SWDnovel Chapter 36 First Assumption of Duty, Decisive Establishment of Authority
Chapter 36 First Assumption of Duty, Decisive Establishment of Authority
The next morning.
Zhou Tong stood in front of the dressing mirror, fastening the last button of his indigo silk long gown.
Ah Fu carried in a brass basin, and steam rose from it, filling half the room with its warmth.
"Young master, the water is ready, it's warm."
Zhou Tong grunted in agreement and washed his face with the water in the basin.
The warm water flowed across my face, washing away the lingering sleepiness.
After washing up and having breakfast with his parents in the hall, Zhou Tong was about to leave.
Zhou Chengzong coughed lightly and handed over a red envelope that was about half a finger thick:
"Be sure to show proper respect to Captain Qin. Although he is one of your third senior brothers' men, friendship is friendship and rules are rules. Don't take it lightly."
He paused, then added, "Also, when you get to the police station, don't be overly humble just because you're new here. You were recommended by your third senior brother; if you're too weak-willed, people will look down on you."
Zhou Tong accepted the red envelope, nodded, and smiled, "Father, don't worry, I understand."
Zhou Chengzong stood up and patted him on the shoulder: "Go ahead."
……
The North City Police Station is located in the middle section of Wenchang Street and is a two-story Western-style brick building.
The three granite steps in front of the gate were swept clean, and the black plaque with gold lettering above the door, reading "Cangzhou Patrol Bureau North City Branch," shone brightly in the morning light.
Two patrol officers stood by the door, their leggings tightly bound and their hats pulled low, revealing only the lower half of their faces, reddened by the morning breeze.
Seeing Zhou Tong step onto the steps, the man on the left raised his eyelids slightly, his voice dry from working the night shift: "Taking care of business?"
Zhou Tong didn't say anything, but handed over the appointment document stamped with the bright red bureau seal.
The patrol officer took the document, glanced at its contents, and then suddenly straightened up, standing ramrod straight: "Captain Zhou! My eyesight is poor, please forgive me!"
He handed the documents back with both hands, a smile plastered on his face: "Captain Qin is in his office on the second floor, at the east end. Would you like me to show you the way?"
"No need," Zhou Tong said calmly, taking back the document.
Upon entering the foyer, one finds dark red cement floor tiles, freshly mopped, glistening wet and reflecting blurry silhouettes.
A large cork notice board was nailed to the left wall, with several wanted posters and internal notices posted on it.
Zhou Tong glanced at it and then headed straight for the stairs on the right.
Climb the steps and you'll arrive at the east end of the second floor.
Zhou Tong looked up and confirmed the brass sign next to the door that read "Second Squadron Captain's Office," then gently tapped it with his finger.
"Go in." A crisp, short voice rang out.
Zhou Tong pushed open the door and entered.
The room was about twenty square meters in size. Qin Lie was sitting behind a large mahogany desk, looking down at a file.
Today he was wearing a crisp, jet-black inspector's uniform, the two bronze stars on his epaulets gleaming, reflecting a cold, hard light in the slanting morning light streaming into the room.
Hearing the voice, Qin Lie looked up and saw Zhou Tong. A smile immediately appeared on his face. He put down the documents in his hand and greeted him, "Brother Zhou, you've arrived? Sit down, please sit down."
Good morning, Captain Qin.
Zhou Tong smiled, cupped his hands in greeting, and walked to the table. "Captain, just call me Zhou Tong. I dare not accept the title of 'brother'."
"Alright, then we'll follow the rules at the bureau, but we'll handle things privately."
Qin Lie smiled broadly, took out a cigarette from the tin box, and said, "Sit down."
Zhou Tong then sat down on the rattan chair opposite him.
At the same time, he flipped his wrist almost imperceptibly, and the red seal slid into his palm.
As he leaned forward and casually placed his arm on the edge of the table, Hong Feng subtly slipped the red envelope under a document.
Qin Lie caught a glimpse of this out of the corner of his eye, paused in striking the match, and twitched his lips: "You kid, you're being too formal."
"It's only proper etiquette," Zhou Tong replied with an unchanged smile.
Qin Lie shook his head, said no more, lit a cigarette with a "hiss," took a deep breath, and the grayish-white smoke slowly overflowed from his nostrils, gathering and dispersing in front of his angular face.
"The police station and the martial arts school are two different things."
He held a cigarette between his fingers and leaned back slightly. "Today is your first day on duty, so there are some rules I need to explain to you first."
Zhou Tong straightened his expression and adopted a listening posture.
"In a martial arts school, if your fists are strong, your principles are strong. That won't work here."
Qin Lie flicked his cigarette ash, his gaze piercing through the smoke:
"This place is a melting pot of all sorts of people. Gangs, chambers of commerce, docks, opium dens, and even street thugs all have their own backers and connections. The waters run deep."
He paused, his voice deepening, "Therefore, the most important thing is to know the limits. When to be firm, and when to be lenient; who can be dealt with ruthlessly, and who needs some leeway..."
No one can teach you these things one by one; you have to observe and learn them yourself on this street.
Zhou Tong nodded: "The captain's advice is right, I've taken it to heart."
Qin Lie grunted in acknowledgment, then suddenly called out towards the door, "Little Chen!"
The door opened with a click, and a young clerk, dressed in a crisp light gray Zhongshan suit and wearing gold-rimmed glasses, strode in, his hair neatly combed: "Captain, what are your orders?"
"Where is Chen Yan?"
Qin Lie took a drag of his cigarette, his tone flat, "The new captain's taken office, and he, as his deputy, hasn't even shown his face?"
Xiao Chen pushed up his glasses, his voice tinged with caution:
"Reporting to the captain, I have informed him about the new captain's arrival. However, Deputy Captain Wang said that he was exhausted after working until late last night and is probably resting in the duty room right now."
Qin Lie chuckled, said nothing, and turned his gaze to Zhou Tong.
"Chen Yan, this person."
He said slowly, "I've been on the streets for over ten years, solved several cases, and made quite a bit of money. I have a lot of experience, but my personality..."
He flicked off a long piece of cigarette ash, looked at Zhou Tong meaningfully, and said, "Too straightforward."
Qin Lie looked at Zhou Tong with a smile:
"The police station is never short of troublemakers; if they are not bold enough, they cannot quell the chaos on the streets."
The same principle applies to leaders; if someone can't even manage their subordinates, how can they be expected to handle anything?
Zhou Tong's eyes flickered slightly, and he smiled, "Please give me some pointers, Captain Qin."
"Alright."
Qin Lie waved his hand. "Your second squad's office is the second one at the east end of the corridor. Have Xiao Chen take you there so you can get familiar with it."
"Captain Zhou, please follow me." Xiao Chen stepped aside to lead the way.
"Thank you for your trouble." Zhou Tong stood up, clasped his hands in a fist salute to Qin Lie, and turned to leave.
The door to the Second Squad's office was half-open. Even before getting close, one could hear the noisy laughter and chatter inside, mixed with the pungent smell of cheap tobacco.
Zhou Tong paused at the doorway, his gaze calmly sweeping into the room.
There were about seven or eight people, some standing and some sitting, in various postures:
Three people were gathered around the window, puffing away and exhaling smoke; two others sat at the table, chatting about the latest news.
One of them sat with his legs crossed, engrossed in reading a newspaper;
In the corner, on a large, old rattan chair, a person lay on their back, a wide-brimmed hat covering their face, snoring loudly, their chest rising and falling with their breath.
Zhou Tong took in everything, paused on the sleeping person, took a half step back, and said to Xiao Chen beside him:
"Could you please get me the squad roster? Also, please tell the entire second squad to line up in the backyard."
Xiao Chen was taken aback: "Now?"
"Now."
……
The backyard is a square cement area, which is kept clean.
The team members who received the message gradually arrived at the backyard, standing in two scattered rows, most of them looking either lazy or curious.
When everyone had arrived, a burly man in an open uniform finally came late.
Instead of joining the ranks, he strolled to the stone bench in the corner of the courtyard, plopped down, leaned back, and lay down, pulling his peaked cap over his face.
This person was none other than Chen Yan.
Zhou Tong stood under the corridor, taking in everything without changing his expression. He walked straight to the front of the line, glanced around, and said calmly:
"My name is Zhou Tong, and I'm your new captain. Let's start with roll call."
"Li Kang".
"arrive!"
"Zhao Hu".
"arrive!"
……
Just as Zhou Tong was calling roll, Chen Yan turned over and began to snore loudly.
A slight commotion broke out in the group, with everyone's eyes shifting back and forth between the stone bench and Zhou Tong.
Zhou Tong remained expressionless and continued calling out names.
Soon, his gaze fell on the last name on the roster, and he calmly read out: "Chen Yan".
The snoring continued.
Li Kang glanced at the stone bench, then at Zhou Tong. After receiving tacit approval, he quickly walked over and gently nudged Chen Yan's shoulder: "Captain Chen, the captain is calling roll."
Chen Yan then slowly lifted his hat, squinted, yawned a long yawn, and stretched in an exaggerated way.
He sat up, glanced at Zhou Tong, swayed to the end of the line, and lazily clasped his hands in a fist salute to Zhou Tong.
"So you're the new team leader. I'm sorry, I was up most of the night yesterday and I'm exhausted. Please don't mind."
Zhou Tong smiled slightly, "You must have had a hard night."
"It's tough! Of course it's tough!"
Chen Yan looked at Zhou Tong and said with a forced smile:
"Captain Zhou, I'm a rough man and I don't like to hide things. I'll just say what I have to say."
"Hey, if you really care about how hard your subordinates work, why bother dragging them out to the yard for roll call so early in the morning... Haha, quite the official airs."
His words were laced with undisguised sarcasm, and the rest of the group silently lowered their heads, keeping their eyes straight ahead.
Before Zhou Tong could respond, Chen Yan looked him up and down, clicking his tongue twice:
"Captain Zhou looks really young, is he even twenty? I heard that the captains the bureau recruited this time are all experts in the Iron Muscle Realm!"
Captain Zhou is capable of undertaking such an important task, so he must... be at least at the Iron Muscle Realm, right?
All eyes were on Zhou Tong.
Zhou Tong met his gaze and said calmly, "Stone Skin."
"Stone skin?"
Chen Yan's face instantly contorted with exaggerated astonishment, and he couldn't help but burst out laughing.
"Hahaha... Stone Skin? Oh, Captain Zhou, so you're at the same level as me."
I, with my stone skin, have been fighting on the streets for over ten years, and I still haven't managed to become a captain!
You are truly remarkable for your age! Absolutely amazing!
With you, the captain of the Stone Skin Realm, leading our second team, we'll finally be able to hold our heads high...
Chen Yan stared intently at Zhou Tong, his laughter filled with absurdity and undisguised mockery.
He was notified yesterday afternoon that a new captain had been parachuted into the team.
If the leader who was parachuted in was also Iron Skin, like the other squads, that would be fine, but why is it Stone Skin?
Zhou Tong looked at him and suddenly smiled helplessly.
He recalled what he had discussed with Manager Hu:
The art of tact, the art of language, and the subtle persuasion are only effective with intelligent people. Fools don't understand these things, so you have to talk to them in a way they can understand.
then--
Zhou Tong raised his hand and beckoned Chen Yan over.
Chen Yan's face twitched, and he strode forward without fear, his boots slamming into the ground with a thud.
He took two steps in front of Zhou Tong, his brows furrowing as he said in a low voice, "What, Captain Zhou, do you have any further instructions?"
Before he could finish speaking...
Zhou Tong lightly raised his right hand and seemingly casually slapped the opponent.
Seeing this, Chen Yan was not surprised but delighted, a ruthless glint appearing in his eyes:
Dare to make a move! I'll take you down on the spot and see how you still have the nerve to cling to your captain's position.
He moved swiftly, parrying while preparing to counterattack.
However, as the hand approached the cheek, it suddenly increased in speed and its trajectory became blurred!
So fast!
Chen Yan felt a blur before her eyes.
The fingertips had already grazed his left cheek like blades, causing a sharp pain that exploded and blood to seep out.
"You dare—!"
Chen Yan was filled with shock and anger, and his fully charged right fist slammed straight into Zhou Tong's chest and abdomen!
But before the punch could land, Zhou Tong retaliated with even greater speed, his hand striking Chen Yan squarely on the left cheek, which was slightly tilted from the punch.
"Smack—!!!"
The explosion was like an iron ruler striking wood!
Chen Yan felt an immense force penetrate him, and his mind went blank with a buzzing sound.
Its forward momentum came to an abrupt halt, and it was whipped into a half-circle in mid-air.
"Thump!"
He fell face down on the concrete floor and passed out immediately.
The courtyard fell into a deathly silence.
All the team members were stunned.
They envisioned many scenarios:
The new young captain was put in an awkward position by Chen Yan, or the two argued fiercely, and there were even thoughts of them coming to blows and reaching a stalemate...
But no one expected that Chen Yan would fall down in just one exchange.
Everyone was secretly shocked as they recalled what had just happened.
Chen Yan was also at the Stone Skin Realm, and had over a decade of experience fighting on the streets, so how could he have been knocked to the ground in a single exchange?!
Everyone felt a chill run down their spines. The slight disdain and hesitation in their hearts were instantly suppressed, and their gazes toward Zhou Tong were now filled with awe and caution.
Zhou Tong slowly withdrew his hand, reached into his robes, took out a handkerchief, and leisurely wiped the blood-stained fingers. Then, he raised his eyes, his gaze sweeping over the frozen ranks, and said calmly:
"Deputy Captain Chen Yan deliberately neglected his duties during roll call and when questioned by his superiors, he spoke with sarcasm; his insubordination deserves punishment."
He paused, then looked at a dark-skinned young man in the queue: "Li Kang."
"Here!" Li Kang jumped up and quickly stepped forward.
"According to the regulations, how should such people be dealt with?" Zhou Tong said loudly.
Li Kang's lips trembled, and he hurriedly said, "For a first offense, half a month's salary should be deducted. In addition, the captain has the right to increase the punishment at his discretion."
Zhou Tong nodded slightly: "Drag him away and splash him awake. Half a month's salary will be deducted, and he will be punished by cleaning the latrines for a month, as a result."
Li Kang quickly replied, "Yes!"
Zhou Tong's gaze swept over the crowd: "From today onwards, proceed as before. Those who follow the rules will not be treated unfairly. Those who outwardly comply but inwardly defy—"
His meaning was left unsaid, but everyone understood it.
"Let's call it a day."
"Yes, Captain!"
Zhou Tong turned around and walked slowly toward the office building, pondering what had just happened.
Chen Yan's actions today were foolish, but effective.
What is the police station? It's a violent agency!
He was in a military post responsible for maintaining order and maintaining public security.
In this place, relationships are important, but strength is even more indispensable.
Otherwise, why would the police department have a requirement that only those at the Bone Forging Realm can serve as squad leaders? And aren't the squad leaders all at the Iron Muscle Realm?
It seems that if he hadn't demonstrated the strength to contend with those at the Iron Muscle Realm in the preliminary competition, even with his talent, his senior brother wouldn't have given him this spot.
If he had shown the slightest sign of fear, or had been defeated by Chen Yan in public, the news would have spread, and he would have become a laughing stock as the team leader, and naturally, he would have lost his position.
Thinking of this, Zhou Tong's eyes narrowed slightly:
"I just don't know if Chen Yan is really a reckless person who can't hide his emotions, or if I, being of lower spiritual level, have developed the idea that I can replace him?"
Or was he acting under orders, getting involved in some factional infighting?
Regardless, he couldn't give up his position; he would just have to be wary of him in the future. Zhou Tong slowly suppressed his emotions.
Behind the window of the captain's office on the second floor, Qin Lie was already standing by the curtain, a wisp of smoke rising straight from the cigarette between his fingers.
His gaze swept over Chen Yan, who was being quickly carried away in the courtyard downstairs, then landed on Zhou Tong's straight and steady back. The corners of his mouth curved upwards almost imperceptibly as he muttered to himself:
"Young as he is, he's quick and efficient, adapts well, and knows how to follow the rules... Good, he's interesting."
He took a deep drag of his cigarette, slowly exhaled, and then turned around and sat back down at his desk.
……
Zhou Tong's first day at the police station was a little bumpy, but things went smoothly afterwards.
Having learned from Chen Yan's experience, the remaining members of the second squad were all on high alert and extremely respectful.
Li Kang and his team had already prepared all the team's documents, case files, jurisdiction maps, lists of habitual offenders, and correspondence neatly.
Zhou Tong spent half a day clarifying the details of all the matters.
The duties of the police station can be described as varied or simple. The daily tasks are nothing more than patrolling the streets, mediating disputes, cracking down on petty thieves, and dealing with superiors.
Unless it's a major incident like a difficult murder or gang fight that requires him to personally lead the team to handle it, his subordinates will take care of the routine tasks.
Before he knew it, it was afternoon. After finishing his shift, Zhou Tong didn't go straight home.
He asked Afu to buy some braised pork and a pot of old wine from a deli, and then he turned into Zhengyang Old Street.
As soon as Zhou Tong stepped into Huichuntang, Manager Hu's hoarse voice, tinged with his usual sarcasm, rang out:
"Oh, who do we have here? Isn't this the one-in-a-million martial arts prodigy of the Dragon Tiger Martial Arts School, our newly appointed Captain Zhou of the Cangzhou City North Patrol Bureau?"
"You, a busy man with countless affairs of state, what brings you here today, condescending to visit this old man's filthy place?"
Zhou Tong's face twitched slightly as he listened, thinking to himself that this old man was really well-informed.
He was already used to the old man's tone, so he didn't respond. He walked to the wall, moved the small stool with practiced ease, set up a small table, and placed the braised beef wrapped in oil paper and the old wine on it one by one.
"Senior, please spare me."
Zhou Tong fiddled with it while smiling wryly:
"Who do you think I am, this 'busybody' or 'team leader'? If you keep bothering me like this, next time I'll just eat this braised beef and drink the wine all by myself."
Shopkeeper Hu glanced at him, snorted, put down the file and other items in his hand, dusted off his hands, and slowly strolled over.
Without any ceremony, he picked up his chopsticks, took a slice of glistening, dark brown beef, and put it in his mouth. After chewing a few times, he took a sip of the wine that Zhou Tong had poured for him, squinted at it, and smacked his lips: "The meat is alright, the wine is so-so."
As usual, the two chatted over simple food and drinks.
When Zhou Tong recounted some of his observations at the police station, Manager Hu would occasionally chime in, pointing out the key details or the underlying connections, often hitting the nail on the head.
The conversation gradually circled back to martial arts, medicinal herbs, and even some old stories and anecdotes from the martial arts world.
After several rounds of drinks and half of the dishes, the meal was finished.
Manager Hu suddenly put his chopsticks down on the table with a soft "tap".
He reached into his pocket, fumbled for a moment, and pulled out a small, flat wooden box.
Manager Hu gently placed the wooden box on the greasy table and pushed it toward Zhou Tong.
"Kid."
His voice was lower, less teasing than before, and more serious:
"Once you enter the public service, you'll no longer be dealing with the relatively simple-minded martial arts practitioners from the martial arts school."
"From all walks of life, from the shady to the theft, from the overt to the covert, the things you encounter in the future will only become more complicated and dangerous."
He gestured with his chin toward the wooden box: "You'll need this later."
Zhou Tong instinctively reached out his hand: "Senior, this is...?"
Manager Hu raised his hand and slammed it down on the wooden box.
His gaze deepened as he looked at Zhou Tong and slowly said:
"The 'Record of Transformation' and the mask I gave you before were just little things I gave you because I liked you and wanted to give you some pointers to the younger generation. I gave them to you, so be it."
He tapped his finger lightly on the wooden box.
"But the things in this box... are different. They're truly rare and precious."
Manager Hu paused, stared into Zhou Tong's eyes, and said, word by word:
"You want it? Fine. But you have to agree to one condition."