The Republic of China: I, Xiangzi, a Hero in a Chaotic Era

He pulled out the appointment document stamped with the bright red police station seal from his pocket, his voice not loud, but clearly penetrating the noise in the room:

"My name is Liu Jiaxiang, and I am the newly appointed director of the Xisi North Police Station. From now on, this area is under my jurisdiction."

The room fell into a deathly silence.

The patrol officers, who had just been cursing and swearing, froze as if they had been choked. Their impatience and ferocity froze, and were then replaced by huge astonishment and disbelief.

The burly patrolman with his collar open stared wide-eyed, his mouth slightly agape, as if he wanted to say something but it got stuck in his throat. The tall, thin patrolman, on the other hand, instinctively straightened his back, his eyes filled with astonishment and uncertainty.

The other patrol officers also hurriedly put down their hands that were picking their feet and put away their toothpicks, trying to stand up in a flustered manner, their movements clearly showing their panic.

Almost everyone quickly put on a fawning, fearful smile, ready to welcome their new boss.

In the corner, however, an elderly patrolman, around fifty years old with gray hair and a deeply lined face, was a beat slower in his movements.

His cloudy old eyes stared at Liu Jiaxiang, his lips turned down, and he made a very faint, yet audible, murmur in his throat:

"Hmph, you country bumpkin, what are you trying to prove by coming all this way to the capital..."

The old patrolman's voice was full of disdain and resentment.

His name is Zhao Debiao. He considers himself the most senior officer at the Xisi North Police Station and thought it would be his turn to fill the vacancy as station chief. However, the arrival of this young man from out of town has dashed his hopes.

The murmur was soft, but it was unusually jarring in the deathly silence.

The patrol officers, who were about to step forward to curry favor, paused, their fawning smiles froze, and their eyes secretly darted between Liu Jiaxiang and the new station chief, Zhao Debiao.

Liu Jiaxiang's gaze, like a cold probe, precisely locked onto Zhao Debiao in the corner.

His face showed no anger at being offended, and there was even a faint smile on his lips, but his eyes were so sharp that they sent chills down one's spine.

Zhao Debiao felt a little uneasy under his gaze and subconsciously wanted to avoid his eyes, but the long-suppressed resentment made him stiffen his neck and forcefully glare back.

In that silent standoff, Liu Jiaxiang made a move.

Without warning or a word, he lashed out with his right leg like a whip, the movement so fast that it left only a blurry afterimage.

Zhao Debiao felt an irresistible force slam into his chest. Before he could even react, he was sent flying backward like a tattered sack.

"Bang!"

A dull, loud bang.

Zhao Debiao's body slammed heavily against the not-so-thick wooden door of the police station, shattering the door panel and sending wood chips flying everywhere.

He burst through the door and landed with a thud in the police station's courtyard. After rolling twice, he lay motionless on the ground, blood slowly seeping from his mouth and nose; he had already lost consciousness.

The room was deathly silent. Time seemed to stand still.

The color drained instantly from the faces of all the patrol officers, leaving them deathly pale.

Their mouths were agape, their eyes were wide open as if about to burst, their bodies were stiff, and they had even forgotten to breathe.

The once noisy police station was now filled only with heavy, suppressed breathing.

The new director... is so ruthless!

With one kick, he sent the veteran Zhao Debiao flying, his fate unknown!

This is no mere immature brat; he's a jinx!

Liu Jiaxiang slowly withdrew his leg, his movements calm and composed, as if he were merely dusting off the corner of his clothes.

He turned around and his gaze swept over the group of patrol officers in the room, who were silent and trembling like leaves.

His gaze was calm and expressionless, yet it carried an immense pressure that made everyone's knees go weak, almost causing them to kneel on the ground.

"I don't care what your little schemes are."

Liu Jiaxiang spoke, his voice not loud, but clear and resonant, each word like ice.

"But the fact that I was able to take office and sit in this position means you should understand that I am not someone you can afford to offend."

He paused, looking at the faces contorted with fear.

"If you're working under me, you'd better behave yourself and do things properly."

"That way, you can continue to skim off the profits you're supposed to make."

His gaze shifted to the figure in the courtyard whose fate was unknown, and his tone suddenly turned cold, carrying a chilling edge.

"If you don't listen to me, that bastard from earlier will end up like you."

"Did you understand?"

"I...I understand!"

The burly patrolman was the first to react, and he almost shouted it out, his voice trembling with tears.

"Understood! I will obey the command of the station chief!"

The tall, thin patrolman echoed him in a hoarse voice, bending over at a ninety-degree angle.

"Obey the commander! Absolutely obey!"

The other patrol officers seemed to snap out of a daze, and they all shouted their loyalty, their voices trembling with the fear of surviving a disaster.

Looking at Zhao Debiao, who was lying unconscious in the courtyard, and then at the young director in front of them who was indifferent and ruthless, they dared not have the slightest disrespect or ulterior motives.

Liu Jiaxiang seemed unsurprised by their reaction, nodding slightly as if he had merely dealt with a trivial matter. He pointed to the courtyard:

"Two men, go and take that bastard away."

"Carry him home."

Two tall, burly police officers immediately responded and rushed out with unprecedented speed, jogging towards the yard.

It was the burly patrolman and the tall, thin patrolman who had been the first to pledge their loyalty.

Liu Jiaxiang's voice rang out behind them, not loud, but clearly carried throughout the entire house, and also reached the ears of the two patrolmen in the yard who were struggling to lift Zhao Debiao:

"Tell his family that if that bastard dares to skip work..."

His voice paused, carrying a coldness reminiscent of a cat toying with a mouse.

"If it exceeds five days, I'll report it to the police station and the department, and fire that son of a bitch according to the rules."

"He won't have to wear this police uniform anymore."

The two patrol officers carrying the person froze abruptly, their backs instantly soaked with cold sweat.

The other patrol officers who remained inside also felt a chill run down their spines upon hearing this, a cold sensation shooting from the soles of their feet to the top of their heads.

They glanced furtively at Zhao Debiao, who lay unconscious in the courtyard. His injuries suggested that the director had probably broken his ribs with a kick, and blood was still gushing from his mouth and nose. It was uncertain whether he would be able to get out of bed in five days.

Making Zhao Debiao work within five days is clearly forcing him to resign!

Once Zhao Debiao is dismissed and loses his official position, his family in Xisibei will be no different from the poorest people at the bottom of society.

Director Liu's move completely cut off Zhao Debiao's path to survival, and even drove his entire family to their deaths!

This young director's methods are truly ruthless and ingenious!

Fear, like a cold, venomous snake, coiled around the heart of every patrol officer.