Chapter 38: Are those headlights of yours even proper?

"Sir, your truck is broken!" Tan Ping said with a smile upon seeing the truck driver.

"What? Officer, you say my truck is broken?" The driver looked skeptical. "I just had this truck serviced not long ago!"

"I know you don't believe me. How about this, sir? Get in and start the engine," Tan Ping suggested.

"Alright!" The driver, still half-doubting, returned to the cab, started the engine, and slowly pressed the accelerator.

Tan Ping immediately called out, "Don't rev it! Don't rev it! No need to accelerate! I just need to listen to the sound!"

At this moment, viewers in the livestream were glued to their screens. Comments began to flood the chat: "Guys, do you think Officer Tan can really tell if a vehicle has a fault just by listening to it start?"

"I've never heard of such a thing!"

"I think it sounds a bit far-fetched, too."

Soon, a viewer who worked in the auto repair industry commented: "This might be possible for a seasoned master mechanic, but Officer Tan is just too young!"

"Exactly! I'm a veteran mechanic who served in the military. I had a squad leader back then who had this incredible skill, but he was a legend in our unit. Even the commander treated him with great respect."

"I bet that squad leader must have been an elite soldier!"

"You're right! He was a First Class Sergeant!"

"Wow! A First Class Sergeant! That's a real treasure in the military!"

Just then, Tan Ping said to the driver, "Sir, look, while it's idling, you can hear a slight 'ticking' sound... The standard intake valve clearance for a 3-cylinder engine is 0.3 millimeters, and the exhaust valve is 0.4 millimeters. Your intake valve clearance has already reached 1.0 millimeter. There's definitely something wrong here!"

Prompted by Tan Ping, viewers began typing in the chat: "Holy crap! It's actually true!"

"But this truck just drove past Officer Tan, and he could tell? That's too god-like!"

"Many people can hear valve noise, but identifying which cylinder and which valve? I've never seen that before!"

"Officer Tan was in the military too. I'm really curious—what kind of soldier was he?"

By now, Tan Ping had already grabbed tools from the driver and started the repairs. His movements were incredibly skillful, causing even the veteran mechanics in the livestream to feel humbled.

"I'm convinced! I'm truly convinced! I've been repairing cars for 21 years, and I feel like my skills aren't even as good as this young officer's!"

"I once heard a professor at school say that some elite soldiers in the military could pinpoint the source of a breakdown just by listening to an engine. Today, I've finally seen it for real!"

Soon, Tan Ping finished the repair. He took off his oil-stained gloves and said to the driver, "Sir, it's fixed! You're good to go."

"I can just drive off like that?" the driver asked, looking puzzled.

"Why? Is there something else?" Tan Ping asked with a smile.

"Officer, you just fixed my car. Aren't you going to charge me?" the driver couldn't help but ask.

"Hahaha! Sir, I am a people's police officer. Serving the people is what I should do!" Tan Ping replied with a laugh.

"You really are a great traffic cop!" The driver gave Tan Ping a thumbs-up.

In the livestream, netizens showered him with praise: "Officer Tan, you are the best mechanic among all traffic police!"

"Hahaha! When you retire, you could open an auto repair shop; business would definitely be booming!"

"Your spirit of serving the people is something all traffic police should learn from!"

"Awesome! I have to follow you!"

Next, Tan Ping continued his traffic law education. The viewers watched as he pulled over a dozen more vehicles over the next hour. He pointed out various issues for each one, including brake failure, poor braking efficiency, dragging brakes, chassis issues, tire problems, and more.

The audience was dumbfounded. They flooded the chat: "Officer Tan, what exactly was your major in college?"

"Did you study auto repair before you joined the military?"

"Officer Tan can not only identify vehicle faults but also fix them himself. This is too powerful!"

During the intervals, Tan Ping didn't forget to educate the public: "Dear viewers! Before you hit the road, make sure to thoroughly check your vehicles. Driving a faulty car is a major safety hazard for yourself and every other road user!"

"True! Officer Tan is right! Not long ago, there was a major traffic accident just like that. A bus had brake failure at a red light, lost control, and hit a car waiting in front, resulting in a tragic two deaths and one injury!"

"Yesterday, a car near me just burst into flames for no reason. The driver was burned alive!"

"Everyone, get your cars serviced when they need it. When you're on the road, it's about the safety of everyone!"

A colleague arrived with lunch boxes. Tan Ping picked one up and began eating while squatting on the side of the road. Even while eating, he managed to flag down another car and point out its mechanical fault!

"666! Officer Tan, you are truly dedicated!" Moved by the sight, the viewers sent heartfelt messages.

"Officer Tan, you are the most dedicated traffic cop I have ever seen!"

"The drivers on this road are lucky; it's like getting a free vehicle inspection!"

"If I wasn't so far away, I'd drive over and ask Officer Tan to fix my headlights!"

"Hey sister upstairs, do you really want him to fix your headlights? I'm too embarrassed to call you out!"

"Exactly! I bet besides the headlights, you want him to fix your exhaust pipe for free too, right? You can't fool us with your little schemes!"

Tan Ping finished his lunch, cleaned up the trash, and placed it in a nearby bin.

Then, his colleague Wang Xingyun asked, "Ping, where did you learn this car repair technique?"

"What's wrong, sir?" Tan Ping asked, puzzled.

"Well, my son's high school grades aren't great, and I'm planning to have him learn a trade so he can make a living. I see your repair skills are quite good..." Wang Xingyun explained.

"Oh, I see. Sir, I learned these skills from an old squad leader back in the military!" Tan Ping lied without blushing or skipping a beat.

"Is that so?" Wang Xingyun felt a bit disappointed. He had hoped Tan Ping learned his trade at a technical school so he could send his son there for training.

In the livestream, viewers commented: "I knew it! Officer Tan's skills must have been learned from a sergeant in the military!"

Just then, a red car pulled over to the side of the road. The door opened, and a long, slender leg stepped out.

The viewers instantly went wild: "No way! Is a female fan actually going to find Officer Tan?"