The Hunter's Path: Starting as a constable, ascend to the Old Ones.

After the case in Chapter 139, resign again, with paid leave.

"To the media and the public, on behalf of the Police Force, I would like to report on the terrorist attack that occurred today at Adam Smith International School — Under the precise command of the senior police officers, all participating officers fought bravely and finally brought this vicious terrorist group to justice, and all hostages were safely rescued — Terrorism is the common enemy of mankind, and we will resolutely combat terrorism in all its forms to safeguard the peace and prosperity of Hong Kong Island."

After eliminating the terrorists, rescuing all the hostages, and averting an epic terrorist attack, the police force quickly held a press conference.

At the press conference, senior police officers appeared one by one, receiving flashes of light and praise from the media.

Despite being the primary contributor to this operation, Lu Ming did not appear on stage—in a system based on seniority, his qualifications were insufficient to stand in the spotlight.

However, the on-site commander, thanks to the hype surrounding him by Asia Television, left an excellent impression on the public. He became the focus of attention the moment he appeared, looking as spirited as a rising star in the police force.

At this moment, Lu Ming was sitting on the soft sofa at home, holding the sweet and soft Serena in his arms, watching the glamorous director on TV, a slight smile on his lips.

The Cointreau Hotel kidnapping case and the recent hostage crisis at the elite school are like two heavy stepping stones, paving a bright future for the Commissioner's career.

As long as there are no major mistakes in the future, a steady rise in rank is almost a certainty.

"Ah Ming, didn't you say you were going to quit your job as a police officer? Why haven't you done anything about it yet?"

Serena rested her head on Lu Ming's shoulder, her breath sweet and fragrant, her voice tinged with a hint of reproach.

She had witnessed Lu Ming write his resignation letter long before the Jundu Hotel case ended, but she never expected that so much time would pass and the resignation process would still be nowhere to be found.

These two harrowing kidnappings made her truly realize the danger of Lu Ming's job, and she sincerely hoped that he could resign and live a peaceful life.

She said softly, "Our clothing chain store model has been proven successful, and our performance is getting better and better. In the future, we can focus on running the business and live a peaceful and stable life."

Lu Ming chuckled inwardly; this girl wanted him to be a "gold digger"!

However, to be fair, the majority of the start-up capital for Serena's shop was the "angel investment" she obtained from Ye Guohuan, the notorious thief of the century. In essence, it was still her own money, so she couldn't be considered a kept woman.

However, it's impossible for him to live a comfortable life as a wealthy man.

His pursuits have never been about money.

"I'll go and urge them tomorrow," Lu Ming replied with a smile.

Now that things on Hong Kong Island have been mostly sorted out, he can finally resign from his job as a police officer and start preparing for his Sequence 8.

"Ah Ming, I need to talk to you about something." Serena suddenly sat up straight, her eyes sparkling. "Now that the clothing store has grown, I want to start my own clothing brand. Don't you know Rona? Could you introduce me to her?" She had been thinking about creating a brand since she started her business, and now that the clothing store had grown, she had the foundation to realize it, so she immediately decided to start creating her own brand.

"Okay, I'll arrange a date with her for you as soon as I quit my job."

Lu Ming naturally wouldn't refuse, after all, he had put a lot of effort into Salina's clothing store, and helping her was helping himself.

"Ah Ming, thank you." Salina's eyebrows curved into a smile, her eyes full of affection, and her breath, as sweet as orchids, brushed against Lu Ming's neck.

"And what about the thank-you gift?" Lu Ming raised an eyebrow and smiled.

What do you want?

"I want you."

The next morning, Lu Ming walked into the Central Police Station feeling refreshed.

The atmosphere in the Major Crimes Unit was festive, with the team members celebrating as if it were New Year's Day. When he entered, they all surrounded him to praise him.

"Officer Luk, you were incredibly brave yesterday! Storming the school single-handedly to rescue the hostages, you were a real-life lone hero!"

"Yes, yes, we were maintaining order on the outskirts yesterday, so it was a real shame we couldn't see you show off your skills!"

"I never expected that such a big case would get all the attention from our Central Police Station!"

"Inspector Chen is amazing too! He led the riot squad in to provide support, so cool!"

Chen Jiaju scratched his head and smiled sheepishly, "I just followed Ah Ming around and picked up the credit."

"I was just lucky. It was mainly due to the director's excellent command that the hostages were successfully rescued." Lu Ming smiled and attributed the credit to the director, adopting a very humble attitude.

"The chief's command is indeed effective, but without your bold suggestions and your daring act of venturing into the lion's den, the case wouldn't have been resolved so smoothly." Uncle Biao walked in with a beaming smile, his eyes full of admiration as he looked at Lu Ming. "Ah Ming, the chief wants to see you."

Lu Ming nodded, greeted his colleagues, and then followed Uncle Biao toward the director's office.

In the office, the director's face beamed with joy. Seeing Lu Ming enter, he immediately stood up with a smile: "Ming, you did a fantastic job this time! Combined with the case at the Jundu Hotel, the higher-ups are very impressed with you and have decided to promote you to inspector!"

According to police regulations, newly promoted officers need a probationary period. However, thanks to his achievements in these two high-profile cases, Lu Ming skipped the probationary period and was promoted two ranks in a row. Such a speed of promotion is rare in the Hong Kong police force.

However, Lu Ming showed no joy. He calmly looked at the director and said indifferently, "Director, I came to ask about the resignation process. It's been so long, has it been approved yet?"

The director's smile froze instantly. He exchanged a glance with Uncle Biao beside him, and both of them saw a headache in each other's eyes.

They simply couldn't understand why Lu Ming, with such a promising future in the police force, was so determined to resign.

"Ah Ming, didn't you hear what the Commissioner said? He said he's going to promote you to Inspector!" Uncle Biao earnestly advised. "You have a bright future in the police force; it would be such a waste to give it up like this. This is a major life decision; you need to think it through!"

"I've thought it through very carefully." Lu Ming's tone remained calm, yet carried an undeniable firmness. "Resigning is a decision I've made after careful consideration."

"You really have absolutely no room for negotiation?"

The director looked serious; he really didn't want to lose such a capable assistant as Lu Ming.

Lu Ming nodded slowly: "Director, I'm serious."

The commissioner sighed, a helpless look on his face: "Since that's the case, everyone has their own ambitions, and we won't force anyone. I agree to your resignation in principle, but—" He changed the subject, "As you know, the Adam Smith School case has just ended, and you are now a recognized hero. Resigning at this time will inevitably cause a public opinion storm and have a bad impact on the image of the police force."

Lu Ming's lips twitched slightly; he was all too familiar with this tactic. "So, what does the director mean?"

"What I mean is, I can't approve your resignation for now, but I can process your paid leave." The commissioner looked at Lu Ming with sincere eyes. "You don't need to come to work. You're free to do whatever you want and go wherever you want. The police force won't interfere. Once this storm has passed and public opinion has calmed down, I will approve your resignation."

Pay leave means you get paid without having to work?

Lu Ming was somewhat surprised; he hadn't expected the director to come up with such a compromise.

For the commissioner, the best option at present is to retain Lu Ming, the "heroic police officer," temporarily to maintain the image of the police force, while avoiding the conflicts caused by forcibly retaining him.

After all, he was about to be promoted to deputy commander of the General Administration, and he didn't want anything to go wrong at this critical juncture.

Moreover, he harbored a sliver of hope that Lu Ming would change his mind after facing setbacks outside and return to the police force.