Chapter 12: How well do I take care of you?

Chapter 12: How well do I take care of you?

Today’s meeting room was filled with police officers. A somber atmosphere hung in the air. The topic of discussion was the Black Bull gang. Key information was projected onto a large screen. Their trade routes with other groups were decoded and meticulously organized.

“The Black Bull gang is just the tip of the iceberg. If we want to get to their big boss, it’s going to take time, as this operation doesn’t just involve drug trafficking, but other illegal items as well.”

“Our sources report that the people behind them are influential individuals,” said Aasin, the superintendent of the Chiang Mai City Police Station, in a serious tone.

Nadol spoke up, staring at the images on screen,

“The Black Bull gang should be able to give us some information, sir.” “Sir, perhaps… is their boss a soldier or a police officer?”

Thian was trying to think along those lines. If they had connections with government officials or the military, their influence would be widespread and they wouldn’t be easy to catch, especially if they were high-ranking or held powerful positions.

“What you’re saying is worth considering, Inspector Thian,” said the superintendent.

“Like Ronapop, we know he primarily trades with our neighbors. His backer is Tianan,” the infamous Burmese drug lord who had already been apprehended.

“I need you all to interrogate them thoroughly.”

“Get as much information as possible, because we won’t back down this time.” The superintendent spoke loudly, his eyes hardening. Once the elephant has a taste of sugar cane, it won’t let go easily.

After the meeting ended, everyone was quiet, as if deep in thought. The next objective was to interrogate the Black Bull gang members who had been arrested the previous night. If they just opened their mouths, it would yield invaluable information.

Four investigation rooms were prepared. Separating the interrogation is the best way to pull information, special when there’s ties everywhere.

“Who does Inspector Thian want to interrogate?” Kanin asked with a mischievous tone. “I want the one who shot Mangkon.”

“I have the same thought as you, I want that guy too.” “I called it, you can take the other guys.”

“Dude, beat that guy a few times for me, hurting my beloved Mangkorn.”

“Yeah,” Thian replied dismissively. Either way, police officers don’t to use force again civilian, there will be a way to peace.

Once they agreed, everyone separated to carry out their duties. The young inspector walked straight to the second interrogation room. The thick steel door opened to reveal a stocky man in a prisoner’s uniform sitting with his head bowed. Just seeing his face made Thian’s anger flare.

You’re the one who hurt Mangkon.

“What’s your name?” Thian’s sharp eyes stared intensely, and he asked in a flat tone. “Why do I have to answer?”

“No one would want to remember your name anyway.”

As usual, that statement caused the smile on the criminal’s face to change slightly, but it soon returned with a smirk.

“So, you guys were smuggling illegal goods from Laos, right?”

“Tch, you’re sharp, as expected of a cop.” It was as if the criminal was trying to provoke him, but with the maturity and experience he had accumulated over time, *

Thian was able to keep his emotions in check.

“Who ordered you?”

“If I told you it was someone very close to you, would you believe me, officer?” “Of course, if your words carried enough weight.”

Thian’s sharp eyes watched every move of the Black Bull gang member without blinking. The psychology he had studied was being put to full use. He knew the other party was trying to provoke and manipulate him, but the young inspector remained as still as ice.

Even though he tried to hide it and constantly prevaricated, he didn’t realize that bits of truth were leaking out. Thian watched his every action until he began to see the pattern. But then, the next sentence struck him with a surge of anger.

“Where’s that pretty boy? I should have shot him dead. I shouldn’t have missed.” “What did you say?”

“He looks like he loves you so much, officer. Risking his life to save you, like some romance movie, makes me want to puke.”

“Should have shot him dead, damn it.” “You’re the one who deserves to die.”

A sudden surge of emotion took over. Dark black eyes flared. Thick hands clenched into tight fists until the veins bulged. He gritted his teeth, struggling to keep himself in his chair. But it was as if the last straw had broken because the person in front of him was fueling the fire.

“If I get out of here, I’ll go after him first.” Smack!

A heavy punch slammed into his jaw, contorting his face. He couldn’t control his emotions anymore. A vile creature like him had no way to escape this prison.

But if happened that he got out… he’d kill with both hands. “Hey! The police are assaulting a citizen!”

“But vile citizens like you deserve it.”

Thian tried hard to restrain himself from punching him again, but before he could turn to leave the room, a knock on the door rang out, followed by Nadol rushing in with urgency.

“Inspector, come outside quickly. There are urgent orders.” “What orders?” Thian asked, his voice annoyed.

“Just come out first.”

The usually composed captain’s expression looked unusually frantic, so Thian slowly walked out as requested. But that guy still wouldn’t stop laughing loudly like a madman behind him.

Once outside, Nadol quickly handed the letter with a ‘Most Urgent’ stamp in the top left corner of the paper to his boss. The eyebrows that had been furrowed close together were now even more furrowed in a knot as he read the contents.

“There’s an order to transfer the Black Bull gang to the Lampang Provincial Police Station immediately, Inspector.”

“Who? Who brought it?” “Um, well…”

Thian was extremely frustrated. Why was something like this happening? The urgent transfer order was suspicious and too strange. But before Nadol could answer, a familiar deep voice cut in.

“How’s it going, Thian? How are you doing?”

The young inspector whirled around, and his face tightened even further when he saw who was speaking.

“Saming.”

“You still remember me. I thought you’d forgotten about me.”

Saming, or Police Major Saming Janjong, an inspector at the Lampang Provincial Police Station, or Thian’s classmate back in Police Academy, was smiling at him, with a large bouquet of flowers in his arm. He was starting to understand what was going on. The person who delivered the order himself…

“So, you’re the one moving the Black Bull gang to Lampang?” “Sharp as ever. Just like you.”

Laughter erupted from the visitor. Saming spoke unflinchingly, not even slightly surprised by the urgent transfer order.

“You’re basically just handing them over for me to take care of.” “And why would I hand them over to you?”

“Because it’s an order.”

“Let me know when you’re ready. We’re practically neighbors, after all.”

After those words, the Inspector from the Lampang Provincial Police Station walked straight inside. Thian stood staring at Nadol and Kanin, who had just learned of the news and joined them. Tension filled the air, and no further conversation followed.

“Damn it!”

“Something’s fishy, Thian.”

“Yeah, totally weird. Lampang’s never interfered with us before.”

Working within the boundaries of each province meant primarily cooperating with neighboring police stations. In the event of a major case like this, task assignments usually came directly from the Royal Thai Police headquarters. Once a region was assigned a duty, it was considered a critical mission to be completed without excuse.

But this…

“I think someone powerful is involved, sir.” “You bet it is, Nadol.”

“Is this the time for games, Captain Kanin?”

Thian didn’t respond, intending to speak with Saming to get things straight. However, just as he reached his office door, his ears picked up something. He saw Saming handing a bouquet of flowers to Mangkon, chatting intimately.

“Senior!!”

“Hey, troublemaker. Long time no see. You’ve already gotten yourself into a mess since moving here.”

The sweet-colored flowers were now in the possession of the police corporal, and this man had even raised his hand to stroke Mangkon’s soft hair. And Mangkon was calling him “Senior.” The person standing there didn’t know how to feel. Something was bubbling up in the center of his chest.

Was he irritated about the case, or the fact that his partner seemed so close to Saming?! What the hell?

“Did you like the flowers I sent you at the hospital, Mangkon?” “Huh? They were from you, Senior?”

“That’s right. I know you like pink flowers. I remembered.”

The word Oh! popped into Thian’s mind. The flowers that stuck out like a sore thumb at the hospital were from Saming. But so what? They were left to wither away anyway; he didn’t bring them home.

“Saming, I think I need to talk to you about something.”

Finally, the person who had been staring intently spoke up. The Lampang Inspector turned back, smiled, and raised his eyebrows slightly before replying in a relaxed voice.

“I thought this matter was over, Thian. Right now, I want to talk to Mangkon.” “He moved here and didn’t tell me?”

“And why would he need to tell you?” What right did he have to know about this? “So I could come see him often, of course.”

An intense battle of wills played out through their eyes. Saming’s face held a teasing quality, but was also laced with a hint of mistrust and a certain stubbornness. Thian’s handsome face, on the other hand, remained still and unreadable, though clearly conveying visible displeasure.

Mangkon, caught in the middle, felt an inexplicable sense of unease. His round eyes glanced from Saming to Thian, and then, gathering all his courage, he spoke up, trying to break the oppressive atmosphere.

“Uh, Inspector, Senior…”

“Mangkon, are you free this afternoon? Would you like to go out with me?” Saming was cutting him off mid-sentence.

“I’m afraid he can’t. Mangkon’s just recovering from being sick.”

“I can take care of someone who’s sick, especially someone who’s special to my heart…”

Those words deeply affected Inspector Thian. His sharp gaze bore into his senior colleague, who acted as if nothing was amiss. He knew that Saming and Mangkon had been close in the past, but *this* was the present.

Just what was he trying to do?

“What do you mean by that, Saming?”

“It means exactly what it sounds like. I’ll take care of Mangkon myself, because maybe… sometimes the people closest to someone don’t take as good care of them as they should.”

“He’s my subordinate. I can take care of him.”

“Are you really, Thian?”

The deep voices of the two Inspectors clashed back and forth, neither willing to give way. Other police officers were starting to gather around, drawn by the commotion. To an outsider, it might seem like they were arguing over a girl. But this wasn’t a girl; it was Mangkon, the friendly-faced police corporal.

“Uh, Inspector, Senior, please stop. It’s getting loud,” Mangkon said in a clear voice, trying stop the commotion.

“You tell him, Mangkon. How well do I take care of you?” “You tell him,”