Reborn Cat Sheriff

Chapter 33 A battle of wits and courage
"Ow!"

When Lin Ge walked around to the gate of the compound from the outside, he yelled at everyone in the courtyard, startling them all.

"Returned from outside?"

Zhu Wentao's initial wariness subsided, but after glancing at Lin Ge, he was stopped by Zhang Ke again. He could only patiently chat with Zhang Ke about topics such as how to raise cats, how to care for cats, and how to tell if a cat is sick.

"Why does this cat's meow sound so awful?"

When Beibei's keeper saw Beibei wagging its tail and circling around Lingo, his brow twitched slightly. It was the first time he had ever seen an animal with such a strange and piercing sound. He wanted to call Beibei away, but he was also worried about being scratched by the cat.

"That sound is Mimi's signature! In our police station, as soon as we hear that sound, we know it's back."

Zhang Ke and Zhu Wentao were chatting happily when Zhang Ke turned back and said, "And you've all seen Mimi's abilities. This time, we were able to find the drug clues in the shortest amount of time, all thanks to Mimi. Dr. Zhu even said that if the cat had been found any later, it would have sunk. By then, if we had to dig the pond dry bit by bit, who knows how long it would have taken to find the drugs. We might not even have been able to dig the pond at all..."

"So, it's thanks to this cat that our police were able to solve the case so quickly this time?"

Zhu Wentao suddenly interrupted.

"That's right! Mimi is the biggest hero in this matter!"

Zhang Ke glanced proudly at the police dog Beibei and its handler. The handler's expression made him secretly pleased, but unfortunately, the dog was only focused on wagging its tail in front of Mimi, which diminished his sense of accomplishment.

"So...it really was because of this cat? A cat actually did something that even police dogs couldn't do, it's truly unbelievable..."

Zhu Wentao muttered to himself, glancing at Lin Ge with amusement out of the corner of his eye, his thoughts unreadable.

Seeing that Zhang Ke had finished showing off and was about to stop slacking off, and was being called back to work by Zhang Yong, Zhu Wentao casually said, "Speaking of which, this cat had its check-up at our hospital last time, but it didn't happen due to some unforeseen circumstances. Check-ups and vaccinations are all for the cat's protection, so it's better to do them sooner rather than later. When we get back later, why don't one of you come with it to the vet? Look how dirty it is, it needs a bath and deworming treatment right away."

Zhang Ke was stunned by what he was told. "But you saw the situation on the ground. We're obviously going to have to work overtime today, and we don't even know when we'll have time!"

"How about leaving it to me?"

Zhu Wentao smiled warmly: "I can take care of taking it back, giving it a bath, checking its health, getting it vaccinated, and arranging a private room for our great hero. You can come back to pick it up after your case is over. In the meantime, I'll make sure it's well-fed and plump."

"That sounds good, but unfortunately I can't make that decision. You should talk to our Director Nie."

Zhang Ke looked simple-minded, but his words surprised Zhu Wentao. He hadn't expected that even after going to such lengths, he would still be rejected by this seemingly easy-going guy. As for Nie Guoqiang, he was quite famous.

Zhu Wentao had been trying his best to avoid contact with Nie Guoqiang. Rumor had it that this old policeman had a damned ability to tell if someone had committed a crime, and Zhu Wentao had no intention of walking into a trap.

He quickly changed the subject with a laugh.

"Boss, there's something wrong with that doctor."

Zhang Ke took Lin Ge back to the scene of the case, and pretended to be nonchalant as he went to Nie Guoqiang's side and squatted down to help him with his work.

"Elaborate."

Nie Guoqiang wasn't surprised, or rather, he didn't doubt Zhang Ke's abilities and judgment. Every auxiliary police officer in the station was an elite he had carefully selected; even Zhao Zhigang had a suitable use for him, didn't he?

"His attention to Mimi was a bit too deliberate."

Zhang Ke's lips curled slightly, displaying a calmness and confidence unlike his usual demeanor: "And as a veterinarian, his behavior from beginning to end was far too calm. So many cats dying—it's unbearable to watch—yet he only showed a hint of panic at the very beginning? What's even more interesting is that, with so many dead cats on the ground, he didn't even consider whether they could be saved. It seemed that from the moment he arrived on the island, he knew all the cats were already dead..."

"These are all your imaginations, aren't they? There's not a single piece of evidence."

Nie Guoqiang spoke calmly, unmoved by Zhang Ke's speculation. "Isn't this how reasoning works?"

Zhang Ke wasn't angry. He squatted down and laughed, "For me, deduction isn't about desperately searching for the culprit, but about finding flaws. As long as I find someone's flaw, that's equivalent to finding the target. Then I just need to keep a close eye on him, and I'm not worried about him not revealing evidence. In short, I suspect that this Dr. Zhu is connected to this drug case. The reason I'm keeping an eye on Mimi is probably because Mimi has a stronger ability to search for evidence than police dogs. Hmm..."

"How about we try fishing?"

Zhang Yong, who had joined in the fun, stroked his chin and glanced thoughtfully at Lin Ge, who was squatting beside him.

Lin Ge had been listening with great interest, and was thrilled that Zhang Ke had suspected Zhu Wentao. But he hadn't expected that after just a few words, these guys would be using his cat as bait?
"However... it's not impossible."

Lin Ge was somewhat tempted.

To his disappointment, Nie Guoqiang shook his head and rejected Zhang Yong's suggestion.

In Nie Guoqiang's view, no matter how capable Mimi is, it's still just a cat. Even if everyone is confident that Mimi can complete the task, what if something goes wrong? In solving cases, sometimes it's necessary to alert the suspects to stop their crimes. But sometimes, it's absolutely crucial not to alert them, otherwise, key or important evidence might be destroyed prematurely. Entrusting a task to a cat, even with complete confidence, is irresponsible to both colleagues and society. Success is good for everyone, but what if it fails? What if an unmanageable situation arises? Who can guarantee that a cat can accurately assess every unusual situation?
Nie Guoqiang chose to proceed cautiously.

Unless Lin Ge admits to everyone that he is actually a human being, and gains their verification and trust, Nie Guoqiang would never entrust even the smartest and most powerful Super Cat with an important task to complete alone.

This is a truly responsible attitude, and it also protects Ling Ge, leaving him with no room for rebuttal.

"Send someone to investigate Zhu Wentao. If he really has a problem, he can't possibly not leave any clues. It just so happens that this case has to be transferred to the Municipal Bureau and the Narcotics Control Detachment, so our workload has been lightened."

Nie Guoqiang made the final decision.

Everyone felt a bit disappointed that the case had to be handed over to someone else in the end, feeling that it started strong but ended weakly.

Everyone understands the logic, and no one complains. Police officers at the local police station should do their job; everyone fulfilling their responsibilities is crucial for social stability, and everyone knows this. It's just… I really feel a little resentful!
"Mimi, how about we go alone?"

After returning to the police station, Zhang Ke secretly approached Lin Ge.

"Do you want to die?"

Lin Ge glanced at the guy, thinking he was just taking advantage of being an auxiliary police officer to do whatever he wanted and disregard discipline.
"This is for your own good, isn't it? I heard from Yiyi that you caused quite a stir at Pet Love Hospital the other day. You must have realized that guy has a problem, right?"

Zhang Ke continued, "Besides, your wife is still in Zhu Wentao's hands! Aren't you worried that guy might do something to your wife? Hey! Don't go! Anyway, just consider it my idea, and I'll take all the responsibility!"

Upon hearing this, Lin Ge was immediately tempted.

It wasn't that he was genuinely worried about the tortoiseshell cat getting into trouble at the pet hospital; after all, even if Zhu Wentao was stupid, he wouldn't give himself away at the hospital. It's just… this guy was a thorn in Lin Ge's side. If only he could be caught sooner…

Thinking about it, Lin Ge flicked his tail on Zhang Ke's leg, which he took as a yes.

"Hehe... Wait for my news! I'll do some preliminary work first, have my friend investigate Zhu Wentao's situation..."

Zhang Ke laughed and ran away.

Lin Ge waited for Zhang Ke for two days, and he himself finally got two days of proper rest.

There are still countless trivial matters in the police station. Every day, all sorts of small conflicts and cases occur, keeping the police officers extremely busy. However, most of the time, they just try to mediate with earnest words and reprimand some of the officers.

These things are none of Lin Ge's business, and he doesn't need to get involved. Lin Ge is too lazy to meddle in family matters.

Just as he was lazily basking in the sun, lamenting that the days were getting shorter and the temperature was getting cooler, that his molting season had begun and he was shedding fur like crazy and irritably, and that bastard Zhang Ke had actually stood him up, Zhang Yong came to him.

(End of this chapter)