The Higher-Ups (Four Thousand Words for Monthly Votes)

"Mother?"

Han Su was slightly surprised, both by Zhang Chiguo's continued pursuit of the kidnapping case despite the obvious hints from "above" at the Disaster Management Bureau, and by the clue he was following.

Zhang Chiguo and Song Chushi had thought of the same thing.

"What I thought at the time was very simple. Since this case was already classified and did not involve the grotesque, nor was it allowed to be investigated..."

Zhang Chiguo said, "But I just wanted to help a child I knew find his mother. That's always a reasonable thing to do, isn't it?"

Han Su could no longer contain his excitement. "And then?"

He didn't think she was his mother, because that memory was already very faint, like a washed-out film, leaving only scattered images. Even in those scattered images, he had no memory of calling her "Mom."

If she really was his mother, then no matter how forgetful a child was, he wouldn't forget something like that, right?

However, even though his feelings had faded to the extreme, hearing Zhang Chiguo mention her still stirred an uncontrollable emotion within him, causing faint ripples.

"Your mother disappeared very cleanly, which is precisely one of the points that made me suspicious."

Zhang Chiguo said slowly, "No matter who it was, or what method they used, it's impossible to disappear so easily in a city, without even leaving behind related documents or records."

"This was the first thing I suspected, but because she disappeared so cleanly, it was impossible to investigate. Only when the Disaster Management Bureau classified it, and my only reason to investigate her was to help you find your mother, did I unexpectedly find a clue."

The word "clue" struck Han Su like thunder. He suddenly looked up, staring at Zhang Chiguo in disbelief.

"Before the kidnapping case, she helped you transfer schools."

Zhang Chiguo said slowly, "She transferred you to that prestigious school, but we investigated that school, and the relevant records have already disappeared."

"Even your original school has no record, and you can't recall it either..."

"But just as I was about to give up, I unexpectedly found that transfer record, the one I had been wanting to find for so long, in the Disaster Management Bureau..."

"Through this transfer record, I found your original school, and finally, from a teacher who had taught you, I obtained a somewhat blurry group photo and saw this woman..."

"..."

"Then..."

Han Su suddenly stood up. "Where?"

Zhang Chiguo looked at him deeply, then took a file bag from Secretary Cui's briefcase. Han Su immediately recognized it as the file bag for the kidnapping case from ten years ago.

So, Zhang Chiguo hadn't lied when he was at the Public Security Bureau.

He had indeed kept this file.

Zhang Chiguo took out an old photograph from it and gave it to Han Su. Han Su realized it seemed to have been taken during a parent-child event at school. There were many children and adults in the photo, and his gaze involuntarily fell on the face of a tall, slender woman.

It was her.

The shadow in his memory was coming back to life. This tall, slender woman, her demeanor was different from everyone else's.

Beautiful, and solitary.

He stared blankly for a long time, trying to awaken his memory of her, but there was nothing. He was certain that this was the woman who had taken care of him before the kidnapping case, but he couldn't recall any more moments spent with her.

It was as if all memories of her had been violently ripped away.

When he spoke, he realized his voice was hoarse. "Is this... is this the only photo?"

"Yes."

Zhang Chiguo slowly shook his head and said in a low voice, "Not long after that, the teacher who had taught you also passed away. I visited that school several times, but I couldn't find any more clues. Only this photo remained."

Han Su's tightly clenched heart slowly sank again. His eyes were fixed on the woman's face in the photo, unsure what to say.

"And this time, my conversation with you..."

Zhang Chiguo gave Han Su ten seconds to look at the photo before seemingly making a firm decision and slowly speaking, "The most important thing is to tell you one thing."

"She might still be in this city!"

"..."

"What?"

If seeing the photo had only stirred some emotion in Han Su's heart, this sentence instantly made his scalp tingle.

"You heard me right."

Zhang Chiguo met his gaze and slowly said, "Three years ago, when I was dealing with a matter related to a certain mysterious organization, I saw her..."

Seeing Han Su's brow furrowed tightly, he waved his hand and said in a low voice, "I only caught a glimpse from afar. Although I immediately went after her, she had already disappeared into the crowd."

"Actually, it's hard for anyone to believe me. Because I had only seen her in a photo, and then I only saw her unexpectedly when I wasn't on guard. No matter who I told, it probably wouldn't count as evidence..."

"But..."

He seemed to struggle for a moment before stating with absolute certainty, "I am sure it was her."

"I swear on these eyes that have been doing criminal investigation for decades, that person was her."

"..."

"..."

After experiencing so many kidnappings and narrow escapes from death, Han Su never thought that a piece of information would shock him so much, even causing him to temporarily lose the ability to think.

"I..."

Han Su's voice trembled slightly. "I believe you, so... where did you...?"

"Don't get agitated yet."

Zhang Chiguo slowly patted Han Su's shoulder. "I have information on this mysterious organization. Before I tell you this lead, I must warn you."

"Some things, some organizations, once you know about them, they represent danger."

"The mystery, the strangeness, and the danger of this kidnapping case have reached a level that I completely cannot understand. This is precisely why I didn't want you to get involved again before."

"If I don't give you this lead, you won't know who they are. To you, these people might just be passersby on the street, people coming into the city for business, unlucky folks whose cars broke down, or friendly strangers offering a cigarette and asking for directions."

"But once you know of their existence and deliberately approach them, perhaps you'll soon and inexplicably become a corpse..."

"..."

He said this, pulled out a third cigarette, and sighed softly. "So, I suggest you investigate only after you have the ability to protect yourself."

Han Su was anxious but held back. "Uncle Zhang, I know you mean well for me, but monsters, and mysterious organizations..."

"For me, when will I be considered to have the ability to protect myself?"

"Investigator!"

Zhang Chiguo said sternly, "My advice is that you formally approach them after you become an investigator."

"After becoming an investigator, you will receive mysterious power training and gain the ability to protect yourself. The Disaster Management Bureau will also grant you certain authority. By then, dealing with these matters will naturally be much safer."

Han Su even found it a bit amusing. "Is becoming an investigator useful?"

"Uncle Zhang, you were an investigator at first, and by the sound of it, a veteran of the Disaster Management Bureau. But weren't you also suffocated by pressure back then?"

He truly didn't want to wait, not even for a day.

"It is useful!"

Unexpectedly, Zhang Chiguo replied with absolute certainty. "The fact that the other party, whether it's the investigator who submitted the report or the important figure who stamped it, first categorized it and then suppressed the matter itself proves something."

Han Su frowned. "Proves what?"

Zhang Chiguo said in a low voice, "It proves their power is immense, but not so great that they can directly eliminate all influence. They still need to follow the Disaster Management Bureau's rules to handle things."

"They don't allow me to investigate, and they don't allow other investigators to investigate, simply because according to the rules, we cannot use the Disaster Management Bureau's resources to investigate ordinary cases categorized as having no grotesque characteristics."

"We are members of the Disaster Management Bureau ourselves, so this can restrict us."

"But..."

He paused, then looked up at Han Su. "Who can stop a child from searching for their mother?"

Han Su was slightly stunned by his words.

After a long silence, he said softly, "What if they still try to stop me then?"

Zhang Chiguo slowly lit his lighter and lit his third cigarette. "Kid, don't you understand yet?"

"Being stopped, even being harassed or framed, is inevitable. Ever since you entered the Disaster Management Bureau, you haven't been able to escape any of this."

"Huh?"

Han Su looked up at Zhang Chiguo in surprise, not expecting him to say that.

He was someone who had climbed his way up; he should maintain appearances.

"You are the focal point of the kidnapping incident. If the people above don't even want to see the report I submitted, then they certainly won't want to see you."

Zhang Chiguo sighed and said slowly, "To put it another way, the Disaster Management Bureau is inherently an environment influenced by power. In fact, power occupies a very significant proportion within the Disaster Management Bureau."

"If I told you that in a place where everyone is busy climbing the ladder, there's no infighting or competition, would you think that's reasonable?"

"This is precisely why I didn't want you to join the Disaster Management Bureau in the first place, and why I wanted to persuade you to approach this lead only after becoming an investigator."

"Of course, now that you have no retreat, I hope you are prepared."

He said this, slowly exhaled a puff of smoke, and looked at Han Su seriously. "After entering the Disaster Management Bureau, you will inevitably attract some attention from the shadows, and even unknowingly become a target for dangerous individuals."

"Especially when you are still just an operative and haven't obtained the official investigative authority granted by the Disaster Management Bureau, rashly getting involved in these matters is simply handing over leverage to others."

"If the other party seizes an opportunity, then making you die somewhere, or finding a reason to imprison you forever, is not a difficult thing."

"..."

Hearing these serious implications, Han Su felt a surge of energy.

Seeing the seriousness on Zhang Chiguo's face, he couldn't help but smile. "I believe what Uncle Zhang says."

"But in that case, even if I do nothing, won't they have the opportunity to imprison me or make me disappear forever?"

"It's different."

Zhang Chiguo shook his head. "Precisely because you've walked right into a trap after entering the Disaster Management Bureau, you must learn to utilize everything reasonably."

"The reason the Disaster Management Bureau exists is because there is still the concept of 'reasonableness' within it. If some things are done too obviously, not only the Disaster Management Bureau as a whole, but even Miss Ai, could easily trigger paradoxes and self-conflicts, which would damage their own foundation."

"Don't forget..."

At this point, his expression became solemn, even a bit stern, as he looked at Han Su seriously. "The Disaster Management Bureau's greatest asset is its power!"

"And power is inherently limited!"

"Just like water needs to flow within its banks; once it crosses the line, it becomes a disaster."

"..."

Han Su still couldn't fully understand Zhang Chiguo's words, but he tried his best to process them.

Seeing Han Su's thoughtful expression, Zhang Chiguo knew it was a bit of a stretch for him to grasp these concepts at his age, so he smiled and said, "Of course, what's more important is that I'm here to watch over you."

Han Su was surprised, "You?"

"Yes!"

Zhang Chiguo lightly tapped the file bag with his finger and smiled, "Little Han, don't forget, this isn't just your matter; it's my case too."

"I wasn't lying to you when I was at the Public Security Bureau. I've never given up on this case."

"Whether it was back at the Public Security Bureau or now at the Disaster Management Bureau, I believe that 25 children cannot just disappear without a trace."

"..."

"Uncle Zhang..."

Just moments ago, when Han Su heard Zhang Chiguo talk about the dangers within the Disaster Management Bureau, he could still smile with ease.

But now, seeing Zhang Chiguo's sudden change in attitude, he felt a surge of blood rush to his head. For a moment, his chest felt hollow, and though he wanted to say something, it all got stuck in his throat.

"We're both men, don't say such sentimental things."

Zhang Chiguo patted Han Su on the shoulder and said, "I'm telling you this only so you understand that you don't need to be so anxious, don't need to push yourself so hard."

"You need to take each step steadily and consider everything thoroughly."

"For now, focus on what's in front of you and get through your phase as an operative. Once you truly become an investigator and have the ability to protect yourself, I'll tell you all the clues related to this kidnapping case, one by one. What do you think..."

"..."

Han Su said, "No."

"?"

Zhang Chiguo started to doubt himself: What did I not make clear just now?

"Uncle Zhang, I promise you, I won't recklessly investigate dangerous matters until I have the ability to protect myself."

Han Su quickly explained, "But the clues related to your kidnapping case, especially the information about the organization you mentioned might be connected to... her, please tell me now!"

"It's not that I want to secretly disobey you. It's just, what if..."

He paused, organizing his thoughts, "Not to sound unpleasant, but what if something were to suddenly happen to you during this time?"

Zhang Chiguo was taken aback, "And that's not unpleasant?"

Han Su said, "No one can predict how things will change. In any case, I'll keep your words in mind, but it's better if related clues are known by two people rather than just one."

"So, Uncle Zhang, please tell me!"

"..."

Looking at his earnest eyes, Zhang Chiguo sighed softly and relented, "I can tell you, but you must be extremely careful..."