Chapter 17: New Case: Missing Children
Unable to make sense of it, Jiang Xia decided to deny everything.
For one thing, aside from the incident on the train, she’d never had any further contact with Skinny Monkey. Even if the veteran railway officer had mentioned her while thanking them afterward, there was no reason anyone should be certain she was the “King of Thieves.”
And besides…
This was obviously an interrogation tactic, a trap disguised as a question. If she replied, I’m not the King of Thieves, she’d still be implying that she knew who the real King of Thieves was.
With that thought in mind, Jiang Xia did her best to keep her gaze innocent and asked with a perfectly puzzled expression, “What King of Thieves? I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Drop the act.”
Chief Wu curled his lip in disdain. “That acting might fool Hu Wei, but what’s the point of trying it on me? Bald He has already confessed. Cooperate honestly now, and it’ll go easier for you.”
Well… looks like my counter-surveillance skills still need work.
Jiang Xia remained completely relaxed.
A private talk with her superior meant the situation wasn’t all that serious.
Unable to resist, she quipped, “Confess for leniency… and spend the rest of your life in prison?”
Chief Wu’s blood pressure instantly began to rise.
“Jiang Xia!”
“Just kidding, just kidding!”
Leaning back against her chair, Jiang Xia protested innocently, “I really don’t know anything about this King of Thieves. I only heard about it after Officer Qin mentioned it. Back then, I saw a pickpocket stealing someone’s wallet, so I lifted it back from him and returned it to the victim. How was I supposed to know what was going on in those pickpockets’ heads? Next thing I knew, they were all asking around about some ‘King of Thieves.'”
“Huh?”
Chief Wu quickly pieced together what she meant.
The mysterious “King of Thieves” who had terrified an entire gang of seasoned pickpockets—and indirectly wiped out three different pickpocket rings—had been nothing more than… a misunderstanding?
The absurdity of it left him speechless.
After a long moment, he finally asked, “So… you’re admitting you know how to pick pockets?”
Jiang Xia nodded.
“Mm.”
“And when you pick the pocket of an experienced thief, they don’t even notice?”
“That’s right.”
Her straightforward answer made Chief Wu’s liver ache.
Keeping a stern face, he said, “Now you’re willing to admit it? Then why were you so stubborn back at the park?”
Jiang Xia looked embarrassed.
“Well… because that kind of skill is bound to make people suspicious.”
“So you do realize it’s suspicious!”
Chief Wu slammed his palm on the table.
“If I didn’t trust you, you’d already be sitting in an interrogation room!”
His apprentice was giving him one headache after another. His heart was pounding so hard he had to stop and compose himself for a moment before speaking again in a calmer tone.
“All right. Let’s talk honestly, just the two of us. Tell me the truth. Who taught you to pick pockets and pick locks? And why did you learn those skills?”
Finally, we’re here.
“No one taught me. I learned it all on my own.”
Jiang Xia had prepared this explanation long ago. Spreading her hands, she said, “At the time, I just wanted to study anti-pickpocketing techniques. I thought the methods pickpockets used were pretty interesting, so I wanted to see if I could figure them out. I didn’t expect it to come so easily.”
“See if I could?”
Chief Wu felt as though his heart had skipped several dozen beats.
His face darkened.
“Jiang Xia, be serious! You think anyone’s going to believe nobody taught you when you’ve reached that level? ‘Just wanted to see if you could’? How many years do you think it takes to learn how to steal from people’s pockets?”
“Years?”
Jiang Xia looked genuinely surprised.
“I only practiced for a little over a month.”
“What kind of nonsense are you spouting?”
Chief Wu frowned even more deeply, his expression growing increasingly stern.
“The pickpockets I’ve arrested trained for at least two or three years before they got any good. And you’re telling me you mastered it in a little over a month?”
He tapped the table.
“This is a police station. Don’t bring those underworld rules in here, covering for other people. Tell me honestly—who taught you?”
Among the Eight Trades of the underworld, pickpocketing was the most unusual.
In most trades, apprentices sought out masters. Pickpocketing was the opposite: masters sought out apprentices. Veteran thieves who had grown too old to work the streets would actively scout promising children and lure them onto the wrong path.
Chief Wu was genuinely worried that Jiang Xia had gotten herself mixed up in something illegal in the past—or worse, that someone had leverage over her.
If that were the case, the consequences would be serious.
She could even lose her badge.
“Really, no one taught me.”
Jiang Xia answered with complete sincerity.
“Maybe it’s just talent. My fingers are especially nimble, so it didn’t take me long to get the hang of it. If you don’t believe me… give me a few days, and I’ll learn sleight-of-hand for you too.”
“You might as well just kill me from sheer frustration!”
Jiang Xia answered so decisively that she didn’t seem to be lying at all. Still only half-convinced, Chief Wu pressed for details.
“If no one taught you, then how did you practice?”
“Didn’t our teachers explain it in class? The key to pickpocketing is using your index and middle fingers to clamp onto the wallet and lift it out.”
Jiang Xia demonstrated the motion with her hand.
“So I hung a little bell from a pocket and practiced until I could pinch and pull without making it ring. Once I could do that consistently, I figured I’d mastered it.”
Chief Wu fell silent.
A bell would jingle at the slightest touch.
Not make a sound at all?
Is that even humanly possible?
No wonder her technique was so incredible.
Maybe…
She really had taught herself.
For some reason, Chief Wu suddenly found himself unable to look at the phrase self-taught genius the same way again.
With talent like that, why on earth had she chosen to develop skills that belonged on the wrong side of the law?
The more he looked at Jiang Xia, the more exasperated he became.
Still, if she really had learned everything on her own, then she probably had no significant ties to the criminal underworld. That meant it was unlikely anyone had leverage over her, and the chances that she’d committed crimes herself were much lower.
Even so, Chief Wu wasn’t completely reassured.
“So after you learned these skills… you didn’t use them to do anything illegal, did you?”
“No. Absolutely not!”
Jiang Xia knew better than anyone how suspicious this ability looked. If their positions were reversed, she’d be suspicious too. That was why she’d kept it hidden until now.
“The only times I’ve ever used it were when I happened to see pickpockets stealing from people. I’d take the wallets back and quietly return them to the victims. If you don’t believe me, you can check my spending at school and at home.”
Chief Wu nodded slightly.
Her reaction was open and straightforward.
Anyone who had actually committed crimes would hide this kind of ability as deeply as possible, terrified that someone might discover it.
Jiang Xia, on the other hand, had concealed it—but only barely. It was almost as if she wanted people to know she possessed the skill.
If that hadn’t been the case, Chief Wu wouldn’t have questioned her privately.
He would have hauled her straight into the interrogation room.
After calming himself down, Chief Wu tapped the table and said with a stern expression,
“All right. For the sake of our relationship as master and apprentice, I’ll trust you one more time. But if there’s anything else you know that you shouldn’t, you’d better tell me now. Otherwise, if something happens later, I won’t be able to protect you.”
The moment he said that, Jiang Xia immediately thought of the new skill the system had just awarded her.
Better not mention that.
There was simply no way to explain it.
“That’s everything.”
She shook her head firmly.
“I only started learning these things after I got into university. My coursework keeps me busy enough as it is. Besides physical training, I also have to practice drawing. Just studying lock-picking and pickpocketing already meant squeezing time out of my schedule. I really didn’t have the energy to learn anything else.”
That made sense.
Even if someone could split themselves into three people, there was still a limit to how much they could do.
Chief Wu sighed.
“Fine. I’ll believe you one more time. But, Xiao Jiang, I can’t play favorites. Your abilities are… unusual. They’ll have to go into your file.”
Special skills had to be monitored by the authorities. Just as licensed locksmiths were required to register with the police, now that Jiang Xia’s abilities had come to light, she would inevitably have to be recorded as well.
She nodded.
“I understand.”
“You don’t understand a damn thing!”
Chief Wu looked as though he wanted to smack her on the head.
“Once this goes into your file, you’ll become someone who gets special scrutiny. Good things won’t come looking for you, but if anything bad happens, you’ll be one of the first people investigated. You can forget about outstanding performance awards or model officer evaluations in the future.”
After a pause, he added against his better judgment,
“And from now on, no more pickpocketing or lock-picking. During your internship, keep your head down and behave yourself. If you do, I’ll make your file sound… as favorable as I can.”
This time, Jiang Xia was genuinely surprised.
She hadn’t expected Chief Wu to go this far for her.
She wasn’t some naïve young student. She knew perfectly well how much room there was for interpretation in official wording.
“Proficient in pickpocketing techniques” and “Skilled in anti-pickpocketing techniques with practical experience in pickpocket methods” might look similar, but they were worlds apart.
The former could seriously damage her future.
The latter, on the other hand, might even become an asset.
And all she had to do was stay out of trouble.
That was practically no restriction at all.
Jiang Xia was deeply moved.
Since she’d already discovered a new way to exploit the system’s loopholes, this arrangement suited her perfectly.
She immediately raised a hand in promise.
“Don’t worry, Master. I absolutely won’t use those skills again!”
“That’s more like it.”
Chief Wu nodded in satisfaction.
“I think your drawing is a much better pursuit. If you’ve got energy to spare, spend more time practicing that instead. Stop wasting it on skills used for crime.”
“Mm…”
Jiang Xia answered with a hint of guilt.
They’d covered everything that could be asked. Whatever remained couldn’t be uncovered through questioning alone—it would take time to verify. Chief Wu decided to end the conversation.
“That’s enough for today. We can talk about the rest later. Xiao Jiang, head home and get some rest. And remember—behave yourself from now on.”
He emphasized the last point once more.
Rising to his feet, he prepared to head home himself and unwind. But before turning away, he still couldn’t resist looking Jiang Xia straight in the eyes.
“You’ve really told me everything? There’s nothing else you’re hiding from me?”
Jiang Xia shook her head so vigorously it looked like a bobblehead.
“No! Nothing at all! I swear I’m not hiding anything else from you, Master!”
“All right, then. Pack up and head home.”
With that, Chief Wu walked back toward his own desk, intending to tidy up before calling it a day.
Hearing that, Jiang Xia quietly let out a sigh of relief.
She hadn’t expected to get through today’s interrogation so easily.
Then again, it made sense.
No single conversation could uncover everything. It was better to observe her over time and judge her character from her actions.
That didn’t worry Jiang Xia in the slightest.
After all, she’d never actually committed a real crime.
In high spirits, she picked up her bag and stood to leave.
Chief Wu stood beside his desk with his head lowered, screwing the cap back onto an open bottle of ink. Just as he turned to leave, the corner of his eye caught sight of the black notebook Jiang Xia had left on the table.
Wasn’t that notebook always locked away in her drawer? So she’d finally taken it out to use today?
Curious, he also noticed a sheet of paper sticking out from beneath the notebook, with part of a familiar-looking pattern exposed.
Wait… something’s not right.
Almost instinctively, Chief Wu reached out and flipped it over.
Jiang Xia, who had already taken a step toward the door, froze.
She instantly realized what was underneath the notebook.
Oh crap.
I’m dead.
She lunged forward to pin it down.
Both of them pressed a hand onto the notebook at the same time.
Their eyes met.
Silence filled the room.
Chief Wu’s face gradually darkened.
“Move your hand.”
“I want to see what’s underneath.”
“Ahaha…”
Jiang Xia tried to laugh her way out of it.
“Master… there’s really no need, is there?”
Chief Wu’s voice shot up an octave.
“I said, move your hand!”
Jiang Xia slowly withdrew it.
Old Ji… you’ve really screwed me over this time!
Without another word, Chief Wu lifted the notebook and pulled out the sheet of paper beneath it.
It was a pencil drawing of the front side of a two-yuan banknote.
Only half of it had been completed.
Yet apart from a few faint construction lines, every detail looked as though it had been printed onto the paper. There wasn’t the slightest trace of pencil strokes. Even the banknote’s subtle background guilloche patterns had been reproduced flawlessly.
Other than being rendered in shades of gray instead of color…
It was virtually indistinguishable from the real thing.
Looking at its exact dimensions and astonishing level of detail, Chief Wu’s mind slowly went blank.
What exactly is this apprentice of mine trying to do by learning to draw?
“JIANG! XIA!”
His heart pounded violently as he ground out each word through clenched teeth.
“From today onward, you’re quitting drawing too!”
“That’s final!”
…
…
“Phew…”
At her desk, Jiang Xia set down her pencil, rubbed her sore arm, and let out a long breath.
Ever since that conversation with Chief Wu, she’d been on her best behavior.
After all, the moment he’d seen her drawing of the banknote that day, he’d practically exploded.
Over and over, he’d lamented that she wasn’t a boy. Otherwise, he said, he’d have taken off his belt and given her a thorough beating just to vent his anger.
This is all the system’s fault.
If it weren’t so ridiculously overpowered, how could I have made Master this furious?
Still…
Leaning back in her chair, Jiang Xia couldn’t help but reflect.
Oddly enough, after that interrogation, her master’s attitude toward her had actually become even better.
The office bustled with everyone busy at work.
Chief Wu was standing beside Wang Huoda with his enamel tea mug in hand, waiting for a document to be finished. When he noticed Jiang Xia had stopped writing, he called over,
“Tired of writing, Xiao Jiang? If you are, get up and walk around for a bit. Sitting too long is bad for your back.”
Wang Huoda still had a little left to write, so Chief Wu walked over to Jiang Xia first. Glancing at her mug and seeing it was empty, he casually picked up the kettle from the floor and refilled both her cup and his own tea mug.
After going home that day, Chief Wu had spent some time reflecting and decided he’d handled things the wrong way.
Young people naturally liked to push back against authority. Wanting to be different was perfectly normal.
Jiang Xia was simply… more exceptional than most.
Other youngsters only talked about unconventional ideas. If they actually tried them, they’d usually fail halfway through.
Jiang Xia, however, had a quick mind and extraordinary talent. The moment she put something into practice, she skipped straight past competence—
No, she skipped straight to mastery.
With a gifted maverick like her, the harder he tried to suppress her, the more likely she was to rebel.
To prevent that from happening, Chief Wu decided he’d stop scolding her so much and instead show her a little more care. If she truly felt the warmth and support of the organization, perhaps she wouldn’t be tempted to head down the wrong path.
He fished a few candies out of his pocket and set them on her desk.
“Here. White Rabbit milk candies. Have a few.”
Jiang Xia stared silently at the candies.
Come to think of it… why does Master seem to be treating me like a little kid these past few days?
Satisfied that he’d once again “petted the cat” and completed today’s mission, Chief Wu mentally planned to take Jiang Xia to visit a labor reform facility and an execution ground someday for a proper reality check. Then he returned to Wang Huoda, picked up the freshly completed document, and left the office.
The moment he was gone, Lu Fusheng, who had been sitting in the corner, curled his lip in displeasure.
“What a topsy-turvy world we’re living in.”
His voice dripped with sarcasm.
“Watching your master pour water for you and not even getting up? What, do you think you’re some pampered young lady from a capitalist family?”
Jiang Xia frowned.
What’s gotten into this idiot now?
“What, did nobody tell you the People’s Republic was founded? You still think we’re living in the old society?”
Before Jiang Xia could say a word, Deputy Chief Xu looked up from his desk and shot back immediately.
“Lu Fusheng, why don’t you explain to me what’s wrong with a master casually pouring his apprentice a cup of water?”
Deputy Chief Xu was thoroughly annoyed.
What’s the big deal about pouring someone a cup of water? Jiang Xia had only been here a few days, yet she’d already cracked two cases and helped catch more than a dozen pickpockets. If he had an apprentice like that, he’d gladly pour her water eight times a day!
His words instantly turned Lu Fusheng’s face green.
It was one thing for Chief Wu to side with Jiang Xia.
But why was even Deputy Chief Xu defending her?
“I… I…”
Still unwilling to let it go, he protested, “Deputy Chief Xu, don’t you think Jiang Xia’s been putting on more and more airs lately?”
“Putting on airs? How?”
Deputy Chief Xu looked even more displeased.
“She does more work than you do!”
He pointed toward Lu Fusheng’s desk.
“That piece of paper of yours hasn’t moved in ages. Old Wang, give him your stack of files. Lu Fusheng, if you don’t finish them today, don’t bother going home.”
The moment those words fell, Wang Huoda moved with lightning speed, dropping his stack of documents onto Lu Fusheng’s desk.
Then, just for good measure, he added two more files on top.
He’d been sick of watching the guy loaf around for ages.
Staring at the towering pile of paperwork, Lu Fusheng suddenly wanted to slap himself.
Serves you right for running your mouth.
Jiang Xia couldn’t help smiling.
She unwrapped a White Rabbit candy and popped it into her mouth before strolling out of the office in plain sight.
She did absolutely nothing, simply stretched her body and wandered around for a full half hour before leisurely making her way back.
As she passed Lu Fusheng, she even shot him a provocative look.
I’ve got the ability to back it up. I’m just this cocky. If you don’t like it, come bite me.
Returning to her desk, Jiang Xia tucked the remaining candies into her pocket, picked up her pen, and was just about to resume writing—
When the station phone rang.
Chief Wu, who had only just returned, hurried over and answered it.
“Hello?… What?!… All right, all right—we’ll be there immediately!”
His expression instantly turned grave.
He slammed the receiver back into its cradle and looked up.
“Two children have gone missing at the Dragon King Temple market. Headquarters wants us there right away. Old Xu, you and Lu Fusheng stay here and hold down the station. Everyone else, with me!”
Two children are missing?
Jiang Xia wasn’t sure whether they had simply wandered off or had been abducted by traffickers.
Either way, there wasn’t a second to waste.
She stood up, grabbed the key to her bicycle lock, and was about to head outside when she suddenly remembered something.
Stopping in her tracks, she opened her desk drawer, stuffed the notebook she hadn’t touched in days—along with a pencil and an eraser—into her bag, slung it over her shoulder, and hurried out.
This might come in handy.