his thirties with a serious face and shoulder insignia indicating he was a second-level police superintendent.

"Uncle Liu!"

Li Wanting went to greet her.

Director Liu's sharp gaze swept across the scene: the three people surrounded in the middle, looking disheveled; the gleaming boning knife on the ground; a group of teenagers with different expressions; and a dense crowd of onlookers on the periphery.

His brows were furrowed, but seeing that no fight had broken out, his expression softened slightly.

"What happened?"

He first nodded to Li Wanting, then looked around, his voice steady and carrying an unquestionable authority.

Li Yunjing stepped forward, enduring the pain in his leg, and recounted the whole story as clearly and concisely as possible: from Ma Youcai's swindling of the freezer, to his father leading people to seek justice, and then to discovering at noon today that Ma Youcai was plotting revenge, even threatening to "cripple one of his legs."

Fu Chao and Ding Dong added that the underling who had been eavesdropping through the back window was also called over and recounted the conversation he had overheard in the restaurant.

Director Liu's face grew increasingly grim as he listened.

"Cuff me!"

He signaled to his police officers to first take control of Ma Youcai and the other two, and put them in handcuffs.

When the police found another switchblade on the tattooed man, his eyes were already as cold as ice.

"Armed gathering of a crowd, intentional injury, the circumstances are serious."

Director Liu said coldly to Ma Youcai, "If you have something to say, we'll talk about it back at the station."

He then looked at the white Lada: "Impound this car. Search it thoroughly!"

Police officers immediately began searching the vehicle.

Soon, they found two more machetes wrapped in tarpaulin and several short iron bars under the mat in the trunk.

A low gasp escaped from the crowd.

Now the chain of evidence is more complete.

Director Liu then turned his attention to Li Yunjing, Fu Chao, and the group of teenagers behind them.

His gaze swept over the clubs and chains that hadn't been completely concealed yet, and his tone was stern: "And you? Gathered here with these things, what are you trying to do?"

Fu Chao's heart tightened, and before he could speak, Li Wanting interjected, "Uncle Liu! They sensed something was wrong and came to stop the crime!"

"If they hadn't surrounded them beforehand, these three might have already gone off to harm people!"

"Li Yunjing almost got his leg injured by them!"

She pointed to Li Yunjing's bloodstained calves.

Director Liu glanced at his good friend's sister, then at the injury on Li Yunjing's leg, and at the anger and lingering fear on the boys' faces. His stern expression softened slightly.

He could see, of course, that the group of boys were not entirely innocent, but at the moment, the crimes of Ma Youcai and his two companions were undeniable and heinous. In comparison, the actions of these boys at least had a subjective element of preventing crime and did not cause any real harm.

"Disperse, everyone!"

Director Liu waved to the onlookers and the teenagers, "Those who should go to school, go to school; those who should go home, go home! If you encounter something like this again, call the police immediately! Don't handle it yourself, understand?"