Chapter 3: Is Chief Liao Trying to Show Favoritism?

The crowd escorted the Japanese Warrior to the Yunfei Road police station. It was a three‑story building with obvious French colonial style, red‑brick exterior, arched windows, and two armed police standing on the steps before the door, solemnly guarding the entrance.

Through the original body's memories, Lin Yu knew the French concession police system like the back of his hand. The French concession had four police stations—Yunfei Road, Xiafei Road, Aiduoya Road, and Laoba Zi Road. Among them, the Yunfei Road station was the largest, overseeing the most bustling commercial district of the concession.

The police station's hierarchy was also interesting. The top officer was the Chief Inspector, a French Empire citizen. The Deputy Chief Inspector and Inspectors were Chinese, with subordinate sergeants (equivalent to sergeants) and ordinary police. Each station had a criminal unit, a patrol unit, and an administrative unit.

The first floor of the Yunfei Road station housed the duty room and a temporary detention room, the second floor was the office area, and the third floor contained the interrogation room and a long‑term detention cell. The interior was simple yet tidy, exuding a solemn atmosphere throughout.

"Put him in the detention room first," Wang Zhong ordered, "Old Zhang, go notify the Japanese consulate over there."

Lin Yu watched the police escort the Japanese Warrior toward the detention room, a hint of a knowing smile flashing in his eyes. Now he had plenty of opportunity to "have a good chat" with this Japanese dwarf.

At that moment, footsteps came from the second floor. Lin Yu looked up and saw a burly, stern‑faced middle‑aged man descending the stairs—it was their Deputy Chief Inspector Liao Weifeng, whom everyone habitually called "Chief Liao".

It seemed that something interesting was about to begin.

"We, what are you doing?" Liao Weifeng said in a thick Shen City dialect as he came down the stairs, brow furrowed, "Why did you arrest a Japanese?"

From the original body's memories, Lin Yu knew that Chief Liao was smooth in handling matters and detested cases involving foreign nationals in the concession, especially the Japanese. These people not only bullied others with their power but also constantly sparked diplomatic incidents.

"Chief Liao," Wang Zhong hurried forward, lowering his voice to explain, "That Japanese attacked on Huaian Street, slashing a rickshaw puller seriously. We responded to the report..."

"Huh!" Chief Liao's brows furrowed even deeper, "Again this kind of case? What about the rickshaw puller's wife?"

"He has already been taken to Renji Hospital."

"And that Japanese..." Chief Liao began, then stopped, his gaze lingering on Lin Yu for a moment, "His facial wounds, and the one on his head..."

Wang Zhong glanced at Lin Yu covertly and stammered, "Well... he resisted, we had no choice..."

"Resist?" Chief Liao sneered, clearly not believing the claim. He knew the police temperament too well, especially that of the young Lin Yu, who was usually a headstrong rookie.

"We tell you," Chief Liao sighed, "These Japanese are the most troublesome; when their consulate people arrive, you'll have to think carefully about what to say. This case probably won't end well..."

Chief Liao walked to the detention room and began speaking to the warrior in halting Japanese. After a couple of sentences, his complexion changed.

"Are you... a member of the Health Union Association?"

"Idiot! I am a member of the Health Union Association's Shen City branch! You Chinese police, how dare you..."

Chief Liao's attitude immediately became deferential. Through the original body's memories, Lin Yu understood the stakes involved.

Nowadays the Japanese are in a rising phase, with their influence across Asia growing daily. Especially in a trade hub like Shen City, Japanese voices have become increasingly weighty. The Health Union Association, while appearing to be a commercial organization, is in fact one of Japan's major overseas intelligence agencies, backed by a deep political background.

"Sir, we are truly sorry..." Chief Liao kept apologizing, then turned and glared fiercely at Lin Yu, "It's all because our people are clueless..."

Lin Yu stood aside, watching Chief Liao's humbled demeanor, a feeling he could not name welling up inside him. This was the helplessness of the era— even law‑enforcement agencies had to bow low to these foreigners.

But he steeled himself in secret—sooner or later, he would make those arrogant bastards pay.

【Ding! Host's indignation detected, matches Hard‑Bone spirit, gaining 10 Hardness points】

【Current Hardness: 170 points】

"You lot, we think you're fed up with life!" Chief Liao turned around, berating them bluntly in Shen City dialect, "Do you know who this is? Even a member of the Health Union Association dares to act! Trying to kill us?"

His demeanor now was a far cry from how he treated the Japanese Warrior earlier, harshly rebuking everyone. Wang Zhong lowered his head, unable to speak, and the other police fell silent as cold cicadas.

"Enough, enough, quickly release Mr. Yamamoto!" Chief Liao waved his hand, a look of impatience on his face, "Old Wang, go open the door."

Wang Zhong was about to step forward and unlock the door when Lin Yu suddenly said, "Wait."

Everyone froze. Chief Liao stared at the young police officer in disbelief, "What else are you trying to do?"

"According to the police station's regulations," Lin Yu said calmly, "No matter who is detained, someone must vouch for them before they can be released. That's the rule."

"You..." Chief Liao's face turned blue with anger, "We told you to release them, and you don't understand?"

"Rules are rules." Lin Yu remained unmoving.

【Ding! Host upheld principles, unafraid of authority, gaining 20 Hardness points!】

【Current Hardness: 190 points】

Yamamoto Ichiro glared angrily from behind the iron fence, while Chief Liao stamped his foot in fury. But Lin Yu knew deep down that in this era of might‑makes‑right, if even the most basic rules could be trampled at will, what else could be compromised?

"You kid..." Chief Liao inhaled deeply, clearly trying to curb his fury, "You don't even weep when you see a coffin..."

"Lin Yu, what are you doing?" Wang Zhong quickly grabbed him, lowering his voice, "You're just a junior police officer daring to go against Chief Liao? That's courting death!"

But Lin Yu neither fell silent nor lowered his voice; instead he raised his tone: "Rules are rules! This is the police station's iron law. Could it be..." He deliberately paused, "Could Chief Liao be showing favoritism?"

The words rang like a thunderclap, and the duty room fell silent instantly. All the police stared at Lin Yu in disbelief, and even Yamamoto Ichiro locked in the detention room was stunned.

Liao Weifeng trembled all over, his complexion shifting from blue to white, then to red: "Good! Very good!" He clenched his teeth, staring at Lin Yu, "Little Lin, little Lin, today you gave us a lesson!"

"Remember, you kid won't be hopping around for long!" Chief Liao said coldly, then swept his sleeve and left. His Shen City accent carried obvious anger.

【Ding! Host unafraid of the powerful, upheld principles, gaining 30 Hardness points!】

【Current Hardness: 220 points】

Watching Chief Liao's departing back, Wang Zhong, with a worried expression, patted Lin Yu's shoulder, "You kid, you always need to consider the consequences..."

Lin Yu remained expressionless. In this era, someone always has to stand up and uphold the most basic principles.

Even if doing so brings trouble to oneself, lacking even this bit of backbone makes one no different from those who chase power and favor.

In the detention room, Yamamoto Ichiro glared at him viciously, clearly bearing a grudge. But Lin Yu paid no mind, even flashing a knowing cold smile at him.