Courtyard House: Drunk and tipsy, the whole courtyard exposed at the start.

Chen Guangliang's face turned ashen.

He slammed his hand on the table, the sharp sound echoing through the spacious hall.

"Tian Gang, this is Jiaodaokou Police Station, not your Huangsi family compound."

"According to the principle of territorial jurisdiction, since the case occurred here and the person has been brought to me."

"Then this case falls under our jurisdiction."

"He was involved in a gang fight, openly harassed underage girls, and was also suspected of committing a violent crime with a firearm."

"These are all major criminal cases."

"Don't even mention you, Tian Gang, even if your higher-ups came, they would still have to abide by the law."

Tian Gang scoffed, "Chen Guangliang, don't push your luck."

"It was just a fight, no one lost an arm or a leg, why are you making such a big accusation?"

"I took him away for questioning in accordance with internal regulations, which is perfectly reasonable. You, a mere head of a local police station, dare to disobey orders?"

Chen Guangliang met Tian Gang's gaze without backing down.

Is Tian Yiming a soldier? Does he have military status?

"At best, he's just a military family member, an ordinary citizen."

"Military discipline doesn't apply to him. You're not taking this man with you today!"

Tian Gang was put in an awkward position by Chen Guangliang.

The fat on his face twitched.

"Alright, Chen Guangliang, you've really gotten something out of you."

"I'll make a call to Director Xu of your Dongcheng District branch right now. I want to see if I can take this person away today."

Zhang Dabiao sat to one side, leisurely picked up his enamel mug and took a sip.

[Damn it, they haven't asked me, the victim, a single question yet. Do they really think they're some kind of privileged class?]

So he winked at Director Zhao, who was blocking his way—【Get him!】

Director Zhao understood immediately.

This is not only about standing up for Zhang Dabiao, but also about protecting the face of the ministry.

Director Zhao took a big step forward, blocking Tian Gang's path as he reached for the phone on the table.

"Colonel Tian, ​​what an arrogant official you are! You're always trying to intimidate people with phone calls."

"The victim is sitting right here, and not one of you has asked him if he's injured, or how badly he's injured?"

"What's wrong with your sons? Do they think they're entitled to special privileges? So, if young people from your General Political Department compound commit crimes, the police station doesn't have to deal with them?"

Tian Gang frowned as he sized up the middle-aged man in front of him who was wearing gold-rimmed glasses.

"And who are you?"

Director Zhao snorted coldly.

"Ministry of Foreign Trade, Zhao Guodong."

Tian Gang was slightly taken aback, then his tone softened a bit; he had heard of this person before.

"So it's Director Zhao."

"This is a matter between our military and the local public security bureau, so there's no need for your Ministry of Foreign Trade to interfere."

Director Zhao pushed up his glasses.

"I'm really determined to take charge of this."

"Not only am I in charge, but the Ministry of Light Industry and the Ministry of Food Industry will not stand idly by."

"You condoned your children's actions, allowing them to gang up on Comrade Zhang Dabiao in broad daylight."

"This is blatant sabotage of the overall national economic development!"

Tian Gang was a little confused by these words.

"Director Zhao, aren't you going a bit too far with your words?"

"How come a fight between kids has been dragged into the destruction of the country's economic development?"

"He looks about seventeen or eighteen years old. He's either a student, just started working in a factory, or..."

"We can apologize, but just name your price. Is it really necessary to make such a big fuss?"

"And it's also undermining economic development?"

Tian Gang and the parents behind him all laughed.

Director Zhao was so angry at Tian Gang's words that he laughed.

"Pay back? Pay Zhang Dabiao back?"

"hehe……"

"Tian Gang, open your eyes and take a good look."

"This Comrade Zhang Dabiao is not only a specially appointed senior designer of our Ministry of Foreign Trade."

"He also held positions in the Ministry of Light Industry and the Ministry of Food Industry."

"The待遇 (treatment/benefits) of a section chief!"

"The higher-ups directly allocated him an apartment in the newly built cadre building in Xila Hutong! They also provided him with a 'Changjiang 750' sidecar motorcycle and specially assigned three staff members to assist him with his work."

"What, you still think he's just an ordinary citizen? That paying some money will make it seem like nothing happened?"

The moment those words were spoken, the air in the hall seemed to freeze.

The parents from the compound who were about to rush forward to snatch the child were all stunned into silence.

The nine young men from the compound who were squatting in the corner stared wide-eyed.

Gao Feng and Zhao Weiguo stood by the door, their breathing becoming rapid.

They knew Zhang Dabiao was rich, but they had never heard of the benefits he received as a cadre.

What kind of treatment would an 18-year-old receive at the level of a section chief?

Holding a temporary post across three major ministries?

This level of experience is beyond the reach of students like them.

Even their parents at this age could never have reached this level.

Tian Yiming's face was swollen and his mouth was full of blood blisters.

He sobbed and shook his head desperately, trying to express that he didn't believe these nonsense at all.

Tian Gang also found it utterly absurd.

"Director Zhao, what kind of international joke are you making?"

"How could a kid who hasn't even grown up yet possibly hold a temporary post in three different ministries?"

"If you're going to be so protective of your own, at least come up with a decent reason."

Tian Gang paid a little more attention to Zhang Dabiao, assuming he was the son or nephew of some ministry leader, which was why Director Zhao was so protective of him—but that was all.

Director Zhao stood with his hands behind his back and reprimanded him sternly.

"You think we're joking with you?"

"The foreign exchange value that Comrade Zhang Dabiao created for the country is far greater than what he could have earned while serving as a section chief on temporary assignment."

"Even if you gave him a department head position, he would truly deserve it!"

"He's on the list of people under special protection."

"If you insist on protecting the perpetrator, then we'll have no choice but to take this matter directly to the higher-ups!"

Tian Gang's expression finally changed.

Although he's arrogant, he's not completely out of his mind.

He was very aware of the weight of the words "key protection list".

Tian Gang stared at Director Zhao, his heart pounding.

But he still couldn't bring himself to do it, and he felt that the whole thing was a pipe dream.

How could an eighteen-year-old boy who looks like a slacker possibly have such great power?

"Director Zhao, even if you want to praise this kid to the skies, you should at least provide some solid evidence."

"How much foreign exchange do you think he generated?"

"Him?"

"Could he possibly build airplanes and cannons?"

Several parents from the compound chimed in.

"Yeah, that's way too much."

"We have so many experts and professors in our compound, but they can't even make a lot of foreign exchange in a year."

Director Zhao turned around and faced everyone in the hall directly.

He pulled a document from his briefcase and waved it in his hand.

"You won't shed a tear until you see the coffin, huh?"

"Since you want to hear it, then I'll give you a breakdown of the expenses."

Director Zhao's voice was loud and clear, and every word he spoke was forceful and resounding.

"In 1960, Comrade Zhang Dabiao's patent for the disposable lighter was licensed to Xiaobenzi, and he received $80,000 in royalties that year! In the same year, his patent for the pressure-down mop set was licensed, and he received $40,000!"

"That means Comrade Zhang Dabiao directly earned 12 US dollars in foreign exchange for the country over 60 years!"

Hearing this, everyone was somewhat taken aback, but Tian Gang frowned—

While $12 sounds like a huge sum, it's probably not enough to get on the priority protection list, right?

"It's not over yet!" Director Zhao cleared his throat—

This is nothing.

Just you wait and see!