Accidental Hero: The Rookie Who Outshines the Force - Chapter 38

Shuangqiao Precinct, anti-pickpocket operation in full swing.

“Chengxi Precinct, Team Two—Chen Hui, Gu Litao, Tian Lei—caught two pickpockets in the West Train Station main hall!”

“Hukou Precinct, Team One—Zhao Yu, Fang Kai—caught one thief at the 479 rural-urban bus, Changlin Bridge stop!”

“Qingshijing Precinct, Team Three—Ma Jianguo, Wang Xin—nabbed a thief at Futian Market. He stole two electric scooters, total value over three thousand yuan!”

“Sanliqiao Precinct, Team Two—Yuan Jie, Chen Zelong, Zhu Yiping—caught one thief at Dongwang Department Store!”

…

Reports trickled back from scattered action teams, and the Anti-Pickpocket Information Center finally had something decent to send up the chain.

Before 1:30 p.m., everything had been propped up by Sanliqiao Team One alone—just them catching two thieves while everyone else sat idle.

This joint operation had over twenty precincts across Yuhua District casting a net. If nothing came of it, the whole district’s police force would lose face.

And though it was a joint action, precincts were still locked in a silent tug-of-war, each trying to outshine the others.

At Chengxi Precinct, Director Hao Jianping had offered an incentive:
Catch one thief—get one day off. Catch two—two days off. Catch three—not only three days off, but a cash bonus on top.

For officers run ragged day and night, leave time was like gold. The young ones wanted dates; the married ones wanted time with wives and kids.

Hao Jianping’s “shot of adrenaline” worked wonders. Other precincts quickly copied the idea.

Now, every anti-pickpocket squad under them was going all out.

At the Old Train Station, Luo Yong’s team had been lurking in the waiting hall half the day without a single bite. Clearly, the “Yellow Sparrow” gang was no easy catch.

With over twenty thousand passengers daily, the station was a perfect hunting ground. Luo Yong and his men were convinced the gang would make a move—it was just a matter of time.

Since the squad members hailed from different precincts, they couldn’t resist comparing results.

“Which precinct has the most arrests right now?” Luo Yong asked.

“Qingshijing—we’ve already got four.” Chen Feng said flatly. Their precinct had a solid record in this field.

“Tch, Chengxi has four too. What’s so great about that?” Ding Chengzhi snapped back.

“Don’t just count heads. Quality matters too,” Luo Yong chuckled. “Our Shuangqiao team only caught two, but both were repeat offenders—over ten thefts combined. One of ours is worth three of yours!”

Both men scoffed in unison.

Then Luo Yong glanced at his phone, and his tone shifted. “Huh. Looks like Sanliqiao’s on the board too—they’ve caught three. That’s rare.”

In past joint ops, Sanliqiao usually brought up the rear. This time, fresh blood had changed things—especially that rookie, Lu Cheng, who’d already made waves more than once.

Luo Yong stroked his chin. “That rookie caught two this morning. Quiet all afternoon though.”

Chen Feng rolled his eyes. “What, you think thieves walk around with ‘pickpocket’ stamped on their forehead? Not that easy to grab—”

He cut himself off, watching Luo Yong’s expression twist.

“What is it?”

“Holy crap—it’s Lu Cheng again!” Luo Yong stared at the new message, disbelief written all over his face.

Ding Chengzhi leaned in. “Don’t tell me he caught another?”

Chen Feng groaned. Was his face destined to be slapped today?

“So that makes Sanliqiao’s total four. A tie for first between the three of us?” Ding guessed.

Luo Yong shook his head slowly. “You think he just caught one?”

Ding’s heart skipped. “Wait—two?”

Chen Feng’s expression tightened.

Again, Luo Yong shook his head. This time, he raised five fingers and sucked in a breath.

“Five. A whole theft ring. Lu Cheng stormed their hideout and cleaned house!”

“What?!”

Ding nearly jumped out of his seat, then forced himself back down, whispering furiously:

“A five-man theft ring? No way.”

“The message came from headquarters. Can’t be wrong.” Luo Yong frowned, doubts gnawing at him.

Chen Feng finally voiced what they were all thinking: “But there are only two of them in that team. How the hell did they take five?”

If they’d called for backup, that would make sense.

Ding blinked. “Yeah—two against five? Not even enough cuffs.”

He knew Lu Cheng trained hard, but numbers were numbers. Two against five was suicide. If the thieves had knives, it would’ve been nine-to-one odds. Totally unwinnable.

They were undercover, too—no batons, no gear. Just out to nab petty pickpockets.

For big-fish stings like this, only teams like Luo Yong’s carried even a single handgun.

Unable to shake the question, Luo Yong pinged his contacts at the precinct.

The reply almost made him choke. This was real.

Ding and Chen craned over his shoulder, eyes widening at the screen.

The rookie cop and his partner had stormed the gang’s lair with—of all things—a replica pistol.

They’d bluffed the five-man crew into submission, tied them all up, and hauled them in.

Handcuffs short? Zip-ties did the job.

“The hell—”

“You can catch criminals like that?!”

Even hardened veterans like Luo Yong, Chen Feng, and Ding Chengzhi were stunned.

Was this what post-2000 rookies came up with nowadays?

Two rookies wiping out a whole den, seizing loot worth over fifty grand, and even exposing their fencing outlet.

Not exactly the “Yellow Sparrow,” but plenty fat enough.

Two against five, in plain clothes, without a fight? Normally, it took at least three patrol cars to bust a crew like that.

Luo Yong inhaled sharply. “This rookie… Lu Cheng’s off the charts!”

Ding and Chen were struck dumb, no retort left.

Shuangqiao had already dispatched three police cars to pick up the thieves, with Captain Lü Zhengbo riding along.

By dinner, Lu Cheng’s name was blazing across the entire precinct.

When the day’s tally came in, Sanliqiao’s team was number one.

Eight thieves in total.

And of those, Lu Cheng’s two-man squad had netted seven—five of them in one sweep.

Too fierce. Absolutely monstrous.

Other teams were left scratching their heads. How could two rookies raid a nest without backup? How did they even dare?

Sirens wailed as the convoy of police cars pulled up outside the ramshackle tin huts of Jianqiao Village. Villagers gawked as officers poured out.

Following the pinned location, four or five officers entered.

Minutes later, they emerged with five bound thieves—while Lu Cheng and Lin Wenbin marched them forward, Shuangqiao officers lugging bags of stolen goods behind.