Chapter 30: Yellow Flare

The Department of City Security was among the busiest during the lantern festival.

In the center of the command center, Chief Zhang Yue stood while listening to his men, coming over to report at him of what goes on in the city. After he gave out his instruction and let the runner spread the news. The young chief barely had any time to rest as another would come in with another urgent news.

Because the Emperor decided to appear in the city to lit up the lantern, the city has been boisterous from a month earlier. Many of the merchants who came to Lantian for business decided to prolong their stay and joined in the fun. The guesthouse around the city was packed and some decided to camp out in the outskirt just to join the celebration.

As the sun began to fall towards the western sky, the street grew crowded with people and most of them were heading towards the city center. At this time, the watchers on the watchtower were beating their drums, reporting stampede in a few areas.

Just outside the building, Officer Zhou Ming stood with a few of his men. Their head tilted up towards the watchtower direction, as they read the morse code that the watchers flashed to communicate with the other towers.

"There is another stampede in the east side of the city," Liu Da Wei, the guard who was always seen with Officer Zhou Ming, spoke. "How many times this happened today? Three?"

Suddenly, something shot up to the sky, and a yellow flare appeared, telling anyone who saw and understand the signal that the situation was quite dangerous. Those who could come over, should come over and assist them.

"It looks like the situation this time is quite dangerous," Liu Da Wei spoke again. He turned to Officer Zhou Ming and raised a brow. "Should we go and help?"

Officer Zhou Ming leaned his body on the pillar behind him and spoke in an unhurried tone, "Let's stay here and see. By now, I'm sure that Chief Zhang Yue had sent a lot of people to assist the Hong Troop with the situation. If we head over there at this time, there will be too many people."

"We'll listen to you." Liu Da Wei nodded.

"I heard that the first time the stampede happened, the shop that was famous for their pastries suddenly decided to give fifty percent discount to all items so that they can close their shop early and play around in the festival." One of the guards called Han Jing spoke.

"Really," Another guard, called Wu Da Hu exclaimed. His eyes turned to Han Jing with disbelief. "You should tell me when that happened. That shop's pastries were very expensive. Fifty percent discount is definitely a great bargain. I could have bought some and made my wife happy."

Officer Zhou Ming sneered. He glanced at the guard and spoke, "Two people died and more than ten people were badly injured to fight for that pastries. Are you sure you wanted to go?

Wu Da Hu's face paled at the information. "That serious?"

Officer Zhou Ming nodded. "I was there when the runner delivered the news to Chief Zhang Yue."

There was a brief silence before Wu Da Hu spoke again, "Right, Officer Zhou Ming, you are obviously a high officer in the department. How is it that you are here with us instead of the command center?"

Liu Da Wei and Han Jing slapped at their friend's back hard.

"What?" Wu Da Hu turned to his friends in anger. "What did you hit me for?" He did not do anything but was suddenly hit, of course, he was angry.

Seeing the way his friends shook their heads at him, Wu Da Hu started to feel that something was off. He turned his head slowly to the officer again and realized that this was not the question he should ask the officer.

"What am I supposed to do? The chief wanted me to patrol around the city with you lot." Officer Zhou Ming heaved a long sigh. "As his subordinates, how can I disobey his instruction."

Officer Zhou Ming has been stationed at the Department of City Security for years. On the surface, Officer Zhou Ming held a high position in the department. However, he was treated almost the same as the other guards and was always sent out to do tasks that the guards would do.

When he was transferred from the Crime Investigation Bureau, everyone had thought that he was promoted. However, once he arrived in the Department of City Security, Officer Zhou Ming was not given the right treatment. His direct supervisor, Chief Zhang Yue would always send him out with the guards instead of letting him stay in the building and assist him.

It was all because Officer Zhou Ming was not one of the chief's people.

Officer Zhou Ming knew that the Chief did not trust him to be around. Since the chief could not fire him, the only thing he could do was to ensure that Officer Zhou Ming was not around within his sight.

Perhaps Chief Zhang Yue had a legit reason not to trust him. But it has been a year since Officer Zhou Ming was transferred to the department. No matter what he does and whatever achievement he had, the chief still did not trust him.

Though Officer Zhou Ming knew that the chief had deliberately assigned him to some of the unimportant tasks until he would voluntarily resign. However, he chose to stay despite whatever his chief had assigned him to do.

The truth was that, if it was not for Prince Yi, Officer Zhou Ming would have long resigned from his position.

At this time, a runner, with a red and purple flag attached to his back ran over and stopped in front of the four of them. Catching his breath, the runner took out a small parch of paper and handed it over to Officer Zhou Ming.

"Report!" The runner said. "Officer Zhou Ming, Chief Zhang Yue wanted you and your team to head over to the city square and helped the Hong Troop with the stampede."

"Since Chief Zhang has assigned us to go, then it would be wrong for us not to go," Officer Zhou Ming said. He turned to the three guards who would always follow him around and said, "Let's go."

Grabbing tightly at the sword in their hands, the four of them headed to the city square to assist the other team.