Villain? No, I'll catch up with the protagonist after passing the civil service exam.

"She's fine, it's just that there's something wrong with the tea."

Lu Jingyan responded calmly, bypassed his older brother who still wanted to gossip, and headed straight for the elevator.

Looking at his younger brother's unyielding back, Lu Mingze shook his head helplessly, but inexplicably felt a sense of relief.

It seems this family won't fall apart anytime soon.

……

The atmosphere in the director's office was so oppressive it felt like you could wring water out of it.

Director Chen sat behind his desk, his brow furrowed, oblivious to the fact that the cigarette between his fingers had burned down to the filter. On the desk, the red, encrypted telephone lay silently like a time bomb.

"Knock knock knock".

A knock came at the door.

"Come in."

Lu Jingyan pushed open the door and entered, closing it behind him. He immediately noticed Director Chen's grave expression and the unusual telephone on the table.

"Chief, you wanted to see me?"

"Xiao Lu, you're here."

Director Chen stubbed out his cigarette, gestured to the chair opposite him, and said in a slightly hoarse voice, "Sit down. There's a tricky matter that might require your attention."

Lu Jingyan did not sit down, but stood quietly, waiting for what was to come.

"I just received a call from Beijing."

Director Chen rubbed his temples, his face full of fatigue. "A department that calls itself the 'Dragon Group' is of a very high level and bypassed the provincial department directly."

"Dragon Group?" Lu Jingyan's eyes narrowed. He had seen this name in the memories of the original book. A mysterious organization that operates outside the conventional system, specializing in dealing with "special talents," and wields immense power.

"What did they say?"

"They want us to release someone immediately."

Director Chen paused for a moment, then uttered the name that didn't surprise Lu Jingyan at all:

"Ye Fan".

Sure enough it was him.

"What's the reason?" Lu Jingyan's tone remained completely calm.

"The other party claimed that Ye Fan was an important pawn planted by their 'Dragon Group' in the northern region, with a top-secret identity. They said that our arrest of him was a disruption of a major national security plan, and demanded that we not only release him immediately, but also erase all his criminal records and restore his reputation."

Director Chen grew increasingly angry as he spoke, and couldn't help but slam his fist on the table again. "This is simply outrageous! Do they really think local laws are a joke? They think they can get someone out with just a phone call? There's not even an official document!"

Lu Jingyan remained silent.

He knew that this was the most troublesome part of the world. Those so-called "protagonist auras" weren't just about fighting skills and romantic luck; they were more about these "privileges" that operated outside the law.

"What does the director mean?" he asked.

Director Chen looked at his subordinate, who, though young, had an unusually determined look in his eyes, and seemed to see a glimmer of hope.

"What I mean is, we are police officers, and we only handle cases based on evidence and the law."

Director Chen stood ramrod straight. "Even if the King of Heaven himself were here, without proper documentation, you can't take any suspect away from the territory of the Jinghai City Public Security Bureau! But..."

His tone shifted, filled with helplessness, "The other party is too high-ranking; I can't hold out for long. Xiao Lu, you handled this matter entirely. Ye Fan's case has the most complete and undisputed chain of evidence. Therefore, I hope you can answer this call."

The pressure was also a form of power that was handed over to him.

Lu Jingyan nodded without the slightest hesitation.

"I see."

Just then, the red telephone rang sharply again.

Director Chen took a deep breath and pressed the speakerphone button.

A cold and arrogant male voice instantly came from the receiver, carrying a condescending interrogative tone:

"Director Chen, what's your decision? My time is precious. I'll give you three minutes to get him to the airport immediately. Otherwise, you'll face the consequences."

Just as Director Chen was about to speak, Lu Jingyan stepped forward and, speaking calmly and confidently into the phone:

"Hello, I am Lu Jingyan, the head of the special investigation team in Jinghai City. I am in full charge of Ye Fan's case."

The person on the other end of the phone was clearly taken aback, seemingly not expecting a change of personnel.

"You're Lu Jingyan?"

The voice grew even colder, "A mere squad leader from a local area, who gave you the audacity to speak to me? Get Director Chen here!"

"I'm sorry, Director Chen is currently handling official business."

Lu Jingyan's tone was as calm as if he were stating a fact: "Now, I am here on behalf of the Jinghai Municipal Public Security Bureau to communicate with you. Regarding your request to release suspect Ye Fan, we are unable to comply."

"What did you say?!" The other person's voice suddenly rose, filled with incredulous anger.

"I said, it cannot be done."

Lu Jingyan repeated, his voice soft but each word firm and resolute, "Suspect Ye Fan has been criminally detained by our bureau on suspicion of multiple crimes, including violent resistance to law enforcement, assaulting police officers, and seriously endangering public transportation safety. The case is under investigation, and no unit or individual has the right to interfere with judicial fairness."

"presumptuous!"

The man on the other end of the phone roared, "Do you know who you're talking to? Ye Fan's identity is a state secret! He bears the heavy responsibility of guarding the northern border! If you lock him up and things go wrong in the north, can you take responsibility?!"

What a big hat!

Lu Jingyan almost laughed out of anger.

"Sir, you may have some misunderstanding about our country's legal system."

Lu Jingyan's tone carried a hint of sarcasm, "First, I've searched through all the publicly available government agency lists and couldn't find the 'Dragon Group' department. If you're a classified unit, you should know even better to follow the rules."

"Secondly, you said Ye Fan has a special identity. That's fine."

Lu Jingyan's voice suddenly turned cold, filled with unquestionable authority.

"Please immediately produce the official interrogation letter and the secret order for the transfer of the suspect, jointly issued by the Supreme People's Procuratorate, the Ministry of Public Security, and the Ministry of State Security and bearing the national emblem. As long as the documents are complete and the procedures are legal, I will immediately dispatch eight police cars to deliver him to you in a grand manner."

"If not..."

Lu Jingyan paused, then said, enunciating each word clearly:

"Then please shut up and don't interfere with our investigation."

There was a deathly silence on the other end of the phone.

Director Chen stood to the side, listening with a pounding heart, yet also feeling a surge of heat rush to his head.

It's too hard!

This kid is harder than steel!

A full half minute passed before a series of distorted breathing sounds, a result of extreme anger, came from the other end of the phone.

"Well... well done, Lu Jingyan..."

The man spat out a few words through gritted teeth, "Kid, you'll pay for your arrogance."

"Click."

The phone was abruptly hung up.

The office returned to silence.

Director Chen looked at Lu Jingyan with a complex expression, a mixture of admiration and worry: "Little Lu, you've really stirred up a hornet's nest."

"Chief, we are police officers."

Lu Jingyan adjusted his glasses, his expression calm. "If even we don't believe in the law, then this country is truly beyond saving."

Just then, the office door was suddenly kicked open.

Thunder's anxious face peeked in, and he roared hoarsely:

"Captain Lu! Something's happened!"

"News has come from the airport that Ye Fan's so-called '100,000 soldiers' have somehow gotten wind of the situation and have now surrounded the entire Jinghai International Airport!"