"What exactly happened? Please explain clearly." The Chinese ambassador, his face cold, stared at the note in front of him and addressed the counselor standing nearby. The note, having arrived at the embassy, had been passed up the chain of command.
Generally, there are two types of diplomatic outposts that a country maintains in foreign nations: embassies and consulates.
China has only one embassy in the United States, located in Washington, D.C., which represents the country's primary diplomatic presence. This embassy primarily handles foreign affairs. Beneath the embassy's jurisdiction are the consulates, situated in various U.S. cities.
In cities like New York and Houston, China maintains consulates that have a strong connection to the local Chinese community. However, Miami is a different case—far removed from the hubs of Chinese settlement. Miami lacks both a Chinese consulate and an embassy.
After Jiang Hai and the man named Qin Feng became involved in a legal matter, the Miami Police Department promptly notified the Chinese embassy. Since neither of these individuals were students nor U.S. citizens, any incident involving them required careful diplomatic consideration.
The U.S. authorities understood that privately prosecuting foreign nationals could spark diplomatic tensions. They weren't willing to jeopardize bilateral relations over a minor incident. Therefore, they reported the situation to the embassy. If China chose to intervene, the individuals in question could be deported back to China. Otherwise, they would be tried under local law.
Notably, the United States and China lack an extradition treaty. This means that a person committing a crime in one country and fleeing to the other cannot necessarily be extradited. This arrangement typically applies to serious crimes, which was not the case for Jiang Hai and Qin Feng.
Initially, the embassy staff handled this incident as routine, filing a report for transparency. However, the situation grew complicated—not because of Jiang Hai, but because of Qin Feng.
"Qin Feng's father is Qin Taian," the counselor explained, rubbing his temples in frustration. "He once did me a significant favor. Also, don't forget—our families are still in China. If Qin Taian retains his position, we could be in serious trouble."
This revelation shed light on Qin Feng's presence in Miami. Had circumstances been more favorable for him in China, he wouldn't have traveled so far, bringing four bodyguards along. If he wanted to enjoy himself, Los Angeles or Las Vegas—closer to China and filled with attractions—would have made more sense. Miami, however, offered one distinct advantage: ease of escape.
The ambassador's face darkened at the counselor's words. "If this gets reported, we're all finished," he muttered. The potential fallout was evident: even if the ambassador were uninvolved, negligence would tarnish his career.
"I deeply apologize, but the situation is already in motion," the counselor said, visibly distressed. "The best course of action is to handle it as quietly as possible. Based on U.S. law, this could be framed as a civil dispute. Jiang Hai's actions might be categorized as excessive self-defense. If we allow the local process to proceed, the consequences will be minor—maybe just a few days in custody or community service."
The ambassador pondered the suggestion before reluctantly agreeing. "Fine. Handle it. I don't want to hear about this again."
By the time the counselor flew from Washington to Miami, Moses Adams, Jiang Hai's lawyer, had already arrived at the Miami Police Department to meet his client.
Fortunately for Jiang Hai, the beach surveillance footage provided crucial evidence. His actions could arguably be seen as excessive self-defense. However, since the aggressors did not possess comparable physical force, the argument for excessive self-defense was weak. Had Aphra and her group delivered the blows, the case might have been dismissed entirely. The principle resembled that of Chinese law: if someone resists an assault, particularly attempted rape, their counterattack is justified, even lethal force.
Thus, the real issue lay in how the Chinese embassy chose to address the matter. Ultimately, the embassy communicated that local laws should dictate the outcome.
When Moses Adams arrived to post Jiang Hai's bail, the process went smoothly. The Miami Police Department, aware of Jiang Hai's wealth—a manor in Boston worth hundreds of millions of dollars—recognized he had no incentive to flee.
Outside the police station, Jiang Hai couldn't hide his frustration. "Damn it. Why am I always running into these kinds of people?" he muttered, spitting on the pavement. It seemed his luck had been particularly bad lately. Back in Boston, he had been targeted as a wealthy mark. Then, someone inexplicably tried to kill him. Now, in Miami, he found himself caught in yet another mess.
"Boss," Moses Adams said with a smirk, "when you're rich, people like that are inevitable. But honestly, have you considered hiring bodyguards? It's not safe for you to move around like this."
"Bodyguards?" Jiang Hai raised an eyebrow. "If there's ever a problem I can't solve myself, bodyguards won't be much help either."
Moses Adams chuckled, knowing Jiang Hai's reputation for physical prowess. "Bodyguards aren't just for protection; they're a deterrent. If you'd had a few imposing men with you today, this might not have happened."
Jiang Hai considered the point. "Fair enough."
"Anyway, do you know what happened to the people I fought with?" he asked.
Moses Adams nodded. "I looked into it. The five you fought were Chinese nationals. Four are former soldiers, though they've been retired for years. The man they were protecting is Qin Feng. I couldn't find much about him."
"Qin Feng, huh? Alright, book a room for yourself at the hotel. Enjoy Miami for a few days and clean up this mess for me. Expenses are on me," Jiang Hai said.
Moses Adams smiled, appreciating the gesture. A few days of paid relaxation sounded perfect.
Back at the hotel, Aphra and her group couldn't help feeling disappointed. They had hoped to strengthen their bond with Jiang Hai during this ordeal, but Moses Adams' arrival had dashed those hopes.
As the group settled in to rest after an exhausting day, Moses Adams enjoyed the perks of his business suite, indulging in the hotel's amenities.
The next morning, Jiang Hai and his group headed out for the medical laboratory they had planned to visit. Meanwhile, the counselor from the Chinese embassy had also arrived in Miami, standing outside the hospital ward where Qin Feng and his men were recovering.
(To be continued...)