Chapter 24: Apologize to My Pal

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Pi Zhibang had no patience for the Indian officer. He scratched his ear with a puzzled expression. “You curry guy, what’s your name again? Anil, Raj, or Gandhi?”

“Damn, it’s Neymar, you idiot!”

Indian Chief Inspector Neymar curled his lips defiantly and challenged, “Sir Henry, is this how you teach your subordinates?”

Henry shrugged, “If you like to argue, go ahead. I don’t care.” He crossed his arms and watched the Chinese and the Indian officers bicker.

Though Henry and Neymar were both Chief Inspectors, the white guy always felt superior. Every time the Chinese and Indians clashed, Henry enjoyed it like watching a spicy movie.

Neymar sneered, scanning the surroundings. It wasn’t personal against Pi Zhibang; it was about seizing credit and power—a trait deeply embedded in the South Asian DNA.

Under the caste system, slaves had to fight for survival resources, and overseas, they had to compete for positions with locals.

Tonight, a major case had unfolded in Mong Kok. The Police Tactical Unit (PTU) had casualties, yet if they didn’t claim the main credit, they would lose face at the dinner with their fellow countrymen.

“I don’t like wasted words. I’ll credit your CID team with this one,” Neymar said.

In Hong Kong Island society, there was a linguistic peculiarity: high-level Chinese officers mastered English, lower-level Westerners spoke fluent Cantonese, and South Asians like Indians and Nepalese, if officially recognized, might or might not speak English but certainly spoke Cantonese. Without Cantonese, survival was impossible.

Pi Zhibang scoffed, “Fuck you. The credit my men earned with their lives is not for you to take!”

At that moment, Lin Tiansheng, who had just sent off the white car, wearing a PTU tactical vest and holding a cigarette, stepped forward. Under everyone’s watchful eyes, he grabbed the beret off the Indian’s head and casually tossed it to the ground.

“Take off your hat and apologize to my men,” Lin ordered.

Neymar was caught off guard, frozen in shock as his hat was taken. When it hit the ground, anger flashed across his face. He grabbed Lin’s collar and shouted, “Pick up my hat, you bastard! Pick up my hat!”

PTU officers guarding the roadside, busy CID detectives, and uniformed officers about to enter the building all stopped and stared.

Lin Tiansheng bit down on his cigarette, expression unchanging, and flicked the ash into the Indian’s face. “Spit, curry guy. The shooter PTU couldn’t handle, I took down.”

“To settle this, one of my men was shot, another’s fate unknown. The first target, I took out. The second target, still me.”

“Explain to me, what’s this ‘stealing credit’? What does that even mean?”

Hearing Lin’s furious roar, CID officers Chen Sheng and Shi Zhanpeng quietly fell in behind him.

The Chinese PTU officers, under the senior assistant’s gaze, stood motionless, watching the situation unfold.

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Though the curry guy was their superior, the Chinese officers wouldn’t gang up with him to bully their comrades in public. Besides, the credit honestly belonged to the CID men who fought hard. Leaving the final stronghold to PTU had already been an unspoken courtesy.

After all, PTU launched the first attack and finished last. No matter the process, the result was impressive.

The curry guy wanting to hog all the credit was just too much.

Seeing the CID officers backing Neymar but the PTU unit not moving, his face darkened. He stopped dwelling on credit and stared at Lin Tiansheng. “This is the last time I say it. Pick up your hat.”

Lin Tiansheng placed his hands on his belt and said coldly, “No. What are you going to do?”

“Okay, I’ve got you marked. Don’t end up in my hands,” Neymar sneered, bent down, picked up his hat, clenched it in his hand, and turned away. “You’d better never get promoted or come to the Mobile Unit.”

Watching the Indian walk off, Chen Sheng stiffened and said, “Damn it, curry guy, trying to climb over your brothers’ dead bodies?”

Shi Zhanpeng patted him on the shoulder, reminding, “Lin sir, what you did was right, but you’re about to be promoted to assistant superintendent. Be careful you don’t get transferred to the Mobile Unit.”

Given Lin Tiansheng’s experience and merits, promotion to assistant superintendent was imminent.

At least, before becoming Chief Inspector, neither experience nor education was an issue.

Pi Zhibang overheard their talk and stepped forward. “Relax, there are still over four years before PTU rotates. Promotion won’t mean instant transfer. Four years later, who knows if that curry guy will still be in Mobile Unit? I bet he’s heading to Stanley sooner or later.”

Though Henry had a new impression of Lin Tiansheng and didn’t side with the Indian earlier, he had no interest in chatting and waved his hand, “Dismiss.”

“Yes, sir.”

Pi Zhibang, Chen Sheng, and others stood at attention and saluted before returning to West Kowloon. Compared to before departure, the CID men now held two completely different attitudes toward Lin Tiansheng.

At noon.

Pi Zhibang carried a takeout box from a restaurant into the Chief Inspector’s office, smiling. “Sir Henry, lunch.”

Henry saw the golden barbecued pork in the box, swallowed, then frowned. “Ah Bang, I’m on a diet lately. You trying to kill me?”

Pi Zhibang pulled out a cup of iced cola and flattered, “Sir, you took down a gang of tough criminals this morning and really made a name for yourself. You deserve something good.”

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Henry couldn’t resist the allure of the cola. He took the cup, sighed, “You’re right. Frontline work burns a lot of calories.”

“You joining me?”

Pi Zhibang sat on the sofa, looking adorable, “Already ate, sir.”

After Henry ate and drank his fill, Pi Zhibang got up to clean up, lit a Cuban cigar, and respectfully asked, “Sir, how should we write the operation report?”

“Should we tone down Lin Tiansheng’s prominence?”

Henry leaned back in his chair and instinctively nodded, but quickly shook his head. “No. So many men saw it. How can I change it?”

True achievements are so solid that even the boss can’t touch them.

“Besides, you saw how the men acted when Neymar was around. Lin Tiansheng is fearless and bold. If he gets fired up, he probably won’t spare me.”

Henry felt the dilemma but, surprisingly, wasn’t angry.

Pi Zhibang pretended to think, “With his record and this achievement, he should be promoted to probationary inspector. A former Chinese detective promoted to assistant superintendent? That wouldn’t look good…”

Henry sneered, “There are no Chinese detectives on Hong Kong Island anymore. What’s a probationary inspector? How’s that different from a sergeant in the CID?”

“But how do we explain it to the superintendent?”

Henry looked at him, “Got any ideas?”

Pi Zhibang scratched his head. “I’m not smarter than you, sir. Same old plan—keep him in CID and send him to the most dangerous assignments.”

“One or two times, a few more times, he should die eventually.”

Henry pondered, then suddenly brightened. “That way, we can explain it to the superintendent. And if he never dies, hey, I’ll be a superintendent myself. No need to keep up appearances for the chief anymore.”

Minutes later, Pi Zhibang walked out of the office carrying a trash bag and snapped his fingers. “Plan B successful!”