Girl, you form the head.

Chapter 40 So you know?

After assigning Liuli Hui her future study tasks, Bai Chi immediately went to work at the police station, which was in complete chaos once again.

The reason for using "again" is that this has become a regular occurrence at the Hanguang Precinct. From the Liang Rong case a few days ago to the monster incident last night, interspersed with the Ito Ko case—it can be said that earth-shattering cases are unfolding every day, and each time the damage is more severe than the last.

If it weren't for the fact that being a police officer in Nanluo is considered a secure job, last night's incident would have cost several mid-level managers their jobs.

But this has nothing to do with Bai Chi. He is nominally the director of the archives, a clerical staff member who does not go out on fieldwork, so he doesn't need to worry about these things at all.

Of course, even if it really is related to him, he doesn't want to worry about it right now.

Bai Chi immediately returned to the archives and began searching for all the information related to the New World Society, soon piling up a full stack on the table.

Visually, it looks like a lot, but in reality, there aren't that many. A large portion of them are addicts or drug dealers who often join multiple organizations simultaneously to expand their drug supply and sales channels. Therefore, these cases can be directly excluded.

Despite excluding these possibilities, Bai Chi still gleaned a valuable piece of information: the New World Society is a newly emerging force that has only developed in recent years.

Although their presence could be seen more than a decade ago, they were generally ranked behind other established societies, with most followers merely holding nominal positions. However, in the last five years, their frequency of appearances has skyrocketed, showing a trend of sweeping away other societies and becoming the largest cult in City C.

How did these guys manage to do that?

Bai Chi stared at the spread-out documents, lost in thought.

He did not look for clues about the red mist in it, because he had already searched the entire place over the past year.

In Hanguang District, cases related to the New World Society are basically no different from those of other societies, and there is nothing particularly special about them.

Is it because Hanguang District is too backward, and Shouxin District is the main battlefield of the New World Society? But even so, there should be some trace of it.

After much deliberation, Bai Chi decided that he should start with smuggling ships, which connect the two major districts of Hanguang and Shouxin, and he also happened to have some information about this.

But just as Bai Chi was pondering whether he should intervene as a police officer or transform into the Shadow Knight to block their ship, the door to the archives opened, and someone Bai Chi never expected walked in.

"Hello, Director Bai." The man was a middle-aged man in a suit and tie. "I'm Li Xin. We spoke on the phone a few days ago, remember?"

Mayor of City C, Li Xin.

“I’ve always wanted to meet you, but unfortunately I haven’t had the chance.” Li Xin stepped forward and extended his hand to Bai Chi. “Although I have the opportunity now, it’s clearly not a good one, is it?”

Bai Chi noticed that although Li Xin was smiling, the weariness between his brows was undeniable: "Why do you say that?"

"You're actually asking me? Who exactly is the police in this district?" Li Xin smiled helplessly. "Don't you know that the failed arrest operation last night has spread throughout the entire City C? Now everyone in City C is cursing your Hanguang Branch, and of course, they're cursing me even more. They're saying that the combined efforts of the mayor and all of you police officers are less effective than that of a mysterious man in red armor."

"The mysterious red-armored man?"

Li Xin was even more surprised: "You really don't know anything?"

"I went to bed early yesterday." Bai Chi certainly wouldn't admit that he was the mysterious red-armored man. "I only found out this morning that the operation had failed."

“You really are… but then again, you’re just the head of the archives now, so you don’t really need to handle fieldwork. That’s fine, you don’t need to be responsible for this.” Hearing that Bai Chi hadn’t participated in the operation all night, Li Xin was initially disappointed, but quickly let out a self-deprecating sigh. “Unlike me, who is responsible for this but also unaware of it. My secretary only gave me the operation application and the report on the failure last night. I didn’t know about it much earlier than you did.”

Having said all that, Bai Chi naturally understood why Li Xin had come. With such a major incident, it was impossible for the mayor not to show up; and judging from his attire, he was either about to attend a press conference or had already done so.

But why is he coming to see me at this time?
"Don't overthink it, Director Bai. I don't have any ulterior motives." Li Xin seemed to have guessed Bai Chi's doubts and said with a smile, "I just wanted to see you and return what you owed me."

As he spoke, Li Xin placed a file folder on the incandescent table.

“Your first-class commendation hasn’t been issued yet, it’s just a title and an empty police rank,” Li Xin said. “So I had a good talk with your Chief Dyson, and he handed over these things, although he was a little reluctant. But if a police inspector who has performed a first-class merit can’t get what he deserves, then this world is just too terrible, isn’t it?”

Bai Chi didn't open the folder, but he knew what was inside: gas cards, shopping cards, and subsidies for various daily expenses. This was standard police officer perk, a significant relief for Bai Chi, who currently had to support two fusion materials, and might have to support even more in the future.

But do these things really need to be delivered to the door by the mayor himself?

“Alright, it seems no matter how much I say I have no ulterior motives, you won’t believe me. After all, a mayor who is about to step down and has a bad reputation is obviously up to no good, isn’t he?” Li Xin made a gesture of surrender. “There’s no other way, it seems I have to admit… I do have selfish motives.”

Li Xin paused.

"Ten years ago, I worked in Hanguang District, just like you. I also made some small contributions, though not as many as you, but I still received an award. At that time, I had two choices: one was to be transferred to the new district, a more competitive position, and the other was to stay in Hanguang District, a sinecure with no real power. Back then, I was young and ambitious, so I chose the former, and then..." Li Xin didn't finish his sentence, and laughed self-deprecatingly, "That's how it is, so I wanted to see what the other possibility was like."

Li Xin patted Bai Chi on the shoulder: "You are a hero, and everything you have now is what you deserve. But... let's stop here, okay? Just stay in Hanguang District, be a good director of your archives, and live a comfortable nine-to-five life. Don't think about anything else."

After saying this, Li Xin looked as if he had said everything he needed to say, and turned to leave.

"Goodbye... if I'm not in jail by now in a month."

Just as he reached the door and was about to leave, Bai Chi's voice rang out: "Mayor Li, are you familiar with the New World Society?"

Li Xin paused for a moment: "What did you say?"

“The New World Society,” Bai Chi said. “I’m investigating this place, but their headquarters are in the First New District, and I don’t have any clues yet, so I wanted to ask you.”

Li Xin turned around and looked at Bai Chi with an incredulous expression: "Didn't you listen to anything I just said?"

“I took that to heart.” Bai Chi nodded. “So, do you know about the New World Society?”

Li Xin opened his mouth, and after a while, he burst out laughing.

"You rascal!"

A few minutes later, Bai Chi received a lawyer's business card.

According to Li Xin, he didn't know much about the New World Society either, but this lawyer had worked for the New World Society, so perhaps Bai Chi could ask him.

The lawyer's name is Julin.

Is your surname Ju? That's quite an unusual surname.

Bai Chi silently memorized the contact information and planned to go find him after get off work.

(End of this chapter)