Taking Office (Please Keep Reading)

Yang Wenqing entered the main building of the precinct and, as usual, followed procedure to the Personnel Office of the Archives Division on the first floor. The one receiving him was again a bespectacled middle-aged policewoman.

After verifying his transfer order and identity information, the policewoman stamped a document, then instructed the young Li Shen beside her as before, "Xiao Li, take Chief Yang to report to the Major Crimes Unit."

"Yes!"

Li Shen quickly rose to his feet and gestured for Yang Wenqing to follow. "Chief Yang, this way, please."

The two left the office and walked to the stairwell at the end of the corridor on the right, then went up to the second floor. There was another corridor here, with most of the doors on either side shut tight. Different plaques hung on them, reading things such as "Forensic Examination Room," "Trace Analysis Room," and "Evidence Storage Room."

Li Shen led Yang Wenqing to a heavy solid-wood door at the end of the corridor. The brass plaque on it read, "Major Crimes Unit Chief's Office."

Knock, knock.

After the knock sounded, a steady male voice came from within. "Come in."

Li Shen pushed open the door and entered with Yang Wenqing. They stopped before a desk, stood at attention, and saluted. "Deputy Director Gao, Li Shen of the Archives Division has been ordered to bring Chief Yang Wenqing here to report for duty."

Yang Wenqing had already stood at attention. Naturally, he recognized Deputy Director Gao behind the desk. The man wore the same white uniform of a police commissioner and bore the same silver star on his shoulder, yet he was worlds apart from Wang Ren of the Public Security Office.

"Mm. You've worked hard. You may leave first."

Deputy Director Gao waved Li Shen away, then turned his gaze to Yang Wenqing and smiled. "Relax, young man." As he spoke, he pointed to the chair before his desk. "Have a seat."

Li Shen respectfully withdrew from the office. As he closed the door, he watched Yang Wenqing sit before the desk, his eyes filled with envy.

As Yang Wenqing sat down, he swiftly surveyed the office and Deputy Director Gao. It was his habit to observe his surroundings whenever he entered a new place. The office was spacious yet simple. Against the wall on the left stood a row of tall filing cabinets, while on the other side was a massive whiteboard covered in case-related photographs and notes, linked by a tangled web of lines.

Deputy Director Gao had a stern face, deep wrinkles on his forehead and at the corners of his eyes, sharp eagle-like eyes, and close-cropped hair that was already half gray.

This was the actual person in charge of the Major Crimes Unit, one of the precinct's two deputy directors.

"Li Yi from the Operations Division spoke highly of you, and I have high hopes for you as well. After all, you're the first police officer in the past ten years to reach the Qi Refining Stage at the age of twenty." Deputy Director Gao spoke softly.

Yang Wenqing was about to respond when Deputy Director Gao waved a hand.

Then Deputy Director Gao picked up a file and changed the subject. "Which spells have you learned?"

Yang Wenqing rose and answered, "Reporting, Director, I have mastered the Immobilization Spell, the Body-Protecting Golden Light Spell, the Tracking Technique, and the Demon-Breaking Spell."

Deputy Director Gao nodded. "Not bad. Your former superior in the patrol unit also spoke highly of you. He said you're diligent and eager to learn, and that you grasp many things as soon as you study them. It seems his words were true. You need to master all spells as soon as possible, especially those that senior chiefs must know."

"Yes!"

Yang Wenqing answered loudly.

Deputy Director Gao pointed at the badge on Yang Wenqing's chest. "Give me your badge."

Without hesitation, Yang Wenqing removed the badge and placed it on the desk.

Deputy Director Gao picked up the badge with his right hand and formed a hand seal with his left, using the badge on his own chest to connect with Yang Wenqing's. At the same time, he said, "The Major Crimes Unit has three squads, responsible for solving major cases across all six towns and six districts in the county. The captain of the Third Squad was transferred to the West City Public Security Station a few days ago to serve as deputy director. You'll temporarily take over as acting captain of the Third Squad."

"However, the Third Squad is still short-handed. If there's anyone trustworthy you have in mind, report them to me. There's no rush; think it over carefully first. Also, the Major Crimes Unit generally doesn't wear uniforms."

After saying that, he lowered his head to glance at his own uniform. "Of course, unless you rise to my position."

He said that last line jokingly.

But the joking tone vanished in an instant. As he constructed a new communication formation for Yang Wenqing's badge, he warned, "The Major Crimes Unit holds considerable authority. When necessary, it can mobilize police officers from every district and town. When pursuing criminals, it can even temporarily commandeer a squad of government soldiers. But its responsibilities are equally great."

He did not spell out everything, after all. He had only just met Yang Wenqing, and assigning him a squad captain's post according to procedure was already because he valued the young man's potential.

Having lived two lives, Yang Wenqing naturally understood the meaning of the warning. The Major Crimes Unit was effectively the only force within its jurisdiction legally permitted to use violence. That would inevitably bring many temptations, such as overtures from local powers.

"I will fulfill my duties faithfully!"

Yang Wenqing made his promise.

Deputy Director Gao was very satisfied with Yang Wenqing's response. As he returned the badge, he rose smoothly to his feet and said, "Come on. I'll take you to the Third Squad's office. There are only two people left in the Third Squad now. One is a communications specialist, and the other is an experienced senior police officer, so the entire squad is temporarily paralyzed."

Yang Wenqing pinned the badge back onto his chest and followed Deputy Director Gao out. They walked to the other end of the corridor. Quite a few plainclothes officers greeted Deputy Director Gao along the way, and he responded amiably to each of them. Every one of them gave Yang Wenqing a curious look, yet Deputy Director Gao did not introduce him.

The Third Squad plaque on the door at the end of the corridor was already quite old. The door stood open, and no sound came from within. Naturally, Deputy Director Gao did not knock. He simply pushed the door open and entered.

The hinges gave a soft creak, breaking the silence in the room.

It was an office that was not particularly spacious but sufficient for use. Two somewhat worn desks stood side by side by the window, with scattered documents piled atop them. A filing cabinet half a person tall stood in the corner, and beside it was a communications device whose internal communication formation had not been activated.

There were only two people in the room.

Behind the desk near the door sat a young policewoman who looked to be in her early twenties. She was absorbed in a thick copy of the Illustrated Guide to Basic Spell Seals. Only when she heard the door open did she look up in alarm. Seeing Deputy Director Gao, she froze visibly for a moment, then hurriedly stood up and snapped to attention in flustered panic. "D-Deputy Director Gao!"

Behind the desk farther inside sat a middle-aged man who appeared to be in his forties. He wore a brown leather jacket and had an ordinary face, the kind that would disappear into a crowd. Yet his eyes were unusually calm. He was holding a soft cloth, methodically wiping down a Class-B Type 1 Service Pistol.

Hearing the movement, he did not panic like the young policewoman. He merely stopped wiping the pistol, rose to his feet, and nodded at Deputy Director Gao. However, his gaze lingered more on Yang Wenqing beside him. When he noticed Yang Wenqing's rank, his eyes lit up. He then looked back at Deputy Director Gao, and a trace of expectation appeared in his eyes.

"This is Chief Yang Wenqing. Starting today, he will be the acting captain of your Third Squad."

Deputy Director Gao first introduced Yang Wenqing to the two of them. Then he pointed to the young policewoman and introduced her to Yang Wenqing. "This is Liu Qin, the squad's communications specialist. She is highly talented in information processing and rune communications."

Liu Qin immediately straightened her back and nervously greeted Yang Wenqing. "Hello, Captain Yang!"

Deputy Director Gao then looked at the middle-aged man. "This is Wu Yan, a veteran investigator with extensive experience. Listen to his advice more when handling cases in the future."

Wu Yan gave Yang Wenqing a smile that was not exactly warm but could not be faulted. "Captain Yang."

After the introductions, Deputy Director Gao said to Yang Wenqing, "Liu Qin has the manual for setting up communication formations and the standard rune sequences. Get the squad's basic framework established as soon as possible. If there are any problems, come directly to me."

With that, he patted Yang Wenqing on the shoulder. Without saying anything further, he turned and left the office.

The door closed softly, and the office fell into brief silence. Liu Qin stood there somewhat awkwardly, while Wu Yan merely stood in silence. Clearly, this veteran investigator was the sort who followed orders rather than took initiative in thinking through problems.

Yang Wenqing looked at the two squad members before him, so different in temperament—one still green, the other as deep and still as water. He knew that if he wanted to truly get the Third Squad running as its acting captain, he would likely have to put in considerable effort.