Chapter 297

"Wow, it really is you, what a coincidence, Uncle Yan." Lin Li was somewhat delighted.

The world is vast, and nothing is strange; there are too many miraculous coincidences.

For example, Bai Bufan once surprisingly discovered a coincidence: his parents actually got married on the same day, truly fated.

Moreover, clearly from a legal standpoint, Bai's father and mother are still direct blood relatives within zero generations, absolutely prohibited from marrying, yet they somehow managed it, and I don't know how they evaded legal sanctions.

And their luck was still pretty good.

After all, close-kin marriage easily produces deformed, mentally deficient offspring, but his son turned out fine.

When Bai Bufan shared this secret with Lin Li, Lin Li felt the ancients were truly wise—laws exist for a reason.

Close kin truly cannot marry.

Look at this—what the hell kind of offspring did this produce?

At this moment, Yan Aosong opened his eyes, closed them, opened them, closed them…… repeatedly, yet still couldn't believe his own eyes.

Why, why on earth?

What exactly is the scene before me——

The standing victim Lin Li wore a smile, while the lying robber had a miserable, wretched expression.

Everything before me gave Yan Aosong an extremely strong sense of déjà vu.

I just feel…… as if I experienced this an hour ago.

Either it's not a feeling, or I actually went through it!

The difference between now and just now is only that Lin Li seems to have listened to my advice—his hand no longer holds that retractable baton, but instead a brick presumably picked up from the roadside.

And the robber lying on the ground is two fewer—this time there are only two, that's all.

"Yes, yes, it's a coincidence."

Yan Aosong finally accepted that the reporter was again Lin Li, his expression complex, nodding with unusual force.

He now doesn't know what to say—whether Lin Li, robbed twice in one night, is pitiful, or whether these two batches of robbers both targeting Lin Li are the worse off.

"Huu——"

"Lin Li, you…… haven't gone home yet?"

Yan Aosong shook his head to make himself comfortable, took a deep breath, and asked.

"Oh oh, it's like this, Uncle Yan—I'm a bit hungry, so I planned to buy a late-night snack here before heading home. After eating, I felt a bit full, so I thought I'd take a short walk to digest, and then—bad luck—I got robbed again. Really scared me."

The weak, pitiable, helpless Lin Li, hugging his arms, explained.

"Where the hell are you scared?" Seeing Lin Li's relaxed and carefree face, Yan Aosong's mouth twitched slightly.

"Scared here! Scared here!" The robber clutching his head on the ground, hearing this, immediately sat up straight and shouted amicably at Yan Aosong:

"Take us away! Hurry and take us away! We know we were wrong! We'll never rob again!"

Yan Aosong: "……"

Plum·Open·Two·Degrees.

Damn.

It can only be said that these two robbers of this batch aren't as smart as that yellow-haired one just now—they directly confessed, not even thinking of framing Lin Li.

The situation is very clear; Yan Aosong sighed, turned, and waved at his subordinates: "Take them away!"

……

Demon-Subduing Office gate.

Interrogation ended.

Yan Aosong and Lin Li returned to this spot once again.

"Mind if I smoke a cigarette?"

Glancing at the night sky outside the door, Yan Aosong asked Lin Li.

"Please go ahead." Lin Li naturally had no objection.

"Huu——" taking out a cigarette, lighting it, exhaling white smoke from his mouth, Yan Aosong's brows furrowed tightly, then he turned with some solemnity and seriousness to stare at Lin Li, speaking in a deep voice:

"Lin Li, you…… did this on purpose?"

After interrogating the second batch of robbers as well, many things—even if you don't want to think this way—facts have already prevailed over sophistry.

Because a normal person absolutely would not, after being robbed once at night, still swagger down the night road counting cash, even saying the exact same things as last time.

Lin Li's excuses immediately collapsed.

This is absolutely premeditated.

The yellow-haired one really didn't speak wrong—Lin Li really is deliberately luring them to rob him…… Could…… this boy truly have a need to vent violent tendencies?

"Uncle Yan, I don't understand what you're saying."

Upon hearing this, Lin Li also looked at Yan Aosong, but merely smiled and denied.

"Why are you doing this?"

Seeing this expression, Yan Aosong knew Lin Li had essentially admitted it, so he continued to ask in a deep voice:

"What did I do wrong? I haven't done anything excessive or illegal, have I?" Lin Li countered: "Whether walking alone at night or counting money and sharing my joy with friends on the night road, this isn't illegal at all, is it?"

"Victim-blaming theory is absolutely unacceptable, Uncle Yan."

"No, Lin Li, I'm just puzzled—what's the point of you doing this? Are you trying to get something? Or are you really…… enjoying lawful violence?" Yan Aosong's expression remained solemn.

If that's truly the case, then sometimes, people like Lin Li could cause greater harm to society.

Because such people are like a time bomb that never knows when it will explode.

And they're even more hysterical and illogical.

"Of course not—actually, I strongly oppose violence and have no interest in it. Just now, holding that brick was merely to intimidate these two fellows, to stop them from acting rashly.

Uncle, your interrogation should have already revealed this—these two became very honest after I gave them one shoulder throw, so I didn't attack them again, just waiting for you to arrive.

If I had violent tendencies, I definitely wouldn't just let it go like this, would I?

So Uncle Yan, you can rest assured, my sunshine isn't fake, I don't pretend to be sunny.

Lin Li smiled and spoke to clear his name.

"Then... what's the point of you doing this?"

Indeed, that's the case, Yan Aosong nodded, the worry in his heart largely dispelled, but now he finds Lin Li's motives even more inscrutable.

What exactly is he after?

"Uncle, got a smoke?" Hearing this, Lin Li looked up at the sky and spoke softly.

At such a young age, so world-weary, so full of stories—Yan Aosong, who should have advised this youngster not to smoke, hesitated, then still took out a cigarette case and handed Lin Li a cigarette.

As a smoker, one must always remember: smoking alone benefits oneself, smoking together benefits the group.

Sharing is a virtue.

Afterwards, Yan Aosong took out a lighter to light Lin Li's cigarette, but Lin Li waved his hand and refused.

"You got your own?"

"No, no need to light it, Uncle, I don't smoke."

Yan Aosong: "?"

"Then why do you want this cigarette?" Yan Aosong was stunned.

"I just feel that having a cigarette in my mouth at this moment gives people the impression that I'm very worldly, very capable, and have experienced a lot, which fits better with what I'm about to say, and makes me look cooler."

Lin Li explained.

Yan Aosong: "(；o_o)?"

So you're using your mom's cigarette as a prop for atmosphere??

"You return this cigarette to me first, I'll give you another." Yan Aosong took out another pack from his back pocket and said to Lin Li.

"What's the difference?" Lin Li asked curiously.

"This one's cheap, wasting it doesn't hurt."

Lin Li: "..."

Uncle Yan is still quite thrifty.

But he's still a good guy—when I asked him for something, his first reaction was actually to give me a good cigarette.

After changing cigarettes, Lin Li pretended to take a puff and exhaled a wisp of nothingness.

"Alright, speak up." Yan Aosong urged.

Lin Li nodded, his words deep: "My purpose is simple—I'll protect Creek Spirit in my own way."

Yan Aosong: "?"

Yan Aosong had thought of many answers, but indeed hadn't expected it to be just a few words.

"Uncle Yan, do you know Batman? It's when a family of six legs enters an alley, and only two legs come out." Lin Li said lightly.

"... I know, Lin Li, just saying Batman is enough—most people should know, that extra description afterward is really fucking redundant."

Yan Aosong's mouth twitched—but this time he tried not to laugh out loud.

"Same thing—if you know it, you'll understand what I'm about to say even better."

"When Bruce Wayne realized that Gotham's justice would never prevail if no one was willing to dive into the darkness, he chose to become—Batman."

"And when I, Lin Li, realized that Creek Spirit Town's justice isn't comprehensive, and some people live in areas where they dare not walk at night, I chose to become—Black Silk Hero."

"Oh right, Uncle Yan, I used Batman as an analogy not because I'm also an orphan—I'm not an orphan, my mom is still alive, and I need to emphasize this to you."

Lin Li, halfway into being deep, suddenly stopped being deep and explained.

"No need to emphasize these unnecessary points—wait!! What did you just say? Say you're what hero!?"

The one complaining about Lin Li's sudden supplementary description, Yan Aosong, came to his senses, somewhat doubtful whether those few b-words that just strengthened his own brain were misheard, so he confirmed.

"I am—"

"Black, Silk, Hero."

Lin Li smiled, gazing at Yan Aosong, and reached into his pocket.

Under Yan Aosong's slightly wary gaze, Lin Li took out a black silk.

Under Yan Aosong's slightly dazed gaze, Lin Li unfolded the black silk.

Under Yan Aosong's slightly fearful, silent head-shaking, pleading gaze—Lin Li, you damn it, give me the medicine already, damn it, uncle, begging you, still not enough? —Lin Li put the black silk on his head.

"No need to thank me, I'm... the Black Stockings Hero."

Although the timing and setting weren't quite as expected, Lin Li finally got to say that line.

Yan Aosong: "..."

Your mom.

Yan Aosong now finds it hard to describe what's going on in his head.

It feels like he thought a lot, yet also like he thought of nothing.

It feels like his head is pointy, yet also like it's indented.

The corners of his mouth are about to twitch into sparks.

Yan Aosong reached out, pushed his nearly dislocated jaw back together, and after thousands of words, only one word came out: "Ah?"

"I stir the malice hidden in evildoers' hearts, then bind them with law—that's how I protect Creek Spirit."

Lin Li, no, should be called Black Silk Hero, said his grand ambition to Yan Aosong, then reached out a hand, extending an invitation:

"Uncle Yan, Batman has his Commissioner Gordon—so, are you willing to be my Commissioner Gordon!"

"As long as you shine a light in the sky to project the Black Silk pattern, I'll come find you to gather!"

No more tormenting Yang Liang—let's torment another uncle instead.

Yan Aosong: "?"

Yan Aosong felt that the number of question marks he had accumulated in his entire life had not exceeded those he had accumulated tonight.

"I, I slowly."

Not expecting that his brain would suffer multiple heavy blows today, being strengthened twice, Yan Aosong, whose legs were slightly weak, leaned again against the wall by the door.

His eyes were vacant, clear as not resembling an experienced demon hunter, but like a college student.

For a long time.

"Lin Li, you, you doing this is, is not right." Yan Aosong spoke with difficulty to Lin Li in rebuttal, "Entrapment law enforcement itself is……illegal."

"Where is it wrong?" Lin Li, hearing this, smiled and shook his head, "Uncle, I am not entrapment law enforcement, I am not a law enforcement officer, you arrested them, I only reported.

I am not doing this for my performance, I have no interest demands, absolutely does not constitute entrapment law enforcement in legal terms."

"Secondly, Uncle Yan, do you think among those six people just arrested, there are any innocents?"

"Tonight I tempted many people, but only they took the bait."

"My entrapment is not to make good or neutral beings become evil, but to let evil beings reveal their evil side."

"I did not make good people bad, only let the hidden bad people surface."

"Yes, in front of me, they not only received no benefit, but also must suffer imprisonment disaster, but……if what appeared before them was not me?"

"If one day, those who regard them as targets are merely an unprepared ordinary person?

When the knife is at the victim's body, when things are taken away, without surveillance and hard to recover, would you still firmly hold your current answer, still think my letting them go to jail in advance is wrong?"

You think I am wrong only because these robbers in front of me are considered a vulnerable group, but you should know, unprepared ordinary people, they are the most vulnerable!"

Lin Li spoke word by word like pearls and jade, continuously outputting his views to Yan Aosong.

Obviously, these outputs were effective.

Yan Aosong closed his eyes, furrowed his brows tightly, with a complex expression.

Indeed, among the two batches of people arrested tonight, there were no innocents.

A child holding gold passing through the market, having evil thoughts is not a crime, everyone's heart will have more or less evil thoughts.

Returning found money without keeping it is a virtue, returning found money but keeping it is an understandable dark side of human nature.

But the dark side varies in degree, evil thoughts of robbery and injury, if truly carried out, are necessarily guilty, with no possible rebuttal.

Did we arrest the wrong people? No, Yan Aosong felt, if we did not arrest them today, sooner or later they would enter the Demon Hunters' Office again for other petty illegal acts like stealing chickens and dogs.

Buffan will never change eating feces, this is his nature.

However, Yan Aosong did not understand why an eighteen-year-old child would have such understanding and belief.

At that moment, it even made Yan Aosong feel ashamed and dirty himself.

The long-dormant passion almost boiled over, Yan Aosong wanted to become the Gordon of the Creek Spirit, assisting the Black Silk Hero of the Creek Spirit.

After coming to his senses, fortunately his mother was just a little short, did not lose her temper and speak.

He was somewhat curious, in Lin Li's past life, what exactly had he experienced that was deeply memorable?

Yan Aosong opened his eyes, looking at the determined gaze of Lin Li, after hesitating, he changed direction:

"Batman has absolute wealth, has the best equipment, but even so, he is still constantly getting injured, Lin Li, what do you have?"

Lin Li blinked.

——I have my mother, I still have the system.

In the superhero world, Batman's wealth ability is really not enough to look at, but my superpower in the real world is truly more than enough.

But these words cannot be said.

"Frequently walking by the river, how can one not get wet shoes? Lin Li, your thoughts are good, but if you continue like this, sooner or later one day you will have your eyes pecked blind by an eagle, I……I really do not hope to see that scene.

You, such a child, should not encounter these dangers.

Perhaps, you should adopt a gentler way, to systematically and fundamentally guard the justice you desire……"

This is not a responsibility an eighteen-year-old child should bear, therefore Yan Aosong kindly advised.

Lin Li blinked again.

"Brother, you actually overthought it, we will stop doing this after finishing the mission, it's quite troublesome, WeChat Exercise now shows your mother's 15,000 steps—knowing, Lin Li spends all day in the library.

Although I thought this in my heart, but after all the words cannot be spoken, therefore Lin Li merely adhered to his character setting:

"That day, too long ago."

Silence.

In the silence between both sides, Lin Li still chose to break it, but speaking was already a farewell:

"Uncle, I think I should go."

"Will we meet again tonight?" Without retention, Yan Aosong raised his head, asking.

"I don't know." Lin Li shook his head, also raising his head together, looking at the pitch-black night sky: "Tonight's night color is truly black, I don't know what it foretells."

Yan Aosong turned his head to glance at Lin Li, the corner of his mouth twitching slightly.

You damn well still have black silk in front of your eyes! Can you look not black!

"But perhaps not meeting again is our best hope." Lin Li said lightly.

"Perhaps." Yan Aosong sighed softly, responded in a low voice, then added: "We have already added WeChat, tonight I am on night shift, if there is any situation you can directly contact me."

"Thank you, Uncle, then……I am leaving."

"Well, but Lin Li, you remember, no matter when, safety is always the most important, Batman has no father and mother, but you do, if you suffer any harm, they will worry." Yan Aosong's voice became softer.

Lin Li: "Uncle, I also have no father."

Yan Aosong: "……"

I damn, I really should die.

"Sorry."

It doesn't matter, I'm used to it.

Lin Li walked forward, into the dark night.

"Some belong to the night, some belong to black silk, the night belongs to everyone, but black silk, only belongs to me."

"Who says only those standing in the light can be heroes."

"I'm... the Black Silk Hero."

In the night, the oath of the Black Silk Hero was heard.

Yan Aosong: "..."

What the hell are you muttering about here again.

Yan Aosong shook his head, tonight's situation was really too complicated and too headache-inducing.

Even, Yan Aosong felt he was somewhat sad and sorrowful.

Sigh.

Just as he was preparing to light a second cigarette to dispel his worries, footsteps came from ahead.

Yan Aosong looked up, seeing Lin Li walk back unwillingly, like a defeated eggplant, and beside him followed another demon hunter.

"What's wrong, Changzi?" Yan Aosong asked this demon hunter doubtfully.

"Oh, Yan brother, I just got back from duty, and then I saw this masked kid sneaking out of our bureau, still muttering something I couldn't understand.

Feeling like he'd done something bad, I brought him back intending to ask him a few questions first." The demon hunter replied.

Yan Aosong: "?"

Lin Li coughed awkwardly, lowering his voice: "Chief Gordon, save me, clear my name, I said I was the Black Silk Hero, but your colleague doesn't believe me."

"Pa."

Yan Aosong slapped his own forehead, then... laughed out loud.

You Black Silk Hero... seem to lack a bit of dignity.

(End of chapter)