When people are at a loss for words, they really do laugh.

Zhongshan Junmei just laughed.

She could understand Aoyama Xiu Xin's show of intimidation.

But sending only one person and one car to pick her up, making her entourage take taxis, was just too childish!

Of course, she had to admit that it was quite disgusting.

Normally, someone of her stature would not stoop to such tactics, but Aoyama Xiu Xin had, which made her lose some respect for him.

"Idiots! You clearly don't have Chief Zhongshan in your eyes!" A young man with a middle-parted hair angrily rebuked the police officer picking them up from behind her.

This time, Zhongshan Junmei didn't stop him.

Just disembarking from the plane she had been disgusted, it was foreseeable that even more distasteful tactics lay ahead.

She couldn't keep following Aoyama Xiu Xin's lead, otherwise, along the way to headquarters, her authority as the director would be eroded entirely, and it would be challenging to reestablish later on. It was crucial to take some initiative.

Faced with this situation, the airport police officer, who had been briefed by Aoyama Xiu Xin beforehand, said with a feigned difficulty, "Should I report back then?"

"Go ahead," Zhongshan Junmei said soothingly.

She didn't vent her anger on the man before her; he was just doing his job. The person to resent was the one behind him.

"Alright!" The airport police officer responded and then turned to go to a nearby public payphone to call Aoyama Xiu Xin's office, "Minister Aoyama, Chief Zhongshan refuses to get in the car, what should I do now?"

"Tell Chief Zhongshan that headquarters will send a car right away," Aoyama Xiu Xin said indifferently.

"Alright!" replied the airport police officer, and after Aoyama Xiu Xin hung up, he jogged back to Zhongshan Junmei, bowed, and said, "Please wait a moment, Chief Zhongshan, headquarters will send a car shortly."

"Mhm," Zhongshan Junmei nodded, not surprised by this. She was, after all, appointed by the higher-ups, and if she was continuously delayed in taking up her post, Aoyama Xiu Xin would be at fault for the clear intent to hinder her.

Aoyama Xiu Xin dared to use such petty means to disgust her but did not dare to offend her superiors. So, when faced with her firm refusal to get in the car, he naturally had no choice but to send another one.

Of course, she didn't expect Aoyama Xiu Xin to arrange a grand reception, but as long as she wasn't genuinely taking her subordinates in a taxi to take up her post, the face-saving measure for the new director was preserved.

The most important thing was that she had interrupted Aoyama Xiu Xin's subsequent arrangements, no longer subjected to his further disgusting tactics.

In the crowd not far away, a journalist used the throng of people as cover to clearly photograph the entire scene.

He had been covertly taking pictures since Zhongshan Junmei walked out of the airport and met with the reception personnel.

On the other hand, Aoyama Xiu Xin chuckled darkly and called the newly appointed General Affairs Department Minister Jiang Jin Yin, saying, "Mobilize a hundred police cars, five hundred policemen to block off the airport route to the police headquarters, welcoming Chief Zhongshan to her position."

Not satisfied with a small airport reception, huh? Then I'll give you a grand welcoming ceremony to provide enough pomp for the new director.

"But Minister Aoyama, the police force is already invested in a city-wide manhunt, diverting so much manpower will certainly cause gaps in the encirclement, making it easy for Mitsuo Mutou to slip away," Jiang Jin Guo Yinan said.

Aoyama Xiu Xin spun his pen, leaned back relaxedly, and propped his legs upon the desk, saying leisurely, "That's exactly what I want, a gap for him to slip through. As long as the outermost cordon remains intact and prevents him from fleeing Sapporo, that will suffice. We can then conduct a detailed search afterwards."

"This... Minister, that'll render our past two days of search efforts futile. If we have to start the city-wide search again, the officers below are sure to complain," Jiang Jin Yin tried to persuade Aoyama Xiu Xin further. If the shrunk encirclement develops gaps letting Mitsuo Mutou escape, they'd lose track of him and would have to start the containment all over again.

For this city-wide search, many policemen hadn't had a good sleep for a couple of days. Suddenly telling them to start all over would definitely lead to some harsh words.

Aoyama Xiu Xin laughed lightly, feigned a sigh, and said, "I know, but it's the director's command. I've already argued on principle, but there's no choice! She despises the modesty of the airport reception and insists on a grand scene, so I can only obey and act accordingly. Spread the news, so everyone knows where to direct their grievances, and don't blame me."

Jiang Jin Yin immediately had an epiphany. So, Minister Aoyama was setting a trap for Zhongshan Junmei.

In that case, Zhongshan Junmei would have offended all grassroots police in Sapporo the moment she arrived in Hokkaido, and if Mitsuo Mutou truly slipped away and committed another crime, the citizens of Sapporo would also grow resentful and condemn Zhongshan Junmei.

"Minister! You're cunning! Really, you're so cunning and shrewd! Rest assured, I know what to do," Jiang Jin Yin said with a sneer.

He had been in the General Affairs Department for many years, but Kudou Misaki, through Fujimoto Takayoshi's favoritism, had risen above him, and even suppressed him thoroughly. It was Aoyama Xiu Xin who had promoted him, so his loyalty to him was boundless at the moment.

Very soon, a vast number of frontline police officers involved in the search received orders from their respective superiors: to abandon the manhunt, immediately block and clear the route to the airport, welcoming the new director Zhongshan Junmei.

And it was specifically emphasized that this was the command of Director Zhongshan Junmei, with no delays permitted, to be executed immediately.

Upon this, those grassroots policemen participating in the welcoming ceremony couldn't help but curse. With the situation so serious, they were being pulled away from important tasks to block roads and provide an escort. Did the new director have a screw loose?

Mitsuo Mutou had been planning to risk breaking through the encirclement to assassinate Miyashita Hidekatsu, and the mass withdrawal of police officers provided him with the perfect opportunity.

On the highway to the airport, all civilian vehicles were intercepted by police checkpoints, urged to divert from the road nearby.

"You can't go ahead; everyone, please divert from here."

"Work with us, everyone please exit the highway nearby."

"Brother, what happened? Why suddenly block the road? We're rushing to catch a plane!" someone asked the police blocking the road.

The cop, already resentful about being suddenly pulled to partake in the welcoming ceremony, spoke bluntly, "It's all because of bureaucratic red tape. The new Director thought the reception party we sent was too small, lacked face, and insisted that we block the road from the airport to the police headquarters for her exclusive use. We were in the middle of the manhunt for Mitsuo Mutou, and suddenly we had to do this."

"Idiot! That's some serious abuse of power! Acting like this on the first day, what will happen in the future, huh!"

"That bitch, if Mitsuo Mutou takes this chance to escape, she'll definitely be the one to blame!"

The sudden shift in police resources naturally caught the attention of reporters, who soon learned from the police why the road was blocked.

Runmei Zhongshan, however, was none the wiser and was still sitting on a bench by the airport road waiting for her welcome vehicle.

"Why is the car not here yet?" Yangzi Hashimoto was getting impatient, glancing at the elegant women's watch on her wrist, restless whether she stood or sat.

Runmei Zhongshan was more composed and unconcerned as she said, "They're intentionally delaying us. It seems Aoyama Xiu Xin isn't that smart after all, resorting to such petty tactics that shouldn't see the light of day. Let's wait a bit longer; I estimate the car will arrive soon."

She was wronging Aoyama Xiu Xin this time. He hadn't intentionally delayed her; clearing the road took time, or the motorcade would have been there earlier.

About another half an hour passed by, and as it was nearing two o'clock, a piercing siren finally was heard, and four police motorcyclists with wailing sirens and flashing lights appeared in everyone's view, followed by a cavalcade of police cars, among them a luxury sedan without police livery that slowly pulled up at the curb.

Runmei Zhongshan stood up, filled with suspicion. She hadn't thought these vehicles were there to pick her up; she suspected that a major incident had occurred at the airport.

Only when a rotund Senior Police Director, accompanied by a group of people, walked up to her and bowed before saying, "Director Zhongshan, welcome, you must be tired from your journey. I am Minister of the General Affairs Department Jiang Jin Yin, here to escort you to your new position. Please, get in the car."

Runmei Zhongshan's eyes furrowed in disdain.

"Heh, weren't they saying there weren't enough police officers and vehicles available? Where did all these cars come from?" Yangzi Hashimoto crossed her arms and snorted, her ample chest even more prominent under the pressure of her arms.

Jiang Jin Yin looked oppressively stressed, sweating buckets as he responded with a forced smile, "It's true that resources are tight, but we managed to make do. Minister, please, get in the car. It's not good to block the road like this."

Something felt off to Runmei Zhongshan, as the sudden turn of events was suspicious. Noticing that a large number of pedestrians and vehicles were being blocked by police cars behind her, she felt it best not to linger and, after expressing her gratitude, she got into the car with Yangzi Hashimoto.

Once the motorcade left the airport and entered the deserted highway, police cars were seen parked every few hundred meters along the road, with two officers standing guard at each.

They all saluted as the motorcade passed by.

Yangzi Hashimoto felt incredibly imposing, making a mental vow that one day she too would be a powerful woman like her aunt.

Runmei Zhongshan did not share this sense of grandeur; she felt uneasy. Her face darkened as she said, "Minister Jiang Jin, what's going on? Isn't Sapporo City conducting a full-scale manhunt? Where did all these extra police forces come from?"

Jiang Jin Yin turned around and laughed, answering, "To honor your arrival as the new Director, we temporarily closed off this road as a sign of respect and specifically redirected some of the officers from the manhunt operation to escort you safely."

"Idiot!" Runmei Zhongshan couldn't help but curse upon hearing this. She had thought by refusing to get in the car she was avoiding Aoyama Xiu Xin's trap, but it turned out she had jumped into an even bigger one. She bellowed, "Disband these officers at once and have them return to the manhunt!"

"That wouldn't be appropriate, Minister. Sapporo City has been quite chaotic lately, and your safety is of the utmost importance! We cannot take it lightly." Jiang Jin Yin maintained a serious demeanor.

Runmei Zhongshan was furious, her face an ashen blue, her sagging breasts heaving with rage. She could already imagine how tomorrow's newspaper headlines would paint her.

Aoyama Xiu Xin, that cunning and deceitful scoundrel!

So this was his real display of power.

She had to admit, the effect of this power play was achieved—at least now she wouldn't underestimate Aoyama Xiu Xin.

"Auntie." Yangzi Hashimoto quickly patted Runmei Zhongshan's chest gently, trying to prevent her from being overwhelmed by anger.

Jiang Jin Yin observed Runmei Zhongshan's reaction, his lips curling into a mocking smile, thinking to himself that she still had a lot to learn if she wanted to compete with Minister Aoyama.

"Ding-a-ling-a-ling! Ding-a-ling-a-ling!"

It was at this moment that his phone suddenly rang.

"Mosi Mosi... what?" Jiang Jin Yin's face drastically changed, his voice rising in pitch.

Runmei Zhongshan showed a look of curiosity upon seeing this.

As Jiang Jin Yin hung up the phone, still not having recovered from his shock, Runmei Zhongshan couldn't hold back and asked, "Minister Jiang Jin, what has happened? May I know?"

Jiang Jin Yin regained his composure and looked at her with complicated eyes, saying, "Just now, Mayor Miyashita was shot while visiting the innocent civilians injured by Mitsuo Mutou in the hospital. He has been rushed to the emergency room, and the shooter, Mitsuo Mutou, has been apprehended on the spot."

"What!" Runmei Zhongshan was also shocked.

She then nearly blacked out and fainted.

She could imagine that tomorrow's papers would say: At her behest, the police headquarters diverted officers from their manhunt duties to stage a grand welcome ceremony for her, creating a gap in the dragnet that allowed Mitsuo Mutou to escape and shoot Mayor Miyashita Hidekatsu at the hospital.

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