Success or failure, upon a turn of the head, becomes void.

"They're still searching."

Guan Hu neither slammed the table nor glared, nor did he deploy his remarkable memory recovery tricks. If Jiang Chen wasn't willing to speak, Guan Hu refrained from pressing further. They chatted sporadically, awaiting the results from the search and rescue team.

He was no longer the greenhorn, just starting out; having reached his position, he understood all too well the principle that "laws are not inflexible to human feelings."

How this "car accident" should be judged wasn't for him to decide, nor could it be determined by the plain letter of the law.

"The coffee is quite good."

Jiang Chen, treated with courtesy, put down his coffee cup.

"Another cup?"

Guan Hu asked.

Jiang Chen wasn't shy; he smiled and nodded as if he were truly a guest.

Having kept company for a little over an hour, Guan Hu was about to rise when the interrogation room door was pushed open from the outside.

"Chief."

Guan Hu stood at attention.