The Chief Detective Inspector is dead. I'm now the top police officer in Hong Kong!

Chapter 21: We Have to Go Through with It!
Lin Tiansheng, along with Zhang Jinrong, Ma Delong, He Li, and Liu Yida, followed the team as they climbed the stairs. When the team reached the fifth floor of the building, Chen Sheng, the assistant in charge of the group, raised his hand and said, "Lin sir, you take some men and guard the entrance to the stairs. Be careful."

During the operation, only inspectors and above are authorized to lead teams independently and have the authority to command in action. Therefore, the four assistant detectives of the Major Crimes Unit are divided into four action teams.

The timing of Lin Tiansheng and his team's transfer was unusual. Normally, they would take orders directly from Inspector Pi. Administratively, they were under Chen Sheng's group, but since the police sergeant was the most senior sergeant, Inspector Chen wouldn't give Lin Tiansheng direct orders unless it was an emergency.

Leaving him on the fifth floor, which is relatively far from the front lines, is a gesture of goodwill. Lin Tiansheng, of course, wouldn't disobey and immediately replied, "Understood, sir!"

"I have to keep climbing." Chen Sheng gritted his teeth and led the remaining team members to continue climbing the stairs, bringing each floor under control. Shi Zhanpeng, Li Weihao, and Jiang Zhikai, the three team assistants, led their men to go door to door, knocking on doors and calling for people, assisting the PTU in evacuating the remaining citizens.

Hearing the intense gunfight coming from the rooftop, Ma Delong turned pale and swallowed hard: "Those guys wearing hats, can they hold out?"

PTU officers are uniformly equipped with blue berets, and like uniformed police officers, they can be categorized as "hat-wearing," but they prefer to be called "berets."

Their daily duties include security patrols, duty at large events, and support for serious crimes. Each of the five police districts in Hong Kong has a brigade with 168 personnel, which is further divided into squads and platoons, corresponding to the "company, platoon, and squad" command chain of the military.

A rotation system is implemented, with all personnel in the brigade being disbanded every three years and then reassigned, selected, and recruited to ensure that all officers have received military training.

Apart from officers, instructors, and the permanent air squad, bomb disposal squad, and training squad at the PTU headquarters, no other officers can serve in the PTU long-term.

Newly promoted officers will also be transferred to the PTU as squad leaders, platoon leaders, and battalion commanders to train their operational command capabilities.

However, this reformed police system has not even been in place for ten years. In fact, the PTU officers currently on duty are mostly new recruits selected at the beginning of the year!

It's normal that Ma Delong doesn't trust them. When faced with serious cases, the guys still trust the Flying Tigers more, and the riot police more. Zhang Jinrong even had the mind to sneak a sip while he was busy. He opened the wine flask, took a sip, and said, "In emergencies, the PTU takes the lead. Mobilizing the Flying Tigers requires Second Brother's signature."

"Wow, you coward! Want a bite to bolster your courage?"

In his nervousness, Ma Delong's face darkened with anger as he glared at Zhang Jinrong: "Zhang sir, I respect your seniority, but you should watch your words. Even a clay figure has a temper."

Lin Tiansheng ignored their bickering, pricked up his ears, and listened to the gunfire upstairs. He was able to discern the fire line deployment, weapon types, and movement patterns of both the police and criminal squads, demonstrating his remarkable skill.

Perhaps this, besides his broad vision, is the source of his confidence to make a comeback and go all out. A veteran who has received military pay for twenty-five years and is eligible for demobilization.

Judging from the fact that the criminals were able to easily pull and switch positions, the PTU's offensive was not optimistic, and several players were injured.

“This group of robbers is not ordinary. Before the Flying Tigers arrive, the PTU will probably have a hard time taking them down.”

He Li sighed and punched the wall with his fist. For the first time, he hated how light his .38 rifle was. He muttered, "The Flying Tigers haven't arrived yet. Even taking a helicopter is stuck in traffic."

Zhang Jinrong handed him the wine pot again: "Here, you weakling, have a sip to bolster your courage."

He Li's cheeks turned bright red instantly, staining his ears.

Zhang Jinrong said smugly, "Wow, it's turned into a giant hairy crab! It really is a shrimp soldier and a crab general, Brother Sheng."

"Zhang Jinrong, don't go too far!" Ma Delong, the head of the Reservoir Police, immediately yelled at Zhang Jinrong. Lin Tiansheng waved his hand and said, "Quiet down. I have no interest in listening to your drama. The Chief of the Mobile Unit probably hasn't called the Flying Tigers yet. The Flying Tigers and the PTU are competitors. If you call the Flying Tigers every time an attack is thwarted, what will become of the PTU?"

Ma Delong was speechless, his face drained of color, and said, "Then we still have to fight!"

“We’ll have to attack at least once more, but the PTU will probably call in reinforcements from their own forces. They’ll only call in the Flying Tigers if they really can’t handle it.” Zhang Jinrong interjected, putting the flask in his mouth: “I’m a coward, I’ll drink, I’ll drink, okay?”

From the outside, the Mobile Force, Flying Tigers, and SWAT teams are all paramilitary units of the police force; if one unit can't win, they can just call in a stronger one.

But anyone with a modicum of sense knows that competition is inevitable within any administrative department. It is both a necessity for optimization and an art of politics.

Only by dividing authority and creating checks and balances can superiors achieve a balance and ensure that orders are obeyed. This process incurs some frictional costs, which are unavoidable.

As for Lin Tiansheng, he wouldn't easily call for the Flying Tigers when his attack faltered. He would at least wait for the PTU West Kowloon Brigade's reinforcements to arrive before shifting the blame for the request to his superiors.

The gunfire upstairs suddenly stopped. Before Liu Yida and He Li could even rejoice, one PTU officer after another was carried down the stairs by the staff.

Meanwhile, under the protection of officers from the Major Crimes Unit, medical personnel began to enter the scene. Police investigations often consume considerable manpower, setting up checkpoints and guarding passageways. Besides apprehending criminals, their greatest function is maintaining a lifeline. This allows wounded officers to be withdrawn, enabling newly arrived support to immediately join the operation!
Once the bandits are surrounded, no matter how long the battle lasts or how fierce the firepower, their defeat will only draw ever closer.

By this time, several West Kowloon police officers had arrived at the scene, including officers from the Mong Kok Operations Branch and fire department officers. Ultimately, command fell to Chief Inspector Henry of the West Kowloon Operations Branch.

"boom!"

An explosion suddenly occurred inside a house.

Several officials dressed in suits, who were standing next to the command vehicle, immediately covered their heads and squatted down.

Flying shards of glass littered the ground, eliciting screams from onlookers in the distance.

"There's a bomb."

"Run! There's a bomb!"

Henry, looking disheveled and covered in dust, straightened up and demanded, "How could criminals have explosive weapons? Where are the intelligence officers?"

The PTU senior inspector frowned as he looked at the chaotic explosion site, his voice tinged with fear. He analyzed, "Sir, there's no trace of gunpowder smoke. It was a flash explosion. There was thick smoke, so it wasn't a bomb. It must be a gas cylinder."

"The criminals used readily available materials to set up a makeshift detonator, indicating they must have received professional military training."

Henry looked like he'd seen a ghost: "Where did all these demolition experts and special forces come from?!"

Pi Zhibang pursed his chapped lips and said in a low voice, "Sir, the Big Circle Boys are all fiercer than the last."

In fact, the police force is not afraid of the so-called "Top Ten Most Wanted Criminals" or notorious criminals. Those people have already shown their true colors; their abilities and firepower are easily assessed and targeted internally.

But in cases like the one before us, where we know nothing about the criminal's background or abilities, there are often unexpected surprises.

Henry didn't want to see another gas cylinder explosion, so he immediately ordered, "Call in the Flying Tigers."

Without hesitation, the PTU senior inspector interjected, "Sir, backup will arrive in three minutes. Let's wait a little longer."

"wait?"

Henry's sharp eyes were fixed on the PTU's blue hat.

Pi Zhibang suddenly asked, "How many people are left in the PTU?"

"Three action teams have arrived, leaving twelve people."

The TUP consists of ten people in each squad, led by a police officer or inspector.

“Reorganize the Major Crimes Unit into two teams and go for it again!” Pi Zhibang suggested through gritted teeth.

The PTU commander, with a cold expression, did not refuse, because the Major Crimes Unit had many former PTU officers who could temporarily fill the gaps with new equipment. However, the Major Crimes Unit detectives lacked military training, and the casualty rate could be very high.

Henry raised his eyebrows, stared at Pi Zhibang for a moment, understood, and smiled: "Okay, Pi sir, draw on the elite detectives from the Major Crimes Unit, integrate them into the PTU, change into their uniforms on the spot, and prepare for a strong attack."

Pi Zhibang stood at attention and saluted.

"Yes, sir."

The PTU commander hadn't anticipated that a single-armed robbery would also involve encountering a "madman" even more eager for credit.

"Don't blame me, Young Master Sheng. Life and death are predestined, wealth and honor are determined by fate, as you said. I'll give you a break this time, remember to treat me to a meal next time." Pi Zhibang muttered to himself, picked up the walkie-talkie, pressed the call button, and then his expression changed. He said seriously, "Police Sergeant Lin Tiansheng, Senior Sergeant Zhang Jinrong, Constables Ma Delong, He Li, Liu Yida, change into your uniforms on the spot and be assigned to the PTU. Get ready to work!"

True gold fears no fire; a piece of trash like him deserves to be called "Young Master Sheng" by his old brothers. Reputation is earned through skill, and the future is forged with one's life. As brothers, we should lend him a hand; whether he wants to or not, we have to.

(End of this chapter)