Chapter 126: Carrot and Stick

Faced with Chen Mo’s relentless pressure, the three young punks looked furious but were utterly helpless.

Chen Mo had been a criminal detective for many years. He had seen more than his fair share of street punks like these.

A single glance was all it took for him to see right through these guys.

That was why he wasn’t afraid of pushing too hard and provoking some kind of violent retaliation from the trio.

He knew better than anyone what truly dangerous people were like.

In the cases he had worked on, whenever armed robbers threatened their victims to get them to hand over their valuables...

...the vast majority were using fake guns, and the ones with knives almost never had a record of actually stabbing anyone.

The truly dangerous ones, on the other hand, were men of few words.

They wouldn’t waste time dawdling. Most of the time, those violent criminals would just walk up and shoot their victim dead, or stab them a couple of times without a word.

Then they would calmly take the money and walk away.

Earlier, when Lin Yu’an had been desperately clutching that handkerchief, all the three of them had done was give him a beating.

When even that didn’t make Lin Yu’an open his fist, not one of them pulled out a knife to threaten him, even though they were all carrying one.

That alone revealed what these three were really made of.

Even though they all carried knives, they were obviously the cowardly, spineless type.

They only carried knives to boost their own courage and feel tough.

If it actually came down to pulling out their knives and stabbing someone, they’d never dare go through with it.

He was certain of this, which was why he acted without restraint.

This was especially clear just a moment ago. After Chen Mo showed them that the minimum sentence for robbery was three years, the terrified, dumbstruck look on the faces of the blond youth and his two friends said it all.

They might dare to commit petty crimes, but they would never dream of committing a major one.

The only reason they had tried to rob Lin Yu’an was because they had no idea that even robbing a student of his pocket money could lead to such a severe punishment.

In their minds, mugging someone for a bit of cash was about the same as shoplifting from a convenience store.

Even if they got caught, they figured they would be released quickly.

So they weren’t scared in the slightest.

Now that they knew how severe the consequences were, the three of them were panicking.

They were especially terrified because they’d heard that in prison you could get bullied by the old-timers, and even worse, you might have to "drop the soap."

Young guys like them would be way too popular in a place like that.

The thought of dropping the soap made all three of them instinctively clench their butt cheeks.

If Chen Mo knew what they were thinking, he’d probably die of laughter at their wild imaginations.

He didn’t know what prisons were like overseas, but at least in this country, they were under fairly strict control. Things would never really get to the "drop the soap" stage.

Seeing how serious the situation had become, the three quickly conferred in hushed tones and decided to settle the matter with money.

Kneeling and kowtowing in public was far too humiliating.

After that, they’d be socially dead. They could forget about ever showing their faces on the streets again.

They immediately tried to borrow money from their other cronies who were hanging around.

But as it turned out, the seven or eight of them couldn’t even scrape together five hundred yuan.

In the end, all their money put together only amounted to three hundred yuan.

By now, the blond man looked so miserable he was on the verge of tears.

"Bro, we really tried our best," the blond youth said to Chen Mo, his face a mask of misery. "How about you just take the three hundred and we call it even? We’re just first-time offenders. You should be merciful where you can, right?"

At that, Chen Mo placed the three hundred yuan into Lin Yu’an’s hand and looked over at him. "What do you think?"

Instantly, the blond youth whipped his head toward Lin Yu’an, his face pleading for mercy.

The other two also stared at Lin Yu’an hopefully, swallowing nervously.

"They know they were wrong. Just let it go," Lin Yu’an said, his soft-hearted nature showing.

Seeing their pleading expressions, he chose to forgive them.

Hearing him say that, the trio’s expressions immediately relaxed, and they all turned in unison to look at Chen Mo.

It wasn’t enough for Lin Yu’an to give in. The final decision still rested with this guy.

If he didn’t give the word, this matter wouldn’t be over.

Seeing the looks on their faces, Chen Mo knew his plan had worked.

Lu Xun once said: "The Chinese are a people who love to compromise. If you say, ’This room is too dark, we must install a window,’ they will all certainly refuse. But if you propose tearing off the entire roof, they will come to a compromise and agree to install a window."

In truth, this principle doesn’t just apply to the Chinese; it applies to almost everyone.

And based on this principle, one could achieve a "carrot and stick" effect without having to offer anything at all.

You start by proposing an unacceptable condition. Then, just as the other party is forced to accept it, you suddenly lower the demands. This makes the other party feel as if they’ve inexplicably been granted a great mercy.

This is how to create a "carrot and stick" effect using the psychology of compromise.

If Chen Mo had started by just demanding all the money they had...

...they would have complied, but only because they were forced to.

And afterward, the only thing they would remember is how you squeezed every last cent from them.

The only thing left in their minds would be hatred.

But when you start with a condition they can’t possibly meet but have no choice but to accept, and then suddenly you lower the stakes...

...those who have been pushed to the brink of despair will suddenly feel a sense of salvation.

This sense of salvation triggers a massive dopamine release in the brain, filling the person who was just drowning in despair with the immense pleasure of a narrow escape.

This euphoria creates an illusion.

It makes them feel grateful to the person who granted them this salvation.

This was the result Chen Mo wanted. The first thing they would remember was that Lin Yu’an was the one who let them off the hook.

By orchestrating events this way, he could not only make them apologize to Lin Yu’an but also ensure they wouldn’t resent Lin Yu’an for it. In fact, the next time they saw him, they would remember how he’d "saved" them and still feel a sense of gratitude.

Such is the complexity of the human psyche.

Chen Mo had dealt with criminals for years; he had a profound understanding of their psychology.

Many criminals, once their guilt is established, develop a desperate craving for redemption.

Chen Mo was using this very method now, giving the trio the illusion of being found guilty, only to then be granted a reprieve.

Seeing that his plan had worked, Chen Mo cracked a small smile. "Since you’re sincere about admitting your mistake and Yu’an has decided to forgive you, it would be unreasonable of me to press the issue. Fine. You three apologize to him, and we’ll consider this matter closed. And in the future, if you run into him, be a little smarter about it."

"Yes, yes, we understand..."

The three of them nodded, apologized to Lin Yu’an, and then hastily led their group away.

And at that moment, a scar-faced man hidden in a nearby corner relaxed from his ready stance, switching from a state of intervention back to casual observation.