About to leave the Police Force he had served for decades, He Lingyun was filled with reluctance.
However, the Hong Kong Government had clear regulations on the length of service in the Disciplined Services.
On top of that, the Police Force now had a fine tradition of passing the torch.
If He Lingyun wanted to leave behind a lasting bond of goodwill with his colleagues in the Police Force core management, he had to step aside for a worthy successor.
Thus, however much He Lingyun would miss the Police Force, he ultimately took the initiative to write this application for early retirement.
He Lingyun willingly relinquished the enormous authority he held, retiring early from his position as Police Force DCP Operations to carry on the noble, selfless spirit of his predecessors in the Police Force.
Yet deep down, he could never stop worrying about the younger member of his family serving in the Police Force-his only daughter, Ho Wai-lam.
Back when Zhou Quan took office as Senior Superintendent, Ho Wai-lam had worn a single four-pointed star on her shoulder and served directly in the department commanded by her father, He Lingyun.
Now, Zhou Quan was firmly established as the Police Force Number One, while He Lingyun had risen to Police Force DCP Operations and was about to retire with honour.
Yet Ho Wai-lam's rank had still not broken through the barrier to commissioned rank.
Being a Chief Inspector in her thirties gave her absolutely no advantage in the Police Force's promotion process.
Of course, that was relative to police officers from ordinary backgrounds.
A Chief Inspector in her thirties had already reached a height most people could never attain in their entire police careers.
But how could Ho Wai-lam's circumstances be compared to those of ordinary police officers?
Her father,