Chapter 773

The Balihe Police Station remained bustling; the staff had gone without a day off for half a month, starting work every morning at eight and continuing until ten or eleven at night.

Just after finishing all those image-enhancement cases, they now had to begin matching Wang Yan's fingerprints on solved cases, still arresting people, summoning suspects, answering emergency calls—completely swamped. The veteran officers visibly aged, appearing like hollow shells, their eyes filled with exhaustion.

Wang Yan drove his small car into the back courtyard, perfectly parking it, and as soon as he stopped, Yang Shu hurried out, sprinted into the building, retrieved the previous emergency call form, and rushed upstairs to the chief's office.

Almost simultaneously, Cao Army Supervisor walked in; Wang Shouyi had already called Yang Shu—how could he not call Cao Army Supervisor?

Wang Yan and Li Dawei followed Cao Army Supervisor into the station; they watched as Cao Army Supervisor dawdled, refusing to go upstairs, until he finally received Wang Shouyi's call and reluctantly trudged up to the chief's office.

Li Dawei pointed at the stairs leading upstairs, his small eyes wide with disbelief as he stared at Wang Yan: "Wait, he really wants to dump this on Yang Shu?"

"Maybe he's just figuring out how to handle it—who knows what he'll do until the last minute?" Wang Yan put on a benevolent face, stood up, washed his thermos, and brewed tea. "Come on, we haven't had our post-meal cigarette yet—let's smoke one."

Li Dawei took a deep breath, calmed himself, and followed Wang Yan outside. By the flowerbed, he lit a Huazi, exhaled smoke, and said: "I feel Yang Shu's in trouble. Cao Army Supervisor's expression? He doesn't want to take responsibility—he's dumping everything on Yang Shu."

"No big deal. Didn't I say this during lunch? Yang Shu's a law master's graduate—his enforcement is definitely fine. Didn't he repeat it himself? Full recording via bodycam, and he even called the complainant again to confirm the request. No matter how this person complains, it's solid. Sure, police serve the people, but honestly, this kind of complaint doesn't treat us cops like human beings."

"This woman's clearly problematic—she quarreled with her husband until he tried to kill himself. If we don't investigate the truth and just assume malice, think about how manipulative she must be. Cao Army Supervisor's right—he's a veteran officer, his judgment's accurate. Look, the complaint came in today, didn't it?"

"Wait, Yan Ge, I'm talking about Cao Army Supervisor dumping the blame!"

"I know he's dumping it. So what do you want to do?" Wang Yan smiled. "Oh, I get it—you want to stir me up to defend Yang Shu?"

"You're capable, you've got achievements, Chief and Song Ju both value you—you don't fear anything, right? Of course, I've been warned already, or else you'd see how I'd curse Cao Army Supervisor."

"Da Wei, doesn't this sound a bit like moral coercion? Whether I'm capable is my business—but just because I'm capable doesn't mean I have to help others, right? That's not logical. If you say it like that, I'm pretty wealthy too—so many people are sick, so many children have no caregivers, so many suffer in poverty—should I give away all my fortune?"

"To be blunt, whether you or Yang Shu, we've only known each other for half a month. And you're even better than Yang Shu—according to Jiwei, you've got no official career path ahead, and I don't want one either. We might both retire here, but Yang Shu? He's just passing through. In a year he's back at the city bureau—his future's bright. What does he have to do with us lowly cops?"

Wang Yan patted Li Dawei's shoulder. "Don't say I'm heartless—tell me, isn't this the truth? Don't pretend half a month of friendship runs deep—long-distance lovers who sleep in the same bed can't overcome distance. Do you think ordinary friends have that kind of loyalty? I let him live in my apartment for a thousand yuan a month—isn't that enough? You're ungrateful too. Fine, vent all you want—I've got visits to make. Today's one day, tomorrow's another—new chapter begins."

He ignored Li Dawei's embarrassment—he wasn't there to coddle a child.

Xia Jie was calming the woman with the instructor. Zhao Jiwei had been on night duty with Zhang Zhijie yesterday and was too drained to go out today. Wang Yan waited a while, then watched the water dispenser boil another batch of hot water, filled his large thermos, clipped his bodycam to his chest, fastened his eight-piece kit to his waist, and the young cop began his new day's visits.

The masses remained just as enthusiastic—he visited nearly every impoverished household, every family in conflict, every household in need. That was the village's advantage: everyone knew roughly what was happening in every other home.

But when visiting apartment buildings, it was different. He couldn't learn the full situation of the neighborhood through a few gossipy aunts. Though there was a property management company, it was useless. He had to knock on each door, one by one. But there was a benefit: a small community of two or three Battalion Commander was still smaller than a village—he walked less, just had to sweep floor by floor.

Now continuing visits in Dongning Village felt more like fulfilling the people's assigned tasks. The remaining unvisited households were waiting—they'd wonder what was wrong if he didn't come.

Even when he did go, they'd ask why it took so many days to visit them—as if he were reluctant…

"The five-star red flag waves in the wind, the song of victory rings so loud…"

After visiting just one household, his mobile phone rang with a child's choir singing a red song. He glanced at the caller ID—no surprise, a string of local numbers—and answered.

Though most calls came from such numbers, his phone still stored many contacts. Saving a number took almost no memory—he had a terabyte storage, so whenever someone called once, he'd add a note and recall the context.

He hadn't activated "photographic memory," just relied on passive recall, which now held firmly—but once the entire jurisdiction was visited, the details would blur. A good memory isn't as reliable as a bad pen—better to write it down.

"Hello, this is Wang Yan."

"Little Wang, it's Old Liu—you remember Liu Jianshe from north Dongning Village, right?"

"Of course I remember. What's up, Old Liu?"

Liu Jianshe said: "Lately everyone's hunting those health supplement scammers, right? Today, my wife and I were out walking near Wanda, and someone stopped us handing out flyers. Said there's a lecture tomorrow at nine at Fuston Hotel near the city center—attend and get free eggs. I thought, that's a scam, so I called you right away."

Wang Yan chuckled: "Old Liu, I remember your kids' houses in Ping'an City are all bought in Balihe—why are you wandering so far? You've got mild cerebral infarction, your wife's mobility's poor, and it's this hot—why go out?"

"I like to. Who are you to tell me where to walk? Just tell me—is this a lead?"

"Old Liu, this is definitely a lead—but I can't arrest anyone directly. We need to know what they're selling, at what price, to confirm intentional fraud. And Old Liu, you've gone into the city—that's outside our Balihe jurisdiction. I have no enforcement authority there—plainly, it's not our area."

"But don't worry—I won't ignore your tip. I'll contact the local police station right away—they'll send people to the scene tomorrow. If fraud or sale of counterfeit goods is confirmed, they'll act. I'll follow up—if the amount involved is large, say a few million, I'll push them to come to your village and present you with a banner."

"Alright, Little Wang, I know you're busy, but you've got to take this seriously. I tell you, if I don't hear from you, I won't sleep."

"Old Liu, rest easy—I'll call you before tomorrow night, tell you whether they got them or not. But next time, you and Auntie, don't wander so far—just stroll around Balihe. You call me, I'll come running."

"Fine, take it seriously. Bye."

Old Liu was impatient—probably too hot…

But his spirit was truly strong. His exact words: "Lately everyone's hunting health supplement scammers"—"everyone's hunting" was the key point. That's the real picture of Dongning Village. Able-bodied elderly men and women were out wandering—Wang Yan's phone hadn't stopped ringing these past two days.

He shook his head, pulled out his phone, and called Zhang Zhijie to coordinate with the city police station to send someone to check.

Why do so many health supplement scammers get away? Because old folks don't report—some even buy hundreds of thousands worth of stuff and hoard it at home. The sellers move constantly, making them hard to catch. Some operate on the edge—health supplements are legally manufactured and sold, so they're tricky to handle…

After such a busy day, Wang Yan ate dinner outside as usual. At seven-thirty, he drove his small car back to the Balihe Police Station, still carrying his eight-piece kit, strolling in lazily.

Today seemed relatively quiet. Except for those on patrol, everyone else was buried in work. Only around Cao Army Supervisor and Yang Shu, sitting opposite each other, hung an awkward atmosphere, poisoning the whole station's mood.

Wang Shouyi, who usually handled logistics, wasn't loitering downstairs. The instructor, Chief Gao, and Chief Cheng were all absent too—maybe upstairs, maybe out on duty. The station always had endless work.

He casually tossed his eight-piece kit onto the desk—*clatter*—shattering the station's quiet order. Xia Jie, Li Dawei, Zhao Jiwei—who'd been on a 24-hour shift and kept yawning—and Yang Shu, Cao Army Supervisor, and everyone else instantly turned their gazes toward Wang Yan.

"What? Why's everyone staring at me?" Wang Yan puzzled, pulled out his thermos from the kit, glanced around, then took it to wash and brew fresh tea.

"Hey, Wang Yan, the fingerprints from the earlier theft case have been extracted—I put them on your desk."

"I saw your WeChat messages during lunch, and there are four new folders on my desk—I'm not blind."

Wang Yan waved his hand, filled his thermos with hot water, returned to his desk, and asked: "Yang Shu, how was the morning's complaint handled?"

"No problem. My enforcement was fine—the oversight confirmed it. It's over. Thanks, Wang Yan." Yang Shu's spirits were visibly low—obviously because of Cao Army Supervisor's blame-dumping.

Wang Yan already knew the outcome—Xia Jie and others had told him, and Yang Shu had even messaged him complaining.

"Oh…" Wang Yan nodded knowingly, then loudly, with full voice: "I heard someone's been dumping blame? Passing the buck?"

At his words, everyone who'd already been watching him now wore expressions ranging from shock to intrigue. Some frowned, thinking Wang Yan was disunited—after all, the victim himself hadn't reacted, so why was he butting in? Too meddlesome. Others were eager—waiting for drama. Mostly, they were eager. Their eyes held astonishment.

Xia Jie, Li Dawei, Zhao Jiwei—even Yang Shu—couldn't believe Wang Yan had just said it outright. Especially Li Dawei, eyes wide again. That morning, Wang Yan hadn't promised to defend Yang Shu—he'd already given up on it. Yet now, the good brother was going full throttle—hadn't even sat down, and he was already firing.

As the target, Cao Army Supervisor suffered most. A man obsessed with face and petty-minded, how could he endure this? Instantly, his neck flushed red, veins bulging, anger etched on his face. But he didn't lash out—he knew he was in the wrong.

Yang Shu saw Cao Army Supervisor's face turning purple with rage, eyes bloodshot, and hurried over to pat Wang Yan's shoulder: "Wang Yan, it's fine—it's all resolved…"

You think I'm defending you?

Wang Yan brushed off Yang Shu's hand, gently shoving him back two steps: "I heard you wanted to go in, right? But someone blocked you, saying the complainant was difficult, prone to causing trouble. Now why is it all your fault? Cao Army Supervisor, Officer Cao—I won't name names, but you know who I mean, right?"

This was a direct, face-to-face humiliation. Cao Army Supervisor, obsessed with dignity, couldn't hold back—he slammed the crumpled file folder onto the desk with a *crash*.

He stepped forward two paces, aware this was a police station, these were colleagues, and stopped right before Wang Yan: "I'll ask you one thing—what's this got to do with you?"

He didn't shout loudly; his voice trembled—adrenaline rising, suppressing immense anger.

As he moved, those in the station who had been watching the spectacle quickly stood and gathered around. Zhang Zhijie rushed first between the two, pulling Wang Yan back while urging them to calm down; Xia Jie pulled away a chair to clear space for the crowd. Others came to hold back Cao Army Supervisor. Arguing was fine, but if they started fighting, the nature of the matter would change—it would become serious.

How strong was Wang Yan? These people couldn't hold him. With a light flick, he separated the comrades standing between him and Cao Army Supervisor, sending them to either side. He just stared at Cao Army Supervisor, full of contempt: "Can't you speak up about things you dislike? Can't you speak up about senior officers bullying new cops? Can't you speak up about Cao Army Supervisor, a mentor who takes no responsibility and only shirks blame? What? Eyes bulging like lightbulbs, thinking you'll hit me?"

I'm telling you, Cao Army Supervisor, don't actually think you're some celebrity cop. We're all the same—basic police officers at the precinct. What makes you special? Are you a model officer? Do you really think you're someone important? Can't I speak about what actually happened? Doesn't everyone in this station know? Are you just lying to yourself?

You don't need to hold him back. If you want to fight, we can just call it a sparring session—no big deal. If you want to fight, say it. Let's go straight to the back yard and settle it."

Cao Army Supervisor's chest heaved violently. He shoved aside those around him, choosing not to fight Wang Yan but to find excuses to exonerate himself: "Everyone's here—I'll explain to all of you. Yang Shu did tell me he wanted to go inside, and I did stop him. But think: if that woman's request led us to enter and disturb her husband's rest, wouldn't she file a complaint? Was I wrong? Did I do anything wrong?"

And at the time, Yang Shu went alone to the front gate to check the situation. I got a phone call then—I went to take it. In this matter, I did make some mistakes, but what I said—isn't it true? Yang Shu, tell me yourself—isn't it?"

This time, Cao Army Supervisor shouted out loud—voice hoarse, eyes red, staring at everyone, displaying his innocence, trying to wash his hands of responsibility.

Yang Shu nodded, about to speak, but Wang Yan cut him off: "Still making excuses? Shifting blame onto Yang Shu, and you take zero responsibility? You admit you made some mistakes—then why are you yelling? Does volume equal truth?"

Yes, even if Yang Shu ended up unharmed, that doesn't mean you're uninvolved. I'm questioning YOU as a person, understand? Today's incident—I don't care what your reasons are. Brother Zhang and Brother Chen are right here—they're both mentors. Ask them: who doesn't shoulder responsibility? How come you're so pathetic?"

This isn't moral coercion, and I'm not playing the righteous hero. Why do we have this mentorship system in our police force? To build reliable comradeship, to pass down the spirit of our People's Police generation after generation. Is this how you set an example? Is this how you pass on the spirit? A self-centered man—when credit comes, you rush ahead faster than anyone; when responsibility comes, you run faster than anyone. What kind of cop are you?"

And Yang Shu is still in training—he has no law enforcement authority, don't you know? You two were leading the team—you were in charge, don't you know? If Yang Shu could enforce the law himself, why not just send him with a police auxiliary? What's your purpose here? If responsibility is assigned in this case, it might land on you as a major demerit—but on Yang Shu, it's dismissal and permanent disqualification. Don't you know that?"

In other words, when you get yourself into trouble, why should the chief take the blame for you? You love talking about facts—then stand up for yourself. Why do you need the chief to find a solution for you?"

You're petty, especially between you and me. Cao Army Supervisor, I know you dislike me. Since I came to Balihe Police Station, you've never looked at me straight. Why? Because I stole the spotlight—you couldn't stand it, so your petty nature kicked in. Never mind other things: you had backlog cases—I did six image enhancements and four fingerprint comparisons for you. Did you ever say thank you?"

When the complaint came, you were quick to shift blame. Now you've got some backbone? Shifting blame is to avoid responsibility and punishment; now you're red-faced and yelling at me, yet still won't hit me—because you're afraid of punishment too."

Oh come on, you're shaking with rage, can't even speak anymore? Such a petty mind, so proud of your face—feel like you've lost all dignity? Celebrity cop? Only you believe that. Look at you, you pathetic fool—what are you pretending to be? I already said: if you're not convinced, let's spar. You're gritting your teeth—what good does that do?

Wang Yan's outburst became blade after blade, stabbing straight into Cao Army Supervisor's heart.

Seeing Wang Yan's look of utter contempt, overwhelming fury surged through Cao Army Supervisor's mind. He was petty and image-conscious—but he wasn't a man of depth. These two flaws meant he couldn't endure what he perceived as humiliation. In other words, his patience had a low threshold—easily provoked.

"What did you say? Have the guts to say it again?" Even as he spoke, Cao Army Supervisor didn't wait for Wang Yan to repeat it—he lunged forward to strike him. But unfortunately, people held him back.

Throughout it all, the veteran officers in the station, who had never stopped offering soothing words, now urged them not to fight. The scene grew chaotic—no different from a noisy marketplace.

Someone pulling Cao Army Supervisor only made him more furious. He strained with all his strength, struggling to reach Wang Yan, shouting nonstop, hurling every vulgar word he knew.

Originally, some had tried to hold Wang Yan back too. But seeing him, calmly crossed-armed, grinning, leaning against the desk with no other movement, they gave up. Still, they stayed close, uneasy.

Wang Yan, arms crossed, watched Cao Army Supervisor act. At first, Cao Army Supervisor might have been genuinely angry—but once held back, after a few curses, he regained clarity, and the performance intensified.

Wang Yan understood this. His face was already lost, but as a man, he had to preserve some dignity—had to let everyone know Cao Army Supervisor had guts. Of course, Wang Yan's posture—arms crossed, watching like a spectator—was genuinely provoking, dripping with contempt.

The farce didn't last long. Cao Army Supervisor had barely been performing for minutes when Chief Wang Shouyi and the Political Instructor came running down the stairs.

"What's going on?" Wang Shouyi shouted. "Cao Army Supervisor, what are you trying to do?"

"Chief, this little brat—"

"I'm asking you—what are you trying to do? Do you still want to be a cop?" Wang Shouyi glared at Cao Army Supervisor, who still wouldn't back down—until the glare made him wilt.

The Political Instructor asked: "What exactly happened? Why did this break out? We're a team—we're colleagues. Can't you just talk calmly?"

Wang Yan spoke—but didn't answer the Political Instructor. Instead, he mocked Cao Army Supervisor: "Cao Army Supervisor, Officer Cao, Celebrity Cop—you're not even good at this. All your yelling, but never get to the point. I've listened to you curse me for ages, yet you never once offered to spar with me, to improve your practical skills. All you did was yell—"

"Wang Yan! Are you talking about him or yourself?" Wang Shouyi glared at Wang Yan, seeing Cao Army Supervisor about to be humiliated again. "What kind of behavior is this? Can't you give me a moment's peace? How many days has it been since Li Dawei's stubborn ass caused trouble? Now you're giving me more headaches—do you think I'm living too long and want me to die sooner?"

"Look at you, Chief—it's not that serious. We need to be reasonable, right? I pointed out Cao Army Supervisor's problems—what's wrong with that? And I didn't even curse—worst I said was 'damn.'"

But him? Comrades, you all heard clearly—Cao Army Supervisor cursed my ancestors, cursed my parents. You all know—I lost my parents at sixteen, raised myself alone, grew up healthy. He dares to say that? Is this the awareness of a People's Police officer? No logic, just thuggery? Police officers not even speaking reasonably in the precinct—isn't that laughable? Chief, Political Instructor—you have to stand up for me."

Though Wang Yan had warned them in advance, Wang Shouyi still grew furious when the accusations turned directly on Cao Army Supervisor.

The Political Instructor hurried forward, patting Wang Yan: "Enough. Say less. No one's saying we won't be reasonable. Do you think this scene looks good? Yes, I know you're calm—but calm down a bit more. Say less. Don't add fuel to the fire. Please, I'm begging you."

"You're saying that, Political Instructor—it's Cao Army Supervisor—"

"Can you shut up?" Seeing Wang Yan about to mock Cao Army Supervisor again, the Political Instructor glared sharply, silencing him.

Wang Yan raised an eyebrow—but said nothing.

Looking at Cao Army Supervisor, still red-faced and glaring, Wang Shouyi sighed, then addressed the onlookers: "Today's incident—keep it to yourselves. Internal matter, internal resolution. Don't spread it outside and let outsiders laugh at us. That's enough. Dismissed. You've got plenty of work—get it done fast, so you can relax sooner. Wang Yan, come upstairs with me."

"Don't just call me up alone. Can't just scold me. Cao Army Supervisor comes too. Let's talk this out properly."

"Are you never done?" Wang Shouyi glared at Wang Yan, liver aching with rage—but seeing Wang Yan's indifferent expression, he exhaled deeply. "Fine. Cao Army Supervisor, come up too. You two—just kill me already."

With that, he snorted and turned to leave.

Wang Yan followed, grinning. Cao Army Supervisor trudged up reluctantly. The Political Instructor soothed the onlookers and hurried after them, all the way to the Chief's office.

"This is outrageous!" As soon as they entered the office, Wang Shouyi slammed his fist on the desk.

Cao Army Supervisor, guilty, stayed silent. Wang Yan pulled out his phone from his pocket and smiled: "Chief, problems can be solved—no need to get angry. Here, Political Instructor, listen too. The whole thing's recorded. I admit I started with reason—I didn't provoke this. Cao Army Supervisor shirking responsibility—does that make sense? Everyone in the station knows this. Just because you don't talk about it doesn't mean it didn't happen. Look—he's still glaring at me."

I'm telling you, that's all you've got. Where was that energy downstairs? Cao Army Supervisor, you looked like a brute—but I didn't know you were such a good actor."

Wang Yan knew how annoying he looked. Now he was deliberately playing the role of a troublemaker—disrespectful to leadership, defiant, insubordinate. A true little villain. But truthfully—he was right.

"Can you just shut your mouth?" Seeing Cao Army Supervisor about to explode again, Wang Shouyi pointed at Wang Yan, ordering him not to escalate things further.

"Wang Yan, sit down. Army Supervisor, sit. Calm down. Breathe. Since Wang Yan recorded it, let's listen," the Political Instructor said, guiding them to sit, speaking soothingly.

Wang Shouyi glared at both, then clicked the file and played the recording.

The recording was short—only five or six minutes total. After listening, Wang Shouyi looked at Wang Yan, legs crossed, slumped in the sofa, fingers typing messages, then at Cao Army Supervisor, sitting stiffly, chest heaving, eyes still red. He exchanged a glance with the Political Instructor.

He sighed deeply. "Army Supervisor, you know the truth, don't you? You know right from wrong. Wang Yan's a new officer, young—he speaks up when he sees something wrong. Can you really say he's wrong? If you don't want people talking, first be upright yourself. What are you now? Angry because you're embarrassed? Cao Army Supervisor, look at yourself—do you even look like a cop?"

Don't give me that sour face. You heard what Yang Shu said to me—I didn't say anything because I was giving you face. I thought our evidence was solid, our procedure compliant, Yang Shu wouldn't be punished—so I held back. I hoped you'd keep mentoring Yang Shu, and you two could resolve this privately."

Wang Yan said something very true: our police force maintains this mentorship system to build reliable comradeship, to pass down the spirit of our People's Police generation after generation. We won't dig up old grievances—only today's incident. Put your hand on your heart—do you think you did right?"

Since you did wrong, why is it wrong for Wang Yan to speak up? He didn't consider others' feelings—but look at him—does he even care?"

"It's not—" Wang Yan stopped replying to public messages, wanting to explain.

But Wang Shouyi ignored the crimson-faced Cao Army Supervisor and turned to Wang Yan: "I know you're blunt and hot-headed—you see too many things you dislike. But don't you need to choose your words? Don't speak."

There are so many people here. Why publicly humiliate him? Yes, he failed to protect Yang Shu, failed to unite with you—but couldn't you have pointed out his problems privately? Why choose this way?"

Besides, people always have reasons. Don't you ever think—why did Cao Army Supervisor do this?"

"Chief, you're twisting logic. Don't glare at me—we're talking reason, right? Don't use your position as Chief to crush me. By your logic, Dong Nianfeng, whom I and Ji Wei encountered, shouldn't have been sentenced to death. Didn't he have a reason? That adulterous pair tormented him terribly. But no—wrong is wrong. I pointed out his fault—he didn't admit it, he cursed my ancestors. No reason justifies that."

Don't be fooled by how he acts—he's just putting on a show to save face. Cao Army Supervisor, I didn't attack you. Ask yourself: is what I said wrong? If you're willing to do it, you must be willing to take the blame. If you're willing to shift blame, don't complain when people call you out. What's the issue? I haven't even brought up your insult to my parents yet. Don't glare at me—you're nothing special. I could take you down eight times over, and you really think you're that capable?"

Cao Army Supervisor had no ground to stand on, and with fewer people around, though he resented it, he had no defense. His thoughts were laid bare to Wang Yan. Downstairs he could still cause a scene; here, he couldn't. He stayed silent, just glaring at Wang Yan.

"Are you done yet? You've spoken, you've made a scene—what else do you want?" Wang Shouyi slammed his fist on the desk in anger. "I say one thing, you counter eight. Do you even respect me as your director?"

Wang Yan reluctantly fell silent. The instructor stepped in to mediate: "Wang Yan, what the director said does have merit—it's not just sophistry. The director never said Cao Army Supervisor's behavior deserves forgiveness, right? That's where you twisted the concept. Cao Army Supervisor insulting your parents was certainly wrong, but you yourself said you won't hold it against him."

"You know what kind of person Cao Army Supervisor is—he's got a temper. Provoked like that, he spoke without restraint. We can understand that, can't we? Like when we mediate public disputes, doesn't everyone who loses their temper start cursing, wanting to drown the other person in spit?"

"Besides, the director's right—Cao Army Supervisor did this out of desperation. You might not know, but his home life is full of conflict. He's got it hard."

Wang Yan waved his hand, kicked his foot up, and kicked back at Cao Army Supervisor, who sat across from him glaring: "Today we're talking reason, right? I won't hold your insult to my parents against you—the instructor's right, emotional outbursts are understandable. Even if you had no reason to get angry, you did get angry. The director and instructor are here—I'm giving them face. We won't drag this out. You've got a mouth—tell me yourself: what desperate reason did you have to pin this on Yang Shu?"

Cao Army Supervisor clenched his neck, silent. Seeing Wang Yan about to speak again, the instructor said: "Let me speak. Cao Army Supervisor, it's understandable that family matters are hard to bring up. But today we must speak. If we don't clear this up, you two will fight every day—how will you ever do your work?"

Watching Cao Army Supervisor lower his head, the instructor sighed: "Here's the situation. His mother-in-law has two sons-in-law. The other one's rich—worth tens of millions. So tell me: a wealthy businessman versus a penniless cop. His mother-in-law loves money. What kind of position do you think Cao Army Supervisor and his wife hold in that household?"

"Cao Army Supervisor's wife is Zhou Hui. I've met her a few times—she's a good woman. Back then, it was Zhou Hui who insisted, stubbornly, on marrying Cao Army Supervisor. Only then did her mother reluctantly agree. Now they've got a daughter who's over five years old."

"Precisely because of this, every time Cao Army Supervisor visits his mother-in-law's house, he endures her sarcasm and mockery. He wants to achieve something—not just to impress his mother-in-law, but to give Zhou Hui some pride, right? So now you understand? That's why he rushes to take credit and hides from blame. Of course, shifting blame onto Yang Shu was wrong."

"Leaving that aside, Cao Army Supervisor does his police work well—he handles problems competently. Otherwise, how'd he get his current rank of Two Bars One?"

Cao Army Supervisor now covered his face. Shame, bitterness, humiliation—all surged up.

"Look at him—he's playing the victim? Feeling sorry for himself? Is that his excuse now? Instructor, I have to criticize you. Resolving conflict can't be done by begging for sympathy."

"Hey, you're criticizing me now? Cao Army Supervisor, what are you doing? We're solving problems with reason. Do you think Wang Yan can fight because we're puffing him up? We've got his academy combat footage—the director and Song Ju got it for us. We didn't elevate him to belittle you—you really can't beat him. And you know you're in the wrong—you admit it yourself. So why still think about hitting him?"

Cao Army Supervisor finally spoke, a grown man weeping, voice trembling: "Director, Instructor, don't do this to me. He's bullying me too much—so what if he's got a little money? Look, does he respect either of you? Yes, I blamed Yang Shu—I was wrong. I insulted his parents—I was wrong. I apologize. I'm sorry. I messed up. But my family's business? Do you need to mock it?"

"Director, I've served under you for years. Tell me honestly—is Cao Army Supervisor hardworking? Yes, I rush to take credit and hide from blame—but I fight for every achievement with my life, don't I? Behind every commendation, there are injured civilians. Have I ever failed this job? Why does he look down on me?"

"On the day he showed up, I didn't give him a good face. I didn't thank him for helping with image enhancement and fingerprint matching—I admit it. I just despise people like him who get a little money and act all proud. I despise him. Can't I just keep my distance? Do I have to be friends with everyone? Be united with everyone? That's not how it works."

"Come on, you're crying now? You're a grown man—is that appropriate? Begging for sympathy from the director and instructor? You think this whole thing can just vanish?"

Wang Yan smiled. "Ah, the more you cry, the more I laugh. I say: sure, my money has nothing to do with you. But since you've suffered under your mother-in-law's obsession with wealth, I'll grant you that understanding. You dislike my arrogance? Fine. You don't want to be friendly or united with me? Fine. No problem."

"But ask yourself honestly: isn't it because you're petty? You're jealous because I catch thieves today, give a drug trafficker tip tomorrow, stumble onto crime scenes the day after—because I'm in the spotlight, earning commendations? See? You've got nothing to say. Don't stiffen your neck—it won't help. Director, don't glare at me—I'm going to settle this with him today."

Wang Shouyi sighed helplessly, exchanging a wry glance with the instructor.

The situation was clear: Wang Yan wasn't wrong—he just shouldn't have said it publicly. But then again, was saying it publicly really wrong? It was just long-standing social convention—everyone understood, but no one said it aloud. Now this kid pretended to be clueless and said it out loud—so what? No harm done.

Besides, Wang Yan didn't act like a bully—he kept arguing rationally. It was Cao Army Supervisor who stiffened his neck, refusing to admit fault, clinging to his pride.

For an ordinary person, we might've given both fifty lashes and called it quits. But this is Wang Yan. He's capable, he's earned commendations, he's rich—he's not here to suffer humiliation. On the other hand, Cao Army Supervisor's personality is what it is. Now Wang Yan's painted him as a pitiful mess—how could we say anything more? We couldn't take sides. Cao Army Supervisor had emotions; Wang Yan had them too.

Clearly, Cao Army Supervisor's emotions didn't matter much. But Wang Yan's emotions? Those could cause chaos. In truth, from start to finish, they'd both been protecting Cao Army Supervisor.

Wang Yan understood the situation perfectly—but he didn't care. He continued: "You say you earned your commendations with your life, resolving public conflicts. Fine. But in operations, did you ever follow orders? No, right? You acted recklessly, thinking you were clever, doing things your own way. Every time, the director has to scold you—but because you're petty, he holds back."

"And every time the director talks to you, you say: 'That's a low-probability event,' 'It didn't happen, did it?' You dismiss what's already happened, right? I heard about Chen's case too. Last time the director said Yang Shu didn't stop you—he must've talked to you afterward, right? He must've brought up Chen's case."

"You probably thought: I succeeded, so it won't happen to me. And what do you think of Chen? I bet you think he's incompetent. If it were me, I'd have caught that woman before she fell. See? I'm right—you don't take it seriously."

"We're a disciplined force. All actions follow regulations. Obey orders. Do I have to teach you that? In every commendation I've earned, this never happened. You'll say: rules are rigid, people are flexible—too many emergencies, you must adapt. Right? But one time you adapt, two times you adapt—can you adapt every time?"

Cao Army Supervisor wiped his tears, rubbed his eyes, refused to look at Wang Yan.

"You see, Director? This is what you're dealing with. Talking to him about rules is useless. Keep wiping your tears—want to cry? Don't stop."

Wang Yan shook his head, smiled, and continued: "Let's talk about your family. You're right—I am mocking you. Instructor says you want to prove yourself, earn commendations, to give your wife pride. But isn't there also your own vanity at play? Of course, wanting your wife to be proud is positive."

"But your desire to prove yourself, to make your mother-in-law respect you, to outshine your brother-in-law—that's not positive. Think: your wife fought to marry you—what did she see in you? She saw you. I don't know why she chose you—maybe she was blind—but she did. That's that."

"But you took the wrong path. Since she chose you, why not just be a steady cop, live a quiet life, stay safe? Isn't that better than anything? Chasing glory, grabbing commendations, then dodging blame—do you think your wife would be happy if she knew? Even if you earn a commendation, if you disobey orders and get unlucky and die like Xia Jie's father…"

"You must understand: Xia Jie's father was a martyr. Do you think disobeying orders gives you a high chance of being declared one? Even if you were declared a martyr, do you think your wife would be proud? I know you don't respect Xia Jie—but your five-year-old daughter? She'll be the next Xia Jie. She'll be looked down on by some old cop just like you. The only difference? Maybe your wife has higher awareness than Xia Jie's mother—she won't cause trouble for the station."

"You still think it's low-probability, right? But the risk is real—and you can't afford it. I heard your wife is beautiful. You're a cop—you know people best. I'm not saying your wife isn't good—I'm saying there are men who are good at pretending, good at deceiving women. Think about the scene: spending your pension, raising your child, sleeping with your wife. Hmph…"

"You're not crying anymore? Want to fight me? Am I wrong? You've been a cop for years—haven't you seen this happen?"

"Enough. I'm just giving you one possibility. Now you're getting angry? When you're dead and buried, and if ghosts really exist, I'll feel sorry for you."

"Let's return to your desire to get revenge on your mother-in-law. You said yourself: you hate me because I'm rich, because your mother-in-law loves your brother-in-law's money. Since she values money, her moral standards are probably low. Your daughter's five. For years she's targeted you—this grudge hasn't faded. That means she's been viciously cruel."

"With her like that, you're a cop—you'll never hold your head high in her house. You're a Level Four Chief with Two Bars One—your monthly salary? With that pay, in her eyes, you'll never rise. You think earning a commendation, wearing your uniform, hanging your medals, walking into her house will make you proud? Dream on."

"Even if you're named a First-Class Hero, you get fifty thousand in bonus, plus benefits, career prospects. But think: does your mother-in-law care about those? Can she even understand them? She only sees the fifty thousand—less than what your brother-in-law spends on a bracelet. Get it?"

"Even if you become director of the Ping'an City Public Security Bureau, become deputy mayor—your two salaries won't impress her."

"When will she respect you? Only when she needs you to do something—when she needs you to pull strings. Then you're the good son-in-law. But can you do it? Or if you really become deputy mayor, would you dare help her? With a mother-in-law like that, how long do you think your position would last? The gifts they offer? They're endless—creative, varied. Can your mother-in-law refuse?"

"I'll tell you this: if you ever become an official—even just a director—after one year, I'll file a formal report against you. One report, and you're done. Do you believe me?"

"In your mother-in-law's eyes, a cop is garbage. A cop's commendations? Also garbage. She only cares about money and connections. If you give her money, you're the good son-in-law. If you pull strings for her, you're the good son-in-law. Otherwise, she'll look down on you until the day she dies, Cao Army Supervisor."

"You took the wrong path. Understand? Your mother-in-law looks down on you—you know she does. So why keep rushing to her doorstep? Aren't you just asking for it? You don't treat your own parents like this, do you? Your wife endured the pressure and doesn't care—why are you so obsessed?"

"Your male pride? Your inner resentment? I understand. But do you have the ability? Being a cop won't make you rich—get rich and you go to jail. Can you do anything else? If not, why not face reality? Be an honest cop. Obey orders. Grab commendations when they come. Let go when they don't. Isn't that better? Besides, how many commendations can a grassroots police officer even get?"

Cao Army Supervisor sat there, face covered, silent, shoulders shaking as he wiped his tears—he felt even more wronged.

He was a veteran cop—completely humiliated by a newcomer, his weak points ruthlessly exposed. Though it sounded like a reprimand, in his heart it was an insult. He felt endless bitterness and injustice.

He'd lost all dignity today. So he cried. Especially when that damn Wang Yan whistled: "It's not a crime to cry, man." He cried louder—this was too much.

Seeing Wang Shouyi glare at him, Wang Yan shook his head: "Director, Instructor, look at this pathetic sight. Where's his nerve when he's shifting blame? Where's his voice when he was yelling at me downstairs? Useless trash. Still strutting around, still talking about commendations."

"Director, Instructor—you're sharp-eyed. I didn't bully him. Everything I said was for his own good. Just a moment ago he was all defiant—this little talent? Won't settle down to live quietly, still dreaming of impressing his mother-in-law with commendations?"

"I don't want to harm him. Otherwise, look at him now—he lost face today. Director, you'll surely tell him to go home early. He's hurt inside—he won't go home and confide in his wife. He'll find a quiet place, drink alone, or talk to friends. He'll drive there, right? To drown his sorrows—he'll drink plenty. All I need to do is send someone to call him, ask him to move his car."

"He always says 'it won't happen,' 'low probability,' never takes it seriously—thinks it's no big deal, just two steps. He'll come over himself to move the car. At that moment, the person I sent calls the police, records video."

"You think this arrogant guy, when the traffic cops arrive, won't say: 'I'm a cop, same unit, give me a break'? Then my person films it, posts it online, stirs up a storm. In a day, it spreads. By tomorrow, he won't be a cop anymore. Even if he doesn't say it himself, I'll leak his identity online—same result. Director, you might lose even your retirement benefits—you'll be forced into early retirement."

"Oh, the celebrity cop—no more crying? Did I hit the mark? Scared? Don't worry—this is just a small trick. I've got more. Plenty of ways to make you lose your badge. When that happens, think: what will you do? What can you do?"

"You married such a beautiful, kind, supportive wife—you're proud, right?"

"But the saying goes: poverty brings endless sorrow. You earn six thousand a month—maybe not much, but with your wife's income, it's enough for your three-person household."

"But if you lose this job, you'll only earn three or five thousand. Even if your wife tolerates you, takes on the main financial burden—maybe one or two months are fine. But long-term? Can you still live together? You might even think: I can't burden my wife and child. I can't let them suffer with me."

"Ah, just when this happens, another smooth-talking man who only tricks women shows up—showing your wife all kinds of care, concern, and affection; in less than three months, he'll have her completely bewitched. Just imagine the scene—you wouldn't even dare to think about it, would you?"

Cao Army Supervisor had already imagined it—he imagined it until he was terrified, his eyes red and swollen, staring in fear at Wang Yan…

Thank you, Brother Fu Xinwen, for tipping 2000 coins and continuing your support.

Thank you, Brothers Ziyiren, Ran Jin Yan De Hui, and Xiao Yao, for continuing your support.

Daily thanks to the good brothers who voted for the monthly ticket.

Thank you to all the brothers who voted for recommendations.

Thank you to the brothers who quietly read the book.