Urban Crisis [Complete] - 1

page views:1 Publication date:2023-03-24

Chapter One: Gunshots Shock the Municipal Party Committee; Rumors Spread; A

lion's genitals spray urine, using the scent of urine to carve out its own
sphere of influence , establishing a kingdom of dominance.

While the human sense of smell is not as acute as that of dogs or lions, its function subtly manipulates our
subconscious and controls our desires. Attraction between opposite sexes begins with scent; after "birds of a feather flock together,"
they go to bed. "Smell" here is not derogatory; it simply refers to body odor.

The citizens of this metropolis seem to have an exceptionally keen sense of smell. With a sniff, they detect a crucial piece of information from the polluted air,
barely : something terrible has happened!

This is a metropolis where old and new architecture coexist. The golden glazed tiles symbolizing imperial power and the skyscrapers of
modern civilization reflect each other, showcasing its complex character in the midst of transition.

This is an ancient yet vibrant land, its vast expanse foreshadowing the twisting and rising power of a nation in the labor
pains .

An Audi with the word "Prosecutor" prominently displayed on its side drove up the ring road, its flashing police lights
indicating the owner's authority. The car stopped in a no-parking zone, and a man and a woman got out.
The man was Zhou Senlin, the director of the city's Anti-Corruption Bureau, and the woman was Tao Suling, a staff member of the city's Discipline Inspection Commission.

A skyscraper collapsed vertically with a deafening roar after a series of explosions, kicking up thick clouds of smoke and dust.

Zhou Senlin stood on the overpass with Tao Suling, watching the spectacular scene unfold a hundred meters ahead
.

"Truly remarkable, it collapsed in an instant," Tao Suling said, her tone a mixture of regret and admiration.

Zhou Senlin was nearly sixty years old; he looked as withered as a scarecrow. He was always expressionless, giving off an air of
unfathomable mystery. He sniffled, his nose twitching from a cold, and said, "The advantage of directional blasting is that it doesn't damage nearby
buildings; it's absolutely safe."

"Director Zhou, you seem to be implying something?"

"You're the one who insisted on watching the blast. Let's go."

"I heard that after the building is demolished, they're going to build an imitation ancient building there?"

"Hmph, lacking originality, they can only imitate. Let's go."

Zhou Senlin and Tao Suling got into the Audi, drove against traffic, and headed towards the Anti-Corruption Bureau. The red police lights on the roof
flashed as they sped through traffic without a care.

A hand pulled open a desk drawer and took out a pistol. It was Chen Hu, the head of the Anti-Corruption Bureau's Investigation Division.

He stretched his right arm forward, bending his forearm back to a ninety-degree angle with his upper arm. His wrist and forearm also bent at
ninety degrees , so the muzzle was horizontally aimed at the acupoint between his eyebrows.

The dark muzzle pressed tightly against the acupoint.

A chilling sensation spread throughout his body from the muzzle.

Facing the muzzle, he felt the mental pressure of committing suicide in this way was too great, so he pressed the muzzle against his right temple. He

stared straight ahead, paused for a moment, then shook his head.

Why couldn't he get his posture right? No, I could only let the bullet enter through the Yintang acupoint; this was the
only .

The large dressing mirror in front of him reflected his agile figure and piercing eyes.

The three-inch-long old scar on his left cheek was particularly striking.

Chen Hu stared at himself in the mirror, feeling that the position of the muzzle wasn't quite right compared to the required trajectory. He tried
to make his wrist and forearm perpendicular, but could only get close, never reaching ninety degrees; the barrel always
tilted upwards . He spread his feet further apart to make himself more stable.

Holding the gun like this, the bullet entering through the Yintang acupoint couldn't possibly exit at the corresponding horizontal position at the back of the head; the trajectory
would definitely tilt towards the upper left side of the brain—something wasn't right.

Chen Hu changed his posture, still pressing the muzzle against the Yintang acupoint.

The office door opened from the outside, and Zhou Senlin and Tao Suling entered.

They were stunned to find Chen Hu holding a gun to his forehead.

Zhou Senlin shouted, "Chen Hu, what are you doing?!"

"Don't come any closer!" Chen Hu's tone was firm and commanding.

Tao Suling, in her early twenties, had never seen anything like this before. She grabbed Zhou Senlin, "Don't go over there!"

Zhou Senlin took a step back and pulled the door shut, not wanting any sounds from inside to escape. He coughed, his throat
dry.

"Chen Hu, Comrade Chen Hu! I order you to lay down your weapon!"

Tao Suling was terrified, her face pale and her lips trembling. She had handled dozens of cases in her years working at the Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection,
but this was the first time she had witnessed a suicide attempt, and the person preparing to commit suicide was both her friend and superior. She
couldn't bear to watch the suicide attempt happen, so she yelled, "Chen Hu, I saw you perfectly fine three hours ago, why
are you acting like this now? Put down the gun

!" Chen Hu pulled the trigger.

Zhou Senlin lunged at Chen Hu, knocking over tables and chairs with a loud crash.

Tao Suling screamed and closed her eyes in fright. When she opened her eyes, she saw Chen Hu sitting
at his desk smoking, a pistol on the table.

Zhou Senlin had gotten up from the floor, brushing the dust off his clothes.

Tao Suling was stunned and incoherent: "You're crazy... trying to scare people with death."

Chen Hu smiled slightly and said, "The exercise is over. I said the exercise is over."

Tao Suling lunged at Chen Hu, simultaneously and indiscriminately hitting his head and chest with both hands.

"You scared me to death! You big bad guy!"

"I'll treat you to lunch, okay?"

Director Zhou slumped onto the sofa, snorting, "Nonsense! Vice Mayor He just committed suicide, and now you
're going to commit suicide too , isn't this all chaos!" “

I feel so suffocated. I don’t believe Vice Mayor He would commit suicide.”

“No matter how suffocated you are, you can’t take your frustration out with a gun or find joy in death! You…”

After understanding Chen Hu’s intention, Tao Suling defended him, “Director Zhou, it’s not that he has a problem, he’s saying
that Vice Mayor He’s suicide is problematic.”

“I’m not deaf, I heard you. You and Chen Hu should discuss how to report at this afternoon’s meeting. I have other
things to do, I’m leaving.”

“Yes.”

Zhou Senlin left, leaving only Chen Hu and Tao Suling in the room.

She pulled up a chair and sat opposite Chen Hu, staring at him blankly.

The manly aura he exuded strongly attracted her. She always felt that his scarred face resembled
Niu Hong somewhat, a passionate revolutionary, a man who was both resolute and gentle.

In today’s world, as we approach the end of the century, many men indulge in a life of luxury and debauchery, spending their time making money and playing with women.
It's hard to find a truly heroic Arthur, but suddenly I met him, perhaps because of that prominent
scar that he's still unmarried.

Yes, girls these days are so superficial, chasing after rich men and celebrities; how could they appreciate such
a striking man's face?

"Hey, tell me the story of the scar," she said.

Chen Hu picked up a pistol from the table, twirling it in his hand like a Western cowboy, his movements swift and agile.

"Did you hear me? Tell me the story of the scar."

"Are you done yet? You got slashed, what's there to say? It's ruined my chances of finding a wife."

"What happened? Tell me in detail."

Chen Hu subconsciously touched the scar again.

“Hey, what are your thoughts? Speak up.” Tao Suling pressed. “Hey, can you at least respect
the questions I’m asking?”

“Are you done yet? What’s the point of me saying things I haven’t thought through? What’s the use of saying things without evidence?”

“If there’s no evidence, we can find it.”

“Alright, let’s get back to the point. What meeting is this afternoon? I’ve already arranged other things.”

“The Standing Committee of the Municipal Party Committee is listening to a report. They want us to report on the progress of the investigation into He Qizhang’s death. You know, even
the taxi driver knows that Mayor He committed suicide by shooting himself; he’s been talking about it everywhere.”

’Who’s participating in the report?’

“The Public Security Bureau, your Procuratorate, our Discipline Inspection Commission, and other departments. Each will report their own, and then listen to
Secretary Jiao’s instructions. Director Zhou said that your Anti-Corruption Bureau will be responsible for reporting on the Procuratorate’s part.”

“Then let’s prepare separately.”

“I want to discuss this with you.”

“I’m sorry, I prefer to think about things alone.”

Tao Tieliang, the head of the Criminal Investigation Department of the Municipal Public Security Bureau, pushed open the door and, seeing Tao Suling and Chen Hu’s intimate interaction, coughed
and said, “Did I disturb you?” "

Tao Suling greeted him warmly, "Brother, you wanted to see me?"

"What do you want? I wanted to see Chen Hu."

Chen Hu stood up and pulled over a chair, "Tie Liang, please sit down."

"Chen Hu, I won't say anything else, but I only have one sister. If she suffers any injustice, I'll hold you accountable."

Chen Hu hurriedly waved his hand, "This responsibility is too heavy, I'm afraid I can't complete the task."

Tao Suling smiled sweetly, "You two treat me like a child."

Tao Suling poured a glass of water and placed it in front of her brother.

"Thank you. Chen Hu, this afternoon, Secretary Jiao listened to the report. I think it would be best if our Public Security Bureau and your Anti-Corruption Bureau reached
a consensus. If our opinions differ, it will put the higher-ups in a difficult position. I know you
don't quite agree with the conclusion that Vice Mayor He died by suicide, so I wanted to discuss with you to come up with a unified statement."

Chen Hu said lightly, "And you, what do you personally think about the cause of Vice Mayor He's death?"

"Of course I believe that Vice Mayor He died by suicide. This is the consensus of the investigation team, and it seems that the higher-ups also hold
this view. " Chen Hu shook his head slightly. "

Factual accuracy is the most important thing."

Tao Tieliang raised his voice: "In fact, Vice Mayor He committed suicide."

"I think it's too early to conclude it's suicide."

"You still insist it was murder?"

"I don't have evidence yet, but I think He Qizhang had no motive for suicide. There must be a lot hidden behind this
."

Tao Tieliang stood up from his chair. "I'm worried that if you bring up murder at the meeting, it will displease the higher-ups.
We're old classmates, and Lingling is my sister. Let me give you some advice:
neither you nor I know how deep the water is in the municipal government and municipal party committee. Be careful not to slip and fall, and not be able to get up."

Tao Suling pressed Chen Hu's shoulder and interjected: "What my brother said makes some sense. I
've worked municipal government. Chen Hu, if you get
hurt, it will be too late to regret it."

"You two siblings are really cut out to be officials, so worldly-wise at such a young age. "

Tao Suling felt Chen Hu's sarcasm was too sharp, and blushed, remaining silent.

Tao Tieliang put on a stern face, "I knew you'd say that. What I said just now was our boss's idea." "

And what do you mean?"

"What do I mean? My words carry little weight; what I mean isn't important."

The conversation ended unhappily, and Tao Suling escorted Tao Tieliang to the entrance of the Anti-Corruption Bureau.

Tao Tieliang hesitated for a moment before finally speaking: "Lingling, do you really like Chen Hu?"

"What nonsense are you talking about?"

"Among our classmates, Chen Hu and I were best friends, but he has a tendency to be disrespectful to superiors, which makes them dislike him.
How has he treated you? Tell the truth."

"You guys are all workaholics; can you even tell the difference between men and women in uniform?"

"Keep talking about Chen Hu; that kid doesn't know his place. Don't follow him and walk into the line of fire."

Tao Suling sighed, "If you can't even persuade him, what use am I? It's true, why did Vice Mayor He commit suicide when
everything was fine ?" Tao Tieliang's expression turned mysterious. "

That's why I said, nobody really knows
how ."

Chen Hu lit a cigarette; he liked the taste of mixed tobacco.

He clearly felt guilty; Tao Tieliang had hit him where it hurt. To
rashly suggest that Vice Mayor He might have died from a violent crime without sufficient evidence was like putting himself on the line.

His position as head of the investigation department could be easily taken away with just a word from above. Should he just follow the crowd
? He wasn't willing to be mediocre.

He understood that in China, prosecutors were the least individualistic profession; any individual's values
were insignificant . Cases were decided through collective discussion and meetings; once an individual's proposal was rejected by the organization, anyone who
persisted in their opinion was committing an organizational error, especially if they were an individual... When opinions differed from those of the top leader,

he turned on the VCR and television. Although he had watched the videotape of the investigation into Vice Mayor He Qizhang's death scene
many times , he felt there were still many mysteries to be uncovered. He manipulated the VCR remote, moving forward frame by frame
… The image froze on the bullet hole in the center of He Qizhang's forehead.

The bullet hole was neat.

This face, once arrogant and domineering, was now a mysterious shadow on the videotape.

He Qizhang, how many secrets did you take with you? Chen Hu's lips curled into a cold smile. "I will definitely dig out
the secrets . When you were alive, we competed; now that you're dead, we'll continue to compete. Just wait for me,
old friend."

Chen Hu opened the filing cabinet, took out a case file, and then took out an old photograph from it.

It was a group photo; Vice Mayor He Qizhang, Mayor's Assistant Qian Zhong, Deputy Director of the Municipal Party Committee Office Hao Xiangshou,
Zhou Senlin, and others were in the front row, with Chen Hu standing behind He Qizhang. The photo was captioned "Meeting of all staff members of the investigation
team ."

Chen Hu recalled his first encounter with He Qizhang three years ago. At that time, he was a section chief, and He Qizhang was
the director of .

More than twenty people sat around a long table in the conference room. Qian Zhong, Zhou Senlin, and He Qizhang sat in the middle, while Chen Hu sat
to the side.

Zhou Senlin presided over the meeting: "Comrades, the first meeting on the major foreign exchange fraud case is now beginning. First,
I would like to ask Comrade Qian Zhong, the Mayor's Assistant, to give instructions on behalf of the Municipal Party Committee."

Qian Zhong waved his hand and said, "No need for instructions. Let's talk less about empty words and more about doing
practical things to combat corruption. Since this is a meeting, let's discuss the situation among the three parties first. Director Zhou, it's your job as the director of the Anti-Corruption Bureau to preside over the meeting
."

"Alright, let me first introduce the case. After the previous period of investigation, we have basically figured out
the ins and outs of the case. The perpetrator, Yi Xin, is the section chief in charge of foreign exchange quotas at the Finance Bureau. He colluded with two people from other units
to forge the official seal of the Central Finance Department of the State Administration of Foreign Exchange, steal foreign exchange quota allocation slips from the Municipal Finance Bureau, and committed
16 false reports, embezzling a total of 60 million US dollars from the national treasury, which he then resold for a profit of 12 million RMB.
The smooth progress of the investigation is inseparable from the strong support of He Qizhang, the director and party secretary of the Finance Bureau."
The investigators stayed and ate at the Finance Bureau's guesthouse, and Director He also provided two special cars and four dedicated telephone lines. On
behalf of the Anti-Corruption Bureau, I

would like to express my gratitude to Director He.” He Qizhang stood up and said, “It's nothing, it's nothing. We should thank the Anti-Corruption Bureau. The Anti-Corruption Bureau's
presence in the Finance Bureau has been a great encouragement to us! We should learn from you.”

Zhou Senlin said, “We're all family, so let's
not be so formal. Next, Section Chief Chen Hu will report on some issues in this case that haven't been clarified.”

Chen Hu stood up, and his first words immediately created an uneasy atmosphere in the meeting room. “Director He is
the leader of the unit where the perpetrator works, and his active cooperation with our investigation may greatly help to solve the case as soon as possible. However, I believe that, based on the principle of independent handling of cases
by judicial organs , Director He should recuse himself during the investigation period. That would be better.”

He Qizhang stood up with a smile. “Comrade Chen Hu suggested that I recuse myself, and I personally have no objection. If
I have any questions, I can be investigated! As the Party Secretary and Director of the Finance Bureau, missing the first meeting would be
disrespectful to all the leaders and comrades. Anti-corruption is a major event for the entire Party, and I firmly support and fully cooperate with it. I
can leave now, but I guarantee that my support for the special investigation team will remain as unwavering as ever.”

He Qizhang picked up his briefcase and was about to leave when the Mayor’s Assistant Qian Zhong hurriedly pressed his hand down, saying, “Director He, sit down,
sit down. A suggestion from a few individuals is just a viewpoint, a personal opinion.” "Shouldn't the meeting proceed as scheduled?
Director He is a member of the Municipal Party Committee and has the right to attend meetings. We're handling this case under the leadership of the Party."

Chen Hu insisted, "I still feel it's inappropriate for Director He to be present."

Zhou Senlin glared at Chen Hu with dissatisfaction, "Why are you being so indecisive? You're just a section chief; you
should speak in accordance with your position. Aren't all of you your superiors? Are you the only
one with principles? Are we all unprincipled? Just tell me, and I'll take responsibility if anything goes wrong."

Chen Hu sighed helplessly and opened the case file. "Okay, I'll report. Although the case has been basically clarified, there's still 3.5 million yuan of
embezzled that's missing. According to Yi Xin's confession, he gave the 3.5 million yuan to a
Hong Kong businessman surnamed He. To verify the truth, I suggest we go to Hong Kong to talk to the businessman surnamed He."

Zhou Senlin asked in surprise, "You want to gather evidence overseas?"

“Yes, we’re gathering evidence overseas. We can’t just end the investigation without knowing where the 3.5 million yuan is.”

“Let’s study it further. You continue.”

Chen Hu presented several important clues and points of doubt at the meeting. He had a backup plan: If you won’t let Director He recuse himself,
then I’ll recuse myself.

Chen Hu put down the photos and returned the case file to the filing cabinet.

He gripped the scar in his hand, deep in thought.

The “11.2” case was successfully closed. Yi Xin and another main culprit were executed, and an accomplice was sentenced
to life imprisonment .

Chen Hu learned from his hospital bed that Yi Xin had been executed. In anger, he smashed pills against the window of his hospital room,
scattering them everywhere, but the glass remained unbroken. The perpetrator was dead, and the 3.5 million yuan would forever remain an unsolved mystery.

Helpless, he had already left the “11.2” task force. That night, around 11 PM,
he was riding his bicycle home when he was hit by a motorcycle that suddenly came up behind him under an overpass .
He didn't even see the color or license plate of the motorcycle before losing consciousness. He was rescued by pedestrians and taken to the hospital, where he learned that he had suffered
a three-inch-long cut on his left cheek.

He was admitted to the hospital.

He Qizhang, along with the Forestry Bureau Chief, visited him at the hospital, bringing Marlboro cigarettes and fruit.

The bandages had just been removed, and the three-inch-long scar was forever etched on Chen Hu's face.

Zhou Senlin said with heartache,

"This is deliberately trying to make things difficult for us. If we catch him, we'll tear him to pieces."

He Qizhang handed the peeled apple to Chen Hu and said slowly, "Section Chief Chen, this is clearly not an ordinary
car accident ; it's deliberate revenge. If it were a car accident, someone would just hit someone and run away, not deliberately get out of the car to leave a
mark on your face. This is truly depraved. Do you think it could be someone connected to the '11.2' case?"

Chen Hu wanted to smoke, but when he tried to light it with a lighter, he hesitated twice before actually lighting it. Zhou Senlin lit it for him.
"Little Chen, have a smoke. You're a hero of the '11.2' case. I've spoken to the nurses; since
you're the only one in the ward, you're allowed three cigarettes a day. Heroes deserve special treatment. I have some good
news for you: the '11.2' case team has been awarded a collective second-class merit. When you're discharged, you'll no longer be a section chief, but a full-fledged department head."

"Congratulations, Department Head Chen," He Qizhang said, extending his hand.

Zhou Senlin smiled and said, "Little Chen, I think you two should congratulate each other. Director He is now our top official,
the Executive Vice Mayor!"

"Really?" Chen Hu asked doubtfully.

"It's about promoting a capable and energetic cadre to a leadership position!"

Chen Hu extended his hand: "Congratulations, Vice Mayor He."

"Same to you, same to you," He Qizhang patted Chen Hu on the shoulder. "I just reported to the municipal government today, and I
came to see our hero first, right, Old Zhou?"

Zhou Senlin smiled and said, "Yes, Vice Mayor He came all the way here to see you. That's quite an honor!"

"Thank you. The mayor is busy, so don't waste your time here."

As soon as He Qizhang left, Zhou Senlin complained, "Xiao Chen, your attitude towards Vice Mayor He is problematic. He
used to my equal, but now he's a level above me, a vice-ministerial level official, and the fourth-highest in the city. He
assisted in solving the '11.2' case, and everyone was very satisfied. You're so young; only by respecting your superiors will you have
a bright future. Unlike me, an old man with no future."

"Director Zhou, what about the three and a half million..."

"'11.2' case is already closed. Why are you still worrying about it? There are mountains of major cases piling up. Once you're healed,
hurry up and get back to work." The recollection

of the

past made Chen Hu even more depressed. He no longer believed in empty words like "truth will prevail." Too much
ugliness, whether open or covert, manipulated many areas.

Chen Hu turned off the video recorder, picked up the phone, and dialed the TV station's editorial office.

"Is this the city TV station? Please have the person in charge of the editorial office answer the phone. This is Chen Hu from the Anti-Corruption Bureau."

Director Wang of the editorial office answered: "This is Wang Qingsheng. What can I do for you?" "We need news materials about

He Qizhang's inspections, meetings, and activities since he took office as Executive Vice Mayor. Do you have them?" "Yes, we do, but it's very time-consuming to find them one by one and compile them. Will they be useful?" "These materials might be useful for the investigation. Could you please compile them for me? How long will it take?" "Two or three days. Do you also need the footage of the cultural performance featuring Mayor He?" "Yes, I do. Thank you. I'll pick it up myself later. Goodbye." Chen Hu wasn't sure what use these publicly available news materials would be, but he believed that following the spider's web would lead to the spider. Since this web was carefully woven by the spider, He Qizhang couldn't possibly not use it. Chen Hu took out a manuscript from his drawer. It was an article he had written at the invitation of a law journal, titled " (A Proposal for Establishing an Independent Anti-Corruption Agency)." In his article, he boldly proposed separating the Anti-Corruption Bureau from the Procuratorate and placing it directly under the State Council; the Anti-Corruption Agency should be responsible to the state, with provincial and municipal Anti-Corruption Bureaus under the vertical leadership of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau; this would prevent interference from governments at all levels and allow the Anti-Corruption Bureau to exercise independent case-handling authority, thus effectively supervising party and government officials at all levels and preventing corruption. He also cited the ancient system where supervisory officials were directly responsible to the emperor. The article was rejected by the magazine, deemed inappropriate. He flipped through a few pages, went to the shredder, and stuffed the manuscript into the shredder. The article, written over a dozen sleepless nights, emerged from the shredder as strips of paper. He wasn't regretful; after all, his thoughts hadn't been shredded into strips, and he could download them from his brain . He returned to his desk. Chen Hu turned on the television; it was time for the midday news. Whenever time allowed, he never missed watching any news programs, from the central government to local news outlets. "Dear viewers, this is the city's midday news. First, here are the news highlights: Party Secretary and Central Committee Member Jiao Pengyuan met with representatives from our city attending the National Model Workers Conference. Party Secretary and Central Committee Member Jiao Pengyuan also met with Mr. Xie Lifu, President of Hong Kong BGI Group, and his delegation. Party Secretary and Central Committee Member Jiao Pengyuan and Assistant Mayor Qian Zhong visited impoverished mountainous areas to offer condolences..." Tao Suling entered carrying a plastic bag and said playfully, "You said you were treating us, but now you're watching TV." Chen Hu waved his hand, signaling her to be quiet. Tao Suling took two boxed lunches out of the plastic bag, placed them on the table, and leaned over to watch the TV. The TV screen showed Party Secretary and Central Committee Member Jiao Pengyuan, Mayor Lin Xianhan, and Assistant Mayor Qian Zhong. Deputy Director of the General Office Hao Xiangshou and others were seated on the dais, with over a thousand employees and model workers from the public transportation system below. Jiao Pengyuan said, "On behalf of the Municipal Party Committee and the Municipal Government, I extend my warmest congratulations to the comrades who have returned with honors from the National Congress of Model Workers!..." Chen Hu kicked Tao Suling's foot, "Look closely at the rostrum, do you see anything wrong?" "What's wrong?" "Didn't you see? Their faces are all green, and their smiles aren't natural. Look at Secretary Jiao, isn't he obviously thinner?" Tao Suling looked carefully for a while and said, "Maybe it's because of the bad lighting?" "Unnatural smiles, also because of the lighting? I think they're forcing their spirits." "You prosecutors have sharp eyes. We'll know whether Secretary Jiao's face is green in a moment. Aren't going to report?" On the television screen, Jiao Pengyuan and Qian Zhong arrived at a poor mountainous area, accompanied by Song Huihui, a beautiful reporter from the municipal television station, who was holding a microphone . "This beautiful Song Huihui has a good demeanor," Tao Suling said with a mocking smile. "You like her?" "I said the beautiful Song Huihui has a good demeanor, not that I like her." On the television screen, the beautiful Song Huihui held the microphone to Jiao Pengyuan's mouth and said, "Secretary Jiao, this is your third time visiting impoverished mountain areas. Could you please share your thoughts?" "My deepest feeling is that to help impoverished mountain areas escape poverty and achieve prosperity, we must focus on building two roads. One is a concrete road, to transport products from the mountains out and bring in the necessary supplies. The other is an abstract road, the information highway, to connect information with the city, the whole country, and even the world." "Lingling, you want to contact the beautiful Song Huihui? Shouldn't she be an insider?" Tao Suling asked, puzzled. "How is she an insider?" "Didn't you see that Secretary Jiao took her with him when he went abroad, and when He Qizhang went abroad?" “Once you become mayor, you can bring your mistresses on a trip abroad, but by then they'll be old and faded!” Chen Hu switched the TV channel to CCTV’s News 33 program. It was broadcasting a news commentary on a provincial leadership team studying General Secretary Jiang Zemin’s anti-corruption report. Chen Hu listened intently, catching the latest information, his mind sharpening. “Have you noticed the difference between the local news and CCTV’s News Broadcast and News 30 Minutes ? Can you see the difference?” Tao Suling blinked her big eyes. “What difference? I’m not a news expert.” “Even if you’re just a fryer, you have to keep up with current events, otherwise you won’t sell any.” Chen Hu lit a cigarette and took a few deep drags.

"Go, close the door tightly."

Tao Suling walked to the door, pushed it hard, and returned to the table.

"What are you trying to say, all mysterious?"

"Ever since Mayor He's incident, from Secretary Jiao to ordinary members of the Municipal Party Committee, we've been frequently featured on the city's news programs. Today
it's a meeting, tomorrow it's an award ceremony, the day after tomorrow it's a conference—the frequency has never been so high. And CCTV's (
News Broadcast) hasn't even aired a single news item about our city. In the past, they would broadcast almost one,
sometimes even two, news items every day. Don't you think this means something?"

“I still don’t quite understand,”

Chen Hu said, touching the knife scar. “As a graduate of the Department of Political Science, you should pay the most attention to the news.
There’s so much to learn about Chinese newspapers, news, and television! Whose name comes first, whose name comes last, whose activities
are published in what font size, on which page, and the frequency of television news appearances—whether they’re half-body shots, close-ups, or extreme close-ups—all of these are
direct reflections of the political climate. To be frank, I think the central government already has an opinion about Secretary Jiao, although
the information we have now isn’t enough to fully explain it. But if you know how to read the news and newspapers, you can sense something
, feel the subtle changes. Maybe that’s what they call political intuition.”

Tao Suling retorted, “You’re not a politician, what’s the use of figuring these things out?”

Chen Hu’s right middle finger gently stroked the knife scar on his face; this subconscious action seemed to help him capture
inspiration. He paced a few steps and stood in front of Tao Suling.

“Xiao Tao, I don’t think you’re suited for this job. You’re a bit slow. Anti-corruption and anti-bribery cases aren’t
just about cracking down on criminal offenses; they’re political actions. He Qizhang is the executive vice mayor, in charge of finance and banking. His
case could very well implicate someone or even the entire municipal leadership. The resistance he’ll encounter is entirely unimaginable
. Xiao Tao, what if the municipal party committee’s policies on this matter differ from the central government’s? Should we listen to
the municipal party committee or the central government?”

Tao Suling blurted out, “Of course, we’ll listen to the central government.”

“Right, we must maintain consistency with the central government. The more we deviate from the central government’s policies,
the . But that’s where the pressure comes from. I already have a feeling this is going to be a contest, and we might even
lose our lives. I have no choice. If you want to quit, it’s not too late. But if something goes wrong, and your brother comes after me,
I can’t bear the responsibility.”

“Is it that serious?”

"See? This afternoon's meeting will be a showdown." After hanging up with Chen Hu,

Wang

Qingsheng immediately called Qian Zhong to report. The instructions he received were to immediately remove
all footage of He Qizhang and absolutely not allow him to appear on television again. He convened a meeting of department heads and
urgently made the arrangements. The entire television station was in a flurry of activity.

Several editors carried broadcast tapes into the control room, some even using carts, with Wang Qingsheng personally supervising the process.

Wang Qingsheng, still uneasy, pressed one of the editors, "Have you found everything?"

"Almost, three variety shows and twelve documentaries—most of the ones that have already aired are included."

"Almost isn't enough. Include the opening and closing credits. Find everything. Any shot or
mention , any mention of him in the narration, remove it completely. This is a political task assigned by the municipal party committee. If we accidentally
show even half of He Qizhang's face, we're in deep trouble—it'll be a political incident."

The editor joked, "What if there's He Qizhang's back? Would that count as a political incident?"

Wang Qingsheng glared at him, "Not even the back of his head is allowed."

Another editor grumbled, "What kind of job is this? If the boss has a problem, he'll disappear from the screen immediately—
it's a secret 'disappearance order.'"

Wang Qingsheng tapped the editor's forehead with his finger, saying, "Stop joking, find them one by one."

"Director Wang, don't worry. This isn't the first time we've done this. Every time, we've made sure he
disappears completely."

The staff worked diligently, and frame after frame of He Qizhang's image appeared on the monitor.

“This one…”

“And this one.”

The municipal party committee meeting room was full.

At the east end of the long conference table sat Jiao Pengyuan, the municipal party secretary and member of the Central Committee, and Mayor Lin Guanghan. To their left sat Qian Zhong, the mayor's
assistant , and Hao Xiangshou, deputy director of the municipal party committee office. The first chair on the right was empty; it used to be
the seat of Executive Vice Mayor He Qizhang. No one had been ordered not to sit in that chair, but no one wanted to sit there.

Jiao Pengyuan glanced at the empty chair on the right with a sidelong light and sighed slightly.

Chen Hu sat in the last chair on the right at the west end, with Tao Suling opposite him. The two
whispered among themselves.

“Did you see that empty chair to Secretary Jiao’s right?”

“Yes, it’s empty.”

“In the past, it was Vice Mayor He’s reserved seat for meetings.” The heads of

the Public Security Bureau, the Procuratorate, and the Anti-Corruption Bureau were all present.

A 34-hour color TV hung at the west end of the meeting room, very close to Chen Hu.

A haggard-looking Mayor Lin Xianhan spoke a few words quietly with Jiao Pengyuan. Facing the meeting hall, his tone was tense and
heavy: "Comrades, the meeting is now in session. It has been nine days since Vice Mayor He Qizhang suddenly died. To
investigate the cause of He Qizhang's death, a joint investigation team, led by Secretary Jiao, has been formed to conduct a thorough and detailed
investigation."

Jiao Pengyuan interjected, "Wait a minute, isn't everyone here yet?"

Hao Xiangshou, deputy director of the Municipal Party Committee Office, replied softly, "A few people are missing. Besides two who are
visiting , Comrade Fang Hao, secretary of the Political and Legal Affairs Commission, is studying at the Central Party School. Vice Mayor Li Shangmin notified us, but we don't know why
he didn't come." Jiao Pengyuan

grunted, "That old Li, all he knows is road construction."

Lin Guanghan chimed in, "Old Li is a member of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection; he should be here."

To ease the tense atmosphere, Yuan forced a smile, "Vice Mayor Li has become a construction team leader
, spending two or three months at a time on the front lines, running around everywhere. He's worn out two secretaries, and he'll
probably get sick from exhaustion sooner or later."

Lin Guanghan, however, couldn't manage a smile. "Alright, let's begin the meeting... First, let's hear instructions from Secretary Jiao."

Jiao Pengyuan surveyed the room and said, "Comrades, under the correct leadership of the Party Central Committee, our city
has achieved great success in all aspects of its work, and we've made great strides in reform and opening up. The Central Committee and the people have fully affirmed our
work . In particular, anti-corruption is a major issue concerning the future of the Party and the country, and we must
do it well. I can't guarantee that the Municipal Party Committee and the Municipal Government are exceptionally healthy, without a single corrupt official or violation of regulations."
"There's nothing wrong with Party discipline or national laws, I can't guarantee that. But the vast majority of our cadres are good, and achievements are
the main thing, I can still guarantee that. As long as you do your work, you might make mistakes, but
mistakes are not a problem, correcting them makes you a good comrade..."

The meeting room door was gently pushed open, and Fang Hao, the deputy secretary of the municipal party committee and secretary of the discipline inspection commission, walked in with a sickly look on his face.

Jiao Pengyuan was taken aback, "Old Fang?"

Fang Hao smiled apologetically, "I just arrived, I went to your office, and they said there was a meeting..."

Lin Guanghan stood up, "Comrade Fang Hao, you're about to graduate from the Central Party School, right? The meeting has just started, you've come at the right time.
Please continue with your instructions, Secretary Jiao."

Jiao Pengyuan's voice was authoritative, "In all our work, we must proceed from the perspective of stability and unity, and from the perspective of
benefiting reform and opening up. After a period of investigation, I believe there has been a conclusion regarding Comrade He Qizhang's death.
We must report clearly to the Central Committee on how Comrade He Qizhang died, and also explain it clearly to the vast majority of cadres. We must
adhere to the principle of neither exaggerating nor minimizing, and seeking the truth from facts. Let's report, who wants to speak first?" "

Lin Xianhan looked at Police Chief Jiang Dabing, "The Police Chief should speak first."

Jiang Dabing gestured to Tao Tieliang, who stood up.

"Leaders, I will first report on the investigation into the death of Vice Mayor He Jianzhang. He
died on May 3, 1995, on a hillside in area number five on the map. After receiving the report from the local county Public Security Bureau, we immediately
rushed to the scene. We found He's upper body leaning against a tree trunk, in a sitting position, with rocks and newly sprouted weeds beneath him.
He was holding a pistol in his right hand, which was missing a bullet. It has now been determined that the pistol was borrowed by He Qizhang from the guard platoon.
There was a round bullet hole on He Qizhang's forehead, and a corresponding bullet hole on the back of his head. There were no signs of a struggle at the scene
, and no suspicious items were found except for He Qizhang's personal belongings. Interviews with local residents revealed that they only heard
one gunshot. We found the bullet head in the grass." "The pistol only has He Qizhang's fingerprints..."

The staff turned on the video recorder, and the large color TV showed: the chaotic scene of police officers investigating the crime scene; photos of
He Qizhang's body from various angles and perspectives; close-ups of the pistol; close-ups of the bullet head...

Tao Tieliang narrated along with the television footage: "...According to He Qizhang's driver, at 10:00 AM on May 3rd, he
drove He Qizhang to the Yeshanpo Guesthouse and arranged for him to stay in a VIP room on the second floor. He Qizhang asked the driver to return to the city
to retrieve an envelope from the drawer of his private room at the Yuyuan Hotel. Before the driver left, He Qizhang said he was going up the mountain for a
stroll . Two colleagues at the guesthouse confirmed that they saw He Qizhang, wearing a black trench coat, leave the guesthouse, but they didn't
notice which road he took up the mountain. The driver spent two hours rushing to the long-term private room 909
at the Yuyuan Hotel, where he found the envelope in the drawer; the envelope was not sealed. The driver immediately took the envelope and rushed back." "Actually, He Qizhang
was already dead at 12:15 PM..."

The attendees were captivated by the series of shots on the television screen.

"Local residents heard a gunshot at 12:15 PM, but they assumed it was from hunting and paid no attention.
He Qizhang's body was discovered by two local farmers at 1:35 PM. We arrived at the scene at
4:30 PM. He Qizhang's driver returned to Yeshanpo at 2:20 PM. The driver handed us
an envelope , inside which was a computer-generated suicide note, signed in He Qizhang's own handwriting. Handwriting analysis
confirmed that it was indeed He Qizhang's handwriting." " Judging from the contents of the suicide note, after the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection interviewed He Qizhang, he was
under great mental pressure and said things like he didn't want to live anymore..."

The television footage showed several local residents answering questions from police officers, gesturing vividly...
Two farmers found He Qizhang's body in the bushes... He Qizhang's driver handed a letter to the police...
A close-up of the suicide note... Handwriting analysis... Footage of He Qijun's wife crying and talking.

Tao Tieliang concluded by saying, "After investigation, evidence collection, and analysis, we believe that He Qizhang committed suicide. Whether it was suicide
out of fear of punishment or suicide due to despair, we cannot draw a conclusion yet; that will be determined after the full investigation is completed, but
suicide can be confirmed."

After Yang Tieliang finished his report, there was a moment of silence.

Jiao Peng asked in a tone of soliciting opinions, "Is this the consensus of the investigation team?"

Jiang Dabing stood up and said, "Yes, this was a collective discussion and a unanimous conclusion, with detailed reporting materials. This
is our initial draft investigation report. If the Municipal Party Committee finds any shortcomings after review, we will continue to supplement and revise it." "

Reading Pengyuan flipped through the case file, tapping the table. "This He Qizhang, in the past, suicide was called 'cutting off the Party and
the people.' Now that's not the case, but suicide is always wrong. If you have problems, you should explain them to the organization. If you correct them,
you're a good comrade. Now we won't kill someone with one blow like during the Cultural Revolution, nor will we escalate things to an extreme.
Since Comrade He Qishi became the executive vice mayor, he has done some work beneficial to the people. Especially in
improving the investment environment and attracting foreign investment, the achievements are visible to everyone. The municipal party committee will study this immediately. If
it is indeed suicide, we will report to the central government immediately and also convey the message to the lower levels. This is to avoid causing panic and disrupting stability and unity.
Do you have any objections?"

Chen Hu glanced at Tao Suzhen opposite him, slowly stood up, "Secretary Jiao, Mayor Lin, leaders,
I am Chen Hu from the Anti-Corruption Bureau."

Jiang Dabing stared at Zhou Senlin, implying that his subordinates had no sense of discipline.

Chen Hu's voice was firm, "As a member of the joint investigation team, I reserve my opinion." "I believe that although
there is superficial evidence of suicide—fingerprints, a suicide note, almost everything is prepared—I still
cannot rule out homicide."

A murmur of discussion immediately filled the room, and everyone's eyes turned to Chen Hu.

Fang Hao gave Chen Hu a meaningful look.

Tao Suling secretly watched Jiao Pengyuan; she noticed that Secretary Jiao's face was grim.

Criminal Investigation Department Chief Tao Tieliang and Public Security Bureau Chief Jiang Dabing whispered a few words.

Jiang Dabing sneered, "Comrade Chen Hu, you've suggested homicide, which means there's another murderer.
What evidence do you have?"

Chen Hu calmly replied, "I've repeatedly conducted suicide simulation experiments.
A bullet fired from the Yintang acupoint (between the eyebrows) is unlikely to pass parallel to the corresponding position on the back of the head; the trajectory should be tilted to the upper left. Using this method to commit suicide,
because the muzzle is pointed directly at oneself, will create immense psychological pressure, making suicide difficult.
Cases of handgun suicides, both domestic and international, show that the bullet is fired from the temple, the heart, or even the mouth;
suicides from the Yintang acupoint are extremely rare." Due to the limitation of arm length, the suicide victim only...
Only by pressing the gun muzzle firmly against the acupoint between the eyebrows when firing could the bullet possibly pass parallel to the corresponding area at the back of the head, and even
then, it would be very difficult to achieve. Another point cannot be ignored: some local residents heard one gunshot, while others heard
two. A person committing suicide would not fire two shots at themselves consecutively. So, who fired the second shot?
Which shot took Mayor He's life? Of course, there is currently insufficient evidence to conclude it was homicide. But
concluding it was suicide would be too hasty. If the conclusion of suicide is reached regarding He Qizhang's death, I reserve my opinion and
request further investigation. "

A mere section chief actually embarrassed the municipal party secretary and a member of the Central Committee in front of so many high-ranking officials—this
is unprecedented insubordination." The first to lose his composure was Zhou Senlin, the director of the Anti-Corruption Bureau. He slammed his pack of cigarettes
on the table and said, "Chen Hu, are you finished?"

"I'm finished."

"Then you can leave."

Chen Hu gathered his notes and files, moved his chair, and walked towards the door.

Jiao Pengyuan stopped him, "Stop! Come back and sit down!"

Lin Xianhan glanced at Jiao Pengyuan beside him, then at Chen Hu standing at the door,

and remained silent. Mayor's Assistant Qian Zhong stubbed out his cigarette and said sarcastically, "Comrade Chen Hu, Secretary Jiao asked you to come back, so
come back. We operate on a system of democratic centralism; everyone has the right to voice their opinions. Come back and sit down; we
'll continue the meeting."

Chen Hu returned to his seat.

Tao Suling's tense face turned deathly pale.

Jiao Pengyuan said unhurriedly, "Has the forensic doctor arrived? Tell us your opinions."

The forensic doctor, a middle-aged woman wearing white-rimmed glasses, raised her hand and said, "May I speak?"

Jiao

Pengyuan's gaze swept sharply over Zhou Senlin.

The forensic doctor's eyes were fixed on Jiao Pengyuan, as if the only person in the room was the Municipal Party Secretary and a member of the Central Committee.

"Director Tao Tieliang's investigation report already includes the forensic department's report as an attachment. I won't go into details
. Due to the deceased He Qizhang's special status, we were particularly careful during the examination, which was
jointly signed by three forensic doctors. We unanimously believe the deceased committed suicide. That concludes my statement." "

Zhou Senlin stood up, and Jiao Pengyuan waved for him to sit down and continue.

'Whether Vice Mayor He was murdered was a question raised by the joint investigation team from the very beginning. Because
the motive for Vice Mayor He's suicide is still unclear. To say he committed suicide out of fear of punishment, no specific
criminal facts have been found. To say he was depressed, apart from a talk with the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, there was no other pressure.
Regarding his personal life—I mean his emotional life—his marital relationship was good, and no motive for suicide could be found.
Of course, this doesn't rule out other problems that we haven't discovered yet. But before discovering any problems, we
cannot subjectively conclude that someone has a problem. Therefore, the investigation initially focused on homicide. The result was that not
even the smallest piece of evidence to prove homicide was found. But the motive for suicide is still unclear. Secretary Jiao
reminded us that our Party has always adhered to the principle of democratic centralism, and this applies to handling cases as well: the minority obeys the majority, and the individual
obeys the organization. I represent the opinion of the Anti-Corruption Bureau. That concludes my statement.'

Tao Tieliang stood up again, 'Chen Hu said that the local people heard two gunshots, but only two farmers hold
this claim. Moreover, only one bullet hole was found on the deceased. '" Personally, I think the claim of hearing two gunshots
lacks credibility; it could have been something else, like a car tire exploding or a hunting rifle.
Chen Hu's use of this as evidence to speculate about homicide is rather hasty.”

Jiao Pengyuan nodded in satisfaction and said, “The statements from the Public Security Bureau and the Anti-Corruption Bureau are worthy of
deep consideration by every one of us. We hold the power of life and death, and we must use this power with utmost caution. We
are responsible not only for the political lives of living comrades but also for the political lives of deceased comrades, because they
cannot speak or defend themselves. Therefore, we must be extremely cautious in drawing conclusions about deceased comrades.
At the same time, we must also recognize a tendency to use Comrade He Qizhang's suicide as an excuse to overreact,
to negate the overall work of the Municipal Party Committee and the Municipal Government, to negate reform and opening up, to exploit loopholes, and to undermine the
excellent situation of stability and unity. They openly kill people while secretly persecuting living ones; this is something that Party discipline and national law absolutely cannot tolerate.
We oppose such people with ulterior motives, and we are not afraid of them.” " Anti-corruption is of paramount importance, and reform
and opening up are even more so. We cannot afford to lose our composure. All departments must continue their work as normal. Regarding
He Qizhang's death, we will immediately report to the Central Committee and await their opinion."

Lin Xianhan and Jiao Yongyuan exchanged opinions in hushed tones.

"Today's meeting is adjourned. The Municipal Party Committee will hold an enlarged meeting of its Standing Committee to discuss and approve your joint investigation
report. Meeting adjourned."

Across the conference table, Qian Zhong smiled humbly and nodded to Fang Hao, who was sitting opposite him, indicating that he hoped to
speak privately after the meeting.

Qian Zhong had a rectangular face and narrow eyes; according to film directors' classification of actors' appearances, he belonged to the simple,
worker type. In fact, he had held a high-ranking position at the vice-ministerial level for over a decade.

After the meeting, Qian Zhong intentionally followed Fang Hao and they walked together intimately.

"Secretary Fang, what new directives has the Central Committee recently issued?" "

Fang Hao countered,

'Qian Zhong, what do you think? Do you personally believe that Vice Mayor He committed suicide or was murdered?'

'Secretary Fang, you know me. I'm not very capable, and I never have any personal opinions.
I always take the organization's opinion as my own. That's why I asked you to convey the central government's message as soon as you got back,
haha.'

'Then let's talk as we walk.'

Qian Zhong and Fang Hao left the meeting room, leaning affectionately on each other's shoulders. To onlookers, they looked like good friends. After leaving the meeting room, Chen Hu and Zhou Senlin walked sullenly towards the steps. Chen Hu had expected Zhou Senlin to be furious because he had stirred up a hornet's nest, but strangely, Zhou Senlin's tone was unusually calm. 'You think you're

so

clever
?

You jump out and spout nonsense at such an important meeting.'

'Isn't this a discussion...' '

This isn't a discussion, this is a conclusion. Making wild guesses without evidence is just talking nonsense.'

Vice Mayor Li Shangmin, dressed in work clothes, hurriedly climbed the steps and walked inside. The guards stopped Li Shangmin.

'Stop, who are you looking for?'

Li Shangmin said strangely, 'A meeting.' " "

A meeting? Where's the meeting notice?"

"It was a phone call."

The guard shoved Li Shangmin, "You can't come in without a meeting notice. If you want to meet someone, go register first."

Zhou Senlin, seeing this from inside the door, hurried over, greeted him, and said to the guard, "This is Vice Mayor Li,
a member of the Municipal Party Committee Standing Committee. Don't you recognize her?"

Li Shangmin apologized to the guard, "Sorry, my credentials are in the car. I'll go get them."

Li Shangmin went back to the car to retrieve his credentials.

The guard said in surprise, "Is she really the vice mayor? I've never seen her before."

"She's often at the grassroots level. You're newly appointed, aren't you?"

"I've been here for a month."

"Otherwise, why don't you recognize her?"

Li Shangmin returned with his credentials and handed them to the guard.

The guard took the credentials, saluted, and said, "Sorry, I don't recognize you."

Zhou Senlin smiled, "Vice Mayor Li, the meeting is over."

The towering figure of the Capital Horizon Hotel became a landmark of the eastern suburbs, standing side by side with the East Suburb Hotel like
two long swords piercing the sky. The roads connecting the two hotels were intersecting, with cars entering from one hotel and
exiting from the other.

The Capital Horizon Hotel, which broke ground in 1985, was originally an annex to the East Suburb Hotel to improve its
facilities . However, after its completion in 1987, it inexplicably became independent, becoming the five-star Capital Horizon Hotel.
The East Suburb Hotel was forced to remain a four-star hotel.

Three Mercedes-Benz sedans slowly drove up, and as they were about to enter the entrance, two other taxis arrived simultaneously, also wanting
to enter.

Inside the Mercedes-Benz, Jiao Dongfang sat behind the driver, Yang Ke.

Yang Ke tried to drive ahead of the two taxis into the entrance.

Jiao Dongfang said in an unquestionable tone, "Stop

the car. Let the guests' cars enter first. The guests are king." Yang Ke braked. A barking whistle said, "President Jiao, our car is ahead."

"The guests' cars always come first. Hotel vehicles, including mine, must give way to the guests."

"Yes, President."

The two taxis stopped in the entrance, and the doormen opened the doors and invited the guests out.

Jiao Dongfang observed the doormen's service attitude from inside the car; he was quite satisfied.

Two taxis drove away. The doorman hurried forward and opened the door of the first Mercedes-Benz 600.
Two They were both wearing black overcoats, white silk scarves, and
MacArthur-style sunglasses; the one in front held a walkie-talkie, and the one behind held a mobile phone. They were the host's
bodyguards.

The bodyguard with the walkie-talkie opened the door of the second Mercedes-Benz 320, placing his hand on the door sill. A man in his early
thirties wearing a white trench coat, a red scarf, and crystal sunglasses, got out. He was Jiao Dongfang
, the chairman of the Capital Horizon Hotel, the Chinese president, and the youngest son of Jiao Pengyuan, the municipal party secretary and member of the Central Committee. The doorman

then opened the door of the third Mercedes-Benz 320, and two beautiful women, each over 1.7 meters tall, stepped out.
The woman carrying a briefcase, wearing a red trench coat and sunglasses, had long, flowing hair; she was Jiao Dongfang's confidential secretary, Sally. The woman
in the Italian black leather jacket and short leather skirt was Jiao Dongfang's bodyguard, Zhu Ni. Zhu Ni had a boyish parted hairstyle and
a large chest. Despite her slender figure, she had won third place in the national women's Sanda (Chinese kickboxing) competition.

The doorman bowed respectfully. Jiao Dongfang looked him up and down, his gaze lingering on the doorman's
black leather shoes.

"Your shoes aren't polished."

"I'm sorry, I'll be careful next time."

'There won't be a next time. Polish your shoes right now.'

The doorman, flustered under Jiao Dongfang's intense gaze, stammered, "I... we don't have a shoe polisher here." Jiao

Dongfang glared at the doorman, then squatted down and took out his white jacquard silk handkerchief to wipe
the stains off the doorman's shoes.

Yang Ke was shocked, staring dumbfounded at everything. He couldn't understand
why condescend to personally shine the shoes of the lowest-ranking employee of his restaurant.

Zhu Ni was also at a loss.

The doorman was pale and unsteady on his feet, but forced himself to stand up straight.

Jiao Dongfang wiped the doorman's shoes very carefully, even more meticulously than professional shoe shiners on the street.

Jiao Dongfang stood up, stuffed the handkerchief into the doorman's hand, and went straight into the restaurant.

The doorman swayed, his expression frozen between fear and gratitude.

Zhu Ni took the handkerchief from the stiff doorman's hand and looked at it; it was stained.

"What a pity, a fifty-dollar silk handkerchief. You can keep it as a souvenir." Zhu

Ni stuffed the handkerchief back into the doorman's hand and entered the hotel. As

soon as she entered the lobby, she saw Jiao Dongfang talking to several foreigners and went over.

In one corner of the lobby, dozens of suitcases were under a large nylon net. It was obvious they belonged to a tour
group.

"I need to get something from my suitcase, but I can't find anyone," a foreign woman said in French.

Jiao Dongfang's French was fluent. "Which suitcase is yours?"

"The green one."

"Excuse me, please wait a moment."

Jiao Dongfang went to the desk with the brass plaque that read "Lobby Manager," but it was empty.

Frustrated, Jiao Dongfang tapped the table with his fingers.

The manager hurried over. Jiao

Dongfang said coldly, "What have you been doing?"

The manager explained apologetically, "A tour group came in, and they weren't satisfied with the room arrangements, so I
went to make some changes." "

There should be someone on duty for the tour group's suitcases. Guests may take things from their suitcases at any time. " "

Tell me about that French woman, she's so troublesome. She wanted someone to bring her suitcase to her
room soon, and of all times she had to rummage through it."

Jiao Dongfang lowered his voice. "You know about this?"

"She just came to see me, I was busy changing rooms, so I told her to wait a bit."

Jiao Dongfang's voice was even softer—the harsher the wording, the softer his tone, it was his habit.
"Find this lady's suitcase immediately. Then fill out the lost and found form and await further instructions."

"I had to put aside this secondary matter of finding her suitcase to satisfy most of the tourists."

"As the duty manager, you should understand that every guest's request is important. If you can only satisfy
some guests while leaving others dissatisfied, then you're not suited to be in this position."

The duty manager said aggrievedly, "I don't understand her French very well."

Jiao Dongfang sneered, "Then you should understand my Chinese.

"

A young woman carrying a bouquet of flowers led the way, followed by another carrying a fruit platter.
Jiao Dongfang, now dressed in the hotel's standard suit, brought up the rear and entered the French female tourist's room.

Jiao Dongfang spoke very gently in French: "I
apologize Please accept the flowers and fruit. Please feel free to make any requests you may have. I wish you a
pleasant trip."

The French woman said gratefully, "You are the best hotel president I have ever met. Thank you for the flowers and gifts,
Mr. President."

Juni followed the president into his office, which was equivalent to a presidential suite. Juni

remained on the first floor, while his confidential secretary, Sally, followed him up the indoor stairs to the second floor.

Jiao Dongfang sat in his executive chair, swishing it. It was an imported Japanese chair, worth 200,000 yuan
—the price of a Santana sedan.

Jiao Dongfang, embracing the armrest, said, "This chair cost over 200,000 yuan, and it's not very comfortable. Inform the administration
department to get me a new one."

Sally's reply was her usual "okay."

Meanwhile,

Chen Hu returned to his office at the Anti-Corruption Bureau from the Municipal Party Committee; it was empty. The phone kept ringing.

Chen Hu picked it up: "Hello, this is the Anti-Corruption Bureau... Secretary Fang?"

"I want to remind you that you should consider multiple possibilities for a phenomenon, listen to the opinions of other comrades,
and try to avoid one-sidedness and fixed mindsets. Especially when the evidence is not conclusive, you shouldn't express your views
too early ..."

"...Yes, I understand. Yes."

"Comrade Chen Hu, since you have the courage to publicly express your views, then perhaps you have the courage
to find evidence for your views. Hmm, this is my personal opinion, for your reference, and does not represent the organization's opinion."

"Secretary Fang, can I talk to you?"

Fang Hao hesitated for a moment on the phone: "Now is not the time. You should carefully study General Secretary Jiang's anti-corruption
report, and you will have a better understanding. I will contact you when the time is right. Understand?"

"Understood." Fang

Hao hung up the phone.

Chen Hu pondered every word Fang Hao had said, realizing he wasn't alone. But he also knew that if he
made a political mistake, he couldn't rely on anyone, not even Fang Hao. Only
he himself .

That

evening, in Jiao Pengyuan's office, Qian Zhong stood dejectedly before Jiao Pengyuan's desk, looking ashen. He
said, "The Central Party School doesn't allow leave. I heard the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection intervened to get Fang Hao permission to return for
the meeting. This is suspicious. I tried to get anything out of Fang Hao, but I couldn't get anything out of him. That
old Fang is truly unfathomable."

Jiao Pengyuan said expressionlessly, "Old cadre, my assistant Qian, you're a senior cadre, on the same level as Fang Hao.
You don't need to try to get anything out of him. Be assertive. Fang Hao didn't come back earlier or later, but after He Qizhang's
death, the Central Committee specifically granted him leave to return for the meeting. Obviously, there's a purpose behind it; it's aimed at me. Why
bother trying to get anything out of him? What are they trying to do?" "

Qian Zhong said cautiously, "Fang Hao... could he be ambitious?"

Jiao Pengyuan walked to a row of glass cabinets against the wall, admiring the souvenirs given to
the municipal government . He particularly liked a Western-style clock made of pure gold.

He turned back and said, "Fang Hao? To put it bluntly, he's just a small fry, just a vice minister. Can he move
me? He has someone backing him. This afternoon at the meeting, I said that they openly kill people while secretly persecuting them. That was a
pointed remark. Old cadre, we shouldn't be so naive."

The phone rang, and Jiao Pengyuan picked it up. His son, Jiao Dongfang, spoke through the phone: "This is Dongfang...
Dad, how did the discussion go?... I was referring to the conclusion regarding Uncle He's cause of death."

Jiao Pengyuan's voice sounded tired, "It was determined to be suicide, but the motive for suicide is still unclear."

Jiao Dongfang's answer surprised him greatly. "I know He Qizhang's motive for suicide. I have evidence..." Jiao

Pengyuan glanced at Qian Zhong. He didn't want his subordinates to know before he understood the situation. He
said into the phone, "I'll go out now. Call Xiao Shen's cell phone in five minutes."

Chapter Two: Setting a Trap to Lure and Capture, Displaying Strategic Skills, and Purge Nearby

Jiao Pengyuan's Audi drove out of the municipal party committee gate. His secretary, Shen Shi's cell phone rang. He pressed the green
answer button.

"Secretary Shen? This is Dongfang. He's looking for my father..."

Secretary Shen Shi handed the phone to Jiao Pengyuan and said, "Secretary Jiao, it's Dongfang on the phone."

Jiao Pengyuan took the phone.

"Dad, how did the discussion go?... I mean, the conclusion about Uncle He's cause of death."

"I just told you. It's determined to be suicide, but the motive is still unclear."

"I know He Qizhang's motive for suicide. I have evidence."

Jiao Pengyuan said to the driver, "Stop the car, stop the car. The signal is not very good."

The driver stopped the car on the side of the road. This was not a good place to park.

“Explain in more detail…wait.”

A traffic policeman approached and knocked on the car window. “Is this a parking spot? Driver’s license.”

The driver scoffed, “What kind of job are you? Didn’t you memorize the license plate number? This is Secretary Jiao’s car.
Idiot .”

The traffic policeman immediately saluted, his face flushed with shame.

Shen Shi said sternly, “What kind of job are you? The leader is on official business; ensure his safety.
Have other vehicles detour.”

The traffic policeman saluted and replied, “Yes, sir.”

The traffic policeman left, directing other cars to go around him.

Jiao Pengyuan spoke urgently into the phone, "Do you really have evidence?"

"I have evidence. What's unclear? It's a relationship crisis. He's having a passionate affair with the beautiful Song Huihui, they
're madly in love, but Song Huihui can't get a divorce, and things aren't
going well at Uncle He's house. He couldn't think straight and took his own life."

"Where's the evidence?"

"Of course I have it. I have footage of Uncle He and Song Huihui making love in bed."

Jiao Pengyuan was astonished: "How could you have that?!"

"Well, don't worry about it, I have it anyway. But I can't show this evidence right now, to
save Uncle He's face. Dad, just keep it to yourself, don't tell anyone yet, okay?"

Jiao Pengyuan hesitated for a moment; Fang Hao's sudden return from the Central Party School for a meeting had made him uneasy.

"Dongfang, the anti-corruption campaign is fierce, and the central government is paying close attention to He Qizhang's case. I don't want anything to happen to you."

"Don't worry, Dad, I'm law-abiding and nothing will happen to me."

"You should still be careful. You drive three Mercedes around, and I heard sometimes you even have police
escorts making a big show of it."

"Okay, I'll be careful. Dad, you should be careful too. It's easy to dodge a spear in the open, but hard to guard against an arrow in the dark, let alone conspiracies and tricks.
I'm worried someone might be after you. I've noticed you're rarely seen on the news lately."

"The sky won't fall, it's nothing serious, that's all."

"There's something: the Hong Kong investment delegation has arrived, and they hope you can meet with them, especially
that guy surnamed Wang. Last time you met him, as soon as it was broadcast on TV, his company's stock immediately jumped two points."

"Okay, I understand. I'm going to the countryside for an inspection tomorrow. Ask Uncle Qian to make the arrangements. Oh, I
'll try to visit your restaurant tomorrow when I have some free time."

In Jiao Dongfang's office, he put down the phone and said, "Dial the phone and ask for Qian Zhong."

Sha Li picked up the phone and dialed; it was her duty to call her boss.

"Uncle Qian, this is Sha Li. Dongfang wants to speak to you."

Jiao Dongfang took the phone.

"Uncle Qian, the Australian abalone has arrived! They're huge! When are you coming to eat?"

"I've been too busy these past few days."

"This was specially imported and air-freighted for you. I didn't even serve it at the state banquet; I saved it for you!"

"Thank you, another day."

"Uncle Qian, are all the permits and paperwork for the Colorful Plaza complete? The Hong Kong side is getting impatient."

"I signed it, and Mayor Lin signed it too. Now it's up to the Hong Kong side. Once their first development fund arrives, we
can hold a press conference. This is a huge matter; I hope nothing goes wrong."

"Don't worry, with your stroke of the pen, everything will be fine."

"The demolition isn't easy. Several retired ministerial-level officials live in that area."

"Listen to Aunt Xian, she's stopped farming. Back when the old city walls were being renovated, the city walls and archways were being demolished. Many
old-timers cried and wailed, but Chairman Mao gave the order, and everything was gone without a trace. Speaking of which,
being the mayor's assistant in charge of urban construction isn't easy!"

"Sigh, everyone sees the thief eating meat, but not the thief getting beaten. Let's not talk about that anymore, is there anything else?"

"Oh, yes, there is. The Hong Kong investment delegation hopes the municipal government leaders will meet with them for half an hour, and broadcast it on
television and in newspapers. The old man said to ask you to arrange it."

"Okay, I understand."

"Thank you, Uncle Qian, bye-bye."

Zhu Ni came in carrying a thick stack of newspapers and said, "President, the newspapers you requested, all
reports related to Vice Mayor He's death, I've collected them all." Zhu Ni placed the newspapers on the boss's desk.

Jiao Dongfang stood up and flipped through the newspapers; they were all overseas Chinese-language publications. There were large photos of He Qizhang, and photos of He Qizhang,
Jiao Pengyuan, and Wang Yaozu, etc.

A series of banner headlines read: "

Vice Mayor Dies Suddenly: Suicide or Homicide Hard to Determine?

Mainland China Launches Anti-Corruption Campaign," "Vice Mayor He Commits Suicide Out of

Fear of Punishment,

" "He Qizhang Dies Unexplained," "Jiao Pengyuan Roasts Him Over an Open Flame," and Jiao Dongfang muttered to himself, "He Qizhang died unexplained, Jiao Pengyuan roasts him over an open flame—bourgeois newspapers,
they really want to stir up trouble."

He clutched the crumpled newspaper, He Qizhang's photo twisted and contorted in his hand.

Four

rolling steel rollers displayed a huge image, relentlessly pressing down and advancing, unstoppable. This was a scene from the city television station,
filmed at the construction site of the outer ring road. The new road, stretching for dozens of kilometers, was bustling with various processes such as piling stones, leveling, spraying asphalt, and
rolling.

Li Shangmin, dressed in road construction worker's overalls, held blueprints and discussed the construction progress with several engineers. His face was tanned
dark, and his eyes were sunken. Such a sweaty mayor was not uncommon in the early days of liberation, but in the 1990s, he became
an incomprehensible monster to some.

A cadre reported anxiously, "Vice Mayor Li, I have an important report. Today I went to the Finance
Bureau to ask for this phase of project payment, but Director Ma gave vague answers, saying there was no money. Without the money, the project will have to be delayed
."

Li Shangmin's gaze didn't leave the blueprints. "How much more money do we owe?"

"According to the total project budget, the Finance Bureau still owes us 100 million yuan. The
30 million yuan that should have been allocated to us this phase has been delayed for two months."

Li Shangmin put away the blueprints. "It turns out that Vice Mayor He Qizhang was in charge of finance. His sudden death may have temporarily disrupted
the procedures communication difficulties. I'll go talk to Secretary Jiao."

An engineer said with great interest, "How exactly did Vice Mayor He die? Tell us the details." "

I don't know the details, but the Municipal Party Committee has concluded it was suicide. You continue construction at the planned speed.
I'm going to the Municipal Party Committee." Li Shangmin got into an Audi parked by the roadside. The only thing that could identify him was the Audi official car

with four rings embedded in the rear, which he called "tetracycline." In Zhou Senlin's office, he was on the phone with Fang Hao, who had returned to the Central Party School for further studies: "Yes, the photos of the villa, the plane ticket for three days from now, I have them all. Yes, good, I will report to you as soon as possible. Secretary Fang, please take care of yourself. Goodbye." Before returning to the Central Party School, Fang Hao had a secret conversation with Zhou Senlin, instructing him to collect as much information as possible about the unusual circumstances surrounding He Qizhang's death. Zhou Senlin discovered that He Qizhang had booked a plane ticket for three days after his death. Why would someone preparing for suicide book a plane ticket for three days from now? It was likely that a sudden change of events had occurred. He immediately reported this important clue to Fang Hao by phone. Chen Hu walked down the corridor towards Zhou Senlin's office. People in uniform and civilian clothes came and went in the corridor; He Qizhang 's case had suddenly kept the Anti-Corruption Bureau busy. Chen Hu knocked on the door. "Come in." Chen Hu entered the director's office. "Director Zhou, did you call me?" Zhou Senlin's eyes were still on the case files, without looking up. "You called the TV station?" "Yes, I went to get information on He Qizhang." "They've sued you all the way to me. They say you're interfering and even going so far as to target the TV station." "I just wanted the TV station to provide some information." Zhou Senlin sneered, "I can't stand you like this, so brave, pointing fingers everywhere! You..."

"You know, you're in the open, while they're in the shadows! If we can't effectively protect ourselves, we can't effectively
combat criminals."

"Understood, Director Zhou."

"What do you understand? You might never truly understand in your entire life. You dared to
spout nonsense at the municipal party committee meeting without any evidence."

Chen Hu pondered the unspoken meaning of his superior's words, "Director Zhou, do you mean, what if we had evidence?"

"I don't listen to 'ifs,' I only look at the facts."

"Yes. Do you agree to let me continue the investigation?"

Zhou Senlin said calmly, "I haven't agreed, nor will I support you in doing so.
You are solely responsible for everything you do. If you believe the truth is on your side."

Vice Mayor Li Shangmin entered the outer room of Jiao Pengyuan's office, looking travel-worn.

Shen Shi stood up, "Vice Mayor Li. "

Li Shangmin pointed inside and said softly, "Is he there?"

"Yes. He's about to go to the countryside, and he has many documents to approve..."

"I have urgent business, a problem with the outer ring road project. Could you ask if I could hear your report?"

Shen Shi went in and then came out again, gesturing for him to come in, saying, "Don't take too long."

Li Shangmin entered the inner room. "

Secretary Jiao,"

Jiao Pengyuan stood up enthusiastically, "Old Li, how's it going? You've done a great job on my outer ring road project,
the TV and newspapers are reporting on it so enthusiastically!"

"Secretary Jiao," Jiao Pengyuan said, "there's something I absolutely need your help with, otherwise the outer ring road project will soon be halted. The Finance
Bureau hasn't paid the outstanding project funds, and when people from lower levels went to ask, they were told to go to Vice Mayor He. Vice
Mayor He has already committed suicide, is that the attitude towards solving a problem?" He waited for Jiao to speak, but Jiao
remained silent, so he continued, "The workers have all sorts of opinions. Several of the contracting companies also have strong opinions
… If the project funds continue to be delayed like this, it will be difficult to guarantee the quality and progress of the project."

Jiao Pengyuan's tone was resolute, "The quality issue cannot be compromised. This is a project of lasting importance; if we don't handle it well
, we'll be cursed by our descendants even in our graves." He paused, his voice softening considerably. "Old Li
, you know our current situation; we're facing a very difficult predicament. At this time, department
leaders should proactively share the burden for the Municipal Party Committee, shoulder more responsibility, and do more thorough and meticulous work with the masses
to lead them in overcoming difficulties. Regarding the specific issue of the project funds, I need to understand the situation and listen to opinions
from all sides before making a decision, okay?"

Li Shangmin stubbornly replied, "But you already said that the 100 million yuan project funds have been received, and they are earmarked
for this purpose ..."

Jiao Pengyuan stood up and shook hands. "That's enough for today. I have some urgent matters to attend to."

Li

Shangmin left the Municipal Party Committee office dejectedly and went home, climbing the simple stairs. He stopped at his door and
unlocked it.

His wife opened the door from the inside to greet him.

"Oh dear, I thought you should come back. You haven't changed your clothes for days."

"I have to leave soon; let me take a shower first."

He took off his clothes and went into the bathroom. Turning on the shower, he eagerly wanted to wash away his sweat.

Li's wife leaned against the door and talked to him. “Old Li, do you really need a mayor
to be there every single day overseeing that outer ring road project? Is your working method flawed? Are you not giving it enough free rein? Besides, do other mayors
do this too? Or are you the only one?”

Li Shangmin said wearily, “The project is very difficult, and the cadres are working very hard. When we leaders are
on-site , we can make timely decisions to solve problems and allocate resources, which can greatly reduce the pressure on our comrades at the grassroots level.”

Li’s wife said mysteriously, “There are rumors circulating about He Qizhang. I heard he had
thirty , and he couldn’t even give them all away. He was also a vice mayor, so how come he…”

Li Shangmin said weakly, “Did they see it? He’s dead now, he can’t defend himself
. Besides, didn’t I tell you not to talk about these unfounded rumors? Your position is different from others;
if it gets out, it will damage unity.”

“Old Li, have you thought about it? Working day and night like this, do you think others will understand? Above you are the Party Secretary and
Mayor, central leaders, and below you are the bureau chiefs in charge. You’re stuck in the middle, working so hard. Aren’t you creating problems for other leaders
?”

“What, have you complained?”

"It'll be too late if Yu reacts. You're always imitating Jiao Yulu, how can those who don't work feel comfortable?
"

"Don't bother me, hurry up and get me something to eat, I have things to do." After having dinner with a French minister at his son's restaurant,

Jiao Pengyuan, accompanied by Jiao Dongfang , came to the lobby from the elevator, with his secretary Shen Shi following behind. Two guards walked in front. Jiao Pengyuan said to his son, "While I'm in the countryside for a few days, take some time to go home and visit your mother, she's not feeling well." "Okay, I'll try to go back as often as possible. Dad, going to the countryside is hard work, you must take care of yourself. Secretary Shen, I'm entrusting the old man to you." Shen Shi, carrying a briefcase, said, "Don't worry. This time I'm going to the old revolutionary base area where Secretary Jiao fought, I'll take this opportunity to receive some revolutionary tradition education." A young woman carrying a plastic bag approached Jiao Dongfang and said, "President, here are five cartons of cigarettes for you." Jiao Dongfang took the plastic bag, took out a pack of cigarettes to look at, then put it back in the bag and handed it to Shen Shi. Jiao Dongfang boasted, "These are special-supply cigarettes in white packaging; they're very hard to get." Shen Shi felt the plastic bag suddenly become much heavier. "How much is a pack?" "Over three thousand a pack, but you can't buy them for any price." Shen Shi said obsequiously, "Secretary Jiao, your son is really filial." Jiao Pengyuan and his group of five walked to the lobby entrance, where they were met by three middle-aged men and a woman. Two guards quickly stepped forward and nudged the three men and woman aside with their elbows. The guards' movements were small but powerful, and the young woman was pushed backward. The young woman cried out, "Hey, why did you push me?" One of the men realized what was going on, quietly pulled the young woman aside, and quickly made way. Jiao Pengyuan and his group went outside, and the two guards blocked other vehicles that were coming. Two Audis drove up, and Shen Shi opened the car door, and Jiao Pengyuan got in. Jiao Pengyuan stuck his head out of the window and whispered to Jiao Dongfang, "You must handle that matter well." “ You can go and inspect the countryside in peace.” The two guards got into the Audi with police lights.

Two Audis drove away. A young woman and three men entered the elevator in

the lobby. "Who's that old man? He's so big, even the people next to him are acting so fiercely." "That's Secretary Jiao, you're blocking his way. " Miss Tian turned her head and said, "No wonder, he's truly a force to be reckoned with." A bald man remained silent, looking somewhat flustered. They exited the elevator and, led by a waitress, entered a high-class suite. The three middle-aged men and Miss anxiously awaited their arrival. The bald man smoked incessantly. The thin man sitting on the sofa cautiously peeked through the curtains, seeing the parking lot below. He checked his watch and asked the bald man, "Old Wang, can Director Li come?" The bald man said, "He should be able to come, I think so. We always meet with him at this restaurant; it 's one of their points, it won't arouse his suspicion." The man standing by the phone was obese, looking like a businessman, his emerald ring gleaming. His voice was stern: "Old Wang, if Director Li comes, don't panic, just do as we've arranged." " This is your chance to redeem yourself." "I understand, I understand." The phone rang, and after gesturing, Old Wang answered. "Who is it?" "It's me. Is everything alright with you?" "No, I'm waiting for you. I've brought everything. When are you coming?" "I'm in the lobby, I'll be right up." "Okay, okay." Old Wang hung up and said, "Li Haoyi is coming up now." "Proceed according to plan." A knock came at the door, and the young lady went to open it. Manager Wang went to greet him. The man was about forty-seven or forty-eight years old, with a square face, sharp eyes, and wearing an ordinary gray suit. He was Li Haoyi, the director of the Municipal Foreign Development Office. Miss Tian's voice was sweet: "Director Li, please come in." The young lady gently closed the door. The plainclothes prosecutor bowed and scraped humbly, displaying the mannerisms of a businessman meeting a big shot. "Director Li, please sit down." The bald man said with a grin, "Let me introduce you, Ge Hui, our boss's brother-in-law, the director . This is Director Li Haoyi of the Municipal Government Development Office." " The so-called Ge Hui handed over his business card with both hands. "Please take good care of me in the future, Director Li!" Li Haoyi looked at the business card and said, "Isn't your finance director Old Zhao?" "Director Li has a good memory. Old Zhao is the vice president now. This Mr. Sun is from the company's security department. He came here specifically to escort the money. This Miss Tian is the most beautiful woman in our province. She came here specially to serve you, sir." Miss Tian took Li Haoyi's arm and sat on the sofa. She sat on the armrest of the sofa and hugged Li Haoyi's shoulder , a typical prostitute's act. She spoke in a soft Wu dialect and said gracefully, "Director Li, you came early and are very kind to me!" Li Haoyi patted her thigh lightly and said, "Don't give me that. This isn't your south. Be careful or I'll send you to the police station." Old Wang said, "Director Li, let's talk in the back room." "Okay." In the back room, Li Haoyi asked worriedly, "Are those two people in the outer room reliable? I've never seen them before." " Reliable. Besides, they don't know the details. The money's with me, the usual rule, no one else is present except you and me." "Why did you bring a prostitute? It's troublesome." "To keep you company, she knows nothing. When the boss came, he repeatedly told me to personally hand the money to you. It's not safe to carry so much money on the road, so I brought a few more people. However, none of them know I'm giving you the money." Manager Wang opened the closet, took out a combination lock box, adjusted the numbers, and the lid opened automatically, revealing a box full of brand-new 100 -yuan bills. “Director Li, this is half; the other half is at the Ancient City Hotel. If you're in a hurry, you can go pick it up later. Otherwise, I'll deliver it to your residence in a couple of days.” Li Haoyi thought for a moment and said, “Alright, I'll make a call, and we'll go pick it up right now.” “I think you shouldn't make the call yet. Nobody knows you're here; safety first!” Li Haoyi raised an eyebrow and said, “What could possibly happen on my turf? If you don't want to call, then don't. Let's go now . It would be best if just the two of us went; they shouldn't come with us.” “That wouldn't be good. Two boxes of money; if something happens, I won't be able to explain it to the boss. If you don't want cash, that would save a lot of trouble. I think we should go together; once we get to the Ancient City Hotel, I'll send them away.” Li Haoyi thought for a moment and said, “That's fine.” “I'll carry these boxes for you.” They left the suite. Three men and one woman took the elevator to the lobby and walked towards the entrance. Jiao Dongfang, who had just seen his father off, recognized Li Haoyi from behind and called out, “Li Haoyi! Director Li!” The fat man was startled. His biggest worry was that something unexpected might happen, preventing him from completing the secret capture mission. Li Haoyi stopped and looked back. Jiao Dongfang strode over. Li Haoyi quickly turned back and grabbed Jiao Dongfang's hand. "President Jiao, it's been several days since I've seen you, you look even more radiant!" "Uncle Li, since you've come to my little corner of the world, why don't you come over for a cup of tea?" "You're busier than your father, how could I dare take up your time! I've come to see some friends from out of town, I'm keeping them company." Jiao Dongfang glanced at the group and said, "Alright, I'll need to see you in a few days. Bye-bye." Li Haoyi shook hands with Jiao Dongfang. Li Haoyi introduced the fat man, "President of Horizon, son of the Municipal Party Secretary and a member of the Central Committee. From now on, when you come, stay here, one word from me and it's all free." The fat man said humbly, "I'm sure I'll be troubling you. Director Li, let's go, the car is waiting at the door." Li Haoyi was surprised, "You've come all this way by car?" "Driving is convenient, very convenient." They arrived at the gate, where a Japanese "bullet car" was started and waiting in the driveway. Miss Tian smiled charmingly, "Director Li, please." Li Haoyi got into the car, and Miss Tian was the last to get in. The car quickly drove away from the Capital Horizon Hotel, speeding southeast. The "bullet headlights" had completely sealed brown windows that couldn't be opened. Li Haoyi sat between the fat man and the thin man.

The fat man pulled out a pack of Hongtashan cigarettes. "Director Li, have one."

The gaunt man took out a lighter and lit Li Haoyi's cigarette.

The car sped onto the suburban national highway.

Li Haoyi suddenly sensed something was wrong. Before he could finish speaking

, the gaunt man swiftly and cleanly handcuffed him.

Li Haoyi was stunned for a moment before he finally managed to say, "Who are you people?"

He was trapped between them, unable to move.

The gaunt man pulled out a piece of paper, then his own identification, and said in a stern tone, "Li Haoyi, we
are from the S Province Public Security Bureau. You are suspected of embezzlement and have been detained according to law."

Li Haoyi shouted, "This is kidnapping! Illegal kidnapping! I will sue you!"

"You know in your heart that you've also worked in this line of work. According to the laws of the People's Republic of China, we
have the right to detain you across provincial borders for investigation. "

Li Haoyi struggled desperately, but the fat man held him down tightly. The thin man then pulled out a pair of long handcuffs and
cuffed Li Haoyi's ankles to the bottom of his seat. "

I'm going to sue you! I'm a bureau-level official! You should have gotten approval from the municipal party committee before arresting me! This is
illegal kidnapping !

" Miss Tian, whom Li Haoyi mistook for a prostitute, moved from the back seat. Her sweet demeanor had vanished
without a trace .

"We have sufficient evidence to detain you. Without evidence, and without the approval and support of the relevant central departments,
we wouldn't have come thousands of miles to invite you. You'd better cooperate with us."

"This is a trap! It's an attempt to lure me in!" He turned his head to the back and shouted at the bald man in the last row: "
You, surnamed Wang, you're in cahoots with them, I'll never forgive you, you bastard !"

The bald man sighed and said, "Director Li, you don't need to curse me. To tell you the truth, Boss Feng has already
been arrested She implicated you, not me. I'm finished too. I advise you to go with them."

Li Haoyi shouted hysterically, trying to attract the attention of the surrounding vehicles.

"You wish! This is my territory. Do you think you can get out? Who knows who will arrest whom! You
'd better be smart and let me out of the car. Let's keep to ourselves. Otherwise, I'll wipe you out right here!

" The fat man sneered. "Your territory? This is the territory of the People's Republic of China. The Party Central Committee has instructed that the Feng Aiju
illegal fundraising case must be thoroughly investigated and severely punished, no matter who is involved. Don't think you
have power, connections, or backers here. Let me tell you, there are no boundaries in the fight against corruption. Once you commit a crime,
even if you're still on the soil of the People's Republic of China, or even if you've left the country, we'll still bring you back. You
'd save your energy. No matter how much you shout, no one outside can hear or see you. There are still thousands of kilometers to go!"

“Fine…we’ll see…give me a cigarette…”

The young woman shoved a lit cigarette into Li Haoyi’s mouth. Li Haoyi exhaled a smoke ring and said, “You’re
trying to pull something out of nothing , huh? In less than two hours, your car will be impounded, and you can wait for your provincial party
secretary to kowtow and beg for mercy from Secretary Jiao!”

The car sped south.
Twelve

Audis, two Mercedes-Benzes, two police cars, and one sedan drove in a grand procession towards the mountains.

The police cars led the way, flashing their lights and sirens, followed by the sedan.

Inside the Audi, Jiao Pengyuan looked displeased. He patted Shen Shi, who was sitting in the front.

“There aren’t many cars on the road. What’s with the sirens blaring? They’re ruining the peaceful atmosphere. Tell them to stop
.”

Shen Shi took out a walkie-talkie and ordered, “Turn off the sirens. They’re ruining the peaceful atmosphere.”

Inside the other Mercedes-Benz, the county party secretary answered the walkie-talkie.

"Yes, I'll have them shut it down right away."

The county party secretary reprimanded the lead car through the walkie-talkie, "Turn off the sirens! You've ruined the peaceful atmosphere and caused
trouble!"

Jiao Pengyuan closed his eyes, lost in thought. This time, he was determined to find a few typical corrupt officials to balance
the chaos caused by He Qizhang's death.

The convoy entered a township-run pig farm that had been heavily featured in the newspapers as a model of reform. It was

a relatively modern pig farm, but there wasn't a single pig inside; it was messy and empty.

Jiao Pengyuan's face tightened.

The accompanying county party secretary and township party secretary looked tense.

Jiao Pengyuan's face was stern. "What's going on here? Not a single pig? Did you eat them all?"

The county party secretary said to the township party secretary, "Secretary Jiao is asking you what's going on

here." Jiao Pengyuan said sharply, "I'm asking you."

The county party secretary stammered nervously, "This... I don't quite know."

"You're the county party secretary. You should know."

The county party secretary quietly nudged the township party secretary.

The township party secretary said in a low voice, "They couldn't raise them well, so we stopped."

"How much did you invest in this pig farm?"

"Eight hundred thousand."

"Where did the money come from?"

"A bank loan."

Jiao Pengyuan looked mockingly at the township party secretary, who was now obese from eating. "So you can't even pay back the principal and interest
?"

"Yes...oh dear...we were just worrying about it."

Jiao Pengyuan roared, "What do you mean 'yes'? Where did the money go? It's like the temples are impoverished while the monks are rich! Look at your
greasy face, is that pig's head on your neck?"

The township party secretary wiped his sweat. Sweat continued to pour out.

Jiao Pengyuan pressed, "How many township-run enterprises does your township have?"

The township party secretary stammered, "There's a leather factory, an auto repair shop, and a beverage factory."

Jiao Pengyuan interrupted impatiently, "And a plastic products factory, right?"

"Yes... there used to be one, but it's been shut down for a long time."

Jiao Pengyuan sneered, "Did you think I didn't know the situation? Let me tell you, I came prepared. You'd
better hold onto your official hats first; whether you can still wear them is another question. Come on,
let's see all the township-run enterprises."

The county and township party committee members accompanying him didn't dare utter a sound in front of the municipal party secretary and the Central Committee member. The convoy drove to the auto
repair shop.

The auto repair shop's workshop was empty; most of the equipment had been moved.

Jiao Pengyuan's expression was grim.

The accompanying reporters filmed the scene.

The county party secretary avoided the cameras, while the township party secretary kept wiping his sweat.

After looking around, Jiao Pengyuan said, "Where's the equipment?"

Silence. No one answered.

Jiao Pengyuan's voice echoed in the empty workshop: "Are you all mute? Where did the equipment go?"

The township party secretary's face was ashen. "After the factory stopped production, it was sold off in batches."

"How much did you pay for the equipment?"

"Less than 600,000."

"How much did you sell it for?"

"Less than 30,000."

The county party secretary felt it was time to clear his name and rebuked him: "Such a big matter,
how dare you, the township party secretary, make decisions on your own? Why didn't you ask for permission?"

The township party secretary glanced at the county party secretary, lowered his head, and said: "I reported it to you."

"Nonsense, I have no idea. You dare to frame your superiors?"

Jiao Pengyuan's voice softened considerably. "Who did you sell the equipment to?"

The township party secretary confessed like a criminal, "I don't know the specifics either. It was handled by the former factory director. I
heard it was sold to a scrap metal yard."

Jiao Pengyuan rubbed his hands together. "You've managed to turn 600,000 into 30,000. You're quite capable! Get the accountant
here , bring the ledgers."

The county party secretary said sternly, "What are you standing there for? Go now!"

The township party secretary staggered due to nervousness. "Okay, okay, I'm going right now."

Jiao Pengyuan looked at the county party secretary and said, "Old Li, my Secretary Li."

"I'm here."

"This township was featured in the newspaper as a model of reform and wealth creation. Why has it turned into this mess in just over a year? Businesses are going bankrupt one after another. I just saw it; the township leaders have built houses that are almost like villas. How have
you been doing your job as county party secretary?" "I have bureaucratic tendencies. I need to conduct a thorough self-examination." "Bureaucratic, you make it sound so easy. Your Mercedes is quite nice, even more impressive than mine. The central government has repeatedly emphasized that leading cadres are not allowed to use vehicles exceeding the standard. I've stressed this many times, don't you know?" The county party secretary lowered his head. "After I get back, I'll immediately buy a Santana to replace it." Jiao Pengyuan chuckled. "Hmph, you still want to ride in a Santana? Just you wait. I think you 're completely incompetent as county party secretary. You'll be investigated." The county party secretary felt dizzy. The township party secretary returned with the accountant. He was panting, clearly having run all the way. Still out of breath, he said, "This is Old Yang, the accountant from the auto repair shop." Jiao Pengyuan glanced at the fat-headed accountant, thinking, "Another pig-headed fool." "You brought the accounts?" Accountant Yang respectfully handed over three ledgers. "I've brought them all. Please examine them, sir." Jiao Pengyuan pushed aside the ledger. "I don't want to look at them. What problems could I possibly find by looking at the accounts? You're all experts at falsifying accounts. Bring over those cash reimbursement slips." Seeing that the accountant stood still like a wooden stake, Shen Shi said sternly, "Did you hear me? Secretary Jiao wants to see the reimbursement slips ." Only then did the accountant react. "Yes, yes, these are them." Jiao Pengyuan took the thick stack of slips and flipped through them; many were blank receipts. "The factory closed four months ago, so why does this 800 yuan IOU say it was the day before yesterday? The factory went bankrupt , and you sold off all the equipment, so why are people still here claiming reimbursements?" The accountant's mouth wouldn't cooperate. "This...?? I'm just an accountant. If a leader signs it, I have to reimburse." "You guys are doing well. The temple was demolished, but the monks still have food and drink. Look at you all, all fat and bloated, eating bank loans! I ask you, how many of your township-run enterprises have gone bankrupt?" The township party secretary forced out a few tears. "Four, all four township-run enterprises went bankrupt due to poor management ." "You don't need to tell me the reasons for the bankruptcies. If we're going to investigate you, go talk to the procuratorate. I ask you, how much loan did you use in total?" "It's probably over five million," Jiao Pengyuan said, turning to his entourage. "You all heard that, right? They're quite capable, managing to swindle over five million from the bank. Who approved these loans?" The township party secretary whispered, "I don't know." The county party secretary, sensing an opportunity, said, "It was Vice Mayor He Qizhang who approved them. Vice Mayor He said this is the old revolutionary base area where Secretary Jiao fought, so preferential policies are only right." Jiao Pengyuan said, "Oh," and added, "I have a special feeling for this place. We must live up to the expectations of the people , so we must be even stricter with the cadres here. Vice Mayor He approved the loans for you to develop the economy and help you escape poverty, not for you to pocket. Immediately notify the leaders of the county party committee, the county government, the discipline inspection commission, the procuratorate, the public security bureau, and the court to come here. I want to hold an on-site meeting on anti-corruption here ." The county party secretary forced a smile and said, "I'll go and make the arrangements immediately." Having seized a typical example, Jiao Pengyuan felt relieved, and the convoy entered a farmhouse courtyard as planned. The house was old, and a few chickens hopped around in the yard. Old farmer Geng Shuanzhu, dressed in worn clothes and carrying a pipe, came to greet them. The photographer focused his lens on the scene of Jiao Pengyuan shaking hands with Geng Shuanzhu. Jiao Pengyuan said warmly, "Old Geng, do you still recognize me? I'm Jiao Pengyuan!" The old farmer laughed heartily, "Of course I recognize you! I see you every day, either in the newspaper or on TV. How could I not recognize you? I'm just afraid you wouldn't." "I recognize you, of course I recognize you! We're old comrades!" "Please come in, Secretary Jiao." "Just call me Old Jiao, we're both old now." Jiao Pengyuan and the reporters followed the host into the house. It was brightly lit with two dark rooms; the furniture in the main room was old, and the most striking feature was a faded portrait of Chairman Mao on the wall opposite . Jiao Pengyuan said with satisfaction, "Old Geng, you still have Chairman Mao's portrait hanging up? That's rare, very rare." "Yes, not many people hang Chairman Mao's portrait anymore; almost every household worships the God of Wealth. When Chairman Mao was alive, cadres wouldn't dare act like they do now, doing nothing but personal gain." "That's why we need to fight corruption and promote integrity. " "Old Jiao, please sit down." Jiao Pengyuan sat down at one side of the eight-immortal table, with Shen Shi standing beside him. The reporter was busy taking pictures. "Old Geng, I received your letter. The problems you raised about cadres enriching themselves at the expense of the public are basically true. I'm here to resolve this issue. Thank you for reminding me. Here, have a cigarette." Jiao Pengyuan offered the cigarette, a special supply his son had specially found.

“I’ll stick with this one, it’s strong. Old Jiao, I really didn’t expect you to actually come down here to investigate. Sigh, in just one year,
they’ve impoverished the whole township, while they themselves are doing quite well.”

Shen Shi said, “Old comrade, have a smoke, this is top-quality cigarette, a pack must cost over a hundred yuan.”

Geng Jianzhu took one, looked at it, and then handed it back to Jiao Pengyuan. “Over a hundred yuan a pack? That’s only five yuan a stick.
A cigarette only lasts for a couple of puffs, I wouldn’t dare smoke it, I’d probably choke to death.”

Jiao Pengyuan glared at Shen Shi and said, “It’s not that expensive, it’s just ordinary.”

Shen Shi silently moved aside.

The photographer was always capturing what might be called “precious historical footage” years later.

Twelve

Chen Hu drove to the city’s television station. He particularly liked driving this white 2020 Jeep.

Wang Qingsheng, the director of the editorial office, received him in a lukewarm manner. After pouring a cup of tea, he said, “I’m sorry, Director Chen.
We are willing to cooperate with your work. But as you know, the top superior of the municipal television station is the Municipal Radio and Television Bureau,
and above that is the Municipal Party Committee Propaganda Department and the Municipal Party Committee. You need a letter of introduction from the Municipal Party Committee
before we can provide you with the information you need about Vice Mayor He. It’s not appropriate for your procuratorate to directly contact us with just a letter of introduction. Besides, all
footage of He Qizhang has been completely erased; it was an urgent political task assigned by the Municipal Party Committee.”

Chen Hu was taken aback. “You promised me a couple of days ago.”

“The Municipal Party Committee has new instructions: any news materials about municipal leaders that need to be accessed require the Municipal Party Committee’s approval.”

Chen Hu clearly felt that the resistance to investigating He Qizhang was increasing.

Chen Hu left the editorial office and encountered Song Yihui in the corridor outside the studio.

He immediately noticed the deep sorrow hidden in her eyes. He called out, "Beautiful Comrade Song Huihui."

Beautiful Song Huihui stopped and said, "You called me?"

"My name is Chen Hu, from the Anti-Corruption Bureau. Can I take a moment of your time?"

Beautiful Song Huihui hesitated slightly before saying, "Sure, come to my office."

Beautiful Song Huihui's office was impeccably clean and spotless. The bookshelf against the wall displayed
eight or nine .

Chen Hu noticed something extra on the desk: a bottle of XO and a wine glass. The glass was half-filled.

Beautiful Song Huihui smiled gently, "What is it? Just say it. I have to record a program in twenty minutes."

"Don't be nervous, can I smoke?"

"Sure, have mine."

Beautiful Song Huihui handed Chen Hu a Saint Laurent.

"Thank you. I'll smoke mine. Do you know He Qizhang?"

"Prosecutor, you're asking a question you already know the answer to. He's the Executive Vice Mayor; we have a lot of contact at work.
May I ask you a rather impolite question?"

Chen Hu lightly touched the scar on his face.

"I know, you want to ask me how I got this scar, right?"

"You're so smart."

Chen Hu looked at the trophy and said, "Like your trophy, this is mine, but it's not in the right place."

"Your job must be dangerous, right?"

"Not as dangerous as yours. People are afraid of becoming famous, just like pigs are afraid of getting fat. You're a star, and I'm an unknown. There must be a lot of difficulties
for ?"

The beautiful Song Huihui smiled again, "Yes, I'm always afraid of being recognized when I go out, like a thief, I'm so nervous."

Chen Hu felt that Song Huihui wasn't as beautiful as she appeared on camera, so he changed the subject and suddenly asked:

"When was the last time you saw Vice Mayor He?"

The beautiful Song Huihui answered frankly: "On the evening of May 2nd, he came to our studio to record the 'City
Culture ' program. I was the host, and he was the guest. The program was originally scheduled to be recorded in one go, but around 10 p.m.
, Mayor He went to the corridor to answer a phone call, and we waited for him for a long time..."

At this moment, Director Wang Qingsheng pushed open the door and came in. When he saw Chen Hu, he pretended to be surprised, but in fact, he had followed him in.

"Director Chen, you haven't left yet?"

Chen Hu's guard rose. "Oh, Director Wang, Huihui and I were just chatting."

Wang Qingsheng nodded and said, "Huihui, come to my office. There's a project we need your help with planning."

The beautiful Song Huihui's gaze darted back and forth between the two men, remaining silent.

"Director Chen, you stay here. Huihui, hurry up."

Wang Qingsheng closed the door and left.

The beautiful Song Huihui asked suspiciously, "Did you come specifically to see Director Wang?"

"Yes, I need his assistance with something. To be honest, it's about investigating the cause of Vice Mayor He's death. We also hope you can
assist us. Vice Mayor He was in his prime, and his sudden death is such a pity. Please continue. We have to
be responsible for the political life of an official, don't you think?"

The beautiful Song Huihui's eyes reddened, but she restrained herself and truthfully recounted the situation.

The beautiful Song Huihui hurried from the studio to the corridor,
where .

The beautiful Song Huihui called out anxiously, "Mayor He!"

He Qizhang stopped, turned around, and helplessly spread his hands.

The other man didn't turn around and walked quickly forward.

He Qizhang said to the beautiful Song Huihui who caught up with him, "Huihui, I'm sorry, I have an urgent matter to attend to.
We can't record tonight, but I'll definitely come to make up for it tomorrow night, okay?"

"You're so hard to catch. If I let you go today, who knows if you'll even come tomorrow?"

"I'll definitely come. Even if the Central Committee asks me to attend a meeting tomorrow, I won't go. I'll definitely come as your guest."

The man's back had already left the corridor.

After listening to Jia Huihui's account, Chen Hu asked softly, "What time was it?"

"I checked my watch; it was 10:40."

"Did you see clearly who the person walking with Vice Mayor He was?"

"No. Vice Mayor He was talking to me, and that person kept walking away without looking back. Vice Mayor
He didn't even shake my hand; he hurriedly chased after that person. Unexpectedly, he suddenly committed suicide the next day."

"How do you know he committed suicide?"

The beautiful Song Huihui's tone revealed displeasure: "Even the taxi drivers all over the street know he shot himself;
how could I not know?"

"On what specific day did you find out?"

"The next afternoon, I called his office, but his secretary said he wasn't there. I called his mobile phone,
but it was off; I swiped, but he didn't answer. By evening, it was still the same, so I had to cancel the re-recording.
A day later, while eating in the cafeteria, I heard my colleagues talking about it—Vice Mayor He had committed suicide."

"You have a lot of contact with Vice Mayor He at work. Have you ever seen him carry a handgun?"

The beautiful Song Huihui paused, then said, "Never. I want to ask you, does Mayor He have the right to carry a gun privately?"

"That depends on the specific circumstances."

Wang Qingsheng returned, pushed open the door, and stood outside, saying, "Yihui, several people are waiting for you."

Chen Hu stood up, shook hands with the beautiful Song Huihui, and said goodbye.

"Thank you for taking up your precious time. Oh, I'm also a loyal viewer of yours. I'll look for you again in the future."

Leaving the beautiful Song Huihui, Chen Hu felt the trip was worthwhile.

Chapter Three: Young Woman Dies in Car Accident, Old Secretary Spreads His Words. After

leaving the TV station, Chen Hu drove to pick up Tao Suzhen. According to the plan, he needed to rush to the accident scene on Yeshanpo
to re-examine it.

Tao Suling was waiting for him at the entrance of the Municipal Party Committee.

Chen Hu honked the horn.

"Lingling, get in the car quickly, or we won't be able to make it back tonight. Staying in the mountains will just feed the wolves."

Tao Suling was very excited about going out with Chen Hu; she secretly thought it was a date.

"Don't say unlucky things."

"You're superstitious?"

Tao Suling's gaze lingered on Chen Hu's face for a long time before she said, "So, did you get anything from the TV station?"

Chen Hu drove into the traffic jam.

"Yes, I did. But I need a letter of introduction from the municipal party committee to borrow the documents. I'll leave this task to you."

Tao Suling stuck out her tongue. "I'm just a nobody, I can't come up with a letter of introduction. You've
offended . You're in trouble."

"Does having a different opinion mean you offend people?"

Tao Suling chuckled. "That depends on who you disagree with. I heard it's already
been reported . What are you still investigating?"

The car encountered a red light.

Chen Hu took out the siren, attached it to the hood, pressed the switch, the siren sounded, and the car sped through the red light.

“I have some new information. I have a question for you. Can a person suddenly decide to commit suicide within minutes or hours?
Especially a high-ranking official like He Qizhang?”

“I don’t think so. After all, it’s ending one’s own life.”

“Right, the night before He Qizhang died, he was still recording a program at the city TV station and said he would
re-record it the next night. Obviously, he wasn’t preparing to commit suicide.”

“What if he was just pretending to be calm, meaning he didn’t want others to notice that he had suicidal thoughts?”

Chen Hu increased the speed of the car. “Of course, we can’t rule out that possibility. Generally speaking, a person who wants to end their
life will go through a very painful internal struggle. During this period, it’s impossible not to show some abnormal behavior.
Can someone who is preparing to commit suicide book a plane ticket to Wuxi three days later?”

Tao Suling said in surprise, “Is that so?”

“Yes, Director Zhou told me.”

“Director Zhou? Wasn’t he dissatisfied with you?”

“The plane ticket is for Wuxi. I suspect that He Qizhang has some special relationship with the Wuxi side, but I haven’t had time
to investigate further.”

Chen Hu’s hand unconsciously touched the scar on his face.

"This case seems simple, but it's intricately complex. Whether a high-ranking official was murdered or committed suicide, he must
have had a powerful background. We can't be too simplistic,"

Tao Suling said emotionally. "You're outnumbered, you're outnumbered, I'm really worried for you."

"You're wrong. I have 1.2 billion votes. Anti-corruption is the will of the Party and the people. With
the support of 1.2 billion people, we are the majority, and they are the minority."

Tao Suling laughed like a child.

'Lin Bie's Ah Q mentality! What is a major case? What is an important case? Major and important cases all have
powerful figures protecting them. The more power they hold, the bigger the case can be—it's a power-money transaction. 1.2 billion people are
abstract, while those holding great power are concrete. Abstract truths are often stifled by concrete power.
Don't be so simplistic, my prosecutor, how much power can a mere section chief like you have?'

Chen Hu scratched his scar. "I'm just an ordinary citizen, but I have the central government above me and the masses below me. This power
can't be considered small." "The former Italian prime minister was involved in organized crime and corruption, and he was brought down, even under
capitalist conditions. I refuse to believe that corrupt officials in China can run rampant."

Tao Suling said, "Power in China is even less supervised. There aren't many idealists like you these days;
talking about them might even make people think you're crazy. But I find you quite endearing."

Tao Suling looked at Chen Hu affectionately.

Chen Hu said, "Don't scold me."

Tao Suling's expression turned melancholy: "My arms are so thin, and yours aren't much thicker than mine. I think
we can only swat flies at most. I wouldn't dare touch a tiger's butt, let alone a cat's."

"Really? You wouldn't dare touch a cat's butt?" "I touched a cat's butt once, and its claws scratched my face all over. Do you remember the Wang Caifeng case that

Bao Baozhu and I handled ?"
"

Chen Hu least wanted to mention Bao Baozhu's name. He worked in the procuratorate his whole life, all he did was drink, and
he was forcibly sent to a sanatorium to treat his alcoholism.

" "I know, Wang Caifeng was sentenced to twenty years in prison. I've seen the materials."

Tao Suling put on a stern face. "Hmph, it was clearly a death sentence, but when they were finalizing the amount of her embezzlement and bribery, one sentence
from above reduced it by 100,000 yuan, and she escaped the death penalty! I raised a different opinion, why
was 100,000 yuan reduced? As a result, I was sent to the Central Party School for three months of study. Bao Baozhu was even worse off, he
appealed , and was relegated to obscurity. He started drinking heavily after that, drowning his sorrows in alcohol. Actually, he
used to be a very ambitious person, but he collapsed all of a sudden. Wang Caifeng was just a bureau-level official, at most a cat,
and Gan Baozhu and I still lost to the cat's claws!"

Chen Hu listened very carefully. He lit a cigarette with an automatic lighter, took a few deep drags, and said, "Do
n't , the cat is the tiger's teacher." "Did Wang Caifeng expose any problems with the higher-ups in the municipal party committee?"

Tao Suling thought for a moment and said, "No, she didn't expose a single one. She cut off all the leads

." Chen Hu patted the steering wheel and said, "That's the secret to her escape. She defended the higher-ups, and
they a way to exonerate her. It's called 'small actions in tandem.'"

"What if Wang Caimin had exposed them? What would have happened?"

Chen Hu stepped on the gas. "Then she would have been dead. That deputy general manager of the steel company, after he was arrested,
exposed . The more he wrote, the higher the reports went, and he was executed long ago."

"Chen Hu, do you know what the people are saying about us?"

Chen Hu felt a pang of doubt. He intentionally maintained an emotional distance from Tao Suling, dreading
the word "we." "We?"

"It means those of us in this line of work."

Chen Hu felt a wave of relief. "How so?"

"It's hilarious. They say fighting corruption is like tigers giving reports, foxes clapping and laughing, flies buzzing, and mice
running away in terror. Pretty nasty, right?"

Chen Hu smiled for the first time: "Very apt. I've also heard a joke: 'Corrupt officials sit on
the platform , and corrupt bureaucrats are in the first three rows.' It's a popular saying; you can't shut them up."

The car drove along the mountain road, the terrain treacherous, but with heavy traffic.

An hour later, the 2020 stopped outside a woodshed in a mountain village. An elderly man in his sixties came out to greet them and
led Chen Hu and Tao Suling into the yard.

"You're from the Municipal Procuratorate, right? The police station said you were coming today and told me to wait at home. Please come in and have a seat
."

"Thank you, sir. This place is quite nice. Did you really hear two gunshots on May 3rd?"

Before Chen Hu could finish speaking, the old man's face hardened. "You don't believe me? The deputy director of the police station
came to see me a couple of days ago, saying that my hearing isn't good, and that I might have heard one gunshot as two. I served in
the army back then and fought bandits. I can not only tell that there were two gunshots, but I can also tell that they weren't from the same gun
. One was crisp, and the other was muffled. There's no mistake!"

Chen Hu felt a jolt in his heart.

"Did the deputy director of the police station talk to you?"

"Yes, I think he wanted me to change my story, to say there was only one gunshot. I don't know what
tricks , but one shot is one shot, and two shots are two shots. I've never lied in my life."

Chen Hu took out a cigarette, offered one to the old man, and lit it. "How long was the interval between the two gunshots?"

The old man thought for a moment and said, "About five minutes. The crisp sound came first, followed by the muffled sound. I heard it clearly."

"Thank you, sir."

Chen Hu shook hands with the old man, and he and Tao Suling returned to the car, stepping on the gas and driving towards the scene of the accident.

The car was on the highway, and ten minutes later they arrived at the wild hillside.

Chen Hu parked the car at the foot of the hill and locked it, then he and Tao Suling went up the hill.

They arrived at the scene of the accident. The outline of He Qizhang's body, drawn on the ground by white stones, was still faintly
visible. The upper body of the deceased was leaning against a tree, with his legs stretched out on the ground. To the south, north, and west were three walls of pine
trees, and only the east side was open space.

Chen Hu pointed with his finger, "Lingling, look, surrounded by pine walls on three sides, seven or eight people can stand here, only those
on the opposite side can see them, they can't see them from other directions, this is indeed a very good murder location, of course,
suicide here won't be disturbed by the outside world."

Tao Suling agreed, "The location is well chosen."

"Obviously, he looked at this place beforehand."

Chen Hu lit a cigarette and pondered for a long time.

“Lingling, the two gunshots were five minutes apart, the sharp sound came first, followed by a muffled thud, and He Qizhang was only hit by
one bullet. Which bullet do you think killed He Qizhang?”

Tao Suling blinked her beautiful eyes. “I still can’t figure it out. If it’s suicide, a
fatal shot would kill him instantly. He Qizhang couldn’t have shot himself twice. He was indeed only
hit once in the Yintang acupoint, there was no second bullet hole. If it’s homicide, there were no signs of struggle at the scene. Even if the first shot missed
, He Qizhang couldn’t have just sat there without resisting and waited to be shot a second time. It looks like he died from
a single , so the second shot just doesn’t make sense.”

Chen Hu took a deep drag on his cigarette.

“If it was homicide, He Qizhang didn’t resist or run away. The two shots must have been fired
consecutively , with a five-minute interval between them. What were the killer and He Qizhang
doing during those five minutes? Were they negotiating? Can a killer and a victim negotiate? If the old man heard correctly,
there weren’t just one gun at the scene, but two. If that’s the case,
why ?”

Tao Suling sighed and said, “It’s really complicated. You still think it was homicide?”

Chen Hu stubbed out his cigarette.

“Two shots should have two shell casings, but only one shell casing was found at the scene before. ”

Chen Hu stood on the white lime outline and looked east. There was a row of bushes about eight meters ahead, taller than a person
.

“Lingling, stand in the lime circle.”

Tao Suling stood still.

Chen Hu walked behind the bushes and looked at Tao Suling. Everything was very clear. He shouted, “Lingling, can you
see me?”

“No, the branches are too dense.”

“Crouch down. ” Tao

Suzhen squatted down.

Chen Hu also squatted down, assuming a shooting stance. He called out, "Sit down, sit on that rock! Face
me!"

Tao Suling sat down as instructed.

Chen Hu assumed a two-handed gun-holding stance. He was quite satisfied with this position.

"Lingling, come here!"

Tao Suling ran over and said, "I've become your puppet!"

"If it's murder, the killer should be hiding here. Of course, it can only be hidden beforehand. If the killer
entered later, He Qizhang should be able to see him in the open."

Tao Suling looked at the surroundings and said, "Your reasoning is flawed. Did He Qizhang come all the way from the city to sit on the rock
and wait to die? Wait for the killer to commit murder?"

"Of course not. There should be another person, someone He Qizhang absolutely must see,
who invited him here to talk. And the gunman was already lying in ambush here beforehand." Chen

Hu pulled his pistol from its holster, opened the magazine, ejected the bullets, and handed the gun to Tao Suling.

“Sit here, sit still. I’ll sit on the rock. You take this gun and shoot me in the forehead.
‘Bang!’ That’s the sound of firing.”

Tao Suling’s hands trembled slightly as she handled a gun for the first time. “Hmm. Pretty fun.”

Chen Hu ran into the limestone enclosure, leaned against a tree, and sat on a rock.

Tao Suling raised the gun, aimed, and shouted, “Bang!”

Chen Hu fell to the ground.

Tao Suling ran over and followed Chen Hu’s thigh with her foot.

“You really look like a dead man.”

Chen Hu said, remaining still, “Put the pistol in my hand.”

Tao Suling looked at him and noticed something. “Your current posture is different from He Qizhang’s when he died.”
"Your back has already left the pine tree, while He Qizhang died leaning against the trunk."

Chen Hu's eyes darted around, and he said excitedly, "That's right! I simulated it based on
the natural . If He Qizhang had planned his suicide, he would have found a good point of support
so that his body would still be leaning against the trunk after death."

Chen Hu sat up, holding his pistol, assuming the position, his back pressed against the trunk, firing at the Yintang acupoint, his arms hanging
naturally , but his back still against the trunk.

"That's the correct posture."

Tao Suling said with a smile, "So you agree it was suicide again?"

Chen Hu stood up.

"I was just analyzing the various possibilities. Let's search carefully in the bushes. If I'm not mistaken
, the other bullet should be in the bushes, unless the shooter has already taken it." Tao Suling clapped her hands and said, "I didn't expect that solving a case would require a simulation exercise. No wonder you wanted to shoot yourself

in the office that day !" Chen Hu grabbed Tao Suling's hand, "Let's go to the bushes and search inch by inch." " I reckon the shooter didn't have time to look for the spent cartridge, especially since it's hard to find in the bushes." They began a careful search of the bushes. Tao Suling crawled half her body inside, thorns scratching her hands and face, leaving bloody marks. Chen Hu gently poked at every inch with a branch. Tao Suling excitedly shouted from the bushes, "Found it! Found it!" She emerged from the bushes, her hair covered in dead leaves and twigs, blood streaming from the back of her hand. She opened her right hand, revealing a spent cartridge in her palm. "Is this it?" Chen Hu gently picked up the cartridge with his fingers, examined it, and sniffed it, saying, "It still needs technical analysis. Lingling, you might have done a great job!" Tao Suling was impressed by Chen Hu's quick thinking. "Chen Hu, I'm truly impressed today." "Now you should have a good smoke!" Tao Suling pulled out a pack of Marlboros from her pocket. "Here, don't always smoke cheap stuff." Chen Hu asked in surprise, "How do you have cigarettes?" "You didn't figure this out, did you? I bought it all in advance. If you get something today, consider it a trophy. If you come all this way for nothing, I won't take it out. Accept the trophy!" " Then let's play some music." Chen Hu playfully hummed "The Athletes' March," accepting the cigarette with both hands. Tao Suling looked at Chen Hu's honest and adorable appearance, and for some reason, tears welled up in her eyes. "What's wrong, Lingling?" "The wind's strong, got something in my eyes." "Let's head home." " It was already dark, and there was no one around. Two wild rabbits emerged from the bushes one after the other, whistling past them. Tao Suling suddenly threw herself into Chen Hu's arms. She couldn't tell if it was out of fear or because the rabbits had given her an opportunity. Chen Hu's broad chest gave her a sense of security she had never experienced before. The warm scent of the woman wafted towards him, and Chen Hu's heart pounded, yet he was also somewhat at a loss. He gently removed the two dry branches from Tao Suling's hair and said, 'Let's go down the mountain. You've worked so hard today.' 'I want to stay a little longer. It's so quiet. It feels like the whole world is just the two of us.' Chen Hu looked around warily; apart from the sound of the wind and the waves of the reservoir, there was no other sound. 'Lingling, there might be two eyes hiding in the shadows. Murderers often return to the crime scene to spy. Let's go.' Suddenly, a noise came from behind the grove. Chen Hu shouted, 'Who's there? Come out!'" Tao Suling followed nervously. A middle-aged man in a police uniform emerged from behind the bushes, scrutinizing Chen Hu and Tao Suzhen. "What are we doing behind Mingshan Mountain?" Chen Hu wondered, why would a policeman suddenly appear? " Nothing, just looking around. You are..." "I am Sun Rui, the deputy director of Yeshanpo Police Station. Show me your identification." Chen Hu didn't want to reveal his identity, wondering if this deputy director was the same one the old man had mentioned. "Can I see your identification first?" Sun Rui was reluctant, but under Chen Hu's insistent gaze, he pulled out his work ID and handed it to Chen Hu. Chen Hu took it, looked at it, and returned it to Sun Rui. Chen Hu then took out his own work ID and handed it to Sun Rui, "This is my ID." After verifying it, a smile appeared on Sun Rui's face, "So you're from the Anti-Corruption Bureau, one of us, one of us." " Chen Hu looked directly at the other person and said, 'Director Sun, is there something you need here?' 'I'm on duty, just taking a stroll.' 'Has anything happened in this area?' 'Nothing usually happens. You might have heard that Vice Mayor He Qizhang committed suicide here in early May, which is why this place became famous.' Chen Hu feigned surprise: 'Oh, so Vice Mayor He committed suicide here. Do you know anything about it?' Sun Rui shook his head and said, 'I don't know anything. What could a lowly cadre like me know?' 'Director Sun, if you have something to do, go ahead.' 'Okay, I won't bother you any longer. Director Chen, it's getting dark, and the mountain road is difficult to walk on. You should also go back early .' 'Thank you.' Sun Rui shook hands with Chen Hu and Tao Suling before heading down the mountain. Chen Hu stared at Sun Rui's retreating figure." Tao Suling pondered, "I feel this person is acting strangely when he sees us." Chen Hu, holding Scarface's arm, said, "He might have been secretly following us. The old militiaman down the mountain told he clearly heard two gunshots, but a deputy director of a police station made him change his statement, saying he only heard one. If it's this person, then the case is even more complicated." Tao Suling felt a chill. "The situation is quite complicated. Really." "Let's go down the mountain." The asphalt road wound its way down the mountainside, and the 2020 drove obediently under Chen Hu's control. The temperature here was five degrees lower than in the city, and the branches were just turning green. Tao Suling shivered. A truck came hurtling past from the opposite direction. "Chen Hu, put on some music, it's kind of eerie." Chen Hu gripped the steering wheel with both hands, his eyes fixed on the road ahead. "Forget it. This downhill road is dangerous, an accident-prone area. Don't talk to me." As the car rounded a bend, Chen Hu braked to slow down, only to suddenly realize the brakes had failed. He slammed on the brakes several times, but it was no use... His heart clenched, and he yelled, "No brakes!"

Two hand tractors were approaching from the opposite direction. The jeep headed straight for them, and just before a collision, Chen Hu
swerved sharply to the side, allowing the jeep to pass. He then swerved back to prevent the jeep from tumbling off the cliff.

The jeep entered a straight section of road, but it was still downhill. Tao Suling covered her head in terror.

Chen Hu stared intently ahead and shouted, "We've been ambushed! Someone must have sabotaged the brakes
when !"

"What do we do?"

"The car is out of control, and there are eight or nine more curves ahead. We'll either crash or overturn!"

"We can't just wait to die! Think of something!"

Tao Suling stared at Chen Hu with terrified eyes.

An Audi was approaching from the opposite direction. Chen Hu couldn't slow down, but the Audi driver, noticing the jeep coming towards him, skillfully
swerved to avoid a collision.

Chen Hu glanced quickly at Tao Suling, then fixed his gaze on the road ahead, saying haltingly, "Lingling,
the only way is to jump out of the car... Listen to my command... When I say jump, open the door, cover your head and throw yourself forward,
roll on the ground, you jump first, I'll say it later!"

"I dare not play along."

Chen Hu shouted urgently, "Damn it! Jumping out of the car is the only way to survive! I told you to jump, so jump! We can't die!"

"No! I won't jump even if I die!"

Due to the downhill slope, the forward speed increased. Chen Hu's thoughts raced faster than the wheels. Someone wanted to
kill me, which proved that my investigation was on the right track, touching their sore spot, which was why they wanted to silence me.
The person who wanted to kill me might be connected to the case of Deputy Mayor He! The trouble was that Lingling was in the car. If I were alone,
I could easily brake. I had to find a way to save Lingling's life! He shouted, "Lingling! A crash will surely
kill you! Jumping out of the car is the only way to survive, understand?"

"Who wants to harm us?" "

Their actions prove our investigation was on the right track. I'm so happy! Really happy!"

"You're happy when you're about to die? If we both die, the trail will go cold. It's them in Nanxing!"

"Watch out! Get ready! The slope ahead is gentler."

To the left of the jeep were rocks, and to the right, a row of trees along a cliff.

Chen Hu noticed the right door next to Tao Suling's seat was in the way and needed to be removed, but Tao Suling couldn't get it
off.

"Lingling, stay close to me. Open your door, I'll have the villager knock it off."

Tao Suling pushed open the door.

Chen Hu turned the wheel to the right.

With a crash, the door hit a tree trunk on the cliff edge, then another, and fell off,
flying towards the bottom.

Chen Hu yelled, "Jump!"

Tao Suling covered her head with her hands, too afraid to jump. Chen Hu used his left hand to steer, moved to Tao Suling's
seat, and shouted, "I'll hold you. Let's jump together! " Chen

Hu swerved the wheel to the right with his left hand, heading straight for a large tree on the edge of the cliff. In the instant he was about to hit the tree, he threw himself and
Tao Suling off the vehicle. The jeep crashed into the tree, rolled down the hillside, and came to a stop in a ditch at the foot of the mountain,
but it did not explode.

Chen Hu rolled downhill, his hands protecting Suling's chest and waist, preferring to die himself rather than let Tao Suling be harmed.

After rolling down twenty meters, Chen Hu's head hit a rock.

Chen Hu lost consciousness and released Tao Suling.

Tao Suling continued to roll downhill. The anti-corruption and integrity-building on-site meeting

in

Xingda County was packed. In addition to Xingda County, personnel from various district and county party committees, governments,
public security , courts, procuratorates, and industry and commerce departments were present.

Jiao Pengyuan delivered a report on the podium.

"Today's anti-corruption and integrity-building on-site meeting was very fruitful. Those who should have been punished were punished, those who should have been dismissed were dismissed,
those who should have been investigated were investigated, and those who should have been investigated have been investigated. This is only the first step in the fight against corruption and the building of a clean government." "

The television reporters who came to interview him kept their cameras pointed at Secretary Jiao.

'Under the correct leadership of the Municipal Party Committee
, the vast majority of cadres in our city have achieved great success on all fronts, which cannot be erased by anyone with ulterior motives. Currently, some people are using the suicide of Vice Mayor He Qizhang to confuse right and wrong,
muddy the waters, and attempt to negate the entire leadership of the Municipal Party Committee and the Municipal Government. This is absolutely unacceptable! Therefore, the Municipal Party Committee
requires cadres at all levels to always prioritize stability and unity, and to continue to promote reform and opening up. They must
withstand the test. It's okay to make mistakes; correcting them makes you a good comrade. If anyone dares to engage in
corruption or conspiracies under my nose again, don't blame me, Jiao Pengyuan, for not recognizing old friends and old subordinates!'

Jiao Pengyuan patted a black leather bag on the podium.

'Today, I'm not in a good mood, please forgive me. Do you see this bag? It's full of corruption materials on some
cadres , including some of the people here. Do you think I'm in a
good mood after reading these materials?'" "

There wasn't even a cough in the room, except for the crisp beeping of someone's pager.

'Whose pager is that? Turn it off! I'm not nitpicking, I'm just heartbroken! What should we do?
You all need to maintain consistency with the Municipal Party Committee in your future work. As long as you correct these bad habits, we can let bygones be bygones!
But if some people insist on going their own way, engaging in backstabbing and scheming, then I'm sorry,
the zipper on this briefcase can be opened at any time! Today, all the top leaders from various districts and counties are here. You need to
learn !'

Shen Shi walked from the side curtain to Jiao Pengyuan's side and handed him a slip of paper.

Jiao Pengyuan opened the slip of paper and read:

Li Haoyi has mysteriously disappeared.

Jiao Pengyuan stood up, 'Alright, I've said what I needed to say. Let's work together to
improve all our work. That's all I have to say.'" The

audience erupted in applause. Although some were visibly shaken by Jiao Pengyuan's presence, fearing he
might have their own materials in his briefcase, the

convoy

sped along the highway back to the city. Shen Shi, sitting next to the driver, glanced at Jiao Pengyuan and
whispered to the driver, "Drive faster, Secretary Jiao has urgent business back in the city."

The Audi pulled into the No. 1 compound of the municipal government, where Jiao Pengyuan resided. The guards saluted.

Jiao Pengyuan, the municipal party secretary and member of the Central Committee, lived in a garden villa. Two two-story villas were
connected by a glass walkway. When Jiao Pengyuan first moved in, there was only one villa; He Qizhang, then the director of the Finance Bureau,
allocated 15 million yuan to build another and luxuriously renovated the old villa.

Jiao Pengyuan admired various rare and precious flowers in the glass walkway. It was a sunny, green corridor...
The corridor, with its meticulously cultivated greenery, resembled a botanical garden. The thought of He Qizhang's death
troubled him. He pulled out a wicker chair, sat down, and lit a Zhonghua cigarette.

His son, Jiao Dongfang, approached, wearing a brocade bathrobe.

"Good morning, Dad."

"Good morning? It's already two in the afternoon, you just got up."

"I've been so busy these past few days, Dad. You just got back from the countryside today, why are you so worried?"

Jiao Pengyuan flicked his cigarette ash into the gold-plated ashtray. "You only manage a restaurant, I lead a
big city, I can't be as relaxed as you. The report that He Qizhang died by suicide has been submitted to the Central Committee, I don't know their
attitude. Anyway, they've caught me red-handed this time! The Central Organization Department didn't agree to him becoming vice
mayor, I had to push through the opposition to get it approved. Now that he's in trouble, I at least have to take responsibility for the recommendation
failure . The pressure is immense."

"Dad, you have something to say too. Lin Biao was Chairman Mao's personally chosen successor, written into the Party Constitution.
Does Chairman Mao have to take responsibility for Lin Biao's defection?"

Jiao Pengyuan raised an eyebrow, his worry gradually fading.

“That’s a good example. You’re a smart kid. I’m worried that if I
can’t control , the central government will get involved and will definitely start investigating him from when he was the director of the Finance Bureau. There was originally only one Western-style building, but He
Jianzhang got the Finance Bureau to allocate 15 million yuan to build another one. Even the renovation of the old building far exceeded
the regulations of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection. If they ask me about this, I can’t just say I don’t know, can I?”

Jiao Dongfang picked a flower and smelled it.

"Of course you wouldn't know exactly how much it cost. Besides, the house belongs to the State Administration of Government Offices, it didn't go into
your pocket, and the renovations were done for the government. Dad, you can rest easy. Besides, He Qizhang is dead,
the dead can't speak. If something really happens, they can just pin it on him. If the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection is feeling clever, they can send them
to the underworld to investigate He Qizhang like Bao Gong."

"What you said makes sense. He Qizhang's dead is a relief."

"Dad, you need to be careful about the people around you. Mayor Lin, even though you're the one who brought
him up, he might not be able to hold his own in a critical moment. And those nobodies, they're always opportunists,
always changing their minds. I've also heard that Lai Huihui from the city TV station is loose-lipped, and she's
been something. The beautiful Song Huihui knows too much, we need to think of a way to deal with her."

"Chen Hu has contacted Huihui?"

“I went to see Chen Hu the day before yesterday. He went to the TV station to get news information about He Qizhang, but he was turned down. He probably managed to get a few things from
the pretty Song Huihui.”

Jiao Pengyuan looked at his son suspiciously.

“How do you know all this?”

“Don’t worry about that. Being well-informed is the most important thing in life.”

Jiao Pengyuan got up from the wicker chair, walked down the corridor, walked to the door connecting to the new villa, then paced back,
stopping in front of his son.

“Don’t get too involved. You’re the leader of the joint venture hotel, not a municipal party committee official. Don’t
meddle too much in municipal party committee affairs, especially don’t interfere in judicial investigations. If people expose you, it will be detrimental to me,
understand?”

“Dad, don’t worry.”

“You said you have a videotape of He Qizhang and Huihui having sex?”

“Yes. It was Qizhang who brought it to me. He and Huihui often book rooms at Horizon Hotel for their trysts. You
know, several rooms have hidden cameras installed, and they recorded it.”

Jiao Pengyuan frowned.

“Ridiculous, utterly ridiculous!”

The telephone in the corridor rang.

Jiao Dongfang answered the phone, listened for a few moments, and said, "Have him bring it over."

Jiao Dongfang hung up the phone.

"Dad, Director Jiang from the Public Security Bureau is here. He says he has an urgent matter to report. You sent him."

"Hmm, you should excuse yourself. You need to correct your bad habits in the future; you should avoid things that don't concern you."

Jiang Dabing, carrying a briefcase, hurriedly entered through the glass corridor leading to the courtyard.

"Secretary Jiao, something's happened!"

"Sit down and talk."

Jiang Dabing took off his peaked cap and placed it on the coffee table.

"Secretary Jiao, Li Haoyi's wife contacted me, saying that Li Haoyi left home at 10 a.m. yesterday and
hasn't . We've searched everywhere he could have gone, from his workplace to all the places he could have gone, but we haven't found him, and nobody knows
where he is. He's disappeared."

Jiao Pengyuan said suspiciously, "The director of the Municipal Development Office can disappear?"

"That's right, we just can't find him. Mayor Lin said he didn't even attend the scheduled meeting."

"Keep searching. Is there anything else?"

"Chen Hu from the Anti-Corruption Bureau and Tao Suling from the Municipal Discipline Inspection Commission have also disappeared, without a trace. Even
Director Zhou of the Anti-Corruption Bureau doesn't know where Chen Hu went. However, according to the people at the Municipal Party Committee's reception office, they saw
Tao Suling . Someone recognized that car; it was Chen Hu's car. Now, neither the person nor the car has been seen."

"How could this be? In the Municipal Party Committee, one is dead, and three are missing. It's chaos, it's like a ghost factory.

" "I have organized police forces to search separately. I will report to you at any time. "

Jiao Pengyuan stood up from the rattan chair. "

You must find Li Haoyi, Chen Hu, and Tao Suling within the next two days! One dead man is troublesome
enough , and now three are missing; it's like a fire in the backyard!"

Director Jiang stood up and said, "Yes, I'll take care of it right away. I'm leaving."

After Director Jiang left, Jiao Dongfang came out of the old house. He had been eavesdropping.

"Dad, I saw Li Haoyi."

"Which day?"

"Three days ago at noon, the day Li Haoyi disappeared. I saw
Li Haoyi . I called out to him and we chatted for a bit. He said he was taking those people to the countryside.
That was the day you went to the countryside!"

"Who were they?"

"They were definitely from out of town, like southerners. By the way, the ones you met at the restaurant entrance that day were them,
but at the time you didn't know they were in contact with Li Haoyi." Chen

Hu opened his eyes; the bright sunlight made him realize he was still alive
.

He had hit a rock in the waist as he fell down the hillside, preventing him from rolling any further. He struggled to lift his head, but it drooped back down, his neck unresponsive. He laboriously raised his arm and
touched his head; the blood that had seeped from his head had already congealed.

He braced himself with his hands on the ground, lifting his upper body and leaning against a large rock to catch his breath. His right hand reached into his left shirt pocket and felt around…
He pulled the spent bullet casing from his pocket.

He smiled slightly, then grimaced from the pain in his limbs and gasped.

He took out the hard-pack Marlboro cigarettes Tao Suling had given him; the box was crumpled. He pulled one out and put it in his mouth.
The lighter was still in his pocket. He lit the cigarette and took a deep drag.

Tao Suling's voice echoed in his ears: "I bought them a while ago. If you get anything today,
consider it ."

He stubbed out the cigarette he'd only taken a few puffs of on a rock and stood up unsteadily.

He found a dry tree branch to use as a crutch, and leaned on it, staggering up the hillside.

There was no one around. He shouted, "Tao...Su...Ling...Tao...Su...Ling..."

His calls echoed through the valley.

Suddenly, a few dozen meters ahead, he saw a figure lying in the bushes.

“Ling…”

Chen Hu threw down his crutch and ran towards the bushes, falling down but getting up again without hesitation.
He stumbled four or five times before finally reaching the bushes.

Tao Suling lay face down, motionless beneath them. Her clothes were completely torn to shreds.

Chen Hu gently lifted Tao Suling's head and called out, “Lingling!”

Chen Hu saw that the back of Tao Suling's head was a bloody mess, with a gaping hole. He pressed his ear to Tao Suling's
chest , but heard nothing.

Tao Suling's heart had stopped beating.

“Ling… Chirp…”

His mournful cry echoed through the valley.

Chen Hu knelt beside Tao Suling, cradling her cold body in his arms, tears streaming down his face.

The humiliation of being mocked by his opponent gripped him tightly. He murmured, “Lingling, I swear to you,
if I don't find the culprit, I'll take off the national emblem from my hat!” He straightened up, carrying Tao Suling in his arms, and

walked step by step up the hillside.

Two police cars were driving on the road up the hillside.

Tao Tieliang, the head of the criminal investigation department, noticed the situation at the bottom of the slope and ordered the cars to stop. He led four policemen and rushed
down .

"Chen Hu, I'm here!"

A policeman took Tao Suling from Chen Hu's arms.

Chen Hu swayed, then steadied himself, wiping the blood from his mouth and saying, "Tieliang, I'm sorry, I didn't take good
care her..."

Tao Tieliang shook Tao Suling's shoulders; the body was already cold. Enraged, he grabbed Chen Hu by the collar, shouting
furiously , "You killed her! You killed her!"

Chen Hu let Tao Tieliang pull and yank him, offering no resistance.

"I killed her, it was me."

"You're a bastard! A bastard! You're willful, arrogant, and self-righteous! You acted without the leader's approval
, causing Lingling's death! Give me back my sister! Give her back!"

Chen Hu fainted and collapsed into Tao Tieliang's arms.

Tao Tieliang said to the policeman beside him, "Quick! Get him to the hospital for emergency treatment. " *

Seven *

Jiao Pengyuan's secretary, Shen Shi, was drinking tea and smoking with Hao Xiangshou, Jiao Pengyuan's former secretary and current deputy director of the Municipal Party
Committee . Hao Xiangshou had transferred Shen Shi to Jiao Pengyuan's side as his confidential secretary, hence his
utmost respect for the senior official.

"Director Hao, I went to visit you last night, but unfortunately you weren't there. I gave those two cases of Zhonghua cigarettes to your son."

Hao Xiangshou smiled and said, "If you gave them to him, would I even get a chance to smoke them? They wouldn't even be enough for his gang of cronies to squander
."

"That's alright, I'll send you two more cases in a few days, directly from the tobacco company, absolutely genuine."

"No rush, I can't smoke that many. Xiao Shen, you've been at the Municipal Party Committee for eight months now, haven't you?"

"In another week, it will be exactly nine months."

"Take good care of the old man, you have a bright future ahead of you!"

"Director Hao, please have some tea, premium Biluochun. I will definitely not let you down. If I do anything
wrong , please point it out to me, it's a sign of your care."

"It's good that you understand that. Secretary Jiao is quite satisfied with you, saying you're quick-witted, especially
good , Secretary Jiao loves playing ping-pong."

"That's all thanks to your support."

"Having served as the leader's secretary for over eight months, have you learned anything yet?"

Shen Shi smiled modestly, "I'm just getting on track."

"I'll teach you a set of secretarial techniques. Master them, and you're guaranteed smooth sailing and lifelong benefits."

"That's wonderful!"

"For important matters, consult first and then act. If anything goes wrong, it's not your problem. This is called 'act first, report later,' the most common
method ."

"Yes, I'll remember that. That's what I do too."

"As for the second tactic, it requires courage and accurate judgment. Seeking instructions beforehand is good, but
in some matters, even if you ask your superior, they might be hesitant to comment. Asking them puts you in a difficult position.
For example, if you receive a letter of complaint against Jiao Dongfang, and you present it to Secretary Jiao
, how should he respond? According to Party principles, he should approve an investigation or transfer it to
the relevant department . But would he really want to do that? Certainly not, because Dongfang is his son.
Therefore, in such cases, you should take matters into your own hands, keep the letter, and then subtly mention it at an appropriate time.
The leader will then understand, consider you a loyal follower, and remember your loyalty. This tactic is called
'act first, report later,' but it shouldn't be used indiscriminately. It should only be used when the leader faces an awkward situation. Using it indiscriminately is
disrespectful to the leader."

Shen Shi slapped his forehead.

"Brilliant!"

Hao Xiangshou sipped his tea; it was indeed quite good.

“What do you mean by ‘not reporting’? You just made a mistake. Yesterday you sent two boxes of cigarettes to my house.
You shouldn’t have told me about that. Even if you hadn’t, I would have found out later. By
telling me in person, you’ve made me look like I’m accepting a bribe.”

Shen Shi’s face turned pale, and he became somewhat nervous.

“Director Hao, I didn’t mean that. I…”

Hao Xiangshou waved his hand and said, “Don’t be nervous, I know you didn’t mean that. You’re just inexperienced. I’m using this
as an example to show you what things should be done without reporting. Doing things without reporting leaves the leader a way out. If something goes
wrong, the leader can say he didn’t know and wash his hands of it; if something does go wrong, at most he’ll only bear the responsibility
for negligence .”

Shen Shi stood up and bowed respectfully to Hao Xiangshou.

“Director Hao, you are truly my second father.”

"Sit down, sit down. 'Execute without reporting' is unacceptable, and you can't abuse your power. Using it when it's inappropriate is overstepping your authority,
and that's the end of your job as a secretary."

"Excellent, excellent!"

"The master leads you in, but the rest is up to you."

Shen Shi wanted to show off his cleverness to his mentor, so he said, "Director Hao, following your line of thought, I'm wondering
if we should add another clause: 'Report without executing.'"

"Report without executing? That's novel. Tell me about it."

"Sometimes, I ask the leader for instructions, and the leader approves, but if I feel the leader's approval was reluctant, and
the leader doesn't really want to do it, but has no choice but to agree, I'll just 'report without executing,' dragging it out
without doing it. If someone investigates later, the leader can say I already assigned it, and the failure to do it is the secretary's responsibility. Don't you think that
's relieving the leader's burden? Doesn't that count as one clause?"

Hao Xiangshou chuckled.

"You've developed Marxism-Leninism, huh? That's one point. I've handled things the same way, but I didn't quite grasp it.
Little Shen, I wasn't wrong about you. You've surpassed your teacher! You haven't even been a secretary for a few days, how did you come to this
conclusion?

" "You're still the most brilliant one. A hundred times, a thousand times better than me."

Hao Xiangshou took out a cigarette, and Shen Shi quickly took out a lighter and lit it. Hao Xiangshou took a puff.

"Little Shen, the ways of officialdom are too deep. Learn slowly. Our Party
operates less on its constitution and regulations and more on unwritten rules. Unwritten rules are
more important than written rules. Which article in the Party Constitution says who should walk in front and who should walk behind at a meeting?
But in reality, if the second-in-command walks ahead of the first-in-command, even half a step, it's a serious political mistake.
Li Haoyi has been missing for a week, hasn't he?"

"Today is the eighth day. A lot of resources have been mobilized to investigate."

"This matter is no small thing. Li Haoyi served as Mayor Lin Guanghan's secretary for two years. " Later, he became
the director of the Development Office, a lucrative position. All projects involving cooperation with other provinces and cities required Director Li's approval. If anything happened to him, Mayor Lin would be the first to
suffer , and Secretary Jiao couldn't just stand by and do nothing. That would be a huge problem.”

A confidential clerk pushed open the door, holding a fax.

“Director Shen, here's a fax from the S Province Public Security Bureau.”

Shen Shi took the fax and glanced at it.

“Go ahead.”

The clerk left. Shen Shi

handed the fax to Hao Xiangshou with both hands.

“Director Hao, Li Haoyi has been detained by the S Province Public Security Bureau!”

“What?”

Hao Xiangshou, his face grave after reading the fax, stood up.

“Go, report to Secretary Jiao immediately.” Jiao Pengyuan, the Party Secretary of

the Eighth

Municipal Committee and a member of the Central Committee, pointed at the nose of Jiang Dabing, the Public Security Bureau Chief standing in front of the large desk, and said
, “What kind of Public Security Bureau Chief are you? They arrested one of our bureau-level cadres right under your nose,
and you didn't even know!” Lin

Xianhan, Qian Zhong, Shen Shi, and Hao Xiangshou sat on the sofa, not daring to utter a sound. They all realized
the seriousness of the situation.

The atmosphere in the heavy office of the Municipal Party Secretary was somber.

Shen Shi stood up from the sofa, walked to the bookshelf, opened the door, took out a small bottle of medicine, and poured out two pills onto
a piece of paper.

"Secretary Jiao, you should take your medicine."

Jiao Pengyuan slapped the paper away, and the two white pills rolled on the carpet.

"What medicine! The provincial government comes here to arrest people without even giving me a heads-up, it's too much!"

Hao Xiangshou walked over and helped the trembling Jiao Pengyuan sit down on the sofa.

"Secretary Jiao, don't get too angry."

Hao Xiangshou gave Shen Shi a wink.

Shen Shi understood and went to the back of Jiao Pengyuan's sofa, massaging the Municipal Party Secretary's shoulders with both hands.

Qian Zhong blinked his small eyes and said, "Director Jiang, wouldn't this count as kidnapping?" "

Jiang Dabing looked at the documents in his hand.

"Judging from the documents they sent, the S Province Public Security Bureau and the S Province Procuratorate both have approved the detention procedures
. According to regulations, they have the right to detain people across regions. The problem is, how could they be so bold
as to not even give us
a heads-up? According to the information we have now, they lured Li Haoyi to the Capital Horizon Hotel and then transported him back to S Province in a bullet train. They are so disrespectful!"

Since it was his former secretary who had caused the problem, Lin Xianhan cautiously looked around at everyone before speaking.
"I heard that the central leaders have given clear instructions on the major illegal fundraising case in S Province. Since the procedures are complete, we
can't say anything. Can we bring him back first?"

Qian Zhong echoed, "Yes, Mayor Lin is right. The most urgent thing is to bring him back.
We can investigate Li Haoyi's problems ourselves!"

Jiang Dabing spread his hands helplessly and said,

"The problem is that the S Province Public Security Bureau said in a fax that Li Haoyi is involved in a huge illegal fundraising case in S Province."
The main culprit is in S Province. He confessed to arresting
Li . They probably didn't want to be warned beforehand and prevent us from taking Li Haoyi away.”

Qian Zhong stood up and paced around the room. Pacing in the office of the municipal party secretary and
a member of the Central Committee was a privilege reserved for Qian Zhong alone. He stopped and said, “We'll give them a taste of their own medicine. S
Province has an 8,000-square-meter office in our city, which has already broken ground. I'll immediately order it to stop, find
a reason to detain their leader—he's a deputy bureau-level official, after all. I'm not afraid the governor of S Province won't
apologize .”

Jiao Pengyuan stood up from the sofa.

“You all discuss this. Get Li Haoyi back as soon as possible.”

Jiao Pengyuan left, and Shen Shi hurriedly followed.

Lin Xianhan thought for a moment.

“Detaining someone else's person isn't a good idea; it affects relations between brother provinces and cities. No matter what S Province does,
we must act according to organizational principles. Director Jiang, Director Zhou.” "Shouldn't you send someone to S Province to find
out the details and see just how serious Li Haoyi's problem really is? We can discuss it again after we've got the situation figured out."

Qian Zhong said ambiguously, "Mayor Lin, you're in charge of everything. Secretary Jiao entrusted this matter to you.
Whatever you say, we'll do. However, we have to be responsible to every comrade, especially since Li Haoyi used to
be your secretary. If this matter isn't handled properly, you can fully imagine the serious consequences."
" Since Vice Mayor He's death, Secretary Jiao has been under immense pressure. We are a united and fighting collective, and now
is the time for us to share the burden with our leader. A friend in need is a friend indeed."

Lin Xianhan understood Qian Zhong's underlying meaning. When Jiao Pengyuan was mayor, Qian Zhong was the mayor's assistant,
effectively representing Jiao Pengyuan in exercising the mayor's authority—second only to Jiao Pengyuan, and even the vice mayors had to
defer to him. After Jiao Pengyuan became the municipal party secretary, everyone thought the mayoral vacancy would undoubtedly go to Qian Zhong, but unexpectedly,
the position was filled by the former vice mayor, Lin Xianhan. Qian Zhong remained the mayor's assistant, but was given
the title . However, everyone knew in their hearts that Qian Zhong was Jiao Pengyuan's shadow, and Lin Xianhan was merely Jiao Pengyuan
's henchman.

"I've only been in office for two years. You are more experienced in your work than I am, and your connections run deeper. But one thing is certain: we are not
an independent kingdom. We have the masses below us and the central government above us. We must be responsible to both the masses and the central government. In particular,
we must maintain consistency with the central government." The detention of Li Haoyi shows that the anti-corruption campaign is intensifying nationwide and
cannot be stopped. "My hand is small, Comrade Qianzhong, even if your hand is big, you can't shake the sky."

Qianzhong stood up from the sofa.

"Mayor Lin, what do you mean by this? Sacrificing a pawn to save the king? You're the mayor, you make the big decisions, how can you pin the label of an independent
kingdom on me?"

Hao Xiangshou quickly stood between Qianzhong and Lin Xianhan, trying to mediate: "Comrade Qianzhong, Mayor Lin wasn't referring to you personally,
he was reminding us all. In the heat of the moment, everyone was anxious."

Qianzhong flung his arm and left the office.

Lin Xianhan coughed and said, "Director Jiang, Director Zhou, you make the arrangements. Before you leave, find
Secretary Jiao and see if he has any further instructions."

Jiang Dabing and Zhou Senlin stood up.

"Mayor Lin, we're leaving."

"Hmm. Tell the comrades going there to be very careful with their attitude towards other provinces and cities." "

Yes."

Only Lin Guanghan and Hao Xiangshou remained in the room. Lin Guanghan leaned his head against the back of the sofa, looking extremely tired.
The serious problem with his secretary weighed heavily on his mind; he thought, "It's like a storm is brewing! "

Nine

enormous rollers rolled down. The road construction site was bustling with activity.

Li Shangmin, dressed in work clothes, accompanied Jiao Pengyuan on an inspection of the outer ring construction site.

Jiao Pengyuan warmly shook hands with each worker, saying loudly, "Comrades, you've worked hard!"

A reporter took a photo of Jiao Pengyuan smiling and shaking hands with the workers.

"Old Li, the workers are working very hard; you should take good care of them. How are their meals?"

"Meals are rather difficult; the food gets cold by the time it gets here."

Jiao Pengyuan picked up a worker's lunchbox, looked at it, and put it down, saying, "Hmm, this problem needs to be solved. Comrades
, I'll allocate an imported fast food cart for you so you can have hot tea and hot meals!"

The workers cheered.

One worker clapped his hands and said, "Secretary Jiao has done a great service for us!" "

For our city to improve every day, let's all work together with one heart and one mind, maintaining stability and unity. Under
the leadership of the Municipal Party Committee, you all work hard, and I'll take on the burdens. After all, I'm the Municipal Party Secretary and a member of the Central Committee! It's easy to talk when you're not in
the situation , there will always be people pointing fingers and finding fault. With me, Jiao Pengyuan, here, the sky won't fall. Keep up
the good work!"

Li Shangmin seemed thoughtful about Jiao Pengyuan's words.

The workers applauded.

Li Shangmin and Jiao Pengyuan went to a large tree.

"Secretary Jiao, why hasn't the 100 million yuan budgeted project funding arrived yet?"

Jiao Pengyuan said unhappily, "Old Li, didn't I tell you last time that the municipal finances are having difficulties, and we're
trying to find a solution? You're doing a great job, you don't look like you're starving."

"If the funds don't arrive soon, construction will have to stop. That 100 million yuan is earmarked for this purpose, it was raised long ago, how could it
suddenly disappear? Has someone embezzled it?" “

Don’t be so paranoid, Lao Li. With Vice Mayor He dead and Li Haoyi arrested, I’m
under a lot of pressure. Don’t add to my troubles. You should also think about where to raise funds; we absolutely
cannot let it affect the construction speed of the outer ring road. If it does, I will hold you responsible.”

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