Born with Luck

A month and a half ago.

Deputy Director of the Provincial Public Security Department, Gao Dong, sat in his chair, a cigarette held between the fingers of his left hand, while his right hand raised a photocopy of a whistleblower letter. He read and reread the brief half-page text.

Before long, Director Wu knocked twice and entered the office. Gao Dong eagerly stood up and asked, “Well?”

Director Wu handed him a file folder and said,

“No fingerprints or other traceable substances were found on the whistleblower letter. It seems the whistleblower was very cautious. If we want to identify them, we’d have to send detectives directly to the courier company. Since it was a document addressed to the Public Security Department, the courier who received it would likely remember the sender.”

Gao Dong stood still, lost in thought for a few seconds, then sat back down, stubbed out his cigarette, and opened the file folder. Inside were two items: the original whistleblower letter, sealed in a transparent plastic bag, and a few pages of forensic analysis reports.

After skimming the reports, Gao Dong asked, “The people at the forensics center saw the contents of this letter, didn’t they?”

“I made sure to use someone trustworthy. I supervised the entire process.”

“Even so, we must be careful…” Gao Dong sighed softly.

“They’re just technicians, unrelated to the matters mentioned in the letter. Director Gao, should we arrange for detectives to investigate the sender?”

“No need,” Gao Dong replied, placing the original letter in a drawer and feeding the forensic reports into the shredder. He pressed the switch, making his stance clear. “Whether the claims in the letter are true or false, our priority is to protect the whistleblower. We can’t let them think we’re trying to track them down. Since the whistleblower has chosen to remain anonymous for now, I respect their decision.”

“Then what do you suggest?”

“The letter accuses Zhou Weidong. Why did the whistleblower send it to me instead of the disciplinary committee? Of course, the letter states they don’t have concrete evidence yet—that’s one reason. But I think the second reason is that they know about the conflict between Zhou Weidong and me. That’s hardly a secret. I come from the criminal investigation division, while he’s from the political affairs line. Before I came to the provincial department, our careers never overlapped. In the three years since I’ve been here, he’s used his seniority—and his position as executive deputy director—to undermine me at every turn. Anyone with eyes can see that.”

Director Wu said, “But you oversee criminal investigations and are the youngest among the deputy directors.” Youth was an invaluable political asset—one of his greatest advantages.

Gao Dong closed his eyes briefly before speaking calmly, “In another year or so, our director will either be promoted to the Ministry of Public Security or transferred to a government post. If the ministry doesn’t make any special arrangements, the provincial internal recommendation for the next director will almost certainly be Zhou Weidong. You know the relationship between us. If he becomes director, my days here will be difficult.”

Director Wu’s eyes gleamed as he considered this. “The whistleblower understands your relationship with Zhou Weidong, so they sent the letter to you. They know you’re willing to take action against him!”Gao Dong smiled and said, "Guess when Zhou Weidong started giving me trouble? Before I came to the Provincial Department, I was in charge of the Criminal Investigation Division. Even after being transferred as Deputy Director, I still had some influence there. Once, the head of the division came to me, saying they had cracked a case. A businessman named Zhou Rong approached them, claiming to be Zhou Weidong’s nephew, trying to get someone off the hook. The case was already settled—letting the person go was impossible—but he wanted the charges reduced. When I looked at the file, it turned out to be a case of a rich second-generation kid involved in the gang rape of an underage girl. I immediately ordered the division to pursue the harshest punishment. After that, Zhou Weidong’s attitude toward me changed. Of course, I later investigated him, but he’s meticulous in his dealings, appearing completely clean on the surface."

Director Wu nodded. There had always been rumors about Zhou Weidong, but if there had been solid evidence, the Central Inspection Team would have nabbed him long ago.

Gao Dong continued, "But this whistleblower letter is different. The informant claims Zhou Rong is Zhou Weidong’s front man, allegedly involved in both legal and illegal dealings, even implicated in murder. Lu Zheng, the deputy director in charge of criminal investigations at Three Rivers Estuary, disappeared half a year ago, and there’s been no trace of him since. The informant says Lu Zheng was investigating Zhou Rong at the time and was silenced by him. However, the informant admits they don’t have direct evidence, only some leads." Gao Dong’s eyes turned cold as he added sharply, "If such a major criminal case is confirmed, no one, no matter their rank, will escape!"

Director Wu pondered and said, "The informant also wrote that if you’re willing to investigate Zhou Rong, they want the Provincial Department to parachute a deputy director into Three Rivers Estuary to fill Lu Zheng’s position. Once they see your stance, they’ll come forward to cooperate with our investigation."

Gao Dong nodded. "Lu Zheng has been missing for over half a year now. It’s time to fill that vacancy. Normally, such local positions are filled internally, but this time, we must send our own capable person."

"Zhou Weidong will likely fight for that spot too."

"I oversee criminal investigations. The choice is mine." Gao Dong thought for a moment before looking up. "The key question now is, who do we send?"

"We need someone highly capable and absolutely reliable." Director Wu already had someone in mind. Seeing his superior’s questioning gaze, he revealed his choice. "Zhang Yi’ang!"

"Zhang Yi’ang?" Gao Dong’s mouth hung open in surprise. "You think he’s capable?"

"Is... isn’t he?" Director Wu chuckled awkwardly under his boss’s skeptical stare.

In Director Wu’s view, Zhang Yi’ang was extremely capable. Two years ago, when his car was scratched in his neighborhood, he reported it to the local police station, but after half a month with no progress, he mentioned it to Zhang Yi’ang. The next day, the culprit was caught. Later, when his relative’s restaurant in another city was being extorted by local thugs, he asked Zhang Yi’ang for advice on how to handle it. To his surprise, within days, the thugs showed up at the restaurant with gifts to apologize.

With skills like that, how could he not be capable?

Gao Dong snorted and shook his head. "What ability does Zhang Yi’ang have? He solves cases mostly by guessing!""Hmm..." Director Wu, owing to these two favors, continued to struggle on Zhang Yi'ang's behalf. "But in handling this case, I believe reliability is more important than capability. I heard Zhang Yi'ang has been following you since graduation—his background is the purest. Others might be more capable, but when it comes to investigating Zhou Weidong, what if they try political opportunism, playing both sides..."

Gao Dong reclined in his chair, recalling some past events. The last case he solved before becoming Deputy Director indeed involved a traitor. If he were to name someone he could trust completely, aside from Zhang Yi'ang, there really wasn’t a second choice.

Director Wu pressed on: "Actually, his capability isn’t the issue. The informant said as long as we show our stance, he’ll get the evidence for us. What matters is Three Rivers Estuary—we need our most reliable person to hold that position."

Gao Dong thought it over and had to admit it was true.

Seeing the leader’s attitude softening, Director Wu doubled down: "Zhang Yi'ang has always been under your shadow, never had much chance to prove himself. Let him take charge this time. Maybe being in the field will unlock his potential—he might crack a few high-profile cases and earn some glory!"

After a long silence, Gao Dong sighed deeply. "I just hope I can see him solve one major case before I retire."

Zhang Yi'ang was filled with gratitude for his sudden appointment as Deputy Director in charge of criminal investigations at Three Rivers Estuary.

After all, at the provincial department, he was surrounded by superiors at every turn. Only by going local could he have real authority. Moreover, Director Gao held him in such high regard, entrusting him with the earth-shattering plan to investigate Zhou Rong and expose Zhou Weidong. He’d even spent an entire afternoon coaching him on how to proceed and handle local political entanglements.

Director Wu also conveyed Director Gao’s earnest expectations—his transfer wasn’t just about investigating Zhou Weidong but also an opportunity to prove himself by solving major cases. Of course, Zhang Yi'ang only heard the latter half. He nearly swore on the spot to achieve monumental success at Three Rivers Estuary and never let his leader down!

In what felt like a blink, over a week had passed since his arrival at Three Rivers Estuary. The local political dynamics were far more complicated than he’d anticipated.

First, the other leaders in the bureau, though superficially polite, treated him like a contagion, collectively isolating and keeping their distance. Within the criminal investigation division, Captain Ye Jian had taken sick leave the day after his arrival and hadn’t been seen since. Rumor had it Ye Jian was originally the internal recommendation for Deputy Director, but Zhang Yi'ang’s sudden appointment was like a punch to the gut—akin to a constipation sufferer on the verge of relief suddenly collapsing from hemorrhoid pain. The resentment was understandable! There were even whispers of Ye Jian’s close ties to Zhou Rong, which might explain things further. The other detectives, while not openly opposing him, naturally kept their distance, following the lead of their superiors.

In any organization, seniority and factionalism were inevitable. As a newcomer, there was little he could do about it.Right from the start, he encountered difficulties but dared not seek help from his superiors. After much deliberation, he finally came up with a plan. Through inquiries, he learned that the Criminal Police Brigade wasn’t a monolithic entity—Deputy Captain Wang Ruijun had long-standing conflicts with Ye Jian, and Squad Leader Song Xing was Wang’s close friend. Thus, he decided to win these two over.

Winning Wang Ruijun over was straightforward. He and Ye Jian were at odds, and the new leadership also had issues with Ye Jian. The enemy of my enemy is my friend, and the enemy’s leader is an even better friend. As long as he managed his relationship with the new leadership well, it wouldn’t be long before they found a way to transfer Ye Jian out and promote him to captain.

Song Xing, however, was trickier. He was a skilled investigator and a core member of the team, but aside from his work, he was somewhat rigid in his interpersonal dealings. Despite joining the force three years earlier than Wang Ruijun and earning more commendations, he remained stuck at the rank of squad leader.

For someone like Song Xing, Zhang Yi'ang naturally had his own approach. Skilled professionals admired leaders with strong investigative abilities. Zhang Yi'ang was personally mentored by Director Gao, a legendary detective and idol to all criminal police officers in the province. Director Gao had earned a first-class merit award from the Ministry of Public Security without sustaining any injuries or disabilities, along with two team first-class merits and countless other accolades. He was the only high-ranking official in the Provincial Department who had risen through the criminal police ranks. As the protégé of such a legend, Zhang Yi'ang was surely no ordinary man. Leveraging Director Gao’s reputation, he temporarily brought Song Xing under his wing.

The beginning is always the hardest. At least he had two people on his side, though neither could be considered a confidant. To command the entire criminal police force at Three Rivers Estuary, there were only two options. The first was to wait and build seniority over time—something Zhang Yi'ang had no patience for. The second was to quickly solve a major case, using his competence to earn respect and establish authority. For this, Zhang Yi'ang felt inexplicably confident.

Beyond internal personnel issues, another problem was handed to him as a bonus.

That morning, as soon as he arrived at his office, he saw Li Qian, a female trainee detective, placing a thick stack of materials on his desk before standing respectfully to the side.

Li Qian—she was that problem!

Frankly, Li Qian was quite attractive. Female officers rarely had such fair skin and delicate features, and all the male colleagues couldn’t help but steal glances at her. But only Zhang Yi'ang knew she was a troublesome VIP.

On the eve of his assignment to Three Rivers Estuary, Director Gao had treated him to a meal. At the end, Director Gao amiably broached the subject: a female officer fresh out of the police academy would accompany him to Three Rivers Estuary. What did he think? Zhang Yi'ang immediately understood she must have connections. He responded that while he didn’t expect much from a female detective, an extra pair of hands wouldn’t hurt.

Director Gao was pleased and added that the girl had always wanted to be a detective, but Zhang Yi'ang should find a way to dissuade her and send her back as soon as possible. Moreover, she had no experience with the underworld, didn’t understand the dangers, and was impulsive by nature. Zhang Yi'ang had to keep a tight rein on her—no frontline work, and absolutely no accidents! When Zhang Yi'ang casually asked what would happen if an accident occurred, Director Gao’s expression darkened as he snapped, “Then I’ll have your head delivered back to the Public Security Department!”

The threat terrified Zhang Yi'ang. Later, he approached Director Wu to inquire about Li Qian’s background. Director Wu only knew her uncle was a high-ranking official in the Ministry of Public Security, but the specifics were unclear.Zhang Yi'ang was at his wit's end. The daughter of a high-ranking Ministry of Public Security official had descended upon them. He couldn't let her participate in actual investigations, yet he had to give her a taste of the action and send her back as soon as possible. This political task of having to do everything at once was truly putting him in a difficult position.

He had no choice but to assign all the office-based research tasks to Li Qian. To his surprise, the young girl was extremely efficient, completing tasks faster than he could assign them.

"Director Zhang, all of Zhou Rong's historical records are here."

"That was quick!" Zhang Yi'ang responded weakly, not even glancing at the materials.

Li Qian looked at him expectantly: "What task will you assign me next?"

"Uh..." Zhang Yi'ang thought to himself, since you're so efficient, why not have you mop the entire police station floor?

Seeing his prolonged silence, Li Qian eagerly suggested: "How about I go undercover to tail Zhou Rong and conduct a covert investigation?"

"Absolutely not!" Zhang Yi'ang blurted out.

"Why not? Other detectives said this is how you conduct targeted investigations on suspects."

"Well... we don't have evidence yet. Investigating Zhou Rong requires more groundwork."

"Like what?"

Zhang Yi'ang puffed out his chest: "Police work isn't child's play. It's never about individual capability but teamwork. Any outstanding detective knows not to take reckless risks alone. They must consider the bigger picture and coordinate plans accordingly!"

"Director Gao said you're exactly that kind of outstanding detective." Li Qian recalled Uncle Gao's introduction—this Director Zhang was an exceptional investigator, and learning from him would provide real skills. Since she wanted to be a detective so badly, she'd come to the right person.

"Director Gao really said that?!" Zhang Yi'ang was overjoyed. The leadership's assessment was indeed objective and accurate. He coughed, reining in his grin that threatened to split his face, and continued, "Three Rivers Estuary is Zhou Rong's territory. He's the Local Tyrant there. We're parachuted in—if we want to deal with him, we can't rush things and risk alerting the enemy. First, we need to gather our own trusted team within the detective unit."

"You mean Zhou Rong has people inside the police department too?"

Zhang Yi'ang snorted coldly: "How could a Local Tyrant like him not have connections in the bureau? I don't know about others yet, but the head of the criminal division, Ye Jian, is said to be very close with Zhou Rong. If even the division head is like this, you can imagine how difficult our work will be." As he spoke, he grew increasingly angry. "The former Director Lu has been missing for over half a year. Ye Jian had been acting as deputy director all this time, thinking he'd surely get promoted. Then suddenly, the provincial department sent me down instead. He must be furious—he was full of energy on my first day here, then suddenly went on sick leave the next day! What kind of attitude is that? Counting now, he's been on sick leave for over a week. Let's hope he doesn't drop dead from illness!"

At that moment, Wang Ruijun, deputy head of the criminal division, rushed into the office and exclaimed: "Director Zhang, Ye Jian is dead!"

Zhang Yi'ang froze for a moment before nodding slowly: "Just as I expected!"

Wang Ruijun was astonished: "You predicted this?"

"Tell me, what illness did he have?"

"He wasn't ill—he was stabbed to death.""So that's how it is." Zhang Yi'ang swallowed hard. After all, he had guessed the outcome—different paths led to the same destination. He glanced at Li Qian, who was gazing up at him with a look of wonder, then turned to Wang Ruijun and ordered, "Secure the scene! No one moves anything until I arrive!"

Before dying, the victim had written a few words on a stone. Though somewhat scribbled, they were still legible. Why had this name been written? Did this name necessarily represent the killer?