Chapter 785: Property Issues

"You're Officer Wang, right? I saw so many people gathered at the gate earlier, so I didn't go over. Come on, Officer Wang, have a cigarette, have a cigarette."

The owner of the convenience store at the gate greeted him with a smile; the situation here was similar to Xincheng Aofu, but because the occupancy rate was higher and residents had lived here longer, the surrounding shops were more complete and clustered together. Moreover, they didn't just compete with similar merchants within their own community, but also with those across the street.

Like the convenience store, Fengdan Bali had four main gates and two small gates, with five supermarkets of varying sizes opened. Wang Yan and his team were currently at the southern main gate—the community's official entrance—where two supermarkets stood at the gate, and across the street, at the northern gate of the opposite community, another supermarket was open, while another had been converted into a street stall; the competition was fierce.

Wang Yan waved off the offer; the shop owner didn't press, but immediately asked again: "Officer Wang, I heard you just arrested the property manager and the accountant? What did they do?"

"We have discipline—we dare not speak freely. If residents later need to know anything, our station will issue an official notice."

The shop owner looked unimpressed: "It's already spread everywhere, Officer Wang—I've heard it all. The property manager and accountant colluded to embezzle public funds; it's all over the owner's WeChat group."

"I still can't say anything." Wang Yan smiled. "But your rumors spread fast—only half an hour passed, and everyone already knows?"

"Officer Wang, don't misunderstand—I'm just guessing. There are plenty of capable people in the community; some know the property manager or finance staff. When they heard those two were arrested, their first thought wasn't embezzlement or misappropriation. Let me tell you, Officer Wang, the property fee outside the big district is two yuan per month, but you shopkeepers charge seven. Look at your shop—it's small, but it's not seventy square meters, right? Two hundred yuan a month, that's twenty-seven thousand a year. Where did that money go? Look at the cleanliness outside your shops—it's worse than ours. We fix everything ourselves, yet we just collect money and do nothing. Now it's ruined, and it's been embezzled too. Officer Wang, the groups outside are in an uproar—they all say you're here to serve the people, so you must see this through."

"He looks at your shop—sure, it's small, but it's still not seventy square meters, two hundred a month, that's not two thousand seven a year, right? So where did all that money go? He looks at the sanitation in front of your shops, and you don't even fix things yourselves; we just collect the money and don't do a damn thing. Now it's even worse—the money got embezzled and diverted. Officer Wang, the group chat has gone crazy out there, everyone's saying he's the one handling things for you common folks, so he's got to see this thing through to the end."

Thinking about it, if the shop owner's claim that the groups outside had unified was false, Xia Jie scrolled down for a while, found the arrest-related messages, and from the moment of the arrest to the latest updates, the WeChat group of seven hundred members was moderately active—with only about seventy to eighty people posting, and the most active weren't even ten.

"There's a saying: where there's wind, there's waves. Even if it's rumor, we must first know the rumor, then find the root cause…"

Wang Yan remained quite cooperative; such people, he thought, weren't likely to have any real connection—only those with some stake would care. Seeing a handsome man, they'd generously speculate, and just lying around could lead them to a broad path. Besides, he already had some wealth, and was running a project for relatively low-income people—he wouldn't possibly ignore someone like a grassroots police officer.

Being talkative was also a flaw; sometimes you just couldn't hold it in. The shop owner ran a big supermarket, chatted with people all day, gossiping about the community's four directions or venting when someone came to buy things. She knew a lot, though she couldn't match people to their buildings, yet she could rattle off details one by one. Compared to Luo Qingzi's power, it wasn't worth mentioning, but it was better than knowing nothing at all.

The real reason the large community's property committee was ineffective lay here: people didn't care about such matters and weren't attentive. Every election for the property committee was just the community handing out forms door-to-door, asking owners to vote for candidates already pre-selected by them. Most people were simply too impatient—click-click, they'd just check boxes and hand over their power.

"You don't have evidence, so you just believe? And unless you find direct evidence tying the Zhao family to this, even if you uncover it in Instructor Ye Wei Yang, what can you do? It's a commercial venue—they didn't intentionally provide it. Worst case, they get fined eighty or seventy thousand—do you think they care? Even if you want to investigate, your superiors can refuse. So you can only find drug users, provide leads, and hand it over to the anti-drug squad. You can't just blame it on them."

"Then look—this is already serious. This case is a major news story, and it won't be contained. Chief, hurry up and move. Tomorrow, detain all four members of the property committee first, and arrest the property leadership too."

But without more information—like how he died, how long he'd been dead—Xia Jie couldn't think further, so she stopped trying, picked up her community work phone, replied to messages, and occasionally made calls.

Laughing as they got in the car, the two had another hearty dinner, returning to the station late at night.

Soon after, a woman with long, wavy hair, large eyes, full lips, large earrings, dressed in a red floral long dress and low-heeled shoes, clacking confidently and flamboyantly, radiating the charm of a woman in her late eighties. Only the large tattoo on her right arm broke the beauty—clearly someone who'd once been in the underworld.

Xia Jie hadn't paid attention to this issue before, because Luo Qingzi only had Zhao Zhangyi, and Xincheng Aofu was a newly built, unsold community—Ning Jian had to treat owners like ancestors, and the property committee members were barely acceptable. But today's events brought this issue into her view.

"People who use drugs are indeed different from ordinary people. I'll call the anti-drug unit…" Dong Ningcun nodded in agreement, then pulled out his phone to make the call.

"Of course, but all of us here are men—some places might be inconvenient…"

"Then how do you handle him?"

Xia Jie neither denied nor admitted: "Ding Laoban, your information is quite sharp. I thought such a big matter wouldn't reach you."

"Alright, I know. Eat your meal. I'm hanging up." The tone remained as straightforward, crisp, and swift as his name.

Such shops were rare, and they made excellent profits. The data Xia Jie held showed this shop had been operating for eight years, clearly with a stable clientele, and the profits were substantial—the white G63 parked outside said it all.

Luo Qingzi sighed, sipping the still-warm but cold-feeling mutton soup, watching Xia Jie busy at work.

Luo Qingzi sighed, drank the lamb soup that hadn't warmed up yet but still felt very cold, and watched Xia Jie bustling about.

"Drug use—very likely ice or magic pills."

"Are you still worried? If there's a problem. Oh, by the way, Chief, how's the property manager case going? Has it been clarified? The owners of Fengdan Bali are about to explode—they've long harbored deep resentment, and never got together."

Those who shouted, those who stayed silent, those who sat on the fence—all lacked the willingness to take responsibility. No one had the courage.

"The Wang Shouyi you mentioned just now—Kunming police found his body. I've checked Luo Qingzi's information several times and tried to get details from you. He shouldn't react so strongly—this is a criminal investigation case, handled directly by the brigade. If he died in our jurisdiction, we might help out, but he died so far away—what's it got to do with us? Eat your meal. If you eat late, don't say I didn't warn you."

She came over with a whiff of perfume, extended her manicured hand, and shook Xia Jie's firmly, uttering the usual opening line everyone said: "You're Officer Wang, right? I've heard so much about you—finally meeting you in person! I heard you arrested the property manager and accountant today for embezzling public funds?"

After lunch, Zhao Zilong politely paid the bill—mutton soup and lamb ribs, total cost over seven hundred yuan, which Zhao Zilong could afford. He didn't know anything else, but he knew Xia Jie spent a lot on meals—he'd seen Li Dawei's half-month food log, so when he could pay, he paid quickly.

After lunch, Zhao Zilong sensibly picked up the bill—lamb soup, lamb ribs, the two of them spent just over seven hundred, which Zhao Zilong could afford. Don't ask how I know—I'm aware that Xia Jie doesn't eat much and doesn't cost much; I've seen Li Dawei keep a half-month ledger of Xia Jie's food and drink, so whenever I can afford it, I hurry up and pay.

"What's up? Any new developments?" Dong Ningcun asked casually, smoking. After two months, he'd grown accustomed to Luo Qingzi's sudden surprises.

"What's wrong, no situation again?" Dongning Village smoked his cigarette, asking very casually. After two months or so, I still hadn't gotten used to Luo Qing's sudden surprises.

This process required full-time tracking by community and street staff; early supervision needed a clear method—small issues, hold small meetings; big issues, hold big meetings. These ten people must be properly supervised, along with financial disclosures. Once a new committee representing Fengdan Bali's owners is elected, whether to rehire the property company or let owners self-manage won't be a big problem.

"Don't worry about that, Young Lady—you already said so when you were at the gate." Xia Jie smiled. "But this issue can't be solved overnight. Our property's parent company must give a clear answer—these things take time. Young Lady, show me your group, let me understand everyone's attitude, then I'll post a video to calm them down."

"No new developments—just that I felt something was off about the eldest son. I kept an eye out, went to Zhao Jiwei's place to check if he'd returned. It's been two months with no sign—I thought something must have happened. I know the other circumstances, but on January 80th, I noticed Wang Shouyi's Santana had been driven away."

"There's no situation either—it's not that you felt something was off about this big fellow, so you kept an eye on him, made a trip to Zhao Jiwei, and went to see if I'd come back or not. It's been two months with no word, so you figured something must've happened. The rest of the situation you know too. But on the eighteenth of January, I discovered Wang Shouyi's Santana had been driven off by someone.

Xia Jie grinned and shook her head. "Worry? Look at how the kids are talking—then I'll post a video to calm them down. I just arrived today—I don't know anything yet. How can I act? Isn't that right, Young Lady?"

Smiling, she returned the phone to the shop owner and said: "Young Lady, don't worry. Give me a month. Your supermarket has been open seven years—you know our community well. Tell me what you know; when I visit owners' homes later, I'll have a better sense."

And although we're not the first to try, we can still explore community management methods. Use this Fengdan Bali case as a chance for a district-wide cleanup—conduct a small-scale rectification of property companies. The public will welcome it, leaders get achievements, and everyone will feel relieved.

"During today's visits to Fengdan Bali merchants, I discovered that Wang Yan, owner of Lanxiang Beauty SPA, is suspected of drug use. Chief, Wang Yan is a wealthy man—he drives a G63. With added costs, the car's value exceeds eight million. Plus, she's very beautiful. I think this could turn into a major case."

"You predicted it." Chao Di smiled. "Just now, the municipal bureau called—Kunming police found Wang Shouyi's body. They confirmed Luo Qingzi's identity and noticed we've queried his information multiple times, so they contacted us. The municipal bureau asked if we have any information."

Luo Qingzi nodded, fully agreeing with Xia Jie's words—he'd never thought this deeply before. Now, with Luo Qingzi's words, his heart pounded.

Walking and chatting with Luo Qingzi, he surveyed the area thoroughly and understood the situation well. Amid Luo Qingzi's cold farewell, Xia Jie and Zhao Zilong left, heading toward the car parked by the roadside.

Back in Fengdan Bali, they continued visiting merchants, gathering firsthand information, checking for hazards, and ensuring surveillance systems were functioning properly.

That's why a wealthy, beautiful, drug-using man is a label. His wealth guarantees he won't be high-ranking unless he's abnormal. His beauty guarantees he must be connected to someone poorer or more powerful. Once you trace where his drugs came from, who he's with, and who he's entertaining, it becomes a major case.

So that also explains why the penniless, pretty, drug-using men are one and the same label. Your being penniless means your rank can't be high—you're definitely no ordinary person. Your being pretty means you've got to be with someone even richer, or someone with even more power. So where does your goods come from, who are you with, and who are you playing with—once those things get pulled out, it's a big case.

"You'd scare him?"

Sometimes the tone on the phone wasn't good—you'd scold someone over the line like a grandchild. I understand—some people are just hateful, and you can't reason with them. But when I'm the one scolding others, I lack the courage—I'm afraid of complaints. Unlike Xia Jie, who scolds people and then they thank her.

They visited one shop after another. By 8:30 p. m., the last shop visited was a two-story beauty, hairdressing, and SPA shop at a crossroads. It had originally been a sales office—small, cramped, and poorly decorated.

Xia Jie had seen the official certification of the Siwaihe Police Station's enterprise WeChat—after replying to that message, she immediately couldn't find it again. It was terrifying—just looking at it made me not want to do it anymore…

"What's the point?" Zhao Zilong sipped his soup, then asked: "When you took Li Dawei and Zhao Zi on visits, why did you listen to gossip like that?"

I felt Luo Qingzi was truly practicing serving the people—not just lip service. Even listening to those eighty-second voice messages made me restless, but Luo Qingzi showed no expression—he listened intently. When they asked via voice, he replied via voice; when they typed, he typed back.

I felt Luo Qing was truly putting into practice the spirit of serving the people—truly not just lip service. Don't ask how I know—listening to those eighty-second voice messages there gave me a headache, but Luo Qing showed no expression, listening very attentively. When they asked by voice, he replied by voice; when they typed, he typed back.

In the anti-drug squad, Xia Jie had already reached parity with drug-sniffing dogs—when we joked, we always brought up Xia Jie.

Xia Jie was not vague about it—within the drug squad, Xia Jie hadn't even been on par with the drug-sniffing dog yet; whenever we cracked jokes, we had to bring Xia Jie along.

"Low Suo? Why does it sound like there's no murder case?" Zhao Zilong asked, curious as a child.

Xia Jie smiled and waved her hand: "You know it's enough—no need to say it out loud."

Mostly, when he patrolled the bar street afterward, he'd responded to calls—these people's backgrounds were simple. No big thugs, just small-time hoodlums, students, white-collar workers, scammers, broke young masters. If they didn't use drugs, they didn't deal. No laughing gas, no new-type e-cigarettes like the one you arrested before, no ecstasy or other such substances—those were definitely rare.

Most importantly, the property company's money must be clarified—no matter who paid it, that money must be recovered. Even if not all of it comes back, at least part of it must. There must be accountability. All of this requires his coordination. Best to find Song Ju and ask her to look into it outside the district, draft a concrete plan.

The head of the anti-drug squad was extremely cooperative—even without Song Ju's connections, this was exceptional. Xia Jie provided several solid drug-related leads and even uncovered a major case. His attitude being good wasn't surprising; after several prior experiences, whenever they heard a rich, handsome man was suspected of drug use, they'd always doubted it—until Luo Qingzi said otherwise.

Though there aren't many idiots at that level, some people are still flashy. Better to avoid trouble if possible. Times have changed. Though calling someone "brother" still works, it also slightly increases risk.

In the city's major districts, everything looks basically the same. Merchants in each district are nearly identical. This holds true across all cities nationwide: some local brands may differ, but the products sold are the same. Local customs might have a few unique shops, but the rest are nearly indistinguishable—big differences, little variation.

"You know Zhao Jiwei, right? You've been there several times and never seen him. Neighbors say they haven't seen him return. Is he… dead?"

At noon, Xia Jie drove Zhao Zilong far away to eat—today they had lamb soup and tendon pancakes, delicious.

"No need to be so surprised. You didn't notice anything unusual. I told you all the suspicious points—now observe him face-to-face. You might spot something. Otherwise, why are most drug users caught on the spot after tips?"

After discovering the car had been driven off, you also searched Wang Shouyi's home that day but found nothing. You had the bodycam on—let them review it. Also, the surveillance footage from that time is on your desktop in a folder named Luo Qingzi. The folder with Luo Qingzi's name contains that footage—just copy it over if needed."

Xia Jie pushed open the door and stepped inside, clearly sensing Luo Qingzi exhale a relieved breath behind her, as the shop was hot and steamy.

Xia Jie treated everyone equally—of course, "equal" meant Luo Qingzi. After visiting two merchants and taking samples, she had Zhao Zilong practice—visit two more, then let Luo Qingzi practice. For Luo Qingzi, it was different: besides the first two merchants and two households, nearly all others were visited by Luo Qingzi. I only assisted. When Zhao Zilong collapsed, I stepped in…

"Beautiful!" Zhao Zilong answered eagerly. Seeing Xia Jie smile and shake her head, he quickly added, "That man knows how to use his advantages. Whether in makeup or clothing, it's all crude, extremely attention-grabbing. He must work out—his physique isn't bad, but his muscles are lean and dry, not the typical male kind of thin. He's very talkative, even better at speaking."

"Fan Shiqing and the accountant confessed everything—they embezzled over seven million, and it didn't stop there. The property company's leadership was involved too. Actual expenses differed greatly from the books, and other business dealings? That money went straight into the leader's pocket. Additionally, four members of the district's homeowners' committee all accepted bribes of varying amounts."

It's not a joke—it's true. After all, dogs really are more valuable than people. Luo Qingzi didn't know, and even if he did, he wouldn't care. But honestly, he's not as good as a dog. Dogs have keener noses—they can detect drugs hidden in bag linings. Even with his enhanced physical abilities, he still can't match a dog's sense of smell.

The young woman behind the counter put down her phone and nodded: "Officer, wait here a moment. I'll go downstairs and call Lan Jie up."

Xia Jie repeated the same thing she'd said twice already—for the eighth time—explaining to Luo Qingzi and Zhao Zilong the principles, clarifying Zhao Zilong's goals, his information-gathering ability, judgment, and so on.

Xia Jie stood stern, radiating righteousness: "Dear homeowners of Guangda Fengdan Siwai, gentlemen, ladies, young masters, young ladies—hello. I'm Xia Jie, a police officer from Siwaihe Police Station. I'm aware of the property issues. After visiting merchants, I'll begin door-to-door visits to understand the real situation and solve actual problems. Please be patient for a while—no later than one month, we'll have a clear resolution. You may forward this video to other homeowners so more people know, and let everyone supervise together. Thank you."

The shop owner picked up her phone, scrolled through a few times, opened WeChat, found the group chat, and handed it over.

Beyond those two words, Zhao Zilong didn't know what else to say. He thought: no need to leash Xia Jie—just let her stand daily at the train station's security checkpoint. The police dog could just be deployed directly. Of course, he only thought it—he wouldn't dare say it even if he had four pairs of balls.

Xia Jie took the phone, didn't even look at it, and sent it straight to the group. As soon as the video posted, visibly—the ten or so people who had been chatting loudly, messages scrolling rapidly—fell silent. When Xia Jie's righteous video frame froze on the screen, it instantly became the latest message…

Seeing Zhao Zilong drenched in sweat, Xia Jie smiled: "Calm mind brings coolness. Besides, there's an electric fan blowing."

This was far more detailed than what he'd told Zhao Zilong before—and exactly what he intended to do. It wasn't a new idea; the original homeowners' committee should've operated this way. It just hadn't been implemented. He wanted to help the people of Fengdan Siwai implement this system and solve the problem thoroughly.

"This time, your visits all landed on you. You posted a big video to our group, promising a solution within a month. You told me, Chief, this matter is critical—don't let it slip. Otherwise, trouble will arise."

"Oh my, this kid of yours—his observation skills, and this traditional Chinese medicine—he's truly amazing."

Luo Qingzi shook his head: "Depends on convenience."

With his actions, this well-structured case provided key clues—most of the credit goes to him. But whether he gets credit doesn't matter; what matters is protecting himself. You must keep this up—don't slack off for a second.

Elect one hundred and seventy building leaders to form the homeowners' committee, then select ten committee representatives to fulfill its duties. Every step must be publicly elected. If conditions allow, livestream it so every district homeowner can watch. Once ten representatives are chosen, long-term guarantees are hard—but at least short-term accountability is possible for the district's benefit.

In such a situation, once he sets the precedent—elects one building leader—dozens or hundreds gather together to participate in district development, fighting for their rights. This intense sense of participation, coupled with the responsibilities and authority attached, naturally drives them to invest passionately…

After a long speech, he continued: "What I told you—internalize it. Today you arrested the gambling property manager, judged he embezzled funds—still stubborn? Does this suspicion mean you can now handle more cases? Xiao Wei, you must deeply investigate everyone you meet. Extract as much information as possible during every interaction."

As they spoke, the young woman led them to sit on a sofa by the window, served each a glass of chilled lemon water, then dashed downstairs to call someone.

Moments later, someone posted: "Officer Wang looks good." Then, in unison, everyone began repeating it. Xia Jie noticed: these ten or so people's messages flashed past one after another—whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—44 plus…

"Impossible. I know Fan Shiqing well. How could I be careless with someone like Boss Ding?" Xia Jie chuckled, shaking her head. "If it's not troublesome, Boss Ding, take us for a walk around the shop and show us the surveillance. Check for safety hazards. But Boss Ding, today's inspection isn't about punishment—just fix it quickly. Next time I come, if I still find problems, don't blame me."

The shop owner hesitated: "Not arresting anyone, right?"

Leadership isn't something everyone has. Even with talent, experience is essential. Don't exaggerate—take a mid-level manager from a city company and ask them to coordinate seven thousand residents—they won't be effective. Because here, there are interests, conflicts, and varying personal qualities. Even if that manager shows his badge, he still won't do well.

His words weren't surprising—all were gossip about what Xia Jie had done since. Even a young woman, not old, sent eighty-second voice messages one by one. Xia Jie listened—she was Zhao Jiwei's relative. Her speech was slow, unclear in priority, but overall exaggerated and praised his actions.

It wasn't for any other reason—just waiting for Xia Hui to return. Wang Suozhang was persistent: after work, he insisted every officer in the station be seen before he left, fearing any emergency.

Next, I'll replace every homeowners' committee in the district's major areas—with people who can represent homeowners and get things done.

"It's your grandpa's brilliance. My clumsy skills can only spot a little normal—it needs other observation and judgment to help." Xia Jie modestly waved her hand, then asked, "Is Grandpa here?"

And someone like you—social connections should be solid, family background decent, both parents alive, a younger brother who graduated from elementary school—but you feel you're the one holding the family up. If your family had always been well-off, you probably wouldn't have this tattooed arm. In school, you likely bullied other girls, dropped out, had messy relationships, and probably haven't walked the right path for many years.

Wang Shouyi's case—I've known about it for a while. Even if I hadn't, seeing Wang Shouyi myself, I'd study him carefully. If I could dig up a whole pile of dirt—like his white-collar crimes, drug involvement—he won't escape.

This isn't property fraud, because they never clearly explained the homeowners' committee's rights and duties.

The shop owner said the district has capable people—but they're not really capable…

A manager leads lower-level managers; one person leads seven to fourteen, and so on upward, forming a human resource pyramid. They also have direct financial stakes—disobedience means pay cuts or firing. Among the public, without internal interference, gaining trust, securing some support, then expanding it to more people is far more complex than managing a company.

"Those young women? We heard about them from others when shopping. But honestly, arresting them is right—people like that should be caught. Our building is 480 square meters, we pay 70,000 yuan in property fees yearly—yet we have no idea what they're doing."

If he'd paid attention, he might've already earned merit. I won't say much, but you know that place, Instructor Ye Wei Yang? Rumor says it's run by Zhao Zhangyi's grandson. Very likely involved in drugs.

"You noticed again?"

Xia Jie understood: the homeowners' group was now discussing two things. One: Xia Jie's past deeds. Two: condemnation of the property company—trying to push Xia Jie out. Their district always had deadbeats dragging their feet; now a cop has come, heard to be tough and actually doing things—let's see who dares drag their feet now.

"Do you remember Wang Shouyi?"

After a quick scan, Xia Jie handed the phone to Zhao Zilong, who was trying hard to stay quiet, and asked him to film.

But no matter what, Luo Qingzi was always solving people's problems—even mentioning Henan affairs and local regulations here.

"Brother Yan, how do you eat through such freezing weather?"

As soon as Xia Jie finished speaking, the phone on the table rang. She glanced at the caller ID, picked up: "Hello, Grandpa? What's the order?"

The shop owner was furious, hands trembling, eyes blazing—clearly she despised the property company. Especially since she paid more rent than others, yet still had to pay…

Also, does this situation involve multiple districts? Earlier today, I checked—we have another district under a different property company. Far away, we can't reach it, can't manage it—but this one? We must handle it.

"No, Zhijie—while cooperating with ex-convicts, we found a gambling den and went to arrest them. You'll probably be back soon. You're asking about Wang Shouyi, right?"

"Pretty much. You live here too. The property company's been good these past few years, but lately it's gotten worse. We've complained before, but everything ended in nothing. Take property fees—no one agrees. Someone shouts 'I won't pay,' then pays anyway. The whole group can't unite—always someone dragging their feet. This time they went too far—daring to steal money? This time, we must drive them out."

Under these public conditions, you might have bosses, leaders, government clerks, lawyers, doctors, workers—every profession. Getting even one of them to lead? Extremely difficult.

"A group of seven hundred people—you think you can arrest them all? You just post messages. Do you think you can control the sky and earth—and regulate what the public says?"

It wasn't a long video; in just a few sentences, with rhythmic intonation and emotional delivery, it lasted eighty seconds.

A handsome man without money using drugs? That's not a label. And the drug he used was methamphetamine-based synthetic narcotics—the least common type in our country today, accounting for less than thirty percent, with equal male-to-female usage, because it has no stimulant effect on sexual activity.

As soon as he returned, Xia Jie went straight to smoke at Dongning Village while others were still on duty. The station was no longer as hectic as it had been during Xia Jie's first month; everyone had returned to their previous schedule, with shifts and early arrivals restored. Even without on-duty duty, Wang Suozhang insisted on arriving every day at four o'clock.

More importantly, since joining the police force until today—two months in total—Xia Jie had taken only one day off, going out to play with Zhao Zi for a day… since then, he had taken no other leave. Every day he woke early to exercise, then left at four a. m. to conduct home visits, returning only after one or two a. m., before continuing to compare fingerprints, enhance images, reply to messages, make phone calls, working until four a. m. if nothing happened, or until ten or eleven p. m. if something did. He did this daily, yet his enthusiasm never waned.

His voice was still decent; he deliberately pitched it higher, giving it a certain flirtatious flair.

For such major matters, Luo Qing naturally didn't care. Even if we kept taking advantage, it didn't matter—as long as we recognized our behavior and didn't treat it as normal, then spending money was no issue. But since this was a proper police drama, both protagonists and supporting characters had flaws, yet their character was still defensible.

When the boss lady initially refused to speak, he feared Xia Hui might blab later—that would be too good to miss, since whether good or bad, talking behind someone's back was always the point. But with Xia Jie's assurance and guidance, the boss lady couldn't hold back and spoke freely.

This essentially amounted to a one-time, permanent solution. After all, the organization was large, involved many interests, and even if some members turned corrupt, action could still be taken swiftly. As long as supervision was adequate and public participation was awakened, could one hundred people not monitor ten? What big problem could there be?

This resulted in everyone at Fengdan Fourth Police Station knowing the property management was corrupt, yet no powerful figure emerged from among the seven thousand residents to lead them in resistance. Added to this were the property staff and the four members of the homeowners' committee, creating further divisions—so everyone seethed with resentment but could do nothing but stare helplessly.

In such a situation, throwing municipal leaders into the district and letting them use their so-called political wisdom and tactics to figure out these seven thousand people wasn't guaranteed to work either.

"As long as we stabilize public sentiment, this matter won't be hard. Fengdan Fourth has 7,714 registered residents, 2,870 households, ten buildings, each with two units, totaling 170 units. When I conduct visits, I'll select one building leader from each unit—even if one already exists, we must re-elect, because they cannot represent the entire building's homeowners' opinions."

The main point is legal education—to make the public understand the rights and duties of the homeowners' committee, not to blindly elect a bunch of people whose names they've never heard.

Dongning Village asked and answered himself: "This case has been taken over by the municipal bureau; we're jointly investigating with our comrades in Kunming. Speaking of which, I have to criticize you. You noticed something suspicious and acted immediately—if you hadn't paid attention, the car's trail would've gone cold. We immediately pulled the surveillance footage; that car drove only a short distance before switching plates. You pulled out the bodycam footage from his home search—meticulous work, no loopholes."

How could a wealthy thug suddenly transform so drastically—and still drink expensive liquor and smoke expensive cigarettes? Nine thousand yuan a bottle of wine, eleven packs of cigarettes a day—even with a regular job, I couldn't afford this…

In just one afternoon, he accomplished two things: arresting the property manager of the Fengdan Fourth district, and chatting for two hours with the supermarket boss lady—still maintaining his usual rhythm.

With this issue resolved, it benefited Fengdan Fourth, and also benefited the homeowners in the district where Luo Qing could enforce the law. After all, Xia Jie's authority was here, Fengdan Fourth's success story was here—whichever district's property management was corrupt, we'd act against it.

At the time, I kept an eye on it, pulled the surveillance, and checked the driver. His name was Qiao Yi, seventy-seven years old, from Zhongshan, Guangdong Province, with multiple prior arrests and imprisonments before age eighteen—he wasn't a good man. I thought this matter was primarily centered here; otherwise, how could someone from elsewhere drive off with the car? Unless it was at Wang Shouyi's place, or unless something was hidden inside the vehicle.

"Fengdan Fourth Police Station visit—Wang Yan is your boss, right? Are you in?"

Dongning Village frowned: "So minor?"

"We've only talked for a short while." Zhao Zilong paused, then asked, "Do you have a question?"

Thank you to eleven brothers: (Feifeifeifeilale), (Zhang Kuang), (Qianshuitinging), (Tanghulubugatang), (Ranjinyandeihui), (Huanglvjiayinhe), (Yeyuyoudelian), (Yaguan), (Emotianshi), (QuRiKuDu), (Bogeda) for your continued support.

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

Thank you to all the brothers who voted for recommendations.

Thank you to the brothers who quietly read the book.