C17 Dragon Swimming in the Shallow Water to Deceive Fish and Shrimps.

Hu Yang effortlessly flipped his palm and pushed them aside.

Just then, more police officers burst through the door. One aimed a gun at Wan, threatening, "Freeze! Resist and you'll be shot on the spot!"

Terrified, Wan burst into tears, wailing, "Why are you bullying a little girl like me?"

"You're an accomplice!" bellowed the officer.

"She's my sister, stop scaring her," Hsiao Xinya quickly intervened, wrapping her arms around Wan to console her. "Don't cry, I'll call my cousin right away."

Wan, calming down, turned to grab her phone.

Hu Yang gave the officer a chilling glance but offered no resistance as they cuffed his wrists.

A troubling thought struck Hu Yang: How did the police know Hsiao Xinya lived here?

As they led him downstairs, Wan's cries echoed, "Hu, don't worry, I'll find someone to rescue you!"

Hu Yang felt a surge of warmth but realized the grim reality—if they pinned a kidnapping charge on him, Wan's efforts would likely be futile, especially since Lee Yuanba had injured so many people the day before. That was undeniable, unless he denied any association with Lee Yuanba.

Yet, he wasn't overly concerned. His system allowed him to summon ancient heroes; in a pinch, he could bring forth individuals with formidable skills to ensure his survival.

This was part of why he hadn't resisted; that, and the fact that his martial arts training was only just beginning, nowhere near Lee Yuanba's mastery. He had no illusions about his chances of escape.

This realization hit him—he had changed. What ordinary person would even contemplate fleeing?

"The higher-ups are aware of your situation. Don't even dream of escaping," the middle-aged policeman leading the operation declared with authority.

A flicker of disdain crossed Hu Yang's eyes as he coolly responded, "Rest assured, I haven't considered running away—yet."

His words implied a clear challenge: should he choose to flee, they would be powerless to stop him.

The middle-aged police officer paused, seemingly catching the implication in Hu Yang's words, yet he didn't ponder it further.

"Director Lu, we've thoroughly searched the house several times and found no sign of his accomplice, Lee Yuanba, nor the golden-stripe armor," another officer reported.

"Alright, let's pack it up! With the mastermind in custody, he'll have no choice but to walk right into our trap," he said, pausing before turning to Hsiao Xinya with a courteous concern. "You weren't harmed, were you?"

"No, officer, I wasn't kidnapped. It's all a misunderstanding—I came here willingly last night," Hsiao Xinya hastened to clarify.

"You might be saying that out of fear of retaliation from the kidnappers. The surveillance footage from Jin Rong Hotel showed that young man's skills were formidable; you must have been terrified," he suggested.

Officer Lyu Jun, as he was fully known, gestured for Hsiao Xinya to stop talking and turned his cold gaze back to Hu Yang. "Take him away first!"

As Hu Yang was escorted to the police car, he caught sight of two familiar faces nearby—Lin Xin and her mother, Hsu Lili. Lin Xin's forehead was bandaged, her expression detached and her eyes bore into Hu Yang with loathing, while Hsu Lili looked on with a smug glint in her eye.

Hu Yang realized it must have been Lin Xin who reported the incident, as she was the only one aware that Hsiao Xinya had stayed at his place the previous night.

...

Upon reaching the detention center, Lyu Jun instructed an officer, "That Hu kid's got an attitude. Make sure he gets a taste of hardship."

"Yes, Chief!"

Hu Yang was shoved into a noisy cell housing over twenty inmates, several with a menacing look about them, all huddled around a man with a scar across his nose.

This scarred man sat on a solitary iron bed, legs crossed, whistling with an air of defiance.

Suddenly, Hu Yang's cerebral system registered a new value: +155 contempt from Lee Mangniu.

Who was Lee Mangniu? Was this the scarred man?

The cell door clanged shut behind him, and the two officers who had pushed him in smirked oddly, one casting a malevolent glance at Hu Yang. "Hope you're still standing when it's time to leave."

In the adjacent space, the prisoners cast sympathetic glances his way.

Hu Yang quickly put the pieces together—the man with the scar was the top dog here, likely acting on a nod from the cops to give him a hard time.

Sure enough, as soon as the two officers turned the corner, the scar-faced man gestured to Hu Yang with a crooked finger, "Over here."

Had his training not advanced the night before, Hu Yang might have felt a twinge of fear. Now, though, he was merely uneasy.

He still didn't have a full measure of his own strength. His cultivation had grown, yes, but not to the extent that he could dismiss these jailhouse toughs with disdain.

He held his ground as a lanky prisoner suddenly bellowed, "What, are you deaf? The boss told you to get over here, now!"

The man approached Hu Yang, fists ready, and launched a kick before he even got close.

Hu Yang, observing the sluggish attempt, effortlessly caught the attacker's ankle with a raised hand.

Confidence surged through him; these guys weren't as formidable as he'd imagined.

The tall man's shock was evident—he'd never expected to be caught. He tried to yank his leg back to no avail, as if it were pinned in place.

In a panic, he tugged harder, but Hu Yang chose that moment to let go and gave a shove for good measure.

The man went airborne, crashing above the scarred man's metal bunk.

The scarred man sidestepped swiftly, and the tall man hit the wall with a thud, rebounding to the floor.

Enraged, the scarred man signaled to his flanks, "Xiao Er, Hei Zi, get him!"

The two burly men he summoned charged in...

Thuds and crashes echoed in the cramped cell, but the commotion was short-lived.

Outside, the two officers exchanged knowing looks, their faces etched with pity. One shook his head, "Just another lamb to the slaughter. That makes eight for Lee Mangniu this year, doesn't it?"

"Indeed. How he managed to cross Director Lu is anyone's guess."

Inside, as the two henchmen closed in, Hu Yang's nerves had settled. Dropping the tall man had boosted his confidence immensely. These men had their brawling skills, but compared to someone of his cultivated prowess, they were out of their league.

Although this was Hu Yang's first real fight, he had never before faced two opponents at once.

Instinctively, he retreated a step, but in a split second, he reversed his decision and surged forward, throwing punches with ferocity.

The two goons weren't as tough as he'd expected; after just a couple of hits, one was sprawled on the ground, unable to rise.

The man with the scar was dumbfounded. Four of his companions stood by him, yet none dared to advance, clearly intimidated by Hu Yang's display of valor.