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Chapter 20: Investigative Authority
March 31
“Shi Rang.”
Two soft taps sounded near his ear.
Shi Rang looked up to see a colleague knocking on the partition of his cubicle.
“The editor-in-chief wants to see you in his office. Be careful.”
Shi Rang suppressed his excitement, nodding without showing it on his face.
He casually saved the blank news draft, navigated through the maze of cubicles crammed into the large room like a nursery, and arrived at the door of the standalone office.
The inner part of the editor-in-chief’s office was covered with frosted glass, allowing only vague silhouettes to be seen. But sometimes, the editor would suddenly appear at the clear glass section of the door, scanning the office area with his small eyes. The two desks nearest the door bore the brunt of his scrutiny, and Shi Rang, who had sat there when he first joined the newspaper, had endured countless scoldings.
After two knocks, a voice came from inside.
“Come in.”
Shi Rang took a deep breath, held it, and entered the smoke-filled office. He mechanically sat opposite the desk, hoping this conversation would end quickly.
The editor-in-chief’s round, chubby face was hidden deep within cigar smoke. With no windows open, the office resembled a suffocating “wonderland.”
“I’ve reviewed your proposal—it’s quite thoughtful. I didn’t expect you had the talent to be an investigative journalist. Your investigation into ‘Blue Signal’ is thorough… In fact, I’ve always thought it’s a waste for someone with a graduate degree from a prestigious university to work as a columnist.” The editor-in-chief drew an ear-piercing line across the cover of the proposal and marked a large check. “I approve it. Drop everything you’re working on, apply for investigative authority, and go to Pingyuan City. Don’t forget to submit receipts for reimbursement.”
The excessive smoothness of the process made Shi Rang raise his guard.
Sure enough, the editor, with the air of an important figure, took a puff of his cigar and exhaled a “but.”
“But—you must understand that the funding for investigative journalists isn’t free. Look at those top reporters we’ve signed—after spending tens of thousands, the scoops they uncover earn salaries in the hundreds of thousands. Occasionally, they even receive honorary citizen medals from the city hall. This is your first time doing this. If the material you bring back isn’t explosive enough, what am I supposed to do? Although it was originally because someone pulled some strings for you to get in, now that the economy is slow and the newspaper is having a hard time making money, you can understand, right? If your performance isn’t up to par, it won’t make sense for you to stay.”
Shi Rang forcefully banged his head twice.
“All right, go.”
Before the editor could even wave his hand, Shi Rang bolted out of the office.
A cloud of smoke followed him as he burst out, causing nearby non-smoking colleagues to cough and fan the air with printed papers.
Shi Rang ran to the window and gulped fresh air, his lungs on the verge of bursting.
Once he recovered, he gazed at the bustling traffic below the newspaper building and smiled.
His plan worked!
The editor-in-chief thought he could use 'insufficient investigation' as an excuse to fire Shi Rang, and conveniently sent Shi Rang to Pingyuan City to investigate the Blue Signal. However, this was exactly what Shi Rang had intended.
He now had the funds. He had the leads. He even got the authority to conduct the investigation!
There was a hope of finding Yingshang.
He felt grateful to the Management Bureau main site for providing this intelligence and inspiring him with unprecedented investigative ideas.
The users on this website truly seemed capable of anything!
———
Shi Rang’s plan was simple. Since the criminal “Greyhound,” affiliated with “Blue Signal,” was active in Pingyuan City, he would go directly to Pingyuan City to look for him.
The intelligence Angie had provided pointed to the identity of “Greyhound,” while the document on the main site helped Shi Rang determine his investigative approach.
It contained a detailed account of the process for investigating criminal organizations. Though it read like a rather hardcore novel, it was better than nothing and could serve as a reference guide for him.
Most importantly, it gave Shi Rang the courage to take this step.
And the editor-in-chief’s approval to apply for investigative authority in the name of the newspaper was the cherry on top!
Because that was a privilege granted only by the Pancontinental Coalition!
There was only one supercontinent in the world, commonly known as the Pancontinental Landmass. The twelve major districts on this continent, though independent political entities—once twelve countries with various names long ago—were now part of a unified framework.
If one were to ask whether there was a greater entity above these twelve districts, the answer would be [the Pancontinental Coalition], a global military organization.
It wasn’t a political alliance or a supranational government but an independent body capable of deploying peacekeeping forces across all districts. News outlets constantly reported on their successes in combating cross-district crimes.
Investigative authority was one of the privileges promoted by the Coalition.
It represented a supreme power endorsed by the Coalition, granting its holder legal immunity and authority surpassing ordinary laws. During the period and within the region where the authority was valid, the holder could investigate anyone, access official records, and even conduct forced searches. Conversely, it also helped shield the holder from certain legal risks.
This was exactly what Shi Rang needed.
In the more developed regions with lower district numbers, the vetting process for applicants was stringent. But in District Ten, the bar was astonishingly low.
The world already lacked brave souls, and even fewer dared to step forward in a district plagued by lawlessness, rampant addiction, and pervasive corruption.
Countless police officers and journalists were killed each year in District Ten during criminal investigations. They were courageous and righteous individuals, but justice couldn’t overcome death. No matter how much respect and admiration people felt for them, few were willing to follow in their footsteps.
Of course, the Coalition would give green lights to those brave enough to take the first step.
However, applicants had to pay a price: Regardless of what the investigative authority was used for, the Coalition had to receive the intelligence first-hand.
Shi Rang didn’t have grand ambitions. He didn’t plan to reform society or make fighting crime his life’s mission. He simply wanted to find his wife.
For that, he could become brave.
A few hours later, at the Coalition office in Yunling City, Shi Rang exchanged the hefty documentation provided by his newspaper for a small golden badge resembling a sticker. The thin badge bore the emblem of the Coalition—a fiery ring and four swords guarding the planet.
Accompanying it was an official document granting him investigative authority for the next two weeks in Pingyuan City, specifically targeting smuggling activities.
As Shi Rang caressed the objects in his hand, he felt a mix of awe and regret.
If only it could be used locally in Yunling City—he could storm into the police station, demand they retrieve surveillance footage from around the time Yingshang went missing, and meticulously review every frame.
Most investigative authorities were granted to journalists and law enforcement agencies. The former used them to investigate important figures, while the latter leveraged them to streamline official operations. This "privileged gold medal" was powerful but came with strict oversight by Coalition officials.
No one knew exactly how the Coalition monitored compliance, but news of misuse of investigative authority was exceedingly rare.
There was a rumor circulating among colleagues during afternoon tea breaks—
The Coalition’s eyes were everywhere, ensuring the proper use of investigative authority to maintain its authority and credibility. Reflecting on it, the fact that such a free-moving military organization was tolerated by all twelve districts spoke volumes about the Coalition's power.
Perhaps only The Management Bureau, with its facilities spread across the globe, could rival it—
What am I thinking?
Shi Rang chuckled, snapping out of his reverie.
The Management Bureau was a fictional organization created by online authors—it didn’t exist in reality.
Maybe the prototype for The Management Bureau was the Coalition!
Even if the website contained impressive content, Shi Rang couldn’t verify its authenticity. Perhaps it was just written to be intimidating. After all, who knew if someone had leaked classified information from their workplace online? In real life, people had been known to post exact data and blueprints of military equipment online—such things were entirely possible.
How could anomalies possibly exist?
Better stay grounded!
With the issue of the protective investigative authority resolved, Shi Rang also received a starting fund from the newspaper, with the rest of the expenses reimbursable. Money was no longer a problem.
As for equipment, he borrowed an extra camera from a colleague before departure—that issue was settled too.
All objective obstacles blocking his path had been swept away.
Nothing could stop him from finding Yingshang now.
Many challenges and unknowns still lay ahead—details like specific steps and methods for execution remained unclear. But Shi Rang understood that hesitation was not an option. He had to push himself forward with all his might; otherwise, he would lose this chance, along with his courage, and spend the rest of his life mired in the agony of losing his beloved.
Without further ado, he immediately booked a ticket to the coastal city.
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