Chapter Fifty-Four: Joining the Team Education

  Tian Miao Miao was handed over to Gao Xiang. Liu Suo Zhang entered the courtyard to look for Zhou Da Dui. Tian Miao Miao and Gao Xiang didn't know where to report, so they stood in the courtyard curiously looking around.

  "Ge Ge, Miao Jie." A surprising voice from behind made the two of them turn around. Isn't this Weak Chicken? They asked in unison: "How did you end up here?"

  Chen Gang hung his head in shame and crouched on the ground, looking at the two with disdain: "Which of you asked me where I was going?"

  Life is like that, some people are always overlooked and forgotten unintentionally. Gao Xiang and Tian Miao Miao apologized awkwardly. Gao Xiang said: "Don't be discouraged, we've all come here anyway. After all, the three of us familiar with each other aren't we."

  "Not three, but four." A crisp female voice came from behind the three people. They turned around in surprise. Gong Qian was standing in front of them, looking lively. "Gong Qian," the three people exclaimed in unison, finding it unbelievable to the extreme. The class leader wasn't supposed to be interning at the Law and Order Department, so how did she end up in the First Brigade?

  "Hmph. Tian Miao, I told you I'd give you an explanation." Walking up to Tian Miao's side, Gong Qian lowered her voice and said with a gaze full of hostility.

  "Hey, all your old classmates are here now. It's just as well that you all know each other, so I don't need to say much more." Tian Miao and Gong Qian were staring at each other when Zhou Dui and Liu Suo came out together to greet them.

  First, Gong Qian, then Gao Xiang, Tian Miao Miao, and Chen Gangqiang shook hands one by one. Captain Zhou smiled and encouraged each of them: "Gao Xiang, do a good job. I've put my reputation on the line to bring you here. Don't embarrass me."

  "Isn't this Xiao Miao? I heard you're coming to our big team for an internship. You scared me half to death! How is it? I heard from your uncle that you weren't too willing to come, and you even made a fuss about it."

  Tian Niu let Zhou Da's team ask for a big red face. Glared at Lao Shu, how could he say everything out loud. Next to Gong Qian snorted in disdain, it was so piercing.

  They sent Liu Jianmin away. The four of them followed Captain Zhou to the captain's office. As soon as they entered, several people were still looking around. Then a loud roar was heard: "When you see the captain, you must salute and shout 'report'. Are you stupid standing there like that?" Captain Zhou's face turned black, his expression changing so quickly that it left everyone stunned.

  "Report No. 4009527: Intern police officer Chen Gangqiang has arrived for duty."

  Intern police officer Tian Miao Miao arrived for duty.

  The four men stood at attention, puffed out their chests and reported loudly.

  They still seem to know what's good for them. Captain Zhou looked at them with a hint of satisfaction. "Alright, let's get started. The three interns are all here and have met each other. Let's go."

  Gong Qian pursed her lips. Hesitated and added: "Officer Zhou, I'm also here for an internship. Why did you only mention three people?"

  Gao Xiang and Tian Miao exchanged a glance. What's going on? This Gong Qian situation doesn't seem quite right. Captain Zhou looked at Gong Qian, and unusually scratched his head, saying: "Routine team education. If you want to listen, come together."

  Zhou Bin was always efficient when going to work. As soon as he finished speaking, he went out the door. The four of them hastily followed him and in the blink of an eye they were already on the second floor.

  They came to attend the commendation meeting. Gao Xiang and Tian Miao Miao also count as returning to their hometown. Gong Qian, on the other hand, was curiously sizing up the surroundings. The house looked old and worn out. It was also blocked by the State Trade Building in front, making it dark all year round in the deep courtyard.

  The place is quite large, with a courtyard inside another courtyard. There are more than ten police cars and private cars parked randomly. Vehicles are constantly entering and exiting. The only drawback is that the road leading out of the alley is a bit narrow. You can always hear car horns honking and people yelling loudly.

  In the room right in the middle of the second floor, Captain Zhou and a cabinet had a fierce battle. They pulled with all their might but couldn't open it. It wasn't until they kicked it twice that it finally opened; when the four police officers opened the cabinet, they gasped in unison. Inside, it was packed to the brim with silk banners and certificates of merit.

  Zhou Bin smiled indifferently and pointed to the cabinet, saying: "There are too many things here. The cabinet is almost full. Just take a casual look at this one. You mainly look over there."

  Zhou Bin said that it was a bay window on the diagonal side, made very delicate, with bright glass, and there were also spotlights shining inside the window, making it look like a museum.

  Inside the showcase, densely packed with photos. There are 5 showcases in total. In the innermost corner, unlike the first 4 showcases which were filled with red-based colored photos, a black and white photo stood out, looking particularly discordant and eye-catching. On the sign above the showcase, two large bold characters "South Wall" were engraved prominently.

  During the time at the base, in the ideological and political education class, I often watched anti-corruption and integrity educational films like "Cold War" and "Alarm Bell". Nobody took it seriously. It's just another brainwashing session after joining the team.

  Two coughs. Everyone's attention was called back by Captain Zhou. Zhou Bin stood at attention, first adjusting his hat and then touching the wind chime on his uniform. He then began to speak formally: "Comrade Gao Xiang, Comrade Tian Miao Miao, Comrade Chen Gang Qiang, and also Comrade Gong Qian who has been temporarily assigned from the Municipal Justice Bureau for training. Welcome, all of you, to Team One." Captain Zhou's serious expression deepened as he gave a solemn salute.

  "This initiation education is very simple. Every police officer who joins our team starts his police career from here, starting now."

  The Datong Municipal Criminal Investigation Brigade, which you are in, was established at the end of the 1970s. In order to welcome the upcoming tide of reform and opening up, to escort economic construction, and to strengthen social security during a critical period, the municipal bureau's party committee researched and decided to draw on the existing brigade and branch structure, and set up two additional directly affiliated criminal police brigades, specifically responsible for cracking major cases in the city's main urban areas. The Second Brigade merged with the Yingze District Branch Bureau Criminal Police Team 4 years ago, so I won't say more.

  Now let's talk about our team, which has had nine team leaders in total. The photos of them are on the wall behind me, including the current director of Dahuang Public Security Bureau, the director of the Criminal Police Brigade, the director of the Special Police Brigade, and the captain of the Major Crimes Unit, all of whom have worked here; it's not unexpected that I will be fortunate enough to become the tenth team leader on the wall.

  "In the past 35 years, we have been commended by the Ministry of Public Security, provincial and municipal bureaus a total of 766 times; 279 individuals have received awards for outstanding achievements... The cabinet over there contains all the silk banners, certificates of merit, and commendation letters we've received. As for trophies, they take up too much space, so they're all locked away in storage."

  Zhou Bin spoke as he slowly moved his pace, leading the four interns to browse the photos on the wall, pointing out several big shots often seen in internal publications and TV stations. The four young police officers let out a soft gasp of surprise. Before coming, they had all heard about the legendary team's great reputation, but it was really unimaginable that it was so powerful. Unconsciously, everyone's heart was filled with respect.

  "...the honor belongs to them, belongs to the past. Since the team was established until now, we have 19 people's police sacrificed. Except for one who died of illness on the job, the rest were all sacrificed in the front line of pursuit. They are all heroes. This one hopes you must remember. 21 years old, graduated from Public Security University, worked for only half a year. A few years ago, when surrounding and capturing Zhang Ma Zi's drug trafficking group, he was shot in the head by an escaped prisoner with a homemade handgun during the arrest process and sacrificed on the spot. This is our team's youngest hero."

  Apart from the 19 comrades who sacrificed their lives, in the past 35 years, over 200 frontline police officers have been seriously injured, with 96 cases of second-degree disability. I can tell you clearly that all the rumors you've heard are true. Our team is indeed very dangerous... Tian Miao Miao.

  The sudden call of her name made Tian Miao Miao stunned for a moment. However, she quickly reacted and answered loudly.

  Zhou Dui looked intently at Tian Miao Miao, his eyes sharp as a hungry wolf. Tian Miao Miao felt a bit guilty under his gaze. Just then, he continued to ask: "Our first team lost eight people last year and more than ten were seriously injured. As soon as we went out, we got shot - is this what you said?"

  "I'm telling you, I've heard of being forced to commit a crime, but never of being forced to be a cop. Now I'll give you proof, it's that dangerous. If you're really scared, you can take off your uniform and leave anytime. No one will stop you. Did you understand?"

  "Report, I understand." Tian Miao Miao gritted her teeth and replied with a sentence. Her small fist was clenched tightly, her finger bones were white from the pressure. In front of so many people, especially in front of Gong Qian, Zhou's words made it difficult for the proud Tian Miao Miao to save face.

  As expected, Gong Qian's soft mocking laughter was so piercing.

  Having said that, Zhou Bin closed his eyes, as if immersed in memories of the past. His originally cold face gradually had a hint of color. After a slight pause, Zhou Bin sternly looked at the four people in front of him and led them to the last window, pointing at the title saying:

  "Why is it called the South Wall? Because this is where criminals were hanged. Even after they were hung, their corpses would be flogged. Today's so-called education isn't about bragging to you about how great our team is, or how many heroes we've produced, or how many big cases we've cracked... The key point today is to let you see the 57 photos nailed up here. These are people who used to be police officers but were later cleared out, dismissed, sent to prison, and shot. A total of 57 people."

  Among them, some of the team leaders were also handcuffed and taken away by me personally from a large team. This is also the reason why there are no photos of some team leaders in the front window. Among them, there are those who have embezzled and accepted bribes, those who have broken the law and discipline, those who have secretly released suspects, those who have leaked secrets to the enemy, those who have served as protective umbrellas for criminals, and even those who have bullied people with their power and intentionally committed murder. These people are a shame to the large team.

  Today's team education is to let you remember their appearance, constantly reminding you not to make the same mistakes as them. Our big team's reputation is already bad enough, there have been too many black police officers.

  I don't care if someone among you will become a police inspector, superintendent or commissioner in the future. I don't care what position you'll end up in. I won't be envious. But under my command, you must listen to me. I don't expect you to achieve any merits or receive any awards. The credit of the whole team is enough. Look at those martyrs. Whether police or criminals, everyone only has one life. I don't want you to be heroes.

  I only hope that it is also the hope of all comrades in the big team. No matter if you are a policeman for one day or for a lifetime, when you ask yourself and feel that you have no regrets about this profession, no regrets about wearing this police uniform, then you are a good policeman, a true policeman.