A cornered beast will fight on.

The atmosphere in the Chief's office was so oppressive it felt like it could be wrung out like a wet towel.

Wang Yaomin sat behind his desk, his face terrifyingly grim.

Yan Ruyu stood in the center of the office like a javelin, straight and unyielding. The sharp, piercing aura radiating from her made the spacious office feel somewhat cramped.

Tian Yimin stood to one side, held by two SWAT Officers.

Since entering the room, he had kept his head lowered, not daring to look at anyone.

"Captain Yan, can you tell me now?"

Wang Yaomin lit a cigarette and took a deep drag; it seemed only nicotine could calm his wildly pounding heart.

Yan Ruyu did not answer immediately. Instead, she took an encrypted tablet from her tactical bag and placed it on Wang Yaomin's desk.

"A month ago, I received a secret report from Qin Bing."

Yan Ruyu's voice rang out in the silent office, each word landing on the heart like a chunk of ice.

"She suspected that during the arrest operation at the abandoned factory in the western suburbs, there was a mole within the police force tipping off the criminal gang."

The hand Wang Yaomin used to hold his cigarette trembled slightly.

"To avoid alerting the enemy and to root out this cancer hidden within the police force, I took over the follow-up investigation in the name of the Provincial Department Special Task Force."

Yan Ruyu's gaze swept over Tian Yimin, seemingly unintentional.

"We didn't immediately interrogate Yang Long and the others. Instead, we staged a play, deliberately getting our superiors to agree to release Yang Long to lure the snake out of its hole."

She paused, her tone becoming increasingly cold.

"We monitored all police personnel who might have contact with Yang Long's gang. Soon, we discovered a sneaky tail."

Yan Ruyu's finger tapped the tablet lightly, and a surveillance video immediately appeared on the screen.

The video showed a secluded alley near the city detention center.

A man wearing a baseball cap and a mask was stuffing a thick kraft paper envelope into the hands of a prison guard.

Although the person was well-disguised, Wang Yaomin recognized him at a glance.

That build, that gait—he would recognize him even if he were reduced to ashes.

It was Tian Yimin.

"We apprehended the prison guard on the spot, and in the kraft paper envelope, we found this."

Yan Ruyu switched the screen; an encrypted mobile phone and a note appeared.

It was clear this phone was for Yang Long.

The note contained only three words.

"Withdraw immediately."

It was obvious this was meant for Yang Long to warn his superiors.

Wang Yaomin's breath hitched sharply.

He stared fixedly at the screen, then slowly raised his head to look at the man who had kept his head lowered from the beginning. His eyes were filled with disappointment and heartache.

"Old Tian..."

He squeezed the words out from between his teeth.

Yan Ruyu ignored his emotional volatility and continued to read the investigation results in her emotionless tone.

"After several days and verification of relevant evidence, it has been confirmed that former Deputy Captain of the Criminal Investigation Detachment, Tian Yimin, is suspected of multiple serious disciplinary and legal violations during his tenure."

"First, he maintained long-term improper contact with Yang Long's criminal gang, using his position to provide them with protection multiple times, which led to the interruption of several criminal case leads related to the gang and caused investigation work to reach a deadlock."

"Second, he accepted bribes from Yang Long's gang totaling one million RMB.

In exchange, he was required to use his authority to take Yang Long's serious crimes of organizing, leading, and participating in child trafficking and downplay the major issues into minor ones, qualifying them as lighter charges like illegal detention and intentional injury, thereby helping him escape punishment."

...

With every charge Yan Ruyu read, Tian Yimin's body hunched further.

By the end, it was as if all the strength had been drained from him. His legs went weak, and if not for the SWAT Officers behind him holding him up, he would have collapsed to the floor.

Wang Yaomin's complexion shifted from initial shock to a livid pale blue.

Finally, it turned a deep red, like a volcano before eruption.

"Bang!"

He slammed his hand on the desk and rose abruptly.

The solid wood desk hummed from the impact, and the teacup on it jumped.

He rushed to Tian Yimin in a few strides, his eyes bloodshot, pointing at his nose.

His voice trembled from extreme rage.

"Tian Yimin! Tell me! Is what is written here true?!"

Tian Yimin's body trembled violently, his lips quivering, but he couldn't say a single word.

"Speak! Damn it, answer me!"

Wang Yaomin had completely lost control.

He grabbed Tian Yimin by the collar and roared his interrogation.

"Look me in the eye!

Tell me, why did you do this? Are you worthy of the police uniform you wear?

Are you worthy of the brothers who trusted you?!"

Wang Yaomin was truly going insane with rage.

Who was Tian Yimin? He was a few years older than him; they were both teacher and friend to each other.

He had been by his side ever since he arrived at the Shen City Public Security Bureau; he was his most trusted right-hand man!

For twenty whole years, from a greenhorn to the decorated Captain of the Criminal Investigation Detachment today.

He had always thought that Tian Yimin was the most upright, selfless person in the police force, the one least likely to betray his faith!

But reality had dealt him a resounding slap in the face.

This wasn't just betrayal.

This was rubbing his face—and the face of the entire Shen City Public Security Bureau—into the dirt!

As Wang Yaomin shook him violently, a flicker of change finally appeared on Tian Yimin's deathly gray face.

Two lines of murky tears slid silently down his wrinkled cheeks.

He slowly, slowly raised his head to meet Wang Yaomin's burning eyes.

In his eyes, there was no guilt, no remorse, only a heart-stopping madness mixed with anger and despair.

"Why?"

Tian Yimin finally spoke, his voice raspy, like two pieces of sandpaper rubbing together.

He repeated Wang Yaomin's question, but his face broke into a smile that was uglier than crying.

"Old Wang, you ask me why?"

He violently broke free from Wang Yaomin's grip, the veins on his neck bulging from agitation.

He was no longer the timid prisoner with his head bowed in confession, but a lone wolf backed into a corner, ready to fight to the death.

"I sold my life for the police force for twenty-three years!

Twenty-three years! When I first joined the police, you were just a captain.

Back then, when we caught criminals, there weren't so many rules!

I have this scar."

He pointed to a faint scar on his brow bone.

"It was from jumping off the third floor to chase a robber.

This finger."

He extended his slightly deformed left index finger.

"It was snapped off by a drug dealer using pliers!

When my wife was giving birth, I was out of town chasing a fugitive, and I didn't close my eyes for three days and three nights!

When my father passed away, I was still in the morgue, staying with a rotting corpse for forty-eight full hours!"

His voice grew louder, each accusation like a heavy hammer, smashing into the hearts of everyone in the office.

"I received three second-class merits and seven third-class merits!

I have been an outstanding party member and a model police officer in the bureau for fifteen consecutive years!

Half of the soldiers I trained are now key members of various branches!

I thought that in this life, I was worthy of the country, worthy of the people, and worthy of this police uniform!"

At this point, his emotions suddenly collapsed, his voice thick with a heavy, tearful tone.

"But what did I get?!"

He let out a desperate roar, like a wounded beast.