RNP 【008】3 years, do you know how I spent these 3 years?
【008】3 years, do you know how I spent these 3 years?
West Kowloon Regional Headquarters, Interrogation Room.
'Squeak~'
The sound of the door opening woke Lin Haowen, who was sleeping on the table.
The moment Lin Haowen opened his eyes and looked at the door, a bald, icy-faced middle-aged man appeared in his line of sight.
Without any introduction, Lin Haowen could tell from his demeanor alone that this middle-aged man was Li Wenbin, the man he was looking for.
"Lin Haowen, this is Senior Superintendent Li Wenbin, whom you are looking for. You can say whatever you want to say."
Huang Bingyao, who was following behind Li Wenbin, spoke calmly.
"There are some things I only want to say to Inspector Lee."
Lin Haowen leaned back in his chair and said with a smile.
At Li Wenbin's signal, Huang Bingyao turned and left the room, thoughtfully closing the door behind him.
"Li Sir, Senior Inspector Lau Kin-ming of the Criminal Intelligence Bureau is Han Chen's informant in the police force. Last night, they originally planned to leave Hong Kong Island by ferry from Tseung Kwan O."
"I knew that once they left, it would be impossible to catch them again, so when I drove to Aojingshan Road, I deliberately crashed into the roadside railing. However, the impact was too great, causing the vehicle to catch fire, and Han Chen, Liu Jianming, and I all fell into a brief coma."
"After I was awakened by the fire, I desperately escaped from the car, but I really couldn't save Han Chen and Liu Jianming as well."
At this point, Lin Haowen slowly shook his head, as if he truly regretted not being able to rescue Han Chen and Liu Jianming.
"For this kind of case, you can just report to Inspector Wong and get to the point."
Li Wenbin's expression remained unchanged, still the same perpetually icy face.
Han Chen, a major drug kingpin in Tsim Sha Tsui, would certainly be taken seriously by a regular senior superintendent. But Li Wenbin is no ordinary senior superintendent. After his father, Li Shutang, retired, he became the leader of the police force's "local faction."
Not to mention Han Chen, even the heads of top triads like the Number Gang, Sun Kee, and Wo Luen Shing would have to give Li Wenbin a lot of face.
"Officer Lee, Han Chen's case is closed. When can I rejoin the police force?"
Lin Haowen asked with a smile
"Do you really want to rejoin the police force?"
Li Wenbin stared intently at Lin Haowen, as if trying to see through the young man before him.
"Three years, Inspector Lee, do you know how I've spent these three years?"
"I suffer from insomnia almost every night. The slightest noise can wake me up, and I'm afraid that a gunman will suddenly appear in front of me and shoot me to my death."
Li Wenbin watched Lin Haowen's performance quietly, and only after he finished speaking did he slowly say, "Lin Haowen, given your family background, you really shouldn't have taken the police academy entrance exam. Even if you hadn't been selected to go undercover, you would have spent your whole life wearing a military uniform and working as a lowly patrolman."
"Officer Li, I don't quite understand. What's my family background?"
Lin Haowen was genuinely bewildered. In his memory, his parents died when he was less than a year old, and he was raised by his maternal grandmother. After his grandmother passed away from illness when he was ten, he grew up eating food from many families in the housing estate.
He even took the police academy entrance exam because it was tuition-free and guaranteed job placement.
He agreed to go undercover for Huang Zhicheng because Huang Zhicheng promised him a large reward after solving the case.
Lin Haowen really had no idea what kind of secrets lay behind his poor family background that would allow him to wear a military uniform his entire life.
"Didn't anyone tell you that your parents died during the May 1968 events?"
Li Wenbin spoke slowly.
According to Wong Bing-Yiu's investigation, the cancellation of Lam Ho-Man's police registration was the work of the Special Branch of the Police Force. Presumably, after seeing Lam Ho-Man's file and discovering his family background, the Special Branch personnel went along with it and turned the fake dismissal into a real one.
"..."
Upon hearing Li Wenbin's words, Lin Haowen frowned slightly. After a moment of thought, he understood what he meant: dying during the May Storm meant that his parents' hearts were with the North.
No wonder Li Wenbin said that even if he didn't go undercover, he was destined to patrol the streets for the rest of his life.
In other words, the Americans didn't conduct any pre-exam screenings or similar procedures in Hong Kong; otherwise, given his family background, he probably wouldn't even be qualified to take the police academy entrance exam.
However, this makes it even more necessary for Lin Haowen to clear his name. Given his family background, if he doesn't love his country, who does?
His sweat was redder than the blood of many people on Hong Kong Island.
"Li sir, I don't understand what you mean."
Although Lin Haowen was fairly certain of what Li Wenbin meant, he still wanted Li Wenbin to say it out loud.
"Don't you understand that your police registration was cancelled three years ago, or don't you understand that it was cancelled by the Special Branch?"
Li Wenbin's eyes remained fixed on Lin Haowen, his face still expressionless and icy.
"If I could, I would really want to be an undercover agent."
Seeing that Li Wenbin had revealed the unspoken understanding between them, Lin Haowen also stopped his act and spoke sincerely, while also noting the Political Department's name on his little black book.
He will definitely thank the Political Department for their "special treatment" in the future!
Why do you think I would help you?
Li Wenbin narrowed his eyes slightly and slowly asked the question.
"During the police-ICAC conflict in 1978, the British originally intended to sentence the three leading Chinese police officers to death by hanging. It was your father, Li Shutang, who intervened and saved the three Chinese police officers. At that time, he was about to be promoted to chief superintendent and become the first Chinese commissioner-level police officer."
"Even though he knew that stepping forward would offend the British and end his career, he still stood up and united the Chinese in the police force to put pressure on the British. Li Sir, I believe in the family tradition of the Li family and that you will not abandon the police officers who have shed blood for the police force."
Although Li Shutang lost the easily attainable position of Chief Superintendent of Police and was forced to retire by the British a year later, he gained fame and respect by stepping forward, and also elevated the Li family to the position of leader of the "local faction".
Lin Haowen didn't believe in the Li family's traditions, but rather in the fact that Li Wenbin would definitely help him in order to maintain the Li family's public image.
"..."
Li Wenbin gave Lin Haowen a deep look, a smile that was rare for him. "Lin Haowen, I can help reinstate your police status, but are you really willing to return to the police force?"
"Li sir, you said you'd wear the uniform for life in the police force, I'm not stupid."
After completely opening the window, Lin Haowen stopped hiding anything, shrugged, and replied with a smile.
"Tell me your thoughts, your honest thoughts."
Li Wenbin took out a pack of 5555 cigarettes from his pocket, took one out, lit it, and pushed the pack and the lighter in front of Lin Haowen.
"Of the six million people on Hong Kong Island, half a million are directly associated with triads, and at least three million are indirectly associated with triads."
"Whether in the past, present, or future, triads will always be one of the most important components of Hong Kong Island. People in the East know this, people in the West know this, and I think you should know this too, Mr. Lee."
Lin Haowen didn't touch the cigarette in front of him, but slowly said those words.
"How do you want me to help you?"
Li Wenbin exhaled a heavy puff of smoke, and for the first time, he couldn't quite see the young man in front of him clearly through the swirling smoke.