The Republic of China: I, Xiangzi, a Hero in a Chaotic Era

"Raise your head."

Liu Jiaxiang commanded, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Zhang Youcai struggled to lift his pale face, his forehead instantly covered with large beads of sweat. His eyes darted away, not daring to meet Liu Jiaxiang's gaze. His lips trembled as if he wanted to say something to beg for mercy, but he couldn't utter a single word.

The moment he looked up, Liu Jiaxiang's right hand suddenly swung up without warning.

The movement was as fast as lightning, carrying a sharp palm wind, drawing a short and heavy arc.

"Snapped!"

A crisp, loud explosion rang out in the deathly silent courtyard!

The slap landed squarely and without any fancy moves on Zhang Youcai's left cheek.

The force was so great that it felt as if Zhang Youcai had been hit by a galloping carriage. His head snapped to the right, and his neck made a soft "crack" sound as it could not bear the weight.

His police cap was swatted off his head and rolled a few steps away on the muddy ground.

Two bloody molars, mixed with saliva and blood, spurted from his suddenly opened mouth, landing on the front of his brand-new black police uniform and the blue bricks beneath his feet, leaving glaring red and white stains.

Blood immediately gushed from his torn mouth and nose, dripping down his chin.

Zhang Youcai was stunned by the blow; he saw stars before his eyes and his ears were ringing.

His left cheek swelled up at a visible speed, revealing a clear purplish-red palm print.

He clutched his grotesque, throbbing cheek, staggered back a step, and the excruciating pain and immense fear finally broke him. With a thud, he collapsed heavily to his knees in front of Liu Jiaxiang, ignoring the blood and dirt in his mouth, and began to wail incoherently.

"Chief...Chief, spare me! Chief, I was wrong! I deserve to die! I'm not human! Please forgive me this time! I'll never do it again! I'll never do it again, Chief!"

He cried and wailed as he desperately slapped his right cheek with the hand that wasn't covering his face, making a loud slapping sound.

Liu Jiaxiang didn't even glance at Zhang Youcai, who was kneeling and begging for mercy. His cold gaze, like a steel knife scraping bones, slowly swept over every silent patrolman in the courtyard.

Those faces that were just moments ago joining in the commotion, grinning lewdly, were now ashen white, their eyes darting around, as if they wanted to bury their heads in their necks, their bodies stiff as puppets.

"Look at the behavior of you bunch of bastards."

Liu Jiaxiang's voice wasn't loud, but every word was like an icicle, piercing deep into everyone's ears.

"Who are you? You're patrol officers. Wearing these uniforms, standing in the courtyard of the police station."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over Zhang Youcai and the few policemen who had started the disturbance, his tone so cold it could freeze the air.

"Harassing a prisoner's family. How could you bastards do such a thing? You're not even as good as those street thugs who extort money."

"At least those thugs have some shame, but you guys have no shame at all."

He pointed at Zhang Youcai, who was kneeling on the ground, trembling, his mouth full of blood:

"Zhang Youcai, your salary for the past six months has been suspended."

Zhang Youcai's body trembled violently, and he let out a desperate sob, but dared not howl again.

Liu Jiaxiang's gaze shifted to the patrol officers who had just started the argument:

"Every one of you who joined in this commotion will have three months' salary deducted."

Upon hearing this, the patrol officers' faces instantly turned even more unpleasant than bitter gourds. Their lips drooped, and their eyes were filled with heartache and regret, yet they dared not show even a trace of dissatisfaction, and could only lower their heads even further.

"after,"

Liu Jiaxiang's voice suddenly turned stern, like a heavy hammer striking everyone's hearts.

"Anyone who dares to pull this stunt again is no longer a member of Xisi North. We won't tolerate such shameless scum here. Do you all understand?"

"I...I understand, Chief!"

As if waking from a dream, everyone responded in unison, their voices hoarse and trembling with sobs and fear.

Liu Jiaxiang then turned his gaze to the pretty woman who was terrified.

She was clearly terrified by the vicious slap and the chilling aura emanating from Liu Jiaxiang. Her body trembled like a leaf in the autumn wind, tears still clinging to her eyelashes as she stared at Liu Jiaxiang in horror.

"girl,"

Liu Jiaxiang's voice softened a bit, but it still lacked warmth.

"What's your name?"

The woman trembled like a startled fawn, timidly raising her tearful eyes, her voice barely audible, tinged with a heavy sob:

"Replying to...sir...I...my name is Xiao Fuzi..."

Xiao Fuzi.

Liu Jiaxiang's heart stirred slightly. This name was like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, instantly stirring ripples in a corner of his past life's memories.

Camel Xiangzi...that pitiful woman who was ravaged to death by a tragic fate...

Liu Jiaxiang remained calm, his gaze once again carefully settling on the handsome yet panicked face before him.

She was thin and pale, but her eyes and brows did possess a delicate beauty that evoked pity.

Based on the timeline... at this moment, Xiao Fuzi should not have been pushed into the fire pit by her beastly father yet, and should still be a virgin... This thought flashed through my mind.

"Xiao Fuzi,"

Liu Jiaxiang's voice was steady.

"Who is your father? How did you get arrested and brought to the station?"

Upon hearing the question about her father, Xiao Fuzi's tears, which she had just stopped, welled up again. She knelt down with a thud, repeatedly kowtowing to Liu Jiaxiang, sobbing uncontrollably.

"My lord... my lord, please understand... my father... my father's name is Erqiangzi... he's just a poor rickshaw puller... last night, on his way home after finishing his shift, some drunk neighbors dragged him along... saying... they wanted to go to Maojiawan to see some excitement... he... he had no idea it was a gambling den, my lord!"

"He doesn't have a single copper coin in his pocket, where would he get the money to gamble!"

"But...but I was arrested by the officials last night too...and I have to pay...pay a five-dollar fine...sir...five dollars..."

"We...we can't raise that much money even if we sell everything we own...Please, Your Honor, have mercy...Please release my father...Please, Your Honor..."

She cried and kowtowed, her forehead quickly turning red on the blue bricks.

Erqiangzi. It really was him.

The rickshaw puller in "Camel Xiangzi" who was an alcoholic, abusive, and sold his daughter.

The last vestige of doubt in Liu Jiaxiang's heart dissipated. Looking at Xiao Fuzi, who was crying so hard she was almost breathless, he remained silent for a moment.

"The rules of the institute,"

Liu Jiaxiang spoke slowly, his voice remarkably clear in the quiet courtyard.

"Anyone caught in a casino, regardless of whether they gambled or not, will be fined as a warning to others."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Fuzi's body went limp, and she collapsed to the ground in despair, her eyes instantly losing their light.

"but,"

Liu Jiaxiang changed the subject, glancing at Zhang Youcai, who was kneeling on the ground, his face covered in blood, and dared not raise his head.

"Just now, one of my bastards spoke rudely and used foul language to harass you, which frightened you."

"This is the fault of the Xisi North Police Station, and it is because I, Liu Jiaxiang, failed to manage my subordinates properly."