Accidental Hero: The Rookie Who Outshines the Force - Chapter 65

Thieves fleeing from the police were like mice running from cats.

And now… a mouse was willingly challenging the cat?

That took guts.

Lu Cheng grinned. “Are you sure about this?”

The gang leader was a muscular man, tattoos crawling up his arms—a real tough guy who had never feared a fight.

But today wasn’t about fear or respect. Today, he just wanted to save face. You’re a cop, but put down your gun and face me one-on-one—I’m confident I can beat you!

“Do you dare?” the gang leader asked.

The other thieves’ eyes widened. “Boss, don’t be rash! Even if you win, it counts as assaulting an officer! That’s an extra charge!”

“Yeah, boss, don’t do anything stupid! Who ever sees thieves picking fights with police?”

Challenging a cop might sound badass, but they were thieves. Win or lose, if he ended up in jail, it would be trouble for them all.

Lu Cheng asked calmly, “You think you’re strong?”

“I could take ten of someone like you!” the leader boasted.

If his hands weren’t bound, he would’ve flexed his biceps proudly.

“Fighting for no reason is pointless. What’s in it for me if I win?”

The leader’s eyes lit up. He loved two things most: stealing and gambling.

A sly grin spread across his face. He had an idea.

“If you win, I’ll tell you the hideout of another gang. You can take them all down.”

“And if you lose… hmm, I get to go free. Dare?”

The other gang was his rival group. If he went to jail, the rival gang would control the territory. He couldn’t risk letting them go alone.

“Another gang? How many?” Lu Cheng asked, intrigued. This was a buy-one-get-one deal.

“Eight. They steal as much as we do.”

“Fine, it’s settled.” Lu Cheng nodded.

The leader’s confidence soared.

“What about us?” the remaining thieves asked nervously. They assumed their boss would win—but if he did, and he walked free, what about them?

“You guys have served your time. When he’s done, I’ll make sure you’re taken care of,” the leader assured them. Then he turned to Lu Cheng:

“You’re a cop. Do what you said—untie me?”

Lu Cheng removed the zip ties.

The gang leader really wanted this one-on-one fight, to save face. There was no hint of running away.

The two squared off.

Five minutes later…

The gang leader lay on the ground, bruised purple and blue, one front tooth missing, looking like a beaten pig.

The other thieves watched in horror as their boss was pinned to the ground by a young cop.

Nobody expected this cop, though young, to be a real martial artist. His punches were hard, precise—one of the leader’s arms hung uselessly like a limp worm. It was painful just to watch.

Those five minutes were like watching an R-rated action movie.

The gang leader lay sprawled on the floor, not even able to cry out.

Lu Cheng, untouched, dusted himself off and patted the leader’s face.

“Tell me where the other gang is.”

…

Three hours passed that afternoon. Some anti-theft squads had returned to Shuangqiao Station.

One complained, “These thieves are getting impossible to catch. We spent the whole day at the bus station and didn’t see a single one.”

“After Huangque’s gang got caught, the rest probably went into hiding. No action recently.”

“I only caught one stealing bread. The cheapest kind!”

“I nabbed one in the mall stealing a phone—but it was a model phone. Idiot.”

“Subway? Forget it. Ran myself ragged—zero.”

“Better wait until the news dies down before anti-theft patrols. The thieves are hiding now.”

…

Luo Yong returned with his squad, escorting a petty thief. Hearing the complaints, he glanced at them:

“No thieves? Then who’s this?”

He patted the thief’s head. “The strong never complain about the environment. This morning, ‘Super Catcher’ alone caught eight.”

Someone scoffed, “That’s just luck. This afternoon, no activity, right?”

As soon as the words left their mouths, Luo Yong’s phone rang.

It was “Super Catcher.”

Speak of the devil.

“Hello? Super Catcher, did you catch anyone?”

The complaining officers stiffened. They had just said there was no activity this afternoon.

“How many?”

“Over ten.”

“Oh, I’ll send a patrol car…”

Then Luo Yong realized something. His eyes widened in shock. “Wait… how many did you say?”

“Eighteen, I think.”

“Eighteen?!”

Luo Yong struggled to breathe. “Are you sure?”

The other officers jumped out of their chairs, clattering with disbelief.

Eighteen thieves caught by a single person? Impossible!

Some doubted the number; others doubted the logic—but all felt it was unreal.

“Captain Luo, I think I’ve walked into a den of thieves. Ten are already tied up. I’m on my way to catch the rest of the gang.”

Silence. Luo Yong hadn’t put the call on speaker, but the voice of “Super Catcher” was crystal clear.

Ten tied up… and the rest on the way?

Were these thieves knocked out with a stick? Bound without resistance?

Was this really how one caught thieves?

Luo Yong took a deep breath and tried to calm his thoughts. “Lu Cheng… so, eighteen in total. Ten already secured, and eight more you’re about to catch?”

“Yes.”

“One versus eight… are you insane?”

“Ten are done. The remaining eight are no problem,” Lu Cheng said casually.

On the other end, Luo Yong and the other officers’ eyes twitched uncontrollably.

Normally, it took two cops to catch one thief, or three or four for one. That was the standard. Thieves ran, resisted, struggled—even petty ones weren’t easy to nab solo.

Lu Cheng, however… seemed to stroll straight into a den of thieves and casually capture them, one by one.

What if they ran? Resisted? Were armed? Or reckless enough to assault an officer?

Everyone knew Lu Cheng was reckless—but this level of recklessness? Entering a tiger’s den alone?

Luo Yong gritted his teeth at the thought. Still, he asked:

“The remaining eight… have you scoped them out?”

“I’m going to now.”

“You… why not wait for backup? I thought they’d run!”

“Wait for backup?” Lu Cheng asked innocently.

“Exactly!” Luo Yong was furious. If it were one of his subordinates, they’d be getting yelled at. This kid was going alone—no thought for teamwork?

“This is an order!” Luo Yong said seriously. “Watch the gang, wait for our support to arrive, and don’t act rashly!”

“Understood,” Lu Cheng said, reluctantly sitting back down. He could handle it alone, no need for reinforcements.

But to Luo Yong and the others, a den of thieves was more dangerous than a tiger’s lair.

Lu Cheng understood—they just didn’t know he was basically cheating life.