Chapter 36

Cheng Bupo's mind buzzed, his eyes sparkling with stars. This feeling, he hadn't experienced for at least ten years.

At forty-six, Cheng Bupo naturally had some background. To reach his current position, he had the support of influential people, but more importantly, he relied on his personal capabilities.

The events of yesterday were known to those who should know, and those who shouldn't know might never find out.

Those who knew, if they were smart enough, it didn't matter if they weren't smart, as long as their status was high enough, there would naturally be smart people to explain things to them. As for someone like Leng Jun, not understanding wouldn't affect anything, as he was too far from Sikong Yi, so far that even if he wanted to offend him, he couldn't.

Five hundred spirit coins were far from expressing Sikong Yi's gratitude. The Minister of Resources couldn't afford to lose face, nor could he lower himself to approach Du Qian, nor did he want his daughter to get close to Du Qian. No matter how grateful he was, facing a small patrol officer, it was really hard to take action.

Yao Jing, who called Du Qian "Senior Brother," was the first to recognize him, making her an excellent choice. Her subsequent refusal made Sikong Yi appreciate her even more. No one knew what the mastermind was thinking, but at least others would think it was a form of appreciation.

With a unique personality, moderate combat strength, similar age, and the same background, Yao Jing became a gift. At least for a period, she was a gift from Sikong Yi to Du Qian, and at the same time, his spokesperson.

Or rather, calling her a spokesperson might be an exaggeration; she was more like a nail. Repaying a favor, pulling Yao Jing in, and setting a nail, achieving multiple goals at once. In the eyes of someone like Cheng Bupo, there was more to see.

The Minister of Resources, one of the Nine Ministers, held a high position. However, the empire was vast, with a large population. There were hundreds of secondary cities like Pingchuan, all of which had intricate connections with the upper echelons, neither close nor easily severed.

Cheng Bupo knew that in Pingchuan City, Sikong Yi's influence was minimal. Burying a nail while repaying a favor was just a casual move, but it might have unexpected effects one day.

In the eyes of others, Yao Jing was just a minor figure. Even if she was a member of the Flying Tiger Team, and even if she had great talent, these things were useless. A martial cultivator without a solid background couldn't even cause a ripple in a secondary city with over three million people.

But now, things were different. She was adorned with the halo of an Iron Guard. Even the city lord would give her some leeway, out of respect for Sikong Yi. Even if the forces behind City Lord Zhu had no relation to Sikong Yi, or were even hostile, the surface formalities had to be done.

Yao Jing's identity and mission were all seen by these big shots. As one of the heads of the violent agencies in Pingchuan City, Cheng Bupo had to carefully study and analyze.

He had seen the photos of Du Qian and Yao Jing, as well as their backgrounds, strengths, personalities, relatives, and even their deceased parents and extended families.

The person with a face swollen like a ball was completely different from the photo, but he recognized him at first glance. Yes, this person was Du Qian.

Yao Jing's personality would only allow her to have dinner with Du Qian. Her statement about the Iron Guard of the Nine Ministers investigating a case, which others might think was boasting, he knew was said with utmost seriousness. This job had a higher priority than her work in the Flying Tiger Team.

"Indeed, it was a misunderstanding. It's a bit chaotic here. Let's find a quiet place to talk." Understanding what was happening, Cheng Bupo was furious. His subordinates, who usually seemed competent, had made such a mess.

Don't underestimate Yao Jing just because she's a young girl. Now it was official business, and she represented not a private individual or the Flying Tiger Team, but the Iron Guard of the Ministry of Resources, which was of a higher level than the city lord's office.

In official business, there were rules. The person with the higher status and position had the upper hand. Cheng Bupo felt extremely uncomfortable; in this situation, Yao Jing was the one in control.

"Nobody is allowed to leave. Clear the dining area, and we'll talk here." Yao Jing said firmly.

"Yes, I'll take care of it immediately." Cheng Bupo, after regaining his composure, became calm and decisive.

Clearing the area was easy, done in a few minutes. The detectives present were not allowed to leave. They were to put down their guns and stand against the wall, staying put until the matter was resolved.

The situation was not complicated, and Yao Jing explained it in a few words. Cheng Bupo took a photo, and the person in the photo was indeed a major suspect, but not one that required his intervention as the first deputy director.

Encountering such a situation today was entirely unexpected. He was originally going to the Gemstone Dock to pick someone up, but when he noticed the commotion, he came to check it out, and that one look got him involved.

The person in the photo was a fat man with a clear face. Cheng Bupo glanced at it and knew there was a problem. The similarity between the photo and Du Qian was too low, and the "fat" on Du Qian's face, which the detectives should have noticed, was actually swelling. Was it that hard to distinguish between swelling and fat?

Such a ridiculous mistake could happen to a patrol officer, but for a detective, it was a serious issue.

"Who was the first to identify the person?" To become the second-in-command of the police, one didn't necessarily have to be a criminal investigation expert, but their standards couldn't be too low.

"It was me." A police officer stepped forward, standing at attention, his face pale. How did it come to this?

The person to be arrested was just a minor figure. He planned to take advantage of the arrest to settle a score. The timing of the information was perfect. As long as the person was taken in, the rest didn't matter.

Simpler still, the person to be arrested was a fat man.

Unlucky kid, who did you offend? Who made your face swell? You brought this on yourself. This kind of favor, he didn't mind doing.

But? How did it come to this?

The Flying Tiger Team was one thing, but as long as it wasn't a key member, things could be smoothed over afterward. He knew the power behind the person who informed him.

But how did it turn into an Iron Guard of the Nine Ministers?

"Does anyone else recognize him?" Cheng Bupo saw the problem with this person.

No one answered. It was a normal mission, but the change was too sudden. The photo wasn't the only one, and Du Qian became the focus. Those who had seen the photo turned to look at the officer who identified him, sensing something fishy.

Swelling is not the same as being fat.

"I need an explanation." Yao Jing said coldly, pulling Du Qian and carrying the box, walking down the stairs. The detectives obediently made way, and the two walked side by side down the Xide Building.

Du Qian, who had been surprised, was now trying hard to suppress his laughter, his eyes and eyebrows almost splitting with joy. With a serious face, he walked out of the Xide Building, and after a long distance, he turned and pulled Yao Jing, running away.

"Ha ha ha..." Running far away, Du Qian couldn't hold back his laughter, laughing wildly for ten minutes before calming down. His face, swollen and bloodshot, looked terrifying.

"Are you done laughing?"

"Yes, I ran out of breath."

"What's so funny?" Du Qian's sense of humor was quite peculiar. Yao Jing couldn't understand what was so funny about the situation. Clearly, you were the one who got tricked, right?

"I didn't pay." Du Qian said, spreading his hands.

"What?" Yao Jing was confident, but she didn't understand.

"I mean, we didn't pay for the meal just now." Du Qian explained.

Yao Jing's face showed a strange expression. This was indeed something to be happy about. Xide Tea Restaurant was famous among war orphans, and eating there was a dream for every orphan, a distant dream that couldn't be realized in the short term.

Du Qian ordered eight dishes and a lot of main courses. When they were eating, she already felt that the reputation was well-deserved; the taste was excellent. She even thought that when she had money, she would come back to eat.

This was their first time at Xide Tea Restaurant, but they had heard so much about it. Eight dishes plus the main courses and tea snacks would cost at least eighty to a hundred spirit coins. Not paying and running away, who would dare to ask for the money?

Xide Tea Restaurant definitely had a powerful backer. Even if the backer was stronger than Deputy Director Cheng Bupo, the bill would have to be paid by him or the detective team, not by them.

They both thought they had made a good deal.

Of course, there were some differences. Yao Jing felt a bit regretful; the orphans ate quickly, but they had only eaten for a few minutes, and most of the dishes were left unfinished.

Du Qian was even happier. Besides the eight dishes, he had already eaten four dishes and two main courses before, plus the eight dishes and tea snacks later. This was a great deal.

Suddenly, a chill ran through his heart. He thought of a problem. If they hadn't run away, he might have had to pay the bill. Three meals together, damn, the money in his identity card wasn't enough.

He looked at Yao Jing with a strange expression. His junior was also new to the job and even poorer than him. Together, they probably couldn't come up with that much money.

Yao Jing only calculated the cost of the last meal, not the two previous ones.

This habit needed to be changed. Celebrating before the money was in hand, and celebrating so much.

The two were happy about the hundred or so spirit coins they had saved by not paying, almost celebrating. In their view, it was worth it!

If Cheng Bupo knew, he wouldn't know whether to cry or laugh. "Stop fooling around, Miss Yao. You just shouted that the Iron Guard of the Nine Ministers was investigating a case, how impressive! How could you care about such a small amount of money?"