Chapter 7 Watertight

He pondered for a long time, finally having no choice but to open his phone and study the laws carefully. Although he used to disdain such last-minute cramming, he had no other option now, as he was not a law major after all. Having no money or power, and nothing to rely on, he could only resort to this method to find a way. Concerned about his uncertain future, Lu Ren applied himself like never before. He swore that if he had this drive in high school, even if his IQ dropped by fifty points, Qinghua and Peking University would still be easy choices... After four hours, Lu Ren finally put aside his nearly drained phone to charge, his face relaxing. With his mind sharper than ever, he was eighty percent confident in facing the prosecution’s questioning. This was undoubtedly a particularly tricky case. Even a notorious outlaw like Zhang San had never encountered such a bizarre case, and for unprecedented cases like this, it depends on how much concrete evidence there is. As of now, there were no surveillance cameras in the tunnel, and Wang Gang and the others disappeared without a trace. Although traces of Zhang Qingya and others’ hair were found in the car, there was no blood and no signs of a struggle, which fortunately meant that as a victim, he could still present the facts in another way. Half a month later, with most of his injuries healed, Lu Ren responded flawlessly to the police interrogations, firmly insisting that he was attacked by the three and barely escaped, while Wang Gang and others fled in fear of their crimes. In the absence of evidence, even subjective speculation has no basis. This left the police, who couldn’t find any clues, helpless. They nearly dismantled the entire tunnel without uncovering anything, so even if they filed charges, Lu Ren was likely to be acquitted in court. Wang Gang, Luo Zixuan, and Zhang Qingya seemed to have vanished from the earth, with no trace left. Many even suspected for a time that Wang Gang and the others suddenly attacked Lu Ren, who narrowly escaped death, and that upon realizing the inevitability of failure, Wang Gang and the others fled in fear. ... ... "Thirty-one... Fifty-six... Seventy-three..." Lu Ren propped himself on the ground, body straight upward, with his arm muscles, chest muscles, and shoulder blades slightly trembling. His whole body was drenched in sweat, muscles aching and powerless, washing over his mind in waves. Yet, there was a contradiction of pain and pleasure on his face. "Ding, due to your continuous push-ups, your strength proficiency +1, constitution proficiency +1" "Ding, due to your continuous push-ups, your strength proficiency +1, constitution proficiency +1" "Ding, due to your continuous..." After a full three hundred push-ups, Lu Ren collapsed to the ground, adding only three points of proficiency. One hundred push-ups increased one point, but Lu Ren could clearly feel a noticeable slight increase in his strength. This visible enhancement was already quite terrifying. This skill level panel displayed Lu Ren’s every progress in real-time. In normal study or training, people often lose enthusiasm after prolonged engagement without rewards until they give up. The reason why games are so addictive to many is that video games provide immediate feedback through data; once input is made, there are bound to be gains. Therefore, although this skill level panel has not yet shown other functions, merely recording every moment of progress is undoubtedly a bug-like existence. After most injuries healed, Lu Ren started his fitness regimen. Although he temporarily couldn’t leave the ward, many exercises could be done inside the ward. Exercises like high knees, jump squats, burpees, push-ups, and handstand push-ups, etc. In just a month, Lu Ren’s attribute panel showed that his constitution and strength each increased by one point. The results were gratifying; roughly calculated, the basic strength was 5, and in a 1:1 proportion, the increase in strength attribute directly boosted his original strength by about 25%, with this digitized direct feedback being reflected in his body. Unfortunately, the ward was too small to stretch out; otherwise, he would have loved to practice long-distance running to improve his agility. The door to the ward suddenly opened, and Song Jingxian walked in, looking at Lu Ren, who was still working unhurriedly, and said unceremoniously, "Lu Ren, you can be discharged now, but remember, in the next three months, you must not leave Shu Capital, and you need to report to the local police station monthly. If you fail to report on time, we will immediately list you as a fugitive and track you down." System: "Ding, the female officer deeply regrets not capturing you and expresses deep hatred compared to her heart, and as hate stems from love, prepares..." Enough already!!! Maintaining his sit-up routine in motion, sweat flying, Lu Ren gasped and said, "Thank you, officer. It seems you don’t plan to prosecute me." Even though Song Jingxian’s terms were quite annoying, for Lu Ren, as long as he could get out, he would simply and honestly endure these three months. If the police couldn’t bring new evidence, then there was nothing to worry about. Filing a lawsuit was indeed unnecessary. Although Wang Gang’s bloodstains were found on Lu Ren, no bodies were discovered; only the other party’s disappearance was confirmed. With insufficient evidence, Lu Ren’s account was the only clue, and the attacks on Lu Ren’s body indicated he suffered lethal attacks. But Wang Gang and the others were still not found. The case was very eerie; Lu Ren was clearly aware of the events, but in the absence of evidence, unless Lu Ren confessed, this case had no leads. They had almost turned the surroundings of Du Ya Pass Tunnel upside down but found no clues. They were about to break through Du Ya Pass Tunnel’s segments to review everything. Watching Lu Ren’s extremely calm demeanor, Song Jingxian snorted coldly and said with disgust, "I will definitely bring you to justice!" System: "Song Jingxian clicked follow." Lu Ren had no words. Stopping his movements, showing off his slightly toned muscles, Lu Ren seriously said, "I hope you can enforce the law fairly, Officer Song, and not let emotions influence your work, and quickly bring the treacherous villains like Wang Gang who attempt murders to justice!" Song Jingxian was so irritated by his words that she almost had involuntary tics wanting to punch him. Watching Song Jingxian leave in anger, Lu Ren shook his head slightly, with a look of clarity amidst confusion before he took a shower, changed clothes, and completed the discharge procedures. "What, forty-five thousand?!!" Lu Ren’s face was extremely displeased as he looked at the payment notice in his hand; nearly a month’s hospitalization cost this much?! And not covered by insurance?! That’s a bit much! Seeing Lu Ren’s troubled expression, the nurse asked, "Isn’t the money enough?" Lu Ren shook his head slightly, "It’s not enough." The nurse skillfully pulled out a document and handed it to Lu Ren, "No problem, you can pay in installments via mortgage. You don’t need to repay in the next three months, giving you time to raise funds; then just deposit the monthly payment into this account."