Official title: Refused to stay at the university, started his career in a rural town.

9:55 PM, Yantai Municipal Political and Legal Conference Hall.

Dozens of people sat down one after another, and no one spoke.

The usual pre-meeting festivities—old acquaintances greeting each other with pats on the shoulder and cigarettes, asking, "What have you been up to lately?" or "How's that thing going?"—are all gone.

Even when drinking water, people take only a small sip, afraid to make a sound, and when putting the cup back, they do so as quietly as if dropping a bomb.

A meeting was convened at 10 p.m., the first time in four years since Han Baotian took office.

In addition, Han Baotian went to the provincial political and legal committee meeting during the day and convened a meeting with everyone after returning at midnight.

Everyone knew it wasn't going to be good. Several cadres in the back rows exchanged furtive glances before looking away, their fingers tapping lightly on their knees. Several Party Committee members sitting on the stage also looked grim.

boom.

The door was pushed open.

Han Baotian strode in, followed by his secretary, who carried a briefcase under her arm and had a taut face.

Everyone in the conference room sat up straight at the same time. Han Baotian walked to the stage, but didn't sit down immediately. He stood in front of the seats, his hands on the edge of the table, staring intently at the audience. Whoever his gaze landed on lowered their head half an inch. Then his gaze settled in one direction—Zhang Hongsheng, Deputy Director of the Yantai City Public Security Bureau and Captain of the Criminal Investigation Team.

Zhang Hongsheng was sitting in the first row, near the side. When Han Baotian's eyes pierced him like nails, he remained expressionless. But when Han Baotian's gaze lingered, his heart skipped a beat.

Oh no, this is aimed at me!

My mind raced through the things I'd recently handled—murder cases, fugitive apprehensions, anti-prostitution raids, year-end performance reviews—none of which could warrant a midnight all-staff meeting from Han Baotian.

What else? His Adam's apple bobbed, and a thin layer of sweat appeared on his back.

Han Baotian stared at him for a while, then gave a cold snort and pulled out a chair to sit down.

"Let's start the meeting." Han Baotian pulled out some materials from his briefcase. "First, let's convey the spirit of today's Provincial Political and Legal Affairs Commission meeting."

His voice wasn't loud, but the entire room was so quiet you could hear the page turning. Everyone below immediately picked up their pens and scribbled notes. Han Baotian read them aloud, one by one, at a slow pace, occasionally glancing up at the audience. When he reached the last point, he put the materials down.

"above."

Everyone paused, waiting for the words "Meeting adjourned".

Han Baotian did not adjourn the meeting.

He took off his glasses, wiped them, put them back on, and slowly scanned the audience. "Now that the message from the province has been conveyed, I'd like to say a few words from Secretary Liang, who spoke behind closed doors."

As soon as the words "close the door" were uttered, the experienced elderly people below immediately put down their pens, closed their notebooks, and sat up straight. They couldn't write down what the door said, they could only listen. Zhang Hongsheng clenched his hands, which were resting on his knees.

I'm coming!

Han Baotian began to speak, his voice neither too loud nor too soft, but each word struck with a heavy weight.

From how Leung Chun-fung took off his glasses, leaned back in his chair, and said "let's talk behind closed doors"—to the crackdown on drug trafficking, fraud, and human trafficking—and then to "we must pay attention to the safety of police officers; safety is the top priority."

Sweat was already beading on Zhang Hongsheng's forehead.

Han Baotian's voice grew louder and louder.

"Secretary Liang said that the safety of undercover police officers, in particular, must be taken very seriously. Undercover officers should not be treated as mere names for the sake of personal gain."

Zhang Hongsheng's pupils suddenly contracted. Qi Tongwei! This is fucking related to Qi Tongwei!

"Secretary Leung said, 'Everyone has seen the movies and TV dramas about Hong Kong. During the British control period, how many of those undercover agents had a good ending? How many were able to return to a normal life? They were also human beings, raised by parents, with large families to support.'"

Han Baotian raised his eyes and fixed his gaze on Zhang Hongsheng's direction.

"Anyone who prioritizes personal gain over the safety of undercover officers—report them to me, and you'll get no credit, but plenty of handcuffs."

The pen in Zhang Hongsheng's hand fell onto the notebook with a thud.

"Furthermore, have the required systematic training for undercover officers been completed? Have daily logistical support arrangements been made? Has psychological counseling been provided? I hope everyone will clarify these points one by one. Don't wait until something happens to try and fix things—what can you fix after someone is gone?"

Han Baotian emphasized the last sentence, and Zhang Hongsheng closed his eyes, his mind churning.

He recalled what Sun Jianjun, the director of the Yantaishan County Public Security Bureau—his old classmate—had said to him on the shoulder at a dinner table a few months ago.

"Old Zhang, there's a young man in our county, a graduate student from Handong University, who's applied to go undercover. Young people are energetic, what do you think? If so, please approve it as soon as possible! It's a rare opportunity to earn merit and recognition!"

What did he say at the time? He held his wine glass, squinted as he listened, thinking that it was not easy for a graduate student to be willing to do such hard work.

So he downed it in one gulp, said, "Okay, I'll take a look at the materials," and then approved it.

As for the system training—the list sent by Sun Jianjun clearly stated: This comrade is of excellent quality and meets the requirements of the task.

He believed it. How many years had Sun Jianjun been his friend?

But what about now? Provincial Party Secretary Liang is taking attendance, Party Secretary Han Baotian is taking attendance, and Party Secretary Liang Qunfeng is saying, "There are plenty of handcuffs."

Grass!

Secretary Liang Qunfeng's words were clearly directed at Yantaishan, while Secretary Han's words were clearly directed at him.

God have mercy, he really only had one drink!

After all, standardized undercover training is hardly ever that standardized; very few people complete systematic training.

After all, the urgency of a mission often leaves no time for training, and what about regular training? Are you suggesting that everyone be assigned to a separate criminal gang for specialized training? What about their regular work then?

Qi Tongwei's affair is going to kill me!

Zhang Hongsheng opened his eyes and looked at Han Baotian's face. Han Baotian was still talking, but he was no longer saying Liang Qunfeng's original words. He was saying his own words, but each sentence was more and more serious than the last.

"Secretary Liang is right! In our Yantai City, not to mention other places, just within the public security system—don't some people think that being an undercover agent is just a title? Don't they think that if a young person is planted in a drug den and succeeds, it's all your credit, but if something goes wrong, it's just his bad luck?"

The meeting room was so quiet you could hear the quartz clock ticking on the wall. Several people sitting next to Zhang Hongsheng quietly moved their chairs half an inch to the side.

"I'm putting my words out here today." Han Baotian stood up, his hands bracing against the edge of the table.

"Taking advantage of this study session on the provincial directives, each unit should go back and conduct its own investigation. Examine your past cases, examine the undercover missions you handled—was the training adequate? Were the safeguards sufficient? Did anyone treat the safety of police officers as a mere scrap of paper?"

He paused, and his voice suddenly dropped.

"Find out the truth and fix it yourself! Don't come around saying I didn't give you any face when someone finds out."

Then he raised his eyes and stared straight at Zhang Hongsheng's face.

"Don't think that some things are over and done with, or that some signatures are just that—signatures."

"The doors in the Provincial Political and Legal Affairs Commission can be closed or opened. What's said behind closed doors today can be said face-to-face tomorrow. If anyone thinks they won't be investigated—they can continue to lie there and sleep, but how long that sleep will last is up to them."

Zhang Hongsheng took his hands off his knees and pressed them on the table, his knuckles turning white. Only one thought occupied his mind—Sun Jianjun, you fucking killed me.

No, we can't wait!

It needs to be cut, cut it immediately!

The list approved was sent by Sun Jianjun, which stated "meets the task requirements"—Zhang Hongsheng was simply following the rules; he did not personally review it, conduct a face-to-face meeting, or sign off on the fact that training was not required.

Who broke the rules? It was Sun Jianjun's side! He can't take the blame alone.

He was already rapidly rehearsing his lines in his mind—go back and immediately meet with Sun Jianjun, find the materials, make a clear list, clarify the timeline, supplement what needs to be supplemented and follow up on what needs to be followed up, and make his stance clear first.

Also, that drug dealer case must be closed immediately and solved right away; this case must be solved!

After Han Baotian finished speaking, he picked up his enamel mug, took a sip of water, and moistened his throat.

"Alright, that's all I wanted to say. I hope that when you go back, you will thoroughly review your past work to see if it was complete and without any loopholes."

He glanced around, and his voice calmed down.

"Taking this opportunity, let's rectify the work style of the political and legal departments in Yantai City. This is a good thing. Meeting adjourned!"

Zhang Hongsheng slowly stood up, rubbing his hand along the seam of his trousers. "Sun Jianjun, I'll fuck your mother!" He turned and walked out, his leather shoes clicking on the terrazzo floor, each step feeling like walking on ice.