Sun City truly lived up to its reputation as the second-largest base, teeming with talent.

"Hey, those inside, hand over the murderer now. If you delay any longer, we'll take matters into our own hands!" someone shouted from outside with a megaphone.

Zhou You realized that the clamor outside had suddenly ceased, even the cries were gone.

Su Ting'er reported calmly, "It’s the city defense team and criminal investigators. They want to take Mr. Shao for questioning. I told them to wait outside."

The city lord glanced upstairs. The marshal's instructions now seemed all interconnected. The casual kill last night seemed like a mere spark. He wondered if the young man from the Zhu family deliberately courted death. His end seemed justified.

"I'll handle this matter; please carry on with your tasks." Lord Xu made an effort to chat with Zhou You, mentioning at one moment his amiable relationship with Zhou Hua Jin, and at another, inviting him over as a guest. He even remarked that a member of his household, who was deeply passionate about martial arts, would be overjoyed to receive guidance from a master like Zhou You.

Knowing of his deep ties with Shao Qi, Zhou You was more than willing to oblige, responding with a smile, "Certainly, I'll pay a visit soon."

Satisfied, Xu Yin Tian left. The moment he stepped out, his demeanor shifted. He sharply addressed the law enforcement officers preparing to break in, saying, "What's the fuss about? I've got the statement for you, take it back for the record."

In his hand was a statement, bearing the signature of Shao Qi. The event's progression was straightforward. Many had witnessed the act of murder, including the provocation from the deceased. There was no room for dispute.

"Lord... Lord of the City?" Only two city defense members came to assist, whereas the criminal investigation team, led by a squad leader with more than a dozen officers, made their appearance. Perhaps they anticipated that Shao Qi, being a master, would be tough to apprehend. But who could have expected to see Lord Xu here?

They hadn't even seen the criminal's face yet. Did the Lord personally oversee this case because of the deceased's surname, Zhu? Should they act more aggressively?

"My Lord, if the suspect resists arrest, do we have permission to use lethal force on the spot?" The squad leader asked, thinking he had grasped Xu Yin Tian's intentions.

"What?"

Xu Yin Tian wondered if he had misheard. "Who are you planning to execute?" He fixed a cold stare on the officer's badge, inquiring, "How long have you served as a detective?"

"Over a decade. I was a detective even before the apocalypse."

Xu Yin Tian nodded, pressing on, "Did you always operate this way before? Resorting to lethal force on suspects so readily?"

The officer hesitated briefly before clarifying, "Not exactly. There's a distinction between suspects and criminals. However, in cases involving terrorists, we exercise discretion."

"Who told you Mr. Shao Qi is a criminal?"

"The evidence is undeniable, both from witnesses and objects. Liu Da instructed us to apprehend the criminal."

Xu Yin Tian slapped the statement onto the officer's chest, "Go back and review this properly. While evidence collection is your job, sentencing is the judge's responsibility. Until a verdict is delivered, you have no right to label him a criminal. Also," he turned to the two city defense personnel, "drive away those making a racket outside. This is a private residence, and you are responsible for maintaining public order. Are you just going to let this slide?"

Rows of the city lord's private soldiers marched in, escorting Xu Yintian out to the car. As the Zhu family members outside tried to intervene, one was promptly kicked away by a soldier, creating a chaotic scene. Xu Yintian, a smirk on his lips, boarded the car and, upon shutting the door, immediately turned off his phone.

"I plan to retreat for a few days. Take me to the tower and station a hundred guards around. I don't want any disturbances."

Chapter 133: Parting on a Sour Note

Inside and outside the villa, everyone was perplexed. Wasn't the Lord supposed to support the Zhu family?

"What do we do now?" A city defense staff member whispered.

The two exchanged glances, then quickly departed from the group, "This matter wasn't really related to our city defense in the first place. Let's just follow the Lord's orders and maintain peace."

The duo exited the villa, driving away the mournful crowd with their batons. They didn't dare offend the Zhu family members directly, so they fled, deeming reporting to their superiors a priority.

Meanwhile, the criminal investigation team's captain, after quickly reviewing the statement, almost spat blood in disbelief. He had encountered white lies before, but never such a distortion of facts. The written account differed entirely from the eyewitness testimonies they'd collected. Were they taking everyone for fools?

The topic was still trending online. Many netizens, upon waking, discovered the event that transpired last night. Online influencers had guided the public narrative all night, assuming the discourse was settled. Surprisingly, many netizens voiced their support for Shao Qi.

The first to defend him were self-proclaimed fans, smitten by Shao Qi's looks and constantly calling him their 'husband'. They were labeled as fanatics, but they were far from irrational. They first researched the deceased's background, identifying him as the nephew of a military brigadier. Sensing trouble, they delved deeper, uncovering many controversial aspects of the deceased's past.

Zhu Shi Kun was easy to research. He had an active social media profile and was a slightly famous livestreamer, primarily sharing videos from outside the base to attract viewers. He was known among netizens for being arrogant, vulgar, and poorly educated. He had gained notoriety for a video depicting the brutal killing of a mutant creature.

While some praised and others criticized, none of these stained his reputation. He had done more than his share of outrageous deeds, such as assaulting young girls and broadcasting murders.

Murder was forbidden within the base, but the existing laws couldn’t reach beyond its boundaries. There were countless unsolved crimes outside, with many teams, like the Dawn Explorers, being almost entirely annihilated.