Binjiang Police Affairs

Since the crackdown began, Captain Fang Zhiqiang of the Criminal Investigation Fourth Squad at Linghai Police Bureau has been incredibly busy.

While others are busy cracking major cases, busting criminal gangs, and apprehending fugitives, his task is different—it's all about finding leads.

It's somewhat ironic, those units previously criticized for inadequate work or poor jurisdictional security are now considered "advanced." Things overlooked before are being addressed now; achievements abound with each captured criminal.

Since Shi Shengyong took office at the Four Factory, he's been striking hard.

After cleansing Four Factory of every lawbreaker that could be arrested, they now find themselves aimlessly grabbing at straws, unable to fulfill their crackdown duties.

The jurisdiction of the Criminal Investigation Fourth Squad isn't limited to Four Factory Town alone, but influenced by the Four Factory Police Station, they had already cleared out once, solving all solveable crime cases. Now they too are grasping at straws.

Unable to complete the crackdown duties, they have no way to report to their superiors.

Out of sheer desperation, they have no choice but to "work" for their junior.

Providing manpower and effort—as long as they can complete the task, they don't want a single cent from the confiscated and fined returns.

Their junior brother proves to be generous, covering travel expenses, and should he not, they'd be willing to make financial losses just to meet their target!

Two days ago, a colleague from Huaiyuan called to say there's a boat owner who returned to his hometown, apparently due to an elderly death.

They can't let that boat owner get away, as their junior brother's side is about to wrap up the case.

Without a moment's delay, with approval from his junior, Fang Zhiqiang hired an unlicensed car from Four Factory Town, rushing over to the town where the boat owner resides, accompanied by Xiao Xu from criminal police and Old Chen, an auxiliary officer, to stand by.

After a tiring car ride of more than ten hours, they found rest.

First, they communicated with colleagues from the local police station, then got two rooms at a small hotel in town to rest.

Xiao Xu, full of energy, opened the window to check the street below, then turned to ask, "Captain Fang, when do we wrap up?"

Communication is crucial—life without a mobile phone is unimaginable.

Fang Zhiqiang placed the mobile phone borrowed from Zhang Erxiao aside, pulled out a spare battery and charger from his bag, plugged it in to charge, and then looked up to say, "I don't know either, but it should be soon."

Xiao Xu, still curious, couldn't help asking, "Captain Fang, once this case is closed, how will the bureau count it? Can our squad complete this month's target?"

"This is a real big case!"

Fang Zhiqiang took off his shoes and lay comfortably on the bed, chuckling, "Just from what we know now, this gang has already sold over two thousand tons of imported iron ore and is in the process of selling thousands of tons of imported coal. The case involves huge sums of money, spans a wide area, and implicates many individuals.

Even if we only account for a fifth, we can still expect to detain and possibly prosecute at least a dozen suspects. Once Director Yu's side completes the operation, it's not a question of whether our squad can meet the target, but whether we'll exceed it, haha."

"But we've already come here twice, what's the point of just completing the target? Captain Fang, you're Director Yu's senior, why not speak to him? See if he can allocate us more of the seized goods."

"It's exactly because we are senior and junior brothers that he's willing to do us this favor; we can't push our luck too far."

No sooner had Fang Zhiqiang finished speaking did his cellphone suddenly ring.

On checking, it was a number from his hometown.

Cellphone calls are expensive, and roaming charges for out-of-province calls are even more so.

Despite the hesitation, Fang Zhiqiang clenched his teeth and answered the call. But as soon as he brought the phone to his ear, he heard a familiar voice, "Zhiqiang, it's Zhang Changyou. You're a hard man to find, had I not gone to your team, I wouldn't have known you were on a trip."

Back in police college, they were dorm mates, brothers who shared the top and bottom bunks. Zhang Changyou is now at West City Police Station.

The call is too costly.

Not one for idle chat, Fang Zhiqiang cut straight to the point, "What's the matter?"

"I'm in urgent need, please help."

"Need to borrow money?"

"Borrow what money, I mean do you have any leads? I'm short one for this month's target, and I've got no clue who to catch."

"What use is there asking me for this kind of thing!"

"You're doing well; you're a squad leader; you must have leads. Give a brother a hand—I'll treat you to a meal later."

"Having leads because one is a squad leader? Squad leaders have even heavier burdens. I'm now barely scraping by myself, and you're still looking for others to help?"

"Old Fang..."

"No more talk, long-distance calls are too expensive, I'm hanging up."

While the jurisdiction of West City Police Station may not be urban, it straddles the urban-rural divide.

You've got no leads over there, and you think the Criminal Investigation Fourth Squad, whose duty area is almost entirely rural, has leads?

Fang Zhiqiang inwardly snorted at the mistake and couldn't help but think of his junior brother, silently feeling grateful—if not for his junior's assistance, at this moment, he would probably be just like Zhang Changyou, searching for someone to lend a hand.

...

Meanwhile, Director Ding Weibing of Sanhe Police Station was also on the phone, calling Shi Shengyong, Four Factory Police Station Chief.

With the jurisdiction of Sanhe Police Station including Lingda Car Ferry, Ding Weibing was quite informed. As soon as the call connected, he got straight to the point, "Old Shi, is there a big operation going on over at Salted Fish?"

Shi Shengyong couldn't feign ignorance of the underlying hint, and pretending to know nothing, he asked, "What big operation?"

"I was at the ferry terminal yesterday morning, and I saw Xiao Yu."

"Is there Xiao Yu at the ferry port?"

"I'm talking about the apprentice Xu Sanye took on."

"I remember now, wasn't that kid transferred to Hanwu?"

"Old Shi, are you really in the dark, or just pretending?"

"What are you actually trying to say."

Ding Weibing doesn't like beating around the bush, and says outright: "Old Shi, I understand the difficulties the Bureau leadership faces, but I simply can't complete the assignment they've given me. I really had no choice, I just went to Yingchuan Port, intending to ask the Water Police Fourth Squad for a hand, but there was only one auxiliary police officer on duty."

The Water Police Fourth Squad is small in number, all have been drafted by Salted Fish to handle a big case, of course you wouldn't see anyone around.

Shi Shengyong was secretly pleased and Ding Weibing continued, "I wanted to ask for help from the old leaders, old friends, but Political Commissioner Wang was beating around the bush, and Zhao Hongxing was just laughing it off. When they took the call, there were people around them, I heard very clearly, someone was talking about how busy Salted Fish was with something, clearly they are busy with a big case."

This guy has really sharp ears!

Shi Shengyong didn't want him to get involved either, and replied coolly: "We have our tasks, and they have theirs. It's normal to handle big cases during a nationwide crackdown on crime. It would be abnormal if they weren't working on a case."

"I know, I'm just saying how they ended up working with Salted Fish, when Salted Fish is not Water Police anymore, he's now with Changhang navigation police."

"So what?"

"You're familiar with Salted Fish, you ask him, what exactly are they working on, and if they can include us."

"They've already said they have their own tasks to handle, I really can't go out of my way to bother them."

"Can you complete this month's task?"

"I can't finish it, but I can't shamelessly ask others for help either. Besides, what are we? We are the local police, we are the regular army, we are the main force. I can't afford to lose face by asking for help from the industry police if I can't complete a task."

Ding Weibing was baffled, then laughed and scolded: "You speak more beautifully than you sing, as if you haven't cooperated with them plenty."

Shi Shengyong earnestly insisted: "Cooperation is one thing, asking for help is another; these are two different matters."

"Alright then, since you're not interested, let's leave it at that."

"If you don't mind the trouble, you could try reaching out to Salted Fish."

"How would I do that? I don't know him well."

"That's exactly it, better to stay grounded and think of a solution within your own jurisdiction."

Shi Shengyong hung up the phone, lit a cigarette, and took a pleasurable drag.

Instructor Old Yao heard everything clearly, and a smile emerged on his face.

...

Han Yu didn't know that many of his old colleagues were struggling in dire straits. After thanking several from the ship inspection department, he went to the City Bureau to discuss with Secretary Qian, picked up his luggage, and arrived at the Port Supervision Bureau's moored vessel.

In half an hour, the last cargo ship would have finished loading coal and set sail.

Zhang Ping, Xiao Gong, and Captain Fan were already steering 001, departing from Bailong Port, picking up Xiao Yu when passing through Yingchuan Port, and following the last coal-laden cargo ship to Xingtai Waters, to catch Chen Xiaojuan's gang in the act of unloading coal.

More than the forty-eight ships already under control were likely colluding with Chen Xiaojuan's gang for inside theft; there was plenty more work to come.

Thinking back to Director Jiang's instructions before he left for Ningbo to meet with Deputy Director Jianghai of Four Factory Police Station, Han Yu stood on the stored ship, looking back toward the direction of the city, and dialed the cell phone of Captain Wei from the City Bureau Criminal Investigation Team.

During a crackdown, criminals shouldn't dare to act so brazenly.

But to think, not only did someone dare to act, they even committed murder!

Captain Wei was inspecting the crime scene. Glancing at the incoming call display, he stepped out from the beauty parlor filled with bloodstains, where even the air was thick with the smell of blood, and answered, "Salted Fish, what's up?"

"Captain Wei, can you talk?"

"I can, go ahead."

"Director Jiang went on a business trip, and before he left, he asked me to keep an eye on something and to give you a call when I had the chance."

Captain Wei lit a cigarette, asked softly, "What did he want you to keep an eye on?"

Han Yu glanced unconsciously towards the Sailor Club and said with a bitter smile: "Director Jiang has always been concerned about that murder case at the Sailor Club, otherwise he would have retired early. He said that since there's a nationwide crackdown, checkpoints are being set up everywhere, and a lot of criminals have been captured; maybe there will be a lead on that murder case at the Sailor Club."

It wasn't surprising that Old Jiang was still troubled by it, but Captain Wei didn't expect Salted Fish to help inquire. After a moment of silence, he said indifferently: "I'm also keeping an eye out, but I don't have any leads on that case for the time being."

"Director Jiang has been worried for several years, and if it drags on, it could become a cold case that no one will investigate or pursue."

"What exactly did he tell you."

"He asked if we could take advantage of this crackdown to gather the old colleagues who had been involved in the investigation and set up a special task force to look into it properly again."

Some cases are not as simple to investigate as desired.

For a moment, Captain Wei didn't know how to explain, so he just spoke expressionlessly, "There are priorities. Just last night, another murder happened. I need to focus on this fresh case, and the old ones will have to wait. Moreover, solving a case depends on timing. Without the right conditions, even if a task force is formed, it won't bring any new leads."

"A murder case happened last night!"

"Yeah, also in the Port District, not far from your division, right next to the long-distance bus station. A beautician was killed, the scene was horrendous."

"Captain Wei, I'm sorry, I really didn't know, you go on with your work, pretend I never called."