Chapter 107: Unable to Pay the Bill

The journey was bumpy, but unlike a car, the motorcycle was open to the air. The heavy wind and rain lashing against them kept the big guy from feeling carsick, but by the time they reached the police station, they were both completely drenched.

Ignoring their soaked clothes, Song Nianqiang rushed into the station and demanded to see the chief. He stated his purpose, only to be flatly refused. Undeterred, and not at all angry, Song Nianqiang simply picked up the phone and dialed the county police chief.

"Hey! Uncle, it's me, Song Nianqiang. I'm handling some business in Xiaowang Village and need to investigate some matters at the town station, but they aren't being cooperative. I had no choice but to call you!" Song Nianqiang spoke loudly, intentionally ensuring that not only the chief but everyone in the office could hear.

"Hand the phone to him. I'll talk to him!" The county chief had a rock-solid relationship with Song Nianqiang. He had benefited immensely from the international mercenary incident previously, eventually being awarded a First-Class Hero medal—an honor that would normally never reach a county-level official, but the circumstances were so extraordinary that the decision was made after high-level deliberation.

Song Nianqiang handed the phone over to the town police chief, then stood to the side with his arms crossed. The chief had initially thought Song Nianqiang was joking, but seeing the look on his face, he quickly snatched the phone.

Whatever the county chief said on the other end, the local chief’s expression turned remarkably innocent. He nodded repeatedly, saying "yes" over and over. After three full minutes, he let out a long sigh and hung up, immediately forcing a standard, polite smile onto his face. "I apologize, I didn't know who you were. My negligence! Please, tell me what you need, and I will have it brought to you immediately!"

Having been thoroughly scolded by his superior, he was now desperate to appease Song Nianqiang. If someone could make his boss that friendly, these two young men were clearly no ordinary people.

"Oh, it's nothing much. I just need the case files from the incident in Xiaowang Village a few days ago. The more detailed, the better!" Song Nianqiang offered an apologetic smile before speaking. The chief’s eyes lit up; this case was a hot potato in his hands, and he had been agonizing over it because of the bizarre discovery of two charred bodies at the scene.

"Very well, please wait a moment. I will retrieve them myself!" The chief hurried out and soon returned with a stack of files. Although only a few days had passed, the city-level leadership had already been alerted, and they were furious, demanding the case be solved within seven days.

Since receiving that order, the chief had been at a dead end. His investigation revealed a headless case; the perpetrator seemed obvious, yet they had vanished into thin air. Forensic reports identified one body as the old man’s son, but the second body remained a mystery—there was no record of them in the station’s archives or even the city’s database.

With the deadline looming and the chief at his wit's end, he had heard of Song Nianqiang and his companion’s reputation for solving cases for the county police. Hearing they were here for the case, he was overjoyed.

"These are all the files. Take a look!" He handed them over. The big guy couldn't be bothered to use his brain; he trusted Song Nianqiang implicitly and was content to follow his lead.

Song Nianqiang scrutinized the files, but found little useful information. They contained only details about the old man’s son and daughter, with a curious lack of mention regarding the old man himself.

"Why is there so little information on the old man's identity? Was this an oversight?" Song Nianqiang asked, frowning. The chief gave a bitter laugh. "Don't get me started. It's not that we didn't try; it’s just useless. We only found that two years ago, the old man was hit by a truck and sent flying. He went into shock for a moment, but then miraculously recovered as if nothing had happened. It caused quite a stir at the time. We started investigating him then, but it was as if he had appeared out of thin air. There was simply no way to trace his past."

The chief gave a helpless shrug. "I see," Song Nianqiang murmured, putting the file down, a suspicion forming in his mind that he couldn't yet verify.

"There is one more crucial thing we must do! We have to act on it immediately!" Song Nianqiang’s expression turned grim, causing the others in the room to tense up, though the big guy remained indifferent.

"If you want to buy clothes, let's just go. Why all the talk?" The big guy patted his soaked, clinging clothes, which were indeed uncomfortable. "You guessed it again. How boring!" Song Nianqiang chuckled, and the two walked out with their arms draped over each other's shoulders.

Watching their retreating figures, the chief and the village head hesitated, wanting to say something but ultimately remaining silent. They exchanged a knowing glance, struggling to believe that these two childish-looking figures were the legendary experts they had heard about.

It was hardly surprising; Song Nianqiang was only in his teens. Even with his seasoned mindset, he was still a child in appearance. The town was relatively developed, featuring a few brand-name stores. The "Shuangxing" brand was quite famous in their county, albeit a bit pricey.

Money was no object for the pair. They entered the store, dripping wet. It was quiet due to the rain. The clerk, a girl in her twenties with a melon-shaped face and arched eyebrows, was quite pretty.

She paused for a moment when the two "drowned rats" walked in, but she quickly adopted a professional smile. "How can I help you?" Her tone was perfectly normal, showing not a hint of impatience despite their bedraggled state.

"We're here to shop," Song Nianqiang said, walking inside with the big guy trailing behind. The clerk, seeing they were genuinely there to buy, began to assist them enthusiastically.

"Get me the clothes, socks, and shoes I just picked out. I'll go change now." Song Nianqiang headed to the changing room. The clerk quickly brought the items to the door. Since the big guy had an unusually large build, finding clothes was difficult, but fortunately, this was a brand-name store that catered to various sizes.

A few minutes later, they emerged. Song Nianqiang was satisfied with his new look, and the big guy was just happy to have something dry to wear.

When it came time to pay, they hit a snag—Song Nianqiang had forgotten his bank card, and the cash they had on hand was insufficient. They stood there in an awkward silence. The clerk, noticing their predicament, stepped forward and asked politely, "Would you like to pay by card or cash?"