The game of power begins with the police officers at the local police station.

Chen Shi works as a police officer at the police station in a routine manner, and it's difficult for him to stand out. If you want to solve a groundbreaking case, it's a once-in-a-century opportunity in a small town.

Even if you do encounter it, it won't be your turn; the county public security bureau's criminal investigation team will take direct control.

Police officers at local police stations spend a lot of time mediating disputes and handling trivial matters.

What are minor matters to the police are major issues to the parties involved.

Just make sure you don't make any mistakes at work, and follow all the rules and regulations.

Chen Shi has been hesitant to go back recently. When Chen Xing called to ask how the household registration process was going, he gave vague answers, saying it would be done soon and to wait and not to rush, as some procedures would be a bit complicated.

I'm not going back because I'm afraid my brother and sister-in-law will ask me about registering my nephew's household registration. They think it's simple, but it's actually very difficult.

You're not a leader at the police station, just a regular officer. Nobody respects you. At most, you can get inside information, and you have to deal with things the way they should be. Nobody will make an exception for you.

Chen Shi recalled that when he was in school, some of his classmates had relatives in key high schools, and he wanted to get in, so he asked his relatives for help.

The relative refused, and the classmate's family still holds a grudge against the relative, severing ties and saying that the relative didn't help.

Actually, it wasn't that his relatives didn't help; they were just ordinary teachers inside and had no say in the matter.

Top-tier high schools have specific requirements for students; they can't just admit anyone by simply asking a teacher to say so.

Those who can be recruited with a word are school leaders, not ordinary faculty and staff. They are nothing in the school.

It's like working at a company as an ordinary employee. Can you just bring any relative in? At most, you know the job posting and ask your relative to go for an interview. Whether they get the job or not depends on them.

If you were a company leader, this would be simple; just give HR a heads-up, and you can hire him.

Whether you're in a company or a government agency, you're useless if you're just an ordinary employee; you only have influence if you become a leader.

Liu Youguang promised to make him the deputy director, a section chief, but Chen Shi returned without telling anyone or showing it.

Nothing is set in stone; anything is possible.

Whether Liu Youguang can become the deputy director depends on his luck. If he is dismissed because of the Huangchang Town coal mine disaster, his career will be over.

She tried to rely on her cheap uncle, but he completely ignored her. Their statuses were unequal; they weren't even in the same league.

The logic is simple: if you have an apple and he has a tomato, and he asks you for the apple, you would give it to him without hesitation.

Sometimes, you might want to try something different and eat the tomato in his hand. If you don't give him an apple, he won't give you a tomato either. That's what an equal exchange is.

In adult interactions, regardless of the nature of the relationship, it is always an exchange of equal value.

If you have an apple and he has nothing, and he asks you for an apple, you might give it to him the first time because of your relationship. But if he keeps asking for it endlessly, you'll ignore him and tell him to get lost.

He has nothing, and you can't get anything from him. That's how interpersonal relationships work in adults. You need to have something to offer before people are willing to play along with you.

Chen Shi stood in the cold wind, lost in thought. It was already December, the last month of 2009. Since returning from the county town, Chen Shi had been praying every day that nothing would happen to Liu Youguang. If something did happen to him, he might only ever be a policeman, let alone a deputy section chief, or even a section chief.

Ma Guoliang walked over with a smile. He was in a good mood recently. He then went to see Director Wang Jianming twice more. Wang Jianming promised that the town party committee had approved the retirement application of Deputy Director Lao Chang, and he recommended himself as the candidate for the new deputy director.

Ma Guoliang quickly pledged his loyalty, promising to follow Wang Jianming's lead from now on. Having worked in the system for so many years, he was a shrewd man and knew that verbal pledges of loyalty were not enough; he needed to show some real loyalty.

He went to Wang Jianming's house again with a bag of rice, this time with 50,000 yuan inside.

Ma Guoliang is going all out this time, determined to become the deputy director. This is his only chance; if he doesn't succeed this time, he'll never have such a good opportunity again.

There are only so many leadership positions in townships. One position is enough for everyone. Unless someone retires or is transferred, there will be no leadership positions available for you.

Even if a leader appreciates you, it's still impossible without a suitable opportunity.

A retired or transferred leader cannot be replaced by someone from outside the leadership; if someone is, the position is still not open to outsiders.

This time, he found out clearly that the position of deputy director would not be filled by someone outside the office.

Wang Jianming still refused the rice he sent, giving the same reason as before: he wanted to express his gratitude and would send it after the appointment documents were issued.

He knew that Wang Jianming was cautious in his work, and without a formal appointment, no one could guarantee who this deputy director would be.

If you accept gifts in advance but the matter isn't handled properly, many people will immediately report you, leading to a lose-lose situation. Such incidents are not uncommon.

Wang Jianming wouldn't stumble and do something so foolish as to accept gifts in advance.

Ma Guoliang knew that this was to let Wang Jianming know in advance that he would reward him handsomely if the matter was resolved.

Police stations are subject to dual leadership: the township party committee and the county public security bureau. The county public security bureau has a lot of say in personnel appointments and removals, and the police station is a directly subordinate unit of the county public security bureau.

The county public security bureau has veto power, and townships generally don't interfere too much, as long as the police chief is a member of the township government. As for the deputy police chief, who he is is not very important.

The police station is the only armed force in a township. The station chief is appointed by the county public security bureau and is also the deputy mayor of the township government, making his position extremely important.

Wang Jianming, from the county public security bureau, also recommended himself. It was impossible to be 100% sure, but it was still very likely. After all, Wang Jianming was the head of the police station, and people he recommended would be taken seriously by both the town government and the county public security bureau.

Many people at the police station, upon hearing the news, had already begun to congratulate Ma Guoliang in advance.

Ma Guoliang was riding high. After waiting for more than 20 years, he had finally entered the ranks of leaders, and the situation was completely different.

Yesterday, Wang Jianming had him move into the deputy director's office. This signal was very clear, telling everyone that Ma Guoliang was the one who would succeed Lao Chang as deputy director.

Seeing Chen Shi standing motionless in the cold wind, Ma Guoliang called out, "Xiao Chen, what's wrong? It's so cold, why are you standing outside in a daze?"

Chen Shi snapped out of his daze, smiled, and said, "Brother Ma."

He quickly took out cigarettes and handed them to Ma Guoliang.

Ma Guoliang waved his hand: "I don't smoke. I've been smoking too much lately, and my mouth tastes bitter."

Chen Shi quickly smiled apologetically and said, "Brother Ma, if you have any work to do, leave it to me. We young people should do more."

Ma Guoliang looked at Chen Shi with a forced smile: "You're quite busy with work, always on call, who would dare ask you to do more?"

Chen Shi thought to himself, "He's still holding a grudge against me for not helping him organize cases recently. If he really becomes the deputy director, I'll be in trouble."

With a forced smile, he said, "Brother Ma, you're being too polite. Everyone in the police station knows that I have a good relationship with you. Your business is my business, and I'll be there whenever you call."

It's too late to pledge your loyalty. Plenty of people have come to me to pledge their loyalty, one more won't make a difference.

Ma Guoliang didn't say anything, gave Chen Shi a meaningful smile, and turned to leave.

Chen Shi watched Ma Guoliang's retreating figure. "He can't be that petty, can he? I didn't even help you once, and now he's going to make things difficult for me after taking office?"