Accidental Hero: The Rookie Who Outshines the Force - Chapter 23

The truck was just about to start up again when Wang Maosheng signalled the traffic police to lift the barrier and let it through.

But Lu Cheng suddenly shouted, “Wait!”

That one word drew every pair of eyes—Wang Maosheng, Zhao Han, Lin Wenbin, and the traffic officers at the checkpoint—all turned toward him.

Zhao Han’s heart skipped a beat. This kid—again with the dramatics! Has he forgotten the first rule?

All actions follow orders! We’re only here to assist. The Narcotics Division is the lead, not us!

“Captain Wang, we can’t let this truck go!”

Lu Cheng darted forward. Seeing that the truck had already shifted into second gear, he spread his arms wide and physically blocked its path.

“Holy crap!” Zhao Han nearly cursed out loud.

Even Lin Wenbin jumped out of his skin.

What the hell is this situation?!

The truck slammed to a screeching halt, the bumper stopping just shy of Lu Cheng’s face.

Wang Maosheng’s brow furrowed, and he rushed forward. “Did you discover something?”

He had heard some stories about this rookie from Zhao Han, so he wasn’t quick to dismiss him. Still, they had already combed over the truck thoroughly.

Lu Cheng, of course, couldn’t explain that his “system” had lit up with a green glow.

So, he improvised. “Captain Wang, I didn’t check the truck bed carefully enough earlier. I need another look.”

The driver hadn’t even killed the engine before jumping out. Up until now, he had cooperated without complaint, but after a ten-minute inspection only to be stopped again, his patience was running thin.

It was already dark. They were hungry, tired, and now delayed.

“Officer, the bed’s empty. What more is there to check? We need to get into the city for dinner—we haven’t eaten all day!”

Wang Maosheng ignored the man and walked with Lu Cheng toward the rear.

The truck bed was half-open, steel-plated, caked with dried mud and grit.

Zhao Han came over too, staring at the bare steel floor. “Lu Cheng, it’s empty. What could you possibly be looking for?”

The driver folded his arms and watched, smirking, confident they’d find nothing.

Lu Cheng pointed to the spot where a chunk of soil had been removed earlier, exposing a patch of the steel floor beneath. “That section—it’s been welded.”

Welding on a heavy-haul truck wasn’t unusual. After years of use, the steel warped and cracked under pressure. Welding repairs were normal.

But—

“These welds are fresh. And the shape… looks wrong.”

In Lu Cheng’s vision, the entire welded panel was glowing faintly green—a clear sign something was hidden underneath.

The driver frowned. “This truck’s been running seven or eight years. Welding repairs are normal. What’s so strange about it?”

He himself wasn’t even sure whether that particular patch had been fixed before. Maybe it had, maybe not.

Either way, what did it matter?

Wang Maosheng crouched down, studying the seams. The welds formed a rectangle.

That was suspicious. If steel had cracked under stress, the welds should be narrow strips, not a perfect rectangle.

This looked like someone had cut open a huge square, then welded it shut again.

To punch through two centimeters of steel? No accident could cause that.

This was deliberate.

Wang Maosheng’s chest tightened. If so, then something was definitely hidden inside.

But it was still just suspicion. What if he was wrong?

Maybe they had transported something heavy, cracked the floor, and welded in a patch.

If they cut it open and found nothing…

He turned to Lu Cheng. “Your reasoning has merit. But do you have anything else?”

Cutting through steel required tools, time, and manpower. He hesitated.

If they were wrong, they’d waste hours and risk compensation claims.

“There’s a repair shop two kilometers away. Cut it open there, and we’ll know the truth.”

Lu Cheng was certain there was contraband hidden inside. But without proof, he couldn’t convince anyone. If Captain Wang refused, he’d have no choice but to risk his career and demand it be opened.

Zhao Han frowned. “A rectangular weld doesn’t prove much. Could be a chassis repair.”

Lu Cheng shook his head. “You don’t repair the chassis by cutting through from the top of the bed.”

The driver grew irritated. “I told you already, this truck’s old. The bed is patched in a dozen places. What’s one more? You really want to cut open my truck? I don’t agree! If you damage it, who pays? I’ve still got potatoes to haul—and we haven’t eaten yet!”

Zhao Han shot Lu Cheng a warning glance: Drop it, unless you’ve got solid evidence.

But Lu Cheng’s eyes burned with resolve. “Captain Wang, if this truck is carrying what I think it is, the danger is enormous. Better to risk a false alarm than let even one slip through.”

Wang Maosheng stared at him. Where does this rookie get such conviction?

If he was wrong, they’d owe compensation.

But if he was right…

“Why are you so certain?” Wang pressed.

Lu Cheng met his eyes. “Instinct. A policeman’s instinct.”

“…You’ve got to be kidding me.”

Wang cursed inwardly. Police work is about evidence, not instinct!

And yet… this was a narcotics sweep. Thoroughness was the law. Even if they cut the truck open and found nothing, they could argue they were just being cautious. Worst case, Wang would pay out of pocket for the damage.

For reasons he couldn’t explain, he chose to trust this rookie’s conviction.

“Take it to the repair shop. We’ll cut it open.”

The driver gaped. “You’re serious? If you’re wrong, I want five thousand yuan in damages!”

“Deal,” Wang said flatly.

Zhao Han and Lin Wenbin exchanged a look. These two are playing for high stakes…

Zhao Han finally understood—his reckless apprentice was beyond control.

“Zhao, Lin—you two keep manning the checkpoint. I’ll go with Lu Cheng to the repair shop.”

The driver grudgingly allowed them into the cab. There was room to squeeze in.

He wasn’t worried. To him, five thousand yuan was already as good as in his pocket.

He knew his truck. There couldn’t possibly be anything hidden.

These cops were just guessing, smearing an innocent man.

As the truck rumbled east toward a gas station repair shop, Lu Cheng secretly watched the four men’s expressions.

If they were in on the smuggling, their nerves would have shown. Instead, they only looked annoyed.

That told him they were just pawns, couriers used by the real traffickers.

No wonder his Flycatcher skill hadn’t triggered—it only reacted to actual criminals.

Wang Maosheng, with his years of experience, surely saw the same thing.

Now it all came down to what was hidden beneath that welded steel.

Wang didn’t know why, but against his better judgment, he trusted the rookie.

Lu Cheng was following his instinct.

And Wang Maosheng… was trusting Lu Cheng’s instinct.