C3 The Cold Female Policewoman

As the seconds ticked by, Lin Feng found himself squatting on the ground, back pressed against the door, clutching his worn-out phone for dear life.

18:35

With a whole hour left before the 'Silence is Gold' effect wore off, Lin Feng had never felt time drag so painfully. The frustration was unbearable!

In the midst of his silent countdown, his door unexpectedly swung open from the outside.

The landlady burst in, flanked by a squad of police officers, leaving Lin Feng frozen in shock.

Was this really necessary?

All this over a minor misunderstanding? Calling the cops seemed like overkill.

"That's Lin Feng!"

"Yes! The underwear thief!"

"Officer, take him into custody!"

"Search his room. The stolen underwear must be in there!"

"Young and already on the wrong path, choosing to be a thief. He needs to be taught a lesson at the station!"

...

As Lin Feng caught the neighbors' smug looks and heard their harsh whispers, his fists clenched so tightly they shook, his nails digging into his flesh unnoticed.

On what grounds do you label me a thief?

How can you so confidently wrong an innocent man?

Where's your evidence that I'm the so-called underwear thief?

Are you all... completely blind?

The world felt so cruel, so indifferent. In that moment, Lin Feng's fear was palpable. As a child, he feared ghosts, but as an adult, he realized that people are far more terrifying.

"This man is Lin Feng. He was caught this afternoon stealing a neighbor's underwear and even tried to assault someone. Thankfully, we intervened in time and cornered him in his home..."

Zhou Lei, eager to make a spectacle, couldn't wait to jump in. As soon as he spoke, he pointed the finger at Lin Feng, branding him the underwear thief.

Lin Feng remained silent, his mouth shut tight. He couldn't have spoken even if he wanted to. His icy gaze fixed on Zhou Lei, his face eerily calm.

"Are you Lin Feng?" the lead officer suddenly inquired.

After a brief pause, Lin Feng gave a slight nod.

"Did you steal this?" the officer asked again.

Lin Feng shook his head vigorously this time, without a moment's hesitation. The whole situation was unrelated to him; why would he admit to something he didn't do?

"Then I'm going to need you to come with us to the station," the officer said, echoing a line Lin Feng had heard all too often on TV.

And with that, Lin Feng, who remained silent throughout, was escorted away by the police.

Amidst the jeers of the neighbors, Zhou Lei's smirk of schadenfreude, and Su Mei's eyes filled with spite, Lin Feng was led away, feeling utterly wronged.

What was even more absurd was the crowd's reaction. Ignorant of the truth, they cheered as Lin Feng was taken into custody.

Someone started the chant, and soon, everyone joined in: "Get out!"

"Get out of Orchid Garden District!"

"Orchid Garden District doesn't welcome trash like you!"

"Orchid Garden District doesn't welcome perverts who steal women's underwear!"

...

19:25

Haiqin City, Rain Flower Region, Police Station.

It was Lin Feng's first time in a police station, and to be brought in as an alleged underwear thief was enough to send anyone over the edge.

Alone in the interrogation room, his mind was a blank slate, his spirit seemingly departed from his body.

The door creaked open, and Lin Feng's dull eyes suddenly sparked to life as he came back to his senses.

He inhaled deeply and lifted his gaze to the newcomer. In a split second, his pupils dilated, and his breath caught in his throat.

She was a stunning police officer, her authoritative uniform unable to conceal her impeccable figure, her striking makeup and captivating eyes exuding a powerful, mature charm.

A frosty rose in full bloom.

That was Lin Feng's first impression of the female officer before him.

But none of that mattered now. What caught his attention was the gleaming silver treasure chest floating above her wrist.

A Silver Treasure Chest?

One tier above the Bronze Treasure Chest!

Was he seeing things?

"Thud!"

While Lin Feng was still reeling, a loud noise snapped him back to reality.

A folder was slammed onto the table before him, and then the formidable female officer took a seat across from him.

"Name?" the female officer inquired, not bothering to look up.

Lin Feng remained silent.

"Are you deaf? I'm talking to you," she said, raising her head with an icy stare directed at Lin Feng.

Lin Feng gestured with his fingers, first pointing to his throat and then waving his hands at the officer, signaling his inability to speak.

"Playing deaf and mute in a police station? Do you take us for fools?" she snapped, slamming her hand on the desk before pulling out a file and tossing it in front of Lin Feng.

Lin Feng examined the file; it was his own record, detailing his life from elementary school through to university graduation.

Great, they have all my information and still go through the motions of asking for my name. What a waste of time.

"The file clearly states you're in good health, not disabled. Are you going to keep up this act?" she asked, her tone icy.

Lin Feng grimaced, about to request a pen to write with when a system notification chimed in his ear, and he leapt up in excitement.

"Ding! Card effect 'Silence is Golden' has ended. Host Lin Feng has been awarded 1 million yuan."

Finally, it's over!

The relief was so overwhelming that Lin Feng nearly shed tears. Those two hours had been the most suffocating of his life. Forget the silence, forget the inability to speak, forget it all...

"What are you doing? Sit back down immediately!" the officer barked, her hand instinctively moving toward her waist.

"Don't shoot! I'm not a threat!" Lin Feng exclaimed, hastily raising his hands and plopping back into his chair.

"Oh, done with your charade?" she scoffed.

Lin Feng's face was flushed with frustration. After a tense three seconds, he clenched his teeth and protested, "Officer, I've been falsely accused!"

"Quiet down! It's not time for your grievances," she retorted, cutting off any further complaints.

"Name!"

"Lin Feng."

"Age?"

"Twenty-two."

"Gender?"

"Do I look like a woman to you?"

"Bang!"

The female officer slammed her hand on the table again, her gaze piercing as she coldly addressed Lin Feng, "Keep it together! Don't test my patience!"

Lin Feng was on the verge of tears without the relief of actually crying. What had he done to rub this female officer the wrong way? Why was she singling him out?

Could it be that time of the month for her? Or maybe she was going through menopause, which would explain the short fuse?

"Gender: male," Lin Feng responded earnestly.

"Home address!"

"Haiqin City, Rain Flower Region, Lucky Road, Orchid Garden District, Building 4, Apartment 202."

"Why did you steal?"

"I haven't stolen anything!"

"Then why did your neighbor call the police, claiming to have seen you steal his underwear?"

"Well, you see, I was on my balcony getting some fresh air. Out of nowhere, a gust of wind blew, and her... thing... just smacked me right on the head, and then..."

At last, Lin Feng had the opportunity to explain. He rattled off his story for over ten minutes straight, seemingly intent on releasing all the words he'd been holding back for the last two hours.

Oh, the relief!

"So, you're saying you've been framed? This is all just a big misunderstanding?" The female officer's eyebrows knitted together.

"Yes! A misunderstanding!" Lin Feng affirmed with a vigorous nod.

The officer snapped her folder shut and looked at Lin Feng with a half-smile. "Seems the evidence is quite stacked against you, doesn't it?"

"What evidence?" Lin Feng's confusion was evident.

"It's not just Su Mei pointing the finger at you. Zhou Lei from next door also claims you stole the underwear. And most damning of all, our officers found a telescopic metal pole on your balcony." The officer paused for effect, watching Lin Feng's reaction closely.

"What metal pole?" Lin Feng's bewilderment deepened.

He wasn't shocked by Su Mei's accusation, nor was he taken aback by Zhou Lei's corroboration. But this metal pole was news to him.

"The pole has a large hook on one end, with fabric remnants clinging to it. Our forensics team has analyzed those fibers, and they match the material from women's lingerie," the officer stated, locking eyes with Lin Feng.

"What? Impossible! How did a metal pole end up on my balcony?" Lin Feng exclaimed, a mix of shock and fury in his voice.

"Explain yourself! Why did you steal the underwear?" the female police officer demanded loudly.

"I didn't! I've never stolen any underwear!" Lin Feng yelled back, his voice laced with panic.

Without giving Lin Feng a moment to gather his thoughts, the officer pressed on, "Then why is there a metal pole on your balcony?"

"I honestly have no idea!" Lin Feng was so distraught he was on the verge of tears.

"We have both witnesses and evidence. I'm offering you one last chance to come clean. If you cooperate, we'll consider leniency. This isn't a major offense; you might not even face jail time..."

Lin Feng cut her off, his frustration boiling over, "Get out! I've never stooped to petty theft in my life. You expect me to confess to a crime I didn't commit? That's absurd!"

"You..." The female police officer's finger trembled as she pointed at Lin Feng, incredulous that he continued to deny the charges despite the overwhelming evidence.

With a loud "Bang!" she slammed her hand on the table once more, snatched up the folder, and strode out of the interrogation room.

And so, Lin Feng was left alone in the silence of the interrogation room, the weight of the situation settling around him.