250: Chapter 250: Don't even think about taking anything until the time is up.
Captain Li Liang's arrogant attitude immediately caused everyone at the Qinghe Police Station to feel a sense of repulsion.
Everyone also knew that Lei Zhen had a long-standing conflict with this deputy captain, and they knew that he had become a deputy captain of the Criminal Investigation Team in his early 30s, making him notoriously overbearing within the Municipal Bureau.
Since Deputy Director Xu Hong happened to be present at the time, he hurried out to receive them.
Captain Li Liang was wearing the uniform of a first-class police superintendent with two bars and three stars, while Xu Hong had two bars and two stars, a full rank lower than Captain Li Liang.
After all, the hierarchy within the police force was very clear, and insubordination could lead to disciplinary action. Thus, seeing the other man shouting domineeringly outside the door, Xu Hong could only approach with a smile to greet him.
“Oh, Captain Li, long time no see. What brings you to our Qinghe today?”
Xu Hong was actually playing dumb on purpose; everyone knew exactly what this deputy captain was here for.
Captain Li Liang glanced at Xu Hong. “Where's Lei Zhen?”
“Lei Zhen?” Xu Hong acted surprised. “I don't know. He was here just a moment ago. Are you looking for him, Captain Li?”
Captain Li Liang didn't beat around the bush. “I'm here to collect the case files. Where is that so-called temporary Special Task Force of yours?”
As he spoke, he looked around the premises.
“Case files? How come I don't know about this?”
Xu Hong continued to play dumb and avoided answering the question. “Why don't you come in and have a seat, Captain Li? I'll help you find where Lei Zhen is.”
Just then, Sister Chen, who was behind Xu Hong, chimed in, “Director Xu, I just saw Lei Zhen go out to walk his dog.”
“Walking a dog?” Captain Li Liang was stunned. “Lei Zhen went to walk a dog?”
Xu Hong smiled. “How about I give him a call right now?”
“No need.” Captain Li Liang waved his hand dismissively. “Just take me directly to the Special Task Force and hand the materials over to me.”
Xu Hong frowned and said, “Well... since Lei Zhen isn't here, perhaps it's better to wait until he returns?”
At that moment, a loud voice rang out: “Captain Li, I know where the Special Task Force is. I'll take you there.”
Xu Hong turned around and saw Zhou Hang striding toward them.
Xu Hong tried to signal him with his eyes, but the other man completely ignored him.
Zhou Hang walked up to Captain Li Liang and took the initiative to shake hands. “Captain Li, I'm Lei Zhen's colleague. I'll lead the way.”
Captain Li Liang paused for a second. With the keen intuition he had developed over years of being a cop, he could tell at a glance that this guy likely didn't get along with Lei Zhen.
“Alright, then I'll have to trouble you, young comrade.”
And so, Zhou Hang actually led the seven or eight officers from the Criminal Investigation Team upstairs.
The rest of the people in the Police Station also came out to watch the commotion.
“Isn't it not time yet?”
“Yeah, wasn't it agreed to be 12 o'clock? There's still over half an hour left.”
“It's obvious that Captain Li Liang, having made a huge fool of himself over the Sulfuric Acid Truck Case earlier, has been looking for a chance to come here and throw his weight around.”
“Didn't you see? Seven people in five police cars—he's clearly desperate for everyone to know that Lei Zhen failed!”
Zhou Hang led the group to the door of an office at the far end of the second floor. This used to be a storage room, but after Lei Zhen formed the Special Task Force, it became their office.
Zhou Hang didn't even bother knocking; he just pushed the office door wide open.
Inside, several people were sitting haphazardly. They were all taken aback to see so many people suddenly appear at the door.
They were especially startled to see that the person in the lead was a first-class police superintendent with two bars and three stars.
Captain Li Liang strode in and announced loudly, “Everyone, stay where you are and don't move. Xiao Fan, you and the others go in and take all the materials related to the Poisoning Case.”
As soon as he finished speaking, Zhu Xiaojun, who had been lying on the sofa, jumped up and blocked their path.
“What do you think you're doing?”
Captain Li Liang glanced at Zhu Xiaojun. “What are we doing? We are from the Municipal Criminal Investigation Team's 919 Poisoning Case Special Task Force. From this moment on, the Municipal Criminal Investigation Team is taking full control of the 919 Case. Your so-called Special Task Force can disband now.”
At that moment, Gu傾城 also stood up from her chair and walked directly over to Captain Li Liang.
“Captain Li, I'm afraid you've arrived a bit early. It's not twelve o'clock yet.”
Although Captain Li Liang had seen Gu傾城 before, he didn't know about her relationship with Gu Wenhai and assumed she was just Lei Zhen's partner.
Seeing a rookie policewoman dare to challenge him, a deputy captain of the Municipal Criminal Investigation Team, Captain Li Liang's brow furrowed.
“It's only half an hour's difference; what does it matter? Your partner has already run off to walk his dog. What's the point of holding out for this little bit of time?”
After saying that, he waved his hand. “Move out, quickly.”
However, at this point, Zheng Honglin and several other Auxiliary Police Officers also came forward to block Captain Li Liang's group.
“The time isn't up; you cannot take anything away early.”
The group formed a human wall, firmly keeping Captain Li Liang and the detectives beside him out.
“Are you people rebelling?” Captain Li Liang was furious. He pointed at his shoulder epaulettes and shouted, “Look closely! My police rank is one level higher than your Deputy Director's. You're just a few lowly Third-Class Police Supervisors—how dare you block me?”
Gu傾城 retorted loudly, “I don't care what your rank is; that doesn't work here. Until the time is up, don't think about taking anything!”
“You're really challenging me, aren't you?” Captain Li Liang grew even angrier. He thought to himself that it was one thing for Lei Zhen to act high and mighty in front of him, but how did these nobodies dare to be so insolent?
“Seize it!!” Captain Li Liang ordered loudly, and the detectives behind him lunged forward.
The two sides immediately began scuffling and shoving.
Outside the door, Zhou Hang watched the scene with a look of pure schadenfreude.
Just then, his cousin Zhou Sheng was also drawn by the commotion upstairs and came up the stairs.
“What's going on inside?” Zhou Sheng asked.
“Hahahaha,” Zhou Hang laughed heartily. “The people from the Municipal Criminal Investigation Team are here to snatch the case files, but those guys won't give them up. They're about to start a brawl.”
Gu傾城 still managed to keep a relatively cool head and think.
After all, a physical conflict would be bad for everyone. Captain Li Liang was a superior officer; if they fought him, Zhu Xiaojun and Zheng Honglin might lose their jobs.
So, Gu傾城 quickly stepped in to stop it.
“Everyone, don't be impulsive! I'm calling the Director right now,” Gu傾城 shouted.
Everyone was stunned, and the scene instantly fell silent.
“The Director? You're calling the Director?” Captain Li Liang's eyes widened. “What's your relationship with the Director? You think he'll pick up your call?”
Gu傾城 didn't answer him. She simply pulled out her phone and dialed a number.
“Director Gu, this is Officer Gu傾城 from the Qinghe Police Station. I want to ask about the 919 Poisoning Case. Captain Wan promised that if we didn't solve the case by 12 o'clock today, the files would be handed over to the Municipal Bureau. However, there are still 28 minutes until 12 o'clock. Does the Municipal Criminal Investigation Team have the right to forcibly seize the files?”
“Yes, our position is that they must be handed over only when the time is up. Not even a second early.”
“That's right, Captain Li himself brought people to snatch them. Why don't you have a word with him?”
Then, Gu傾城 handed the phone to Captain Li Liang.
Captain Li Liang took it skeptically.
“Li Liang, what's your rush when the time isn't up? Forcibly seizing case files—are you a bandit or a police officer? Is Captain Wan's promise just hot air to you?”
Captain Li Liang was terrified and quickly explained, “Di... Director, I didn't mean it like that. When I arrived, Lei Zhen had already gone out to walk his dog. He's given up himself, so I thought I'd just take the files a bit early...”
“Don't give me excuses. Wait right there. Until it's 12 o'clock, you aren't allowed to step foot inside the Qinghe Special Task Force's office.”
Gu Wenhai's voice was very loud, and everyone present heard him clearly.
Gu傾城 snatched her phone back. “Now, could you please step outside?”