Phoenix Revenge System-Chapter 102: PRS 5 Liona

After seeing that all his citizens were calm, Laksono resumed the conversation while looking at each person in the village hall. "All right," he said firmly, "now explain what actually happened tonight. I want to hear everything from start to finish."

Babo, a resident who had lost his jewelry and the money from the sale of his cow, which was to be used to pay for his mother’s medical treatment, began to speak. His face looked tired and worried.

"Mr. Village Chief," said Babo as he stood up, his voice trembling slightly. "Tonight, thieves broke into my house."

"Tell me in detail, Babo. What time did it happen?" asked Laksono, folding his arms.

The stout man explained the theft in his house, which ended with the pursuit and arrest of the person they suspected of being the thief.

"Around eleven o’clock at night, sir," explained Babo, still breathing heavily. "I woke up because I heard a strange noise coming from the living room. When I went out, I saw someone dressed in dark clothes with a sarong covering their head rummaging through my closet!"

"Then what did you do?" asked Laksono, nodding.

"I screamed, sir! I screamed loudly for help!" said Babo, raising his hands. "The thief immediately ran away, but I managed to see his posture. He was of average height and wore a sarong on his head!"

Due to the poor lighting and the fact that Larti looked exactly like the thief Babo had spotted, Babo immediately shouted, causing several people who were on patrol that night to chase after him and accuse him of being the thief.

"And then the residents who were on patrol immediately gave chase?" asked Laksono, confirming.

"That’s right, sir! We immediately chased the thief!" exclaimed one of the residents who was on patrol. "We saw someone with the exact same characteristics running away!"

Larti, who heard the story, immediately stood up with a red face. "What did you say?! I stole your jewelry and money?!" she shouted indignantly, pointing angrily at Babo. "I’m rich! I have lots of jewelry and money! My husband earns a lot! So why would I steal from your house?!"

"Then why were you out late at night wearing a sarong on your head if you weren’t stealing?!" snapped one of the residents.

"That... that..." Larti stammered, searching for an excuse.

"The perpetrator’s characteristics match yours exactly," said Bambang suspiciously, staring intently at Larti. "All the residents saw him too. He was of average height, wore a black sarong on his head, and had the exact same posture! If you didn’t steal anything, why were you dressed like that in the middle of the night?"

Larti was stunned, her mouth open but no words coming out. She just realized that she did look like a thief. She dressed like that so that her second sister wouldn’t recognize her when she carried out her plan to kidnap the baby.

"I... I..." she stammered, cold sweat beginning to dampen her face.

Larti couldn’t possibly explain this to Bambang with several residents and the village head nearby because kidnapping a baby was a serious crime that could land her behind bars for five to seven years.

"Answer me, Larti! Why are you silent?!" Tain demanded loudly. "You are embarrassing our family!"

"This... I was just cold, so I covered my head with a sarong," she said apologetically, lowering her head. "It was very cold tonight, so I used a sarong to keep my head warm..."

"Cold?! In the middle of summer?!" exclaimed one of the villagers in disbelief. "What kind of excuse is that?!"

"It’s so cold that you have to go outside in the middle of the night?" replied another resident with a cynical laugh.

However, no one there believed her, causing Larti to panic. Her face grew paler.

"None of you believe me?!" she shouted loudly. "If you don’t believe me, then search me! Search my body!" she said boldly, spreading her arms. "Can you find the missing money or not? Try to prove it!"

Larti knew very well that she was completely innocent in this theft case, not knowing that karma for her evil intentions would soon come to her.

"Fine, if you dare us, we will search you!" said one of the residents.

"But... it has to be a woman who searches her," said Wicaksono wisely. "We have to maintain our honor."

Luckily, Bambang’s wife, Rodiyah, came to the village hall after hearing the news that the thief had been caught, so the awkward atmosphere that had prevailed when they wanted to search Larti’s body disappeared.

"I’ll search her!" exclaimed Rodiyah as she entered with an angry face. "How dare you steal from my house!"

"Go ahead, Mrs. Rodiyah! Search me!" said Larti arrogantly. "You won’t find anything!"

Rodiyah began to search Larti’s body thoroughly, checking every pocket and fold of clothing.

At first, Rodiyah was unhappy because she couldn’t find anything. Her face scowled, her mouth protruding a few centimeters forward. "Where’s my money? That five million is the money from selling the cow!" she grumbled as she continued searching.

Larti, who felt that Rodiyah would not find anything on her body, began to smile triumphantly. She lifted her chin arrogantly and began to stare cynically at everyone in the village hall.

"Well! See! There’s nothing, right!" she said triumphantly. "You all accused me without any evidence!"

After this, she would hold them all accountable for defaming her and hurting her. Her body still ached all over from the beating. 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

Larti had already calculated how much compensation she would demand to cover the medical expenses for her suffering and humiliation.

"You have to pay damages!" she shouted, pointing at everyone. "My body is bruised and battered because of you!"

At the very least, with the injuries she had suffered, even though not all of them were from the beating by the residents because she had already been injured at her sister’s house due to a trap, Larti, who was narrow-minded, would certainly ask for more money from those she considered to have harmed her.

"A few hundred thousand should be enough," she muttered to herself while counting.

However, the joy in Larti’s heart immediately vanished when something fell out of her pocket as Rodiyah forcefully pulled the folded cloth.

Clink... clink...

Two gold bracelets fell to the floor with a loud clink.

Everyone fell silent at the sight.

"These are mine! These are my gold bracelets!" shouted Rodiyah as she immediately grabbed the two bracelets with trembling hands. "Oh my God! These are definitely my gold bracelets! One was a gift from my mother-in-law, and the other was a gift from my mother!"

"No! They’re not mine! I don’t know why they were in my pocket!" shouted Larti in panic, her face turning pale.

Everyone who witnessed the incident turned to look at Larti with disdain, and some even began to mock her.

"You thief!"

"Still trying to deny it!"

"The evidence is clear!"

"How embarrassing!"

After taking her two gold bracelets and making sure they were hers, Rodiyah stood with a red face, holding back her anger. She grabbed the sarong still hanging around Larti’s neck so tightly that Larti almost choked.

"Now tell me!" Rodiyah snapped, glaring. "Where did you hide the five million rupiah you stole? Answer me! That money is for my mother’s medical treatment!"

"I don’t know! I don’t know!" Larti shouted, trying to break free from Rodiyah’s grip. "I didn’t steal it! I don’t know why the bracelet was in my pocket! Someone must have put it there! So how could I know where the money is hidden!"

"Still denying it!" Rodiyah yelled loudly.

BUGH!

Babo hit the pillar supporting the village hall so hard that it made a loud noise. "The evidence is right in front of your eyes! What else do you want to say!" he said defiantly, staring at Larti with anger in his eyes.

"Yes, that’s right! What else do you want to say? All the evidence is on you!" exclaimed one of the residents.

"That bracelet couldn’t have appeared on your body by itself if you didn’t steal it! So just admit it!" said another resident, pointing at Larti.

"He’s a thief! Even with the evidence, he still denies it!" replied another resident in a dismissive tone.

"Thieves have no shame!"

"How wicked! His husband earns a good income, yet he still steals!"

The accusations from everyone who kept coming, accusing him of being a thief and cornering him, made Larti’s face pale. Her body trembled, her knees weak.

"I... I didn’t steal anything..." she said weakly, tears streaming down her cheeks.

She never expected this to happen when she was about to kidnap her sister’s newborn baby. It was like a never-ending nightmare.

If Larti had known it would turn out this way, she might have chosen another time to carry out her plan, or even canceled it altogether.

But what could she do? The damage was already done. She couldn’t deny it because there was evidence on her body, even though she didn’t know why Rodiyah’s bracelet was in her pocket.

"I didn’t steal... I swear..." Larti sobbed as she cried. "Please believe me..."

"Believe it?! The proof is in your pocket!" Tain snapped, his face red with anger. "You’ve brought shame on our family!"

When Larti was cornered and could only give up, Mr. Wicaksono made a decision. "All right, with the evidence we have, I decide that Larti must be taken to the police station to answer for her actions," he said firmly.

"No! Please! I’m not guilty!" Larti screamed hysterically.

Everyone escorted her to the police station to answer for her actions.

************

As Larti was escorted to the police station by several residents, inside Laus’s house, a couple who couldn’t sleep after learning that Larti was targeting their child were still awake. They sat on the edge of the bed, staring at Liona who was sleeping peacefully.

"Honey, I still can’t believe my sister-in-law could do something so evil," whispered Lura as she gently stroked Liona’s head.

"I didn’t expect it either, Lur," replied Laus with a long sigh. "But luckily Liona was able to warn us."

Suddenly, Liona’s inner voice echoed in both their heads.

"Hihihiii... I didn’t expect the heavens to still be protecting me," Liona chirped happily in her mind. "Maybe God knew that I was still a baby and couldn’t do anything, so he sent me this great fortune."

Laus and Lura looked at each other with faint smiles.

"Now, my family doesn’t have to worry anymore," Liona continued. "With the theft charge, even though she didn’t steal directly and was just made the scapegoat after being hit by the real thief, at least that wicked woman will be locked up in prison for a few years."

"So Larti really did get her karma," whispered Lura softly.

"By that time, I had grown up and could use my powers to protect myself and my family from people who meant us harm," said Liona determinedly.

Although they didn’t know exactly what the baby was saying in her heart, the couple could conclude that Larti had now received her karma and would no longer bother them for a while.

"Thank God," said Laus as he caressed Liona’s head affectionately. "You are a child who brings blessings, dear."

"Ah, a baby’s body is indeed very weak," Liona grumbled to herself. "Just using a little bit of power to think has made me tired and sleepy. Hoam..."

After being breastfed, Liona fell into a deep sleep with a peaceful expression on her face. Laus and Lura, seeing their baby sleeping soundly and the danger that had threatened them gone, unconsciously closed their eyes as well, so they could return to their normal activities the next day.

The next day, news of Larti stealing money and jewelry from Babo’s house spread quickly throughout the village, leaving Larjon and Lika, Larti’s parents, too ashamed to leave the house. They felt deeply embarrassed.

"Oh God, how could my child do such a thing..." said Lika, crying in the living room.

"What an ungrateful child!" exclaimed Lika, patting her chest repeatedly, her tears flowing uncontrollably. "Tain’s income of 60 thousand per month is not enough to feed us for a month! He can buy anything he wants easily! The house is already made of brick, and he has a motorcycle! What else is he lacking?!"

"Enough. Stop crying," said Larjon, rubbing his wife’s shoulder, even though his face also looked very sad.

It should be noted that in the 1980s, the minimum wage for employees was only 18,000. People who could earn as much as Tain, sixty thousand a month, were considered very rich because with that income, they could live in a brick house and own a motorcycle, which was a rare vehicle at that time.

"With that kind of salary, their lives were already very decent," Larjon said, shaking his head. "I myself don’t understand why he had to steal."

Therefore, Larjon and Lika were very surprised as to why Larti had to resort to stealing when she lacked nothing in life.

Larjon could only sigh several times as he stared blankly out the window. "It’s because your child is ungrateful," he said sadly in a hoarse voice. "Given a good husband and children and a comfortable life, she still seeks hardship. She doesn’t know how to be grateful to the Almighty."

The news about Larti stealing money and jewelry belonging to Babo’s family had not only spread throughout the village of Satarara, but had also reached the villages of Suka, Tebang, and Teno because it was widely discussed by residents who sold goods at the central market where people from the four villages met and traded.

"Have you heard? Larti, Tain’s wife, was caught stealing!"

"Really? But her husband is rich!"

"Yes! A gold bracelet was found in her pocket!"

"Oh my God, how embarrassing for her family!"

Lona, who also heard the news while shopping at the market, felt a little disappointed. Her face was gloomy all the way home.

"What should I do..." she muttered as she walked slowly. "With Larti’s arrest, the possibility of my child having a beautiful baby girl with good fortune could be completely ruined."

"Should I go directly to Larti’s sister’s house and ask them about this?" Lona wondered to herself as she weighed her options.

For the sake of her child, who had been longing for a sibling for years, Lona immediately made a decision. She asked her niece, who worked with her husband, to take her to Laus’s house that very day.

"I have to try," she resolved in her heart. "For my child’s happiness, I will do anything."