4: Chapter 4 Earning money from the police station to pay off his own debts

The next day.

When Lin Ning walked out of the Sub-bureau, he was clutching a 1000-yuan report reward, feeling as if he were in a dream.

So, there were rewards for reporting cases of mob gatherings?

He had always assumed that the police station only offered bounties for wanted criminals and the like.

This was truly...

This was absolutely amazing!

For several days in a row, it had been the Ministry of State Security, and then the police station.

Others went inside to pay fines or hand someone over, but here he was, actually making money from the place. Lin Ning felt he had really come up in the world.

Looking back at the national emblem shining in the sunlight, Lin Ning knew that he would be a regular here from now on.

...

He ran a few more orders, but didn't find any clues worth reporting.

He turned off the order-taking app and drove toward the law firm.

It was an old office building with a small office, housing only three people in total.

It was called a law firm, but Lin Ning felt it was at most just a studio.

The slightly cramped space was packed full of files and papers.

"Lawyer Zhang!" Lin Ning greeted first.

"Mr. Lin!" Lawyer Zhang Qi looked slightly surprised to see him.

In just a few days, that restless young man from before seemed like a different person, much calmer and more composed.

Without exchanging pleasantries, they got straight to the point: "I've basically negotiated with all eight financial platforms."

He took out the documents and handed them to Lin Ning: "Consolidated loans... reduced interest... extended to thirty-six installments... this can reduce the total repayment amount by 140,000."

Lin Ning listened to Lawyer Zhang Qi's explanation, carefully comparing it with the documents in his hand.

Lin Ning was very satisfied: "Lawyer Zhang, you are truly amazing. You negotiated this in such a short time."

Lawyer Zhang Qi smiled modestly: "If you have no objections, please sign these documents."

Lin Ning checked them carefully again and signed his name on each one.

Having completed the most pressing matter at hand, Lin Ning let out a long breath and leaned back in his chair, feeling relaxed.

Lin Ning was truly very satisfied with Lawyer Zhang Qi. To be honest, he hadn't expected that with his limited money, he could hire such an efficient lawyer who could fully meet his expectations.

This kind of hidden master—once you catch him, you have to use him to the fullest.

"Lawyer Zhang, there are two more things I would like to entrust to you."

Lawyer Zhang Qi nodded, signaling for Lin Ning to speak.

"First, my former company illegally dismissed me. I want to go to arbitration and demand compensation."

"No problem, send me the evidence."

"Second... my ex-girlfriend has the wedding fund I deposited with her, about sixty thousand or so. I can get that back, right?"

Lawyer Zhang Qi nodded: "Send me the relevant transfer records, along with any other evidence or documents. I will give you a list in a moment."

"I will help you contact the other party to negotiate first..."

Lin Ning shook his head and interrupted: "Neither of these matters can be negotiated. Let's go straight to arbitration and file a lawsuit."

Having navigated society from a young age, Lin Ning could see people more clearly than the original owner. Whether it was his former boss, Fatty Zhang, or his ex-girlfriend, Liu Qingbei, negotiation would definitely yield no results.

Since it would inevitably end up in a court verdict, there was no need to waste time.

Lawyer Zhang Qi nodded: "You prepare the materials, and I will go file the case."

Having cases was naturally good. After leaving a big law firm to start his own business, now was the time to open up the market by relying on volume.

...

After leaving the law firm, Lin Ning felt a bit lazy. He casually found some shade by the roadside and half-lay on his e-scooter to rest.

Lin Ning was thinking.

If he wanted to get rich by reporting, he couldn't just wait for luck; he had to take the initiative.

His main target was still spies.

Not only was the unit price high, but the scope of a spy's activities was relatively easier to define.

If a red name appeared in a residential building, it was probably just a thief.

But, for example, near military bases, government departments at all levels, or within high-tech enterprises or research institutes.

If a red name appeared in these places, the density and probability of it being a spy were much higher.

Military bases were generally quite remote, and his current appearance would be too conspicuous there. The other places were excellent choices; he could blend into the environment perfectly.

Thinking of it, he decided to act. Just as Lin Ning got up, preparing to change locations, he suddenly caught sight of a four or five-year-old child on the side of the street, running with short legs toward a colorful ball in the middle of the road.

An SUV turning the corner was likely in a blind spot and headed straight for the child.

Behind the child, a woman was facing away from the street, talking on the phone with intense emotion, occasionally spouting a few classic curses.

Lin Ning noticed the child because of the color on the child's head—a greyish-white that was about to fade and blend into the air.

The situation before him made Lin Ning instantly understand the meaning of the greyish-white, but there was no time to think.

With a few large strides, he bent down, grabbed the child, and rolled to the side.

The car tire grazed past, almost brushing Lin Ning's ear.

The surge of adrenaline meant Lin Ning didn't feel pain or fear. There was a sense of time lag, and he lay on the ground, hugging the child and panting heavily.

The woman on the street screamed and rushed over, snatching the child from his arms, crying and wailing. Two people also got out of the SUV and ran over.

Lin Ning just lay there on the ground, staring fixedly at the top of the child's head—green!

The greyish-white had turned into green!

One of the people from the SUV ran to Lin Ning and squatted down to check: "Buddy, brother, are you okay!"

Lin Ning closed his eyes tightly, suppressing the turmoil in his heart, shook his head, propped himself up, and stretched his arms and legs.

Lin Ning felt there shouldn't be anything wrong, at most some bruises or something similar. Not wanting to deal with the dispute here, he simply said to the man: "I'm fine."

He turned, lifted his e-scooter, got on, and was about to leave.

The man from the SUV hurriedly stopped him: "Hey, hey, brother, don't go. Let's go to the hospital and check, get an examination..."

Lin Ning brushed the man's hand away, stared into his eyes, and said word for word: "I said I'm fine! I won't come looking for you later!"

The man from the SUV was stunned for a moment looking at Lin Ning's bloodshot eyes. Lin Ning left straight away.

Lin Ning's mind was a mess. He didn't go far, found a quiet old residential area, and turned straight in.

The feeling of changing someone's life or death didn't bring a sense of satisfaction, but rather a heavy shackle.

If he couldn't see the state of someone about to die, it was just a simple case of saving someone or helping someone; that was just an emergency.

But to be able to predict others' life and death in advance, then whether to save them or not became his choice.

Deciding others' life and death...

"Damn it!" Lin Ning wiped his face.

He didn't want to shoulder such a heavy responsibility.

He just wanted to be an ordinary person who swept the snow from his own doorstep and made a fortune in silence.

Even though he forced himself to take orders and work in the afternoon, his mind kept wandering from time to time.

He simply went back early to rest.

At six in the evening, Juma Bridge was bustling with people. In the neighborhood with its dense, self-built housing style, the lights of stalls, vendors, and shops flickered with warm yellow light. At this moment, it was like an old photo from the eighties or nineties, full of the atmosphere of life.

Returning to the smelly little room, the three brothers had just returned from work too.

"Hey, Lin Zi, why are you back so early today?"

"Had a change of heart?"

The three of them never stopped talking, busy changing out of their dirty work clothes.

Since they had money today, they had to go out for a meal, and then use the remaining money to buy a bag of steamed buns, repeating the cycle until they were finished.

Jin Er was the quickest, shoving his dirty clothes under the bed, throwing on a jacket that wasn't very clean either, and he was ready.

He stood at the door waiting for the other two, so he saw Lin Ning's expression quite clearly.

Gloomy and agitated, as if he had returned to the way he was when he first met Lin Ning a few days ago.

After thinking about it, Jin Er called out: "Hey, it's rare for you to be back early. Why don't you come out with us for a drink and talk."

Lin Ning was stunned for a moment, then nodded involuntarily: "Alright!"

Xu San and Zhang Shitou happened to come over and hear this, and they were quite happy: "That's right, let's go! Let's go..."