Building His Own Network of Connections

Blue-and-white police tape had been stretched across the area, sealing off the old apartment building where Summer Palace Villa was located.

He Wenzhan, Shao Meiqi, and the other PTU officers stood along the edge of the police tape, keeping curious onlookers away from the scene.

At the entrance to the old building, Zhou Quan stood beside Kong Chi Lap and Kwan Man Chin, chatting and laughing with two plainclothes officers.

Zhou Quan had captured four armed robbers alive and seized a large quantity of weapons and stolen cash, so naturally he had to notify his friend and superior.

At that moment, both Kong Chi Lap and Kwan Man Chin wore undisguised smiles.

Several million in stolen cash, along with a large quantity of weapons, was undoubtedly a substantial achievement.

Their West Kowloon Mobile Unit would once again make a name for itself within the Police Force.

Although the main credit would certainly go to the team commanded by Zhou Quan, the two of them were the Big Sirs of the entire West Kowloon PTU and Zhou Quan's direct superiors.

They would also share in the credit, adding an impressive achievement to their records.

Looking at the various weapons and stolen cash being catalogued and displayed in front of the apartment building,

the middle-aged plainclothes officer with gold-rimmed glasses and a pair of drooping moustaches raised his brows.

"Albert, your B Company has been on a remarkable run lately!"

A hint of envy flashed in his eyes as he chuckled and teased, "The North Point armored car case was solved in just one day, and now you've seized a large quantity of weapons and stolen cash.

"If nothing unexpected happens, your B Company is sure to be named the Police Force's model department this year!"

Although it was already late, the darkness had done nothing to dim the bright smile on Kong Chi Lap's face.

He straightened his crisp white shirt and said, beaming, "Can't be helped. Our B Company recently gained a top talent!"

With his unit repeatedly cracking major cases, Kong Chi Lap naturally wanted to show off a little.

What's more, the people around him were all on the same side, so he had even less reason to be reserved or polite.

"That's true. Zhou sir joined your B Company straight out of the academy. You, Albert, really hit the jackpot."

Seeing Kong Chi Lap's smug expression, the middle-aged plainclothes officer secretly rolled his eyes.

Judging by his tone, he and Kong Chi Lap were clearly on very good terms, close enough to be thoroughly familiar with each other.

He and Kong Chi Lap had entered the force around the same time and had even worked together for a long while.

Both had served in O Division and followed the same superior: Lee Man-bun, Zhou Quan's maternal uncle.

He was the very Yang Zi'an whom Lee Man-bun had mentioned in his earlier phone call: the West Kowloon Major Crimes Unit commander, a Superintendent at Commissioned Rank.

As for the plainclothes officer beside Yang Zi'an, he was naturally Shek Mai-ho, the man Lee Man-bun had mentioned-the Kowloon City Major Crimes Unit commander, holding the rank of Chief Inspector.

Behind the four armed robbers Zhou Quan had captured alive were other accomplices and further criminal leads.

With only his status as a Mobile Unit Probationary Inspector, Zhou Quan could not make the most of the four men's value.

Even with Kong Chi Lap stepping forward to back him, that would still be impossible.

That was because the Mobile Unit's duties mainly involved anti-crime patrols, maintaining internal security, and cooperating with other departments, among other things.

If the Mobile Unit came across a case, it was naturally duty-bound to handle it.

But for the subsequent investigation of a case, other Police Force departments were needed.

Depending on the nature of the case, it would fall to different departments, such as the Major Crimes Unit, Anti-Triad Unit, or Commercial Investigation Bureau.

For example, these four armed robbers would certainly have to be handed over to the Major Crimes Unit next.

The current crime scene, Summer Palace Villa, was in Kowloon City, so the department taking over would most likely be the Kowloon City Major Crimes Unit, or even Regional Major Crimes in West Kowloon.

By then, even if the other department followed the leads from the four robbers and expanded the results further,

the subsequent credit would have little to do with Zhou Quan.

Since he was bound to share the fruits of this operation, Zhou Quan would naturally consider his own people first.

His own footing in the West Kowloon District was weak, but his family elders' influence could be said to reach throughout the Police Force.

That was precisely why Zhou Quan had called his maternal uncle, Lee Man-bun.

This way, Zhou Quan would not only avoid letting outsiders benefit, but would also build new connections.

Although he was Lee Man-bun's nephew and Lee Shu-tong's grandson, a core younger member of the Police Force Lee Family who could count on the family's full support,

that did not mean the network of connections built by the Lee Faction would also serve Zhou Quan to the very best of its ability.

They might do so once or twice, but without anything in return, how could the others in the Lee Faction be expected to do so willingly?

Until now, the support Zhou Quan had received had all come from the efforts of his three elders: Lee Shu-tong, Lee Man-bun, and Wong Bing Yiu.

For instance, Zhou Quan's record might have been impressive enough to land him on the cover of Police News.

But without Old Master Lee's support, how could a mere Probationary Inspector have caught the attention of the Police Force's senior management?

Behind that support, Zhou Quan's elders had been spending their favors.

It would have been one thing if he had no chance to repay them, but now that the opportunity was right in front of him, he naturally would not forget his own people in the Lee Faction.

Yang Zi'an and Shek Mai-ho were undoubtedly Lee Man-bun's people, and they were also connections his maternal uncle had shared with him.

The great old man in the Motherland had once said, "Unite all the forces that can be united." Zhou Quan deeply agreed.

While relying on the support of his family elders, Zhou Quan also had to maintain and build a network of his own.

The same went for Kong Chi Lap and Kwan Man Chin, and so did Yang Zi'an and Shek Mai-ho now.

Favors had to go both ways.

By sharing the credit for the four robbers with the people there, Zhou Quan would naturally earn a place in their minds.

If he ever needed their help in the future, he could resolve the matter through his own network, without going through his family elders.

"If you hadn't been required to go through Mobile Unit training after graduating from the Police Academy, Zhou sir..."

Yang Zi'an looked at Zhou Quan and said with some regret, "I would definitely have asked Lee sir to bring a top talent like you into our Regional Major Crimes Unit."

He was not just making polite conversation. He genuinely admired Zhou Quan's ability.

Although Yang Zi'an had never dealt with Zhou Quan before, how could he not have heard of the West Kowloon Gun God?

Besides, Zhou Quan was Lee Man-bun's nephew, and Yang Zi'an was Lee Man-bun's former subordinate. Naturally, he had kept an eye on his old superior's outstanding younger relative.

"Yang sir, you're too kind. Maybe in a few days I'll be working under you."

Facing Yang Zi'an's praise, Zhou Quan smiled and said warmly, "Besides, even if I'm in the Mobile Unit, we're still on the same side!"

"Exactly. We're all on the same side!"

Yang Zi'an's smile grew even brighter. He clearly agreed with Zhou Quan.