The Chief Detective Inspector is dead. I'm now the top police officer in Hong Kong!

Chapter 20 A Strong-Willed Man

Before nightfall, Lai Chung-ying returned to the car wash where she worked, clutching a deposit slip: "Ah Yiu, I'm sorry, I want to quit this job."

A young man wearing a t-shirt with dragon and phoenix embroidery on his shoulder was sitting behind the counter doing accounts. Hearing this, he looked up and asked, "You just got an advance yesterday, and you're quitting today? Do I owe you something?!"

Li Zhongying counted out more than ten banknotes, handed them on the table, and said, "Thank you, Ayao."

Ah Yao accepted the money, deposited it into the account, tied it with a rubber band, and exhaled a long puff of smoke: "You know how to pay back money, so you still have some conscience. When I saw you didn't come to work and came back wearing a suit, I knew something was going to happen."

"You didn't go gambling, did you?"

Li Zhongying shook his head: "I met a benefactor and found a job."

Ah Yao sneered, "Five years in jail and still hasn't come to his senses, dreaming of being a big boss all day long. He's nothing but a front man, really thinks he's something special!"

"Look at you! Your suit is yellowed, your tie is greasy, and the soles of your shoes are all worn down, boss!"

"Get lost, I won't take you in here."

Li Zhongying lowered his head. Having lived half his life, he could no longer voice the ambition in his heart. He turned and left, his steps quickening.

Because he wants to come back quickly next time, and come back with his head held high.
Under the watchful eyes of more than a dozen employees in the shop, Ah Yao leaned on his crutch, walked to a BMW that had just been sprayed with foam, and shouted loudly, "Who else wants to follow in his footsteps and continue to live a life of crime?"

"I took you in out of pity for your past jail time and inability to find work. I didn't take you in as a stepping stone. If you want to leave, say so now."

"Most people want to work."

Inside the car wash, a dozen or so car wash workers of varying ages, with knife scars on their bodies and tattoos on their backs, silently bowed their heads and worked.

As Li Zhongying passed by an Italian bakery, she paused, pushed open the door, pointed to the tomato ciabatta in the display case, and said, "Could you please make me one and tie it with a bow? Thank you."

Although his wife and daughter still live in that house, Li Sheng has never returned even once since his release from prison.
A man who is ambitious and has a good reputation, a job, and money, can only have the face to go home.

Wearing a suit and sporting a protruding belly, Pi Zhibang walked into the West Kowloon Major Crime Unit and approached Lin Tiansheng's desk, tapping his fingers on the surface: "Ah Sheng, how's the murder case I gave you last time going?"

Lin Tiansheng had just sat down, his bag of breakfast still unopened, when he suddenly stood up and replied, "Reporting, sir, we still have no clue."

Pi Zhibang, looking displeased, raised his finger and pointed it at Pi's head, saying unhappily, "The head of the action section is keeping a close eye on this case. Get rid of him quickly."

Lin Tiansheng, holding his breath and looking humiliated, stomped his foot to express his dissatisfaction: "Yes, sir!"

"Eat, eat, eat. Who told you to bring breakfast to the office?" Pi Zhibang walked into the office, sipping a cup of milk tea.

There were more than a dozen other employees eating breakfast at their workstations. As their boss, he didn't talk about anyone else, but only scolded one person. His suppression couldn't be more obvious.

This extremely unfair suppression, on the one hand, made some police officers afraid to have personal relationships with Lin Tiansheng, and on the other hand, gradually aroused the police officers' hatred of the enemy.

Shi Zhanpeng, who had previously been wary of Lin Tiansheng, frowned and stepped forward, saying, "Inspector Lin, it doesn't matter what you eat or when you eat. We're risking our lives in the Major Crimes Unit; do we need to be mindful of our superiors' opinions?"

Lin Tiansheng packed up the breakfast and said with a wry smile, "A higher rank can crush you. There's nothing I can do about it."

Shi Zhanpeng sneered, "Pi Sir rose to power through nepotism. If he's good to the brothers, everyone's happy; if he's not, he'll be the first to lose his job." Lin Tiansheng was secretly pleased, giving Pi Pi a thumbs up. He really knew how to play the supporting role. This blatant suppression not only pleased the foreigners but also made it easier for him to cultivate good relationships with his colleagues.

Just as Inspector Shi was about to say a few more words, a phone suddenly rang in the office. Ma Delong, He Li, and the others, who had recently been transferred to the Major Crimes Unit, were still confused about the situation.

Shi Zhanpeng, Chen Sheng, and other old buddies had already changed their expressions slightly, casting serious glances at them.

"West Kowloon Major Crimes Unit!" The clerk on duty picked up the receiver and answered quickly. Lin Tiansheng, Ma Delong, and the others weren't stupid; they immediately realized that the phone was the dedicated line for the emergency call center.

"The uniformed unit is calling headquarters. A robbery has occurred at Wing Sin Gold Shop on Shantung Street in Mong Kok. There are seven robbers in total, armed with automatic rifles and heavily armed. Please provide backup from the Major Crimes Unit."

"Received. Repeat: Yongxin Gold Shop robbery on Shandong Street. Seven robbers, armed with automatic rifles."

"Yes, the criminals have fled to the Yau Ma area along Nathan Road."

The man hung up the phone, looking tense, and got up as if to walk towards Pi Zhibang's office. But Pi Zhibang's workstation had a phone sharing a line with the emergency call terminal. Although he hadn't answered, he had already understood the situation. He pushed open the office door and said, "It's an emergency. Don't get your guns. Take your personal equipment and get in the car!"

"Be fast!"

The officers present immediately became serious, stood at attention with their hands, and answered loudly, "Yes, sir."

Pi Zhibang also put on his badge and set off with his men.

Faced with ruthless criminals armed with automatic rifles, the Major Crimes Unit was not the main force of the operation; the Mobile Unit was responsible for the frontal breakthrough.

However, with uniformed patrol officers and mounted police lacking weapons, the Major Crimes Unit needs to respond quickly to robberies in its jurisdiction and participate in pursuits to prevent the cases from escalating and causing more injuries.

"GOGOGO!"

Four groups of officers dashed out of the corridor, some in plainclothes, some in uniform, their steps quickening as they sped out of the police station building. Simultaneously, the vehicle management office under the Operations Division received the report and had already prepared eight vehicles: three sedans and five vans.

The officers in each group boarded the vehicles with practiced ease. Lin Tiansheng randomly picked a police car without an assistant and got in with four of his men to reduce the risk of being reassigned before going into battle.

After all, as long as the inspector is not present, the police sergeant is the highest police rank among the junior officers and can serve as the temporary squad commander.

Although Pi Zhibang was the front-line commander when the entire group was on the move, and it seemed that choosing which car to use was irrelevant, maintaining command was almost an instinct ingrained in him.

After the police car set off, new reports kept coming in over the radio. For example, the thieves' car entered a certain street, made contact with the police at a certain section of the road, and a shootout occurred. When they learned that the criminals had abandoned their car and entered a residential building, even the experienced veteran officers sitting in the car couldn't help but show a look of shock on their faces.

This suggests that the criminals have likely given up on escaping and will likely take civilians hostage, occupy narrow passages or units, and put up a last-ditch resistance.

Based on the case details, the armed robbery seems to be nearing its end, and the criminals could be apprehended soon. However, from the perspective of frontline police officers, the risk of death has suddenly increased.

With a screeching sound of tires rubbing against the road, the convoy came to an abrupt halt on Dundas Street in Yau Ma Tei. The doors opened, and more than forty officers from the Serious Crimes Unit quickly got out of the vehicles, drew their .38 pistols, and, following orders from their superiors, rushed toward the residential buildings, sealing off the entrances and exits.

Earlier, uniformed police had set up a cordon outside the street, and patrol units arrived at the scene early. Two squads were already confronting the robbers, and a steady stream of citizens were being evacuated from the building with the help of uniformed officers.

After greeting the inspectors from the Mong Kok District Crime Squad and the senior inspector from the Mobile Police Unit at the scene, Pi Chi-pong temporarily respected the PTU's wishes and used a walkie-talkie to order all members of the District Crime Squad to enter the building to assist in the evacuation of citizens and set up checkpoints on each floor of the building.

(End of this chapter)