Chapter 48 Above All Beings
Lin Rui stepped out of the operating room and first sent a message to Lin Xi to inquire about the situation, but he didn't get a response. He figured his sister must have been locked in police detention without internet access.
After weighing his options, he decided to open Fang Ranran's chat.
Gu Ying Tiandao (Lin Rui): Sister Fang, I need your help with something. My sister is currently detained at Longze Road Subdivision Police Station. The police say she assaulted someone with malice, but I don't know the specifics. I might need some assistance.
Knowing that Fang Ranran was usually busy, he didn't waste words and got straight to the point.
About three minutes passed without a response from Fang Ranran. Just as Lin Rui hesitated over whether to call her, a message appeared in the chat box.
Yu Luoxinchen (Fang Ranran): I've already had someone check. Your sister acted in self-defense, there was no malicious assault. However, this case might be interfered with and pressured by others. I'm busy right now and can't come over, but I've parked a car in the garage outside our team's activity area. I've given you the authorization. Lin Rui, you can take my car to the police station.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
My lawyer is on the way there. Don't worry, it's just a minor issue.
After reading the message, Lin Rui's mind immediately relaxed, filled with both shock and joy.
He was glad that Lin Xi had only acted in self-defense and hadn't committed a crime. However, he was shocked that, as he suspected, someone was indeed trying to meddle with his sister's case.
At the same time, Lin Rui was also amazed by Fang Ranran's influence—had she really managed to investigate the whole situation in just three minutes?
Si Malin had not deceived him; the background of their Society President Fang was truly unfathomable.
Lin Rui originally planned to take the elevator to the floor below but changed his route after seeing Fang Ranran's reply.
Fang Ranran had built a small garage in the corner of the team activity area, with two winged sports cars parked inside. This allowed her to come and go from the martial arts society on the ninth floor of the building without having to enter the underground garage.
When he arrived at the martial arts society's activity area, he found that today both Zhao Yan and Nolan Wei were present, and there was also an unfamiliar long-haired youth.
Nolan Wei was sparring with the long-haired youth on a fighting platform, while Zhao Yan, with golden hair, stood with his arms crossed, watching from below.
"Lin Rui!"
Upon seeing Lin Rui, Nolan Wei immediately greeted him warmly, tilting his head.
His martial prowess clearly outmatched that of the opposite long-haired youth by a wide margin, and even while distracted, he effortlessly parried the youth's attacks.
Zhao Yan also looked towards Lin Rui and nodded kindly in his direction.
Lin Rui also wanted to build good relationships with these two teammates. He temporarily suppressed the anxiety in his heart and responded with a smile, "Senior Zhao, Nolan!"
After all, the saying goes, "Take the king's shilling and do the king's bidding." Now that he was relying on the benefits provided by Fang Ranran, it was natural for him to commit wholeheartedly to the martial arts society.
Moreover, he owed a favor to Fang Ranran this time.
The long-haired youth had already stopped fighting on the platform and looked at Lin Rui: "Are you Lin Rui?"
He jumped down from the platform and extended his hand to Lin Rui: "My name is Lu Fang, a new member of the martial arts society. I came with Sister Yu Feicui. I will be enrolling next year. Sister Feicui mentioned you, saying you're a martial arts genius of the top three among the ten elites, maybe even surpassing them!"
Initially, Lin Rui didn't pay much attention and shook hands with Lu Fang. However, the moment their hands met, he felt a strong force emanating from Lu Fang's hand.
Lin Rui frowned slightly.
This was a lieutenant-level strength, and a powerful one at that! His strength was equivalent to a demon at the second realm's king level, likely another martial arts prodigy recruited by Yu Feicui.
Lin Rui could handle it, but the problem was that Si Malin had instructed him not to engage in high-intensity exercise for four hours.
Just then, Nolan Wei also hopped down and, with a grin, stood beside Lu Fang: "Let me introduce you. This guy will be your classmate, and he's quite strong. He's also a special constitution practitioner. Like the two of you in the future, he will be using the martial arts society's quantum vessel. At just 17, he got his special constitution license.
He was the seventeenth in the previous special constitution combat assessment—quite famous, popular on the internet, known as 'Young Lu Bu.' Unfortunately, he got injured, and he's been recuperating this past year."
While he was speaking, he subtly nudged Lu Fang at the waist with his elbow. Lu Fang's expression changed slightly, and he instantly lost eighty percent of his strength.
Zhao Yan noticed the anxiety hidden on Lin Rui's face and spoke with concern, "Lin Rui, are you in a hurry? If you have something urgent, you should go first."
Lin Rui gratefully nodded at him and then strode towards the garage.
Lu Fang watched Lin Rui's retreating figure with a cold and unwilling gaze until Lin Rui entered the garage door. Then he turned to Nolan Wei: "What did you mean by that?"
"What did I mean?" Nolan Wei chuckled in response, "Did you get upset because I mentioned that Lin Rui's talent surpasses yours and that he is a key figure for our Society President Fang to focus on training, and the future pillar of our group? So this is why you put on such a show? Lu Fang, you can test his skills, but not today. You have to wait until after his meridians are implanted."
Although Nolan Wei often acted without thinking, he wasn't foolish.
What if Lin Rui misunderstood that he was the one stirring trouble?
He looked at Lu Fang coldly: "He might not be as good as you now, but as soon as he gets his meridians implanted, he can easily beat you."
Those medias hyped up Lu Fang at the level of the top ten elites, lamenting that he was too young during the last assessment and that injuries delayed his progress, preventing his breakthrough, regretting the setback for 'Young Lu Bu.'
Nolan Wei, however, didn't think so. Lin Rui's martial arts talent was incomparable to Lu Fang's.
This guy was at best on the same level as him, above all others but not yet among the top ten!
Lu Fang's lips curved up slightly, revealing a sarcastic smile, "He has already implanted the Wheel Meridian, but I don't feel he's stronger than me."
He just wanted to see why this person received so much attention from Fang Ranran and Sister Yu Feicui, and why he was being cultivated as the future leader of the Martial Arts Society?
"Is that so?" Nolan Wei wasn't surprised at all.
With Lin Rui's level of martial arts, it was high time he had the Wheel Meridian implanted.
Nolan Wei's lips curved up slightly, "Then I'm really looking forward to it."
By then, Lu Fang's expression should be quite interesting.
This is a good thing, allowing the kid to fully recognize himself.
Nolan Wei even thought of words to console Lu Fang. Becoming a victim of Lin Rui's talent, they would have much to talk about.
※※※※
Longze Road Subdivision Police Station, Interrogation Room Nineteen.
Lin Xi sat on the designated interrogation chair, limbs shackled with chains, her head hanging low, her face completely hidden by her hair.
A police officer in his thirties, with a lean and stern face wearing the rank of Captain, sat opposite her, looking at Lin Xi with a helpless expression.
His voice was sincere and earnest, "Young lady, I advise you to plead guilty yourself, it's better for you, for me, and even for your family."
"Five victims, four seriously injured by your hand, two in the ICU, still unconscious. Your martial arts are indeed powerful, but have you thought about the consequences? Do you realize what you've done?"
"Your only choice now is to plead guilty, rest assured, you're a minor, and I will try my best to plead your case with the prosecutor. Just pay some money to pacify the victims, sincerely apologize, and get their forgiveness. The court won't impose a heavy sentence, at most you'll spend a year or two in a juvenile prison.
You could even apply to serve your sentence in a different base city and avoid the Blood Lizard Gang."
Finally, Lin Xi lifted her head, her gaze defiant, looking into the bright light across from her at the police officer who claimed to be 'Tao Baize': "Why should I plead guilty? They were the ones who threatened me with knives first. There were two holographic cameras nearby, which should have captured the situation at the time. I don't believe the court and prosecutor would be so blind."
Tao Baize frowned greatly, his gaze turning stern.
This girl didn't grasp the situation.
The people she injured were peripheral members of the Blood Lizard Gang, one of whom was the brother-in-law of a high-ranking member of the gang.
That was the notoriously vicious Blood Lizard Gang! With many armored martial artists, they were beyond the reach of the law.
If he let this girl walk out of their subdivision police station unharmed today, not only would she be doomed to be retaliated against by the Blood Lizard Gang, but he would also be complained about by the gang for taking money without doing the job.
At that moment, a female deputy police chief with a peculiar expression walked in: "Captain, Lin Xi's brother has arrived."
Tao Baize let out a cold snort and stood up from his seat.
If he couldn't reason with this girl, then he would have to talk to her guardian.
There was surveillance in this interrogation room. Many things and principles he couldn't afford to speak too plainly about, but it was okay to discuss them with Lin Xi's family outside.
Tao Baize had already checked this family's household registration through the system. The girl's brother had some status, an aberrant practitioner, but he had just started his job, and should be easy to handle.
The aberrant company Lin Rui joined might not be willing to stand up for him.
Today, he had to make these siblings plead guilty at all costs.
Before leaving, Tao Baize knocked heavily on the table, making a thumping sound, his tone unapologetic: "I've already said everything I need to say to you, think about it! Think it through!"
Lin Xi also looked towards the door at this time.
Has Lin Rui arrived?
At this moment, her feelings were very complicated. On one hand, she regretted her impulsive actions, unable to control her emotions; on the other hand, she wondered what her brother would do. Would he come later to persuade her to plead guilty?
Lin Xi felt very bitter inside.
She admitted to herself that pleading guilty might be the only way to avoid retaliation from the Blood Lizard Gang.
Lin Rui had only just become an aberrant practitioner, with a promising future ahead of him. He shouldn't be targeted by a gang like the Blood Lizard Gang at this time.
Moreover, whether he really was her brother still remained uncertain—