Ch. 315 - My Name Is Chen Shu, Shu as in Well-Read and Reasonable [1]

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Chen Shu didn't say anything. He just crossed his arms, ready to enjoy the show.

The young man in the baseball cap pulled a device from his pocket and started scanning the guy's face.

Originally, he'd just been looking for a way to save face.

But to his surprise, the device actually started beeping.

"Holy crap! He's actually a wanted criminal?!"

His eyes went wide as he pinned the man down firmly.

The fugitive's face had gone pale, his eyes filled with despair and grief.

What the hell did I do?!

He'd been on the run for years, even managed to settle into a normal life...

And now, because of one phone call from his girlfriend, he just got arrested?!

Chen Shu and Zhang Dali exchanged a look. Was this for real?

He was actually a fugitive?!

"You! Don't move!"

The young man in the cap wore a cold expression as he pointed at the bewildered girl.

He suspected her identity was also questionable.

The girl was getting worked up and about to step forward when a hand pressed down on her shoulder.

"Just stay where you are!"

Chen Shu remained perfectly calm. With his Black Iron-rank physique, restraining her was easy.

The young man who'd intervened shot him a look of gratitude — he hadn't expected to run into a helpful citizen.

At the same time, he dialed a number.

"Hello, Captain Liu! I've apprehended a wanted criminal at the Capital Airport!"

Within half an hour.

Two people in Spirit Suppression Bureau uniforms arrived at the airport and confirmed the suspect's identity.

The young man was indeed a wanted criminal, while the girl was a law-abiding citizen — she'd probably been deceived.

"A'Liang, nicely done!"

The middle-aged man in charge clapped the young man on the shoulder, approval in his eyes.

Truly the rising star of the Spirit Suppression Bureau — despite only working part-time, he'd already cracked several major cases.

He'd even assisted in capturing an international criminal.

The young man called A'Liang was about to respond when a voice beat him to it.

"Officer, it was the least we could do!"

Chen Shu stepped forward with righteous indignation, seizing the moment without hesitation.

"As a genius student of Huaxia Academy! More than anything, I cannot stand to see criminals running free!"

A'Liang's mouth fell open slightly. An ominous feeling crept over him.

"Uh, Officer... how much is the bounty on this fugitive...? Not that I'm insisting on it, of course, I'm just... purely curious..."

Chen Shu rubbed his hands together, all his earlier righteousness evaporating — he looked exactly like a street-corner hustler!

"..."

The Spirit Suppression Bureau officers stared blankly. This guy's routine had completely thrown them off.

"You... you're trying to steal my bounty?!"

A'Liang whipped his head around, disbelief in his eyes.

And here he'd thought he'd met a helpful citizen — turns out it was just some guy swooping in to take the credit![2]

"Friend..."

A'Liang started to speak, only to be cut off by Chen Shu again.

"Of course, this arrest was a joint effort by the two of us!"

Chen Shu smiled. "Although I was the main force, this brother here did play a supporting role!"

"I, Chen Shu, will only take ninety percent at most. If you gave it all to me, I truly wouldn't be able to accept it in good conscience!"

"..."

A'Liang's mouth hung open as he stared at Chen Shu.

In all his eighteen years of life, he had never met anyone this shameless.

You're an absolute dog! Snatching the credit away with just a couple of offhand sentences?!

"Captain Liu, I suspect he's a fraudster!"

With that, A'Liang pulled out his device and started scanning Chen Shu's face.

"Holy crap!"

Chen Shu looked at the device and instinctively stepped backward.

If it actually started beeping, wouldn't that be complete BS?

"Enough! This is ridiculous!"

The middle-aged man from the Spirit Suppression Bureau reprimanded them.

Both of these guys were clearly money-grubbers — neither of them gave a damn about maintaining social order. They were entirely in it for the bounty.

"I'll pull the surveillance footage and investigate!"

The middle-aged man looked at Chen Shu and said, "Leave me your contact information."

"187..."

Chen Shu rattled off his phone number.

"Why does this number seem familiar..."

A'Liang frowned and pulled out his phone, checking his blacklist.

Soon, he locked onto a number and couldn't help but exclaim, "Holy crap, it's you?!"

A'Liang stared at Chen Shu intently, suddenly remembering who he was.

"What do you mean, 'it's me'?"

Chen Shu raised an eyebrow, confused.

"N... nothing..."

A'Liang seemed to think of something and shook his head, saying no more.

"Alright, no more conflict between the two of you. We'll distribute the bounty fairly!"

The middle-aged man looked at them both.

"By the way, A'Liang is also from Huaxia Academy. Come to think of it, you two are actually schoolmates!"

"Huaxia Academy?"

Chen Shu hadn't expected him to be a Huaxia Academy student too. And judging by his age, they were probably in the same year.

A'Liang muttered, "I wouldn't dare call a criminal my schoolmate..."

The two Spirit Suppression Bureau officers said nothing more and escorted the suspect out of the airport, leaving the girl standing there in a daze.

What the hell kind of plot twist was this?!

"Accept reality — real life is often more absurd than TV dramas!"

Zhang Dali comforted her with a grin, though the amusement in his eyes was impossible to hide.

Tomorrow morning, this would probably make the news: "Girl Calls Police on Boyfriend in Anger, Claiming He's a Fugitive — Police Investigate, and the Guy Actually IS a Fugitive..."

At that moment, Chen Shu and A'Liang faced off.

"You seem to know me?"

Chen Shu's expression was calm, but there was an inexplicable pressure behind it.

A'Liang shrugged. "At the beginning of the year — you were the one who wanted a forged Dragon Guard armband, right?"

"Holy crap, the fake ID guy?!"

Chen Shu's eyes went wide as it all clicked.

"But your voice..."

He raised an eyebrow. He genuinely couldn't recall the voice.

"Of course I had to be careful."

A'Liang said it nonchalantly — naturally, he couldn't reveal his real voice.

"It's a small world after all."

Chen Shu chuckled. Who would've thought a fake ID maker could get into Huaxia Academy?!

"My name is Chen Shu! The 'Shu' as in 'well-read and reasonable'!"[1]

He extended his right hand, a kindly smile on his lips.

"My name is A'Liang! The 'liang' as in 'honest and kind'!"

A'Liang also extended his right hand with a beaming smile.

Their hands met briefly before pulling apart.

"If you ever need anything, just call me! As long as the money's right!"

A'Liang smiled and actually handed over a business card.

Coward Terminator: A'Liang!

Contact: 183...

"Anything?"

Chen Shu raised an eyebrow. Had he just met someone in the same damn line of work?

"I can solve ninety percent of the world's problems!"

"What about the remaining ten percent?"

"That requires more money!"

...

"Interesting."

Chen Shu watched the departing figure and rubbed his chin.

He had a feeling the two of them would definitely cross paths again.

"Chen Pi, are you two from the same organization?"

Zhang Dali sidled over and asked.

"What organization?" Chen Shu replied instinctively.

"A criminal organization!"

"Oh, give me a break!"

The two of them boarded the plane and embarked on their journey home.

[1] 知书达理 (zhī shū dá lǐ): A chengyu meaning "well-educated and reasonable" — literally "knows books, attains reason." Chen Shu's given name, 书 (Shū), means "book." He's claiming his name comes from this classical idiom. The irony is staggering: this is the self-proclaimed Nanjiang Bandit, a shameless scam artist whose life philosophy is the polar opposite of "well-read and reasonable." A'Liang then mirrors the joke with "诚实善良" (honest and kind) using his own name 良 (liáng).

[2] 半路杀出来的程咬金 (bànlù shā chūlái de Chéng Yǎojīn): "A Cheng Yaojin who appeared halfway through." Cheng Yaojin was a famous Tang Dynasty general from the classic novel Romance of the Sui-Tang, known for his ambush tactics. The phrase is now a common idiom for someone who unexpectedly swoops in to steal the spotlight — or, in this case, the bounty money.