CHAPTER 845: CHAPTER 845: FRAMED

The food the innkeeper packed for Xu Ke was not only plentiful but also delicious, leaving Xu Ke exceptionally satisfied, feeling as though the whole day was complete.

Just as Xu Ke was planning to freshen up and go to sleep, the phone in the room rang—it was a call from the front desk.

"Your room fee expires tomorrow. Are you staying another night?" The irritated voice of the lady at the front desk came through the receiver.

"No, I won’t be staying," Xu Ke replied.

He lowered his head, his long eyelashes hiding the light in his eyes, also hiding the slight curve of his lips.

He knew there was more than one surveillance camera in the room watching him, so all his actions needed to be cautious, revealing not the slightest hint of a flaw. Therefore, after hanging up the call with the front desk, he turned off the lights and hid himself under the covers.

In the darkness, although Xu Ke’s eyes were closed, his mind was still active.

He knew every move he made was being watched. If it were someone else, faced with today’s situation, they might act prudently, perhaps choosing to hide their strength and endure it, or at best, manage a draw or a narrow victory.

But Xu Ke didn’t intend to do that. He planned to act boldly, inserting himself into this small town in the sharpest manner, forcing their attention intently on him, making them reach out to him, and gradually accept him. He wanted to hold the initiative firmly in his hands.

As it turned out, his strategy was indeed effective. The call from the front desk was a signal. If his assumption was correct, tomorrow they would try various means to keep him.

Thinking of this, Xu Ke’s lips curled into a slight smile beneath the covers.

Early the next morning, Xu Ke acted as if nothing had happened, calmly packing his suitcase in front of the surveillance cameras in his room before heading to a street-side breakfast shop to eat.

After finishing breakfast, he returned to the inn to check out.

The journey from the inn to the train station was as calm as an endless sea without a ripple, but underneath, there was a surging undercurrent, and Xu Ke seemed to smell the scent of an impending storm.

Time ticked by, and soon the train Xu Ke was waiting for was about to arrive. People waiting to board had already formed a long queue, and Xu Ke stood at the very end.

At that moment, a team of police officers appeared in the train station, heading towards Xu Ke, stopping him just as he was about to go through the ticket check.

"I’m sorry, you can’t leave now. You are suspected of being involved in a theft case, and you need to come with us back to the police station for further investigation," said an older man with graying beard while blocking Xu Ke. Fearing Xu Ke might flee, two younger officers moved in behind him, grabbing his arms to prevent any struggle.

"Let me go, I’ll go back with you. Although I don’t know why I’m involved in the theft case you mentioned, I have a clear conscience and nothing to fear. No matter how you investigate, you won’t find anything because I didn’t do it. I’m willing to cooperate with your investigation to prove my innocence. You don’t need to handle me this way," Xu Ke said calmly.

"It’s good that you have this level of awareness. Take him away," the lead officer smiled at Xu Ke but did not signal the young officers to release their grip on Xu Ke’s hands.

It was evident that when they came to arrest Xu Ke, they already knew Xu Ke’s combat power was not something they could contend with, so even though they were only arresting one Xu Ke, they brought a whole team. Even with Xu Ke fully cooperating, they didn’t dare to release their hold on him.

Xu Ke felt dissatisfied with how they treated him, but he had no intention of resisting. He compliantly followed the officers back to the police station.

"You said I’m suspected of a theft case. What evidence do you have? And what exactly is the stolen item?" Xu Ke sat in the basic interrogation room, fearlessly facing the officer in front of him.

"The person who reported the theft is the owner of the inn you stayed at, and the stolen item is a newly bought Rolex watch worth 80,000 yuan. He explicitly stated that the watch was kept at the inn, and after searching every corner of the inn, there’s no trace of it. You were the only guest recently at the inn, so our suspicion naturally falls on you. Our colleagues need to inspect your suitcase and conduct a body search. If we find nothing, you can leave," the older officer said while looking at Xu Ke.

During their conversation, a officer who had taken Xu Ke’s luggage for examination returned. He cast a hostile glance at Xu Ke before approaching the older officer and whispered something in his ear.

After the young officer finished speaking and left, the older officer looked at Xu Ke with a regretful expression and said, "It seems you won’t be walking away today. My colleague found the missing watch from the owner in your suitcase. The evidence is conclusive. If you can’t prove it’s not yours, you’ll face legal consequences."

"No matter if you believe me or not, I didn’t take this watch. If I wanted one, I could easily afford it myself. An 80,000 yuan watch is nothing to me, and it doesn’t make sense to risk going to jail over something I can easily buy," Xu Ke said as if he’d heard something ludicrous.

"There are many people in this world who steal not because they can’t afford to buy but out of a sheer desire for thrill. Who knows if you share such an interest? Your financial status isn’t enough to rule out the possibility that you didn’t steal the watch. Think about it here, and once you’ve figured it out, we’ll let you go or send you to prison," the older officer said as he stood up, holding a teacup, leaving Xu Ke in the interrogation room to drink tea outside.

Xu Ke sat quietly in the interrogation room, not showing a hint of anxiety or fear. He knew that even if he did nothing, someone would eventually get him out because their goal wasn’t to keep him in the station.

Time continued passing, and as the sun set outside, the older officer came in once, bringing dinner for Xu Ke.

"This matter, whether big or small, is not trivial. You’re young, and going to jail would ruin the rest of your life. You claim you didn’t do it, so please actively help us find the real thief. Otherwise, you can’t explain why the item was found in your suitcase," the older officer said earnestly, giving heartfelt advice.