Seeing a colleague flustered, the female officer who had been challenging Wang Zhuo stepped forward quickly to smooth things over. "Chief, let him drive himself. Xiao Liu and I will ride with him."

The Police Superintendent, seeing that Wang Zhuo offered no objection, nodded his assent, then arranged for the other officers to clear the traffic and put Feng Liang and the young man Wang Zhuo had soundly beaten into the police car.

The television crew clearly intended to follow them to the Public Security Sub-bureau. They had been publicly humiliated by Wang Zhuo in front of nearly a hundred onlookers, and they were determined to regain face. Once at the sub-bureau, if Wang Zhuo still refused to cooperate with the interview, they would certainly twist the story in their broadcast.

Wang Zhuo casually tossed the camera battery back to the female reporter, then, accompanied by the rather flat-chested female officer and Police Inspector Xiao Liu, walked toward his Lotus sports car. Onlookers stared—some gloating, others sympathetic.

Many people felt the beaten man deserved it; Wang Zhuo’s actions were those of a hero intervening for a just cause, and Feng Liang owed his very life to Wang Zhuo. That the police were now making trouble for Wang Zhuo infuriated them.

The stout gentleman driving the Citroën had already decided to follow Wang Zhuo’s car to the police station to corroborate his story.

And the short man who had chatted with Wang Zhuo briefly turned out to be a reporter for an online media outlet. Not only was he following, but he was already drafting his story.

Reaching the car, Wang Zhuo pressed the remote, and the roof immediately retracted downward, transforming the vehicle into a convertible. Police Inspector Xiao Liu froze, utterly dumbfounded—damn it, this was a two-seater sports car, yet this guy had brought two police officers along. He’d been played.

"Oops, not enough room..." Wang Zhuo turned back, feigning innocence, and smiled at him. "It seems I can only take this lady. You’ll have to take another car."

Xiao Liu’s usually pale face flushed crimson like a boiled shrimp. He shot Wang Zhuo a hateful glare, stomped his foot, and walked away.

Wang Zhuo disdained concerning himself with such small fry. With a slight scoff, he stepped up into the car.

It was the first time the female officer had ever sat in such an expensive, prestigious car. After getting in, she couldn't help but look around constantly, nearly forgetting her official duty.

The road cleared quickly. As Wang Zhuo drove, he called Yuan Xinyu.

Old Yuan was sipping tea in his office. Upon hearing that this great figure was coming for a visit, he immediately snapped to attention. "I'm coming downstairs to meet you right now."

He quickly got up to speed on the situation and called the Police Superintendent leading the team.

Leaving the bureau matters aside for the moment, Wang Zhuo called a certain figure at the television station. He had met this person at a banquet some time ago, just as the Huihai case was wrapping up. All the prominent figures in Jiangzhou had heard of Wang Zhuo, though perhaps not in great detail. Later, with Qin Xue’s rise and the sudden emergence of Shengshi Dynasty, this person would surely grasp the extent of Wang Zhuo’s influence. This favor, at least, had to be granted.

Indeed, as soon as Wang Zhuo mentioned the situation, the director slapped his chest and guaranteed cooperation from the interview crew. Though his department didn't directly oversee the crew, this matter was too significant. Wang Zhuo was a favored man around Qin Xue. If he explained the stakes to the crew, they would undoubtedly see the writing on the wall.

Wang Zhuo had many such connections across different strata of influence. Once a person becomes wealthy and powerful, resources naturally present themselves without solicitation—this, perhaps, was what 'riding the wind and breaking the waves' truly meant.

The female officer initially intended to caution Wang Zhuo about the illegality of using a mobile phone while driving. However, upon hearing he was calling Yuan Xinyu, she obediently kept silent. Later, when she heard Wang Zhuo speaking familiarly with some "Director Li" from the TV station, resolving the entire interview team issue in just a few words, her admiration soared to an immeasurable height. She knew she was dealing with someone truly formidable.

Sure enough, the moment the car entered the sub-bureau’s parking lot, Director Yuan was already waiting, accompanied by a Deputy Director of the sub-bureau, both wearing welcoming smiles. Several officers stood beside them, adopting an air usually reserved for visiting municipal leaders.

"Come, come, Chairman Wang, let me introduce you," Yuan Xinyu said warmly to Wang Zhuo. "This is Director Qian of our Huangjiang Sub-bureau."

Deputy Director Qian, in his early fifties, was of medium height with a slight paunch, his smile radiating amiability.

"Deputy, Deputy Director," Old Qian shook Wang Zhuo’s hand enthusiastically, repeating, "I never expected Chairman Wang to be so young. I just heard about your heroic deed; it was truly..."

Saying this, he gave a firm, vigorous thumbs-up.

Wang Zhuo was thus ushered, as if surrounded by stars, into Director Qian’s office. His vehicle was assigned special personnel for safekeeping. The female officer followed a few steps before realizing she should have reported to her superiors first.

Once inside Director Qian Fang’s office, after the unnecessary personnel departed, Old Qian personally brewed Wang Zhuo a cup of Longjing tea, showing immense hospitality.

"I’d like to see Feng Liang first," Wang Zhuo said with a slight smile.

"Yes, yes, seeing him first is essential, absolutely essential," Old Qian nodded repeatedly, reaching for the phone on his desk, but Yuan Xinyu volunteered to go personally.

This left Qian Fang and Wang Zhuo to chat in the office. One was eager to build rapport and secure upward influence, while the other knew the other was the local authority, the 'local magistrate' of the Huangjiang District, whose good graces would be useful in the future. Thus, both were warmly engaged, their conversation flowing smoothly.

Qian Fang praised, "I’ve visited the Nanjing Road branch of Shengshi Dynasty several times. It’s a treasure trove; my wife was dazzled by everything!"

Wang Zhuo laughed heartily, "Then I shall immediately instruct the store manager that the next time Director Qian's wife visits, she is to be treated as a VIP, and if she takes a liking to anything, she must receive the lowest possible discount."

"Chairman Wang is truly a man of decisive action!" Qian Fang boomed back, warmly refilling Wang Zhuo’s water.

If he had said that to anyone else—"My wife likes things in your store"—it would sound like fishing for favors. But spoken to Wang Zhuo, it was perfectly calibrated flattery. And Wang Zhuo’s offer of the lowest discount wasn't idle talk; maintaining good relations with the public security system was extremely beneficial for Shengshi Dynasty’s outlets. Forget discounts; occasionally sending small gifts was worthwhile.

In this exchange, Qian Fang gained face and tangible benefit, while Wang Zhuo secured a very practical connection for his store—a true win-win.

Just as they were talking, Feng Liang was brought in, accompanied by the Police Superintendent who had led the team and the female officer who had ridden in Wang Zhuo's car. This should have been an opportunity for the police officers to demonstrate their competence before their superior, but since Inspector Liu already had a minor friction with Wang Zhuo, and the female officer had arrived in Wang Zhuo's vehicle, the chance slipped away for them.

"What about the television crew?" Qian Fang asked.

"They just left," Yuan Xinyu chuckled. "They received a call from the station, conferred for a few minutes, and then took their leave."

"Oh?" Qian Fang felt a touch of surprise. Jiangzhou TV and the Huangjiang Sub-bureau usually didn't see eye-to-eye. Why were they so agreeable today?

"I agreed to give them a recorded interview, so they went back," Wang Zhuo explained simply.

Qian Fang instantly understood. Wang Zhuo must have smoothed things over with the television people on the way here, which is why they left without even presenting themselves, dropping their pursuit. A capable man is indeed capable.

"Feng Liang," Wang Zhuo directed with a slight nod toward the nervously seated Feng Liang, speaking calmly. "Whether acting like Lei Feng is foolish, I won't judge. But do you believe in justice?"

Feng Liang hesitated for a long time before gathering the courage to speak. "I don't believe in it anymore. In such an obvious case, I lost in both the first and second trials. Is there any justice left in this world?"

The police officers smoked or sipped tea. They were somewhat aware of the Feng Liang case; such matters were notorious within the public security and judicial system. Everyone had their own measure of right and wrong, but it wasn't convenient to comment.

"I said, justice resides in the hearts of the people," Wang Zhuo chuckled softly. "The law is fair, but admittedly, some monks chant crooked sutras. That doesn't mean that because the law hasn't served you justice, there is no justice in the world."

Feng Liang took a deep breath and was about to argue when Wang Zhuo raised a hand to stop him. "I will cover that debt of 120,000 for you. Additionally, I will give you 80,000 yuan as sponsorship money to encourage your heroic intervention."

This declaration shocked everyone present. Two hundred thousand was no small sum. Even in these times of severe inflation, with pork costing over twenty yuan a jin, it was a substantial amount, considering the average person's monthly wage was just over a thousand yuan.

Socialism wasn't about equally distributing wealth. For someone as rich as Wang Zhuo, earning 200,000 was the time it took to drink a cup of tea. But for someone as poor as Feng Liang, the 120,000 debt was the primary reason he sought to end his life.

"Th-th-this..." Feng Liang stammered for a moment before managing to squeeze out, "Why are you giving me money?"

"Why?" Wang Zhuo showed a rare seriousness. "Because I want to correct a concept in your mind: I want you to know that good people are rewarded. I want everyone to know that even if you are treated unfairly after doing a good deed, you must not lose heart, because justice exists in the hearts of the people."

His words were powerful, each one resonating with a soul-shaking force, embedding themselves deeply into Feng Liang's heart.

A burst of warm applause suddenly filled the office. Yuan Xinyu led the clapping, and the female officer’s eyes even welled up with tears of emotion.

Feng Liang was stunned, his emotions surging; he couldn't calm down for a long time and didn't know what to say.

Wang Zhuo cleared his throat, surveyed the room, and smiled faintly. "Gentlemen, you can speak of this incident to others, but I hope you do not reveal my identity. I am just an ordinary person, not a philanthropist, and I do not wish to bear any social pressure."

The officers and police immediately nodded in agreement. Wang Zhuo's astonishing act even moved seasoned veterans like Yuan Xinyu and Qian Fang, reminding them of the fervor and idealism they possessed when they first joined the force, working passionately for the people. Unfortunately, somewhere along the line, their enthusiasm had cooled, their attitudes had grown indifferent, leading them to where they were now.

"I heard this incident affected your college entrance exams," Wang Zhuo told Feng Liang. "Forget that diploma mill. I will find a better university for you to attend as a self-funded student, and I will cover the tuition."

Feng Liang choked up again. "Why are you being so kind to me?"

Wang Zhuo sighed lightly, saying with deep emotion, "I just don't want, when I grow old, for no one to offer me a seat on the bus, or for no one to help me up if I fall."