Chapter 78: Discipline Inspection Comes Knocking Part 1

Jiang Xiaoyu stepped through the door into the office and saw Zhang Pangpang sitting beside his workstation, fingers interlaced and propping up his chin, his expression serious.

He placed his things on the table and slightly lowered his head to ask, “What’s going on with you?”

Zhang Pangpang unclenched his hands and first noticed Jiang Xiaoyu’s outfit. “Your jacket looks good—it’s just too pricey. My mom watched a fashion show video last month and said that if I lost some weight, she’d grit her teeth and buy me one.” After saying that, he annoyedly dragged over the documents on the desk. “The case I’m handling is missing key evidence, and the Criminal Investigation Division doesn’t dare tip off the suspects. I wanted to turn into a cat and search their homes, but the division chief won’t allow it.”

Ever since the cases involving Zhou Xu and Jiang Fei, Jiang Xiaoyu had grown wary of using his cat form for stakeouts. He knew he couldn’t cut corners just because he was a shapeshifter. After all, there were far too many gifted individuals and experts in this world. Get too complacent, and he might actually get hurt.

“I think you should follow the leadership’s arrangements,” Jiang Xiaoyu said as he handed him a bottle of soda. “There’ve been a lot of cat and dog abuse incidents lately. Things have quieted down recently, but what if those people catch you while you’re in cat form… It’s too dangerous.”

Zhang Pangpang knew he had a point, which only made him more frustrated. “But think about it—our case-handling skills aren’t exactly top-notch to begin with. If we can’t even use cat form, what’s the difference from being salted fish? Sigh, I just don’t get our department. It’s so awkward and in-between. Might as well stick to ordinary civil disputes and minor cases.” He wasn’t putting himself down; it was just a fact that their Case Handling Office’s overall capabilities couldn’t compare to the elite pros next door in the Criminal Investigation Division.

He figured Jiang Xiaoyu would do what he always did—keep his head down, focus on his work, and stay quiet. But instead, he heard him say, “We’re just short on experience, that’s all.”

Jiang Xiaoyu had no interest in comparisons. His reason for becoming a cop hadn’t changed: to protect animal rights.

“Even if we can’t match their solve rate on human criminal cases, this department has its own reason for existing.” He never thought the minor animal cases they handled most were anything to be ashamed of, nor did he believe human life was inherently more precious than an animal’s. “There’ll come a day when abusing animals will be a crime too.”

His gaze was exceptionally clear, leaving Zhang Pangpang’s face flushed. He muttered, “Aiya, I know, I know. I was just saying… Hope that day comes soon.”

It was a long, arduous road—but there were always people fighting for it.

Not long after their chat, Jiang Xiaoyu spotted a suspicious thread in the files for several cases.

First case: Victim pierced through the heart with steel needles—corresponding to Cat Mom and Cat Brother.

Second case: The Meat Shop Owner from the Skinning Case—corresponding to the Lab Beagle.

Third case: Victim with all four limbs severed—corresponding to the stray cat that died the same way.

And the latest one: The victim’s injuries matching those of the Milk Cow Cat Mighty, whose left front leg had been severed.

In the first three cases, the victim animals had all died, and the matching human murders followed in tight succession—sometimes after just days, never more than a week.

In this most recent case, his own intervention had successfully saved victim cat Mighty, and right after, the human murder spree came to a screeching halt.

Was the killer done for good? Or lying low until the heat died down? Or had disbanding the live stream group cut off his supply of cat abuse videos, forcing the human killings to pause?

Or… was the killer waiting for Mighty to die? Waiting to close the full loop before kicking off the next round of slaughter?

The thought sent a chill down Jiang Xiaoyu’s spine. He called the Pet Hospital to check on Milk Cow Cat Mighty.

A nurse picked up. “Hold on, let me check. Huh… that’s weird…” She muttered to herself, then asked someone nearby, “Where’s the Milk Cow Cat in this cage? The one with the severed paw?”

When that person didn’t know either, the nurse hurriedly said, “Sir, please don’t worry. We’ll find it right away.”

But Jiang Xiaoyu couldn’t stay seated. He snatched the keys from his desk and bolted for the door. Maybe it was the adrenaline rush, but even with his lousy driving, he made it smoothly and parked right in front of the Pet Hospital.

With a sharp screech of brakes, he charged straight through the entrance.

“Has that Milk Cow Cat been found?” he demanded at the front desk.

The receptionist had no idea what was going on. She stood up. “Please don’t panic, sir. I’ll go ask the nurse on duty.”

Jiang Xiaoyu didn’t wait. He hurried straight to the cage where Mighty had been kept. It was empty—the finished IV bag still dangling from the top.

His heart sank. He was about to call Jin Ge and share his suspicions when a voice came from behind him. “Officer Jiang?”

Jiang Xiaoyu whipped around. It was Huang Li, sitting in a wheelchair with the Milk Cow Cat, wrapped up like a mummy, lying on her lap.

The nurse trailed after her. Spotting Jiang Xiaoyu, she let out a relieved breath. “I tried calling you, but you didn’t pick up. This lady came to visit the Milk Cow Cat this morning, so the doctor took it out for a checkup. That’s why I couldn’t find it at first.”

Jiang Xiaoyu patted his pocket. “I left my phone back at the office.” He observed Huang Li nonchalantly. “No work today? How’d you find time to visit?”

Huang Li carefully passed the cat from her lap to the nurse, then wheeled her chair aside to make room. “My job’s kinda special. No gigs these past few days, so I snuck out to check on it.”

“What do you do for work?”

Huang Li chuckled sheepishly. “Might scare you if I say… but you’re a cop, so you probably won’t freak. I work at the Funeral Home—a mortuary cosmetologist. Ever heard of that?”

Jiang Xiaoyu knew of the job, but he’d never met anyone who did it.

Huang Li thumped her legs, withered from muscle atrophy after years off her feet. “It’s a little creepy and not super glamorous, but hey, I’m disabled. Getting a job like this is pretty lucky.”

Jiang Xiaoyu replied, “Bearing the grief of the living, safeguarding the dignity of the dead. That’s an impressive job. You’re impressive.”

Huang Li hadn’t expected that response. She froze for a second, then looked up at the young cop. His eyes were sincere and straightforward—no trace of reluctance or pity, just simple truth. It made her feel a respect she’d almost forgotten.

“You’re a really good person,” she said, eyes crinkling in a smile.

Jiang Xiaoyu turned to find the doctor. “How’s it doing?”

“Recovering nicely,” the doctor said. “Give it another ten days or half a month, and its spirits will be way up.”

Jiang Xiaoyu slipped a fingertip through the cage bars. The Milk Cow Cat was still weak, but it recognized its rescuer. It lifted its head, let out a soft mew, and rubbed its cheek gland against his finger.

“Good kitty,” Jiang Xiaoyu murmured, gently booping it back. He started to ask if it could be discharged—he was worried the killer might show up here. But then he reconsidered: this could be a prime spot for a stakeout. He pulled back his finger. “Is the fee from the other day still good?”

“I’ll have the front desk check—should be fine. If not, we can settle up at discharge. You’re a cop; it’s not like you’d skip out on the bill.”

Huang Li smiled too. “Exactly. If we can’t trust the police’s word, whose can we trust?”

Outside the hospital doors, Jiang Xiaoyu peeled a parking ticket off his windshield with a grimace. “Didn’t realize no parking here…”

From behind him, Huang Li said, “Whoa, this is your car?”

Jiang Xiaoyu nodded. “Where you headed? Want a ride?”

“That convenient? Won’t be too much trouble?”

“No worries.” Jiang Xiaoyu lifted her out of the wheelchair. She really was light—probably under eighty jin.

Huang Li looked a bit bashful. “You’re putting yourself out too much. I could’ve scooted up on my own, slowly.”

Jiang Xiaoyu buckled her seatbelt. “Nah, this is quicker.”

After dropping Huang Li off at the Funeral Home, Jiang Xiaoyu headed back to the Case Handling Office. He’d come in early that morning when there was plenty of space, so he’d parked decently. Now the lot was packed, with only a narrow spot left in the middle. He circled around a few times, twisting left and right, but just couldn’t squeeze in. He was sweating bullets.

Lu Wanhui, just back from a dispatch call with a cigarette dangling from his lips, watched his attempts and burst out laughing.

“Come on, get out,” he said, waving Jiang Xiaoyu over. He slid into the driver’s seat himself.

Jiang Xiaoyu stood by, watching and learning.

Back when they were freshmen in college, the two had actually gotten along pretty well. Same school, and Jiang Xiaoyu was the type who never fought or competed with anyone.

Lu Wanhui nailed the park in two smooth moves and tossed the keys back. “Noob drivers just gotta practice.”

Jiang Xiaoyu didn’t argue. “Thanks.” He turned to go.

“Hey, hold up—where’d you run off to? You see the chief?”

“Went to check on the cat. Didn’t see the division chief.”

“Ha? Cases piling up like crazy these days, and your team’s still out rescuing cats and dogs?”

Jiang Xiaoyu didn’t like the sound of that. Sure, he hadn’t gone to save cats and dogs this time—but if a little animal really needed help, were they supposed to ignore it just because they were swamped with human cases?

“No,” he said curtly. Still, he decided to share his hunch. “The fourth case has been quiet for so long with no new moves from the killer. I’m wondering if he’s waiting for this cat to die—to close the perfect loop before moving on to the next step.”

Lu Wanhui took a deep drag of his cigarette. “Not without reason. It’s a lead. I’ll have someone stake out the Pet Hospital.”

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