Solving Problematic People Is Also Solving Problems

Li Ye called Pan Zhengyang directly.

After the ringtone sounded several times, a gruff voice came from the other end.

"What is it?"

"Director Pan, you're still up?" Li Ye said.

"..."

"Why the hell would I sleep at eight? Get to the point."

"This afternoon, Ren Xu from the Ren Family stopped me to buy the Five Flavors Chopsticks. Tonight, I was attacked by a group of thugs led by Three Dragon Gate." Li Ye kept it brief.

"Fuck!"

The other side cursed, then asked, "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine."

"How can you be fine?! You're really not living up to expectations!"

"..."

"Forget it. This won't happen again. Remember to go train tomorrow."

The call was hung up. Li Ye put away his phone, his expression strange.

What did that mean?

Pan Zhengyang had hoped something would happen to him so he could find an excuse?

Did the Ren Family have a grudge against him?

He shook his head and walked out of the alley. Quite a few police cars were parked outside, hauling the thugs away one by one. The two officers who had earlier leapt over roofs and vaulted across walls had returned, pushing Li Ye's little electric scooter with them.

The officer who had grabbed Li Ye's wrist earlier said, "We only saw it when we dragged him out—that guy was Liu Ying. We could never find evidence of his crimes before, but this time we've got it. Thanks."

Li Ye smiled and shook his head. "We helped each other. No need to thank me."

The three of them began chatting right there.

The two officers appeared to have considerable cultivation, and they clearly wanted to talk with him, so naturally Li Ye did not refuse.

They were no ordinary officers either. One was Three Dragon Gate, the other Fourth Dragon Gate, both police chiefs. Liu Ying was a major thug who had been giving Ningjiang quite the headache. They could never catch him with any solid evidence before, but this time they had finally seized their chance.

Gathering a crowd for a brawl, assaulting people with weapons, and even attempted murder—the target had been someone from the Pest Control Bureau. That was more than enough to convict him.

Li Ye knew a little about being a police officer, since he had researched it back then.

At the time, he had thought that if he failed to find the gods, the system disappeared, and he only barely broke through First Dragon Gate, then he would take the police officer exam or something.

The minimum requirement for that profession was First Dragon Gate, and it was limited to fresh graduates. Once they passed the assessment, they could start work. Before encountering the Pest Control Bureau, Li Ye had always believed that police officers were the main force against demons and monsters.

Though they also assisted with minor demons, their primary opponents were still people like Liu Ying.

Anything above that fell within the Pest Control Bureau's domain.

Though Li Ye was only a Data Clerk, and perhaps amounted to little within the Pest Control Bureau, he was actually highly sought after outside it.

Those who retired at fifty were either recruited as consultants by major companies that knew the truth, or unwilling to fade into obscurity, they simply switched careers. Most of them went to the police departments.

For a Data Clerk as young as Li Ye, it was definitely never a mistake to make his acquaintance.

After talking for a while, they repeatedly confirmed that Li Ye was unharmed. Once they exchanged contact information, they said their goodbyes.

Li Ye got onto his little electric scooter and headed home again.

"This still isn't sealed up enough!"

In the director's office of the Pest Control Bureau, Pan Zhengyang put down the phone, glanced at the painting hanging on the wall, and clicked his tongue. Just as he was about to pick up the landline and make a call, someone knocked at the door.

"Come in."

Sun Shun entered with a broad smile. "Director Pan, you still haven't gotten off work to rest?"

"Cut the bullshit. Since when is there such a thing as 'getting off work'? If something happens, then even if I'm in bed, I have to pull it out and get to work!"

Pan Zhengyang snapped, then looked at Sun Shun and raised his brows. "Don't tell me it's what I think it is? It's only been a few minutes."

"It really is, Director Pan. I have something to report."

Sun Shun nodded solemnly. "Regarding Data Clerk Li Ye being attacked by thugs on his way home from work, the other side has already turned themselves in. It was a businessman."

"According to his own statement, he was close with a pest control agent. That agent saw Li Ye using the Five Flavors Chopsticks and spread the news. The businessman got interested, but he did not have that much cash, so he ordered his men to scare Li Ye first before discussing the price. In the end, his subordinate misunderstood what he meant."

Pan Zhengyang frowned upon hearing this. "Do you think I'm an idiot?"

"Director, this isn't a matter of whether you're an idiot. It's a matter of whether there's a reason."

Sun Shun said, "They've already found the instigator, so this matter..."

Pan Zhengyang roared, "Found the instigator? If you found one, then create another one! Throw some of the items confiscated last time into the Ren Family! Then raid their home! Wipe out their family!"

Sun Shun gave a bitter smile. "Director Pan, that doesn't follow the rules."

"I know that!"

Pan Zhengyang glared fiercely at him. "Otherwise, why the hell would I be roaring here in helpless rage?!"

Sun Shun said seriously, "Director Pan, that's not something you should say. It makes us subordinates lose face. I may only be the Section Chief of the Data Section, but if you give the word, I can still throw away my head and spill my hot blood."

"Go, go, go. You're only Second Dragon Gate. What use do I have for your head? Keep it on so you can look around for demons and monsters—that's what matters."

Pan Zhengyang rolled his eyes, then leaned back in his chair, his fingers tapping the desk rhythmically.

"Who leaked the information?"

"Wu Yongnian. The captain is Yue Rui, and the team member is Huang Qingyi."

"Oh, does he have ties to the Ren Family?"

"I don't know about that."

Sun Shun said, "Director, we can't interfere in a pest control agent's affairs. Besides, this is his personal social life. I only heard that some of the dinner parties he attends are rather high-end, and a single meal costs a great deal."

"What? Does he eat better than I do?"

Pan Zhengyang laughed. "That won't do. How can anyone in the Ningjiang Pest Control Bureau eat better than me? If he likes attending dinner parties that much, then being a pest control agent is wasting his talent. Let him go make his own way. As for the Ren Family..."

His fingers stopped tapping the table. He looked at Sun Shun. "Make a trip. Send them one sample of the items we confiscated last time."

Sun Shun's expression stiffened. "Director Pan..."

"Just delivering something. Don't worry. It hasn't come to that yet."

So it would come to that later?

Seeing the odd look on Sun Shun's face, Pan Zhengyang spread his hands. "Can't be helped. We can't find any evidence, yet the higher-ups keep telling me to investigate. How am I supposed to investigate? All I know is that there's something wrong with the Ren Family's way of thinking. When it truly comes to the final step, we can just go through the motions."

He sneered. "After all, crimes require evidence. Counterterrorism doesn't."

"Director Pan, they may not necessarily be the ones who did it," Sun Shun reminded him.

"But they definitely have something to do with it!" Pan Zhengyang said with absolute certainty. "Solving problematic people is also solving problems!"

Helpless, Sun Shun could only nod. "Yes. I'll make sure it gets delivered."

"Mm. That spoiled second-generation brat of the Ren Family thinks he can bully whoever he wants. Does he really think Ningjiang is named Ren? I gave Li Ye the Five Flavors Chopsticks. I said no one could force him to sell them. And now they pull this stunt. Ask that old bastard from the Ren Family whether I, the director of the Pest Control Bureau, should make room for him!"

As he spoke, Pan Zhengyang waved a hand. "Go. Oh, right—the Ren Family's businesses haven't been sealed up enough. Throughout Ningjiang City, large or small, seal up every business connected to them. Even if there's nothing wrong, dig up something wrong. They couldn't bear to pay ten million? Fine. I'll make them lose even more!"