Chapter 39: Returning to the Station to Say Goodbye

After listening to Zhou Yi’s brief explanation over the phone, Jiang Biao replied, "In principle, cracking down on organized crime is the responsibility of the Second Squad. However, the head of the Second Squad is currently away at the provincial capital attending a conference. I’ll speak with Captain Wu in a moment to coordinate a joint operation. When the time comes, we’ll do exactly as you said—catch them in the act and wipe them all out in one fell swoop."

Zhou Yi expressed his gratitude and was about to hang up, but Jiang Biao continued.

"I just remembered something. Captain Wu mentioned that your transfer procedure has been specially approved by Director Xie. He wants you to come to the station to complete your handover in the next couple of days and report to the detachment next Monday at nine in the morning."

A surge of joy welled up in Zhou Yi’s heart. In his previous life, it had taken him four years of arduous struggle and hard work to officially set foot inside the Municipal Bureau.

Now, he had covered that same four-year journey in just twenty-four hours.

The passion that had been dulled by the passage of time began to boil within him once again. Could it be that his era was finally dawning?

"Brother Biao, thanks a lot. Once we take down this criminal gang, I’ll treat everyone in the Third Squad to a meal."

After hanging up, Zhou Yi returned to the hospital ward. Finding that the doctor confirmed his grandfather was in no serious condition and only needed a few more days of observation, he said goodbye to his aunt and third uncle and headed home.

He needed to go home to shower and wash away the smell of alcohol before heading to the precinct.

Today was already Friday, and he had to report to the Municipal Bureau next Monday, so he needed to stop by his current station to say his goodbyes.

Upon arriving home, Zhou Yi discovered a plate of braised pork, a plate of scrambled eggs with tomatoes, and a plate of cabbage, all covered by a large ceramic bowl.

Beside them lay a note, with his mother’s handwriting spelling out four words: "Remember to eat."

Zhou Yi’s eyes stung, and he broke into a blissful smile.

The Nanhu Street Police Station was not far from his home, as police work was usually assigned locally.

After boiling water, showering, and eating, it was already noon by the time he finished.

As soon as Zhou Yi entered the station, someone called out to him in surprise, "Oh, Zhou Yi is here!"

Zhou Yi smiled and greeted them, and everyone he encountered along the way greeted him with looks of astonishment.

In a prefecture-level city’s police station, staff numbers were limited, and news of Zhou Yi’s situation had already spread throughout the building that morning.

A grassroots officer with less than a year of service was suddenly being transferred to the Municipal Bureau’s Criminal Investigation Detachment—and reportedly to the Major Crimes Unit at that.

Such a thing was unheard of. The only possible explanation was that he possessed an incredibly powerful background and had been sent to the grassroots level to gain experience under a concealed identity.

But Zhou Yi was a local, and half of his colleagues were locals, some even being the children of workers from the Second Steel Plant. How could Zhou Yi possibly have a powerful background?

Everyone was even more bewildered.

"Master!" Seeing a familiar back, Zhou Yi quickened his pace and ran over.

The man Zhou Yi addressed as "Master" was a middle-aged officer with a slightly sagging figure and an unremarkable appearance.

This veteran officer was named Zhang Ning, the mentor who had taken Zhou Yi under his wing when he first joined the force.

Although Zhang Ning was just an ordinary grassroots officer, Zhou Yi had followed him for over two years in his previous life and had truly learned a great deal from him.

Technically, Zhou Yi’s position at the station was more accurately described as a community police officer, responsible for maintaining order in a specific neighborhood.

While "People’s Police" was the formal term for all law enforcement, both inside and outside the system, people habitually used it as a shorthand for grassroots officers.

In the grassroots public security system of a police station, the main roles were community officers and household registration officers.

In addition, there were local joint-defense teams that assisted community officers with daily patrols and other tasks.

It would be nearly a decade before the joint-defense teams were abolished and replaced by the more advanced auxiliary police system.

Zhou Yi started as a community officer, and the matters such officers handled were trivial—dog bites, mother-in-law and daughter-in-law arguments over drinking pesticide, street vendors clashing with urban management, and so on.

Whenever someone called the police, the community officer had to respond.

At most, catching a petty thief was considered a "major case."

If a homicide ever occurred within their jurisdiction, it was the job of the branch criminal police team or the municipal criminal investigation detachment; it wasn't something they needed to worry about.

Zhang Ning had spent half his life as a community officer and was highly experienced in interpersonal relationships and conflict mediation.

If someone like Wu Yongcheng were to handle those same trivial disputes, things would likely go wrong.

The two-plus years Zhou Yi spent following this veteran officer were essential in tempering his patience and character, benefiting his future career as a criminal investigator immensely.

"You rascal! You didn’t even tell me about such big news. You don’t consider me your master anymore, do you?" Zhang Ning punched Zhou Yi on the arm.

Clearly, he already knew why Zhou Yi was being transferred to the Municipal Bureau.

"How could that be? You will always be my master."

"Once you’re at the Municipal Bureau, work hard. Come back and visit us when you have time," Zhang Ning said with a look of gratification.

Zhou Yi saluted and said solemnly, "Understood. I definitely won’t bring shame upon you, Master."

Zhang Ning, visibly moved, kept repeating, "Good news, such good news."

With the ice broken, surrounding colleagues crowded around to offer their congratulations.

In a small city’s grassroots police station, interpersonal relationships were simple. Everyone got along well, and they were genuinely happy for Zhou Yi.

"Are you all done working? What will the public think if they see this?" A voice suddenly rang out from behind the crowd.

Everyone turned to see the station chief, Jin Lei, standing there with his hands behind his back, looking stern.

"Zhou Yi, come with me," Chief Jin said before turning to walk away.

Everyone knew Jin Lei’s personality—he liked to put on a stern face, but he was a warm-hearted man at his core, so they didn’t take it to heart and scattered to get back to work.

"Master, I’ll go over there first and come find you later."

"Go, go ahead."

Zhou Yi followed Jin Lei into the office. As soon as the door closed, the stern-faced Chief Jin immediately beamed with smiles.

"Little Zhou, Captain Wu from the Municipal Bureau has already spoken with me. I will fully cooperate on my end; you just need to go to the personnel department and sign the papers in a bit," Chief Jin said, smiling as he poured Zhou Yi a glass of water.

"Sit, sit, sit. Excellent, excellent. When you first joined our station, I knew you would achieve great things in the future!"

Zhou Yi had no way of knowing that when Wu Yongcheng called yesterday to request his temporary transfer, Jin Lei had been pacing his office in a panic, terrified that Zhou Yi had gotten himself into trouble.

After a few pleasantries, Zhou Yi tentatively asked, "Chief, is there something you’d like me to help you with?"

Jin Lei gave an awkward laugh. "No, no. Drink your water, drink."

"Chief, don’t have any reservations. If you have any difficulties, just tell me, and I’ll help you overcome them together."

Jin Lei was stunned. Why did that sound so strange?

Am I the chief, or are you the chief?