"SWAT team leader refuses your order, Ma'am."
"What! Why?" Yang Qingyue's face went dark, hearing another stumbling news.
"He sai—said," the policewoman gulped and stammered the rest of the sentence. "He ain't obeying orders from someone who took the position illegally."
Yang Qingyue laughed in mockery. Illegal? She thought and replied. "I have the signature of the mayor, commissioner, and other authorities. The appointment is legal and takes immediate effect. Now relay this message and ask again.
Otherwise, his refusal will be regarded as disobeying orders from superiors."
Receiving a supporting pat from behind by her chief, the policewoman regained her courage and conveyed the orders again.
Soon, she received the message from the opposite side and hesitantly relayed it to Yang Qingyue. "Chief, he said, it doesn't matter. Whatever words from an illegally claimed position, he refused."
"Have you described the clear scenario we had right now?"
"Yes, Chief." The policewoman bobbed her head up and down.
"Give me your headset." Yang Qingyue took over and spoke directly. "I'm acting chief of your police station. As your superiors, You will be officially dismissed from the posts if you keep refusing."
"I've said many times your orders are useless against me." An angry rebuttal came into her ears.
"Do you even realize how many lives we'll lose if you and I keep arguing? Besides, leave the acting chief aside for now, remember my rank is higher than yours in the force and my orders are effective. If you're dissatisfied, you can complain to the committee later and we'll deal with them. Now, load up your boys and hurry to reinforce your comrades."
"I still refuse unless you reinstate our senior officers back, there's no talk."
Yang Qingyue breathed in and out several times before replying. "Alright, hand over to your deputies."
Yang Qingyue persuaded the other members of the SWAT units but no one adhered to her command.
She realized they were waiting for her to negotiate and she wasn't willing at all. These SWAT officers seemed incompetent and irresponsible, looking more for personal gain than the common important goal.
"Alright. Heed my words, you're all dismissed from your position, relieved of your duties, and prepared for a lawsuit later on." Yang Qingyue closed the communication and handed the headset back.
It was a big mistake to leverage control over Yang Qingyue if they thought she couldn't do anything to them. After everything was over, she had to show her hands why people were reluctant to offend her.
The policewoman beside her heard everything and couldn't swallow her saliva. She felt stuck and congested, feeling the same in her heart as Yang Qingyue.
Cai Ning moved to Yang Qingyue, noticing her friend's lost expression, and listened to her friend talking. "It's too much of a coincidence. They're exploiting my weakness to their leverage."
Cai Ning shrugged: "It isn't unusual, given the corrupt nature and connected train in the faction. Anything detrimental to their interest will encounter similar to yours."
She gave it to her friend, who picked it up to see what was going on. Yang Qingyue received a message, her brows raised reading peculiar words on her notification.
Unlocking the screen for further details, she kept reading, a smile brewing on her face. Her expression got brighter, as time went on.
Yang Qingyue sighed heavily, expelling the heavy mood along with the air. Her friend's word was right—don't lose hope and confidence, no matter how it seemed to be. There would always be a miracle.
"You're right. You're right." Yang Qingyue muttered under her breath.
Cai Ning had a confused face with 3 question marks over her head: "..."
"I don't know if this can solve our problems but there's hope now." Yang Qingyue stared at her and said.
"En...What's that?" Cai Ning became curious.
"You'll find out soon."
Gaining confidence, even though she had no idea what the help would be, Yang Qingyue as if grasping the last straw, decided to trust her helper.
She definitely abhorred to go back the old way and destroyed the reform she envisioned. The only choice remained in trusting her helper and obey destiny.
Although admitting defeat and sending a SWAT team looked reliable, in the long run, these officers who supported her would still be in danger and face the threats of liquidation in the future.
Yang Qingyue strode forward and nudged one of the officers who was responsible for communication, particularly with the higher echelon.
"Tell the commissioner, our station did our best, arresting the criminals, but due to some coincidental inactions of various stations in those areas, our progress met a quagmire. Tell him the exact word I say—no matter how many problems you and your fellows created, I'll take it. I hope the blood you gift me is worth your energy because we'll be accepting with grace.
Only Justice will prevail." Yang Qingyue said it out loud on purpose so that the rest of the officers could hear and understand.
As soon as they heard the message contained in her words, their fists clenched and some even gritted their teeth. Hateful, was their thought.
They felt powerless fighting for justice against these heavyweights. The future appeared so bleak.
"Alright. Cheer up!" Yang Qingyue clapped her hands, attracting everyone's attention, while the previous officer ran out to deliver her message. "This is the moment whether our dream will come true or not. We've arrived at this notion and our enemy fears us. Yes, they are afraid of us. Because we're strong together.
Look at the progress we made so much so that they try to undermine us. Inside and outside, nothing is clean. But so what?! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final mountain we must climb. As long as we succeed, it's the beginning of our dawn. A dawn, full of hope and justice.
We're the pioneers and I'm proud to fight against injustice alongside you. So, comrades, I promise, don't lose hope and confidence. We'll fight together till the end and remember—I will stand with you."
Her speech continued and Cai Ning looked astonished at her friend's zeal and pursuit. Never before had she seen Yang Qingyue shine so brightly like a sun, bringing warmth to everyone.
She had a premonition, from this day onward, Yang Qingyue might really cure the cancer in Province N.