Chapter 165: I Want to Be a Police Officer Too

Chapter 165: I Want to Be a Cop Too

Xu Tuo was shot.

Upon hearing the news during dinner, Jian Ruochen paused, a flicker of concern in his eyes. "How is he?"

He had been looking forward to having a chat with Xu Tuo in the interrogation room.

"Not likely to come around soon. He was wearing a bulletproof vest under his shirt, but it was of cheap specs. The shot impacted his spine and heart. He’s still in the ICU." Guan Yingjun picked out the cured roasted goose leg bone from his meal box and passed it across the table.

Jian Ruochen didn’t care for leg meat but loved the strongly flavored cured skin and tendon around the joint.

He finished it in a few bites, obediently ate some parboiled greens, then frowned and asked, "The Lu family has such tight security. How could Xu Tuo have been shot?"

Guan Yingjun replied, "Xu Tuo was shot in the back. He was escorted out by several of the family’s bodyguards and had nowhere to turn, so he went to Mary Hospital and got the doctors there to contact the West Kowloon Regional Police Station."

Jian Ruochen was stunned. "...Was it Lu Rong who shot him?"

Why?

According to Uncle Luo’s introduction to Hong Kong’s powerful families, Xu Tuo was close to Lu Jingchen and was like an uncle to Lu Rong. He was utterly loyal to the Lu family.

How could Lu Rong shoot him?

What was he thinking?

"Not sure." Guan Yingjun nodded in thanks to the diner server who brought over the steamed egg with celery, then swapped it for the hardly touched parboiled greens in front of Jian Ruochen. "Eat this."

Jian Ruochen took a few bites, then suddenly sighed softly. "Lu Rong always leaves himself an escape route no matter who he works with. He trusts no one. It’s no surprise he had a falling out with Xu Tuo."

The fact that Xu Tuo wore a bulletproof vest at home showed he knew exactly what kind of person Lu Rong was.

Too bad—even that didn't save him.

After finishing their meal, the two went to take a look outside the interrogation room where Moer Kelin was being held.

Moer Kelin looked worn out. Under intense questioning, he wasn't talking, insisting that his casino was a legal enterprise in Hong Kong, that all procedures were compliant, and that West Kowloon had no grounds to shut it down or detain him.

His defiant act drew cold, mocking laughs from He Chaoyong of the Vice Division’s Team Z, who was assisting with the interrogation. "Legal and compliant? Then what’s with pushing gambling and involvement in vice? What about the weapon fight on the third floor half a month ago? And the victim tied with a bomb on the rooftop threatening to jump?"

"Did the IDs of those women hanging in the colored balls on the casino’s Christmas tree magically appear there on their own?"

He Chaoyong slammed the interrogation table hard enough to shake it. "If this isn’t a crime, what is?"

Moer Kelin sat silently for a long moment before abruptly saying, "I’m hungry."

He Chaoyong roared, "Then go hungry! You think the Major Crimes Unit is a restaurant? You can just eat whenever you feel like it? If you can manage, get the Hong Kong Consulate General to bring you food. If they show up, I, He Chaoyong, will kneel and call you 'Sir' today!"

Jian Ruochen: "..."

Ever since Team A took over the Platinum Club vice case, Teams A and Z had been operating separately, rarely crossing paths.

A year without contact, and He Chaoyong was still this gutsy.

Moer Kelin trembled with rage. After taking several deep breaths, he leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes, and pretended to be out.

He Chaoyong stood up, kicked the leg of the interrogation table, then sat back down with no other options, drilling him with the same routine questions.

On the other side of the wall, Jian Ruochen had seen enough. He knocked on the door, heard "Come in," pressed the handle, and entered. "Detective He."

He Chaoyong’s eyes lit up. "Consultant Jian! You’re back? What's the word? Did you hit it?"

"We did. The intelligence headquarters was indeed located between the underground garages of Mingren Primary School and Decheng Primary School. The tip from Chou Jiawen and Zhang Qingzhe was correct." As he spoke, Jian Ruochen turned to look at Moer Kelin, meeting a pair of blue but cloudy eyes.

The air fell silent for a moment.

Though it was their first face-to-face meeting, both sides knew they had already crossed paths.

Thinking of his robbed office, the wounded security staff, and the news report that day about Jian Ruochen needing a blood transfusion, Moer Kelin knew exactly who had taken the crucial evidence.

His face fell. "Consultant Jian."

The discovery of the intelligence organization’s headquarters meant his 20 years of effort in Hong Kong had gone down the drain.

His mission had failed!

Moer Kelin felt as if a devil were pulling his soul into an abyss.

He gripped the edge of the table, his fingers turning white. "Consultant Jian, you took something from my office. May I ask what crime it is for a Major Crimes Unit consultant to commit theft?"

He Chaoyong’s heart sank.

If this question wasn’t handled well, Moer Kelin might sue West Kowloon directly.

A lawsuit would be bad enough, but the bigger problem was the current political climate—the courts were still under British Hong Kong’s control. Moer Kelin would likely win!

Jian Ruochen, however, responded with ease and a light laugh. "The proof is on you. Do you have any evidence that I committed theft?"

Besides, how could gathering evidence be called theft?

He tilted his head, playing innocent. "What exactly did you lose in your office?"

Moer Kelin lowered his head, his eyes rolling upward to show the whites underneath, glaring fiercely. Just as he was about to speak, Jian Ruochen cut in:

"Recently, West Kowloon received only one piece of evidence, kindly provided by a concerned citizen, proving that British spies organized intelligence activities in Hong Kong. It included transaction records showing Mr. Moer Kelin provided substantial funding to the spy headquarters."

Jian Ruochen leaned back slightly, acting surprised. "Could that be what you lost?"

Moer Kelin froze.

The color drained from his face, and a chill ran through his body.

If he insisted something was missing, he would be indirectly admitting to organizing spy activities in Hong Kong.

If he said nothing was lost, wouldn’t that be making himself look foolish?

Moer Kelin was stuck in a bind.

He Chaoyong watched his flushed face, held back for a moment, then couldn’t help letting out a quiet snort from his throat.

Sweet!

Jian Ruochen continued, "Chou Jiawen and Zhang Qingzhe have both talked. Next, we’ll bring Lu Rong in for more questioning. Lu Rong..."

He paused, then said quietly, "Word is he took a shot at the Lu family’s long-time steward, Xu Tuo. Mr. Moer Kelin, you should think long and hard about that."

After speaking, he stood up, "He Chaoyong, with both witnesses and evidence in hand, if we can't get anything out of him, there's no need to continue questioning. Health is more important—let's go eat."

He Chaoyong responded with a laugh, feeling unbelievably relieved.

Who else in West Kowloon, besides Jian Ruochen, could leave a suspect speechless with just a few words?

So satisfying!

He Chaoyong touched his face and, upon stepping outside, met Guan Yingjun's gaze. He couldn't help but sigh.

What a shame.

It was a pity he wasn't as good-looking as Detective Guan. Otherwise, he would definitely try to poach Consultant Jian.

He didn't like men, so romance was out of the question, but if he could recruit Consultant Jian to work for him...

Team Z would be rolling in it!

Guan Yingjun narrowed his eyes slightly and gave him a cold glance. He Chaoyong shuddered inexplicably and hurried off to the tea restaurant.

Better not provoke him.

Meanwhile, Moer Kelin in the interrogation room was taken away to complete the detention procedures. The entire West Kowloon police station was busy investigating the uncovered spies. Not all the teachers were spies, so careful interrogation and identification were still needed.

This task was assigned to Gong Yingjie from the Organized Crime Investigation Division, which had been relatively idle lately. The Major Crimes Unit, on the other hand, got off work and went home to rest.

Everyone had fought a tough battle in the underground garage that day and were physically and mentally exhausted.

After returning home, Jian Ruochen rushed through a shower, hastily washed his hair with shampoo, and used the foam to scrub his body. Without even bothering to dry his hair, he collapsed onto the bed and fell asleep.

When Guan Yingjun arrived, he saw Jian Ruochen with half his body exposed outside the blanket, with only the small of his back covered by the silk duvet. His clothes were hiked up, and he was sprawled out, his long hair pushed to one side, leaving the pillow damp.

Guan Yingjun had no choice but to fetch a hairdryer, plug it into the socket by the bed, and dry his hair by the faint glow of the nightlight.

Jian Ruochen was half-awake, vaguely awakened by the noise, thinking mosquitoes were buzzing around. He swatted twice, accidentally slapping Guan Yingjun's arm with a sharp "smack."

Guan Yingjun turned off the hairdryer.

Thinking the mosquito was dead, Jian Ruochen rolled over onto his side, drowsily opened his eyes, and saw a shadowy figure beside him.

His hand slipped under the pillow, feeling for his gun, but he quickly realized that if the bodyguard had let someone in, it must be someone familiar. He called out, "Guan Yingjun?"

"Mm." Guan Yingjun sat on the edge of the bed, looking down at him.

In the faint glow of the nightlight, Jian Ruochen's profile was half-buried in the down pillow, his eyelashes drooping. Though barely conscious, a hint of alertness lingered in his eyes.

His pajamas were only buttoned in two or three places, the collar open, revealing his rounded shoulders. The left shoulder, raised slightly as he lay on his side, bore a circular bullet scar. Further down, the fabric of his clothes was twisted and bunched up, exposing his stomach, which rose and fell with each breath.

He slept without a care in the world.

If Guan Yingjun had truly meant harm, Jian Ruochen would have died eight times over.

Guan Yingjun straightened the blanket, covering him properly, wiped his hands, and lay down beside him.

Jian Ruochen released his grip on the gun and drowsily snuggled closer.

Guan Yingjun said, "From now on, we'll sleep together." He was still worried that Lu Rong might hire someone to target Jian Ruochen.

"Mm." Jian Ruochen was too sleepy to know up from down. Breathing in the faint scent of mint from the man's neck, he drifted back to sleep.

The next day, the alarm clock rang.

Jian Ruochen, eyes still closed, reached out and smacked the alarm clock on the bedside table. After a moment, he opened his eyes and saw Guan Yingjun's unbuttoned collar.

His forehead pressed against the chest muscles, and he froze. Detective Guan always slept with discipline and alertness, as if ready to jump up and run at any moment. There was no way he would undo his collar in his sleep.

He had done it.

Feeling guilty, Jian Ruochen reached out to adjust the collar, but as he tried to button it, his wrist was caught. He looked up and met a pair of eyes that resembled a resting tiger. Quickly, he fastened the remaining buttons and smoothed out the wrinkles on the collar. "There, let's get up."

Guan Yingjun stared at him intently and suddenly asked, "Did I make you uncomfortable last time?"

Jian Ruochen was taken aback.

What last time?

Oh, that time at Bauhinia Apartments when he forgot to set the alarm.

It wasn't that it was uncomfortable—it was just too intense. It made his mind go blank, and even his pleas for speed or slowness became incoherent.

In the moment, his mind felt empty, as if floating in the sky, with the only anchor being the place where their bodies intertwined.

The sensation was like a fire burning through two entangled ropes, extinguished only by tears, leaving behind ashes that could be blown away with a breath.

Under Guan Yingjun's gaze, Jian Ruochen said, "No."

"Then why have you been avoiding me since?" Guan Yingjun asked hoarsely.

Jian Ruochen didn't answer. How could he say it was because it felt too good, so pleasurable that it made him unable to think? He needed a mind that could function at any moment, so it was better to avoid it.

Wouldn't that be indirectly praising Guan Yingjun's prowess? And if that happened, would they ever get out of bed?

Jian Ruochen deflected, "I haven't been avoiding you. Today, we need to summon Lu Rong, visit Liang Xinyue and Xu Tuo in the hospital, and confront Moer Kelin again. There's so much to do..."

Better if it never happened again.

Guan Yingjun stared at his increasingly reddened ears and let out a low chuckle, his chest vibrating slightly, making Jian Ruochen blush.

Jian Ruochen listened as Guan Yingjun said plainly, "So that's how it is. Next time, I won't make you cry."

As soon as the words left his mouth, Guan Yingjun was kicked.

The kick was delivered with full force, nearly sending him tumbling off the bed.

After ten minutes of quiet moments, the two got up, washed up, did their morning exercises, ate breakfast, and headed to work.

Upon entering the West Kowloon Regional Crime Unit, before even reaching the door of Team A, they heard the morning news playing in the breakroom.

The sweet yet professional voice of STN anchor Tang Shiyao came from the TV: "Yesterday, the West Kowloon Regional Police Station cracked a case involving hidden explosives."

In these times, charging someone with espionage would only allow the British to escape punishment, so they had to start with other charges.

Tang Shiyao continued, "Between the underground garages of Mingren Primary School and Decheng Primary School, a British terrorist organization was discovered hiding tons of explosives, intending to endanger public safety."

"These explosives were enough to level both primary schools. Fortunately, the West Kowloon Regional Police Station, in collaboration with the Flying Tigers (Special Duties Unit), took action to take down the terrorist organization, ensuring a safe environment for the students."

"During the Flying Tigers' operation, British operatives disguised as foreign teachers infiltrated the primary school and took students hostage. Consultant Jian stepped forward to negotiate with them, skillfully handling the terrorists' psychology and cooperating with the operation team to rescue the hostages. Below, we bring you the detailed coverage of the incident."

When Jian Ruochen went to the breakroom to get water, he happened to run into Commander Tao, who was there for an inspection.

Tao Hongyun, the Commander of the West Kowloon Region, was beaming with joy. The moment he saw Jian Ruochen, he flashed a broad smile and gave a thumbs-up. "Well done, handsome! I really regret not being there to witness your heroic performance during the negotiation."

Jian Ruochen chuckled.

Commander Tao had worked his way up the ranks step by step in Hong Kong since the 1970s to reach his position as Commander. Talent alone wasn't enough—he was a natural people person, seasoned through years of navigating social intricacies.

His delight stemmed entirely from the Major Crimes Unit's success, which had reflected well on him. Had any hostage been injured in the operation, Commander Tao would have calculated the impact on his retirement prospects and held the Major Crimes Unit accountable.

Jian Ruochen’s mind raced, and he quickly replied, "There was nothing heroic about it. It was only with your support that we had the confidence to negotiate. You have no idea how nervous I was when this heavy responsibility fell on my shoulders. It was only by recalling how you handled the 'King of Thieves' back in the day that I managed to keep my composure."

Though Commander Tao was a shrewd man, he had also been quite capable in his youth. His collaboration with Lei Jinwen in capturing the "King of Thieves" was a well-known and oft-told tale in Hong Kong.

Commander Tao sighed, "Ah, the new generation surpasses the old. I'm getting older. Soon, everyone will be talking about your heroic negotiation skills!"

There was a hint of discomfort in his tone.

Jian Ruochen smiled warmly and responded, "How could that be? No matter what people say, I was still acting under your command during the negotiation."

Commander Tao burst into hearty laughter, patting Jian Ruochen’s shoulder with praise. Then, he pulled a letter of recommendation from his pocket. "I originally intended to observe you a bit longer, but you’re such a sensible young man."

He flicked the letter with his finger. "This is a recommendation letter for the Police College. I heard that you’re graduating early? You must be planning to further your studies there."

Jian Ruochen’s eyes lit up. He took the letter and looked at Commander Tao with delight. "You’re really giving this to me? You personally wrote it?"

A recommendation letter personally written by the Regional Commander of the West Kowloon Region Police Station!

So much prestige!

Tao Hongyun said warmly, "You deserve it."

Such a well-spoken young man—there was only one like him in West Kowloon. He was sure to have a bright future ahead.

The higher-ups had assigned him to Lei Jinwen instead of letting him train with the team during the operation, clearly intending for him to join the Police Department. If he didn’t extend a favor to Jian Ruochen now, he might not get another chance to build connections later.

Jian Ruochen hadn’t expected to gain such an unexpected reward just from fetching water. He immediately gave Tao Hongyun a playful salute. "Thank you, Tao sir!"

Tao Hongyun waved it off. "Hahaha, no need, no need. We’re all one family here—no need for formalities."

Jian Ruochen understood his meaning. "Then I’ll accept it gratefully. If there’s ever anything you need, Tao sir, I’ll be there without hesitation."

Tao Hongyun exclaimed affectionately, "Well now!"

So sharp.

After dealing with Lin Yazhi and Guan Yingjun for so long, he almost wasn’t used to such tact.

Just then, the TV was showing the segment where Liang Xinyue shielded the hostages.

The reporter had been standing far away, and the footage was processed to show only a blurry figure. But with the emotional commentary, the scene came across as exceptionally moving and heart-wrenching.

Tang Shiyao said tearfully, "Liang Xinyue from Team B of the West Kowloon Region Police Station shielded the hostages with his own body, taking several bullets. He remains unconscious to this day."

The screen showed Liang Xinyue lying in a hospital bed, on a ventilator.

"Next, let’s hear from the parents of the hostages."

The boy protected by Liang Xinyue appeared on screen. His parents stood on either side of him, tears streaming down their faces as they spoke to the camera. "We never imagined the school had ties to UK terrorists. We’re so grateful to the West Kowloon Police Station."

The woman sobbed, gently smoothing her child’s hair. "Thank you to Mr. Jian for stepping in to negotiate, to the sniper from the Flying Tigers, and... and to Officer Liang, who protected my child. If it weren’t for him... I don’t know what we would have done. He’s somebody’s son too."

Overwhelmed with emotion, she broke down crying. The reporter handed her a tissue and asked, "Your child witnessed this traumatic event. Will he need counseling?"

The boy’s father replied, "We’ve sought help from Professor Li at Hong Kong University. He’s very willing to assist. All three children will receive treatment from him. We trust Consultant Jian’s professor."

After a long silence, the young boy suddenly spoke up with startling clarity.

He said, "Mommy, don’t cry. I’m brave! I’ll grow up to be as great as Consultant Jian or Officer Liang! I’ll protect Mommy and Daddy, and protect Hong Kong!"

The reporter’s eyes lit up. She crouched down and held the microphone to his mouth. "Buddy, after this experience, have you decided what you want to be?"

The boy looked at the reporter firmly. "I want to be a police officer when I grow up!"

Jian Ruochen watched the screen.

At that moment, he felt even happier than when he heard others praising him.

Liang Xinyue had protected a wonderful child. He would surely be delighted when he woke up.

Jian Ruochen picked up the water pitcher and exchanged a few words with colleagues who expressed concern for his safety. Hearing that they even considered taking turns escorting him to and from school, he quickly waved his hands and politely declined.

In the end, Guan Yingjun, who had been waiting for Jian Ruochen to return to the office, came out to find him and pulled him from the crowd.

9 a.m.

Just as Guan Yingjun finished processing the paperwork and was about to bring Lu Rong in again, Major Case Team A received a foam box tightly sealed with yellow tape.

The package looked questionable, so they couldn’t open it recklessly. They had to call the bomb squad to check it.

To their surprise, it wasn’t a bomb inside but a stack of A4 paper rolled up.

Guan Yingjun put on gloves, took out the top sheet folded into a square, and unfolded it.

He lowered it slightly so Jian Ruochen, who was looking over his shoulder, could see it too.

The words were printed.

"To Major Case Team A, Hope this letter finds you well."

"I am Xu Tuo."

"Since you’ve received this package, it’s likely that I am already dead or missing."