Chapter 59 The Dragon Slayer Becomes the Dragon
Xu Zhi had just finished his work when he received a call from Bai Xiao.
Without asking any further questions, he hung up the phone and took a taxi to his house.
He originally thought Bai Xiao had uncovered some crucial clue, but when the door opened, he saw Bai Xiao wearing an apron and carrying dishes out of the kitchen.
Xu Zhi was stunned for a moment.
"What are you standing there for? Serve the dishes!"
"Okay!"
Xu Zhi then realized what was happening and went into the kitchen to bring out the dishes.
Stir-fried pork intestines, braised beef brisket with tomatoes, pickled pepper bullfrog, spicy chicken, plus a few cold dishes, and a case of ice-cold beer.
Looking at the table full of dishes, Xu Zhi asked in surprise, "Master, what day is it today?"
Bai Xiao casually tore open a can of ice-cold beer and pushed it in front of him, foam instantly bubbling out: "What? Can't we have a good meal just because it's not a good day?"
Xu Zhi stared at the words "The God of Cookery Has Arrived" on his apron, and his lips twitched: "The main thing is... I've never seen you cook in person before. Today you're making such a big fuss. I guess either the case is about to be closed, or you've won the lottery."
"You've got a pretty good nose, kid!"
Bai Xiao draped his apron over the back of the chair, pulled out the chair, and sat down.
Xu Zhi almost dropped his chopsticks: "You really won?"
"There's progress in the case."
As Bai Xiao finished speaking, he gently twisted his thumb around the mouth of the beer can, making a crisp "hiss" sound, and then tilted his head back to take a sip.
"Phew... I knew it. The brothers all hope you're doing well, but not this well."
Xu Zhisong breathed a sigh of relief, then stood up excitedly, his eyes wide, and asked, "What? There's progress in the case? Really?"
Do I look like I'm joking?
Bai Xiao glanced at Xu Zhi sideways.
"That shouldn't be! We always go to work together, why don't I have any clues at all?" Xu Zhi looked completely bewildered upon hearing this.
Bai Xiao leaned back lazily in his chair, a hint of a smile playing at the corners of his eyes, but his voice was kept very low: "That's why I'm the master and you're the disciple."
Xu Zhi choked for a long time before finally managing to say, "No wonder you haven't been flustered at all these past few days. It turns out you had already investigated everything in secret."
Bai Xiao shook his head: "We're still missing the most crucial step!"
"Master, just give me your orders! What do you want me to do?" Xu Zhi roughly understood why he had come today. So all that fuss, with stir-fried pork intestines and ice-cold beer, was actually for the main course waiting for him.
"No rush, let's eat first!" Bai Xiao bent down, picked up a can of ice-cold beer, handed it to Xu Zhi, and asked casually.
"By the way, Xu Zhi, how long have you been with me?"
Xu Zhi took the beer and thought for a moment: "It must have been almost four or five years!"
"No, to be precise, it's almost six years, just two months short." Bai Xiao took a sip casually.
Xu Zhi froze, his chopsticks hovering in mid-air: "Really? I didn't even notice, time really flies!"
"Yes, for six whole years, you haven't climbed any higher."
Bai Xiao smiled and looked at him: "You're not worried, but I'm worried for you."
Xu Zhi scratched his head: "Actually, I don't have that much ambition. I just want a decent job, a stable salary, and to support my family. I haven't thought about anything else."
"Being content with the status quo is fine."
Bai Xiao smiled and said, "But life doesn't wait for you to be ready before it plays its cards; it only forces you to move forward."
As he spoke, he pulled a neatly folded piece of paper from his pocket and pushed it in front of Xu Zhi. The paper had the words "Personnel Department of the Municipal Bureau" printed in red at the top, and only one line of text in the body.
"Proposed promotion: Deputy Captain of the First Brigade of the Criminal Investigation Detachment, candidate: Xu Zhi."
Xu Zhi's fingertips had just touched the corner of the paper when he hesitated to pick it up: "Master, I'm only a third-level police superintendent. Isn't this against the rules?"
"Six years ago, you followed me on your first day of internship after graduating from police academy. Whenever a case got stuck, you would stay up late in the archives and go through each case one by one. While others were on holiday, you were working overtime. While others were taking credit, you were writing reports."
Bai Xiao's voice grew lower and lower: "No one in the bureau saw these things, but I did."
Xu Zhi opened his mouth, but didn't say anything.
Bai Xiao suddenly changed his sitting posture and said earnestly, "So, I promoted you not because of your seniority or your intelligence, but because of your heart. The longer you walk the path of a criminal investigator, the colder your heart becomes. But you are different; your heart is still warm."
"But Master..."
Xu Zhi wanted to say something, but Bai Xiao waved his hand to interrupt him: "Don't say anything. This is a decision from above, and no one can change it. Consider this meal today as an early celebration for your success. Come on, let's drink."
Xu Zhi forced a smile and reluctantly raised his glass.
Beer foam piled up between the two of them, then deflated layer by layer.
The conversation veered from the case to life, from life to the future, and then inexplicably veered back to an embarrassing incident from six years ago.
Bai Xiao did most of the talking, Xu Zhi listened, and then laughed along.
"You've got a good capacity for alcohol, kid. You haven't even taken office yet, but you're already showing leadership potential," Bai Xiao said jokingly, shaking the empty can and feeling a little dizzy.
"Master, I'll go buy some more." Xu Zhi quickly stood up.
Bai Xiao forcefully pressed him back down, then stood up and said, "Don't move. I'll go downstairs to the supermarket. Today, we, master and disciple, will drink until we drop."
Xu Zhi had no choice but to sit down again and watch Bai Xiao stagger out the door.
Having followed Bai Xiao for so many years, this was the first time he had ever seen Bai Xiao drink so much.
He usually appears calm and composed, but tonight he seemed to have something on his mind.
After Bai Xiao left, Xu Zhi felt the room was a bit stuffy.
Xu Zhi pushed open the balcony door.
A night breeze swept by, and the effects of the alcohol began to dissipate.
The streetlights downstairs were dim, and his gaze was drawn to the wooden door in the corridor that had been locked for years.
Bai Xiao said that it was a storage room.
The wooden door was ajar tonight, not locked.
Xu Zhi was a little curious. He walked over, and as soon as his fingertips touched the door, the door creaked open.
There were no lights inside, only the streetlights from outside cutting in at an angle.
It was barely visible that the room was not large, with only a square table in the center. On the table was a blood-stained garment, a wrench, a syringe, and snake fangs.
The scene before him left Xu Zhi stunned on the spot.
How did these things end up here?
Out of fear, he instinctively took two steps back.
But it stopped because it bumped into something.
Turning his head, he saw Bai Xiao appear behind him at some point, holding a short-handled claw hammer high in his hand, coldly staring at him.
Before Xu Zhi could even speak.
"Pfft!"
With a soft thud, the hammer slammed into his head, and blood gushed out instantly.
Xu Zhi grunted.
He staggered a few steps and fell to the ground.
Xu Zhi's vision was blurred, his face pressed against the ground, and he could only see a pair of familiar leather shoes.
Bai Xiao took two steps forward and checked the patient's breath with his hand.
They discovered that the other person was still breathing faintly.
He raised the hammer again, aiming it at Xu Zhi's temple.
Slam it down hard.
But it suddenly stopped a few centimeters away.
One second, two seconds...
Bai Xiao's hands were trembling uncontrollably.
Suddenly, with a loud crash, the hammer fell to the ground.
He ultimately didn't go through with it.
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