Villain? No, I'll catch up with the protagonist after passing the civil service exam.

The gilded revolving door of the Jinghai Hotel, which is as tall as a two-story building, turned more heavily tonight than usual.

As the most prestigious annual event in Jinghai City's business community, the Lu Group's annual family gathering has always been a barometer of fame and fortune. In previous years, the hall would be filled with the clinking of glasses, the air thick with the sweet, cloying scent of expensive perfume and the aroma of money. Men busied themselves exchanging resources, women competing in their attire, each wearing an impeccable social mask.

But this year, the atmosphere in the banquet hall was eerily similar to that of a nightclub that had just been raided for prostitution and other illegal activities.

There was no commotion, no enthusiastic small talk. Hundreds of well-dressed guests, each holding a glass of champagne, hunched their shoulders, their eyes darting around, and their voices barely audible.

All eyes, intentionally or unintentionally, avoided the most conspicuous spot in the very center of the banquet hall.

There was a person standing there.

Lu Jingyan, dressed in a crisp black police uniform, the silver stars on his epaulets reflecting a chilling light under the crystal chandelier, stood tall and straight as a pine tree. He held not a wine glass, but a glass of orange juice with ice, his expression indifferent as he surveyed the room.

An absolute vacuum zone was formed within five meters of him.

That was an aura barrier unique to the "Kyoto Crime Buster".

"Hey, Lao Wang, what are you shaking for?"

In the corner, a fat, wealthy businessman wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and whispered to his companion.

"How can I not tremble? That's Lu Jingyan! He just sent Chu Tianjiao in the day before yesterday, and yesterday he sent his own brother to the detention center!" The man called Old Wang swallowed hard, instinctively clutching his pocket tightly. "When I came in just now, I think I parked my car in the fire lane... Do you think if he saw me now, he'd just hand me a silver bracelet?"

"Shut up! Don't invite this plague!"

The portly businessman turned pale with fright. "I heard his eyes are like X-rays; he can tell who's evading taxes just by looking at them. I had some accounts that weren't handled very well two years ago, and now just looking at him makes my legs cramp."

Such conversations quietly unfolded in every corner of the banquet hall.

These usually arrogant business elites and wealthy nobles were now like a bunch of mice that had infiltrated a group of cats, wanting to show their presence while also fearing to attract the attention of the "big cat".

At the head table, Lu Zhenhua sat in the first seat, his expression more unpleasant than if he were crying.

As the head of the Lu family, and the birthday boy today (the annual meeting is usually also the old man's birthday), he should have been the most glamorous person there. But now, he felt like he was sitting on an iron chair in an interrogation room.

Especially when he saw his second son, dressed in a police uniform and with an upright expression, looking in his direction, Lu Zhenhua's heart couldn't help but pound wildly, and he subconsciously wanted to confess where he hid his secret stash of money.

"What a misfortune for our family... what a misfortune for our family..."

Lu Zhenhua picked up his wine glass, but his hand trembled so much that half of the red wine spilled out, dripping all over his Italian-made custom-made trousers.

"Brother, don't be too pessimistic."

A middle-aged man sitting to Lu Zhenhua's left spoke up. He looked somewhat like Lu Zhenhua, but his eyes were much more sinister, and his puffy eyes gave him a sense of superficiality from excessive indulgence.

This is Lu Jingyan's second uncle, Lu Zhenhai.

Lu Zhenhai swirled a glass of red wine in his hand, glanced at Lu Jingyan in the distance with a sinister look, and a barely perceptible sneer appeared on his lips.

"Although Jingyan is a bit mischievous, he is young and ambitious, and it is understandable that he wants to make some achievements within the system to prove himself."

As he spoke, he winked at several distant relatives beside him, "However, the Lu family is in business after all. In business, harmony brings wealth, and connections are key. By doing this, he's offended all our partners. How will the group continue its business in the future?"

"Yes, Second Brother is right."

A distant aunt, her face heavily made up, immediately chimed in, her voice shrill, "Brother, look at this scene today! Where's the festive spirit? Everyone's trembling like quails. If this keeps up, Lu's stock is sure to plummet!"

"In my opinion, Jingyan's personality is too extreme, and he is not suitable to stay in the core circle of the family."

Another distant cousin chimed in sarcastically, "Mingze did make a small mistake and went to jail this time, but it was for the company's benefit. In comparison, Jingyan's ruthless approach is the real threat that shakes the foundation of the family."

As Lu Zhenhai listened to the discussions around him, a glint of triumph flashed in his eyes.

He had been waiting for this day for a long time.

That idiot Lu Mingze got himself into trouble, and that madman Lu Jingyan has offended the entire Beijing social circle. Now is the perfect time for his "highly respected" second uncle to step forward and turn the tide (seize power).

He had even contacted several major shareholders, preparing to propose to the board of directors after tonight's banquet that, under the pretext of "maintaining the group's stability," he force Lu Zhenhua to relinquish some management control.

"Brother, please don't take offense at my bluntness."

Lu Zhenhai put down his wine glass, leaned forward slightly, and adopted a sincere and open attitude. "For the sake of the Lu family's century-old foundation, there are some decisions you must make. This facade of Jingyan will not only fail to protect the Lu family, but will instead become our death warrant."

As Lu Zhenhua listened to his younger brother's seemingly caring but actually coercive words, his knuckles turned white as he gripped his wine glass. Although he was old, he wasn't senile; he could easily discern the underlying meaning in these people's words.

However, looking at his son in the distance, who had silenced the entire audience, he felt a deep sense of powerlessness.

At this very moment when undercurrents were surging.

Lu Jingyan made a move.

He finished the last sip of orange juice in his glass, casually placed the empty glass on a passing waiter's tray, and then straightened the hem of his police uniform, which was completely wrinkle-free.

The feeling was like a lion patrolling its territory, finally locking onto its prey.

The crowd automatically parted to both sides, leaving a wide passage.

Lu Jingyan strode unhurriedly through the crowd, his long legs encased in crisp suit trousers. His leather shoes clicked rhythmically on the marble floor, each tap seeming to strike the hearts of everyone present with a guilty conscience.

"drop--"

“Ding Di—”

The system notification sound, which only Lu Jingyan could hear, suddenly rang in his mind.

That was the alarm sound from the "crime radar".

As he got closer to the main table, the frequency of the sound increased, changing from intermittent to rapid, continuous ringing.

[Warning! High concentration of commercial crime odor detected five meters ahead!]

[Target identified: Lu Zhenhai (Second Uncle)]

[Sin Value Analysis: Extremely High. Suspected Crimes: Embezzlement, Misappropriation of Funds, Commercial Bribery...]

Lu Jingyan did not stop.

He pushed up his gold-rimmed glasses, and from five meters away, his deep eyes landed precisely on his second uncle, Lu Zhenhai, who was wearing a fake smile and preparing to get up to greet him.

That look wasn't the respect a junior would show to an elder.

It was more of a hunter's mockery of the fox.

Red alert...

It seems my second uncle has been working quite "hard" at the company these past few years.

Lu Jingyan's lips curled slightly, revealing the first smile of the evening. The smile appeared exceptionally radiant under the lights, but it sent a chill down Lu Zhenhai's spine, who had been trying to maintain his composure, as if he were being stared at by a cold, venomous snake.

"Second Uncle, what are you talking about? You seem so happy?"

Lu Jingyan walked to the table, his voice gentle yet possessing an undeniable penetrating power.

"Can I come along too?"