10:30 AM, Jiangcheng City highway entrance.

Mr. Ma from the Municipal Public Security Bureau, Li Jian, and Zhang Chao stood beside the black official car with flashing police lights, occasionally checking their watches, a hint of anticipation on their faces.

Mr. Ma took out a pack of soft Zhonghua cigarettes from his suit inner pocket, expertly opened the box, and handed two cigarettes to Li Jian and Zhang Chao, placing one in his mouth as well.

With a crisp "clack" of the lighter, three wisps of blue smoke swirled up in the gentle breeze.

Li Jian took a puff of his cigarette and smiled, saying, "Mr. Ma, your action this time has made the entire detective team very excited!"

"Haha, really!"

Mr. Ma deeply inhaled his cigarette and shook his head with a smile.

Li Jian continued, "The reception this time is of a very high standard."

Zhang Chao picked up the conversation, flicking ash off his cigarette with his fingertips, "Isn't it just."

"Even as a detective, I feel my face is glowing with pride."

"You two are singing in harmony to put me on the hot seat."

Mr. Ma waved his hand but there was a smile in his eyes, "I always believe that 'one must achieve to have a position'."

"It's not because I used to be a detective captain myself, favoring my old subordinates."

"In recent years, the detective team's achievements in combatting crime and solving cases have been evident."

"Looking at the horizontal comparison with the public security and anti-narcotics teams, the detective work is indeed commendable."

He deeply inhaled his cigarette and continued, "Especially in major homicide investigations and handling abnormal death cases, the detective team has not only shouldered responsibilities but has also achieved remarkable success in actual combat."

"Especially since Jiang An joined, I have clearly felt the improvement in the investigation quality and efficiency of the entire detective team."

Li Jian and Zhang Chao nodded in unison.

Then, Zhang Chao added, "Jiang An is indeed a good seed."

"Last year's series of home invasion robberies, had he not insisted on re-examining the scene and discovered the half fingerprint left by the suspect, who knows how long the case would have dragged on."

"Yes,"

Mr. Ma lamented, "When I was a detective captain, a standard criminal case took at least a week to go through the process."

"Now, with specialists like Jiang An, many cases can achieve breakthroughs within the golden 72 hours."

"This kind of professional talent is precisely what our police force needs most."

He extinguished his cigarette, his gaze firm, "Therefore, I believe that for such outstanding comrades, the organization should give more care and support, which is both recognition and encouragement."

"This is entirely thinking from a work perspective."

"If we let our heroes shed blood, sweat, and also tears, who would be willing to charge ahead in the detective team?"

His voice was somewhat hoarse, clearly exhausted from the relentless work over these days.

Li Jian heard this, smiled wryly, and shook his head, his fingers unconsciously tapping the table.

"Exactly, Mr. Ma, you don't know that now when our detective team tries to buy life insurance, insurance companies refuse to sell it to us."

As he said this, a hint of helplessness flashed in his eyes, as if narrating an absurd yet real joke.

"What? Not selling?" 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

"Really this situation?"

Mr. Ma quickly raised his head, his brows furrowing tightly.

Zhang Chao sighed, took out a crumpled pack of cigarettes from his pocket, and after receiving Mr. Ma's tacit approval, lit one up, "It's just like that."

"Because our job pressure is very high, easy to cause sudden death, and the probability of sacrifice is quite high."

He took a deep puff of his cigarette, continuing amidst the smoke, "Last year's health check-up, in our team, ten out of eight young people in their thirties had various degrees of stomach disease or hypertension."

Mr. Ma listened, nodded thoughtfully, his expression instantly becoming serious.

He recalled a memorial service he attended last month for a young detective who died in the line of duty at just 28, leaving behind a child just one year old.

Zhang Chao extinguished his cigarette, his voice low, "About 300 police officers die nationwide each year, with the highest numbers being from the detective and anti-drug teams, and of course some officers from police stations."

"They don't sell to us for a reason."

"After all, insurance companies need to make a profit, they calculate based on probability, and our probability is extremely high."

As he spoke, he reflexively touched the old injury on his left shoulder, a scar from a capture operation three years ago.

The three fell into silence.

Needless to say, they all have tasted the blood on the knife's edge, been born and died.

Li Jian recalled last year's gunman, the scorching sensation of a bullet grazing past his ear still vivid in his memory.

Zhang Chao remembered a rainy night ten years ago when he snatched a knife from a thug's hand to rescue a hostage.

Mr. Ma reminisced about his early days in the police, when his mentor sacrificed himself to protect him.

Faced with vicious thugs, armed criminals, and knife-wielding mentally ill, they have no choice but to charge forward because they must move forward.

This is where duty and mission lie — behind them are the unarmed masses.

Just as the three were lost in their memories, from afar, an off-road vehicle with police plates slowly emerged from the toll station.

Its license plate very familiar, Li Jian quickly stood up, patting his numb leg, "They've arrived!" His voice betrayed an uncontainable excitement.

Mr. Ma adjusted his tie on his police uniform, and the three of them moved forward in unison to greet.

At this moment, Wang's driving was still a hundred meters away, but he could see Mr. Ma, Li Jian, and Zhang Chao from afar.