David took the cigarette. Shi Qiang skillfully pulled out a lighter but didn't flick it. He frowned slightly, looking at the red and white fluids staining his hand, and tucked the lighter back into his jacket. In a restrained tone that didn't quite match his rugged aura, he spoke with a hint of apology.
"Leave me your number. These three are fugitives wanted by the state. There's a significant reward for assisting the police and for acts of bravery."
"It wasn't really for that..."
David blinked.
The wail of ambulance sirens drifted in from outside. Medical personnel in white uniforms filed into the store, quickly placing the supermarket owner and the woman onto stretchers.
"It's no trouble. Just wait at home for a call."
Shi Qiang switched his earpiece back on. Immediately, the exasperated barking of his bureau chief echoed through the air. Shi Qiang snorted, clicked the line dead with a blank face, and looked down at David.
"I'll handle the paperwork for you."
As he spoke, Shi Qiang took a lingering look at the hostages—pale-faced and barely able to stand. He didn't dare imagine how many of them would have seen tomorrow's sun if it weren't for David. In the hands of scumbags like those, death was sometimes a luxury.
After getting a string of digits from David, Shi Qiang tucked his notebook away and waved a hand.
"I've still got things to clean up here at the scene." He pointed to his earpiece. "How about this: I'll have someone see you out to give your statement."
"Fine," David nodded.
Rescuing the hostages had been an act of basic human empathy; he didn't crave awards or honors. In fact, he was worried about whether his anomaly would attract the attention of the Sophons. Now that the job was done, he wanted the matter settled as quickly as possible.
A young officer met David. His eyes lit up when he saw Shi Qiang, and he greeted him enthusiastically as "mentor," clearly admiring the older man. After David reached the station, Shi Qiang shared a brief word with the duty officer, waved goodbye to David, and rode off on his motorcycle.
"Don't mind my mentor's temper. He can be a bit of a jerk and doesn't always follow the rules," the young officer, whom Shi Qiang called Xiao Li, said as they chatted while waiting for David's taxi after the statement was finished.
"But I can tell you this: when it comes to criminal investigation and tracking, he's not just the best in Handong—he's top-tier nationwide." Xiao Li's eyes practically glowed with excitement and admiration as he recounted Shi Qiang's past glories.
That sounds about right. When the investigation into the suicides began at the start of the Three-Body plot, the authorities immediately pulled a 'tainted' man like Shi Qiang into the task force. That alone proves how much they value his ability, David thought.
Although it was technically autumn, the September sun was still scorching. David and Officer Li stood by the roadside waiting for the cab, sweat soon beading on their foreheads. People surged past them—the university area was filled with young, attractive students.
"Officer Shi mentioned a reward for catching those three. Is the bounty on them that high?" David asked. Since they were just waiting, he struck up a conversation.
Based on his earlier tests, the two Sophons that arrived at the end of 2004 weren't yet capable of total, simultaneous surveillance of every living being on the planet. The next batch wouldn't arrive for another year, after the sinking of the Judgment Day. Consequently, David felt much more relaxed than when he had first awakened the system.
"It's in the highest bracket in the country," Xiao Li said, looking at David with a touch of surprise. He continued, "Hong Quansan and his two brothers practiced a family-style martial art since they were kids. Ordinary people couldn't get near them. Plus, they served as scouts for three years; they know exactly how domestic investigations work. Their anti-tracking skills are incredible. They've been jumping from province to province for years, escaping capture multiple times."
"Ever since that family of three was... well, last year... let's just say these three have been my mentor's biggest heartache. In his words, he wouldn't be able to die in peace unless he saw them executed."
Xiao Li shook his head and looked at David. Even though he knew the question sounded a bit silly, he asked anyway, "Did you really take Hong Quansan alive? With just one punch?"
Seeing the expectant look in the officer's eyes, David naturally wouldn't mention he had used psionic energy to paralyze the man's nerves.
"Luck, I guess," David replied.
He narrowed his eyes. After awakening his psionic powers, his vision and physical attributes had improved drastically. He could already see the license plate of the white Audi approaching from a distance—it was his ride.
"Whoa! A real master move!" Xiao Li clearly took David's answer as the modesty of an expert. "If you have time, could you teach me a move or two? Don't worry, I won't let you do it for free."
"Maybe if there's a chance later," David replied vaguely.
"Oh..." Xiao Li sensed the perfunctory nature of the answer and sighed with a bit of regret.
The white Audi pulled up in front of David. The black window rolled down slowly to reveal an exquisite face. David didn't know much about luxury brands, but he could tell the woman's clothes and jewelry were far from ordinary.
Someone like this is driving a taxi?
Not just David, but even Xiao Li stood stunned for a moment.
"Ending in 6954?"
The woman stubbed out a cigarette. Her thin lips were as vivid as blood as she exhaled a final ring of white smoke. She looked at the two men and spoke first.
"That's the one," Xiao Li answered. He opened the door for David, reminding him as he left, "The reward paperwork takes about a week. I'll call you the moment it clears."
"Thanks."
After waving goodbye to Xiao Li, David sat in the back. Through the rearview mirror, he looked at the woman's beautiful yet cold face. Something felt strange. This refined, intellectual aura combined with her luxury items was completely at odds with the identity of a taxi driver.
David scanned the interior. A series of white stickers were plastered to the back of the front seat, covered in dense mathematical symbols. The annotations in black ink were chaotic, written in a bold, sweeping script that suggested the author was a carefree—or rather, quite disorganized—individual.
"Are you interested in mathematics too?"
The quiet of the cabin was broken by the woman's voice, which sounded like pearls dropping into a silk tray. While waiting for a red light, she pointed to a small golden ornament hanging from the ceiling.
It consisted of three spheres linked together by wire.
Upon seeing this emblem, the sense of strangeness in David's mind intensified. His [Psionic: Precognition] began to stir. Following the intuition, David looked toward the operating permit displayed on the dashboard.
In the section for the operator's name, three characters were written.
Shen Yufei.
David's pupils contracted instantly.
___________________________
Ainz's DIctionary :
Shen Yufei - In The Three-Body Problem, Shen Yufei is a physicist who is secretly a member of the ETO. She plays an important role in connecting scientists to the organization, particularly by introducing them to the Three-Body game. Calm and intellectual, she is associated with the faction that believes the Trisolarans can help or reform humanity, reflecting a more idealistic perspective within the group.