Chapter 21 The Stalker
When all the food was sold out and Su Xiaonuan began to pack up, Lu Zheng was still waiting on the side.
“Su Xiaonuan,” he stepped forward, his tone serious, “let’s talk.”
Su Xiaonuan nodded; that was exactly what she was thinking.
The two pushed the bike to a relatively quiet corner by the lake in the park.
Lu Zheng cut to the chase, his gaze sharp as he looked at her: "Su Xiaonuan, what you did today, while the outcome was good, the process... I hope you can be more cautious in the future. Moreover, after these few incidents, I believe you are not an ordinary person. You seem to have a... ability to attract criminals, or to pinpoint criminals with precision."
He paused, seemingly choosing his words carefully: "Your safety is at great risk. I'd like to propose a collaboration. I can request my superiors to provide you with a certain level of protection, or at least have plainclothes officers stationed nearby while you're setting up your stall. In exchange, I hope you can provide the police with any leads you discover more promptly and formally, instead of always waiting until something happens, or using these...unconventional methods."
He spoke very sincerely, and it was indeed out of consideration for safety and procedures.
Su Xiaonuan did not immediately agree after hearing this.
She looked up at Lu Zheng with clear and firm eyes: "Officer Lu, thank you for your kindness. I can agree to cooperate. I will do my best to provide the police with accurate clues to assist you in solving the case."
Just as Lu Zheng was about to nod, Su Xiaonuan changed the subject, her tone becoming unusually serious and cautious: "However, I refuse to have the police send someone to protect me or keep an eye on me. I don't need it. It will only affect my... solo operations."
She specifically emphasized the phrase "acting alone".
“As for how I obtained the clues,” she met Lu Zheng’s probing gaze and continued, “please forgive me for not being able to tell you in detail. You just need to know that the clues I provide are definitely true and valuable. Please trust me, just as I trust that your police will definitely arrive in time.”
Lu Zheng frowned, clearly dissatisfied with the answer.
Speaking like a police officer, he raised a question: "Su Xiaonuan, this isn't a matter of belief. It's a matter of procedure and security. If you can't explain the source of the clues, it's difficult for us to use them as official evidence. And besides, your safety..."
“I’m responsible for my own safety.” Su Xiaonuan interrupted him, her tone calm yet carrying an undeniable confidence. “Officer Lu, you just saw it yourself, I’m capable of protecting myself. Besides, some clues can only be obtained in ‘informal’ situations, can’t they?”
Her words were pointed, alluding to the Dora incident that happened today.
If the police intervene prematurely, it might alert the suspect.
Lu Zheng fell silent.
He had to admit that Su Xiaonuan was right.
She is shrouded in mystery, but every time she appears, it does point to real crime.
Her unconventional methods, though not in accordance with procedures, often yielded remarkable results.
He looked into her determined eyes, which held a maturity and certainty beyond her years.
He sighed, seemingly resigned: "Alright. I'll agree to your terms for now. Cooperation is possible, but we need to establish basic trust and communication. This is my personal number; contact me anytime if anything comes up." He recited a string of numbers.
“Okay, Officer Lu.” Su Xiaonuan wrote down the number and also gave him her personal number.
The partnership was established from this moment on, in this informal manner.
After the two parted ways, Su Xiaonuan rode her tricycle home.
As the sun sets, the sky gradually darkens.
As she turned onto a relatively quiet side street not far from her home, that familiar feeling of being watched resurfaced! And it was clearer and stronger than ever before!
Su Xiaonuan immediately narrowed her eyes, her vigilance heightened.
Without making a sound, she took out her usual black mask, hat, and a pair of non-prescription black-rimmed glasses from the bicycle basket, quickly put them on, and pulled the brim of the hat down low.
The enhanced senses granted by her fourth-tier physical enhancement allowed her to clearly perceive that a black, ordinary sedan was slowly following her from a distance.
Sure enough, someone was tailing us! Was it because of the 1203 case, or because of that internet celebrity they arrested today?
Su Xiaonuan's brain was working at lightning speed.
She decided to stop waiting passively.
Instead of living in constant fear, take the initiative and find out what kind of person they are!
She pretended that there was a problem with the tricycle chain, muttered a curse under her breath, and impatiently pulled the vehicle over to the side of the road. Then she squatted down and pretended to check the chain.
In reality, his entire body was tense, his senses were amplified to the extreme, and he listened carefully to the movements behind him, while his peripheral vision observed the car's reaction through the gaps between the wheels.
Sure enough, the moment she crouched down and her view was blocked by the car body, the car door was gently pushed open!
A figure got off the car silently, the soles of their shoes making a very faint sound as they rubbed against the ground.
He had clearly received some training in tracking, and he moved very quietly, step by step, approaching Su Xiaonuan from behind.
One step, two steps... getting closer and closer.
Su Xiaonuan held her breath, calculating the distance.
As her shadow on the ground gradually lengthened and covered her—
Now!
Crouching, Su Xiaonuan suddenly moved like a cheetah! Her body twisted instantly, her right leg whistling through the air as she executed a swift, low sweeping kick, precisely aimed at the pursuer's shin!
"Bang!"
"Oh!"
The stalker had no idea that this seemingly weak "car repair girl" would suddenly launch an attack, and with such terrifying speed and strength!
He felt a sharp pain in his calf, lost his balance instantly, cried out in alarm, and fell heavily to the ground, completely disoriented!
Before he could react, Su Xiaonuan pounced on him like a ghost, and with the nylon cable ties she had prepared beforehand, she quickly and easily tied his hands behind his back, binding them tightly!
The whole process was lightning fast, taking no more than three seconds!
Su Xiaonuan clapped her hands, stood up, took off her sunglasses, and carefully examined the stalker she had subdued in an instant.
He was a very young man, probably eighteen or nineteen years old, with a distinctive head of dyed yellow hair, wearing cheap sportswear, and his face still showed a childishness and panic.
The system scan showed that his crime value was only 5, indicating that he was not a particularly vicious criminal.
But Su Xiaonuan frowned slightly.
This face... she felt it looked familiar, as if she had seen it somewhere before.
Huang Mao didn't expect to be discovered, and he was even more surprised that his opponent was so skilled that he was subdued in an instant.
His face was filled with horror and panic.
But soon, as if he had thought of something, he overcame his fear, raised his head, glared at Su Xiaonuan with hostility, and said through gritted teeth, "Pah! No wonder my dad fell for you! You filthy woman!"
My dad?
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