He hadn't anticipated that the flight's minor delay would actually lead to him arriving at the airport ahead of schedule. Nor had he expected that his parents, not far away, were caught in the middle of trouble.

The enthusiastic crowd hadn't foreseen that this woman was truly not boasting. Her cousin was indeed at the airport police station, and he was even a team leader. Though it might not sound like much, that position held a considerable amount of authority. He brought a couple of officers over with him.

"What's this crowd gathered here for? Disperse! Don't clump together. With such heavy foot traffic, you're causing congestion. If you block the way like this, how will anyone pass through?"

His words were sensible and logical, and many bystanders dispersed as a result. Their willingness to assist was there, but so was their instinct for self-preservation. When they saw that the situation was untenable, they chose to look out for themselves first. There was nothing blameworthy about this response.

But it was unfortunate for Comrade Lao Sun and Madam Xie. The passersby who had spoken up for them had all dispersed, leaving only a few who were there for the spectacle. The couple went from having strength in numbers to having their words carry little weight.

This 'cousin' was indeed competent. He approached the elderly couple and immediately accused them of disturbing public order. This was a flexible accusation that could be treated as a minor issue or a serious one. At its lightest, a verbal admonishment might suffice. At its worst, it could lead to administrative detention.

As a seasoned bureaucrat, Comrade Lao Sun was well aware of this and refused to admit to anything. "Officer, you haven't thoroughly understood the cause and effect of this incident, yet you conclude so readily. I'm afraid that doesn't align with your department's policy for responding to calls."

"Moreover, you drove away so many eyewitnesses without even questioning them. What exactly are your intentions?"

Facing the eloquent Comrade Lao Sun, the 'cousin' laughed. I've seen too many of his type.

These people all shared one common characteristic: they were civil servants from small towns. But this is Dahu City. You can't play your games here. He didn't take any of them seriously, even if some held positions higher than his. They couldn't touch him, regardless.

"Old comrade, even if what you say is true, what does it matter? I'm going to pin this on you. What can you do about it?"

Looking at the self-satisfied officer before him, Comrade Lao Sun couldn't help but feel a sense of sorrow. When the nation falls into the hands of such vermin, how can it thrive? They dare to be so insolent in this information age. It's clear how they typically conduct themselves.

"Cousin, I'll leave this matter in your hands. You must lock up these two detestable old folks for a few days. I've got urgent matters to attend to, so I'll be off."

The 'cousin' laughed and slapped her buttocks. "Rest assured, I'll handle this beautifully for you and get some proper payback for you."

The woman shot him a glare, wriggling her waist to avoid his large hands. "Don't do that. If someone captures this and puts it online for my husband to see, you're as good as dead."

"Heh heh... Like I give a damn about him."

So this was the kind of 'cousin' he was.

"Truly degenerate! Someone like you shouldn't be a civil servant, staining our ranks with your filth!" Comrade Lao Sun couldn't help but curse aloud. He'd seen plenty of this behavior in smaller towns; he never expected a big city to be the same.

"Handcuff them! Enough of their endless whining and playing the age card. Who the hell do you think you are, lecturing me?" the 'cousin' finally snapped.

But in the next moment, a wall appeared before him. His hand, just reaching for the handcuffs at his waist, felt as if it were clamped in a steel vise, unable to move.

"Who are you? How dare you obstruct a police officer in the line of duty?"

Hearing his fierce but flustered voice, Da Yong glanced at him disdainfully. Then, upon his boss's signal, he let go and stood behind Sun Dasheng.

The 'cousin' knew this new arrival was the real deal. He just didn't know the man's connection to the two seniors.

As he tried to stand his ground, the man walked over. He moved unhurriedly, step by step, yet his aura grew more imposing with each stride, making the 'cousin's' heart pound uncontrollably. The hairs on his neck stood on end, as if he had encountered some terrifying prehistoric beast.

"What... what are you going to do?" he stammered, not even realizing how weak his voice had become.

"Was it you who just said you were going to haul my parents away?" A cold voice drifted over, causing the 'cousin' to shiver involuntarily.

"So what if it was? They disrupted public order, so I have the right to take them in for questioning."

"And the right to handcuff them?" Looks like this man isn't one to be trifled with. he thought. Police don't normally handcuff people. Handcuffs are for serious crimes. This case definitely doesn't warrant them.

"That's right, I said it. What are you going to do about it?" This man seems like bad news. If I hadn't already gotten involved, I would have just let it go. But since I'm already in it, I have to see it through. I have no way out now.

However, thinking about his backer at the station, he felt emboldened again.

"You better step aside. I know you have money, so go hire the best lawyer for your parents. Otherwise, who knows how long they'll be detained."

Sun Dasheng laughed. How long has it been since I was last provoked by such a petty fool? It seems with so many people in the country, there's a good chance you'll run into some real characters. You can't say morons don't exist—here are two of them, a perfect pair.

When he shifted his gaze to the woman who started it all, she retorted with feigned courage, "What are you looking at? Haven't you seen such a beautiful woman before?"

"You're both very brave," Sun Dasheng said, giving them a thumbs-up.

He then dialed a number. "I won't waste my breath on you; you two idiots probably wouldn't understand me anyway. So, I'll find someone you *can* understand to explain the serious consequences of messing with me, Sun Dasheng."

"Pfft! What an act! You're just a country bumpkin!" the woman scoffed.

The 'cousin' chimed in, ordering his subordinates, "What are you standing around for? You really think he can call someone important? Handcuff them, quickly!"

The usually obedient subordinates hesitated. "Boss, maybe we should wait for this phone call to end. If we happen to provoke someone we shouldn't, we'll still have an out."

His subordinate was promptly met with a swift kick. "An out? An out, my ass! There's no way out for any of us. I don't have one, and you can forget about having one too."

"If you won't do it, I'll do it myself!" He drew his police baton, ready to use force, when a sturdy hand suddenly held a phone to his ear.

He intended to ignore it and just get on with it, but Da Yong, who was holding the phone, had already anticipated his move. One of Da Yong's hands firmly gripped the hand holding the baton, while his other elbow pressed down on the 'cousin's' shoulder, holding him in place as he positioned the phone by his ear.

"You might as well listen," Sun Dasheng advised kindly.

A familiar voice soon came through the phone. "Li Xingyun, what on earth are you doing? Get your ass back here at once and stop making a fool of yourself!"

"Chief Sun, I..." he began to argue, but the other party cut him off.

"You scoundrel! You've been riding on Deputy Chief Wang's support, acting however you pleased—arrogant and despotic, with no regard for anyone. Well, let me tell you, you've messed with the wrong person. Director Mao himself called to ask about this. If you're hoping Wang can save you, forget about it. Get back here now, take off that uniform, and you might still be alright. Otherwise, you're free to face the more serious consequences, if you think you can handle them."

DOOT. DOOT. DOOT.

The call ended. The 'cousin', Li Xingyun, who had always enjoyed bullying ordinary people, was struck dumb. He could never have anticipated that such a trivial matter would lead to such severe consequences, even putting his job as a police officer in jeopardy.

At this thought, anger surged within him.

Just then, the woman by his side asked in a syrupy voice, "Cousin, what did he say on the phone? The person they called can't possibly have authority over you, right?"

Her words added fuel to the fire, sending his fury into a blaze. He swung his hand back and slapped her hard across the face. SLAP! SLAP!

The woman's cheeks quickly swelled. He hadn't held back at all.

"Why?" the woman asked, puzzled.

"Why? Because of you, you goddamn idiot! You've ruined me!" he roared. "Hit you? I want to kill you!"

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