chsdbacks Chapter 22 I was the best student back then!
Chapter 22 I was the best student back then!
Chen Yongren's face was filled with disbelief. He asked Luo Ji in a tentative tone:
"Brother Ji, did we really solve this case so easily and smoothly?"
Luo Ji looked at him with a face full of doubt:
"Are there any clues we haven't had time to verify? Or are there any loopholes we haven't uncovered? Or do you have a different opinion?"
Chen Yongren shook his head vigorously, like a rattle-drum, and quickly spoke:
"No, no! There's absolutely no problem!"
Luo Ji's face showed even greater confusion:
"Since there are no problems, isn't that settled?"
Chen Yongren was immediately rendered speechless by the question.
He remained silent for a long while before slowly speaking.
"I just think this is too simple."
"I really didn't expect that solving a case could be so simple."
Luo Ji stared at him intently for a long time:
"Is this simple?"
Chen Yongren spread his hands.
"Isn't that simple enough?"
Luo Ji didn't reply; instead, he turned to Lu Qichang and asked:
"Inspector Lu, do you think we solved this case easily?"
Chen Yongren was taken aback on the spot.
He never expected that his private conversation with Luo Ji would be leaked to Commander Lu.
wrong!
This is blatantly spreading rumors!
Chen Yongren's heart immediately started pounding, and he began to have doubts.
Lu Qichang sneered and said:
"Is this case simple?"
"Who told you that?"
Luo Ji pointed to Chen Yongren beside him:
"It's because Ah Ren thinks this case was solved too easily."
Chen Yongren panicked and immediately stood up from his chair:
"Inspector Lu, I really think this case is quite easy to solve."
Lu Qichang chuckled twice upon hearing this:
"Do you really think this case is simple?"
"If this case were really simple, it wouldn't have fallen into our hands in the first place."
"Don't forget, we're from Major Crimes Unit C."
Chen Yongren was stunned on the spot.
Lu Qichang stepped forward and spoke solemnly to the two men:
"This case was personally handed over to us by General Manager Huang."
How many people could he command?
"The entire West Kowloon Headquarters, from top to bottom, is his subordinate."
"If this case is really easy, why not just send it to any team?"
"How could we possibly have a chance to do something like this?"
"You're all overthinking it!"
Chen Yongren raised his hand and scratched the back of his head, then said:
"But then again, this case isn't difficult for us to solve."
Lu Qichang chuckled and said:
"We've been on the right track in our investigations, without taking any detours, so of course we don't find it difficult."
"If you have time, go through all the files in our group. You'll understand everything after you've read them."
"All cases in the world, once you know the final truth, don't seem difficult to look back on."
"The real challenge is to find the one true truth amidst a myriad of chaotic clues."
"We were lucky this time. With Ah Chu at the helm, we didn't take any detours or do any unnecessary or disruptive investigations."
"The case was closed just like that."
"This is truly extraordinary skill."
He raised his hand and gently patted Chen Yongren's shoulder.
"Ah Ren, do you know what the boss's evaluation of this case was?"
Chen Yongren shook his head blankly:
"I have absolutely no idea."
Lu Qichang chuckled and said:
"This time, we have truly made a contribution."
"And what he accomplished was a first-class merit."
"When it comes to the year-end performance evaluation, it won't be a problem for our entire group to be promoted one level."
Chen Yongren was so shocked that his mouth dropped open, and he said:
"Just because of this case, you're promoted a level?"
Lu Qichang's smile vanished instantly.
"Do you really think this case is easy, deep down?"
"You think it's easy because Achu set the right direction for the investigation from the very beginning."
"If someone else were to handle this, it would take them an unknown amount of time just to figure out the right direction for the investigation."
"Not to mention, they were able to easily track down Dafei's movements and ultimately catch him red-handed!"
Lu Qichang softened his tone, smiled, and said:
"If cases were really that easy to solve, our police force wouldn't have so many unsolved cases piling up."
"Kid, don't be overly ambitious, and don't be all talk and no action."
He abruptly changed the subject and asked,
"This is the same principle as you going undercover."
"A year and a half has passed, what have you accomplished?"
Chen Yongren was so caught off guard by the question that he couldn't say a word.
Yes, what exactly did he do for a whole year and a half?
Others can complete an undercover mission in just one year, but how about him?
After a year and a half, he was still just a low-level hoodlum, spending his days either on his way to beat someone up or on his way to get beaten up.
Thinking back to when he first took on the mission, how did he view the idea of going undercover?
Isn't it just about figuring out the Ni family's background?
I'm an elite police cadet at the police academy, a top prospect who can win the best cadet award. How could I not handle such a small matter?
But the result?
A year and a half has passed, and he hasn't even gotten close to the Ni family, let alone obtained their core intelligence!
The more lofty your ideals, the more skeletal your reality.
Chen Yongren was so choked up that he couldn't utter a single word.
Lu Qichang raised his hand again and gently patted his shoulder:
"It's good to have ambition, but you have to have the skills to match your ambition."
A look of shame instantly appeared on Chen Yongren's face, and he said:
"Inspector Lu, I will definitely learn more from Ah Chu in the future."
Lu Qichang laughed upon hearing this and said:
"Don't even mention you need to learn from him; even I, as the group leader, need to learn more from A-Chu."
"He's the backbone and brain of our entire Group C!"
Chen Yongren's heart stirred again. That's right, even Lu Qichang, the team leader, listens to He Chu's arrangements in everything.
He immediately stood up straight and spoke loudly.
"Yes, sir!"
Lu Qichang patted Chen Yongren on the shoulder again:
"Just focus on doing your job well!"
Chen Yongren nodded solemnly and forcefully.
As they were talking, Huang Bingyao walked in, accompanied by Superintendent Chen and He Chu. Everyone present immediately spoke in unison:
"Hello, boss."
With a smile on his face, Huang Bingyao began to speak:
Hello everyone!
"Your Group C did a really great job this time."
"St. Edinburgh School is a very famous prestigious school in Hong Kong."
"Among the school's alumni, there are not only many wealthy individuals, but also quite a few members of the Legislative Council."
"This time, Dafei was incredibly audacious, actually daring to use St. Edinburgh School as a venue for arms deals, which really angered these alumni."
"This group of people absolutely hate Dafei to the core."
"You not only solved Dafei's case smoothly and recovered my service weapon, but you also prevented St. Edinburgh School from suffering any losses. Furthermore, you preserved the school's reputation and truly brought honor to our police force."
Chen Yongren was taken aback again upon hearing this, and asked:
"When have we ever protected the school's reputation?"
Superintendent Chen immediately gave Lu Qichang a look, asking with his eyes:
"Where did this silly kid come from?"
Lu Qichang hurriedly gave him a look, and quickly explained with his eyes:
"A newbie! A newbie who just joined the team!"
Huang Bingyao was in a good mood at the moment and didn't mind, so he smiled and explained:
"The kid who stole my service pistol was a student at St. Edinburgh and also a petty thug."
"By handling this quietly, we preserved the child's reputation and also protected the school's honor in the process."
"The school board of St. Edinburgh made a special call to our headquarters to express their gratitude."
"The school's alumni association has also donated a large sum of money to our police force."
"Even the top leader called me personally to praise you guys for doing a great job this time."
Lu Qichang's face instantly lit up with joy, and he quickly said:
"This is all thanks to your excellent leadership, Sir."
Huang Bingyao smiled and waved his hand, then said:
"I used to work as a frontline field worker, so I know exactly how hard it is for you guys out there."
"Merit must be rewarded, and mistakes must be punished. This has been a rule that our police force has upheld for many years."
"From Lu Qichang down, everyone in your Group C deserves credit."
Everyone present was overjoyed and shouted in unison:
"Thank you, sir!"
Huang Bingyao cleared his throat and spoke again:
"I'm in a good mood right now, so please feel free to ask me anything you need."
He Chu immediately gave Lu Qichang a wink, and the latter instantly understood, saying:
"Boss, we're really short-handed in our team right now."
"Could you send someone over here for us?"
Huang Bingyao raised an eyebrow and asked:
"Who do you want to transfer? Let me make it clear first, I can't transfer Chen Jiaju for you."
Lu Qichang quickly smiled and said:
"Even if Detective Chen were willing to come, we wouldn't dare use him."
"It's none other than Yang Jinrong." General Manager Huang was usually very busy, so after giving a few words of encouragement to all the members of Group C, he turned and left.
Superintendent Chen praised Lu Qichang highly:
"You did a very good job this time."
Lu Qichang quickly responded with a smile:
"It was all thanks to the unity and concerted efforts of everyone in Group C that we were able to bring Dafei to justice."
Upon hearing this, Superintendent Chen glared at him fiercely:
"Who told you about Dafei?"
Lu Qichang was stunned on the spot, and said in astonishment:
"Weren't we talking about this case?"
Superintendent Chen chuckled twice and said:
"I'm referring to your request to transfer Yang Jinrong!"
Everyone present was quite surprised upon hearing this.
Superintendent Chen gave a wry smile and said:
"Old Lu, your eye for talent is truly sharp and accurate."
"Inspector Ho is a top-notch talent, which is evident to all of us."
"Do you know how much trouble I went through to get him transferred to our group?"
"Officer Ho from the uniform department almost rushed over and fought me to the death!"
Lu Qichang immediately shut his mouth, not saying another word.
The favors and effort all came from above; I was just someone who reaped the benefits without lifting a finger.
At times like these, it's best to avoid upsetting your superiors.
Superintendent Chen sighed and continued:
"Inspector Ho was originally groomed by Inspector Ho as a core reserve force—you are also a graduate of the police academy, while he became an inspector right after graduation. In just one year, he accumulated a wealth of merits and was highly regarded by the leaders of the uniformed department."
Seeing this, He Chu had no choice but to step forward and speak:
"These are all part of my job, so naturally I should do my best."
Upon hearing this, Superintendent Chen praised him even more highly:
"To have made such a great contribution yet remain humble and modest in the slightest—this kind of character is truly something we should all learn from."
Everyone present nodded in agreement and echoed the sentiment.
Within the Hong Kong police force, factions and traditions have always been important.
Generally speaking, the police force is mainly divided into two major factions.
One group consists of police academy graduates, while the other group consists of highly educated individuals from the general police force.
The so-called "social faction" refers to a group of highly educated individuals who, through short-term onboarding training, directly enter the police force.
Most of these people have very high levels of education, usually with a bachelor's degree or above.
In Hong Kong back then, those who could get into university were extremely rare.
The police force has always been eager to recruit highly educated individuals who are willing to join its ranks.
After a short induction training, they join the police force without having to start as junior officers, but are directly appointed to positions of inspector or higher.
It's no exaggeration to say that their starting point was far superior to those from the police academy.
The other faction, naturally, is the traditional police academy faction.
This is the most traditional career path for police officers within the police force.
He entered the police academy at the age of seventeen or eighteen, and followed the police promotion process in an orderly manner, from uniformed police officer to plainclothes detective, and from junior officer to senior officer.
Highly educated individuals are ultimately a minority, which is why police academies have the largest number of graduates.
But the core issue is that academic qualifications are an unavoidable hurdle.
Therefore, although the number of people in the social faction is small, among the high-ranking members of the Constitutional Committee, their numbers are comparable to those of the police academy faction, and they are evenly matched.
As long as He Chu doesn't encounter any unexpected events or die halfway through his journey, he will definitely be able to sit in a high-ranking position on the Constitutional Committee in the future.
Such talent should naturally be firmly grasped and retained.
He Sir from the uniform department had high hopes for him.
Who could have predicted that Superintendent Chan would eventually recruit him to the Serious Crimes Unit as an undercover officer?
How could Inspector Ho not feel resentful?
Superintendent Chen gave another wry smile and said:
"We've already poached Inspector Ho from the uniform department, and now they want to transfer Yang Jinrong over as well... I'll never be able to face Inspector Ho again."
Lu Qichang gave an embarrassed smile and said:
"Sir, didn't Boss Wong speak up for this?"
Superintendent Chen sighed heavily and said:
"The boss is only responsible for giving orders, but I have to handle the actual errands and coordination myself."
Lu Qichang immediately shut his mouth and didn't say another word.
Chen Yongren, listening from the side, was completely bewildered and asked with a puzzled expression:
"Is it really that difficult to transfer Ah Rong over here?"
He thought to himself, "Back in the police academy, Ah Rong wasn't this high-profile, was he?"
Upon hearing this, Superintendent Chen sighed again and said:
"It's more than just difficult to manage!"
"If it weren't for General Huang's personal intervention, the military uniform department wouldn't have even bothered to acknowledge us."
Chen Yongren's eyes widened in shock.
Superintendent Chen, seeing his expression, slowly began to explain:
"Although Officer Yang Jinrong is young, he has already been promoted to the position of probationary inspector."
"He's only been working for a year and a half and he's already a probationary inspector. His speed of promotion is second only to Inspector Ho."
"If it were me, I would never let such a top-notch talent go to waste."
Chen Yongren was stunned on the spot, muttering to himself:
"He's a trainee inspector?"
He graduated from a proper police academy and "almost" won the award for best student back then.
He knew perfectly well how long it would take to accumulate merits and seniority step by step before he could become a probationary inspector.
Chen Yongren was completely convinced that He Chuneng had been appointed to the position of inspector.
But Yang Jinrong actually...
This was something he found hard to accept.
He Chu is one thing, but he's quick-witted, has a clear mind, and an incredibly strong sense of the big picture. He's now the brain of the entire Group C, and even the group leader, Lu Qichang, follows his instructions in everything.
But what gives Yang Jinrong the right to do so?
Superintendent Chen seemed to suddenly remember something and asked:
"Hey? Ah Ren, you, Inspector Ho, and Ah Rong were classmates in the same year at the police academy, right?"
Chen Yongren quickly stood up straight and replied:
"Yes, the three of us were classmates in the same class at the police academy."
Upon hearing this, Superintendent Chen offered him a word of encouragement:
"Your classmates from back then, Inspector He and Inspector Yang, have already gone ahead. You need to work harder and catch up with them as soon as possible."
Chen Yongren immediately straightened his back and said loudly:
"Yes, sir!"
Watching Superintendent Chen turn and leave, Chen Yongren felt a strange pang of sadness welling up inside him, and muttered to himself:
"On what basis is this?"
Back in police academy, I was clearly the most outstanding and best-performing person!
How come they've all come out on top now, one by one?
When Lu Qichang saw Chen Yongren's expression, he knew that the kid was starting to feel resentful.
He called Chen Yongren into his office and tossed him a Marlboro.
Are you feeling down?
Chen Yongren was stunned for a moment, then forced a smile and said:
"No, I'm not feeling unwell."
Lu Qichang looked at him and laughed:
"Ah Ren, I've always had high hopes for you ever since you entered the police academy, and I still do now."
Chen Yongren sighed heavily and said:
"Back then, I was young and arrogant, and I always thought that the whole world was in my hands and could be obtained at will."
"Once I graduate and join the police force, I won't be able to arrest all sorts of criminals just because I want to..."
He took a deep drag on his cigarette.
"I was so naive back then!"
Lu Qichang looked up at him as if he were a fool:
"Have you lost your mind after being so badly criticized by Inspector Ho?"
Chen Yongren looked at Lu Qichang with a puzzled expression.
Lu Qichang didn't beat around the bush and spoke directly:
"You can compare yourself to anyone you want, just don't compare yourself to Inspector Ho."
"He's not an ordinary person at all; he's a true prodigy."
Chen Yongren's lips twitched involuntarily as he spoke:
"evildoer?"
Lu Qichang genuinely admired Chen Yongren, so he softened his tone and said:
"I have high hopes for every single one of the cadets in this batch from your police academy."
"There are just too many outstanding talents here."
"To be honest, at the very beginning, He Sir and Yang Jinrong were never even in my sight."
"You, Song Zijie, Zhuo Kai, Xu Fei..."
"I can name every single one of these promising young talents."
"But it wasn't until after you graduated and started working that I realized that Inspector Ho had been hiding his true abilities all along, back in the police academy."
Lu Qichang's face remained expressionless as he slowly began to speak.
"He didn't want to be sent undercover, so he deliberately acted in a conventional and unassuming manner."
A bitter smile appeared on Chen Yongren's face as he spoke.
"Yeah, all the outstanding students in police academy ended up being sent undercover... Me..."
Only now did he realize how incredibly foolish he had been.
If being an undercover agent were really that easy, why did He Chu risk everything to avoid it in the first place?
He suddenly realized that he was actually quite lucky; his short year and a half of undercover experience had already made it through.
Compared to Luo Ji's five-year undercover career, what is my year and a half?
Looking at Chen Yongren's expression, Lu Qichang continued speaking to him:
"Never think you're the best; it just means they're not even thinking of competing with you."
Chen Yongren quickly responded:
"Don't worry, Officer Lu, I know my own limitations. I'm definitely not as good as Officer He."
Lu Qichang, however, changed the subject and asked in return:
"What about Yang Jinrong?"
Chen Yongren was taken aback again.
Lu Qichang slowed his speech and began to speak gently:
"Do you know who Ah Chu's best friend was back in police academy?"
Chen Yongren, his face filled with shock, uttered in a trembling voice:
"Yang Jinrong?!"
Lu Qichang nodded solemnly and forcefully:
"Back in police academy, he was also hiding his true abilities."
A tremendous storm surged through Chen Yongren's heart!