Chapter Sixty-Six: Transformation

Mingcheng College was an unremarkable institution on the national stage. Few outside Mingzhou had ever heard of its existence, and even fewer knew of the glory it once possessed. Yet, as one of Mingzhou’s few universities, it had produced a fair number of distinguished individuals for the city. The bonds of camaraderie formed there became the best stepping stone for its graduates as they set out into the world.

Xu Wei had once been a student at Mingcheng College. After graduation, he entered the Mingzhou Municipal Bureau. But instead of working as a true police officer, he found himself in a role more akin to that of a clerk, dealing with endless paperwork day after day.

At first, Xu Wei was dissatisfied with his situation. Upon learning that his father had used his connections to secure the position for him, he felt a pang of resentment toward his father. Yet, when he saw his classmates exhausted from running themselves ragged, he realized how fortunate he truly was.

Fresh out of school, Xu Wei was unremarkable compared to his peers; he had no outstanding achievements. Nevertheless, bolstered by his father’s influence, he advanced step by step, receiving promotions ahead of his contemporaries.

Once Xu Wei’s father retired, however, the smooth sailing came to an abrupt end. His new direct superior had worked his way up from the grassroots and had no fondness for privileged sons like Xu Wei. Nor did he appreciate Xu Wei’s habit of making things difficult for the lower ranks.

For five years, Xu Wei’s days were spent either waiting to be scolded or for the leadership to change. His father’s old colleagues and subordinates had all stepped aside, those of his generation had been promoted, and the younger ones didn’t care to show him respect. He became a burden, ignored and unheeded.

Though Xu Wei was not entrusted with important tasks, he had plenty of time to learn—but rather than acquiring professional skills, he mastered the arts of flattery and sycophancy. Work itself was entirely delegated to his subordinates; only at meetings did anyone catch a glimpse of him.

While Xu Wei lacked professional ability, he excelled at currying favor and manipulating others. In his mind, it mattered little whether the work was actually done well; what mattered was that his superiors saw him at work. Idling away the hours, sipping tea, or playing cards—so long as he was present in the office each day, that was proof enough of his diligence.

When a new leader arrived, Xu Wei began arriving at the office first and leaving last—sometimes not going home for an entire week. This strategy proved effective: the new leader repeatedly praised Xu Wei’s work ethic, regarding his “home in the office” attitude as exemplary.

As Xu Wei lingered in the office, his subordinates had no choice but to accompany him, much to their misery. What had once been a coveted department became one to be avoided, and those working there sought every opportunity to transfer out.

Xu Wei shirked his responsibilities but actively wielded his authority, often making life difficult for subordinates who came to him with tasks, causing widespread hardship. Yet Xu Wei was unconcerned. The opinions of his subordinates were of no importance—only the approval of his superiors mattered.

His obsession with power and wealth bordered on mania. In his view, advancement required both networking and money. Yet, working in the office offered few opportunities for illicit gains, and the occasional bribes from his subordinates amounted to little. Xu Wei was desperate for a new source of income. Fortunately, it soon presented itself.

When Qiu Luan first met Xu Wei, he was a small-time thug working as nightclub security. Normally, someone like Qiu Luan would never have crossed paths with Xu Wei. But late at night, when the world was quiet, Xu Wei would shed his mask and sneak to the nearby nightclub where Qiu Luan worked, seeking relief from his stress. Thus their acquaintance began.

At first, Qiu Luan found it odd that this man always came alone in the dead of night. Most nightclub patrons came with clients or friends, but Xu Wei was always solitary. Qiu Luan’s curiosity grew.

Xu Wei was a poor drinker and, when intoxicated, vented his frustrations on the hostesses, who often bore bruises from his abuse. Eventually, no one wanted to attend to this perverse guest, but Xu Wei seemed oblivious, continuing as he pleased—until disaster struck.

One night, a new girl—still in her teens and clearly inexperienced—was assigned to accompany Xu Wei. As was often the case, the newcomer was given to the client everyone else avoided.

At first, Xu Wei was moved by the girl’s innocence, feeling she was too young for such work and solemnly urging her to leave the trade. But before long, his drunkenness took over; he began to grope and pinch her, and then tried to force himself upon her. The girl resisted fiercely, crying and pleading with him to stop, insisting she was underage.

Despite her efforts, Xu Wei overpowered her. When it was over, the girl sobbed uncontrollably and threatened to call the police. Only then did Xu Wei regain his senses. Seeing her weep, panic set in—he knew that if she reported him, he might not be able to get out of it. He was frantic.

At that moment, Qiu Luan appeared. He ushered the distraught Xu Wei out of the room, then stayed behind to console and intimidate the girl. Through a mix of threats and persuasion, he eventually calmed her down. Though she remained reluctant and aggrieved, she dared not cross the formidable “boss” before her and let the matter drop.

When he returned, Qiu Luan told the shaken Xu Wei, “Boss, it’s settled. There won’t be any trouble—don’t worry.” Xu Wei, still barely holding himself together, was immensely relieved and grateful.

Xu Wei pulled all the cash from his wallet and offered it to Qiu Luan. “Thanks, brother. Take this as a token for your trouble.”

Qiu Luan took only a small portion and replied, “I don’t need your money. Let’s just call it friendship. The girl’s young—give her some as comfort.”

Xu Wei nodded repeatedly at this approach, and from that moment, began to treat Qiu Luan as one of his own.

In truth, Qiu Luan had no idea who Xu Wei was at the time; he handled the situation simply to keep trouble from affecting the club. Unexpectedly, the incident forged a friendship.

As time passed, their bond deepened—they became partners in pleasure, and Xu Wei eventually revealed his true identity. At first, Qiu Luan thought he was boasting, but when a quarrel at the club escalated, landing Qiu Luan in trouble with the law, he called Xu Wei on a whim. To his surprise, Xu Wei resolved the issue. From that moment, Qiu Luan knew his fortunes had changed.

Xu Wei needed a source of income; Qiu Luan wanted to rise in the world. Their ambitions aligned perfectly. With Xu Wei’s support, Qiu Luan began as a pimp, gradually working his way up to become the manager of the nightclub, then expanded into the construction business. Eventually, he achieved remarkable success, turning his life around.

He didn’t forget Xu Wei’s help. Not only did he give Xu Wei hidden shares in his businesses, but when Xu Wei sought further advancement, Qiu Luan provided ample support—not just financially, but also by helping Xu Wei make connections and pull strings. Eventually, he helped Xu Wei secure the position of director of the Mingtan District Bureau.

As director, Xu Wei became a leading figure in the district, finally free to wield his power as he pleased. Yet, strangely, his subordinates saw no sign of reform or innovation—only an escalation of bribery and petty corruption.

Xu Wei was clueless about the work itself, and even less so about the specialized police units, whose operations he ignored completely. Upon taking office, he never bothered to understand their roles. Still, as the bureau chief, countless people needed his approval and reports. To cover his ignorance, he adopted an aloof attitude with all who approached him—saying little, doing even less, and shifting responsibility onto others, all under the guise of delegating authority.

At the time, Mingtan was about to build new offices, and his arrival provided the perfect opportunity for groundbreaking. Xu Wei did not let this chance slip by, ensuring that Qiu Luan profited handsomely. Aside from being pressed by superiors to relocate due to slow construction, Xu Wei encountered no significant obstacles.

Thus, despite his incompetence, Xu Wei sat firmly in the very position where action was most needed.

Meanwhile, cybercrime was becoming rampant, and authorities at every level took it seriously. Xu Wei, however, turned a blind eye, believing that what he couldn’t see was not his concern. He had no interest in understanding cybercrime, nor did he allocate any new equipment to the cyber unit. The Mingtan Bureau’s cyber team had to make do with outdated tools year after year.

With obsolete equipment, their results plummeted. Consequently, many in Mingtan fell victim to online scams, losing hundreds of thousands or even millions. Yet, after reporting their losses, they heard nothing—cases vanished without a trace.

Xu Wei cared little for the grievances of ordinary people, or even his own subordinates. His sole concern was his own advancement and wealth.

To safeguard his position, Xu Wei did many things he should not have—abusing his power to monitor ordinary citizens with special means. To enrich himself, he sold promotions to his subordinates. With many vacancies in the Mingtan Bureau needing to be filled, Xu Wei seized the opportunity and made a tidy sum.

Because of Xu Wei’s actions, many officers sought transfers or resigned; the ranks thinned, and the shortage of police became severe. But to Xu Wei, none of this mattered.

He cared only for his own prospects. In his eyes, Qiu Luan alone could no longer provide all the help he needed; more allies were required. Fortune did not disappoint him. Before long, several key figures entered his life, opening a new world and paving the way for Xu Wei to realize his ambitions.