As dark clouds gathered overhead, Fang Zhenyue, Jiayi, and Sanfu recreated the crime scene with some of Officer O’s colleagues.
They followed the ambulance back to the hospital to clean, disinfect, and stitch the wounds of an injured robber. Afterwards, the robber was taken away by Officer O, and Fang Zhenyue drove Jiayi and Sanfu back to Baojin Bank to retrieve their car.
This time, Sanfu drove, with Fang Zhenyue in the passenger seat and Jiayi alone in the back.
For the first time, the jeep didn’t seem to fly, and Jiayi realized that it wasn’t the jeep’s power, but rather Fang Zhenyue’s heavy foot on the pedal that usually made the car dash fiercely.
Sanfu kept the speed steady at just over forty mph, gliding smoothly back to the station. As they walked from the parking lot towards the station’s entrance, rain suddenly began to pour.
The trio hurriedly sprinted, covering their heads just as they entered, only to be surrounded by a crowd.
Applause burst forth from all sides, and they looked up in surprise to see Madam, Uncle Jiu, Jiaming, Gary, Sister Yin, and other colleagues they knew—or didn’t know—rushing down to greet them.
“Ah, isn’t this Sergeant Fang, who was bravely injured while fighting four robbers? Why are you walking by yourself?” Madam called to Liu Jiaming and Gary, “Quick, help our valiant Sergeant from the major crimes unit!”
“Here we go~” Liu Jiaming and Gary immediately supported Fang Zhenyue on each side, clearing the way and pointing at the ground:
“Watch the step, Sir Fang.”
“Sir Fang, you looked so handsome on TV! That frown, so cool, and your impressive presence, tall and mighty, handsome and dashing!” Sister Yin waved her hands behind him as if she were at a concert.
“Hahaha…” The others around laughed heartily.
Fang Zhenyue turned back, giving Sister Yin a pained smile, looking as if he was about to die from embarrassment on the spot.
Jiayi and Sanfu tried to sneak away to Team B’s office, but Madam caught them:
“Oh my, isn’t this Detective Tan Sanfu, who bravely supported Sergeant Fang by charging into the bank at the first opportunity and even shot a robber armed with a submachine gun? Applause!”
Everyone immediately burst into applause with loud cheers. Sanfu, whether from embarrassment or sheer joy, blushed deeply, grinning so broadly that his eyes were barely visible. He seemed reluctant to leave, reveling in the honor, and found himself in a delightful dilemma.
“Brother Sanfu! Teach me how to be such a brave detective like you in the future!” an investigator from another CID team called out in a funny voice.
“Sure, sure,” Sanfu laughed heartily, waving his hand at him, prompting another round of laughter from everyone.
“What a great achievement, impressive!”
“When Sergeant Fang and Sanfu charged in, they looked so cool, I could hardly believe these were the familiar detectives among us! Normally so stylish and smart in solving cases. Who knew they’d be so cool on the battlefield too! My heart, my heart~” Sister Yin continued enthusiastically.
Finally overwhelmed, Sanfu waved his hands pleadingly, “Sister Yin, that’s too much praise, no one can handle that.”
“Hahaha…”
“Haha…”
The crowd erupted into laughter again.
“But, the most impressive has to be our administrative department’s transfer to your major case squad, the young Miss Yi! Jiayi is so formidable! It makes me want to be a gun-toting policewoman too,” Sister Yin clasped her hands to her heart dramatically.
“Sister Yin, you’re about to retire, your arms and legs are stiff, what gun are you going to hold?” someone teased her.
“It doesn’t stop me from dreaming, right? She’s really cool!” Sister Yin exclaimed.
“Yes! At the robbery scene, no one knew there were four robbers. The military police reported three, and we saw three armed robbers at the scene. Who would have expected such a cunning and ruthless fourth man? Wow, dressed in plain clothes, gun hidden under his attire, really unnoticeable!” a young detective from another team mimicked the plainclothes man, hiding his hand under his shirt:
“I was on edge watching that scene on TV! Oh my God!
“Did you see how Officer Yi Jiayi stood up, charged forward, quickly turned back to pick up the military police’s pistol, and then positioned herself, aimed, and shot? A series of movements, so cool and dashing that I drooled!”
“Wipe off your drool! She’s our Team B’s sharpshooter!” Madam laughed heartily, stretching her arms to embrace Jiayi, looking as if she would love to kiss her.
The usually capable corporate big sister suddenly seemed like an old witch.
“Yi Jiayi is so cool, I want to marry Yi Jiayi!” suddenly someone in the crowd shouted.
“Who’s howling like a wolf? Who dares to eye our Team B’s detective?” Fang Zhenyue, who was walking ahead and had just turned into the corridor, suddenly turned back and angrily asked.
“Hahaha, Brother Yue, the girl is all grown up, we can’t keep her.”
“Who’s making a fuss? Our Jiayi has very high standards!”
“Jiayi’s shooting skills are top-notch; if I were in that situation, I might be trembling too. If she missed, it would be over.”
“Haha, our Team B is full of sharpshooters!” Uncle Jiu said with a chuckle, waving his hands, “Alright, disperse, back to work.”
“Uncle Jiu, are you also good with a gun?”
“Of course, do you think my gun is just for show? I’ve also taken down many a villain!” Uncle Jiu nodded seriously, walking shoulder to shoulder back to the Team B office with Jiayi and Sanfu, turning to look at the young policewoman. His admiration and envy were so apparent they could not be concealed. He sighed, gently patting her shoulder, and exclaimed again:
“You can’t underestimate the younger generation of women.”
Jiayi smiled, showing off her pearly white teeth.
Eventually, everyone had their fill of watching the heroes return, dispersing to various floors and departments.
Qiu Sushan, hands on hips, was the last to leave. Watching the backs of Sanfu and Jiayi, she recalled how Chief Huang had called her into his office to praise Team B’s excellence, saying many kind words.
She couldn’t help but genuinely smile.
Entering the Team B office, Qiu Sushan took a deep breath and cheerfully announced:
“I’m covering lunch for the next week. Jiaming, you arrange it; make sure there’s no repetition. I’ll treat everyone to some hearty meals for a few days.”
“Wow, madam is really splurging!” Liu Jiaming’s eyes sparkled with excitement.
Qiu Sushan smiled but stood at the doorway, arms crossed, for a few seconds, her expression suddenly becoming serious.
Watching everyone crowd around Fang Zhenyue, asking him endless questions, she felt a pang of jealousy. After a while, she couldn’t hold back any longer:
“Patrick, be more careful next time. You didn’t even wear a bulletproof vest, just charged in, flesh and blood. I’m afraid you’ll die young.”
“I know.” Fang Zhenyue raised an eyebrow, “Even if I don’t value my own life, I still look out for Sanfu and Eleven. The confrontation started as soon as we faced off, immediately taking down one robber and injuring another, leaving only one ‘Black Star’ robber at full combat capacity. I figured there were many obstructions inside the bank, so I led Sanfu in.”
He paused, then smiled wryly, “I indeed didn’t expect there to be a fourth person.”
“In such situations, where you’re suddenly commanding in a crisis, nobody could have predicted that. You did better than anyone else could have, even if the Eagle King of the O police himself had led the chase, he might not have done better than you three.” Qiu Sushan pursed her lips, sometimes it’s just fate. In their line of work, even with thorough preparation and detailed investigation, outcomes can still be grim.
And sometimes, you might just stumble upon a fugitive while walking, and take them away with just handcuffs.
Whether it is a disaster or a blessing, death or life, it’s hard to say.
She wanted to criticize Fang Zhenyue for being reckless, yet she also wanted to praise him for his decisive and calm actions in the face of danger… her feelings were truly complicated.
Walking into the office and standing beside Yi Jiayi, she gently massaged Jiayi’s shoulders, “It’s a blessing for our Team B to have transferred Eleven over… Not only has he played a significant role in every case, but he also took care of the rear during the recent skirmish, protecting Patrick and Sanfu’s backs.”
“From now on, we have a bond forged through life and death!” Sanfu earnestly patted the other shoulder of Jiayi.
Once, during a dismemberment case when she was just a young policewoman being protected by her, Jiayi had now grown capable of protecting and saving him.
Jiayi extended her fist, Sanfu glanced at it and then burst into laughter, joining in the ceremonial fist bump with the young policewoman.
Jiayi looked up and shook her fist at Fang Zhenyue, who pursed his lips and curved them into a smile, extending his fist to bump back with hers.
Jiayi then turned to look at Uncle Jiu, Gary, Liu Jiaming, and madam.
Everyone thus participated in the juvenile ceremony, bumping fists with her one by one.
Despite feeling a bit embarrassed and childish when extending her fist, the warmth and emotion felt when withdrawing her fist into her other hand were undeniable.
From then on, they were all brothers and sisters, ready to trust each other with their lives.
…
Qiu Sushan also joined the three in front, as all members of Team B sat together, earnestly chatting.
Fang Zhenyue also shared with everyone the plans he had made under the emergency, and everything he had thought of at that time.
Sanfu had nothing much to say, he was impulsive, not thinking much, just following Brother Yue’s commands, taking a deep breath and getting to work.
Fang Zhenyue patted him on the shoulder, then turned to look at Yi Jiayi:
“How did you find out about the fourth person?”
“He walked past me, probably didn’t realize I was a police officer? After all, I was in plain clothes, unarmed, pressing on the injury on a chest, my eyes red, on the verge of crying…”
Jiayi touched her head sheepishly, “He didn’t kill me, but he walked past me, heading straight for the bank.”
Looking up at Fang Zhenyue, Jiayi pondered over the words she had prepared beforehand before speaking:
“At that time, everyone was running away, only that man in a grey shirt was walking towards the bank against the flow.”
“If he wasn’t one of ours, then he must have been a robber.”
Upon hearing this, everyone was moved.
“Eleven is so sharp and attentive to detail, truly impressive. If it were me, I’d probably just kneel there, listening to Officer Fang’s instructions and waiting for the ambulance, never noticing anything unusual.” Liu Jiaming clicked his tongue in admiration and nodded his praise.
In the room, except for Jiayi, six people stretched out six palms, each patting Jiayi on the shoulder in turn.
Jiayi has been patted on the shoulder ever since the case happened, receiving pats from people who complimented her at the scene. After returning, anyone she met also made sure to encourage and praise her with a pat.
And some didn’t stop at just one pat.
She wasn’t injured during the shootout with the robbers, but now her shoulders were turning blue and purple from all the patting.
“Remember to be at the police station by 9 a.m. tomorrow. I just got the message that the upper echelons have been in meetings all afternoon, and there will be a debriefing on the robbery case tomorrow morning. All three of you must attend.” Qiu Sushan stood up, ready to go back and write her report.
“Yes, madam,” the three responded.
“Let’s go to the forensic department now to assess the injuries, and I’ll apply for financial compensation for you. You should still enjoy the benefits you’re entitled to.” Qiu Sushan said as she walked out.
“Let’s go now.” Fang Zhenyue nodded, knowing that with the financial compensation, he could again treat his Team B team of food lovers well.
The three of them then stood up and walked out together.
As they turned toward the stairwell corridor, Qiu Sushan, who was at her office door, suddenly remembered something, called out to stop them, and asked loudly:
“Who was the gang leader Jiayi killed? Do you know?”
“Who?” asked Fang Zhenyue.
“Was it a notorious robber?” Three Fook.
“?” Jiayi looked confused.
“He was the first person to use a ‘Chicago typewriter’ submachine gun in Hong Kong four years ago.”
“At the Dinhuang jewelry store robbery, he held a gun in the street to cover his teammates’ escape, then single-handedly repelled the police and got away completely.”
Qiu Sushan, holding the door handle, said slowly and clearly:
“He was known as the ‘Robbery King of Hong Kong,’ Ye Yongqian.”
“People captured his image back then! It’s been talked about among the people for many years! The press has been saying recently that the police couldn’t catch Ye Yongqian, making shop owners feel unsafe. Many people still talk about it to this day, marveling at how fierce Ye Yongqian was… It was him?!” Sanfu exclaimed in shock: “Damn!”
“!” Fang Zhenyue’s pupils constricted, his shock pressing down his eyebrows.
“?” Only Jiayi looked puzzled. Who? Is he that impressive?