v1c5 (2/2)
Five years ago, an incidental street cleanup operation by the government forced an underground mob into the backstreets and alleys of the orphan-occupied Bell-Tower Street. Coldblooded and vicious, they successfully took over control of this long-abandoned district. Within a mere two-hour period, three of the oldest and bravest orphans had been killed in the brutal clash.
The rampant and arrogant orphans during normal days were really only showing off lion cubs before they successfully evolve into sinister gangsters.
On that day, Xu Le, who never partic.i.p.ated in regular orphan group activities, went missing. Then all of a sudden, the police force and reinforcement from the local military unit, who couldn’t penetrate the troubled lower district of the Riverwest State Capital City, were finally able to enter the large complex behind the Bell-Tower Street through an underground pipeline.
Many of the gang members were killed. The orphans returned to their old territory, very glad that the deaths of the three orphans were avenged. But no one knew that on that cold rainy night, the always dull but optimistic Xu Le had stabbed to death the escaped leader of the underground mob with a sc.r.a.p elbow hydraulic pipe from a junk Mech just outside of the waste station.
Except for the s.h.i.+vering Li Wei and the little fellow hiding in the interlayer of the sheet rocks at the abandoned factory dining hall. That year Li Wei was eleven, the little fellow was five, and Xu Le had just turned ten.
……
……
“Four years ago?” Xu Le repeated the words of the middle-aged man in front of him, still hiding his face in the hood of his jacket, and then grinned.
He was now sure that the man was just trying to trick him instead of referring to that most terrifying memory deep inside his heart.
“I was taking a makeup entrance exam given by the State Education Office four years ago.”
Deputy Chief Bao fixed his eyes on the youngster with a chilling stare. He knew the lad must have had something to do with the fiasco in the afternoon, but he could not be sure. How on earth could a young lad get ahold of the internal itinerary of the police station? How the h.e.l.l would he be able to understand the political conflicts and wrestling among the upper management?
“I need to know who is behind you.”
Bao Longtao thought that the chilling tone he used was just perfect and the question was also perfectly right to the point. Of course he had no doubt that orphans hanging around the Bell-Tower Street would have no problem recognizing him and the authority he represents.
When Xu Le heard the question, he couldn’t help but lower his head and squeeze out a bitter smile. He gave a shrug and then walked on toward the bright street light, ready to go home and sleep, as if he couldn’t see the middle-aged man in front of him who stared at him like a black dog.
Bao Longtao gave a firm grip to the police baton in his hand.
Young lad Xu Le suddenly raised a slim but steady finger.
Pointing toward the dark shadows behind the street light, he said, “There are a total of five security monitors over there. You only work for the police. You are not a judge, nor do you work for the Management Committee. You would have no way to erase the security video. So I would suggest you give up the idea of physical a.s.sault…whatever you want to know, why don’t you first obtain the necessary legal doc.u.ments, and then I’d be very glad to cooperate with your investigation.”
A trace of disbelief flashed across Deputy Chief Bao’s eyes. He froze for a good while and finally spoke again.
“ID check. I’ll need to read your chip.”
Xu Le turned around, with the hood still over his head.
“Tomorrow, the Deputy Chief of the No. 2 Police Substation will be reprimanded by the Governor himself. He might even make the morning news on TV because of today’s rally. Who would ever believe that he would be so inclined to personally perform an ID check on a harmless feeble youngster so late at night?”
The finger that had been pointing at the security monitors in the dark shadows waved slowly as Xu Le spoke with a very sincere tone.
“I am a good person. Believe me. Everything I just said was for your own well being.”
Bao Longtao suddenly felt a chill. The unidentified young lad had spoken in such a calm and sincere manner. Suspicion brewed thicker and thicker in his chest and his grip onto the baton also became tighter and tighter.
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