After ten years undercover, I'm giving up.

After saying that, Ma Zhichao turned back and waved to the group of women in the private room, annoyed, "Alright, alright, get out! You're giving me a headache! Didn't you see Madam Fang is here?"

The hostesses stopped what they were doing and each of them gave Fang Jiexia a disgruntled look.

Clearly, they were very unhappy with this woman who suddenly appeared and delayed their money-making efforts.

But since Ma Zhichao had spoken, no matter how unwilling they were, they could only sway their hips and leave the private room one after another.

Fang Jiexia watched them leave coldly, her contempt barely concealed.

A bunch of lowlifes.

The filthy stuff in society.

The music was quickly turned off.

The flickering lights in the private room were adjusted back to normal, leaving only a dim yet stable soft light.

Ma Zhichao walked up to Fang Jiexia, smiling and extending his hand: "Madam Fang, it's our first formal meeting. I've heard so much about you."

Fang Jiexia is inherently proud, but on the surface she still maintains a professional smile.

She didn't shake hands, but simply said, "Officer Ma, let's get straight to the point."

"Don't rush, sit down and talk slowly."

Ma Zhichao wasn't embarrassed. He withdrew his hand and sat back down on the sofa.

Fang Jiexia then sat down, her face still bearing that standard smile.

"Officer Ma, the higher-ups are taking this incident very seriously."

"You can now openly and honestly state your demands."

Ma Zhichao leaned back on the sofa, a half-smile on his face, and asked, "Then I'd like to hear how the police plan to compensate me?"

Fang Jiexia smiled slightly, her tone sounding very official: "Your superiors fully understand your efforts and experiences over the years, so after internal discussions, they have decided to give you a very generous arrangement."

"First, issue HK$100,000 in compensation."

"Secondly, your rank will be promoted directly from ordinary police officer to inspector."

"And the six-month probationary inspector training and related assessments will be waived."

After she finished speaking, Fang Jiexia stopped.

Ma Zhichao waited a few seconds.

Then there was no more sound.

"That's it?"

Ma Zhichao was stunned on the spot.

He had just heard Fang Jiexia repeatedly emphasizing the importance of the matter and offering generous terms, and he genuinely believed that the police force would show some real sincerity this time.

Is that all?

One hundred thousand yuan?

An inspector's rank?

Fang Jiexia noticed his dissatisfaction and immediately explained, "Inspector Ma, you should understand that it's not an easy thing for an ordinary police officer to climb to the position of inspector."

"Many police officers may only ever be sergeants from the time they join the force until retirement."

"It's already a very rare privilege that you've been able to jump directly to the position of inspector."

Ma Zhichao was genuinely so angry he laughed.

Isn't this compensation a bit ridiculously meager?

After all, he's been an undercover agent for ten years.

This time, he was wrongly accused of being a wanted criminal throughout Hong Kong and almost got shot to death by his own people.

Logically speaking, even if the higher-ups don't spend a lot of money, they should at least show some sincerity.

HK$100,000?

Is this how you send away beggars on the street?

As for the inspector?

Many highly educated individuals start their careers as probationary inspectors when they join the police force.

Even junior officers, as long as their resumes are impressive enough, have a chance to skip the sergeant and police station sergeant and be promoted directly to probationary inspector.

So inspectors aren't as valuable as they make them out to be.

He caused such a huge uproar and suffered such a great loss.

As a result, the police force wanted to easily dismiss him with 100,000 dollars and an inspector.

Even feeding a dog isn't this perfunctory!

Ma Zhichao's anger flared up instantly.

Damn it.

Since you're so unscrupulous, don't blame him for being dishonest.

He clearly wanted to keep a low profile.

But why is it that people always force him to take action?

Ma Zhichao took a deep breath, his voice turning cold: "Fang Madam, I'm sorry."

"I do not accept this proposal."

As soon as he finished speaking, an barely suppressed rage appeared on his face.

It felt like I was being pierced by a sharp pain.

"ten years!"

"Do you know how I've endured these past ten years?"

"I started as the most insignificant nobody under Han Chen, and I don't know how many times I risked my life to finally climb to the position of his trusted confidant."

"For ten whole years, I lived in constant fear and anxiety."

"I don't even dare to sleep soundly, for fear that I might accidentally reveal in my dreams that I'm a policeman."

"Every day I face guns, knives, and the possibility of being discovered and drowned at any moment."

"Now that I've finally finished my undercover work, you think you can just give me an inspector position to get rid of me?"

Ma Zhichao said that the more intense his emotions became, the heavier his voice became.

"On what grounds?"

"Did you never treat us undercover agents like human beings from beginning to end?"

He practically shouted the last sentence.

Fang Jiexia showed a hint of apology on her face, but her eyes revealed a clear disapproval.

That look in his eyes was like looking at a clown who had lost control of his emotions.

"Officer Ma, I'm so sorry."

"However, the promotion to inspector is a plan that has already been approved by the higher authorities."

"I can't guarantee you that you'll get better treatment."

Ma Zhichao glared at her "angrily," gritting his teeth as he asked, "Then why is it that people like you can become inspectors as soon as they join the police force?"

"Why is it that you office workers, who spend your days drinking coffee, reading documents, and enjoying air conditioning, still get higher salaries and job titles than us?"

"Why should we risk our lives for ten years, only to barely earn a position that you get as soon as you join the company?"

Fang Jiexia's natural sense of superiority finally became somewhat uncontrollable.

I understand you're holding a grudge.

"But this is the police force's current personnel system."

"We are hired as inspectors because we have received higher education and at least have relevant professional backgrounds and academic qualifications."

As she said this, she looked at Ma Zhichao, her tone still calm, but her words were full of barbs.

"Officer Ma, I've already reviewed your file."

"You graduated from Wong Chuk Hang Police Academy."

"His achievements in combat and firearms are indeed impressive, but objectively speaking, his cultural background and educational level are not an advantage."

To put it bluntly...

"Without this undercover experience, it would be extremely difficult for you to rise to the rank of inspector if you followed the normal promotion path."

Fang Jiexia never thought highly of Ma Zhichao.

Therefore, she didn't mind subtly undermining his self-esteem by pointing out his background and education.

Of course, on the surface, she maintained that gentle smile.

really.

These words seemed to pierce Ma Zhichao's heart with pinpoint accuracy.

He was so angry that he actually laughed.

"Okay, I understand."

"So you mean we undercover agents are all uneducated and worthless?"

"We deserve to suffer and endure hardship."

"Being sent undercover is a favor the police force is doing you."

"Giving me an inspector's rank now is an act of great mercy from above."

"And you people with high education, good brains, and clean backgrounds can stand on high and laugh at us."

"You don't need to fight desperately, you don't need to take risks, and you don't need to worry about your identities being exposed and being cut into pieces one day."

"All you have to do is sit in the air-conditioned office and the inspector will be there as soon as you walk in."

"In the end, isn't it just about one sentence?"

"We are tools."

"You are the real talents."

"From beginning to end, you never treated the undercover agents as living, breathing people, but rather as disposable expendable resources that could be thrown out and sacrificed at any time!"

Looking at Ma Zhichao's furious expression, Fang Jiexia felt a secret sense of satisfaction.

However, she still put on a consoling expression and spoke in a very soft voice: "I know you're not convinced."

"But a system is a system, and it can't be changed by you and me with just a few words."

"Therefore, I sincerely advise you to accept the arrangements made by your superiors."

"These conditions are already much better than those of the vast majority of frontline police officers."

There was something Fang Jiexia didn't say.

There was another reason why the authorities were unwilling to give Ma Zhichao a higher rank.

This guy has put the police force in a very difficult position, causing the entire police force to lose face in front of all the citizens of Hong Kong.

Giving such a troublemaker an inspector position is already a barely acceptable way to appease him.

However, she dared not say this outright.

If I were to say it out loud, it would probably provoke Ma Zhichao to the point of turning hostile on the spot.

Ma Zhichao slammed his fist on the table in a fit of rage: "No!"

"I won't accept it!"

Fang Jiexia still wore that "I'm doing this for your own good" expression.

"I understand you're very emotional right now."

"But one must always look forward."

"What will your superiors think of you if you make unreasonable demands?"

"They'll just think you don't know your place and are a nuisance."

"At that time, it will be even more difficult for you to continue to move up the ranks."

"Listen to me."

Sometimes, suffering a loss isn't necessarily a bad thing.

"Suffering a loss is a blessing in disguise."

"Is suffering a loss a blessing?"

Ma Zhichao seemed to have completely exploded, and blurted out, "Fuck your mother!"

"I'm fighting for what I deserve!"

"It's also about standing up for all the undercover agents who are still risking their lives out there!"

"If I admit defeat this time, will you dare to continue bullying other undercover agents like this in the future?"

"I, Ma Zhichao, will absolutely not allow it!"

Seeing his exasperated state, Fang Jiexia became even more certain.

Ultimately, this man is just emotional.

If we go back and work on it again, it might be possible to suppress it.

She stood up and regained her composure.

"Since Inspector Ma still has differing opinions, let's stop here for today."

"You can go back and think it through calmly."

"Give me your answer after you've thought it through."

After saying that, Fang Jiexia turned around and walked out of the private room.

She really didn't want to endure the smell here for even a second longer.

Staying even a moment longer would feel like defiling her self-perceived noble dignity.