Fate toys with people—an ordinary man embarks on an extraordinary path. The recluse hides in the wilds, the greater recluse hides in the city, and the greatest recluse hides within the court.

A life of grand waves and surges—never let down the crest of the tide in this lifetime!

The turbulent changes of the 1990s, the surging storms of the 21st century—starting from the grassroots, how will David Carter navigate the officialdom with skill and daring? Awakening from a great dream, how will he command the world of business? Watch as David Carter, step by steady step, creates brilliance.

See truth in the details, and splendor in the grand.

Volume One: The Hidden Dragon of Jiangmiao

Chapter One: Exile

David Carter walked down the road, feeling a bit dejected, carrying his bag. Inside were just some changes of clothes, a few textbooks he’d brought back from school that he still thought were useful, and a few self-study books.

Busy day and night in the criminal police squad, like a machine wound up to the limit, he’d hardly had time to flip through a book. Maybe after today, he’d finally have some leisure to read.

The early summer sun was already fierce, making him sweat all over. He simply took off his white shirt and slung it over his shoulder, walking with his head down.

He’d caught a passing bus to the neighboring county, which didn’t go through Jiangmiao Street. From the roadside here to the local police station was still several miles. Normally, that wouldn’t be much, but today, every step felt especially unpleasant.

All the squad’s cars and people had rushed off to Dongting. Word was, a body had been found on Maotou Mountain in Dongting Township. The local police’s preliminary investigation suggested it was an unnatural death—very likely a case.

Once a case is filed, it’s a homicide, and the noose tightens instantly around the criminal police squad’s neck.

These days, if there’s a murder, the higher-ups don’t ask about anything else—they just want to know when you’ll solve the case. They don’t care about the conditions. You and your team can work yourselves to death for a month, but if you don’t come up with any valuable leads, can’t give a single answer, then just wait to see the boss’s dark face.

But all that had nothing to do with him anymore. Thinking of this, David Carter felt a bit of schadenfreude, but that trace of pleasure vanished like smoke. He was immediately troubled by his own predicament.

Criminal police squad—what a resounding and domineering name! Criminal police—who wouldn’t show some respect when you walked out with that title?

No matter how exhausting, stepping out of the public security bureau, even your chest would puff out a bit more than others. Whether it was government officials or street punks like Big Charles, who wouldn’t cast a sidelong glance?

To be shameless, even when facing girls, just that identity alone would score you a few extra points. But all of that was now in the past for him.

Three classmates from the police academy had been assigned to the criminal police squad at the same time. It was rare for Jiangkou County to get three graduates from the provincial police academy in one go.

In previous years, it was just one every now and then, and many stayed in the city’s sub-bureaus or the municipal bureau. This year, the assignment policy favored the grassroots, so the three of them returned together to the county’s criminal police squad. They’d felt a bit aggrieved, but at least being in the squad was some comfort. After all, it was an elite team, and they could learn how to handle cases.

But now, he alone had been kicked out of the criminal police squad, and in such a humiliating way—exiled to the police station, and not just any station, but Jiangmiao Police Station, forty kilometers from the county seat. That left a bitter taste.

The sun grew even more scorching, burning David Carter’s neck like fire. David Carter looked up at the road ahead. It was nearly lunchtime, and there were hardly any pedestrians. All around were rice paddies—there wasn’t even a shady spot to rest.

David Carter couldn’t help but reminisce about his nearly year-long career in the criminal police. No matter how hard or tiring, it was always a big group—joking and laughing, whether it was dull or tough, they got through it together. Now, marching alone like this, he truly felt uncomfortable.

If only he’d left earlier. Who knew the squad would run into a homicide? Now only two female colleagues were left at the squad. Helen Clark was decent enough—she even gave him a lift on her bicycle to the bus station. He hadn’t expected to catch a passing bus, saving fifty cents on the fare, but it left him stranded two miles from Jiangmiao Town’s main street.

David Carter drifted off in thought, recalling how, early that morning, he’d sat on the back seat of the bicycle, lightly holding Helen Clark’s waist. It gave him a strange feeling. Once you’ve tasted it, you know—ever since he’d done that with his girlfriend Eric Turner, David Carter felt as if twenty years of buried desire had suddenly been unearthed.

The soft, supple feel of Helen Clark’s waist made his heart race, almost making him mistake Helen Clark for Evelyn Turner. His hands couldn’t help but want to climb higher.

Helen Clark was also one of the three police academy grads, though not from his class—she was in Brian Howard’s class. She looked quite cute, with a round face, a bit like a doll, especially those long, curved eyelashes that were really captivating when she blinked. Word was, Brian Howard had always had a thing for Helen Clark, but it didn’t seem like anything had developed between them.

A burst of bicycle bell rang out, and a bicycle whizzed past him.