Chapter Four: No One Will Call You Little Cheetah Anymore

What have I done?

Yu Dazhang truly couldn’t fathom what connection this police report had to him.

He stepped forward and picked up the paper documents on the table, frowning as he read, his eyes widening more and more.

Time: May 5, 2014, 9:27 a.m.

Reporter: Ms. Zhao.

Report content: At the intersection on the south side of People’s Park, someone was seen riding an elderly lady across the street.

Below was the reporter’s description of the suspect’s appearance: fat, notably fat, with a big round head and even a bowl haircut...

Isn’t that me? A chill ran through Yu Dazhang’s heart.

But he quickly regained his composure.

Words alone are not proof!

Who could say whether the reporter’s claims were true or false? Besides, the officers at the station went to the scene but couldn’t find the alleged victim.

Zhang Sen had already returned with the second team.

Indeed, the most crucial element was missing here... the elderly lady.

As long as the old lady couldn’t be found, the report was invalid.

Just a false alarm~

Yu Dazhang was about to breathe a sigh of relief when something dawned on him. He squeezed the paper in his hand.

No, this can’t be right!

Why is it so thick?

It’s just a single police report—how could there be so many pages?

He quickly flipped to the next page.

Time: 2014...

Reporter: Mr. Li.

He kept flipping rapidly.

Reporters: Ms. Qian, Mr. Liu, Mr. Chen, Ms. Zhou...

The reporting times were close together, and the contents were nearly identical, all revolving around that phrase: riding an elderly lady across the street.

When he reached the final page, Yu Dazhang’s eyes popped wide open.

There was a surveillance screenshot of the intersection, clearly capturing a large, fat man riding an elderly lady across the street!

One had to admit, the image looked quite imposing~

This is it!

The evidence is undeniable!!

Yu Dazhang’s grip loosened, and the papers scattered across the floor.

“I...” Only now did he realize how far he had gone.

Everything else could be explained away, but the damage this incident caused was tremendous!

Fortunately, he wasn’t in uniform, so there was still some room to maneuver. After all, the situation had been urgent, and he was acting in the line of duty.

Just as Yu Dazhang was at a loss for words, a commotion erupted at the entrance of the Third Squad.

Zhang Sen stormed in angrily, accompanied by a few members of the Second Squad trying to calm him down.

Though they appeared to be stopping Zhang Sen, it was all talk with no real action.

No need to guess—it was the Second Squad coming to demand an explanation.

Zhang Sen entered and immediately saw Yu Dazhang standing in the center of the room with a hopeless expression.

“Old Lu, this one’s with you, right?” Zhang Sen pointed at Yu Dazhang but looked at Lu Zhongxin.

“Little Sen, why call me Old Lu now? Don’t you usually call me Brother Lu?” Lu Zhongxin tried to change the subject with a strained smile.

“Our relationship is such that calling each other by first names would feel distant,” he explained.

Zhang Sen ignored Lu Zhongxin’s words and got straight to the point:

“Do you know what he did?!”

As he spoke, Zhang Sen glanced at the papers scattered on the floor, catching sight of the surveillance screenshot.

His face instantly turned ashen.

“Little Sen, little Sen, don’t get worked up,” Lu Zhongxin said anxiously, stepping forward to block Zhang Sen’s view.

“Just do me a favor and save face for Old Lu, will you?”

He no longer dared to call himself “Brother Lu”—just Old Lu would have to do, considering the trouble his apprentice had landed him in.

His face was a picture of bitter grievance, but now it bloomed into a smile.

He put on the best attitude, nearly bowing at a ninety-degree angle with hands clasped in front of him.

Yet Zhang Sen stood coldly, unmoved:

“So you’re saying this matter just ends here?”

This guy’s words could choke a man... Lu Zhongxin felt his head ache.

He knew exactly what Zhang Sen wanted: for Yu Dazhang to admit his mistake and apologize publicly.

But the problem was, as a probationary officer, Yu Dazhang couldn’t bear this fault.

If he was sent back to his previous internship, it would be difficult for him to rejoin the Criminal Investigation Division.

At first, Zhang Sen hadn’t taken the matter too seriously.

After all, he wasn’t injured, only a bit shaken, and the young man had been acting in the line of duty.

Though the method was inappropriate, it was somewhat understandable.

Moreover, when Zhang Sen and Yu Dazhang subdued the suspect, Lu Zhongxin and his team had just exited the park and hadn’t seen the crossing incident.

Zhang Sen didn’t want to say more and thought it best to let the matter drop.

But no sooner had they returned to the squad than whispers began circulating, deliberately kept just out of Zhang Sen’s hearing.

What infuriated Zhang Sen most was that these colleagues, normally friendly, would talk behind his back while sneaking glances at him.

Whenever he looked their way, they quickly turned away again.

Confused, Zhang Sen watched as a few colleagues couldn’t hold back their laughter.

Enough was enough!

I, Zhang Sen, stand tall and proud, upright in conduct and deed — yet you gossip behind my back?

Just as he slammed his fist on the table, ready to confront them, one of his closest colleagues stepped in to hold him back.

“Sen, calm down.”

He then explained about the reports filed by various people.

Upon hearing the matter had been leaked, Zhang Sen wanted to curse at those who called the police.

I never rode any of you! Why report it?!

Are you crazy?

If you saw it, just enjoy the spectacle instead of pretending to be righteous!

Now everyone knows!

Just as Zhang Sen contemplated asking the captain to suppress the matter, a colleague shared more news.

“By the way, your nickname...”

“What is it?” Zhang Sen snapped, irritated.

“Probably no one will call you Little Cheetah anymore.”

“Why not?” Zhang Sen’s unease grew.

“Because you have a new nickname.”

“What is it?” Zhang Sen braced himself.

“Mount Sen.”

Zhang Sen: ...

He stood stunned for half a minute before exploding.

“Bastards!”

He couldn’t hold back anymore. If he tolerated this, there’d be no place for him in the squad.

The Criminal Investigation Unit didn’t tolerate cowards.

Who would respect you without guts?

And so Zhang Sen stormed into the Third Squad in a fury...

Currently, the situation was deadlocked: Zhang Sen pressing forward step by step, Lu Zhongxin fiercely defending his protégé.

Neither side willing to concede an inch!

The Third Squad members, fearing the conflict would escalate, came out to mediate.

“We are all colleagues; we should forgive and forget.”

“Get lost!” Zhang Sen snapped.

“He means well, and you shouldn’t curse him even if you’re upset.”

“Get lost, too!” Zhang Sen shot back.

That shut down the conversation.

Just as tensions threatened to ignite a rift between the Second and Third Squads, the captain of the Criminal Investigation Second Squad, Liu Zhe, arrived.

Seeing him, Lu Zhongxin felt relieved.

They were all crafty veterans; they knew the game.

Let your subordinates vent first, then step in to smooth things over before matters spiral out of control.

That way, you save face and avoid falling out with the Third Squad.

A win-win situation.

Sure enough, Liu Zhe entered and gave Zhang Sen a stern look in front of everyone.

“Is no one able to control you? Handling personal disputes during work hours—even if justified—you must know when and where it’s appropriate!”

See, that’s skillful leadership: appearing to scold a subordinate, but actually framing the issue.

One, this is a personal matter unrelated to work.

Two, the justification lies with us.

Zhang Sen cooperated, lowering his head, looking repentant.

“All right, let’s drop it,” Liu Zhe said, taking the hint.

“I’m sure your people didn’t do it on purpose.”

Lu Zhongxin, seeing the opening, gave Yu Dazhang a meaningful glance.

The unspoken message: explain the situation, soften the tone. He trusted his apprentice would understand.

Receiving his mentor’s cue, the two locked eyes, as if sharing a secret, blinking in unison.

Just as Lu Zhongxin thought the matter was settled, Yu Dazhang stepped forward before the entire Second Squad, raised his head, and flared his nostrils at them:

“In all my life’s deeds, I owe no one an explanation!”

Liu Zhe: .

Lu Zhongxin’s vision darkened, a sharp pain twisting at his heart.

I told you to lower your head, and instead you’re putting on a show.

The show you’re putting on is far from good!