How You Can Sue Me for My Crimes in Dreams

”Someone else came down?”

Xu Huo was surprised.

”Huh? What do you mean, ’else’?” Wang Hu was stunned.

”It’s nothing. I’ll go take a look.”

Xu Huo quickly finished the cream puffs and cookies he was eating, then got up and walked out.

Over the past two days, he had more or less figured out the layout of the city bureau’s offices.

Zhang Jian’s office was on the fifth floor.

He took the elevator straight up, reaching the fifth floor in a few seconds.

”KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK~”

”Come in.”

”CREAK~”

Xu Huo pushed the door open and saw two figures inside.

One was Zhang Jian. The other he didn’t recognize, but he was wearing an official-looking jacket, so Xu Huo figured he wasn’t low-ranking.

They said he was from the province, but he could have been from even higher up.

”Director Zhang,” Xu Huo greeted him first.

”This is Liu Shaokun. You can call him Uncle Liu. He was sent from the provincial office to help wrap up this case.”

The moment they saw it was Xu Huo, the expressions on Zhang Jian and Liu Shaokun’s faces softened by more than just a little. The grim looks brought on by the case instantly vanished, replaced by brilliant smiles.

”Hello, Uncle Liu.”

Xu Huo paused, a look of confusion on his face.

”Ahem, Xiao Xu, we asked you to come here today for three main reasons.”

Zhang Jian cleared his throat and paused. A kind, gentle expression appeared on his face as he began his subtle slander.

”Rest assured, we in Linlan City aren’t like Jiangsan City, and I, Zhang Jian, am not Chu Linhai. No one will ever threaten your personal safety here!”

”As for the first matter...”

As he spoke, Zhang Jian paused again. His expression grew solemn, his face becoming incredibly serious.

He stood ramrod straight, walked over to Xu Huo, took off his hat, and sharply raised his right hand in a perfectly standard salute.

”Thank you for your service to Linlan City.”

Zhang Jian’s voice dropped to a low tone.

”I don’t need to say much about this case. Given its nature, the number of innocent people injured, and the high death toll...”

”Even if the police had solved it officially, it would have surely taken more than forty-eight hours. The number of victims might have stayed the same, but it would have proven that the Linlan City police are a bunch of incompetents!”

”At that point, Old Wang and I losing our jobs would have been a small matter. Affecting the future development of the millions of people in Linlan City—that would have been the real disaster!”

Compared to the higher-ups, Linlan City’s methods were considered gentle.

They arrested people without disrupting industry. If the higher-ups had intervened, especially with anger mixed in...

The average resident would have suffered for a few years, at the very least.

But...

”Twenty-five hours and three minutes! From opening the case to closing it, you cut the projected time nearly in half!”

”And that’s including the twelve hours of dead time before you were even invited to join...”

”You solved the case in thirteen hours!”

As he spoke, a fiery passion ignited in Zhang Jian’s eyes.

”Thirteen hours to crack the case and release Linlan City from a state of high alert.”

”On behalf of the entire Linlan City Public Security system, I once again express my most sincere gratitude to you!”

With that, he saluted crisply once more.

From nearly passing out to one surprise after another, and then suddenly the case was solved in the blink of an eye—Zhang Jian had truly been on a roller coaster.

He hadn’t had time to express his thanks before the costly cleanup began. He’d been suppressing his emotions until now, and instead of fading, they had only grown more intense.

Surviving a catastrophe...

This was truly surviving a catastrophe!

”It was my duty. The police and the people are one big family.”

Xu Huo smiled and returned a crisp salute. All three of them were now smiling.

”In that case, Xiao Xu, how about we make our bond even closer?”

Suddenly, striking while the iron was hot, Zhang Jian could no longer suppress the eagerness in his eyes.

”Make our bond closer?” Xu Huo blinked.

”Right. That brings us to the other two matters.”

”Xiao Xu, you see, here in Linlan City, we have a little bit of money, and we don’t lack manpower. What we lack is talent.”

An expression of profound sorrow crossed Zhang Jian’s face. He then grabbed Xu Huo’s hand, his gaze fixed on him.

”But Xiao Xu, your efficiency in solving a massive case in thirteen hours has made Linlan City, and even Hanhai Province, realize just how valuable talent is.”

”Now, the police department would like to solemnly, sincerely, and enthusiastically extend an invitation to you...”

”Would you be willing to become a criminal investigator for Linlan City...”

Seeing Xu Huo about to shake his head, Zhang Jian quickly added, ”...as a consultant?”

”A criminal investigation consultant?”

Xu Huo frowned. ”But in Jiangsan City, I’m...”

”Ah, don’t you worry about that. ’Consultant’ is just a title. It doesn’t tie you to any one place. Even if you took on consultant titles all over the country, no one would dare say a word against it.”

Zhang Jian spoke quickly and decisively.

”Five thousand a month!”

”You don’t have to lift a finger. You don’t even have to come to the station. As long as we can reach you by phone, you’ll get a salary of five thousand a month, with case-solving bonuses on top of that!”

Five thousand?

In this era, the average monthly salary was only around seven hundred.

”The third matter is similar. A special invitation to be a criminal consultant for the Hanhai provincial task force.”

Liu Shaokun also grew serious.

”A base monthly salary of eight thousand. And if the provincial task force is formed and you’re willing to join, you will absolutely be the core of command!”

Jeez.

’High status, a high salary, no blame if things go wrong, and it’s good for my reputation...’

’If I take on titles in Jiangsan City, Linlan City, and Hanhai Province, even if I do nothing but sleep for a month, I’ll pocket more than ten thousand, almost twenty thousand. In terms of purchasing power, that’s like tens of thousands in later years!’

’This kind of offer...’

”What about Director Chu...” Xu Huo was still a little hesitant.

”Ah, Old Chu and I are such good old friends...”

Zhang Jian put on an unreadable but very reassuring smile.

Xu Huo paused, then nodded. ”Alright.”

Hearing that one word, Zhang Jian was so ecstatic he could have flown, but he suppressed his excitement and slowly took out the documents.

Xu Huo was secretly a little speechless.

’The documents weren’t printed on the spot. They were prepared in advance...’

However, he didn’t say anything. After all, the old-timers had to save face. He immediately signed his name on the four documents, took two for himself, and gave the remaining two to Zhang Jian and Liu Shaokun.

’I’ve... really hit the jackpot. I can make over ten thousand a month without doing anything. That’s more than what most people make in a year.’

Before he left, Liu Shaokun and Zhang Jian each pulled out a bulging manila envelope.

Only after Xu Huo had left did the two men finally let their smiles break free.

”Hahaha, we scored big!”

Zhang Jian was as happy as a child, carefully putting the documents away for safekeeping.

Beside him, Liu Shaokun maintained a straight face. ”Sigh, Old Zhang, you’re a grown man. Stop acting like this.”

”Stop trying to hide that smile. I can see you’re about to burst,” Zhang Jian retorted.

Liu Shaokun gave up. The two looked at each other, and a long-absent smile spread across their faces.

It was a smile of pure relief.

”By the way, when are you going to tell Chu Linhai about this?” Liu Shaokun asked suddenly.

”You think that old coot will agree?”

”Hmm? I never asked him.”

Zhang Jian replied.

Liu Shaokun: ???

”Then just now, you...”

”Ah, what I meant was, Old Chu and I have been friends for so many years. When he finds out, he definitely won’t be too hard on me.” Zhang Jian was quite self-aware.

Liu Shaokun was shocked. This old fox was willing to throw away all face just to keep someone...

But then he thought about how this person had solved the case in thirteen hours, and he suddenly felt that maybe face wasn’t so important after all.

Just as he was about to speak, a sound suddenly rang out.

”BZZZ BZZZ BZZZ~”

His phone was ringing. Zhang Jian subconsciously grabbed his personal cell and answered the call.

The next second, a familiar voice came through the receiver.

”Hello?”

”Old Zhang, I just got word. Is everything over there resolved?”

Hearing the voice, Zhang Jian subconsciously broke into the same brilliant, flower-like smile as before.

”Heh, you bet it is. You have no idea, we recruited a real talent over here. Wow, this young kid...”

”Solved a huge case in thirteen hours, you wouldn’t believe it...”

As he was talking, Zhang Jian suddenly realized something and glanced at his phone.

Caller ID: Chu Linhai.

”Hahaha, well, that’s some good luck. By the way, who is this person?”

Chu Linhai’s voice came through again, also sounding somewhat relieved.

Zhang Jian and Liu Shaokun fell silent for a moment.

Liu Shaokun made a gesture.

Zhang Jian immediately hung up the phone.

”BEEP BEEP BEEP~”

...

”Huh? He hung up?”

”Something this great happens and he doesn’t tell me about it? And after I was worried about him for so long.”

「Jiangsan City.」

Chu Linhai looked at the disconnected call, a smile on his face.

”Tsk, I can’t believe Old Zhang went through that kind of roller coaster in such a short time.”

’Solving an unbelievable case like that in thirteen hours... he really lucked out and found a hidden gem...’

Chu Linhai thought, a look of envy on his face.

But as he thought about it, he suddenly froze, a suspicious look crossing his face.

’Where is this person from?’

’From the province? No, everyone at the provincial level is well-known. It wouldn’t be his turn to find someone new. From the city? How could a case like this be handed to some nobody...’

’Then it must be an external contractor with a track record. And a young one at that... No, that’s not right either. All the police academy grads have been assigned. Where would he find someone? And how would a recent grad have a track record?’

’A track record, an external contractor, young, and capable of solving a huge case in thirteen hours...’

As Chu Linhai mulled it over, he suddenly froze, falling silent.

After a long moment, suddenly...

”SON OF A BITCH!”

”ANSWER THE DAMN PHONE!”

The sound of a phone dialing echoed.

Once it connected, Chu Linhai didn’t hesitate for a second. He shot to his feet and roared into the phone.

”WHO DID YOU RECRUIT, YOU OLD FOX!?”

”What?” Zhang Jian’s voice was steady, completely devoid of emotion. ”Who is who?”

”WHO THE HELL DID YOU RECRUIT, YOU SON OF A BITCH!?”

Chu Linhai’s face was beet red.

He had a very bad feeling about this!

”You better explain yourself clearly on this phone...”

”WHO THE FUCK... DID YOU RECRUIT!!!”