### Chapter 6: The Shifting World Line (9)
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I must say, Wang Shengli had been in a high position for so long that his aura was anything but ordinary.
Just approaching him made Li Cheng feel an invisible pressure hitting him head-on.
“Li Cheng? Who would’ve thought that after three years, you’d already be a lieutenant colonel?” Wang Shengli smiled at him.
Since he wasn’t actually under any system, and Wang Shengli wasn’t his superior, Li Cheng merely nodded slightly, “Wang Bureau, still full of charm, and your presence more commanding than ever.”
Wang Shengli patted Li Cheng’s shoulder and laughed heartily, “Let’s go, take me to see Bureau Director Lin.”
If there’s any department that deals with the Special Operations Bureau the most, it’d definitely be the police station. But for secrecy’s sake, even within the police station, there was only a small department that outsiders might consider unnecessary, solely in charge of liaising with the Special Operations Bureau.
Of course, as the head of the police station, Wang Shengli couldn’t possibly be unaware of the Special Operations Bureau’s existence.
He was fully aware that the bureau chief was a remarkably young and beautiful woman.
When Nie Zhengchu called him, he happened to be in a meeting. Due to the presence of a signal jamming device, his cell phone was completely blocked, so he missed Nie’s call.
As soon as the meeting ended, a subordinate reported that something outrageous was trending online.
Some Special Forces personnel had violated orders and stormed into the city center armed to the teeth, posing a significant threat.
He immediately clicked on the video uploaded by internet users, and it was like a flood washing over the Dragon King Temple—everyone was confused.
How could the police treat the chief of the Special Operations Bureau as a suspect? And since Nie Zhengchu was also there, it made sense why she had called him.
Now, this was a bit of a problem.
Moreover, his subordinate just reported that according to protocol, the emergency department had dispatched SWAT for reinforcement, and they should have already arrived on scene.
Lucky for them, the police station wasn’t far from the city hospital, so Wang Shengli decisively headed to the scene.
Although Bureau Director Lin was young, her rank was the same as his. If he didn’t step in, it could escalate into a bigger conflict. How could the two units get along in the future? While there hadn’t been any major cases in the last two years, who could guarantee that there wouldn’t be an unsolvable case popping up later on?
“Director, that SWAT team…”
The SWAT Team Leader, trailing behind Wang Shengli, asked nervously.
“Stand down, return to base! Let me tell you, Lieutenant Colonel Li is holding back; if he were serious, ten of you couldn’t take him on.”
Wang Shengli didn’t bother being polite with his subordinate, nearly dismissing him entirely with his words.
“Yes, Director.”
The SWAT Team Leader saluted and immediately ordered the team to withdraw.
As the crowd observed the intense showdown, they suddenly saw an even bigger shot appear. From their conversation, it seemed he was the head of the police station, no wonder the SWAT Team Leader resembled a mouse caught by a cat, behaving so obediently in front of him.
But why would the police chief personally come in and intervene, stopping a potential brawl?
The eyes of almost everyone present were glued to him.
Ma Yongxin, hiding near the police car, was no exception. He couldn’t take his eyes off Wang Shengli, constantly guessing the chief’s purpose for coming to the scene.
“Greetings, Director!”
When the three on-site patrol officers saw Wang Shengli, they immediately got anxious and saluted, one of them even squeaking unexpectedly.
Wang Shengli nodded lightly, his gaze sweeping over them before landing on Lin Nan and Nie Zhengchu, who were sitting in the police car.
The leading officer among the three had a rather agile mind. He looked around and spotted the original person who called the police hiding nearby, still holding up his phone and continuously filming.
He swiftly darted over and dragged him into the spotlight.
“Officer, what… what are you doing?”
“Nothing, just need you as a witness. Don’t be afraid; if the director asks, just tell the truth.”
Ma Yongxin felt a twinge of anxiety.
Meanwhile, Classmate B from the same hospital rapidly typed in their group chat,
“Whoa, Ma Yongxin got grabbed by the cops! No clue what’s happening here.”
Classmate A: “I think this is a bit exaggerated. If it’s just a small case, why would the police chief show up in person?”
“Right, right! So strange!”
“Shh, don’t talk! Let’s see what happens next.”
Nie Zhengchu jumped out of the car and looked at Wang Shengli, “Ah, old leader, we’ve been waiting for you! If you hadn’t shown up, we wouldn’t know where to appeal for our grievances.”
“Look, I’ve been mistaken for a fake ID dealer by your subordinates!”
Wang Shengli chuckled, “Sorry, sorry; we’ve put Bureau Director Nie through unfair treatment.”
He turned and shot a glare at the three patrol officers, who froze in place, terrified to even move a muscle.
Ma Yongxin blinked, his mind dazed, suddenly feeling like the world was shifting into something surreal.
“Dude, you little punk, how dare you report a false alarm!”
Taking advantage of the moment, the leading patrol officer knocked Ma Yongxin’s head hard. He yelped in pain, but the other two quickly covered his mouth.
They were already marked in front of the chief; any future promotion would be nothing but a dream.
Darn it, it was all thanks to this kid!
Forget about how those three officers looked at Ma Yongxin like hawks eyeing their prey.
Back near the police car, Wang Shengli cleared his throat lightly, “Bureau Director Lin, my subordinates indeed acted inappropriately. If there’s been any offense, I hope you’ll forgive them.”
He paused, waiting for Lin Nan’s reaction.
After all, over the past few years, Ocean City had practically eliminated special crimes, and the standing of the Special Operations Bureau had been continuously declining. Moreover, as a confidential department, they hardly interacted with ordinary people, lacking the tangible authority of other departments, more transparent than a water curtain government.
But given his seniority, it was unusual for him to come to meet the young bureau chief in person, providing the Special Operations Bureau with some face.
Normally speaking, Lin Nan would likely be accommodating, smoothing things over, and this incident would just blow over.
In the future, meetings wouldn’t feel so awkward.
What he didn’t expect was that after waiting for a while, Lin Nan didn’t even budge, tilting her head slightly, completely ignoring him.
Nie Zhengchu felt something was off and was about to step in and remind the bureau chief, only to have Li Cheng step in front of him, shaking his head.
Wang Shengli clenched his teeth, a surge of irritation bubbling up inside him.
In terms of experience, he had been a bureau chief for almost ten years, and in terms of age, he was nearly thirty years older than Lin Nan.
For crying out loud, he should be a respected elder!
This girl has been a bureau chief for a mere two or three years and is already acting so high and mighty!
How interesting.
Well, he had done what he was supposed to do; if she didn’t accept it, that was her problem.
“Everyone, disperse! What are you still doing here?”
Wang Shengli glared at the three patrol officers, who were standing like statues beside him, and shouted angrily.
“Yes, sir!”
Everyone at the scene could tell that while the girl held a decent position, she actually dared to disregard the police chief in public.
The fact that Director Wang didn’t explode on the spot already showed remarkable self-restraint.
“A ring-a-ling ling!”
Just as Wang Shengli took a few steps away, his phone rang.
He picked it up, and his expression changed dramatically.
Half a minute later, he returned to the police car, his face calm.
With the chief’s orders, the three patrol officers were pondering how to invite that esteemed figure out of the car, only for Wang Shengli to return.
“Director, you…”
An utterly shocking scene unfolded.
Wang Shengli actually bowed his head slightly towards the young girl in the police car, then maintained that posture like a statue.
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P.S.: There are two to three more chapters of face-slapping drama, and this mini-arc will wrap up.
For those patient enough, come back tomorrow night at nine! Satisfaction guaranteed or your money back!