The game of power begins with the police officers at the local police station.

Chen Shi slept soundly until dawn.

I got up and saw that it was still early, so I went for a run around the perimeter of Longhu Park, which is about one kilometer from the Public Security Bureau.

After running around for about two kilometers, I returned to my apartment, washed up, and went to work feeling refreshed.

When Chen Shi went to work, he was still familiar with the affairs of the public security management brigade. Being a leader is not easy. You need to have solid professional knowledge so that you won't be fooled by your subordinates.

There was a knock on the door just before I was about to leave work in the afternoon.

Chen Shi was still looking at the documents, his eyes glued to the computer screen, when he called out, "Come in."

Zhao Fanglin walked in with a big smile: "Team Leader Chen."

Chen Shi saw that it was Zhao Fanglin and stood up to greet him.

"Captain Zhao, please have a seat." A glass of water was poured for Zhao Fanglin.

Zhao Fanglin sat down: "Captain Chen, are you free tonight? I'd like to report to you on my work."

Seeing Zhao Fanglin's initiative to be friendly, Chen Shi smiled and said, "You arrange the place, I'm free tonight."

"Okay, let's go to Xiaoyuan Renjia later." Zhao Fanglin checked the time; it was already past closing time. Seeing that Chen Shi didn't seem to be leaving, he said, "Team Leader Chen, I'll wait for you outside."

"Please wait for me, Captain Zhao. I still have some things to take care of."

"I also need to get off work overtime, I'll come over later."

Zhao Fanglin got up and left.

Chen Shi worked overtime for an hour before getting up to leave the office.

Zhao Fanglin had been watching the movements in Chen Shi's office from outside. When he saw Chen Shi come out, Zhao Fanglin quickly went out to greet him.

"Team Leader Chen, are you done?"

"Team Leader Zhao, you're done too."

The two smiled at each other, went downstairs to the parking lot, and Zhao Fanglin walked to a Toyota and opened the back door.

"Team Leader Chen, please get in the car."

Chen Shi smiled and opened the passenger door: "I'll sit in the front."

When Zhao Fanglin saw that Chen Shi didn't treat him like a driver, his goodwill towards Chen Shi increased even more.

Along the way, the two chatted casually. Zhao Fanglin was very talkative. He wasn't familiar with Chen Shi, so at this time, he could only talk about his own things.

Zhao Fanglin's father was a veteran police officer who has now retired. He served as a police officer his entire life, but he never managed to become a deputy section chief.

Influenced by his father, he aspired to be a policeman from a young age. His father did not want him to become a policeman; if parents were successful in their professions, they hoped their children would follow in their footsteps and give them a helping hand.

Those who are not doing well in their field do not want their children to follow in their footsteps, feeling that they themselves are failures and do not want their children to suffer the same fate.

Zhao Fanglin talked about his own affairs, and Chen Shi listened attentively, nodding occasionally to show his agreement.

Upon arriving at the courtyard, Zhao Fanglin stopped the car and was about to open the door for Chen Shi when Chen Shi stepped in first and pushed the door open to get out.

Hu Santai, the owner of the small courtyard, came in from outside, saw Chen Shi, and greeted him with a smile: "Team Leader Chen."

He strode over and said, "It's been a long time since I've seen you. It's my treat tonight."

Hu Santai is quite well-informed. He only took office at the Public Security Management Brigade yesterday, but today when he saw him, he started calling him Captain Chen instead of his usual name.

"Thank you, Boss Hu. Team Leader Zhao is treating us tonight."

Hu Santai did not know Zhao Fanglin. The leaders he knew were at least deputy section chiefs, and a deputy captain was not even worth his attention.

Zhao Fanglin stepped forward: "Boss Hu, I am Zhao Fanglin, the deputy captain of the Public Security Management Brigade."

Hu Santai showed no intention of shaking hands with Zhao Fanglin, and Zhao Fanglin withdrew his hand, which was halfway out.

Hu Santai said with a smile, "Team Leader Zhao, it's my treat tonight. You're not going to try and pay the bill yourself, are you?"

Hu Santai's background was not something Zhao Fanglin dared to mess with. He was in a difficult position; he had invited Chen Shi to dinner, but someone else had snatched the invitation. He just smiled and remained silent.

Chen Shi had inquired and learned that Hu Santai owned two entertainment venues and wanted a share of Chengshi Entertainment's business.

Previously, Chen Shi was in a township police station, and Hu Santai could disregard him. But now it's different. As the head of the public security management brigade, he's a powerful figure in the public security bureau, and Hu Santai has to give Chen Shi face.

Chen Shi didn't want to give him face; if he did, he would lose face in the future.

If you're going to treat someone, please give a formal invitation, instead of just bumping into them on the way, which shows no sincerity.

Smiling, he said, "Boss Hu, Captain Zhao invited me yesterday, but I was busy and couldn't make it. I only managed to come today, so Captain Zhao will have to contribute something."

It seemed like a joke, but it was actually a way of telling Hu Santai that if he wanted to invite him to dinner, he should show some sincerity.

Hu Santai was a seasoned veteran. He hadn't treated Chen Shi as an equal before. He thought, "He's just a deputy section chief. Even section chiefs have to give him face."

I hadn't planned to invite Chen Shi to dinner, but we ran into each other today, and I thought I'd offer a small token of appreciation, but he didn't give me the time of day.

He can't afford to offend Chen Shi. If Chen Shi gets upset, he can come to the entertainment venue every day with a legitimate reason to inspect it, and before long, he'll be shut down.

Hu Santai remained calm, a smile on his face: "Captain Chen, Captain Zhao went to great lengths to invite you, I can't take what others love away from you, let's drink again next time."

He personally led Chen Shi and the other man to a private room before leaving.

Hu Santai returned to his office and pondered carefully. Chen Shi was no simple man. He couldn't afford to offend him. He had to maintain a good relationship with him. He needed to find some time to invite him for a couple of drinks and give him a gift.

In the private room, Chen Shi and Zhao Fanglin were drinking together for the first time. They didn't talk about anything substantial and were in a tentative stage.

Chen Shi knew that Zhao Fanglin was Zhu Jianming's man, and he wouldn't actively pledge allegiance to him until he saw his own strength.

He invited me to dinner tonight to send a signal that he is not Chen Shi's political enemy and that the two can cooperate, nothing more.

The two had drunk quite a bit and then parted ways.

Zhao Fanglin had drunk quite a bit and was about to get in his car when Chen Shi called out, "Captain Zhao, you're a law enforcement officer, don't you know you can't drink and drive?"

Zhao Fanglin gave an awkward smile: "Captain Chen is right, I just wanted to take a coat to wear, it's chilly at night."

The two walked out of the courtyard, and Zhao Fanglin ran up to hail a taxi. A taxi came over: "Team Leader Chen, I'll take you home."

"No need, I'll take a taxi home myself, you take a taxi home too, and we can pick up the car tomorrow."

"Yes," he said, quickly stepping forward and opening the car door.

Chen Shi sat down.

After the taxi drove away, Zhao Fanglin revealed a disdainful smile. What a joke, what are you pretending to be so high and mighty for? You have a car but you don't drive it, you take a taxi back. I'm not crazy.

Those bastards in the traffic police brigade, which one of them dares to check my drunk driving?

They went back and drove away.

Unfortunately, tonight I encountered a DUI checkpoint just two traffic lights away.

Li Li, a traffic police officer, along with four or five auxiliary police officers, was stopping cars to check for drunk driving.

Zhao Fanglin didn't take it seriously at all. When it was his turn, he rolled down the car window and stuck his head out.

"Should I check too?"

The two auxiliary police officers exchanged a glance, and one of them laughed and said, "Captain Zhao, you definitely haven't been drinking, there's no need to check."

Li Li could smell the alcohol from afar and quickly walked over, saying with a serious expression, "Captain Zhao, please cooperate with the DUI check. Anyone passing through here must be checked."

Zhao Fanglin stared intently at Li Li: "I want to investigate too."

"Anyone who passes through here will be checked."

Zhao Fanglin didn't recognize Li Li. Judging from his police uniform, it was a formal one, while the others were all auxiliary police officers.

Zhao Fanglin pointed at Li Li: "I often drink with your Captain Yang. Should I give him a call?"

"It's your business to call him; please cooperate with our law enforcement."