Police officer Chen Shu

Chapter 528 Real Progress

Dongzhou, Zhengming District Branch.

When Chen Shu returned, Director Wu of the Political Department of the Zhengming Branch Bureau specially organized a welcome party for the branch bureau.

At the meeting, Director Wu gave full affirmation and high praise to Chen Shu for assisting the local police in cracking the Keji Coal Mine case.

Finally, on behalf of the branch office leadership, they personally presented flowers to express their condolences and gratitude, and took photos to commemorate the occasion.

The audience erupted in applause.

This series of tactics almost made Chen Shu think that he had actually gone to Xinjiang to provide aid, rather than to conduct research.

Director Wu asked him to speak, but Chen Shu, holding the microphone, thanked all the leaders at all levels as if he had just received an award in his younger days, saying a bunch of meaningless things without mentioning anything about what he had seen and thought in NX.

After the meeting, Director Wu led Chen Shu to the office of Executive Director Zhang.

Zhang Xuming, as always, first criticized Chen Shu for his lack of organization and discipline, saying that he shouldn't have made such a decision on public matters without authorization, and that if something went wrong, how would the unit face his parents?

Chen Shu felt like he was back in his student days, when his homeroom teacher specially pulled him to the office after school and made him stand there to get a scolding, but he felt warm inside.

After the reprimand was almost over, Director Wu stepped forward with a smile and played the good guy, pulling Chen Shu to sit on the sofa and chatting about everyday matters.

The two leaders kept going on and on, and Chen Shu's ears were practically calloused, but he was still touched knowing that they were both acting out of concern.

"What are your plans next? Any ideas? Are you getting used to being in the SWAT team?" After going around in circles, Director Wu finally got to the point of the conversation.

Zhang Xuming listened without saying a word.

Chen Shu calmly replied, "It's fine."

Director Wu glanced at Zhang Xuming, and was about to say something when the other raised his hand to stop him.

Zhang Xuming picked up his teacup, and Chen Shu, seeing this, took his leave.

As soon as the door closed, Director Wu impatiently pressed on, "Director Zhang, didn't we agree before that Chen Shu would go to the office to take charge and gain experience as a grassroots leader? Why did you change your mind now?"

Taking a sip of tea, Zhang Xuming said calmly, "The biggest difference between Chen Shu and other young people is that he is bold and meticulous. He is never intimidated by us fellow villagers and always says what he thinks."

Director Wu recalled the time when Zhang Xuming was planning to send Chen Shu to the Criminal Investigation Department, but Chen Shu was publicly humiliated by Zhang Xuming's righteous words and ended up staying at the police station as a junior police chief.

Zhang Xuming put down his teacup and continued, "But have you noticed how many words Chen Shu said from the moment he entered the room until he left? Or even how many words did he utter?"

At Zhang Xuming's prompting, Director Wu recalled Chen Shu's speech at the "Welcome Homecoming Meeting" held in the conference room.

He said only one sentence.

If we disregard the polite greetings before and after, the most accurate description of this business trip report should be summed up in just two words: shame.

Director Wu's expression changed slightly, as if he remembered something: "Director Zhang, a few days ago the NX Public Security Bureau sent me a document, it seems to be to apply for a first-class merit for Chen Shu. At the time, I thought it was just a formality to show our goodwill, and that the higher-ups would definitely not approve it, so I didn't report it to you."

Zhang Xuming picked up a document from the corner of the table, flipped through a few pages, and suddenly paused: "After the XX coal mine incident, the special investigation team took down a XX. Except for one person who surrendered, the rest of XXX were all XX'd in the cave."

As he spoke, Zhang Xuming turned the A4 sheet of paper around and pushed it in front of Director Wu, pointing to a color photo printed on it. It was a photo with a background of a desolate Gobi Desert mountain cave, and the photographer was probably a special reconnaissance team member who participated in the war.

Two policemen were lying on the mountainside next to the cave entrance. One was wearing a police uniform with the words "Special Investigation" printed on it, and the other was wearing a green military overcoat.

However, because they were quite far away, their faces were all somewhat blurry.

“Chen Shu didn’t bring his police uniform with him when he went out on this research trip. Old Wu, do you think this guy in the green military overcoat looks like Chen Shu?” Zhang Xuming pointed at the man in the military overcoat.

"Hmm, it looks somewhat similar." Director Wu nodded.

"Read the following text carefully again."

“.XXXXXXXXXX.” Director Wu frowned and read it out word by word. Then, thinking about the first-class merit that NX had applied for for Chen Shu, he immediately realized what was going on.

Zzz!

Director Wu gasped, then froze, his eyes wide: "Director Zhang! Could it be that Chen Shuxie did a lot of XXX, which is why the local public security bureau is applying for a first-class merit award for him?"

A first-class merit award, unless it represents a tremendous achievement, usually means either death or serious injury for the police officer receiving the award.

Basically, family members have to come and collect the awards.

This is the most fundamental difference between a first-class merit and other merits.

Zhang Xuming rubbed his forehead, somewhat helplessly: "It's pretty much true! That kid always rushes to be first, regardless of whether it's his own business or not. But he must have put in a lot of effort this time, so the local public security bureau reported his achievements."

"Why didn't they mention this in the fax they sent me?"

"This kind of case involving XXX must be kept confidential if possible, otherwise it could easily provoke retaliation from XXX."

"Oh."

After talking for so long, Director Wu finally understood Director Zhang's intention. He knew that Director Zhang was worried that Chen Shu might not be able to handle the psychological impact of killing so many people.

"Director Zhang, should we have the bureau's psychological counselor treat this?"

Zhang Xuming waved his hand: "With so many eyes in the bureau watching, your help will only backfire. The whole bureau will know about it the next day. If it gets spread, the whole thing will be ruined, which won't be good for Chen Shu's future development. He'll have to take responsibility for this himself."

Director Wu finally understood: "Director Zhang, you mean we should wait until he gets over this before assigning him the next steps in his work."

"Correct."

"But what if, and I mean just what if, he can't overcome this? Should we then withhold his advancement? Director Zhang, he has made a great contribution!"

Zhang Xuming paused for a moment, then said slowly, "The reason why many people achieve nothing in their lives is that they are actually quite fragile at heart. They naively believe that their temporary success comes from themselves, while ignoring the help from their parents and workplace."

"Chen Shu, the road ahead is the main road, but also the road full of hardships. He needs to change his inner self to adapt to this world. Only then will he make real progress."

"No one can help him with this; he has to get through it on his own."

(End of this chapter)