Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
The position of the gatekeeper had opened up, and due to a decision from the higher-ups, I was assigned to take on the role, becoming the second Old Qin. I felt helpless; I had previously held a position in the police force, but now I had been reduced to merely guarding the entrance. While others were advancing in their careers, I seemed to be sinking lower. The Special Investigation Team was out of reach for me now, and I couldn't even manage the archives. Heaven help me...
As I vented my frustrations at the desk in the gatehouse, an elderly man walked in. He looked to be over sixty, with neatly combed white hair that gave him a vigorous appearance. He stood tall at about five foot eight, his posture straight as an arrow, and though his face bore no expression, he exuded an air of authority that commanded respect. I addressed him, saying, "Hello, may I ask who you are looking for or what you need?"
It’s worth noting that most people entering the bureau would use the Main Entrance; very few came this way, as it was primarily internal personnel moving about. The old man scrutinized me for a moment but remained silent, leaving me no choice but to stare back at him. After a brief silence, I sensed something was off.
Noticing my change in expression, he immediately turned to leave. I didn't say anything further and followed him outside. We walked down the street until he finally stopped and turned to me, asking, "Why are you following me?" I shrugged sheepishly and replied, "Isn't that what you wanted me to do?"
Upon hearing this, he burst into laughter and then entered a modest restaurant. I followed the elderly man into a private room. Upon opening the door, I saw someone sitting inside—none other than Director Li. Seeing the old man enter, Director Li stood up to greet him.
Once we were seated again, only I remained standing. Director Li gestured toward me and said to the old man, "I went through a lot of trouble to bring you here; I hope it was worth your time!" The old man glanced at me and smirked before replying, "It's passable." It dawned on me that this person was invited by Director Li.
"Do you know why I'm here?" The old man patted the chair beside him, indicating for me to sit down.
I didn't hesitate and took a seat before saying, "In this line of work as a police officer—especially as a detective—keen observation is crucial. When I was at the gatehouse earlier, I deduced that you were not an ordinary person. My guess has two possibilities: one, you're a university professor who loves exercising; two, you're someone well-read from within the system..."
The old man nodded slightly, encouraging me to continue.
"Especially when I saw your hands; at that moment, I was almost certain of your identity." I extended my hand and continued, "You have noticeable calluses on your right index and middle fingers as well as on your palm—this indicates you can wield both a pen and a gun."
"Plus, there are those two capable bodyguards beside you and what Director Li just mentioned." I glanced toward the door of the private room before continuing, "If one can't see through all this, then this visit would truly be pointless. To be honest, those two don’t fit the role of waitstaff here..."
With that said, I stood up and declared loudly, "Please give me another chance to join the Special Investigation Team..."
"Haha!" Just as my words fell silent, the old man laughed heartily and stood up to pat my shoulder with surprising strength. He remarked, "Well done! I've come here without saying a word and you've already guessed my identity; you have quite a treasure among your subordinates!" This last comment was directed at Director Li.
Director Li replied, "I don't shy away from promoting talent; this kid has been with me for years—he's impressive."
Later on, I learned that the person I had been speaking with was the Vice Minister of our department and responsible for this selection process for the Special Investigation Team. It turned out Director Li had enough clout to bring him all the way to Yuzhou City. The old man said, "Director Li has mentioned your situation to me several times. This newly established Special Investigation Team is specifically for serious cases; you should know that if I choose you, it will require overcoming significant opposition..."
I understood what he meant and quickly responded, "I guarantee that every mission will be completed without mistakenly arresting an innocent person or letting any guilty ones slip away!"
"Alright!" the old man said, "Actually, I consider myself a friend of Old Qin..."
When I pushed open the door to the temporary office of the Special Investigation Team, I found five or six people already waiting inside. Among them was someone I knew all too well—Yang Xiaojuan, who had left just a few days ago. She noticed me too, her eyes widening in surprise, but it quickly faded as she pretended not to recognize me. Clearly, she was still upset with me.
Aside from Yang Xiaojuan, the other individuals in the room caught my attention. One man appeared to be about four or five years younger than me, standing tall at around six feet. His muscles were subtly visible, and his piercing gaze exuded strength and determination. The thick calluses on his hands suggested he spent over eight hours a day handling a firearm—either a soldier or a special police officer.
Next to him sat a young girl who looked no older than seventeen or eighteen. Her fair skin resembled that of a freshly cracked egg, and her large eyes sparkled with curiosity. She wore a baseball cap and carried a playful blue backpack, giving off the impression of a high school student.
Another person in the room was a chubby fellow with an unkempt appearance, who was hunched over a computer. Upon seeing me enter, he typed something on the keyboard before standing up and announcing, "From now on, you are all members of the Special Investigation Team! Let's give a round of applause!"
He started clapping first, which only made everyone else feel awkward. Adjusting his glasses, he continued, "Ahem, I'm your liaison for the Special Investigation Team. Any case assignments will come through me... Now then, Mary, why don't you introduce everyone?"
The girl who looked like a high school student stood up and glanced around at everyone before pulling out a laptop from her backpack. Balancing it with one hand while looking at the screen, I noticed that the laptop had a sleek black design and appeared lightweight.
Mary began, "There are four members in the Special Investigation Team. The provisional team leader is Shaoshilin, a criminal investigator who has received three third-class merits, two second-class merits, and one first-class merit. He still has two bullets lodged in his body from an incident two years ago that landed him in prison; afterward, he worked for a year as an archive manager at the police department."
She looked at me before continuing, "Yan Junde is a special police officer who has won multiple national martial arts championships and free fighting competitions. He has consistently ranked among the top three in national special police firearms shooting competitions and placed seventh in international military competitions."
"Yang Xiaojuan is a nationally renowned forensic expert and consultant for several medical schools specializing in forensic pathology and toxicology. She is an expert in forensic psychology and is considered a leading figure in our country's forensic community!" After finishing her introduction, Mary pointed to herself and added, "As for me! I'm just a little hacker who dabbles in various dialects and foreign languages while enjoying researching odd things..."
"That guy over there is named A-Bao. He spent seven years undercover and became an esteemed forensic analyst upon returning to the police force..." Mary pointed at the chubby man.
Seeing that Mary was about to continue speaking about him, A-Bao quickly interrupted, "I asked you to introduce the members of the Special Investigation Team—not to talk about me! Let me tell you that being a forensic analyst is not what you think; it's a very sacred profession! Every time I analyze evidence, I have to endure both physiological and psychological pressure! This is no joke..."
Sighing deeply, A-Bao seemed reluctant to explain further to us "mere mortals." He said, "What I'm about to say will determine your future; I hope you listen carefully and make serious decisions." We immediately took him seriously and paused for a moment before he continued: "You are all among the best officers in the system; I'm sure you've heard of the Special Investigation Team!"
Not just heard of it; this Special Investigation Team had always been my dream place to join.
"Since it's called the Special Investigation Team," A-Bao declared with newfound seriousness, shedding his earlier demeanor, "it means we handle special cases—major cases—serious cases! This implies that you will face ruthless killers who are far more inhumane than ordinary criminals; their minds are twisted and perverse. Cases involving murder and dismemberment will become commonplace for you!"
"In the course of carrying out your mission, you may be injured at any moment, or even die!" A-Bao's voice was firm, each word clear and resonant. "Now I give you a choice: join the Special Investigation Team, or leave here before the dangers arise!"
Before A-Bao could finish speaking, I was the first to shout, "I join!"
"I join!" came three different voices in quick succession.
Since we had chosen this path and become honorable People's Police, it meant we had already put our lives on the line. Our country is vast, with a large population; criminals can appear anywhere. The more this is the case, the more we need to step up.
A-Bao smiled and nodded, a hint of mischief returning to his demeanor. He said, "In that case, I won’t say much more. I hope this is your sincere choice. By the way, the Special Investigation Team isn’t just you; there are some things I need to tell you..."
Before A-Bao could continue, Mary interjected, "We're going to compete with another special investigation team, right? The team that cracks the case first gets to stay, otherwise the four of us will have to pack up and leave just as we came, right?" Mary's big eyes sparkled as she spoke quickly.
"You..." A-Bao pointed at Mary.
Mary raised her notebook and said, "This notebook you gave me is great; it’s incredibly fast..."
Comment 0 Comment Count