Handong Province.
Jingzhou High-Speed Railway Station.
A high-speed train speeding in from afar slowly came to a halt alongside the platform in Jingzhou.
As the train doors slid open, travelers from all corners of the country poured continuously out of the carriages.
Amidst the crowd, a single figure stood out prominently. The man was short-haired, dressed in a black short-sleeved shirt and cargo pants, and stood an impressive one hundred and eighty-seven centimeters tall, making him look exceptionally capable and striking.
This man was none other than Li Hao.
Walking out of the railway station with unhurried strides, Li Hao headed toward a small inn situated right next to the station.
"Boss, room 302, which I booked earlier."
Entering the inn, Li Hao approached the extremely modest front desk and spoke to the middle-aged uncle who was picking his toes behind the counter.
Without a word of extra questioning, the innkeeper simply placed a key tagged with the number 302 onto the desk.
"..."
Looking at the grime-coated key, seasoned traveler though he was, Li Hao still felt a wave of disgust.
Especially since the hand the boss had just used to pass over the room card was most likely the exact same hand that had just been picking his toes!
With this thought, Li Hao pulled a pair of disposable gloves from his pocket, skillfully slipped them on, and only then picked up the key.
Years of executing missions abroad had made it a habit of his to keep a stash of disposable gloves in his pockets.
Arriving in front of room 302 on the third floor, he heard a crisp click as the door swung open in response.
Stepping inside, Li Hao walked straight into the bathroom. After rummaging around the toilet tank for a moment, he retrieved a small parcel.
Opening it up, he found a national ID card along with a Desert Eagle!
Without sparing the ID card a single glance, Li Hao casually shoved it into his pocket.
The Desert Eagle, however, was picked up and turned over in his hands for a moment. This was a firearm he had only used once many years ago while abroad.
Its stopping power was immense, but it simply wasn't well-suited for harsh battlefield environments.
Consequently, after using it that one time, Li Hao had never touched it again.
In the treacherous conditions abroad, a sidearm needed to be something reliable and handy.
"They always say domestic security is better than abroad, yet they still prepared this for me."
Muttering to himself, Li Hao slid the handgun into a designated holster pocket on his cargo pants.
Thinking back to the arrangements his elders had made for him before his return, Li Hao couldn't help a wry smile.
They had told him the domestic assignment wouldn't be as perilous as those abroad, so there was no need to carry any heavily lethal weapons.
And the result?
A Desert Eagle!
Did a Desert Eagle seriously not count as a heavily lethal weapon? Or had his elders prepared it purely out of concern for his personal safety?
He couldn't be bothered to overthink it.
Having a gun in hand at least gave him an extra layer of confidence.
After packing everything away properly, Li Hao didn't linger in the room. He checked out and promptly walked out of the inn.
As soon as he stepped outside, Li Hao spotted a black Audi A6 parked right at the entrance.
Moments later, the car door opened, and a man dressed in a black administrative jacket stepped out.
This person was none other than the current Director of the Handong Provincial Public Security Department—Qi Tongwei.
Seeing Qi Tongwei, Li Hao smiled faintly. He was one of Li Hao's few friends in the country.
They had met by chance back then, when Qi Tongwei was still an ambitious and upright man, before he eventually traded his dignity for power.
"A-Hao, you're back?"
Qi Tongwei walked toward Li Hao, his face lit up with the genuine smile of old friends meeting after a long separation.
Once he reached Li Hao, Qi Tongwei continued, "You haven't changed a bit! Yet somehow, you look different!"
Hearing this, Li Hao raised an eyebrow and asked with curiosity, "How so?"
Qi Tongwei replied, "Your looks haven't changed at all—still just as young. But your presence carries the added charm of a mature man! Haha!"
With a hearty laugh, Qi Tongwei took a step forward to the car door, pulled open the rear door, and made a polite gesture toward Li Hao.
"It's hot out here, get in the car and we can talk!"
At that, Li Hao walked over to the car door and remarked, "Having the Director of the Handong Provincial Public Security Department open the door for me—I'm quite honored!"
With that, Li Hao slid straight into the vehicle.
After closing the door, Qi Tongwei got in from the other side, shook his head, and laughed. "Don't say that. Being able to drive for you is my privilege!"
Qi Tongwei wasn't being modest, nor was he joking.
He had some insight into Li Hao's background.
Back when they crossed paths during a certain mission, he had the good fortune to befriend Li Hao and they had a rather pleasant conversation.
Through that, he had gained a rough understanding of Li Hao's identity—he had grown up in an elite revolutionary family, and a deeply influential one at that!
Such a background was practically the ceiling of influence within the entire country!
Someone like Zhao Ruilong could put on airs in front of ordinary people, but if he tried that with Li Hao, he wouldn't even know what hit him.
So his previous remark came straight from the heart.
If not for their prior connection, an official of his standing as the provincial public security director wouldn't just be opening a car door for Li Hao—he wouldn't even get a chance to meet him.
"It's a rare trip home, you should get some good rest. I'll make the arrangements, your only job is to enjoy yourself!"
Inside the car, Qi Tongwei spoke as he prepared to signal the driver to move.
"No need."
Hearing this, Li Hao shook his head.
This trip back wasn't for leisure; he still had a mission on his shoulders.
Not long ago, while operating in Moseikou, he had accidentally uncovered a drug trafficking ring funneling narcotics into Hua Nation.
Because the forces behind this supply chain ran deep and were beyond his individual capacity to handle, he had immediately contacted the elders of his family.
That was what led to his return—the elders had instructed him to start by cracking down domestically!
"Tongwei, is there any news on those individuals I asked you to investigate a few days ago?"
Massaging his brow, Li Hao looked over at Qi Tongwei.
"There are some leads, but that's about it."
As he spoke, the muscles above Qi Tongwei's brows twitched inward, reflecting his annoyance.
Li Hao had finally given him a chance to shine, yet after all these days, he only had meager leads to show for it.
Hearing this, Li Hao's eyes lit up slightly. "You have leads? That's fantastic!"
Noticing the shift in Qi Tongwei's expression right after speaking, Li Hao quickly added, "Getting leads is already great! To be honest, I didn't even expect you to dig anything up so soon."
Hearing this, Qi Tongwei's slightly irritated mood finally settled down.
Phew—so managing to dig up a few leads actually counted as a good thing!
With that thought, Qi Tongwei's spirits lifted once more.
He had actually been planning to go back and chew out his subordinates for such sluggish efficiency.
"Let's go then, Tongwei, let's head to your Public Security Department first!"
"Alright, to the Public Security Department!"