57: Chapter 57: You dare call yourself a senior?

This name sounds strangely familiar.

Yang Tian looked at him and extended his right hand in response. "Hello, I'm Yang Tian."

"Which county are you from?"

"Yu City. You?"

"Lincheng County."

As they spoke, Wen Zhengping began arranging accommodation for everyone.

According to the plan, Wang Hao and Yang Tian were from the same county, so they were to be assigned to the same double room.

But after Wang Hao whispered a few words to Wen Zhengping, Wen Zhengping let Wang Hao have a room to himself.

"That works out then. You two share a room!"

Wen Zhengping walked over to Yang Tian and Qi Dongwei and said.

"No problem with me!" Qi Dongwei replied.

"And you?" Wen Zhengping looked at Yang Tian, his expression clearly carrying a hint of indifference.

Yang Tian replied calmly, "I'm fine with it too."

"Then it's settled."

After dropping their luggage in the room, everyone was immediately summoned by Wen Zhengping to the Criminal Investigation Detachment's briefing room to analyze the case.

Just as Yang Tian and Qi Dongwei sat down in a corner, several Police Officers with Two Bars and Three Stars on their shoulders immediately cast disdainful glances.

"Good grief, what's going on with Yu City? Why did they even send an Assistant Police Officer?"

"Exactly. The Assistant Police Officers in our bureau at most help us sweep the floors or print documents. Since when can they get involved in a case?"

"Tell me about it. I just took a look at the Special Investigation Team member list. There are over thirty people with ranks of Two Bars and One Star or higher, over twenty cadres at the Section level or above, and more than ten at the Deputy Section level. These people are the backbone. What kind of backbone is a Level 7 Assistant Police Officer?"

"A Level 7 Assistant Police Officer isn't even considered a backbone within the Assistant Police Officer ranks. They're only slightly better than a trainee."

...

Qi Dongwei glanced at them. These old veterans with Two Bars and Three Stars had no filter, acting on their seniority and insulting others without any regard for their feelings.

Seeing Yang Tian remain silent with his head down, he thought Yang Tian must have been hurt by these old guys poking at his sore spots.

In the eyes of some people wearing tinted glasses, Assistant Police Officers were already a step below Police Officers within the public security ranks. If they went on a call with Police Officers, they wouldn't even be looked at directly. Some would even point at their noses and shout, 'What right does an Assistant Police Officer like you have to stand here!'

Having tasted all the bitterness of the job, these old fogies still had to open their mouths to backstab him.

Qi Dongwei couldn't listen anymore and immediately retorted, "What's wrong with being an Assistant Police Officer? We all serve the people. How much nobler can you be?"

As soon as he spoke, the old guys became even more animated. Seeing that Qi Dongwei and Yang Tian were in the same camp, they pointed at his nose and started berating him too.

"You, a greenhorn with One Bar and One Star, dare to lecture me? When I was beating up thugs in the eighties and nineties, you weren't even born yet!"

"Hahahaha..."

The people around them laughed, causing others to look over.

Qi Dongwei was high-spirited and wouldn't back down; he stood up to face them head-on.

"You're already halfway in the grave. Can't you show some decency and earn some karma for your children and grandchildren?"

"Why you...!!" The old detective made a move to strike Qi Dongwei but was immediately held back by his companions.

"Young people these days are truly outrageous. They have no respect for their seniors at all!"

"Seniors?" Qi Dongwei sneered. "Those who can be respected as seniors are all role models. In ancient times, Mencius respected Confucius as a senior; Cheng Yi respected Zhu Xi as a senior. In modern times, Li Dazhao respected Cai Yuanpei as a senior. And the seniors of us police are role models like Ren Changxia, Cui Daozhi, and Wu Guoqing."

At this point, he paused and gave the other man a nonchalant look. "You? Worthy of being called a senior?"

These words made the veteran with Two Bars and Three Stars so angry he nearly coughed up blood. Others looked at Qi Dongwei with curiosity, never expecting a greenhorn with One Bar and One Star to have such a sharp tongue.

Yang Tian also suddenly looked up and gave Qi Dongwei a thumbs up.

"Well said."

Qi Dongwei grinned. "I just can't stand them acting all high and mighty because of their age!"

"Which school did you graduate from?"

"Xijiang University of Political Science and Law!"

...

Just then, Executive Deputy Director Zhao Gang walked in from outside. The briefing room immediately fell silent, except for a very faint... game sound??

Qi Dongwei looked around and finally fixed his gaze on Yang Tian. He immediately leaned over to take a look.

Good grief!

It turned out Yang Tian hadn't been keeping his head down because he was stung by the words or had his sore spots poked by these old guys. He was... playing a game!!

[To be able to play games at a time like this, he must have a top-tier mindset. No wonder Yu City sent him. It seems he's already got everything under control!] — Qi Dongwei's inner thoughts.

Oh? Didn't realize this Qi Dongwei had an eye for talent.

Yang Tian glanced at him with some surprise.

Qi Dongwei smiled, then sat up straight and looked at Zhao Gang seriously.

Zhao Gang tossed a stack of badges to Wen Zhengping. As Wen Zhengping distributed them, Zhao Gang said, "These are special ID cards made for the Special Investigation Team. Their authority is higher than a police ID. You can enter most government agencies and venues in Qianzhou City, and you can also access any data, including confidential documents. Remember to keep them safe; there is only one card per person."

"Whoa, that's incredible. We can even access confidential documents?"

"With such high authority, these cards must have been issued by the Municipal Party Committee!"

"The Municipal Committee and Municipal Government are playing for keeps this time. In my decades of policing, this is the first time I've seen the Municipal Party Committee Secretary take a case so seriously!"

"How could he not? His Secretary's family was murdered! A cadre at the Division level. If he didn't take this seriously, it would easily discourage his subordinates."

"Yeah, I heard Division Chief Huang Zheng is currently in the hospital under forced sedation. This blow was too much!"

Wen Zhengping distributed them one by one, but when he reached Yang Tian, he found his hands were empty. He couldn't help but look back at Zhao Gang in curiosity.

Zhao Gang explained calmly, "These ID cards are only issued to formal Police Officers. Assistant Police Officers only assist in cases and are not eligible to hold one."

As soon as he finished speaking, another wave of mockery erupted.

Except for a few individuals and Qi Dongwei, everyone's faces were filled with the same smugness and frivolity as Wang Hao's.

"I told you, Assistant Police Officers shouldn't even be here."

Someone blurted out, loud enough for everyone to hear. Wen Zhengping and Zhao Gang tacitly allowed it, offering no correction.

When Wen Zhengping pushed a blackboard over to Zhao Gang and began analyzing the clues related to Case 607, Yang Tian lowered his head and continued playing his game.

Seeing this, Qi Dongwei thought Yang Tian had fallen into a slump from being belittled, so he leaned over and whispered words of comfort.

"In my opinion, there's no shame in being an Assistant Police Officer. Just do your job well!"

Yang Tian picked up his phone. He had just happened to select the jungler hero, Han Xin.

The next second, a line of dialogue came from the phone: "Only the weak care about shame!"