Chapter 56

"Constable Zheng."

"Constable Yan."

"Constable Li."

"..."

One after another, constable captains arrived at the Nanquan Alley Town Patrol Office. In no time, all five constable captains were present.

This made the lower-ranking constables even quieter.

"Looks like today is going to be unusual!"

Houzi whispered to the others.

"Yeah," Chen Ping'an and Dashan nodded lightly.

"Deputy Inspector Tian!"

Another figure appeared at the entrance of the Town Patrol Office. It was Deputy Inspector Tian Fuliang of Nanquan Alley.

The constables greeted him one after another, and even the captains on the stage smiled and responded respectfully.

Just as everyone thought the pre-shift meeting was about to begin, to their surprise, Tian Fuliang stepped onto the stage but didn't start speaking.

"Could it be..."

Chen Ping'an and Houzi exchanged glances, a guess forming in their minds. Even someone as slow as Dashan caught on.

"Is the Inspector coming today?"

"Probably."

"Indeed, in Nanquan Alley, the only person who could make Deputy Inspector Tian wait is the Inspector himself."

Seeing Tian Fuliang's reaction on the stage, the constables had various thoughts running through their minds. They all knew today's pre-shift meeting wouldn't be ordinary.

Unlike the other constables who were nervous, Zheng Shiyong felt a bit excited.

The Inspector is coming!

Perhaps today, with the help of Constable Zheng and Deputy Inspector Tian, he could catch the Inspector's attention! If he managed to make a connection, his path to becoming a constable captain would be much smoother.

Amidst the crowd's anticipation, a middle-aged man in scaled armor walked steadily through the entrance of the Town Patrol Office. The man had a robust build, a square face, and an imposing presence.

Shen Shikang, the Inspector of Nanquan Alley Town Patrol Office!

All the gangs in Nanquan Alley had to tread carefully around him. He was a truly significant figure.

"Inspector!"

The constables shouted in unison.

Both Tian Fuliang and the constable captains stepped down from the stage to welcome Shen Shikang.

"Hmm."

Shen Shikang nodded slightly and, under the respectful gazes of the constables, walked onto the stage.

Shen Shikang's eyes swept across the room as he spoke in a deep voice.

"You all must be aware of what happened the day before yesterday. Each of you has been assigned tasks. The appearance of the Demonic Cult in Nanquan Alley has angered the Chief Inspector of the district. Early yesterday morning, I was summoned to the district Town Patrol Office and severely reprimanded! The Chief Inspector personally clashed with the Demonic Cult members in our Nanquan Alley, yet we failed to provide timely support. It's truly shameful!"

The Chief Inspector was here that night?

Shen Shikang's words left many constables stunned. However, some constables seemed to have already known about this.

Expanding on this topic, Shen Shikang spoke at length about the situation with the Demonic Cult. He was under immense pressure and hoped that the entire Nanquan Alley Town Patrol Office would work together to root out the Demonic Cult members as soon as possible.

In response, the constables and captains all pledged in unison that they would not let the Inspector down.

Just as everyone thought the pre-shift meeting was about to end, Shen Shikang suddenly changed the subject.

"Temporary Constable Chen Ping'an has performed meritorious service by raising the alarm. With special approval from the district Town Patrol Office, his name has been added to the official roster, promoting him to a full constable of the Nanquan Alley Town Patrol Office!"

With that, Shen Shikang's gaze swept across the room. "Constable Chen Ping'an, step forward!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the constables below erupted in chatter.

Chen Ping'an performed meritorious service? What happened?

Becoming a full constable from a temporary one was incredibly difficult, usually requiring a long period of accumulation. First, it was Zheng Shiyong, and now Chen Ping'an?

What was going on?

Hearing Inspector Shen Shikang's words, Zheng Shiyong was stunned. He couldn't process it immediately.

Chen Ping'an... made a contribution?

"Ping'an, Ping'an, the Inspector is calling you!"

Houzi was ecstatic, shaking Chen Ping'an's arm.

Beside them, Qin and Dashan were wide-eyed, not expecting such a turn of events. This was too sudden!

Full constable!

Chen Ping'an's face lit up with joy as he walked toward the stage. Indeed, he hadn't gambled wrong that night.

Countless eyes focused on Chen Ping'an, filled with envy, shock, surprise, and jealousy.

"Good! Excellent, truly a fine young man!"

Shen Shikang looked Chen Ping'an up and down, then clapped a hand on his shoulder.

Chen Ping'an felt the weight on his shoulder, but since Shen Shikang had held back his strength, he wasn't hurt.

"Chen Ping'an, you've done well. I have high hopes for you! This promotion to full constable was specially approved by the Chief Inspector. I hope you continue to work hard and live up to the expectations of the Chief Inspector and myself."

Specially approved by the Chief Inspector!

Shen Shikang's words only fueled the envy of the constables below.

Chen Ping'an... had caught the Chief Inspector's attention!

Some sharp-witted constables quickly realized what had happened. Clearly, the constable who had sounded the gong that night was Chen Ping'an. And this act had been remembered by the Chief Inspector.

What incredible luck!

"Keep up the good work," Tian Fuliang also encouraged Chen Ping'an.

"Thank you, Inspector, Deputy Inspector Tian. I will not disappoint your expectations," Chen Ping'an replied respectfully with a fist salute.

Constable Zheng's expression darkened for a moment, but he hid it well. This subtle change didn't escape Chen Ping'an's notice.

Just you wait!

A cold smile flashed in Chen Ping'an's heart.

He hadn't forgotten their past grievances.

Under the witness of the Inspector, Deputy Inspector, and the constable captains, Chen Ping'an received his official saber and badge. He was also granted the "Thirteen Blades of the Public Gate" manual to study, with the hope that he would soon step into the martial path.

Amidst the envy and jealousy of the constables, Chen Ping'an stepped down from the stage. Zheng Shiyong's eyes were filled with envy.

"Damn it! How did this kid get so lucky? If only I had been the one to discover it!"

Many constables shared Zheng Shiyong's thoughts, envying Chen Ping'an's luck and imagining how they might have been the fortunate ones.

However, what many didn't realize was that people often overestimated themselves in hypothetical situations. When faced with the actual scenario, most would find that things were far different from what they had imagined. Some things, only when encountered, reveal one's true nature.

"Ping'an, congratulations!" Houzi congratulated Chen Ping'an sincerely.

If it had been someone else, he might have been jealous. But for Chen Ping'an, he couldn't bring himself to feel envy.

"Ping'an, congratulations," Dashan and Qin also congratulated him.

Especially Qin, who looked at Chen Ping'an with a mix of emotions. He hadn't expected Chen Ping'an to cross this threshold so easily. Whether it was sheer luck or something else, he couldn't tell.

"Let's go. I'm treating everyone to lunch today. Where do you want to eat?"

Chen Ping'an said with a smile.