Throughout the journey, Ding Ren relentlessly drilled into Wang Zhuo the necessity of applying to the police academy. The usually taciturn man was unusually verbose, seemingly determined to have Wang Zhuo fill out the application forms right then and there.

Wang Zhuo was indeed moved. Recent years had seen a flood of news concerning the public security, procuratorate, and judicial systems: the infamous "My dad is Li Gang," the billionaire policeman from Shanxi, Wen Qiang’s liaisons with starlets, and most immediately, the living example of his own father, Wang Zhengdao, who had been manipulated at the whim of a judge.

In this era, being an ordinary citizen meant having zero social standing because anyone could claim to represent you, raising a hand on your behalf when convenient—even the public approval ratings for the CCTV New Year's Gala could manipulate you. There was no sense of security; one might get run over by Li Gang’s son crossing the street one day, have one's parents dragged into the street and one's house demolished by urban management officials the next, or have a daughter who had finally earned her university acceptance only to be taken and sexually assaulted by someone like Wen Qiang. To live with any semblance of safety, it seemed better to infiltrate the ranks of law enforcement.

Accompanied by Jiding and Datou, Wang Zhuo successfully retrieved the five hundred thousand yuan in cash, which was placed into a metal briefcase prepared by Ding Ren, before they settled back into the business van.

Ding Ren meticulously drew up a receipt for Wang Zhuo, handing it over with a smile. "It’s just proof, mind you, nothing with legal standing. This whole transaction is something we keep out of the light, so consider this paper a gentleman’s agreement."

Wang Zhuo smiled and nodded, folding the receipt and sliding it into the stiff paper holder he used for checks, tucking it securely into his pocket.

Ding Ren glanced at his watch. "It’s only 9:40. Should I drive you back to school for class?"

Wang Zhuo politely declined. "Uncle Daozi, no need. I can easily catch a cab back myself."

Ding Ren waved his hand dismissively. "It’s no trouble at all. Datou, let’s go."

The business van pulled away, heading toward the school. Ding Ren resumed talking with Wang Zhuo about prison life. Since learning Wang Zhuo had the capacity to get into a top-tier university, Ding Ren had become noticeably more talkative. While he didn't press the police academy issue this time, the conversation remained squarely within the realm of law. After all, Wang Zhengdao was a living case study; even without Ding Ren’s prompting, Wang Zhuo was absorbing the lessons profoundly.

As they neared the school gate, the driver, Yuan Da, for some inexplicable reason, did not slow down. He took the final turn and steered directly toward the electric sliding gate.

"CRASH!"

The sliding gate, constructed of hollow white steel, crumpled instantly into a twisted wreck. The business van stalled, and both front and rear airbags deployed, granting Wang Zhuo a novel experience.

"Damn it, Yuan Datou, what kind of driving is that!" Ding Baoji was the first to curse.

"I don't know what happened, I just suddenly got a stomach ache—" Yuan Da’s voice sounded strained.

"You didn't finish shitting, did you!" Ding Baoji grumbled, pushing the door open and clambering out.

After Wang Zhuo and Ding Ren alighted, Yuan Da also managed to crawl out of the driver’s seat. He appeared to be in considerable pain, clutching his lower abdomen and groaning miserably while collapsed in the muddy rainwater.

Seeing this, Ding Baoji stopped swearing. He moved forward to help him up. "What's going on?"

Yuan Da grimaced. "I don't know. It feels like being stabbed with a knife."

Wang Zhuo stepped in to assist, and together with Ding Baoji, they helped steady Yuan Da.

"Is it around this area?" Ding Ren calmly gestured just to the right of his own lower abdomen, indicating for Yuan Da to look.

Yuan Da nodded through his pain. "Yes, right there..."

"Acute appendicitis. Get to the hospital for surgery," Ding Ren said swiftly. He pulled out his phone, shielding the sparse drizzle from the sky with his hand, dialing as he gave orders. "I’ll call the hospital and tell them to prepare for surgery. Jiding, go flag down a cab!"

Ding Baoji hurried to the roadside to hail a vehicle, leaving Wang Zhuo to support Yuan Da alone.

"Let him lie down," Ding Ren instructed, despite being preoccupied.

Wang Zhuo gently lowered Yuan Da back onto the muddy ground, letting the rain soak him. Yuan Da's face was pale, his teeth gritted against the agony, his legs twitching—a complete reversal of his tough-guy image from moments before.

Down the road, Ding Baoji had aggressively stopped a taxi. He began negotiating with the two passengers inside. "There’s been an accident, we have an injured person who needs emergency surgery. Can you do us a favor and let us take this car?"

It was a moderate downpour, and the male passenger seemed unwilling to cooperate, frowning. "We’re in a rush too."

"You can catch the next one!" Ding Baoji swiftly pulled out a hundred-yuan note and pressed it into the man's hand, grabbing his wrist.

The female passenger beside him immediately grew incensed. "Just because you have money does it make you superior? What does a car accident have to do with us? Why should we give way to you?"

"Go to hell!" Ding Baoji landed a punch on the male passenger's face, yanked him by the collar, and pulled him out of the car. Before the woman could scream, he slapped her and then dragged her out by her hair.

"Drive the car over here!" Ding Baoji rolled up his sleeves, glaring at the driver.

The driver, utterly terrified, nodded rapidly like a woodpecker, but when he tried to aggressively turn the wheel, he realized he had stalled the engine during the sudden brake.

At that moment, the slapped female passenger scrambled up and rushed over, intending to start a physical fight with Ding Baoji, but thankfully, the man had the sense to grab her tightly, preventing Ding Baoji—this fearsome figure—from being completely provoked.

"Call! Call your brother, tell him to come here immediately and arrest this punk! I’m going to kill him! Ahhh!"

The woman, covered in mud, was venting on the street, flailing her arms and stomping her feet like a maniac, while the man held her tightly, muttering reassurances but never making the call.

Because he had caught sight of the terrifying tattoos covering Ding Baoji’s body, and the luxurious black business van involved in the crash—this level of high-roller affiliation was far beyond what his police officer brother could afford to cross.

...

Wang Zhuo held the shivering Yuan Da, unsure whether the sheer intensity of acute appendicitis or the fact that this robust man simply had a low pain threshold was the true cause.

Out of curiosity, he activated his X-ray vision, focusing on the area to the right of Yuan Da’s lower abdomen.

Peering inside a human body was still a novel experience for Wang Zhuo. Although he had used the ability before, it had always been to see through bodies to objects beyond; never had he specifically examined another person’s internal organs.

Once he focused his vision inward, Wang Zhuo realized that viewing organs with X-ray vision wasn't as straightforward as looking at an anatomical model. Controlling which segment of the intestine to penetrate while leaving others visible required some concentration.

Fortunately, the appendix is a rather distinct organ, and he located it without much effort: a small, seemingly superfluous piece of tissue, its external appearance somewhat resembling a dish served at a restaurant—spicy fried intestines.

Yuan Da's appendix appeared outwardly normal, so Wang Zhuo quickly scanned his own appendix for comparison. That’s when he spotted the problem: Yuan Da’s appendix was visibly thicker, its outer wall seemed somewhat swollen, and its color was slightly redder. It confirmed the inflammation was indeed active.

"Wang Zhuo, quick! Help me get Datou into the cab!"

The taxi had stopped behind them, and Ding Baoji called out urgently.

Wang Zhuo helped load Yuan Da into the taxi. Ding Ren, carrying the metal box of money, strode quickly forward and sat in the front passenger seat, telling Wang Zhuo, "Wang Zhuo, watch my vehicle for a bit. Once the insurance people arrive, you can go."

Wang Zhuo nodded in agreement. At Ding Ren's urging, the taxi immediately accelerated, vanishing into the rain-swept distance.

By this time, the crash at the school gate had alerted the gatekeepers, security guards, administrators, teachers, and students. Although the driver was entirely at fault, the school knew property damage would require negotiations with the insurance company, so no one attempted to stop Ding Ren and his group from leaving.

Returning to the business van, Wang Zhuo was completely soaked from the commotion.