The sunlight elongated their shadows, casting clear outlines on the ground.

"We haven't arrived yet, but they're already waiting for us."

Wang said, subconsciously slowing down the car, turning to look at Zhang Yean in the passenger seat.

"This is quite the high-level reception, I didn't expect Mr. Ma to come greet us in person."

His fingers lightly tapped on the steering wheel, appearing a bit nervous.

In the back seat, Jiang An, still a bit dazed from a hangover the night before, had dozed off on the way back and opened his eyes only to find they had reached the Jiangcheng Toll Station.

Hearing Wan's words, Jiang An rubbed his temples and incredulously sat up.

"It's just three people going out to assist with a case, is it really necessary for Mr. Ma to personally come to greet us?"

"This is the kind of treatment reserved for provincial-level leaders."

Zhang Yean shook her head with a smile, "This is really elevating us too much."

Wang glanced at Jiang An in the backseat through the rearview mirror, the corners of his mouth curving into a meaningful smile. "I reckon they're not here to greet us, it's mainly because of Mr. Jiang."

He paused, deliberately lowering his voice, "Relatively speaking, you're the one holding up the banner for our Criminal Investigation Team."

"Going out for a few days, there might be some cases that arise..."

Halfway through, Wan suddenly realized he'd said something inauspicious and quickly patted the steering wheel.

"Peh peh peh! Hopefully, it doesn't come true; I'd like to go back and watch a movie with my girlfriend. It's been a long time since we've been together."

Jiang An burst out laughing, the sunlight catching the angles of his face, making him look particularly spirited.

"Senior brother, don't worry too much, we'll handle whatever comes our way."

"Being detectives, isn't dealing with cases exactly what we're meant to do?"

"It's not the cases we fear, it's our ability that's important."

"We have a 100% solve rate on cases, you know!"

"Especially that case in Chuan City, the perpetrator was so flawlessly disguised, even the victim's classmates were fooled, but didn't we still catch him?"

Hearing this, Wan's tense expression relaxed.

He scratched his head with a smile, "I was just trying to lighten the mood earlier."

"With Mr. Jiang around, the team feels secure!"

As they spoke, the three of them had smoothly parked the police car by the roadside.

Just as they stepped out, they saw Mr. Ma waving to them with Li Jian and Zhang Chao.

The three of them immediately straightened their uniforms and jogged over, saluting in unison with a greeting.

"Hello, Mr. Ma!"

"Hello, Mr. Li!"

"Hello, Mr. Zhang!"

Mr. Ma smiled warmly, his gaze full of approval.

"Good job out there!"

"Your performance in Chuan City really made the Jiangcheng City Bureau proud!"

"The Chuan City Public Security Bureau sent a letter of thanks specifically to commend your outstanding work in solving the White Bone case."

Wan's eyes widened in surprise, his voice raising by eight pitches.

"Mr. Ma, this... this news traveled so fast?"

Zhang Yean was also full of disbelief.

Even Jiang An, who usually remained calm, showed a puzzled expression.

Seeing this, Li Jian quickly explained, "Don't misunderstand, it's not something we found out privately."

"It was an official communication sent this morning by the Chuan City Public Security Bureau. The bureau chief personally instructed to commend you!"

"An official communication? Commendation?" Wang and Zhang Yuan exchanged glances, momentarily at a loss for words.

Zhang Chao put on a stern face, "What? Are you three rascals questioning if the organization made a mistake?"

Wan immediately straightened up and responded solemnly, "Reporting, instructor, we absolutely trust the organization's decision! It's just that..."

He paused, showing a bit of embarrassment, "The efficiency has indeed exceeded expectations. The case was only closed yesterday afternoon, and the thank-you letter arrived today."

"The work efficiency of our Chuan City peers is indeed impressive."

Only then did Zhang Yean come back to her senses, unable to hold back a sigh, "I dare say, it was Mr. Jiang's speed in solving the case that truly stunned them!"

"You didn't see it, but when Captain Liu from Chuan City saw Mr. Jiang find the key evidence, his expression was like he'd seen a ghost!"

At this moment, Mr. Ma's eyes fell on Jiang An, his tone gentle yet powerful, "The thank-you letter from Chuan City was written very sincerely, expressing recognition for your work between the lines."

"Not only did they list your specific contributions, but they also gave a high evaluation of our overall level in the Jiangcheng Criminal Investigation."

He then let out a long sigh, "Honestly, this was unimaginable in the past."

"Chuan City's Criminal Investigation Team is a benchmark in our province's criminal investigation system."

"I remember in the provincial criminal investigation work meeting two years ago, their case solve rate, case closure rate, and public satisfaction three KPIs were far ahead of us, we could only look up to them."

"I never thought this cooperation would lead them to display such humility in a thank-you letter."

After a brief pause, Mr. Ma smiled and said, "But this is not a coincidence."

"It is precisely because you demonstrated Jiangcheng Criminal Investigation's bravery and fearlessness at the frontline, earning respect through your strength."

"Without you proving yourselves with professional skills and dedication, I'm sure Chuan City's criminal investigation wouldn't have looked at us with new eyes."

Hearing this, Wan unconsciously straightened his back, and the corners of Zhang Yuan's lips curled up slightly.

As the leader of this cross-city support operation, Jiang An felt a surge of emotions within.

Upon receiving the support task, he knew it was a test of opportunity and challenge alike.

The night before leaving, he repeatedly ran through all potential difficulties he might face.

If the investigation hit roadblocks, if there was a lack of synergy with the local police.

If ultimately, there was no breakthrough...

Every "if" weighed on him like a great stone.

Because it wasn't just about personal honor but also the reputation of the entire Jiangcheng Criminal Investigation system.

"Mr. Ma, you're too kind."

Jiang An took a deep breath, his voice firm and sincere, "The achievements of Jiangcheng Criminal Investigation are inseparable from your correct leadership."

"Over the years, under your guidance, we have consistently adhered to the principle of putting people first, continually innovating in our fight against crime and efforts to maintain social stability."

"From solving major cases to daily police work, every step has embodied the intelligence and dedication of our leadership team." 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

"Being part of this proud team makes each of us extremely proud."

Jiang An paused before continuing, "What I found most touching about the trip to Chuan City was the importance of collaboration."

"For the White Bone case, Chuan City had indeed deployed significant police forces, their investigative approach was creative, and their technical means advanced; yet they hit a stalemate in the end."

"Through in-depth communication, I realized the crux of the issue wasn't professional expertise but rather a problem with team coordination."

"Specifically, there were two entirely different investigative directions within their team."

"The technical team leaned towards a suicide conclusion, while the investigation team insisted on foul play."

"Both professional teams were firmly entrenched in their positions, lacking effective communication, leading to dispersed investigative resources and difficulty in integrating clues."

"This deeply made me realize the need to further improve inter-departmental collaboration mechanisms to avoid such fragmented efforts."

"In my opinion, a united and cooperative investigation team is the most powerful weapon in solving complex cases."

"Well said!"

Mr. Ma suddenly raised his voice, "'Collaboration is the strongest weapon in solving cases,'"

"That is so spot on! I've been in criminal investigation work for over thirty years, and I've seen too many cases prove this point."

"No matter how cunning the criminal or how complex the case, as long as our team is united and backs each other up, there's no case we can't solve!"

Mr. Ma strode to Jiang An, giving his shoulder a firm pat, speaking earnestly, "Jiang An, for you to draw such insights from this mission shows that you not only have strong professional skills but also possess the strategic vision to lead a team."

"I believe, with your broad perspective and sense of responsibility, you're fully capable of taking on more significant duties."

As soon as he finished speaking, Wan and Zhang Yean shared a meaningful glance, reading the same thought in each other's eyes.

Jiang An then straightened up, his gaze as sharp as a torch, solemnly saluting Mr. Ma.

"Rest assured, Mr. Ma! The entire Jiangcheng Criminal Investigation Team will always remember our original mission, maintaining our loyalty to the party."

"No matter what difficulties and dangers we face, we will remain united, diligently fulfill our duties, resolutely uphold the dignity of the law, and guard the peace of Jiangcheng!"