Chapter 50.1 – Jinhuai River and Dreams
On March 1, 242, Fengyang City Detention Center.
Lu Tinghan stood behind the one-way glass, in the interrogation room, the inch-headed man was handcuffed tightly to his seat.
The inch-headed man’s name was Jiang Huazhi and he was a veteran.
Last year, the Alliance announced that the peak period was approaching. He forged a pass and took Xia Fang and four other residents out of the city to Fengyang without permission. On the way, they were attacked by monsters, two died and three were injured, and all the survivors were arrested.
—That’s what Lu Tinghan told Shi Yuan.
The actual situation was more complicated. In addition to smuggling, Jiang Huazhi still had 70 needles of military inhibitors in the trunk of his off-road vehicle.
Military inhibitors were expensive and couldn’t be used for civilian use. If they were circulated on the market, they could make sellers make a large windfall – that is, in the end times, they could make people jealous to the point of bleeding.
“Jiang Huazhi, male, 52 years old, enlisted in the army in 211, made a personal second-class merit in 220, served as the captain of the third Fengyang City Technical Team in 226, and was dismissed in 236 because of a major mistake.” The adjutant reported like this, “What happened in 236 is…”
“I know.” Lu Tinghan said, “I signed the verdict that ordered him to be discharged from the army.”
In accordance with the law of the Alliance, Jiang Huazhi went to a military court. After the judge made a verdict, the result would be handed over to the regional person in charge for signature.
Lu Tinghan was the person in charge.
—In 236, Lu Tinghan was still in the observation tower of Abyss No.0. He had commanded the battle countless times through the military optical brain, proved his ability, and obtained the rank of lieutenant general, mainly responsible for the command of Fengyang City.
Jiang Huazhi was not the only one who had been court-martialed, there were worse characters than him, but Lu Tinghan always had a good memory.
Jiang Huazhi should be tried by Fengyang City, but an order came down, and he and several suspects were asked to be transferred to the main city, the reason was “to coordinate the trial forces of the two cities”.
This order came strangely.
It was suspended oddly as well, and Lu Tinghan personally stopped it.
Jiang Huazhi’s cursing came from the interrogation room: “I’m asking you, who the hell gave the order to stop the transfer? I’ve seen the paperwork, how can there be any reason to revoke it? Where did this order come from this?!”
“It was an order from the top,” the soldier replied coldly.
“Which higher-up?” Jiang Huazhi shouted, his handcuffs clanging, “Give me the name! I’m a veteran, I’ve never seen such an outrageous order! You are abusing your authority—”
“It’s my order.”
Jiang Huazhi was taken aback, turned his head, and after seeing that it was Lu Tinghan, his eyes widened, and he stopped talking, like a duck with its neck pinched.
‘…what’s going on?’ His head is in a mess, ‘why is Lu Tinghan here?’
‘Is this something worth the general’s personal visit?’
‘He wants to interrogate me?’
The interrogating officer retreated, Lu Tinghan did not sit down, standing on the opposite side of Jiang Huazhi.
Those who dared to forge passes, drive out of the city, and resist arrest had psychological qualities that were far from ordinary people, and they had the ferocity of an outlaw in their bones. Jiang Huazhi shrank from his astonishment and raised his voice: “General Lu, I have always admired you, but what do you mean by coming here?”
“It doesn’t mean anything,” Lu Tinghan said, “I just want to meet you here.”
Jiang Huazhi couldn’t understand his attitude for a while, and his face twitched: “F*ck! You say this as if we have any relationship. No matter how you say it, you can’t withdraw the order. You have to give an explanation.”
“Leave the explanation to the military court,” Lu Tinghan said, “I’m here to catch up.”
Jiang Huazhi grinned: “Do you still know such a small person like me?”
Lu Tinghan’s expression remained motionless: “In 236, you traded military inhibitors for private gain in Fengyang City. 380 needles of inhibitors were seized in the black market warehouse. The judge sentenced you to be discharged from the army, but you were spared from prison. I signed the verdict.”
“Thank you for remembering so much,” Jiang Huachi said.
“This time, you were also trying to resell military inhibitors. Bringing people to smuggle them across the border is just extra money you earned casually.”
“I didn’t want to bring people at first.” Jiang Huazhi looked calm, “That person surnamed Xia was too stubborn. At first, he said that his mother was going to die of illness, and then he said that his money was enough and he would never treat me badly. I thought it didn’t matter. I made several passes anyway, so I could just give him one, and then I thought, might as well find a few more people together.”
Lu Tinghan: “Just because of this?”
“Well, let me tell you the truth.” Jiang Huazhi moved the handcuffs. “I know how dangerous it is to go out of the city, but I just want to do it. Bring a few more people, and take cover, it’s also good to chat on the road to relieve loneliness. Besides, in case something really happens, I can still have a few companions when I die, right? So, my death would not be too lonely.”
He didn’t notice that his words unconsciously increased. When people have a low sense of security, they will inevitably bluff and compete for a strong position, especially for conceited men like him.
Lu Tinghan made him too disturbed, he pretended not to care, but his words became aggressive.
“You still don’t forget your original intention.” Lu Tinghan said, “You really like inhibitors.”
“Yeah, that thing is good. It saves lives. Everyone likes it. No matter how much it costs, they want to buy it.”
Lu Tinghan raised his eyebrows.
Jiang Huazhi’s lips were cracked and bleeding. He licked them, and then said confidently: “I know what you are going to ask. Yes, yes, I am not short of money, but I just think life is too boring, so I have to take some risks. I used to be the captain of the technical team, but I was dismissed and held a grudge, so I can only find pleasure in proving that there are loopholes in this system, you understand?”
Lu Tinghan: “It’s understandable.”
There was no joy or anger in his gray-blue eyes, and he seemed to be persuaded by Jiang Huazhi.
Jiang Huazhi continued: “I said, General Lu, do you really have nothing else to do? Instead of looking for little minions like me to catch up, why don’t you spend more time, use your brain and read the hearts of the monsters? Besides, don’t you have a little lover? It’s not too much to take him with you all day long…”
Halfway through the conversation, he got stuck.
—He said the wrong thing.
No matter how open Lu Tinghan was, he shouldn’t be able to know about this matter.
Jiang Huazhi had chills behind his back, and before he could react, his chest was heavy, and his eyes were dark!
No one expected that Lu Tinghan would suddenly burst into violence, and with a force equivalent to a thousand pounds, his heavy military boots kicked Jiang Huachi in the chest! If it weren’t for Jiang Huazhi’s hand being handcuffed to the table, this kick would be enough for him to fly out upside down and break a few ribs on the wall.
The handcuffs clanged, the chair overturned to the ground, and the wrist was dislocated after taking too much force. Jiang Huazhi held up his deformed hands and knelt on the ground, shaking all over, the smell of blood surging in his throat.
He buried his head and coughed desperately. Out of the corner of his eye, those deadly army boots stopped beside him, they were smooth and elegant, and perhaps, trampled over the head of which monster.
He struggled to look up.
He thought he would see an angry face, but Lu Tinghan was just looking down at him with a relaxed and calm expression.
Lu Tinghan said, “Keep talking.”
‘This person is so f*cking cruel,’ Jiang Huazhi scolded in his heart. If he really continued, maybe the next kick would crush his heart.
He coughed and smiled: “Look at me, I rushed to show off after hearing some rumors. It’s all a matter of catching the wind and catching the shadows, nothing, you – cough, cough, you take it easy!”
Lu Tinghan asked again: “Where did the inhibitors come from?”
“Cough, didn’t I tell you everything? The transport truck is not strictly guarded. I just happened to hear a little bit of news. I wanted to steal some dry military food to resell it. I didn’t expect to win the jackpot and found the inhibitors.” Jiang Huazhi stood up slowly, his arms propped on the table, his back bowed. “After decades, my luck has only been this good once, but it’s turned out like this, cough cough.”
Lu Tinghan: “Let me see, your luck is really good.”
Jiang Huazhi panted: “Do you think you are lucky if you are not dead?”
“In terms of results, it is true. It is already a miracle that some of you are still alive.” Lu Tinghan said, “But I’m not talking about this thing, it’s five years ago.”
Jiang Huazhi subconsciously said, “Five years ago, I was also arrested—”
“How cold is the Jinhuai River in December?” Lu Tinghan said, “Enough to hide 1000 needle inhibitors and a corpse?”
This sentence, which sounded inexplicable to onlookers, made Jiang Huazhi pale in an instant.
He looked at Lu Tinghan as if he had seen an evil spirit. This kind of psychological collapse was unavoidable. He shook like a sieve, and the blood on his face faded completely!
“You, you, you…” He shook his voice, “You know…”
“Yes, I know.” Lu Tinghan said, “That’s why I said, I’m here to catch up.”
Jiang Huazhi was so horrified that he couldn’t speak. Lu Tinghan said no more, turned, and walked outside the interrogation room. The handcuffs behind him clattered, Jiang Huazhi ignored his dislocated hand and roared, “Evidence! Where’s your evidence?! Take it out and show it to me！ Otherwise, everything you say—”
The door of the interrogation room closed, isolating the sound.
The two mutant officers stood outside, burly, with beast-like vertical pupils.
“Ask him more about the inhibitor,” Lu Tinghan said, “Don’t let him die.”
The two officers saluted and stepped forward to open the door of the interrogation room.
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