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

Chapter 52 Managing Upwards (Seeking monthly votes and recommendations)

In the chief's office, Chief Superintendent Mark Rowley, cigar in hand and expressionless, stared at Henry and Pi Zhibang, who were speaking in unison, and asked, "You mean that Lin Tiansheng has performed exceptionally well and should continue to stay in the Major Crimes Unit?"

Henry, dressed in uniform and standing ramrod straight, replied, "Yes, sir. The most suitable position for a brave detective is the Major Crimes Unit."

The credit for the arms smuggling case couldn't be kept secret. With profits distributed at every level, even the commissioner got a share, and the entire West Kowloon Police Station was set to enjoy a period of glory.

Correspondingly, Lin Tiansheng, who has been quietly accumulating merits within the Major Crimes Unit, will once again come into the sights of the big bosses. Without the chief's approval, keeping Lin Tiansheng in the Major Crimes Unit will be quite difficult.

Mark understood that Henry was wavering and wanted to keep Lam Tin-shing in the Major Crimes Unit. Yesterday, he would have given Henry a good scolding, but the arms case was too important, and the deputy commissioner was about to attend a press conference, in which Mark would also be on camera, so he couldn't help but feel a little more empathetic.

Ultimately, the merits were real and helpful for promotion. The "personal connections" used to suppress a Chinese police officer, however, were superficial.

“If you’re confident you can handle him, then let him stay in West Kowloon.” Mark finally relented, but set a bottom line: “But only in the Major Crimes Unit.”

"Yes, sir!"

"Thank you, sir!" Henry stood at attention and saluted, his expression serious. Pi Zhibang stood to the side with a blank face, sneering inwardly, "Perfect for Ah Sheng to improve his resume. As long as he has enough merit, transferring him out of the Major Crimes Unit will be a piece of cake."

Decades of colonial history have also honed the Chinese people's ability to "manage upwards," and back then, Brother Le was not one of those who rose from the bottom.

Finally, treat foreigners like dogs.

Pi Zhibang returned to the Major Crimes Unit, walked up to Lin Tiansheng's seat, and asked with a smile, "Chief Inspector Lin, is the bird's nest delicious?"

"Bird's nest, it's all sticky and gooey, I thought it was white fungus soup." Lin Tiansheng held a soup spoon, the bowl of bird's nest was already empty, and he smiled.

"Come to my office with me." Pi Zhibang said, walking ahead. After Lin Tiansheng closed the door, he immediately changed his expression, his face beaming, and said, "Wow, Young Master Sheng, in less than half a month, we've cracked down on Yi Zi Dui's smuggling case."

Although the case wasn't solved by finding the warehouse, dismantling an entire smuggling line had the same punitive effect.

Through interrogation, they obtained information on multiple warehouses and distributors; the final stages of the operation alone will take more than a month.

After taking the cigarette from Pi Zhibang, Lin Tiansheng casually picked up a lighter on the table, lit it with a click, and exhaled, saying, "The brothers risked their lives; the credit doesn't belong to me."

Pi Zhibang nodded: "You're sensible. The credit doesn't go to you, nor to your brothers."

“As for me!” He patted his chest and then laughed, “Just kidding. With those big shots, we’re lucky if we have leftovers.”

"I've already appeased the chief. No matter what the Deng family says, you won't leave the Major Crimes Unit unless the chief agrees."

Lin Tiansheng looked satisfied, holding a cigarette in his hand: "Thanks, Officer Pi."

With the Director vouching for her, even if Tang is unhappy, she can't interfere in West Kowloon.

A regional police commander at the level of Chief Superintendent is not someone that a country bumpkin from the New Territories can order around.

"Oh, right, let's make some more preparations. The General Administration is holding a press conference, and as a frontline commander, I'll be responsible for writing the materials," Pi Zhibang said.

At a press conference hosted by the Deputy Commissioner of Operations, even the head of the Major Crimes Unit wasn't qualified to have a seat, let alone a mere trainee inspector.
Chief Inspector Henry of the Operations Division probably didn't even get three seconds of screen time.

Lin Tiansheng chuckled, having seen it all before in his two lifetimes, and nodded, saying, "Understood, I'll definitely highlight the key points."

"Good to know. Also, remember to dress smartly for next week's 'Police Report'." Pi Zhibang straightened his collar, becoming smug.

That bitch Hong Baolian, she's so talkative in meetings. Wait until Young Master Sheng joins the public relations department, then we'll see if she still has the nerve to act all high and mighty.

The impact of this case is enough to prove Sheng Shao's strength, and the unity of the remaining members will no longer be strained.

Everyone has hope.

"Understood." Lin Tiansheng nodded in agreement, not feeling aggrieved. For someone of his rank, having a publication like "Police Bulletin" as a platform was already a result of the efforts of his party members. For an ordinary inspector, perhaps just having their name mentioned in the newspaper would be the limit.

“You’ve worked hard all night. Take the guys and call it a day. I’ll handle things with A-Peng,” Pi Zhibang said.

"Yes, sir."

Lin Tiansheng slipped away.

Pi Zhibang sat in his office chair, pen in hand, writing a report. As the head of the Major Crimes Unit, he rarely participated in frontline command, but he had to take on management responsibilities.

Claiming credit is secondary to protecting people; the priority is to apply for benefits for the injured, apply for medals for the fallen, and arrange leave for the staff.

The smallest details best reveal a person's work ability.

This kind of work does lead to a slow rise in rank, but the police force can't do without him. He's steady and reliable, and with a subordinate who's daring and adventurous, it's a perfect match.

"Ah Rong, Lao Ma, Ah Rong, that's a wrap-up day."

Lin Tiansheng walked back to his office, yawning, and waved as he called out.

In front of the "Seafood Fresh" food processing plant in Tai Po District, Lai Chung-ying, with his hair slicked back and dressed in a suit, kept glancing at his watch. Finally, a Mercedes-Benz pulled up, and he rushed to the car, bowing and knocking on the window: "Brother Lin, Brother Lin."

Factory owner Zhou Yuanlin, sitting in the back seat, gestured for the driver to lower the window, smiled at Li Zhongying, and politely asked, "Mr. Li, what brings you here so early in the morning?"

Li Zhongying bowed respectfully and handed over a contract: "I brought the contract for the Repulse Bay apartment; it's three percent cheaper than the market average."

Zhou Yuanlin took the contract, picked up a pen, and casually flipped through it: "Three points."

“Yes, housing prices are rising. Buy low and sell high, and you can make 100,000 yuan in two months.” Li Zhongying’s weathered face was full of flattery.

Zhou Yuanlin nodded and said, "Yes, I can make a profit, but why should you make the commission?"

"Give me a break, Mr. Li. Everyone knows you work as a car washer. You really think you can get a contract just by helping me drink a couple of drinks? Keep dreaming."

The contract and the pen were thrown out of the car at the same time. The car started, and Yu said, "It would be more like you'd wipe two cars for me."

As the car drove into the factory, Li Zhongying picked up the contract, covered in dust, and dusted it off. His face remained calm, without any anger at being humiliated; his eyes only showed heartache over the cost of the A4 paper.

Face is worthless, but every piece of paper he owns is the chip he used to build his fortune.

At this moment, a convoy of luxury cars consisting of five Toyotas and two BMWs suddenly stopped at the entrance of the food factory. They did not go in. Li Zhongying thought that the "boss" was going to go into the factory to discuss business. When someone in the passenger seat opened the door and got out of the car, Li Zhongying guessed that it might be someone from the past. He was prepared to be ridiculed. He was just about to try again, whether he had a chance or not.

But then they saw that more than ten people had gotten out of the car, all of them burly and fierce-looking, clearly members of the underworld. A middle-aged man wearing a blue tie and with a scar on his face walked over from the lead car and solemnly asked, "Excuse me, are you Boss Li?"

"Whose esteemed boss is here?" Li Zhongying gripped the contract, his heart pounding with nervousness.

The scarred man said, "I'm Mr. Ge Shaoxiong's bodyguard. My boss wants to buy a building from you. Do you have time?"

"Buying a property?"

Li Zhongying was skeptical.

Scarface lowered his head to light a cigarette, his expression arrogant: "Yes, buying apartments. Your company has about twenty units listed, right? My boss wants them all!"

"Do you have time now?"

"Yes, yes, yes!" Li Zhongying was excited and suddenly became bold. He didn't care if there were a dozen bodyguards or dozens of guns pointed at him.

(End of this chapter)