Eric Carter was leafing through the case files that were now the focus of all current work—the materials of the “615 Special Task Force.” Since June 15th of last year, several gruesome dismemberment and body-dumping cases had occurred consecutively in Guangning County, causing an extremely negative impact. The county bureau had set up a special task force for this, with Kevin Grant as the team leader, and Eric Carter, who also served as the head of the Public Security Section, was transferred into the task force as deputy leader.

Within the task force, as one might imagine, Eric Carter was constantly subjected to Kevin Grant’s attitude, basically relegated to a marginal role. And now, Kevin Grant was becoming more and more excessive—just as Eric Carter was about to look through some materials, Kevin Grant sent someone to take them back.

Old Johnson was being so cautious precisely because he knew the role he was playing now. After all, it was nothing for Director Gao to snub Deputy Political Commissar Carter, but he himself was just a minor figure. If Deputy Political Commissar Carter lost his temper and took it out on him, he could only endure it. Besides, Deputy Political Commissar Carter had a military background and was known for his bad temper. It was said that just a few days ago, he’d led Brian Howard and his group to beat up some people from the Industry and Commerce Bureau.

To Old Johnson’s surprise, Eric Carter didn’t get angry. Instead, he closed the file with a pleasant expression, patted it, and said, “It’s all here. Want to check?”

Old Johnson was startled—when something unusual happens, there must be something behind it. But he had no idea what Deputy Political Commissar Carter was up to. Flustered, he said, “No need, no need. I’ll bring it back to you after Director Gao is done.” Hugging the thick stack of files, he hurried off.

Eric Carter then picked up a police magazine and opened it at random. Across from him, Mark Mason shook his head, clearly thinking that after more than a year, this young man’s temper had been worn down, and even his only redeeming quality had now vanished.

At the same time, in the third-floor office, Kevin Grant was reading through the suspect’s confession. At twenty-seven this year, dressed in his blue police uniform with red epaulets, he truly cut a dashing figure. He had always been known as the most handsome man in the county bureau, but after Eric Carter arrived, even in this regard he was outshone. Although Eric Carter couldn’t be called handsome, there was a rugged masculinity about him, and as a battle hero who had seen combat, the female officers in the bureau, when comparing in private, all agreed that Commissar Carter’s manly aura was more attractive. Director Gao, on the other hand, had a more delicate, even effeminate, appearance.

When Eric Carter first came to the county bureau, he outshone Kevin Grant in every way, which made Kevin Grant, who had always been the favored child, feel disappointed for the first time in his life.

But now? Kevin Grant’s lips curled into a smile. In just a year, Eric Carter had basically become a marginal figure in the county bureau. A few days ago, he’d heard from Director Bolton that they were planning to remove Eric Carter from his position as head of the Public Security Section. After that, Eric Carter would be left with only the idle title of deputy political commissar, completely losing his voice in the bureau.

Although Eric Carter’s current situation was partly due to a few traps he himself had set behind the scenes, the main blame still lay with Eric Carter himself. Two tigers cannot share one mountain, but Eric Carter didn’t understand this. To think they used to call each other brothers—how ridiculous!

Moreover, Eric Carter had no real background. His adoptive parents were just ordinary people and treated him very poorly. Since Eric Carter transferred back to Guangning nearly a year ago, he hadn’t even met with his adoptive parents. He himself had casually let this information slip to Director Bolton and some county leaders, which had further lowered Eric Carter’s standing. No matter how successful you become, you can’t forget the kindness of those who raised you, right?

It seemed that Eric Carter’s adoptive parents didn’t even know that their runaway son had returned, and in such a high position, no less. In this regard, he had always helped keep the secret, lest Eric Carter hear the rumors in the bureau and rush home to see his parents. After so many years apart, maybe the old grudges would be resolved, and they’d end up with a touching father-son reunion. If that happened, this secret would lose all its power over Eric Carter.

Eric Carter couldn’t blame him—who told him to always oppose and disgust him at every turn? Even if Eric Carter himself might not have realized it.

Take the “615 Serial Dismemberment Case” that the whole county was watching. He had already caught the main suspect, the criminal had confessed, and they’d even found one of the victim’s undergarments in the suspect’s home. But Eric Carter insisted there were too many doubts and refused to close the case hastily. Wasn’t that just making things difficult for him? What did Eric Carter know about criminal investigation anyway?

Looking at the confession of the criminal John Lee, Kevin Grant nodded in satisfaction. There was no doubt that solving this high-profile case would be a major highlight in his police career and would greatly help his promotion. Perhaps Eric Carter had also seen this opportunity and wanted to leave his mark on the case?

Unfortunately, without the right skills, he insisted on taking on delicate work—he was only making things hard for himself.

Kevin Grant put down the file and slowly picked up his teacup. In a few days, the name Eric Carter would no longer be a source of trouble for him.

The office door was gently knocked, then pushed open. Standing at the doorway was his slightly plump wife, Grace Johnson, who worked at the newly established county TV station this year.

“Time to eat? Do you know what time it is?” Grace Johnson pointed at her watch. She wasn’t working today and had come especially to make sure her husband ate. In her eyes, her husband was a good official who devoted himself entirely to his work, to the point of neglecting food and sleep, which made her feel sorry for him.