In the name of supernatural powers

Chapter 216 Liu Wuhou is short of breath, but I am full of energy (Thanks to Young Master Su for the Silver Alliance).
After about an hour of discussion with Lu Zhao, Zhou Wanhua finished writing the report.

The gist of the story is that the brave and astute captain of the criminal investigation team of the Nantie District Public Security Bureau risked his life to infiltrate the Bang District to investigate. By merging the organ case with the black supplement case, he successfully made significant progress, made contact with the mastermind behind the scenes, and exposed the gray industry that had long been entrenched in Cangwu City.

The entire report was essentially a one-man show by Zhou Wanhua.

As Comrade Zhou listened to Lu Zhao read aloud, his face flushed, and he said, "Brother Lu, how about we revise it again and add you in as well?"

Although I deserve the credit, I shouldn't exaggerate it to the extreme.

Lu Zhao asked, "I wasn't traveling with you, so how can I be credited for using my connections to get you out?"

"Uh... you could say you've been a huge help to me."

Lu Zhao shook his head and refused, saying, "There's no need. Just answer truthfully. Besides, writing it this way will better highlight your importance."

He saved Zhou Wanhua's life, but the case was indeed driven by him. This included discovering the black supplement, conducting numerous investigations along the way, and ultimately entering the Bang District alone.

In evaluating merits, the division of responsibilities determines the value of contributions.

As a member of the special counter-terrorism unit, investigating cases was not Lu Zhao's responsibility, and his authority was not as high as Zhou Wanhua's. He could not possibly steal the credit from the other party.

Rather than getting involved myself, it would be better to give all the credit to Zhou Wanhua alone; that way, he would at least receive a second-class merit.

Giving this like-minded classmate a helping hand now might come in handy in the future.

Factions are not strictly hierarchical subordinate relationships. Power dependence is a strong bond, and shared interests are a driving force, but ultimately, a sense of identity is still needed.

"If the black supplement is investigated and dealt with in the future, you might be awarded a first-class merit."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Wanhua understood immediately and said solemnly, "Thank you, Brother Lu."

The words were short but meaningful. Lu Zhao pulled him this time, which would allow him to gain fewer years of seniority.

This also increases the success rate of reaching higher levels.

The higher the position, the more resources one has, and the more free time one has. This positive cycle continues, naturally allowing one to reach higher levels of life development.

There is a positive correlation between job position and life development level. To obtain more resources, you need to be promoted, and job promotion is strongly correlated with life development.

The same position can be very different when you reach it at thirty versus forty. Every extra year you endure means you lose a portion of your resources each year.

Lu Zhao took the report and said, "You rest first, I'll hand it over to the supervisor later."

Zhou Wanhua was taken aback for a moment, then asked, "Shouldn't we report it directly to the Daozheng Bureau?"

Logically speaking, a case of this caliber should at least be handled by the Commander-in-Chief for it to be effective.

Lu Zhao replied seriously, "Procedures must always be followed; one cannot take it for granted that connections are a given."

Zhou Wanhua gave a thumbs up and said, "Brother Lu, I'm truly impressed. You're extremely disciplined."

He retracted his preconceived notion that Lu Zhao was a crony; Lu Zhao remained the same 'conservative' who strictly adhered to the rules in class.

The professor from the cadre academy's description is indeed apt.

Lu Zhao is the kind of person who is not likable, but is someone that everyone needs.

"You should take good care of yourself."

Lu Zhao left the ward with the report in his hand. The moment he stepped out of the ward, a cold glint flashed in his phoenix eyes.

According to procedure, the report should be submitted to the Directorate General of Public Security or the Special Countermeasures Team, rather than to the Superintendent General.

Lu Zhao had had enough of the investigation that cut off the beginning and end.

From Lin Zhiyan's words, we know that Chief Liu was not prepared to fully crack down on the black supplements, or rather, he did not intend to make a big fuss about it.

Whether it was the initial appearance of black supplements or the recent handling of those who turned themselves in.

Lu Zhao and the others knew there was a problem, but they had no authority to investigate further.

For example, summoning the director of the General Supply and Marketing Cooperative, regional heads of Wuliangye Pharmaceutical Company, and even entering the production workshop.

They have no authority over these matters, nor can they obtain permission from the Daozheng Bureau.

If this is reported, Chief Liu might use it as an excuse to send someone to blow up the Fountain of Youth, and then kick the Director-General of Dali to death.

It could also be used for exchange, for example, for the Chief of the Dali Prefecture.

Going to the Fountain of Youth for treatment, to a serious degree, violates disciplinary rules and could result in dismissal from public office. Further investigation would then be conducted to determine if any quid pro quo or embezzlement occurred, and criminal charges would then be pursued.

Generally speaking, almost no official can withstand investigation.

This is one foot inside the door and one foot outside the door.

The people closest to the prison are officials, and the thing most similar to handcuffs is an official's hat.

Lu Zhao disliked being a pawn to be manipulated.

Since Chief Liu is unwilling to investigate, he can only obtain the results he wants within the limits of his power.

Mastering the momentum, guiding events in the direction you desire, and exerting maximum influence only in specific areas.

Do not judge success or failure by winning or losing, nor judge the future by success or failure.

It doesn't matter if the case is interrupted; the important thing is whether the objective has been achieved.

Putting aside the black tonic, this isn't an isolated case, but rather a state of affairs.

First, we should expand the scope of the Dali Chief's personal problems. If we can investigate him, then the investigation will extend to the beauty salon.

Liu Hanwen doesn't want to do it, but I'll do it anyway!
Special Counter-Strike Force Commander's Office.

Tu Bin was taking a life supplement and assuming a posture similar to Tai Chi to aid digestion and metabolism.

As the commander of the Cangwu Special Counter-Strike Force, his duties included inspecting the work of the detachment, personnel and administrative management, equipment upgrade planning, and so on.

Firstly, it doesn't happen every day, and secondly, there are advisors to handle it.

Unless there are special circumstances, the higher the position, the more free time one has.

For example, Liu Hao needs to take over the team from Chief Liu, so he is much busier than others and needs to cultivate his governing ability in advance.

Even if he advances to the fifth rank, he will normally continue to serve as a secretary. The only change will be that he will have one more seat in the Dao Political Bureau.

Once Chief Liu retires, he will automatically take over as Chief or Deputy Chief.

However, in the past two years, it seems that some people in the Wude Hall have proposed that officials be transferred to other locations to curb factionalism.

Boom boom boom!
There was a knock on the door, but Tu Bin didn't stop what he was doing and said, "Come in."

The door opened, and Lu Zhao walked into the office. Seeing that Tu Bin seemed to be developing life, he took a step back.

"Reporting, Lu Zhao, commander of the Ninth Detachment, reporting for duty."

"Don't be so formal, what happened?"

Tu Bin did not stop what he was doing.

There are many rules in the military, but if you know each other well, you don't need to be so strict.

Simply reciting slogans in a rigid, formulaic way is too boring.

Lu Zhao said, "A friend of mine was injured while investigating a case involving illegal supplements and wants to be admitted to the General Corps Military Region Hospital."

"I'll write you a note later."

Tu Bin suddenly paused, turned his head and asked curiously, "Why are you still investigating this case?"

Logically speaking, it should have stopped last week.

The relevant personnel surrendered themselves, the problem was thoroughly investigated, and then the case was closed, resulting in a happy ending for everyone.

While there are certainly many shady dealings involved, it's not advisable to delve too deeply into the financial supplement issue. Firstly, the Liu faction doesn't intend to offend major taxpayers like the distillery, and secondly, new technologies have emerged at Wuliangye.

Everyone's arguing about the new technology right now.

But things can't be said outright, and many things can't be discussed openly. Restricting the task force's authority is a way of making a statement.

Lu Zhao replied, "During the investigation of the organ harvesting case, we also discovered illegal high-grade life supplements. Can't we investigate Uncle Tu's case?"

The first half of the sentence is an answer, and the second half is a test.

Tu Bin hesitated for a moment, then said, "We're all on the same side, so I won't lie to you. Marquis Liu really doesn't intend to investigate this matter further."

Lu Zhao asked, "Can't we dig any deeper?" Tu Bin shook his head and said, "No, this is a critical moment. Chief Liu doesn't want to offend those pharmaceutical companies."

"At a critical moment?"

"The Wuhou Conference in the middle of the year."

Lu Zhao looked enlightened.

The Wuhou Conference, held every six years, is the highest decision-making conference of the Federation.

The last Wuhou Conference delegated military power to lower levels, strengthening local autonomy and flexibility.

The border garrison troops were one such product.

An economic rationing system was established, and life supplements could only be supplied to official units.

The restrictions on beef and many other products indirectly created a large number of giant corporations.

In terms of industry, Nankaido was developed into a major rear base to ensure that the Federation's most basic production was not disrupted.

In those six years, the federal chief changed every time, but the Wuhou Conference's votes continued to follow the policy.

In terms of overall direction, the vote at the Wuhou Conference takes precedence over everything else.

Lu Zhao ignored the conference and couldn't help but reflect:
'I was too focused on the present, always trying to grasp the details, and forgetting the bigger picture.'

No one is perfect, and nothing is ever perfect.

Remember this mistake to prevent repeating it in the future.

Tu Bin, who was outspoken, continued punching as he said, "The relocation of industry will inevitably go through those giant enterprises. We are not afraid of one pharmaceutical company, but we are afraid of them joining forces."

"So we can't provoke the pharmaceutical companies now, but the fact that Chief Liu didn't tell you to stop directly means he still intends for you to investigate."

Chief Liu doesn't want to dig deeper, but he wants me to investigate. Does he want me to target the Chen faction, but not to touch the pharmaceutical companies?

Lu Zhao understood, but had no intention of complying.

At the very least, we need to get rid of the Dali Chief.

September 3242, 6…

Tu Bin asked, "How's the new regulation going on your end?"

Lu Zhao replied, "We've made some adjustments, but the specific results will depend on the mission. We need to make sure a few people die, or at least fewer people die, before we can reach a consensus."

Rules can only constrain behavior; only life and death can teach people how to do things.

Tu Bin laughed and said, "They are the ones who complete the task excellently, and even if you criticize them for individual heroism, it won't have any effect."

Lu Zhaodao said, "Those who act arbitrarily and unilaterally will only be punished, not rewarded. Rewarding wrongdoing will only encourage unhealthy tendencies."

"That's true, but if they cause trouble, I won't protect you to the death. You'd better control the situation yourself."

Tu Bin did not stop or refute.

According to regulations, Lu Zhao's actions were not wrong; the military should prioritize orders.

However, there is always a discrepancy between the system and reality, and extraordinary forces can amplify this discrepancy.

The emergence of the special troop type, "General/Soldier," is due to the continuous development and iteration of life skills, resulting in an increasing number of extraordinary individuals in the army.

If every superhuman adhered to military regulations, that would be ideal. Tu Bin estimated that the casualty rate could be reduced to 5%, a full 50% decrease.

But soldiers aren't pre-written programs, so implementing them is extremely difficult. Many problems weren't only noticed by Lu Zhao; it's just that no one wanted to put in the effort for no reward.

Tu Bin stopped talking about it. After finishing his set of punches, he took a document from his desk and gave it to Lu Zhao.

"This is the promotional campaign I told you about before."

[Regarding the organization and implementation of cultural and artistic propaganda by special counter-terrorism units]

Strengthening military camp culture, boosting the fighting spirit of officers and soldiers, enriching their cultural life in conjunction with daily rest and training tasks, and improving the military's social image...

Lu Zhao glanced at it; the gist was that they wanted to invite a group of actors and celebrities to the special counter-terrorism unit's camp to record a program and improve the public's image of the special counter-terrorism unit.

"Commander Tu, may I refuse?"

"No! That's an order."

Tu Bin flatly rejected Lu Zhao's request without even asking why.

Because of their physical supernatural abilities, the special agents all have a somewhat fierce and menacing appearance.

His image has been poor over the years, especially his suppression of the national uprising, which left him with a reputation for being bloodthirsty.

If this continues, the outside world will start to see them as ruthless killers.

Even Chief Liu sometimes has to remind himself of this.

"Little Tu, even though your surname is Tu, there's no need to make the special operations force so aggressive. Our ultimate goal is to protect the people of China."

Is it right to treat me like a butcher?
Tu Bin grabbed Lu Zhao's shoulder and said fiercely, "You have to show your face, or I'll tie you up."

“You’ve been on camera before, so continuing to appear on camera now can help maintain your popularity, which will be helpful for your selection as an advanced cadre and outstanding young cadre.”

Lu Zhao was still somewhat reluctant when he said, "Wouldn't that just make me a pretty face?"

Perhaps it was a rebellious mentality, but because of the good or bad things that had always happened to him since childhood, Lu Zhao was reluctant to show his face in public.

"What a load of rubbish! Doesn't public opinion matter? Where do you place the people?"

Tu Bin angrily rebuked: "The assessment of cadres is based on four aspects: political quality, work performance, career development, and public opinion, with public opinion accounting for 20%."

Lu Zhao was speechless.

That makes perfect sense. In the modern cadre selection system, officials with a good public image are more likely to get promoted.

There are no strict requirements regarding the appearance of officials; the federal government prioritizes performance. However, to date, no publicly recognized official has been exceptionally ugly.

Being born with physical deformities precluded his career in government.

This has been true since ancient times.

Lu Zhao had no choice but to accept the task despite his reluctance.

He stated beforehand, "If the program's demands are too excessive, I may not cooperate."

"That brat actually tried to bargain with me."

Tu Bin laughed and scolded, "You should know your limits. You're a powerful official now."
-
Half an hour later, Lu Zhao left with the note approved by Tu Bin and handed it to Zhang Hong.

Zhang Hongdao said, "He needs to rest for at least a month, and we'll see if he can be discharged then."

In the afternoon, Lu Zhao left the Special Counter-Strike Force General Hospital and returned to the Ninth Detachment of the Nantie District, stopping along the way to help Zhou Wanhua apply for leave.

He then returned to the branch headquarters and finally got through to the Nankaido Provincial Supervisory Commissioner.

"Hello, I am Lu Zhao, the commander of the Ninth Detachment of the Internal Security Force of the Special Counter-Strike Force. Please transfer me to the Director-General's office."

"Okay, I'll transfer you now."

A rather stern female voice came from the phone, tinged with surprise.

"Xiao Lu, what made you decide to call me?"

This was the first time Lu Zhao had called her, and it was through official channels, not via a private phone.

That's very much in line with his style.

Lu Zhaodao said, "Chief Ding, I have a report here concerning the Director of the Dali General Office of the South China Sea Circuit."

"Oh? Come and listen."

Ding Shoujin became interested.

The Director-General of the Dali General Office of the South China Sea Circuit, a first-level official of the Federal Circuit, is only one step away from the rank of Marquis.

The chief official at the Dao level has a common name: half a Wuhou level, or deputy Wuhou level.

(End of this chapter)