Reborn Cat Sheriff

Chapter 514 Poaching

When Zhao Zhigao heard that Zhao Zhigang had almost gotten into trouble on his way here, he beat him up on the spot.

Despite his weakened state due to drug withdrawal, the older brother still exerted considerable pressure on his younger brother. Zhao Zhigang dared not resist at all; of course, even if he wanted to, he was no match for Zhao Zhigao, and he ended up getting a severe beating.

After beating him up, Zhao Zhigao earnestly advised Zhao Zhigang that he must be careful in his work, that he must not be careless in handling cases, and that he must not bring shame to the identity of a policeman or the honor of his family of policemen.

Zhao Zhigang nodded to indicate that he had listened. Zhao Zhigao then praised him, saying that he had heard a lot about Zhao Zhigang, saying that his brother had grown up, become sensible, and capable, etc.

Zhao Zhigang was left speechless and ashamed by what Zhao Zhigao said, so he hugged Zhao Zhigao tightly and punched him hard on the back.

"When will you be able to come out? The team has reserved a spot for you! Ding Biao has been waiting for you to return, so you can't let everyone down."

Lei Hanqin then patted Zhao Zhigao on the shoulder.

Zhao Zhigao paused, shook his head, and calmly said, "There's no need to break the rules because of my situation! Captain Lei, I've already made up my mind. After I finish drug rehabilitation, I'll either find a job at the rehabilitation center or work at a police station or some other department. Hey! Don't make that face. Being a policeman doesn't matter where you are. And to be honest, I'm still a bit afraid of drugs right now. I really can't guarantee that I can resist their temptation 100% when I see them frequently in the future."

In the end, Zhao Zhigao sighed with a wry smile.

Drugs not only harm the body, but they can also manipulate the mind. These days, a large proportion of people who have successfully quit smoking still choose to relapse; how much more so would they relapse into drugs, which are even more addictive and tempting?

Regardless of the reason why a police officer is involved in drug use, even if he can still work as a police officer, he should be transferred away from drug-related positions. This is a fundamental principle that cannot be violated.

If a police officer becomes corrupted by drugs, the damage he can cause will be far more terrifying than that of an ordinary drug dealer.

"..."

Seeing Zhao Zhigao's resolute attitude, Lei Hanqin didn't know what else to say. He could only say dryly, "Even if you can't go on field missions, there are still many positions in the team where you can shine. So, Xiao Gao, there's really no need for you to hide so far away! To be honest, we all believe in you, and we believe that drugs can't defeat you! You come from a noble and strong police family. If you, Zhao Zhigao, were to really succumb to drugs, that would be a joke."

Zhao Zhigao shook his head again.

Others might not know, but surely he knew it himself? The allure of drug addiction wasn't something that could be easily overcome by mere words. Zhao Zhigao was confident in his present situation, but he dared not gamble on whether it would take advantage of him at some point in the future. Therefore, the best approach was to distance himself from it from this moment on, to cut off all possibilities that could lead to shame. Boss Nie had mentioned when he came over the day before yesterday that the police station could also crack down on drug dealers and punish crime, which had somewhat tempted him.

Lei Hanqin didn't press the matter, and shook his head with a smile, saying, "Tell me honestly, which people have come to you? Let me see which bastards are trying to poach my clients."

"Director Liu of Baimiao Police Station, Director Nie of Zhanghe Police Station, Director Cheng of Longquan Police Station, Director Ma of Shilizhen Police Station, Director Gu of the Drug Rehabilitation Center, Captain Shao of the Criminal Investigation Team, and Captain Guan of the Traffic Police Team..."

Zhao Zhigao held up his finger and chuckled, the more he talked, the uglier Lei Hanqin's face became.

Well, so all those bastards are eyeing this juicy piece of meat from my anti-drug squad, huh?

It's understandable that police stations, being at the grassroots level, lack excellent officers. But what the hell are Shao Yongkang and Guan Zhenzhong doing here? Are you two gluttons, trying to keep all the good stuff to yourselves?

But then he thought about it again, and realized that so many people were taking a liking to his subordinate, so Lei Hanqin felt a sense of pride. This showed that Zhao Zhigao's abilities were recognized by everyone, which was a greater honor for a policeman than anything else.

"And what is your decision?"

Lei Hanqin decided to respect Zhao Zhigao's opinion, since staying in the anti-drug squad would only allow him to take on sinecure or clerical work. For a young policeman eager for advancement, staying would indeed be a waste of his youth.

"I'm still thinking about it."

Zhao Zhigao didn't hide anything, saying softly, "The three major police stations in the city are actually quite good, and they can do a lot of things. The one in Shili Town is a bit easier, but Chief Ma, who is in charge, is about to retire, and he hopes I can take over his job to protect the town's safety. As for the criminal investigation team... hehe! To be honest, if I had to say which department is the most exciting for a police officer, it would definitely be the criminal investigation team. Compared to that, the traffic police team... well, checking for drunk driving is quite interesting too."

At the end, Zhao Zhigao chuckled, and Lei Hanqin couldn't help but laugh as well.

Traffic police certainly do more than just check for drunk driving; in some ways, their responsibilities are actually more complex and demanding than those of the municipal bureau. But when Zhao Zhigao brought this up, he was actually alluding to the issue of compensation.

Lei Hanqin knew Zhao Zhigao was joking, and he could tell from his words that he had no objection to working at the police station. Besides, the criminal investigation team was the most tempting, Shili Town offered promotions, the traffic police team had the best benefits, and the anti-drug center was still most relevant to his expertise. In short, every position was quite good, and Zhao Zhigao was very touched by everyone's high regard for him, hence his current hesitation.

"Aren't you considering working with your brother?"

Lei Hanqin's words made Lin Ge, who was on Zhao Zhigao's lap, lift his head. Would this guy really be so kind as to give such a talented person to the Zhanghe Police Station?

To Lin Ge's surprise, Zhao Zhigao shook his head and said, "Forget it! Zhanghe Police Station has Zhao Zhigang, that's enough. I'm afraid I'd want to beat him up every day if I went there. Besides, from what I know, the Zhanghe Police Station has the best security situation and the least challenge, so it's not very interesting. On the other hand, according to Chief Liu, Baimiao Police Station has the most complex situation and the highest challenge. So if I really have to be a grassroots police officer, I'd consider Baimiao Police Station. Hmm… Longquan Police Station is out of the question. It's all troublesome, headache-inducing trivial matters there, and I really don't want to deal with all the networking and connections."

Lei Hanqin nodded.

He knew there was some truth to Zhao Zhigao's words; indeed, the more prosperous the area, the more complex the interpersonal relationships became. Even if the police enforced the law impartially, they could easily become overwhelmed by various pleas for leniency.

At this point, Lei Hanqin even recalled his experiences in Changshi these past few days.

Yixinda's involvement in the case and the direct closure of its factory have added a lot of trouble to the chemical industrial park. It is said that the Changshi Economic Development Zone is in a rather sorry state, and some people are even pleading for Yixinda. In short, it's all a mess.

"Hey! Are you really not considering Zhanghe Police Station? We're actually really short-staffed there. Nie Guoqiang is so bored that he created a criminal investigation team to give himself a lot more work, which has resulted in a severe shortage of manpower at the station. If you go there, you definitely won't have to worry about work."

Lin Ge suddenly tugged at Zhao Zhigao's arm.

"I'd love to continue working with you! But there's nothing I can do; it's not like I can make the decision myself."

Zhao Zhigao tapped Lin Ge on the head and then explained, "Director Liu of Baimiao Police Station promised me a position as a security captain, which is practically a promotion, and it's respectable on the surface. Of course, that's not the point, and I didn't agree to it. The real point is, I like things that are more challenging! Right? Otherwise, I wouldn't have gone undercover in a drug cartel. Zhanghe Police Station and the Zhanghe jurisdiction have been trained too well by Director Nie; they're not challenging for me anymore."

"You're just bored out of your mind!"

Lin Ge didn't want to offer any more advice, mainly because Zhao Zhigao was clearly very opinionated. Despite his explanations to Lei Hanqin, he had already made his choice, and further words from others were meaningless.

Lei Hanqin didn't say anything more, after all, he knew Zhao Zhigao just as well.

As if on cue, a police car pulled up at the entrance of the drug rehabilitation center, and Liu Shengyou and Nie Guoqiang jumped out at the same time. Liu Shengyou, looking furious, slammed the car door shut, ignoring Nie Guoqiang who limped out of the passenger seat. He simply squinted at the gate post, registered the information, and then walked towards Zhao Zhigao with a smile.

"Hey! It's rare to see you out in the sun today, you look to be recovering well! Xiao Zhao, what do you think about what I told you last time? I'm entrusting all the case-related tasks of the entire Baimiao Police Station to you, isn't that a good enough promise?"

Liu Shengyou didn't hide anything, saying that it was enough to be upfront about kidnapping people. Hiding things and tricking people into going would only lead to future discord and a lack of mutual respect. Besides, he had genuinely shown the utmost sincerity from the Baimiao Police Station, and if Zhao Zhigao was still unsatisfied, there was nothing he could do. After all, it was just a small local police station; police officers with dreams and goals wouldn't even look at such a run-down place, which was something they were used to.

"Liu Shengyou, can't you see me, huh?"

Seeing Zhao Zhigao struggling with how to refuse, and Liu Shengyou completely ignoring him, Lei Hanqin couldn't help but laugh in anger. Zhao Zhigao was still officially under his command, and this bastard was actually trying to steal him right in front of him?

"Hey! Isn't this Captain Lei? What, you want to break policy and take Zhao Zhigao back? Or are you going to get him an office so he can play on the computer and his phone all day to kill time? Don't be ridiculous! From the moment you sent him undercover, it was destined that Zhao Zhigao couldn't stay in the Narcotics Control Unit, okay? You bastards really don't treat the police like human beings. You think they're all just expendable resources, used up and replaced with new ones? Little Zhao, don't pay any attention to this guy. He's ruthless towards you, you understand?"

Liu Shengyou relentlessly mocked and ridiculed Lei Hanqin, showing him no respect whatsoever.

In some ways, Liu Shengyou had reason to complain. The local police station was small and had low status; getting a capable officer there required begging and pleading. And the anti-drug squad? They used their best officers as undercover agents, as expendable resources. How could Liu Shengyou not feel heartbroken? If they hadn't wasted one less expendable officer, he might have been able to support the entire police station! Those like Zhao Zhigao who recovered were fortunate; what about those who were injured, disabled, or even killed? Who could they complain to? They dedicated their lives to fighting domestic drugs, only to be forced to retire from the front lines at such a young age. Who could accept that?
"Old Liu, don't exaggerate like that. Aren't we here to solve the case and arrest all those rats? Do you think I want to see them get into trouble? Every time I send out an undercover agent, it feels like my heart is being torn apart, you know? Besides, have you been watching too many TV dramas? In all these years in Zhangzhou, how many drug lords are worthy of me sending undercover agents? Even if you want to belittle me, give me some solid evidence, okay?"

In the end, Lei Hanqin also lost his temper. He knew that Liu Shengyou was deliberately putting him down so that Zhao Zhigao would go with him, but Liu Shengyou's words were just too harsh.

Liu Shengyou rolled his eyes and fell silent.

He wasn't there to argue with Lei Hanqin. He had already achieved his goal, proving that he was willing to fall out with someone of a higher rank, even Zhao Zhigao's former boss, in order to win over Zhao Zhigao. That was enough.

"That old bastard is still so cunning and shameless! If Nie Guoqiang could learn even half of his ability to swallow insults, the Zhanghe Police Station would be the kingpin of Zhang City right now, and the Longquan Police Station wouldn't stand a chance!"

Lin Ge jumped off Zhao Zhigao, sighing as he looked at Nie Guoqiang, who was talking to Zhao Zhigang not far away.

This guy didn't seem to be in a hurry at all, and even had the leisure to ask Zhao Zhigang about the specifics of this trip to Changshi. As he spoke, he kept glancing in Lin Ge's direction, making Lin Ge feel a little guilty and quickly move further inside.

It's not that I did anything wrong!
The main reason is that he previously forced Nie Guoqiang to return to Zhangzhou City under the pretext of Nie Guoqiang's poor health. If Zhao Zhigang were to complain now that he himself was also all bark and no bite, who knows how Nie would retaliate or deal with him.

As if on cue, Nie Guoqiang, who had just finished talking with Zhao Zhigang, finally walked over with a serious face.

His leg looks much better than it did a few days ago; I wonder if it's because the physiotherapist he frequents is more skilled. However, he still walks with a slight limp, and occasionally he gasps for breath as if a nerve is being pulled.

"Is Director Nie here to poach my Zhao Zhigao too?"

Lei Hanqin was in a bad mood at the moment, mainly because he had been thoroughly rebuked by Liu Shengyou, so his attitude towards Nie Guoqiang was also rather indifferent.

Lin Ge obediently walked over to Nie Guoqiang and rubbed against his leg, indicating that all previous disputes were over with this 'apology.' He threatened that if Nie Guoqiang dared to hold a grudge, he would definitely make him pay.

"Mimi, go see Jiang Yan'er in a few days. She needs to see you about something. Then come with me later. What do the anti-drug squad need you to do?"

Nie Guoqiang spoke to Lin Ge first, then turned to Lei Hanqin and smiled, "My family is small, and I'm just here with Lao Liu to take care of something. If Zhao Zhigao is willing to come, I'll welcome him warmly. If he has a better place to go, I'll be happy for him too. So, let's leave Zhao Zhigao's matter here. You, Lei, when you have time, talk to me about what you promised me back then? Did you really not take other people's police cats seriously? You're exhausted like this and you still dare to lash out at me?"

"..."

Lei Hanqin was speechless for a moment, and feeling somewhat guilty, he could no longer utter any words of criticism against Nie Guoqiang.

He knew, of course, that Mimi had been working incredibly hard lately, taking naps as soon as she finished her chores each day; she was clearly exhausted. But what could he do? He was busy too, how could he possibly have time to babysit a cat?
Nie Guoqiang shook his head, glanced at Zhao Zhigao again, and said, "Forget it, I won't argue with you too much. But if there's any work in the future that requires my Mimi's help, then it will depend on your sincerity and attitude."

Zhao Zhigao immediately understood that look.

Thinking about how amazing and incredible Mimi was, and then looking at his boss's awkward expression, Zhao Zhigao immediately understood what kind of plan Nie Guoqiang was using to recruit him.

If you want Mimi to help the anti-drug squad again in the future, then it depends on your sincerity, right?
Ha ha……

Zhao Zhigao shook his head inwardly.

Lei Hanqin quickly reacted, his eyes widening as he said, "Nie Guoqiang, aren't you shameless? Let's keep business to ourselves. What do you mean by bullying my Zhao Zhigao here?"

"That's right! You surnamed Nie, that's not what you said in the car! Didn't you say you gave up on Zhao Zhigao? You were lying to me, weren't you?"

Liu Shengyou stared wide-eyed at Nie Guoqiang, this despicable scoundrel, and gritted his teeth, saying, "You're using a cat as bait? How dare you? So you'd rather work your cat to death than not find Zhao Zhigao?"

After saying that, Liu Shengyou's eyes darted around, and he suddenly bent down and picked up Lin Ge, who was watching the melon-eating on him: "Mimi, come with me! Nie Guoqiang doesn't take you seriously, but he'll treat you like royalty at my Baimiao Police Station! Nie Guoqiang wants Zhao Zhigao but not you, so I want you! Let me tell you, this time I'm completely prepared. The station has built a house especially for you! You can choose any kind of trainer you want! Or if you just nod, Sun Chang and that girl Li Siyu from Zhanghe Police Station, right? I'll get them all back to Baimiao Police Station for you! Pshaw! You blind fool, Mimi is the real treasure! If you want Zhao Zhigao, then give me Mimi!"

As he spoke, Liu Shengyou ignored Lin Ge's wide-eyed struggles, hugged him tightly, and turned to leave.

"Ow!"

Lin Ge struggled fiercely, furious, but Liu Shengyou, that bastard, seemed determined not to let go. Lin Ge couldn't really hurt him, so he could only scream as Liu Shengyou dragged him out of the drug rehabilitation center.

When they passed by Zhao Zhigang, that bastard was a coward and didn't dare to step forward to help, letting Liu Shengyou drive away.

"..."

Speechless, Zhao Zhigao stared blankly at the scene.

But Lei Hanqin suddenly realized something.

Damn it, Liu Shengyou and Nie Guoqiang have teamed up! They're putting on a show here to get Zhao Zhigao to Zhanghe Police Station!

(End of this chapter)