The Director?
Ma Yancai, Zhao Fei, and Geng Wei sprang from their chairs as if jabbed with needles, turning toward the doorway in alarm.
A young police officer stood there, his shoulder boards bearing one bar and three stars, watching them expressionlessly.
A first-class superintendent was nothing unusual at the bureau. Frankly, everyone in this room outranked him.
Unfortunately, the same rank could carry different significance.
For the man before them, one bar and three stars represented the minimum rank required of a county- or district-level Public Security Director.
Ma Yancai, Sun Zhenxiang, and the others had attended the appointment meeting that morning, so of course they recognized Zhou Yi.
"How much did you drink at lunch?"
Zhou Yi walked slowly into the office, sweeping his gaze across every face as he asked in an even tone.
"Just a little," Ma Yancai answered reflexively.
"How much are you playing for?" Zhou Yi walked over to the table, picked up several large-denomination banknotes, then tossed them back down as he continued his questioning.
"N-not much. Just one or two yuan. Only small stakes, small stakes!" Sun Zhenxiang hurried to answer first.
Zhou Yi nodded, glanced around, and asked, "Which of you is the brigade commander?"
"Our brigade commander is Cheng Shoukui. He's taking a nap in his office," Ma Yancai answered hastily.
The office he meant was, naturally, the brigade commander's office.
"Call Huang Jinping and Li Guanghui. Tell them I'm waiting here," Zhou Yi said, turning to Rao Yu, deputy head of the Political Work Office.
Behind Rao Yu's thick lenses, an almost imperceptible gleam of excitement flickered. Whether the new Director wanted to establish his authority or had some other purpose, there was certainly going to be a show.
He immediately took out his phone and called Huang Jinping,