"Then what should we do?"
The patrol squad leader clearly hadn't encountered this kind of tangled domestic situation before.
Initially, his only thought had been to drag the hysterical, order-disrupting woman back to the precinct to clear the street, stabilize the scene, and leave a favorable impression on Teacher Flandre. But in his rush, he had completely forgotten that the woman had a young child in tow.
Handling an uncooperative adult was easy enough, but what were they supposed to do with a frightened child?
Noticing his flustered expression, Flandre offered smoothly, "Doesn't the Guard Department have a dedicated Relief Area for temporarily housing the elderly, the sick, and minors? You can take her there first, then look into her father's details. If he's currently in Lungmen, just call him over."
"Right, right! We can send her to the Relief Area first!" The officer slapped his forehead, instantly catching on.
He stepped toward the child, but the moment he approached, the little girl shrank back with a face pale with fear, taking several hurried steps away.
This left the patrol leader completely at a loss once again.
Standing nearby, Sister Hong Meiling shook her head softly. She finally understood why this officer had been assigned to basic street patrol for further training.
Patrol duty meant interacting with all kinds of citizens and unique personalities day in and day out. Through these raw, everyday interactions, an officer accumulated invaluable practical experience. This captain was clearly a capable fighter who simply lacked the emotional intelligence and tactical diplomacy needed for delicate social situations.
He was a decent guard with good combat potential, but for an organization as complex as the Lungmen Guard Department, an outstanding officer couldn't just rely on their fists—they needed a sharp, adaptable brain. Demoting him to six months of basic street duty wasn't merely punishment for past mistakes; it was an investment by his superiors, hoping he would build grassroots experience.
At that moment, Flandre walked over to the timid child's side.
"Don't be scared," Flandre said, tilting her head with a gentle smile. "How about we ride to the Guard Department with you?"
Looking at the harmless-looking little girl in front of her, the child hesitated for a few seconds before nodding timidly in agreement.
Flandre flashed an 'OK' sign to the group, taking the child's hand and leading her toward the nearby patrol car.
Watching them, Meiling couldn't help but sigh. "We've been in Lungmen for three days and we're already on our second trip to the police station... This isn't exactly a great trend..."
Flandre turned around, giving her a brilliant, radiant smile. "We don't have anything else on our schedule anyway, so let's just consider it experiencing the local customs and culture!"
"Hey, listen to yourself! What kind of 'local culture' requires visiting the police station to experience?"
Meiling reached out and affectionately rubbed Flandre's head. But right in the middle of enjoying herself, she suddenly remembered that Remilia Scarlet might be watching her every move through some magical viewing medium back home, and a sudden, bone-chilling shiver ran down her spine.
Flandre was still giggling happily, completely oblivious to the fact that her gatekeeper felt like breaking into tears.
During the brief chat inside the patrol vehicle, the group managed to learn the girl's identity.
Her name was Li Li. The woman taken into custody was her stepmother, while her biological father worked at a factory located in the industrial zone just outside Lungmen's core district. However, she didn't know the exact name or sector of the factory.
Thankfully, she knew her home address, meaning the Guard Department could easily dispatch an officer to ask the neighbors and track down her father without much trouble.
Yet, a deeper concern weighed on Flandre's mind.
Points at Li Li, Flandre noted sharply, "Look at how thin and malnourished she is, and her stepmother is so openly cruel to her. How can you be sure her father actually cares about her? What if her father is actively involved in treating her like this? Wouldn't sending her back home be like throwing a little lamb right into a tiger's den?"
Her words caused everyone in the car to freeze.
While Flandre's concern might have sounded like overthinking on the surface, it was a very real possibility. A child being reduced to such a frail, emaciated state was rarely the work of a stepmother acting entirely alone without the father's tacit consent.
However, writing off her father as abusive before even questioning him was an unacceptable bias in law enforcement.
"How about this," the patrol leader offered after a moment's thought. "Once her father arrives, we'll arrange for a Guard Department psychological counselor to sit in on the meeting. If we detect anything abnormal, we'll report it up the chain and see how leadership wants to handle it."
"That works!" Flandre nodded. Without knowing her full family dynamic, that was indeed the most reasonable approach for now.
When the vehicle pulled into the Guard Department headquarters, everyone stepped out and walked through the main doors together.
"Flandre? What kind of trouble did you get into this time?"
The moment they stepped into the lobby, Sister Beatrice's familiar voice echoed across the room.
Flandre looked up to see Sister Beatrice striding over, her face filled with surprise.
Flandre immediately pointed to the little girl standing behind her. "How could I be in trouble? I was performing a brave, heroic deed for justice! If you don't believe me, ask this uncle here!"
Flandre pointed straight at the patrol captain who had escorted them.
Hearing himself addressed as an 'uncle', the captain pointed to his own nose in utter disbelief. "I'm only twenty-six... I'm not an uncle!"
Flandre gave him a thoroughly unconvinced look, pointing at his scruffy, unkempt beard. "You clearly look like you're almost forty!"
The comment landed like a massive critical hit. The captain covered his face in profound sorrow, turning around and walking away in silence to nurse his wounded pride.
"Alright, stop teasing him. What actually happened?"
Beatrice ushered the group into a private office to avoid causing a scene in the busy main lobby before asking for the full story.
Flandre swiftly recounted everything that had transpired at the market.
After listening to the breakdown, Beatrice looked over at the terrified little girl sitting quietly on the couch. "Your suspicion is quite reasonable, Flandre. But we can only make an official assessment after her father arrives."
"And what if it really turns out to be like that?" Flandre pressed.
Beatrice sighed softly, a trace of helplessness in her eyes. "Truthfully, our legal options are limited. The most we can do is notify the local neighborhood committee so they can conduct periodic welfare checks on the family."
"That won't work at all!" Flandre argued, her red eyes widening. "If that man thinks she's the reason her stepmother got arrested, he'll definitely beat her the moment they get home! You guys are going to get someone hurt!"
"Lungmen's current legal framework is largely a blank slate regarding domestic custody disputes," Beatrice explained patiently. "As long as both legal guardians are present, the Guard Department cannot forcibly intervene in internal family affairs unless the minor actively requests state protection. Even if we did step in and strip custody, the Guard Department has no facility to raise children—we could only transfer her to a state orphanage."
Flandre tilted her head, a glint flashing in her eyes. "Hmm... well, if it really turns out that her father is a bad person, can you let me meet him alone for a minute?"
Beatrice narrowed her eyes guardedly. She knew all too well that Flandre's internal moral compass didn't align with standard societal rules. "What are you planning to do?"
"Don't worry, I won't hurt him!" Flandre gestured with her thumb and index finger, creating a tiny gap. "I'll just slightly... 'twist' his perspective regarding his daughter."
"I have a strong feeling you're planning something mischievous," Beatrice said, clearly unconvinced.
"No, no! Flandre is a good girl. Flandre doesn't do bad things," Flandre insisted with a completely innocent expression.
"Fine. When the father arrives, we'll go in to see him together," Beatrice decided. Seeing the look in Flandre's eyes, she knew that if she didn't supervise her directly, the little girl would likely sneak off to meet him in private and cause an even bigger situation.
"That works too!" Flandre agreed readily, trotting over to sit beside the little girl on the sofa.
They waited together in the office for several hours. As evening approached and the sun dipped below the horizon, a simple, haggard-looking middle-aged man sprinted into the Guard Department precinct, his face pale with anxiety.