The car had traveled for a while when its license plate was captured by the cameras lining the road. Before they could reach their destination, over a dozen police cars appeared, forcing Ye Tian's vehicle to a halt.
Ye Tian told Wu Zongnian to remain seated. He opened the car door and asked, "What is this about?"
A plainclothes officer inquired, "What's your name? Where's your ID?"
Ye Tian produced his identification and said, "My name is Ye Tian."
The officer checked it on his phone and then sneered, "You're out of prison and already causing trouble? I think you're tired of living. Arrest him!"
Immediately, two individuals moved to apprehend Ye Tian. Ye Tian took a step back and calmly stated, "If you're going to arrest me, you need a reason."
The officer's gaze hardened. "I'll arrest you if I want to. What reason do I need?"
Law enforcement in such remote county towns typically operated on bribes. The Boss Jiang who had made the call was a billionaire and frequently offered favors to the bureau, allowing them to dispatch officers to arrest Ye Tian and Wu Zongnian without any investigation.
Ye Tian said calmly, "You can arrest me, but I need to make a phone call first."
The other party sneered, "A phone call? No!"
Even with Ye Tian's good temper, his patience was wearing thin. He flicked a wisp of his finger's energy, and the officer suddenly cried out in pain, dropping to one knee with a sharp abdominal cramp.
Only then did Ye Tian take out his phone and call the Boss Jiang who had sold him the jade.
Boss Jiang, whose name was Jiang Zhenkun, had made his fortune in the jade business early on. He later expanded into mining and sand quarrying, becoming a renowned magnate with billions in wealth, making him one of the wealthiest individuals in the county.
Jiang Zhenkun answered Ye Tian's call, asking, "Who is this?"
Ye Tian replied, "I'm the person who just bought your jade. I know the police were sent by you. Now, I'm giving you one chance: tell them to leave immediately, or I'll make your life a living hell and strip you of all your wealth!"
Jiang Zhenkun was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter. "Damn it! You're threatening me? I, Jiang, have been a force in Shixian for decades, and I've dealt with at least eight to ten people permanently. Who do you think you are? I'll tell you, you stole my jade. That piece of jade is worth hundreds of millions, enough to ensure you rot in jail!"
Ye Tian said, "It seems you don't wish to reconcile."
Jiang Zhenkun spat, "You punk, wait to go to jail!" He then hung up the phone.
Ye Tian made another call, this time to Director Zhou.
Upon hearing that the people of Shixian had the audacity to move against Wu Zongnian and Ye Tian, Director Zhou was both shocked and enraged. He immediately contacted the county bureau.
At this moment, the leading officer was still groaning on the ground, his stomach in agony. A group of people surrounded him, intending to take him to the hospital.
He pushed them away and loudly declared, "Arrest them first!"
Just then, Director Hu's call came through. He quickly answered, "Director Hu, is something wrong?"
After listening for a few sentences, his expression changed drastically. He couldn't help but cast a deep look at Ye Tian and hastily replied, "Yes, yes, I'll release them immediately. Alright, alright..."
After hanging up, he looked at Ye Tian with a grim expression and said, "Kid, you really have connections everywhere. Who exactly are you?"
Ye Tian said calmly, "No matter what your position is now, someone will investigate you tomorrow. You'll not only lose your job but also go to jail."
He knew these basic police officers in the county too well; none of them were clean. If investigated, a multitude of issues would undoubtedly surface.
The other party, a mix of shock and anger, retorted, "Kid, don't be arrogant. I'm not afraid of you!"
Ye Tian ignored him, got back into the car, and told the driver to continue.
Shortly after Ye Tian left, Director Hu called the officer back to the bureau and initiated an investigation against him that same day. Three days later, the officer jumped to his death. Whether it was a suicide or not, outsiders could only speculate.