Accidental Hero: The Rookie Who Outshines the Force - Chapter 13

There’s a saying: in every trade, some rise to the very top.

Some things really do come down to talent.

Some rookies could work half a month and still not know a thing.

But some gifted ones? On the very first day of duty, they catch two criminals.

Unbelievable if you hadn’t seen it yourself.

And this miracle rookie had somehow become Zhao Han’s apprentice. No wonder he was grinning in his sleep.

“Old Zhao, that Lu Cheng kid is beyond you. He caught two crooks his first day—you as the master can’t even compare. His tail’s bound to curl up to the sky.”

“You won’t be able to control a student like that. With his cocky look, he’s destined to cause trouble later.”

Veteran officers Cheng Zhijie and Wang Guodong muttered sourly, though their envy was obvious.

“Cut it out. The both of you can keep dreaming.”

Zhao Han shot them a glare. They couldn’t have been more wrong. What pleased him most about Lu Cheng was that despite his dazzling start, the boy hadn’t shown a hint of arrogance. On the contrary, he treated his newly recognized “master” with courtesy and respect.

The more Zhao Han looked, the more satisfied he felt—like a father-in-law judging a future son-in-law.

If his daughter weren’t still in high school, he’d already be considering Lu Cheng for the role.

“Xiao Lu, you’ve been running around all day. Haven’t even gotten familiar with the office yet, have you? I’ll show you around.”

“This afternoon while you were escorting Officer Su, the chief held a meeting for the rookies. You missed the pre-duty training on discipline and confidentiality. Take these books home and study them. Don’t slack off.”

He shoved two blue-and-white volumes into Lu Cheng’s hands: Police Training Regulations and Annotated Criminal Law & Practical Guide for Public Security.

“Yes, Master. I understand.”

Lu Cheng nodded earnestly. He’d already read these back at the academy, but memorization was what mattered now. Luckily, the system had just rewarded him with a skill—【Memory Enhancement】—perfect timing.

Sanliqiao’s jurisdiction wasn’t big. It was in the old district, where most disputes were neighborly quarrels. Fights were rare, usually nothing worse than shouting matches.

For a rookie to bag two thieves in a single day? That was unheard of. Like winning the lottery.

Public satisfaction was a key metric for year-end performance, and Lu Cheng had just given them a huge boost.

Usually, veterans only taught rookies the basics. The rest was up to their own observation and wit.

But Zhao Han poured his heart out to Lu Cheng, practically draining his throat dry.

Lu Cheng, in turn, pulled two packs of cigarettes from his pocket and pushed them into Zhao Han’s hand.

Zhao Han blinked. “What’s this about?”

“Master, someone gave them to me. I don’t smoke. You like Liqun, right? So, I’ll leave them with you.”

Zhao Han normally disliked such gestures. He despised brown-nosing rookies who only knew how to pour tea and flatter. He preferred them sharp and reliable in the field.

But with Lu Cheng… it felt different.

This wasn’t flattery. It was knowing how to navigate people.

“I can’t take these.” Zhao Han pushed them back, embarrassed.

“They’ll just go to waste otherwise.” Lu Cheng insisted, pressing them back into his hands.

In truth, his uncle had given him the cigarettes that morning, telling him to use them to build connections. Lu Cheng hadn’t bothered until now.

Seeing his pupil so determined, Zhao Han relented with a chuckle.

“You little rascal…” He pocketed the packs. Then frowned in surprise. “Wait—how did you know I smoke Liqun?”

“At the welcome ceremony this morning, I saw you pull out a pack,” Lu Cheng replied.

“Sharp! Very sharp.”

Zhao Han’s eyes gleamed with approval. That wasn’t staged—it was natural observation.

Tch—!

This kid really was a seedling worth cultivating.

Catching two thieves wasn’t luck—it was instinct.

“Alright, you’ve got the basics down for your first day. Still an hour before shift ends. Get settled in. If you want to read case files, find Xiao Lin.”

He pulled a brand-new glass mug from his drawer and tossed it over.

“Here, take this. Picked it up from the chief’s stash. A mug is the only real difference between rookies and vets.”

Zhao Han chuckled, raising his own cup in demonstration.

Lu Cheng sat down, opened the books, and activated 【Memory Enhancement】.

Words flew past his eyes. He couldn’t read ten lines at once, but memorization came far easier, like the words were etching themselves into his mind.

Even the police station’s layout was now perfectly clear after just one walk-through.

The system skill was working wonders.

When Cheng Zhijie and Wang Guodong returned with their rookies after gear training, Wang’s cigarette pack was empty. Spotting the Liqun on Zhao Han’s desk, he grinned.

“Old Zhao, lend me a stick for backup fire.”

Zhao Han happily tore open the pack, handing cigarettes around.

“You bought these without telling us? Could’ve gone together.”

“I didn’t buy them,” Zhao Han said smugly, taking a long drag. “My apprentice forced them on me. Kid doesn’t smoke, so he gave them to me. Look at that…”

At those words, both Cheng and Wang glanced at Lu Cheng’s desk.

Then back at Zhao Han’s smug face.

They gritted their teeth.

That kid knew how to curry favor, too? Zhao Han had really lucked out.

Jealousy burned in their chests.

Meanwhile, Lu Cheng had buried himself in case files—over ten thefts, plus some minor brawls and petty crimes.

Most of the thefts involved small sums, with little to no evidence. Tough cases to crack unless you stumbled upon the thief like today.

Lu Cheng had hoped to uncover clues but quickly realized he was overthinking.

First—he was still green. If even he could spot leads, the veterans would’ve solved them already.
Second—the case notes and statements were too thin. Nothing useful to work with.

Take the East Wang construction site cable theft. No cameras, no prints, just a size-42 work boot footprint. The thief had worn gloves and boots. Could’ve been a worker, a villager, or some drifter.

Impossible to narrow down. Solving it would take sheer luck.

Still, he read carefully, then skimmed again, committing every detail to memory under the skill’s effect.

By the time he looked up, it was already half an hour past quitting time.

The office was silent.

Chen Weimin and Zhao Han stood behind him, smiling as they watched.