Let them offer their loyalty!

Qiu Tu, "Why?"

Qin Shuman's voice was a bit muffled as she drew out her words, "Because... my drink is poisoned."

Qiu Tu was puzzled, "Poisoned?"

Qin Shuman, "Yes. Drinking it can cause addiction."

Qiu Tu laughed, "I'm not afraid."

Qin Shuman laughed even more joyfully, "But I am."

Qiu Tu, "You're afraid?"

With a seductive tone, Qin Shuman "Hmm~" and said, "I'm afraid... that you won't be able to handle it in the end."

Hearing Qin Shuman's teasing words, Qiu Tu could no longer suppress a smile, "Then it seems... I must try it."

After finishing, he added another sentence, "By the way, you're talking about drinking, right?"

"Giggle giggle giggle." At this point, Qin Shuman couldn't stop laughing.

Hearing Qin Shuman's happy laughter, Qiu Tu also smiled, then he teasingly said, "Alright, bring on whatever tricks you have, as long as it's yours... I'll take it all."

Hearing Qiu Tu's candid love talk, Qin Shuman on the other end of the phone laughed even louder...

After a brief chat, Qin Shuman hung up the phone somewhat reluctantly. Then, holding the communicator and smiling at the corner of her mouth, she gazed out the window at the scenery, slightly lost in thought...

And so she stared for three to four seconds.

Suddenly, a strange coughing sound came from behind her, "Cough cough..."

Qin Shuman startled, then turned around to look. She saw her subordinate, Lin Zuo, standing in front of her desk with a lifeless expression on his face.

Qin Shuman felt taken aback and hesitated before asking, "When did you come in?"

Lin Zuo, "Since the part about your drink being poisoned."

He paused, then asked expressionlessly, "Is Chief really planning to poison Qiu Tu?"

"I have a bottle of poison here that will kill him instantly if he drinks it, do you want to borrow it?"

"Or... you could pour it down my throat instead."

This dog food, Lin Zuo has really had enough of it.

This time it was Qin Shuman who coughed. She "cough coughed" twice, then promptly changed the subject, "Don't talk about personal matters while working! Hmm... I called you here because there's a task for you..."

"Qiu Tu provided a clue. He said there's a man who likes to wear a clown mask and has red hair..."

As Qin Shuman started talking business, Lin Zuo's expressionless face gradually became serious...

.....

Meanwhile.

After finishing his call with Qin Shuman, Qiu Tu returned to his villa to handle the aftermath.

Perhaps because his heroics today had greatly boosted loyalty, the loyalty level of these detectives generally reached about 70-80, so they all looked at Qiu Tu with fervent gazes.

Seeing this, Qiu Tu didn't sit idle. He struck while the iron was hot, stopping to show concern for each detective, ensuring the newly elevated loyalty levels were secured.

Like this, ten minutes passed.

Not long after winning people's hearts, several T-model cars loaded with detectives came from the distance, kicking up dust as they sped over!

And behind the cars, more temporary detectives were running, heading towards the villa as well.

Upon reaching the villa's gate, the T-model cars screeched to a stop. Then a squad of detectives jumped out and started setting up a perimeter tensely at the villa's entrance.

Clearly... these were the reinforcements Qiu Tu had asked Liu Fuping to call for.

The only pity was... like the unwritten rule in countless dramas: reinforcements always arrive leisurely after the enemy has been vanquished.

By this time, the squad of detectives also seemed to realize they were too late, so after hesitating for a moment, they sent a tall, thin detective into the villa to check the situation.

Once inside the villa, the tall, slender detective had barely taken two steps forward when Ding Xiaoliu and Jiao Ming, who were on guard at the door, stepped forward and stopped him. "Political Department handling the case! Which department are you from?"

Hearing Ding Xiaoliu's words, the detective quickly said with an embarrassed smile, "Hello, officer, we are detectives from the Xiafang Street Public Security Office. We received orders from the Bureau to come and assist."

After speaking, he scanned the scene, then cautiously asked, "May I ask... have we arrived too late?"

Hearing the detective's words, Ding Xiaoliu and Jiao Ming exchanged a glance, then Ding Xiaoliu said proudly, "You are indeed late. The enemy has been completely annihilated by us."

After that, he added, "Have your superior come to meet our Chief."

"Yes!" The detective saluted, then turned and left the villa.

Actually, both Ding Xiaoliu and Jiao Ming were Third-Level Detectives, holding the same rank as the detective before them. Find more to read at empire

However... as the ace department of the Investigation Bureau, with internal supervision powers, the Political Department has always been considered half a rank higher than other departments.

So, let alone being Third-Level Detectives, even the Deputy Staff from other departments had to rank half a step below the Political Department's Deputy Staff...

Not long after the detective left the villa, a stout figure in uniform, round in shape with the look of a superior officer on his face, followed him inside.

The fat man had clearly rushed over upon receiving orders, his face covered in sweat, looking somewhat disheveled.

And judging from his shoulder insignia with one bar and two flowers, he should be the head of the Public Security Office, ranking one level higher than Qiu Tu, making him a bonafide Chief.

Upon arriving at the villa, the fat man with eyes as small as green beans glanced around the bloodstained scene, then his sharp gaze landed on Qiu Tu, who was inspecting Li Xian's injuries...

That moment, his eyes lit up, and he rushed over with his short legs, offering a greasy smile as he extended his hand first, "Chief Qiu, hello, hello. My name is Cui Daren, I am the Director of the Xiafang Street Public Security Bureau."

Hearing his eager introduction, Qiu Tu sensed something was off. He stood up and instead of rashly shaking the Chief's hand, he first inquired, "Director Cui knows me?"

Cui Daren wiped the sweat from his forehead and said with a chuckle, "Chief Qiu, you must be joking, how could I possibly not know you. I am one of your subordinates!"

Qiu Tu: ??

Qiu Tu looked at Cui Daren's shoulder insignia, confirming he was a legitimate Chief.

A Deputy Chief himself, even if it was from a special department like the Political Department, could at most present as half a rank higher to show off his authority in front of another Deputy Chief, how could he possibly be the superior of a bona fide Chief?

With this thought, Qiu Tu's puzzlement only deepened.

At that moment, possibly seeing Qiu Tu's confusion, Cui Daren explained with a smile, "Chief Qiu, you might be too important to remember."

"Just yesterday, your Political Department approved our Public Security Bureau's 'Joint Investigation Application,' and then appointed you as the head of the '8.16 Potion Robbery Case Investigation Team.'

"From that moment on, all of us from the Xiafang Street Public Security Office, as well as the previous members of the investigation team, are temporarily under your leadership."

"So, we are indeed your subordinates!"

Cui Daren was clearly talkative, once he started speaking, he seemed unable to stop.

He said, "Let me tell you, we've really been at our wits' end lately, this case has been too difficult to crack, with no information or clues at all!"

"So, we've been hoping and praying for an expert to come save us!"

"Now that you're here, we can rest easy!"

Hearing Cui Daren's words, Qiu Tu finally understood why the legitimate Chief before him was claiming to be his subordinate.

Indeed, for the convenience of handling the case, within a 'Joint Investigation Team,' the invited experts from dominant departments often serve as team leaders and have the highest command authority; other members serve as subordinates and follow their orders.

So... Cui Daren's claim of being his subordinate was not incorrect.

However... the 'Pharmacy Robbery Case'...

Considering this, Qiu Tu couldn't help but view Cui Daren with a more complex expression...

This case was not that simple...

With these thoughts, Qiu Tu also couldn't help but recall the intelligence he had just received from Old Master Qin...

----

Still 3 chapters of 10,000 characters each. The third chapter will be updated around 19:00. Vote for Monthly Tickets! Subscribe!