Chapter 58: Exceptional Promotion

This life, Yu Dazhang finally understood what social death meant.

Why didn’t I blackout?

I remember every single detail!

I drank too much without realizing it—those draft beers were suspicious.

I’d planned to blame the draft beer, but then I remembered Qu Tuotuo had drunk just as much as I had, so Yu Dazhang gave up trying to wiggle out of it.

Underestimated them, damn it.

I predicted stock prices, named a banner for someone, and even joked about a robbery with a fucking twist…

I want to slap myself again… Yu Dazhang’s face burned hotter the more he thought about it.

In the end, it was Qu Tuotuo who paid the bill.

So I got completely wasted, gave a whole speech about ruling the world, and then pigged out on her meal.

This is deadly!

Yu Dazhang tossed and turned on his bed, lacking even the courage to get up.

This absolutely cannot get out!

He arrived at the squad.

Lu Zhongxin pulled him aside and whispered:

“Zhou Zizhe provided a statement detailing his experience during the abduction.”

“How old was he then?” Yu Dazhang asked.

“Five,” Lu Zhongxin replied firmly—he’d clearly read the statement.

“Five-year-olds remembering anything is already impressive. He remembered it all in detail?” Yu Dazhang doubted it.

He’d once studied this kind of knowledge.

Children generally begin forming memories after age three.

At five, long-term memories can form, but remembering something clearly after more than ten years? That’s bullshit.

Try recalling what happened to you at age five.

“He said that in his entire life, that one period was the most unforgettable,” Lu Zhongxin said, looking at Yu Dazhang.

“He swore it was absolutely accurate.”

That was a valid point… Yu Dazhang remembered his father’s first beating—he was six, and he still remembered it clearly.

He’d often recalled the details of that beating, vividly.

He’d even fantasized about stepping on his father’s oxygen tube when he was hospitalized.

“That’s not a statement—it’s a police report,” Yu Dazhang corrected.

If Zhou Zizhe wasn’t lying, then he was providing evidence and leads as a victim.

Yu Dazhang recalled his final meeting with Zhou Zizhe in detention.

Though the man looked haggard and broken, his eyes burned with a hatred so fierce it wanted to tear his abductors into a thousand pieces.

It sent a chill down the spine.

“You mean…” Lu Zhongxin frowned.

“Take on this case?”

“Just report it normally,” Yu Dazhang said, realizing his Master still hadn’t caught on—the special task force had disbanded; now he was just his apprentice.

Zhou Zizhe’s leads concerned a completely different case, unrelated to the frame-up.

In such cases, you report directly to your superiors—no need to overthink.

Let them decide how to handle it—we just follow orders.

“By the way,” Lu Zhongxin added,

“Zhou Zizhe requested we visit his adoptive father, Zhou Hongfu, for evidence.”

“Then go,” Yu Dazhang said. “He filed a report and provided leads—we follow procedure. No rules broken.” He noticed his Master had become overly cautious.

This probably had to do with his upcoming promotion to squad captain.

The frame-up case was solved, and the biggest beneficiary was Lu Zhongxin.

It carried major significance for his impending promotion.

Becoming squad captain was now a sure thing for him.

But precisely because of this, he couldn’t afford any mistakes—others were watching the captain’s seat too.

Yu Dazhang had enjoyed several peaceful days.

Now, his daily duty was receiving reports and documenting case details.

Then conduct preliminary investigations before handing the cases to the squad for formal officers to review and decide whether to open an official case.

He only handled the first step.

A probationary officer—like a kitchen apprentice who washes ingredients and waits for the master to start stir-frying.

Of course, Lu Zhongxin still took him on operations.

With such a valuable apprentice, a Master would naturally give extra care.

Six days after the frame-up case ended, Yu Dazhang’s official appointment notice arrived at the Criminal Investigation Squad.

He wasn’t just made a full officer—he was promoted one rank immediately.

He skipped the second rank and became a First-Class Officer.

Such cases were rare—this was the first in Hongkou Branch.

Outstanding performance and contributions naturally warrant exceptional promotion.

Lu Zhongxin privately told his apprentice that branch leadership had already applied upward to secure a collective Third-Class Merit for the special task force.

Yu Dazhang knew his Master—if he wasn’t certain, he wouldn’t mention it, especially regarding honors.

That meant the collective Third-Class Merit was essentially confirmed.

Please… collect… 6…9…books…!

The news spread quickly.

A newcomer who’d just joined the Criminal Investigation Squad had been made a full officer so fast—and promoted a rank exceptionally.

Naturally, this stirred jealousy, especially among the other newcomers who arrived with Yu Dazhang.

Once, Yu Dazhang ran into Zhao Hang from the Third Squad in the hallway.

The two squads were adjacent—chance meetings were normal—but Zhao Hang’s gaze at him was off.

Contempt, resentment, and something else—unnameable, unsettling.

In short, it made Yu Dazhang deeply uncomfortable.

He’d never liked him—why should he tolerate him?

“Little Zhao, come here.”

Little Zhao? Zhao Hang found the term abrasive.

But fearing the fat man’s dominance, he said nothing and shuffled over slowly.

“You’re Bufuqi ?” Yu Dazhang glared at him.

This was pure provocation.

“No,” Zhao Hang denied.

“We came here together. I’m happy you got promoted so fast—how could I have any other thoughts?”

“Keep pretending!” Yu Dazhang slashed his hand down onto Zhao Hang’s neck.

The blow sent Zhao Hang stumbling, barely keeping his balance.

Before he could react, Yu Dazhang grabbed him, locked his arm around Zhao Hang’s neck, and pinned him under his armpit.

“Do you know what I hate most about you?”

“What? Let go of me!” Zhao Hang gasped, clawing at Yu Dazhang’s arm—but it only tightened.

“You always trip people up behind their backs. Last life, you screwed me over plenty.”

Yu Dazhang grew angrier as he spoke, finally shaking Zhao Hang’s head violently:

“Die already!”

No thinking needed to deal with this kind of person.

Just brute force.

Last life, fearing bad reputation, Yu Dazhang never confronted Zhao Hang—even though he knew Zhao Hang had filed false reports against him.

That’s why Zhao Hang grew bolder, daring to openly insult him to his face.

This life, Yu Dazhang had changed—he didn’t care about reputation anymore. Just act first.

I won’t play dirty—I’ll hit you straight in the face.

Come on, let’s hurt each other!

“What last life? You’ve got the wrong person…” Zhao Hang stopped struggling, screaming only once.

Then he went silent.

Yu Dazhang was still shaking him happily when he noticed Zhao Hang’s limbs had gone limp.

He froze, immediately loosening his grip and laying Zhao Hang flat on the ground.

Dead?

(End of chapter)