The Mightiest Little Peasant c1-799

by Watermelonian, 西瓜星人

  Then, he turned to speak to Tang Hao, “That’s enough, Brother Tang. You’d be letting him off easy if you kill him.”

  Tang Hao nodded and let go.

  “Cheng Zhijie, do you remember a girl named Zhou Lingxue from five years ago?: Captain Zhou said as he stepped forward, producing a pair of handcuffs. “She’s also a student from First High. It’s been so many years, but you haven’t changed!”

  Cheng Zhijie was stunned. His face displayed panic.

  “Cheng Zhijie, you are now under arrest for kidnapping, rape, and murder!” Captain Zhou spoke as he slapped the handcuffs on Cheng Zhijie’s wrists.

  Cheng Zhijie smirked. “Arrest me all you want. I’d like to see how you’d convict me of anything! My dad will settle everything, and you’ll be the one getting in trouble.”

  “Stop talking nonsense and start walking!” Captain Zhou said as he escorted him outside.

  Chapter 119 - Old Master He Arrives

  Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

  A crowd of people was surrounding the karaoke establishment when they went out.

  Some people walking in a single line squeezed past the crowd and rushed in.

  “Brother Hao!” Shi Yan’er walked toward Tang Hao. She was behind a middle-aged woman.

  Tang Hao nodded at her. He had given her a call earlier and got her to notify the class teacher.

  Tang Hao was a little wary of what Cheng Zhijie said earlier. If he knew who Yan’er was, it was hard to say whether he might make his move on her.

  He needed to make sure that Cheng Zhijie was locked away for a long time. If he was not sent to prison for his crimes, he would have to make him disappear forever. Tang Hao glanced coldly toward the police car.

  “It’s all thanks to you, Brother Hao, that Jingjing is safe,” Yan’er said.

  “I believe she’ll be more careful about accepting invitations from guys in the future. You should keep that in mind too,” Tang Hao warned her.

  “I’m a good girl, Brother Hao!” Yan’er stuck out her tongue. ” Many boys have asked me out on dates but I’ve always ignored them.”

  “That’s the way! Alright, I’ll have to follow them to the police station. You can return with your schoolmates. Zhao Jing needs to come with us to the police station to record a statement. Don’t worry, she’ll be fine.”

  “Yup!” Yan’er replied obediently.

  It was about ten o’clock at night when they reached the police station.

  The police station building was ablaze with lights and everyone looked busy. It would be a long night for all of them.

  After locking up Cheng Zhijie and his posse, the criminal division went to work.

  Tang Hao found some time to give a call to Sis Xiangyi. He briefly explained what happened, then told her to go to bed without waiting for him.

  As he ended the call, he saw two cars arriving at the entrance to the police station.

  It stopped right outside the front door. Several people got out of the cars.

  From the car on the left were Secretary Lin and his assistant, while Commissioner Xia from the Public Security Bureau got out from the car on the right.

  “Lil Tang!” Secretary Lin greeted Tang Hao enthusiastically.

  “Lil Bro Tang!” Commissioner Xia also greeted him.

  “You’re here too, Secretary Lin!” Tang Hao was a little surprised.

  “Tonight’s situation will be a tough one. Commissioner Xia and I will have to hold the fort here and keep the criminals in custody. Otherwise, the Cheng family might bail them out. The Cheng family has already been notified and they’re starting to make their move. They’ll definitely want their son back,” Secretary Lin said.

  “My stand is firm. Cheng Zhijie has committed a crime, and he needs to receive his just deserts, no matter what his family background might be. Commissioner Xia agrees with me too.”

  “Don’t worry, Lil Bro Tang. We made a mistake five years ago, but I can promise you that it won’t happen again. I was still the Deputy Commissioner back then, and my hands were tied,” Commissioner Xia said guiltily.

  “I hope that’s the case!” Tang Hao mumbled.

  The wait lasted for more than three hours.

  They received multiple updates from the field team during the wait. The corpse was found at the location as confessed by Qian Yifei. The forensics team had been excavating the site, and human bones had been found. They received many photos of the scene.

  The other culprits were arrested one after another. Some of them had confessed to the crime.

  As for Cheng Zhijie, he was stubborn and refused to admit to anything.

  “Why did that Cheng Fuqiang give birth to such a scoundrel?” Secretary Lin said coldly as he looked through the one-way glass panel into the interrogation room.

  A police officer came into the room. “Secretary Lin, Commissioner Xia. District Mayor Cheng is here, and he brought a crowd with him.”

  He had just finished speaking when they could hear someone shouting from outside. “Where is my son? Get your superintendent here! I want to see my son!”

  They walked out of the room to see a group of people in the corridor. The person in the lead was a slightly plump middle-aged man with an angry face, walking toward them in big strides.

  “Ho! You’re here too, Secretary Lin!”

  He was not surprised when he saw Secretary Lin. Instead, he smirked.

  As the district mayor, he was well-connected in the police station.

  “I’d like to know why my son is here. He’s a good boy. Why did you arrest him?” Cheng Fuqiang asked aggressively.

  “We suspect that he is heavily involved in the disappearance of Zhou Lingxue five years ago,” Commissioner Xia said.

  Cheng Fuqiang smirked. “Where’s the evidence, hmm?”

  “We already have witnesses who have confessed to the crime,” Commissioner Xia replied.

  “I know, it must be that girl from the Qian family, right? I’ve heard that she suffered a big shock from seeing her boyfriend killed in front of her eyes. She doesn’t have the mental stability to provide a valid statement.

  “Also, I’ve heard that her arms were mysteriously fractured when she was in the hospital. I’m suspecting that you police had forced a confession from her to frame my son.”

  Commissioner Xia’s composure wavered. “There are several others who have confessed too.”

  “Is that so? I suspect that the police have been torturing them for a confession too. There’s no point in witness statements. How about actual evidence?”

  “Well…” Commissioner Xia could not find a reply.

  “The incident is from five years ago. Investigations were called to a halt back then because there were no leads. Five years later, there’s a microscopic chance that you guys will find any incriminating evidence.

  “So, there’s no evidence, right? Excuse me, but I want to bring my son out of here!

  “Oh, right! I’ve heard that you police have beaten up my son. I can sue your pants off just because of that,” Cheng Fuqiang said viciously.

  Tang Hao smirked and said. “Who says it’s the police? I was the one who beat him up.”

  “You?” Cheng Fuqiang glared at him. “You sure have guts for beating up my son!

  “I’ve heard of you before. You must be Tang Hao, right? You’re from Tang Village, and you’ve recently started some healthcare company.

  “It’s not easy to sustain a business in these tough times! Who knows, your company might suddenly go bankrupt tomorrow!” Cheng Fuqiang said threateningly.

  He then smirked at Commissioner Xia. “Didn’t you hear that, Commissioner Xia? He’s admitting to beating up my son. Why aren’t you arresting him? I want to sue him!”

  Tang Hao chuckled. “Your son was the one who struck first. I was only defending myself! If you don’t believe me, I have many witnesses!”

  “You…” Cheng Fuqiang’s face was red with anger. He gla
red coldly at Tang Hao. “You sure have guts, filthy kid!”

  “I’m just being myself!” Tang Hao replied calmly.

  “Haha! I’ve never met someone as interesting as you before. You think you’re invincible just because you’re acquainted with Secretary Lin? Let me tell you, even Secretary Lin can’t save you this time!

  “If the people here don’t dare arrest you, I’ll get someone from the city to arrest you. You can wait for your company to be declared bankrupt!”

  He then turned to look at Secretary Lin. “Let me ask you one more time, Lin Jianjun. Are you letting my son go or not?”

  Secretary Lin was impassive. “What do you mean by letting him go? If he committed a crime, there’s no reason for letting him go. Why, District Mayor Cheng, do you think that you’re above the law?”

  “You… You dare oppose me, Lin Jianjun! It looks like you don’t know what’s good for you. Alright! Just you wait. I hope you don’t regret your decision in a few days!” Cheng Fuqiang laughed angrily.

  “I’ll be waiting!” Secretary Lin said coldly.

  Cheng Fuqiang became angrier. He did not know why Secretary Lin would so brazenly oppose him.

  ‘It’s just Lin Jianjun! Isn’t it easy to handle him? My brother is the second in rank in the city. As long as I can take Lin Jianjun down, the case can be suppressed once again.’

  He grunted, then shifted his gaze upon Tang Hao.

  Handling Lin Jianjun required some effort. For a kid without any family background though, it was as easy as lifting a finger. He just needed to flick his wrist and the boy would be dead in an unmarked grave.

  “Don’t blame for being cruel, kid, but you’re the one who beat up my son!” He mumbled, then turned to shout at Tang Hao. “I hope you enjoy prison life, kid! The people from the city will be here soon.”

  He laughed viciously as his eyes flashed with glee.

  Suddenly, they heard a booming elderly voice at the other end of the corridor.

  “Who wants to arrest Divine Doctor Tang? Over my dead body!”

  The voice was hoarse and low but carried an intimidating air of authority.

  Everyone in the corridor turned toward the voice. They saw a group of people coming their way. In the lead was an old man in a traditional Chinese suit and carrying a walking stick.

  When Cheng Fuqiang discerned who it was, his entire body shook as though it had been struck by lightning and his mind went blank.

  “Old… Old Master He!” He cried, his lips trembling.

  Chapter 120 - Case Closed

  Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

  ##Cheng Fuqiang stood on the spot, dumbfounded.

  He thought someone had played a trick on his eyes.

  What sort of a figure was Old Master He? He was one of the founding fathers of the nation. The amount of influence he wielded was immeasurable. He had many sons and daughters, and the He family was considered one of the most prominent families in Province Z.

  Old Master He was the patriarch of the He family. His influence could be felt throughout the entire Huaxia. Needless to say, he was an extremely powerful figure in his home province of Province Z.

  The Cheng family was small fry compared to the He family.

  How would a VIP of such caliber appear at the police station?

  What made him even more panicked was that Old Master He had called the kid in front of him “Divine Doctor Tang”. Did it mean that they knew each other?

  Upon arriving at that thought, his entire body trembled and his face turned pale as a sheet. Cold sweat rained from his forehead uncontrollably.

  ‘How could it be like this? How did it end up this way? How is this filthy kid related to a VIP like Old Master He?’ The thought repeated in his heart, and he could not believe it even if he tried.

  He had investigated that Tang Hao kid. Tang Hao was a poor kid born in a mountain village, but somehow, a string of fortuitous events caused him to be connected with many rich people and even Secretary Lin.

  From there, he had started a company.

  He might have some accomplishments, but to District Mayor Cheng, he was still a normal peasant with only Secretary Lin backing him. Handling him would have been a piece of cake.

  That was why he was so brazen in using the city police force to handle the kid.

  He was dumbstruck when Old Master He suddenly appeared.

  Something connected in his brain. “Ah!” He exclaimed audibly, then his face turned ashen.

  He turned around, trembling. He lifted a hand to point at Secretary Lin while looking at him incredulously. “You… You…”

  He finally understood why Secretary Lin dared to oppose the Cheng family. It was because he had connections with Old Master He.

  Secretary Lin was impassive. “Now you’re regretting it, right? This is all your own doing. If you had brought up your son properly so that he doesn’t use his family background to bully others, all of this won’t happen today,” he said coldly.

  “Hear, hear!” Old Master He said, his voice still booming and strong. “If one commits a crime, he ought to be judged!”

  He walked over in big strides with his walking stick. He was thin and bony, though he stood straight and tall and looked intimidating.

  He swept his eyes across the crowd. The Cheng family members dared not look into his eyes. All of them lowered their heads and seemed frightful.

  “Old… Old Master He!” Cheng Fuqiang greeted him with a trembling voice.

  “Cheng Fuqiang, you’re the one who calls for Divine Doctor Tang’s arrest?” Old Master He walked next to Cheng Fuqiang and asked him sternly.

  A shiver went down Cheng Fuqiang’s spine and he trembled even more violently. His knees were weak in front of Old Master He.

  “I… I…” He stammered, unable to finish a sentence.

  “Hmph!” Old Master He grunted with a stern face. “I’ve heard all about what happened today. Cheng Fuqiang, your son is a wretch!

  “I’ve already retired a long time ago, so I shouldn’t be involved in such matters. However, I can’t bear to see you run rampant in Westridge District. This case must be investigated. I’d like to see all your wretched son’s crimes being dredged and scrutinized. Justice ought to be returned to the victims.”

  Cheng Fuqiang trembled again. His eyes were soulless.

  He knew that with Old Master He keeping an eye over the case, his son was as good as dead. There was no chance in hell that he could be saved.

  “Don’t think that the Cheng family can get away scot-free either. The case was suppressed five years ago because of interference from the Cheng family. Your actions have shown a total disregard of the law and a mockery to the process of justice. That is a serious crime.

  “Ask yourself truthfully. Do any of you have a conscience?” Old Master He asked with an impassioned voice.

  His speech had gained him the respect of all the police officers in the corridor.

  Even Tang Hao had a newfound admiration for Old Master He.

  Soon after, Cheng Fuqiang kneeled on the floor with a thud. His face showed utter dejection and he mumbled, “I’m finished, it’s all finished…”

  Not only his son was finished; the Cheng family was finished too.

  Suddenly, the phone in his pocket rang.

  He was stunned for a while before he awkwardly fished the phone out of his pocket.

  “Hey, Fuqiang! How are things? Where’s Zhijie?” An urgent voice was heard over the phone.

  Old Master He harrumphed, then took the phone and said coldly, “Hello! Is this Cheng Fugui?”

  “Who are you?” Cheng Fugui was surprised.

  “My surname is He, and my name is Weiguo. You must have heard of it, right?”

  “He Weiguo?” Cheng Fugui mumbled a little doubtfully. Soon, he cried out in surprise.

  “Old Master He!”

  A loud bang was heard over the phone, as though a chair had fallen on the floor.
/>
  “Listen here, Chen Fugui. You were also involved in the case five years ago. You can just wait where you are. Someone will be coming for you soon!” Old Master He said coldly, then hung up the call and threw the phone back to Cheng Fuqiang.

  He glanced at Cheng Fuqiang again and smirked disdainfully. Then, he turned around and walked toward Tang Hao with his walking stick.

  An enthusiastic smile appeared on his face. “Oh, Divine Doctor Tang, I’ve finally met you! You are as handsome and accomplished as they’ve described you!”

  Then, he stretched out a palm and passionately shook Tang Hao’s hand.

  “These old bones have lived long enough, and I was already prepared to depart this world forever. I didn’t expect that you saved me! I can live another day thanks to your blessings, Divine Doctor Tang!”

  “Eh! You flatter me, Old Master He. It’s my duty as a doctor to save lives. You can’t call that a blessing,” Tang Hao said urgently.

  “Haha!” Old Master He laughed heartily, “Hear, hear! Divine Doctor Tang!”

  Old Master He then looked left and right and nodded at Secretary Lin and Commissioner Xia.

  “Hey, all of you, don’t just stand there like idiots!” Old Master He said to the police officers who were surrounding them. “Quickly, investigate this case! Remember to investigate this thoroughly, no crime shall go unpunished.”

  The police officers quickly scattered and returned to their tasks.

  Tang Hao stayed to chat with Old Master He.

  A few hours later, the case had a giant breakthrough. While searching Cheng Zhijie’s house, the police found a notebook. Taped to the pages were strands of hair from different girls. Next to each strand of hair, he recorded the characteristics of the owner of the hair, including looks, age, and how he carried out the heinous deed.

  Among the girls was Zhou Lingxue, who had disappeared five years ago.

  He had written about how he failed to violate her, and in a fit of anger, he had strangled her, then buried her body in the countryside.