Ark, Just Tell Me Whether the Mission Is Complete

"A rookie, that's all. How capable could he be? It's not like he can beat me up in the Lungmen Guard Department, can he?"

"Besides, what he did this time was so outrageous that it's already drawn Chief Swire's dissatisfaction."

"After all, he's Chief Ch'en's man. There's no way Chief Swire would let him serve as acting brigade captain, right?"

"Once the fallout from this incident dies down, Chief Swire will definitely kick that guy over to Chief Ch'en's side."

Any group made up of people would have factions.

Luo Chen had reported nearly forty people over the past two days, but Captain Sun hadn't taken him seriously.

In his view, Luo Chen could use Chief Ch'en's Special Inspection Group to remove a group of Swire's key people.

But Chief Swire definitely wouldn't sit by and do nothing. Next would come Chief Swire's counterattack against Chief Ch'en.

And Luo Chen, who had been particularly restless this time, would undoubtedly be one of the targets.

By stepping forward to take over the Public Security Management Brigade at this time, he was acting entirely in Chief Swire's interests from the perspective of internal factional conflict.

The two were still talking.

When a group of people suddenly appeared ahead, carrying batons and brooms in their hands.

The sight gave both men a scare, but Captain Sun quickly realized that these people were subordinates from his detachment who had stayed behind at headquarters.

"What are you doing?" Captain Sun asked with a frown.

An older officer stepped forward and said firmly:

"Sir, we heard you're competing for the temporary brigade captain position. We're here to back you up."

"Captain, we're sick of that Luo Chen too. Hurry up and take charge."

His words immediately drew support from the others, who all voiced their agreement.

Hearing them, Captain Sun's tightly furrowed brow relaxed, and a smug smile curled at the corner of his lips.

"Are you people fooling around? The Lungmen Guard Department is holding a meeting, not settling scores between gangs. What are you carrying those things for? It's not like that guy would dare lay a hand on me."

"What will the other departments think when they see us like this?"

Though he said that, Captain Sun didn't send them back.

He merely told them to put away their batons so no one would see them.

Perfect. Let the entire Lungmen Guard Department see who had the strongest popular support in the Public Security Management Brigade.

If Luo Chen dared kick up a fuss, Captain Sun would use official business as an excuse to teach him a lesson.

Even if Luo Chen had Chief Ch'en backing him, there was nothing she could do to Captain Sun.

He refused to believe Chief Swire would allow Chief Ch'en to keep infiltrating her department.

The moment Captain Sun and Evan entered the brigade captain's office with their subordinates, they saw Luo Chen lounging on the brigade captain's sofa with one leg crossed over the other. Two cups of hot tea sat on the coffee table.

As the two officers entered, Luo Chen didn't even glance at Captain Sun. He looked straight at Evan instead.

"Captain Evan, have a seat. But there's only one thing I want—I want to be acting brigade captain. Do you support it or oppose it?"

Captain Sun was instantly dumbfounded. "What do you mean?"

Luo Chen glanced at the uninvited man.

"Captain Sun, right? Shouldn't you be at your post at this hour?"

His post?

At a time like this, who cared about their post?

And this temporary officer wanted to be acting brigade captain?

Wasn't that a joke?

"Luo Chen, you're just an intern officer. What makes you qualified to be acting brigade captain?"

"Captain Sun, while the Lungmen Guard Department has requirements for the rank attached to official positions, it has never said intern officers can't serve as temporary brigade captains." As Luo Chen spoke, he deliberately emphasized the word "temporary."

"This is absurd. You have no right to serve as acting brigade captain. I don't believe you're qualified to participate. I'll report your overstepping today to the higher-ups." With a dark expression, Captain Sun burst into curses. "Who are you to discuss who should be acting brigade captain? Come on, Evan. We'll discuss it separately."

With that, he moved to leave with Evan.

Luo Chen's expression didn't change, but one of Captain Sun's subordinates suddenly hardened his gaze, pulled a baton from his clothes, and smashed it into the back of Captain Sun's head.

"You want to be brigade captain too? If you become brigade captain, we'll all lose our jobs."

"You useless piece of trash, what makes you think you can be brigade captain?"

Captain Sun cried out in pain and raised a hand to block.

But the other man had a baton. After a few strikes, he knocked Captain Sun to the floor.

The others who had come with Captain Sun saw someone make a move and pulled out their batons as well, but they weren't protecting Captain Sun.

Just like the first man, they began viciously beating Captain Sun.

Todd glanced into the room from the doorway and quietly pulled the door shut.

The last survivor of the horror movie.

The people beating Captain Sun had bloodied their batons, yet they were still cursing nonstop.

They had no choice, because Luo Chen held all the evidence of their violations.

And everything they had done had been ordered by that bastard in front of them.

When he told his lackeys to do things, did he not know to destroy the evidence?

Could a piece of trash like that lead a team properly?

On the surface, Luo Chen had only reported the violators from two detachments, but he hadn't let them off either.

Luo Chen had found them in private and told them that if they didn't support his appointment as acting brigade captain,

he would use the evidence in his possession to drive every last one of them out of the Lungmen Guard Department.

No one knew what channels Luo Chen had in Lower City, but someone had photographed all of them impersonating gangsters while in plainclothes.

After seeing so many examples yesterday, they had no choice but to believe Luo Chen's threats.

As for how to make their detachment captain change his mind and support Luo Chen's appointment as acting brigade captain,

they chose the method they were best at, and the most direct one.

They gave Captain Sun a thorough beating.

They were all in the same boat anyway. They couldn't handle Luo Chen, but dealing with you would be easy, wouldn't it?

If you had the guts, report what you did to the higher-ups and see whether Chief Swire could protect you.

Evan was terrified by the scene before him and didn't dare step forward to stop them.

Was this still the Lungmen Guard Department?

How could they openly beat up an officer?

Had the world turned upside down?

Evan turned to look at Luo Chen, only to find him still drinking tea and giving Evan a reassuring smile.

But Evan didn't feel reassured at all. He only found it terrifying.

Didn't this guy know the consequences of doing this?

Reporting an officer and beating an officer were entirely different matters.

Luo Chen counted twenty seconds on his watch before slowly rising to stop them.

"Alright, stop."

Luo Chen had them haul the blood-covered Captain Sun to his feet.

He stood before Captain Sun, his face resolute and his eyes gleaming sharply.

The air was thick with tension and solemnity. Everyone else became careful even with their breathing.

"Colleagues, what I have to say today may be harsh, but it all comes from a sense of responsibility toward this team and the Lungmen Guard Department."

"During recent work, I've discovered serious problems. Some people, as officers of the Lungmen Guard Department, have failed to lead by example and protect the property and safety of Lungmen's citizens."

"Inspector Sun Yongsi abandoned his post while on duty, lacked professionalism, had no work ethic, looked down on his colleagues, and seriously violated work discipline."

"And I've also received reports from concerned citizens of Lower City that Captain Sun instructed his subordinates to brutally assault innocent civilians."

"Is someone like that still worthy of being an officer in the Lungmen Guard Department?"

Luo Chen's words were like a sharp blade, cutting through the silence in the air.

Some of those present lowered their heads without speaking. Some looked ashamed, while others tried to hide their unease through exchanged glances.

But Luo Chen gave them no chance to avoid it. He continued.

"I know everyone has their own difficulties and thoughts, but remember this: we are officers of the Lungmen Guard Department. We are the strong backing of Lungmen's people."

His voice grew more impassioned, as though he wanted to pass his resolve and conviction on to every person there.

His words were like a surging torrent, crashing into the depths of everyone's hearts. Under Luo Chen's passionate speech, the atmosphere in the meeting room gradually became grave and solemn.

"Pfft... after all that talking, don't you just want to seize the acting brigade captain position?"

At that moment, a discordant voice suddenly rang out.

Captain Sun, whose face was covered in blood from the beating, spat a mouthful of bloody saliva at Luo Chen. But because people were holding him up, it didn't reach him.

Luo Chen looked at him with a pained expression.

"Captain Sun, why are you so stubborn? Tell me, did you abandon your work? Who was commanding the Lower City operation?"

"My deputy captain."

"You abandoned your duties and obligations, then came here to bark at me? Are you still worthy of being an officer? Worthy of being a leader?"

As he spoke, Luo Chen opened the cabinet behind the bookshelf. Inside were neatly arranged photographs.

They were all evidence of violations by officers from the Third Detachment, which Luo Chen had gotten from Lin Yuxia last night.

It had to be said that the Rat King's influence over Lower City was far stronger than that of the Lungmen Guard Department. They even had plenty of leverage on the Guard Department itself.

Luo Chen had only mentioned it once, and Lin Yuxia sent him several gigabytes of photos.

"Take a look. These are all records of your Third Detachment's violations. How can you still have the nerve to stand here talking after leading your team into this state?"

The wall full of photographs was truly shocking. Even Captain Sun was left somewhat speechless.

But with rage rising in his throat, even though he knew he was in the wrong, he still stubbornly retorted.

"Luo Chen... but you openly assaulted a superior officer in the office. The higher-ups won't let you off."

"When did I assault you?"

Luo Chen looked utterly innocent at those words. "The Lungmen Guard Department values evidence. Do you have even one of my fingerprints on you?"

"You want to accuse me of assaulting a superior? Then I'll accuse you of slander."

"Pick any piece of evidence here. I guarantee there are no copies. Take one, then punch him once, so he realizes just how badly he failed at his job."

Luo Chen generously stepped aside, indicating that everyone could take the photos from the bookshelf and become good officers again.

The two officers holding Captain Sun were closest to the bookshelf and immediately spotted photos marked with their names.

They exchanged a glance. One gave Captain Sun a left hook, the other a right hook. After one punch each, they tossed him aside and lunged toward the bookshelf.

The moment they got their photos, they pulled out lighters and burned them on the spot.

Seeing the evidence destroyed, Luo Chen wasn't upset. Instead, he kindly opened the window to air out the room so they wouldn't be choked by the smoke.

Luo Chen knew not everyone was as brave as he was, daring to reform the Lungmen Guard Department's terrible environment.

Some people had merely been swept along by their circumstances. As long as they supported him as temporary brigade captain, he could lead them to turn over a new leaf, reform themselves, and devote themselves wholeheartedly to Lungmen's development, becoming positive and outstanding officers.

"Captain Sun abandoned his post, provoking dissatisfaction among his detachment colleagues. A conflict broke out while his colleagues tried to persuade him to return to work, resulting in a fight."

As everyone scrambled to beat Captain Sun and seize their own evidence.