"…Yes, yes, yes, everything you said is right! How about this: I'll take him to the hospital first. If you're not comfortable with that, I'll get a cab and you can come with me. I just don't want to delay your work. Or you could tell me which station you're from, and after it's all settled, I'll come find you to report." Brian Carter was so frustrated he could have banged his head against the wall. No matter how much he planned, he never expected to be this unlucky today. It had only been a few minutes, and he just had to run into a cop—and such a young, inexperienced one at that. Dropping names definitely wouldn't work now; she probably wouldn't know anyone anyway. Better to just give in for now and muddle through this. If she really took him to the police station, things would get complicated, and asking someone to put in a good word would just add another layer of trouble.

"What's your name, where do you live? Where do you work? Does anyone know where there's a public phone nearby?" The policewoman clearly didn't trust Brian Carter. As she pulled out a notebook to take notes, she also called out to the crowd for help.

"Hey, hey, hey… everyone, please disperse, it's Monday, we're all busy. The police officer and I can handle this. I live in Ya'er Hutong, I'm familiar with the area, no need to trouble anyone." Hearing that she was about to call for backup, Brian Carter quickly shouted to the crowd, pointing out that he was a local, and also hinting that they shouldn't make trouble for him.

"I know where there's a public phone nearby. How about I take you there?" After scaring off the onlookers, Brian Carter put on what he thought was his kindest smile and turned back to try to talk the policewoman around.

"…Forget it, let's just get a cab and take him to the hospital first! I'll make the call once we get there!" The policewoman not only didn't trust Brian Carter, she was also a bit wary of his violent tendencies. She refused to go with him to make a call, opting for a compromise.

"Yes, yes, yes, treating the injury is the priority. I'll go flag down a cab." Brian Carter felt that getting her to agree to go to the hospital first was a small victory. He could work on her during the ride; a rookie cop wouldn't be hard to handle. He didn't believe he couldn't talk her around.

A taxi was quickly flagged down, but the driver was reluctant to take the dirt-covered, bloodied thief, making excuses about needing to refuel. Brian Carter didn't dare waste any more time. The policewoman was still struggling with her decision—if she decided to make a call, or if someone in the crowd went to call the police, he'd end up at the station anyway.

"I'll give you fifty extra, just consider it for cleaning the seat covers!" At this point, Brian Carter didn't care about the money and just threw cash at the problem.

"Buddy, it's not that I want more money, but look at the time—if I'm late, there'll be a line at the gas station…" The driver had Brian Carter over a barrel and still wouldn't budge.

"Another fifty, for the time you'll lose waiting in line for gas! Listen, I just got out, I know your license plate and your name, it's written right there on the company sign. Don't make trouble for yourself!" Brian Carter had to offer an even higher price, then leaned in, using the car window as cover, and whispered to the driver.

"…Alright, I'll do the police officer a favor. Get in!" The driver's expression changed several times, but in the end, he didn't dare call Brian Carter's bluff. He was just a taxi driver—if Brian Carter really was that kind of person and held a grudge, it could get ugly. With a hundred yuan for the trip, it wasn't a loss; seat covers cost next to nothing.

Chapter 0011: The Policewoman

"Officer, I just got off the night shift and was heading home when I ran into this… guy on the subway. Oh, and here's my work ID—I work at the satellite company. The TV programs you watch are broadcast from our satellites, hehe…" Once in the cab, Brian Carter and the policewoman sat side by side in the back, while the thief sat alone in the spacious front seat. As soon as the car started moving, Brian Carter began his charm offensive. He never carried a wallet or ID, but luckily he had his satellite ground station pass in his pocket, which had his company name and his own name on it.

"You're also called Brian Carter!?" As soon as the policewoman got the pass, her reaction surprised Brian Carter again. She seemed shocked, as if she knew another person named Brian Carter, and her expression was complicated.

"You know someone else named Brian Carter? No worries, I don't mind. It's a pretty common name. Maybe I'll change it to three characters, like Ethan Carter, then there'll be less chance of a duplicate. If that doesn't work, I'll go with Oliver Carter…" Brian Carter felt this was his chance. When strangers interact, all that's missing is a common topic to break the ice. Any topic that both sides can relate to, no matter how small, can act as a catalyst.

Earlier, Brian Carter had been eager to clear his name, in a bad mood, and physically exhausted, so he hadn't taken a good look at the policewoman. Now that things had taken a turn for the better and his irritation had passed, plus the two of them were sitting side by side in the back seat, with a faint fragrance in the air, his mind started to wander again, and he began to size up the policewoman in front of him with his small, sharp eyes.