Anshin could no longer hold back his eagerness—he wanted to catch criminals immediately.
After all, the system only rewarded him when he captured criminals, earned merit, and rose in rank. At his young age, only twenty-two or twenty-three, the path upward required not just connections but undeniable achievements—hard, indisputable.
At the Jinhai Police Bureau earlier, he had combed through every case file his clearance allowed. There were countless unresolved cases, major crimes still unsolved.
And across the country, there were infamous fugitives.
In this millennium era, none were more notorious than the bandit Zhang Jun.
Since 1993, Zhang Jun had robbed and killed across provinces—Hunan, Guangxi, and beyond. He stole millions of yuan (a fortune back then), murdered twenty-eight people, and raided weapons depots more than twenty times. A ruthless, hardened killer.
In later years, Anshin had even seen the film Caught in Time, starring Wu Yanzu, inspired by Zhang Jun's life. The famous line about "six bowls of noodles" came from his case.
But Zhang Jun was not alone. In this world where reality and fiction intertwined, other dangerous men existed—Liu Huáqiáng, Uncle Tai of Dazhai, Gao Mingyuan. All walking the same streets, in different cities.
For now, though, such men were beyond his reach. He didn't have the strength yet. These were seasoned predators, lives meaning nothing to them. Facing them without preparation was suicide.
Instead, he would start small.
In Jinhai, "mini-bosses" were everywhere. Uncle Tai was the true power behind the black syndicates, with subordinates like Xu Jiang and Bai Jiangbo. But evidence was scarce; he couldn't touch them yet.
Who he could touch, however, were the likes of Tō Shōryū and Tō Shōko
Tō Shōryū and Tō Shōko, self-styled market administrators of Old Factory Street Market. They extorted "sanitation fees" from vendors—fees not recognized by law. Strip away the pretense, and they were protection rackets.
And what better way to earn merit than by catching two extortionist thugs oppressing honest stall owners?
That was Anshin's true purpose in going to Old Factory Street today.
Helping Kō Kikkyō was part of it too. If not for the Tang brothers' bullying—forcing him to gift an absurdly expensive plasma TV Kikkyō might never have strayed from an honest life.
This time, Anshin was determined to change his fate. He would see Kikkyō grow into a genuine business magnate, not a criminal overlord.
…
The two of them arrived at the market. It was New Year's break, the stalls closed.
"We're here, Officer An. I'll… I'll get going. Thank you for the ride," Kikkyō said gratefully.
"Don't mention it. I wanted to see your stall anyway. Shame the market's closed—I was hoping to buy something."
They walked to his pitch. Kikkyō, smiling, lifted the canvas covering his tanks. A few fish still swam in the oxygenated pools.
"Here, take some. They're still alive. A gift," he said, bagging three in quick motions.
Anshin waved his hands. "No, no…" But Kikkyō insisted, pushing the bag into his hands. Finally, Anshin slipped fifty yuan under the canvas, unwilling to take it for free.
Just then—
"Well, well. Look who's back!"
"Ha! Strongman's returned!"
Two mocking voices cut the air. Despite calling him "Strongman," their tone was all derision.
Anshin turned, frowning.
Tō Shōryū and Tō Shōko.
The Tang brothers. Petty tyrants of the market, extorting fees, bullying honest vendors.
It was their oppression that had driven Kikkyō into a corner.
Later, Tō Shōryū might transform into a loyal, taciturn enforcer under greater powers. But today, he was nothing more than a swaggering thug. To the hardworking people of the market, the brothers were objects of fear and loathing.
"Back to selling fish, Strongman?"
"This stall isn't yours anymore. Pack your things and get out!" Tō Shōko shouted.
Anshin's eyes narrowed. His first hunt was about to begin.