Chapter 27: Catching Thieves II

Liu Jian'an and Xiao Qin are both the ones who tackled the thieves, and Xiao Qin, having undergone professional training, after tackling a thief quickly handcuffed him.

But what Meng Li saw was Lu Cheng confronting two other thieves, punching and kicking them.

Even though he had handcuffs he didn't use, he kept beating the two thieves until they were flat on the ground, unable to stand.

Even if they are thieves, you still can't hit them like that.

Meng Li ran over and pulled Lu Cheng back: "Lu Cheng, stop right now; who told you to beat people like that."

Lu Cheng explained: "If I don't hit them, it won't work; I'm only one person—if I don't knock one down, how can I apprehend both at the same time?"

"Even so, you mustn't hit people; I told you not to act on your own, to let us be notified first."

"Isn't this an emergency situation…"

The two lying on the ground were indeed suffering, moaning in pain while shouting, "He's hitting us, he's hitting us, Comrade Police Officer, he's hitting me."

"He even dares to steal a beggar's money; does he have any conscience? I'll let you shout again!"

Lu Cheng was about to kick again, but Meng Li held him tightly: "Lu Cheng, don't make a mistake."

"Police Chief Meng, they're thieves; even if you have a kind heart, you shouldn't take it out on thieves, right?"

Looking at the two whose noses were bleeding from the blows, Meng Li said coldly: "Even if they're thieves, they still deserve legal judgment, and right now we can't definitively say they're thieves."

"Fine, fine, who made you the police chief? Take them to the carriage for questioning and quickly restore my innocence."

Lu Cheng patted his rear and went back onto the carriage, leaving Meng Li watching his back and shaking her head helplessly.

Inside the carriage, four thieves were led into the dining car.

The people who had previously had their money stolen, upon hearing that the thieves were caught, were all waiting to get their money back.

Lu Cheng, meanwhile, was in the carriage searching for the beggar from earlier; based on what he saw, that beggar must also have been robbed.

But after searching for a long time, he couldn't find any sign of the beggar.

In the dining car, all four suspects were handcuffed, with one hand shackled to a table leg.

Meng Li personally conducted the interrogation, while Xiao Qin was in charge of recording.

"You four, be honest with me and quickly hand over the stolen money."

The four exchanged glances and then showed bewildered expressions.

Lei Feng Hat spoke first: "What stolen money? Comrade Police Officer, I don't know what you're talking about; the four of us don't even know each other."

With a "Bang" sound, Meng Li slapped the table.

"Don't make meaningless resistance; if you didn't steal anything, we couldn't have caught you."

"Confession will be lenient, resistance will be severe; I urge you to voluntarily hand over the money and the tools used, and we can treat you leniently."

Lei Feng Hat tilted his head: "Comrade Police Officer, is there some misunderstanding? I really don't understand what you're saying."

Another person added: "Yes, Comrade Police Officer, how can you say we stole money? We are upstanding citizens; you can't falsely accuse us."

Seeing the others speak so confidently, Meng Li began to doubt whether they had arrested the wrong people.

She looked at Xiao Qin, who had been in charge of the capture, and Xiao Qin immediately cleared his responsibility, saying: "I only arrested them after Comrade Liu Jian'an identified them."

If this really was a mistaken arrest, they'll be dealt with accordingly.

Liu Jian'an also knew he would be punished, and in fact he could have shifted the blame onto Lu Cheng, because although it was his money that was lost, he hadn't seen the thieves; everything was identified by Lu Cheng.

After hesitating, he still took the responsibility: "What I said is true, but I believe we didn't arrest the wrong people."

Meng Li could only change tactics and ask: "Do any of you have tickets?"

"Yes, we have them; we certainly wouldn't ride for free."

When Lei Feng Hat produced his ticket, Meng Li glanced at it: "You boarded at Chai Gou Fort and got off at Mei? What's your purpose for taking the train?"

Lei Feng Hat replied: "We're just visiting relatives; what purpose could there be?"

Having no other recourse, Meng Li asked Liu Jian'an: "Did you see them steal the money with your own eyes?"

Liu Jian'an answered honestly: "I didn't see it with my own eyes, but Comrade Lu Cheng saw it; it can't be a false accusation, I trust Lu Cheng."

"Your trust is useless…"

Meng Li now had to suspect that Lu Cheng, eager for merit, deliberately arrested several people.

But now they refuse to admit it, and the matter is at an impasse.

Just as everyone was at a loss, Lu Cheng returned and pushed open the dining car door.

"Why is interrogating a person so laborious? No wonder you haven't caught them for so long; just search them directly. As long as you find the tools used, their clever excuses are useless."

Meng Li, knowing what he intended, said: "Lu Cheng, don't act rashly; without a witness, we can't just search them."

"I am the eyewitness; I saw it with my own eyes."

"You can't."

Enticing suspects is already unlawful, and with Lu Cheng being a Train Police officer, even if he caught them on the spot it would be a minor issue; after the fact it's all the same, and being a witness then is of no use.

She acted out of goodwill, to prevent Lu Cheng from being sued later.

But Lu Cheng pretended not to see that and went straight to search Lei Feng Hat's body.

Meng Li was too lazy to stop him; as a police chief, she had already warned him, and any subsequent responsibility would fall on Lu Cheng.

Everyone, at heart, also wanted to see Lu Cheng find the crime tools, so they all watched intently.

Lei Feng Hat initially tried to resist a bit, but Lu Cheng gave him a strong yank on the pocket, and he immediately became obedient.

"Search him; if you can't find anything, I'll report you to the Capital City for abuse of authority and assault, and sue you to death."

Lu Cheng ignored his outcry; having seen everything with his own eyes, he couldn't possibly fail to find anything.

He slipped his hand into the pocket of Lei Feng Hat's coat, rummaged twice, and Lu Cheng involuntarily frowned.

"Nothing? It must be in another pocket."

He flipped through several other pockets, still finding nothing.

Seeing Police Chief Meng and the others with expectant faces, Lu Cheng withdrew his hand and gave an awkward smile.

"Hehe, it must have shifted onto another person, to keep us from taking it all at once." Lu Cheng tugged the Lei Feng Hat again.

"You're pretty clever, aren't you? But meeting me, count yourselves unlucky."

After Lu Cheng finished speaking, he walked toward another person, rummaged through his pocket, but still found nothing.

The third person also had none.

Lu Cheng became even more embarrassed.

"Everyone, don't panic; it's definitely on the last person. How cunning, even knowing how to shift onto a single person."

The last person became everyone's hope.

But after Lu Cheng slipped it into the last person's pocket and left it there for half a day without taking it out, Meng Li grew impatient.

"So? Is it there or not? You go ahead and take it out quickly."

Lu Cheng slowly drew out his fist, held it up, and said, "Or… you all guess?"

Meng Li glared, "You open it quickly; who has time to guess with you?"

When Lu Cheng opened his fist and it was empty, Meng Li plopped down onto the dining stool.

"It's over, Lu Cheng, you're finished."

Found nothing, yet you hit someone; I'm afraid you won't keep your job.