Day by day passed, and William Thompson’s weight had clearly dropped, going from over two hundred jin down to just over a hundred. His face seemed to have been reborn; the features once crowded by fat now gradually revealed a handsome charm as the fat melted away. Coupled with his bright, spirited eyes, he was no longer the chubby little pig or ugly duckling he used to be.

By the end of winter break, and even after the new semester had started, William Thompson hadn’t returned to school for a full three months. Every day, he simply found a secluded spot in the forests on the outskirts of the city, relentlessly pushing himself to the limits of his physical endurance with training that surpassed his own boundaries every moment. The school didn’t say much about the absence of such an outstanding student; after all, they didn’t want a student on the verge of a mental breakdown on campus, and he wasn’t the only one skipping classes.

In the lobby of the Jinbi Grand Hotel.

Jack Clark had lost count of how many times he’d been through this kind of scene. He didn’t like unfamiliar places because they made him uneasy, so he always chose a few familiar spots.

He knew just how much wealth this unremarkable little contractor with a shabby bag could bring him. Just now, the two cartons of Liqun cigarettes stuffed with US dollars that were handed over—judging by the weight when he hefted them—contained at least two hundred thousand, and definitely in US dollars. Years of experience told him he wasn’t wrong; that was at least a million yuan.

“Director Clark, this is just a small token, nothing much! My brother-in-law will be counting on you.”

“No problem, no problem. If a brother asks, of course I’ll do my best to help. Don’t worry, leave it to me.”

“It’s all because that idiot lost his head and stabbed someone, causing such a big mess. Director Clark, I’m really troubling you with this. Our whole village is counting on him to earn more money and bring it back.”

“Don’t worry, it’s all in the past now. I guarantee you’ll get your man back alive.”

Jack Clark knew very well that this contractor, with his silly grin and eager offers of cigarettes and drinks, wasn’t just throwing around a million yuan in US dollars for nothing. He wasn’t some rich fool handing out cash to everyone he met. It was all for his brother-in-law, that relative still locked up in death row.

Neither the police chief nor the contractor noticed that not far from them sat a boy reading a newspaper. Though his face was hidden behind the paper, his eyes kept darting toward the police chief and the contractor, a faint, cold smile playing at his lips. Among the pile of magazines beside him, a small video camera was hidden, its lens aimed directly at the police chief and the contractor. The LCD screen, pressed down by the magazines, was flashing, indicating it was recording in telephoto mode. The microphone beneath the lens was quietly capturing every word of their conversation.

Section Four

The police chief Jack Clark, with his own little schemes, and the contractor stood up and went their separate ways like ordinary friends, bringing this blatant act of bribery to a close.

William Thompson calmly put down the magazine, revealing the camera. He checked the footage he’d just recorded, turned off the camera, put it in his backpack, and walked away as if nothing had happened.

A waiter came over, put the tables and chairs back in place, and cleaned up thoroughly.

A tall tree attracts the wind; the police chief Jack Clark was not all-powerful. William Thompson found those who had suffered from Jack Clark’s oppression and injustice. Although some were afraid of further retaliation and refused to help, many others who shared similar experiences sympathized with William Thompson and offered whatever help they could.

No longer fighting alone, William Thompson quickly grasped the patterns of Jack Clark’s shady dealings. Some provided surveillance footage, some lent cameras, and some even took jobs at places Jack Clark frequented.

Back home, William Thompson organized all the evidence of Brian Clark’s father Jack Clark’s misconduct while in office, preparing both written and video copies. To gather this evidence, he had spent considerable effort studying foreign spy training manuals. Fortunately, in today’s internet age, there were always a few enthusiasts who shared confidential materials online for the world to see, which benefited William Thompson. As an avid reader, he naturally wouldn’t recklessly do anything foolish.

No one had expected that once this usually honest and simple-minded student decided to act ruthlessly, he would be more cunning and vicious than anyone. William Thompson was like a wolf circling its prey, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

This was already the forty-fourth time. William Thompson believed that with the evidence he had, it would be enough to have Brian Clark’s father Jack Clark executed ten times over.

After anonymously sending this evidence by express mail to the provincial procuratorate, the provincial public security department, and several other agencies, William Thompson left the post office with a cold smile. Hah, let’s see how you father and son get out of this one. He even left backup copies in online shared storage.

In the morning, when the students of Class 3, Grade 12 at Huaming High School walked into the classroom as usual, they were surprised to find a handsome boy calmly sitting in the seat that used to belong to the bullied William Thompson. His strong, bronze skin and sharply defined features made all the girls in the class light up with excitement.

A bold girl, her cheeks flushed, was about to strike up a conversation with the new handsome boy. Just as she opened her mouth, she suddenly covered it with her hand, her face filled with disbelief. Soon, this expression spread rapidly across the faces of every student in the classroom.