Lü Jinshan

Biodata

Appearance

• Build: Somewhat puffy and overweight, with a round face 6 10 30.
• Eyes: Small, described as beady 31.
• Usual manner: Presents a genial smile and an air of importance; often conceals hostility behind public praise 6 30.

Personality

Lü Jinshan prioritizes his position, promotion prospects, and control over the station. He routinely praises Lu Zhao in public while obstructing his career through personnel decisions and delayed recognition of merit. When challenged, he alternates between intimidation and offers of advancement, treating opportunities Lu Zhao has already earned as personal favors 6 10 30.

His treatment of others depends heavily on their influence. He berates subordinates after being reprimanded by Lin Zhiyan, yet lowers his head before her because of her jurisdiction and family background. When seeking Mr. Zhao’s help, he deliberately dishevels his collar and uses eye drops to stage a tearful appeal 10 35.

He delegates difficult work while retaining opportunities to sign documents and claim leadership credit. His determination to separate Lu Zhao from Zhang Like becomes strong enough that he accepts the risk of setbacks during flood season rather than leave their growing influence intact 30 31.

History

Suppression of Lu Zhao

Lü Jinshan helps enforce the political pressure surrounding Lu Zhao’s conflict with the Chen Family. Over Lu Zhao’s first years at Ant Ridge, he uses transfers, delayed promotions, and nominal appointments to restrict his career while maintaining an outwardly supportive manner 4 6.

Lü Jinshan also fears that pressure might drive Lu Zhao to armed retaliation. The station armory is heavily guarded because of concern that Lu Zhao could obtain a sniper rifle 6.

Fate Bone Investigation

After Lu Zhao kills a Greenwood fugitive, Lü Jinshan fails to order a search despite reports that the fugitive may have hidden an important item. Lin Zhiyan identifies the omission as dereliction of duty and gives him three days to recover the missing Fate Bone 10.

Seeking someone to blame, Lü Jinshan questions Liu Qiang and offers to make his position permanent if he provides useful information. He specifically asks whether Lu Zhao behaved unusually, but Liu Qiang refuses to implicate him 10.

The resulting mountain search continues under dangerous conditions. Lü Jinshan orders Zhang Like to keep searching even amid poor visibility and signs of flash flooding, invoking Lin Zhiyan’s orders and a Martial Marquis’s supervision. Zhang Like suspends the search anyway. After four days of complaints, Lü Jinshan calls off the operation 13.

On June 1, the station publicly announces a formal censure for serious dereliction of duty. This does not initially result in suspension or a disciplinary penalty, but the censure enters his personnel file and threatens his future promotion 13.

Counterterrorism Operation

Lü Jinshan excludes Lu Zhao from the counterterrorism deployment, denying him another opportunity to earn merit. Zhang Like challenges the decision and is taken away by disciplinary officers after arguing with the personnel department and station chief 17.

When the Special Counterterrorism Brigade suffers heavy losses in Ning County, Lü Jinshan urgently orders Lu Zhao to reinforce it. Lu Zhao deploys by helicopter and eliminates the principal fleeing attackers 21 23.

While awaiting the outcome, Lü Jinshan fears that the frontline forces may be wiped out. Once success is confirmed, he begins planning a report that will present the operation as evidence of his sound command. Lu Zhao deliberately draws the Special Response unit’s attention to his obstruction to prevent that account from going unchallenged 24 25.

His authority visibly weakens when the returning troops reform their ranks after he dismisses them, then disperse only after Zhang Like gives the same command 26.

Transfer and Flood-Control Dispute

After Lu Zhao’s promotion to captain, Lü Jinshan transfers him from reinforced platoon command to an operations and training staff post intended to sideline him. He offers to support a future promotion to field officer if Lu Zhao and Zhang Like stop their activities against him. Lu Zhao refuses to treat his advancement as Lü Jinshan’s personal gift 30.

Lü Jinshan rejects Chen Hongtao’s request to retain Lu Zhao’s guidance through flood season. His objective is to sever Lu Zhao’s frontline influence and connection with Zhang Like, whom he cannot transfer as freely because Zhang Like’s appointment requires approval from a higher department 31.

When Lu Zhao wins the outstanding officer election with twenty-eight votes, Lü Jinshan also votes for him. Lu Zhao recognizes this as an attempt to preserve leadership credibility in a contest Lü Jinshan cannot win; afterward, objects can be heard being thrown inside the chief’s closed office 33.

Following further disputes involving replacement platoon leader Liang Fei, Lü Jinshan considers punishing and breaking up the reinforced platoon to destroy Lu Zhao’s support base. Chen Hongtao arrives before he can issue the order 34.

Suspension and Appeal to Mr. Zhao

Chen Hongtao assumes temporary command and suspends Lü Jinshan pending investigation into dereliction of duty. Lu Zhao publicly orders the suspended chief to leave the government office, prompting laughter from onlookers 34 35.

Lü Jinshan then visits West Street Bar in the Foreign District to seek Mr. Zhao’s assistance. He learns that Lin Zhiyan belongs to the Cangwu Lin Family. Mr. Zhao dismisses his panic and assures him that matters will settle once the special investigation team leaves 35.

By June 12, Lü Jinshan’s suspension has been set at one month, with no additional charges for the time being. His return is expected unless further evidence changes the situation 39.

Lü Bowen and the Smuggling Investigation

Zhang Laoniu identifies Lü Jinshan’s younger brother as a smuggler. Lu Zhao and Zhang Like subsequently investigate Lü Bowen’s three bars and trace a route carrying life supplements from Ant Ridge into Fang City. They hope evidence against the younger brother will also implicate Lü Jinshan, though their jurisdiction limits their options 26 32 37 38.

Lu Zhao later seeks to use the special task force’s authority to connect Lü Bowen with the escape of wanted tomb robbers and pursue Lü Jinshan through that investigation 42.

When Lü Bowen becomes worried about an unconscious Greenwood robber in his custody, Lü Jinshan tells him to keep both the man and the item in his possession until help arrives 46.

Abilities & Authority

Life Development

• Life Development preserves Lü Jinshan’s basic physical fitness despite his middle-aged weight gain; he can run after Lu Zhao and Liu Qiang, although he arrives panting 10.
• His exact vitality and transcendent tier are not stated. His qualifications are criticized against the usual thirty-vitality standard for commanding a battalion-level border station 25.

Station Command

• Oversees Ant Ridge Border Station’s military operations 11.
• Uses transfers, deployment decisions, merit processing, and collective punishment to pressure subordinates 6 10 17 30.
• Cannot simply demote an officer with a strong service record or indefinitely prevent advancement earned under Federation rules 6 30.
• Depends on subordinate officers to carry out orders; their growing support for Lu Zhao and Zhang Like undermines his practical control 25 26 31.

Relationships

• Lu Zhao — Subordinate and principal adversary. Lü Jinshan repeatedly obstructs his advancement; Lu Zhao later helps expose his failures and seeks evidence sufficient to prevent his return to office 6 30 35 40.
• Zhang Like — Senior subordinate and rival within the station. Their conflict intensifies over Lu Zhao’s treatment, operational assignments, and control of grassroots officers 11 17 26.
• Lü Bowen — Younger brother and smuggler. Lü Jinshan advises him to retain a wanted robber and an associated item until assistance arrives 32 37 46.
• Chen Family — Political network whose influence Lü Jinshan relies on while suppressing Lu Zhao. The precise intermediary connecting him to the family is initially unclear 4 32 35.
• Mr. Zhao — Former leader and patron whom Lü Jinshan approaches after his suspension; assures him that he can weather the investigation 35.
• Lin Zhiyan — Task force leader who censures his handling of the Fate Bone search. Lü Jinshan suspects her influence is behind his suspension 10 35.
• Chen Hongtao — Fellow station leader who opposes his flood-control personnel decision and later takes temporary command during his suspension 31 34 35.
• Liang Fei — Replacement frontline commander who complains to Lü Jinshan about the reinforced platoon’s continued loyalty to Lu Zhao 30 34.

Notable Quotes

“Even if the mountain collapses, you still have to search.” 13

“I can get you promoted, but you and Zhang Like must stop what you’re doing. I know what you’re up to, and I have ways to deal with you.” 30