Courtyard House: A Major Power's Heavy Industry, Hand-Crafted Nuclear Fusion

Less than twenty minutes.

A series of hurried footsteps broke the stalemate in the courtyard.

"Make way! Make way, everyone! Security is handling a case!"

Section Chief Wang, accompanied by four fully armed security officers, stormed into the intermediate courtyard with an imposing air. They were carrying batons, and their waists were bulging, clearly indicating they were armed.

This scene frightened the neighbors in the courtyard so much that they all retreated and dared not even breathe.

"Section Chief Wang, you've finally arrived!"

Upon seeing the uniformed men, Jia Zhangshi assumed they were there to stand up for her, and immediately perked up. She knelt on the ground with a thud, sobbing and wailing, "Your Honor! You must help us! Su Zheng, that murderer, set up an electric fence in his house and almost electrocuted my grandson! We want to sue him! We want him arrested and imprisoned!"

Qin Huairu, holding the still convulsing Banggeng, cried with tears streaming down her face, "Section Chief, look at the state of the child... his hand is ruined..."

Section Chief Wang gave the two unruly mother-in-law and daughter-in-law a cold look, then glanced at Su Zheng, who stood calmly to the side.

"Master Su, is this the intruder you were talking about?" Section Chief Wang pointed to the stick stalk on the ground.

"That's right." Su Zheng nodded. "When I was conducting the 'micro-current safety test' approved by the factory, this person forcibly broke the window latch, triggering the alarm device."

"What test? What approval?" Yi Zhonghai stepped forward at this moment, trying to control the situation with his status as an eighth-grade worker and his authority as an old man. "Section Chief Wang, Su is talking nonsense! This is just a neighborhood dispute! A child is being naughty and climbing out of a window, how can you make such a big deal out of it? We can handle our own affairs in our compound, no need for the security department to worry about it."

Yi Zhonghai wanted to suppress the matter and turn it into a civil dispute, so that he could use moral blackmail to force Su Zheng to pay compensation and apologize.

"A neighborhood dispute?"

Section Chief Wang sneered and took out a piece of paper from his briefcase. It was the very same form that Su Zheng had submitted yesterday.

The red stamp on it was particularly glaring in the sunlight.

"Master Yi, look carefully. This is the factory's officially approved registration form for a [Security Technology Test Site]! Comrade Su Zheng is developing new anti-theft technology for the factory! Everything in this room, including that security grille, is 'scientific research and experimental property'!"

Section Chief Wang waved the reporting form in front of Yi Zhonghai and announced in a loud voice:

"According to the security regulations, trespassing into the testing area without permission and damaging the experimental equipment is not just 'mischief,' it's serious 'sabotage of scientific research'! It's attempted theft of state secrets!"

"boom--"

These words struck Yi Zhonghai like a thunderclap.

Sabotaging scientific research? Stealing secrets?

This is a very serious crime! It could get you shot!

Yi Zhonghai's legs went weak, and he almost lost his balance: "This...this...he's just a child..."

"What's wrong with a child? Does a child have the right to vandalize public property? Does a child have the right to break into homes and steal?" Section Chief Wang retorted without backing down, "Yi Zhonghai, as an eighth-grade worker, don't you know the importance of scientific research? By protecting criminals like this, do you want to be summoned to the security department for questioning? Can you bear this responsibility?!"

"I..." Yi Zhonghai was completely silenced by the question, "Can you bear the responsibility?"

He can't afford it.

He wouldn't do it if it meant sacrificing himself for the Jia family.

So Yi Zhonghai shrank back and silently retreated to the side, not daring to utter another word.

Seeing her biggest backer fall, Jia Zhangshi panicked completely.

"No...no...we didn't steal...we just..."

"What exactly?" Su Zheng stepped forward, staring coldly at Jia Zhangshi. "So you thought you could sneak in and get that bicycle ticket because no one was home? Or were you planning to steal that piece of bread? Jia Zhangshi, heaven is watching. Bang Geng's handprint is still on the window frame! Those fingerprints will be easily verified!"

Section Chief Wang waved his hand: "Take him away! This kind of sabotage element, lock him in a small dark room for interrogation! See if anyone is behind him!"

Two security officers immediately stepped forward and, like dragging a dead dog, set up the baton.

"No! Don't arrest my grandson!" Jia Zhangshi was terrified, clinging tightly to the security officer's leg. "He's just a child! Arrest me instead! Waaah..."

Banggeng was also startled awake. Ignoring the pain, he wailed, "Grandma, save me! I don't want to go to jail! I just wanted to eat bread! Grandma made me go!"

That shout directly betrayed Jia Zhangshi.

The entire audience erupted in uproar.

It turns out it was this old hag who instigated it!

Section Chief Wang gave Jia Zhangshi a disgusted look: "Instigating minors to commit crimes is an even more serious offense! Take this old woman back with you!"

Seeing the situation spiraling completely out of control, Qin Huairu knew that if she didn't back down, the Jia family would be finished. If Bang Geng had a criminal record, his life would be ruined.

She knelt down in front of Su Zheng with a thud, kowtowing repeatedly:

"Su Zheng! Brother Su Zheng! It's all our fault! Please, have mercy! Let Bang Geng go! He's only a teenager! If he goes to juvenile detention, his life will be over! I'm begging you! I'm begging you!"

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Qin Huairu's forehead was cut open and bleeding.

Su Zheng looked at Qin Huairu with no pity in his eyes, only rational calculation.

Sending Banggeng to jail would certainly be satisfying, but he's a minor after all, so he won't get a long sentence. Besides, if the Jia family really gives up, it will be a problem in the future.

Why not... take this opportunity to maximize our profits?

"Section Chief Wang," Su Zheng suddenly spoke up, "Now that they've admitted it, can we settle this privately?"

Section Chief Wang was taken aback for a moment, then understood what Su Zheng meant.

"Master Su, it's not permissible according to principle. But considering the suspect's young age, if you're willing to understand... we can talk. However, the loss of 'damage to experimental property' and the emotional distress caused to you must be addressed."

Section Chief Wang played the good cop, very cooperatively:

"Either follow the proper procedures, handle matters officially, and mind your own business; or... you compensate for the losses, write a confession and a guarantee, and keep Mr. Su satisfied. The choice is yours."