The Chief Detective Inspector is dead. I'm now the top police officer in Hong Kong!

Chapter 44 Tests and Benefits

Lin Tiansheng slapped the case file in his hand and sneered, "You think you can just pick up money on the street? That's not for me. I'm the one who does all the high-stakes, dangerous work. It's not that easy to be a flag bearer, I knew it all along. Get it done! Even if you asked me to clean up the Queen's latrine, I'd do it!"

Pi Zhibang's expression was mocking, his face full of lewdness, and he chuckled softly: "You're not allowed to do that kind of good thing. I'll do it first."

"Remember to handle this case well, thoroughly humiliate the Number Gang, and show the underworld just how ruthless the Five Poisons Detective is. When we make a comeback, we can't just be arrogant in the police force; we have to be a force to be reckoned with in the underworld too!"

"Catching Bearded Yung is just a piece of cake; it's not like we'll cut off his head and hang it on a street lamp. Only by cutting off the biggest source of wealth for Yi Zi-tui can we truly establish our reputation in the underworld, Lin Sir."

Lin Tiansheng remained noncommittal, shrugging and saying, "It all comes down to one thing: a big case. What's in it for me?"

Pi Zhibang was helpless against him and cursed, "You old fox, you really have no conscience. You want a kickback every time you handle a case."

"It's like I owe you a favor."

“There’s not a single penny to your name, but if you do a good job, I guarantee everyone will fully support you. You’ll be the cover model for the next issue of Police Report.”

Lin Tiansheng no longer hesitated, stood at attention and saluted: "Yes, sir!"

It's quite simple. The remnants of the party have already pooled their resources, reached a consensus, and decided to support him. But before officially committing to the cause, they need to conduct another test.

In the first two cases, Lin Tiansheng had already demonstrated his bravery, and his falling out with Uncle Deng was also proof of his determination. The only thing he hadn't proven was his understanding of the "police-criminal relationship in the new era" after police reform.

Deep thinking involves understanding social relationships and can test one's political acumen. Superficial analysis can also examine whether Lin Tiansheng's three years in office were in vain.

Many things are clearer and more understood by the officers who have been working their way up in the police force's management.

Whether Lin Tiansheng is still "unable to distinguish right from wrong," "neither right nor wrong," or "adamant in both right and wrong," can be seen through the investigation process.

It's not about whether he's a black person or not; corrupt cops are all corrupt, otherwise how could they be the standard-bearers of the remnants? The key is, how to deal with the triads, and where to place them.
Once a political party has a vision to restore its glory, it must also align its thinking. Only when its thinking is aligned can its actions truly become consistent.

This is not something that can be obtained simply by relying on Brother Lok's reputation. Brother Lok also had to align his aspirations with those of others before he could gain the support of his followers and grow his power.

Successors include not only those who successfully take over, but also those who fall along the way. The existence of a successor is solely due to the need of those who succeed them.

The fact that Inspector Joe chose this case for him must have been due to pressure from the foreigners and a complex web of negotiations, but it must have involved deeper considerations. Because in politics, all comprehensible hints are implicit.

Since Lin Tiansheng could see through it, it couldn't be fake.

If he can handle even cases like this well, he won't be defeated by most cases in the future. This proves his outstanding professional competence; if he fails, he'll only fail in politics.

People are willing to gamble on politics, but they would never gamble on a good-for-nothing who is also incompetent in his professional work.

Seeing Lin Tiansheng turn to leave, Pi Zhibang said, "This case is very important. Your team isn't enough. I'll put Chen Sheng and Shi Zhanpeng's teams in your hands. I've already spoken to them; they'll follow your orders."

"Thank you, Officer Pi." Lin Tiansheng turned around to express his gratitude, not at all surprised. He slapped his thigh and strode back to his workstation.

Big cases definitely require more manpower, so we're adding twenty people at once, even with the strong support of our superiors.

In a short period, Lin Tiansheng's real power within the team increased significantly, making it much easier for him to deal with gangsters. Ma Delong, ever observant, immediately stepped forward and asked, "Brother Sheng, has Inspector Pi given any details about the case?"

Lin Tiansheng placed the documents on the table, lit a cigarette, and said, "Acong, take the files and make copies, one for each of you. Everyone should take a look first and think about how to get started. Get it done within a month. If it takes too long, there won't be a chance to get it reported to the police."

He Li, who had just returned to the team, took the documents and said, "I'll do it, boss."

Yunzai sat to the side, still not used to life in the Major Crimes Unit, and remained silent most of the time. However, the combination of "two sergeants" plus "small fry" was finally complete.

During a break in printing, Gao Zicong's eyes lit up, and he asked, "Officer, can this be reported to the police hotline?"

"Police Report" is a television program that started in 1973, the very year it exposed corrupt police officers and brought down the notorious gangster "Ge Bai." From its inception, it carried a strong political agenda, aiming to build a bridge between the police and the public, improve the image of the police force, and use public opinion to urge reform.

Over the course of seven years, it has gained widespread influence among the public, having broadcast numerous major criminal and anti-corruption cases. It is hosted by a police officer and an entertainer, who work together as co-hosts.

It's still the monthly "Police Bulletin" publication.

Police officers who appear on television with a positive image are often promoted and have bright futures. Since Lin Tiansheng had just been promoted one level and hadn't even finished his probationary period, it was impossible for him to be promoted directly to senior inspector. After handling a major case, appearing on "Police News" and gaining exposure provided him with a platform to increase his visibility, making the foreign authorities hesitant to take further action against him and gradually pulling him out of the dangerous storm.

In addition, it can enhance one's personal image and prepare for further promotion, which can be considered a reward promised by the remnants of the party!

Once he can handle the "Yi" character group, then he can start "promoting" people.

If Inspector Lin is promoted another rank in the future, his subordinates such as Cheung Kam-wing, Ma Tak-lung, and Ko Chi-chung may also be promoted.

Promotion paths for employees heavily rely on their superiors.

It should be noted that Senior Sergeant and Senior Sergeant are equivalent in seniority, and theoretically, both can be directly recommended for promotion to Inspector.

Even the lowest-ranking soldiers are willing to fight hard, hoping for a promotion.

Lin Tiansheng said, "Want to get on the police hotline? Be careful what you do, we'll talk about it when you come back alive."

"Hehe, with Lin Sir by my side and the protection of Mazu, everything will be fine," Gao Zicong said cheerfully. Although following Lin Sir was risky, the opportunities were indeed more numerous than for ordinary people.

He Li took the files back to his workstation and distributed them to everyone present. The group then sat down at their workstations, opened the files, and began to study them carefully.

Although the case file was thick, it mainly contained information on criminals, involving several notorious figures from the Yi family, including Wu Xikun, nicknamed "Big Boss," Yan Dongkui, nicknamed "Kui Zai," as well as "Achong," "Dao Zai Dong," and others. Among them, "Big Boss" was the big guy they met at the disco, and another of Bearded Yong's students, "Master Zai," was known as Bearded Yong's right-hand man.

Zhang Jinrong put down the file: "So that big guy's name is Da Lao Jia. I thought that was just his name. If I had known, I should have brought him back to the police station for questioning too."

Lin Tiansheng took the char siu rice delivered by the waiter and said, "It's not that simple. The last 'mute' who managed the arms business for Bearded Yung was taken back for investigation by the Criminal Investigation Department. When he was detained in Lai Chi Kok, he swallowed razor blades and couldn't be saved, which caused all the leads to go cold. There are gangsters all over the streets who want to make money and get ahead. If one dies, we can just find another one."

"If we're going to do it, we need to find the docks and warehouses, take them all down, and cut off their escape route!"

(End of this chapter)