Chapter 718: When Your Ability Is Enough, Connections Naturally Follow

Are you speaking to me?

Yu Dazhang couldn't help turning his head to look; after confirming only the two of them were in the room, he asked:

"Does the Ministry of Public Security leadership know me?"

He had taken the senior leader's remark about "fame beyond one's station" as mere politeness.

He had indeed solved a few cases, but not enough to be remembered by Ministry leadership.

After all, there's only one Ministry of Public Security nationwide.

And there are countless investigative units like the Hongkou Branch; besides, China has nearly two million police officers, over a hundred thousand of them homicide detectives.

The numbers are simply too large—even if he's somewhat outstanding, nationwide he's at best upper-middle tier.

This had always been Yu Dazhang's self-assessment.

As for fame beyond one's station, he thought he might be known in Songhai, but only there.

"Judging by your expression, you think I'm joking with you?"

The senior leader's tone carried a hint of displeasure:

"Do you think I'd joke about something like this?"

Yu Dazhang, unsettled by his gaze, immediately shook his head:

"No no, I just didn't expect the Ministry of Public Security leadership would know me."

The gap in rank still made Yu Dazhang feel insecure.

Although his police rank and administrative level had risen somewhat, his service time was still under a year—no matter how much he advanced, it was limited.

Many of his peers who joined the homicide squad at the same time hadn't even been formally appointed yet, while he had already become a Third-Class Police Inspector and a full Section Chief.

This was even after holding him back.

Had standards been strictly applied, his rank could have been raised two more levels, and his administrative level could have reached Deputy Division Chief.

A Deputy Division Chief at age twenty-four…

Some might not grasp what that means.

Let me put it this way: many people spend their entire careers as mere clerks—that's common in the civil service system, especially in grassroots posts like police work.

Most people hit a ceiling at Deputy Section Chief; rising to full Section Chief is extremely difficult.

Because full Section Chief positions are scarce.

Only after full Section Chief comes Deputy Division Chief.

Is that clear now?

Don't be fooled by his current rank of full Section Chief—that's a height many will never reach in their lifetimes.

And he achieved it in under a year.

What would people think if he were promoted to Deputy Division Chief?

When a tree towers above the forest, the wind inevitably strikes it; sometimes holding back isn't necessarily a bad thing.

"If they overlook you, that's dereliction of duty."

The senior leader's tone softened:

"You've solved five special cases under your command this year alone, not counting other homicide cases; you've received four First-Class Merit Awards personally, and I hear you haven't even claimed them all yet."

His gaze toward Yu Dazhang grew increasingly intense:

"I don't know if there's another young person like you in the country—in my memory, I truly can't think of a second."

Faced with such praise, Yu Dazhang didn't know how to respond.

If I told him I'm currently a Captain, what would he think? He could even picture the senior leader's expression upon hearing that.

Oh, and I have a doctorate degree—verifiable on the Academic Credentials Network.

Now that I think about it, while cooperating with State Security carries some risk, the returns are substantial.

They always deliver unusual rewards.

"Do you know why no task force was sent down?"

As the senior leader asked, he pulled out a cigarette and placed it between his lips; Yu Dazhang moved to light it, but he waved him off:

"Stop learning useless gestures—I'm asking you a question."

Since you asked like that, it must be related to me… Yu Dazhang wore a puzzled expression:

"I don't know."

See but don't speak; this isn't the time to be clever.

A good supporting player must first learn to play dumb—leave the punchline to the leader; don't steal his lines before he's even spoken—that's called "stealing the act."

In his past life, Yu Dazhang never fully grasped many things, which is why his career never went smoothly.

It's not that he had to flatter or grovel, but he still needed to understand basic social graces.