Urban Crisis [Complete] - 24

Chapter Fifty-Nine: Gratitude Overwhelmed, Resentment Breathed Within a Plan of Action

Tao Tieliang sat on the sofa in the north room of the secret detention center, smoking three cigarettes, still unable to devise a proper way to deal with Shen
Dongyang . Should

he kill Shen Dongyang according to Wang Zhongwang's instructions? A migrant worker from out of town, unwittingly caught up in a
dangerous incident, with no prior criminal record, was to be deprived of his life. No, absolutely not. But if
Chen Hu found him, it would be extremely disadvantageous for me. Even if I sent him to the ends of the earth, Chen Hu could still
find . What to do?

Perhaps I should spare Shen Dongyang's life. I, Tao Tieliang, have never done anything immoral.

Tao Tieliang waved to the plainclothes butler outside the door, signaling to bring Shen Dongyang over.

Shen Dongyang was brought to the north room and stood in front of the sofa.

“Shen Dongyang, I’ll tell you frankly, because of your evil intentions, you stole a
US dollar printing plate from Jiang Yuexiu’s safe. Later, this printing plate was stolen by someone else, and you became involved in a crime. You are
one of the participants and witnesses in this crime. Based on this, I can legally detain you, or even arrest you for theft.”

Shen Dongyang’s legs went weak, he knelt on the ground, and burst into tears.

“Don’t arrest me, don’t arrest me! My family are farmers, but she was sold by the village, and we have no land to farm. Our whole
family depends on me. I also have a girlfriend, and we’re supposed to get married once we’ve saved enough money. If I’m arrested without any explanation, my
parents will be worried sick and starve to death!…”

“Don’t cry. If I let you go, you might be in even more danger. The crime you’re involved in is done by gangsters.
If they find out you’ve seen the printing plates, they’ll kill you. They stole them from you, so of course they’ll recognize you. So
letting you go might not be a good thing for you.”

“You’re a kind person, showing me a way out, Yang! My whole family kowtows to you in gratitude!…”

“Don’t cry. Stand up and sit in the chair. Crying won’t save you.”

Shen Dongyang wiped away his tears and sat in the chair, sobbing.

“Besides Dongyang’s hometown, do you have anywhere else to go?”

“Yes, I have relatives in Hangzhou and Shanghai.”

“Too close to Dongyang.” "Can you go somewhere far away, to stay with relatives or friends? Your parents even gave you the wrong name
; even a fool could guess you're from Dongyang, not to mention it's clearly written in the electronics store's records. Find
a place where no one can find you."

"Chengdu, my girlfriend's brother is in Chengdu."

"Go to Chengdu. Don't go back to Dongyang, go straight to Chengdu. Don't take a plane; your ID card will expose you
. Taking the train is safe. Remember, you
must not tell anyone anything about what you saw at the fire scene, or about your detention here, including seeing me and everything we talked about. Not
a single word can be left out for your family, girlfriend, relatives, or friends. If you are caught by the police again, you still can't say anything. Leaving a single
word will cost you your life. Got it?"

"Got it."

"Can you do it?"

"Yes. I'll never dare to cause trouble again."

"Do you have travel expenses?"

"No, I haven't been paid for two months. They won't return my deposit. It's okay, I'll go out and borrow some; I can borrow some. " "

Borrow? The moment you borrow money, someone will find out. The underworld is looking for you. I think you're at least honest;
it's not easy for you to come out and work to support your family."

Tao Tieliang took out two thousand yuan from his jacket pocket, counted it, kept five hundred, and put the rest on the coffee table.

"Keep five hundred; I'll buy cigarettes and food. Here's fifteen hundred yuan for you. This month's salary and bonus
are for you."

Shen Dongyang's tears streamed down his face. He knelt before Tao Tieliang and kowtowed, saying,

"I will never forget your great kindness. I will definitely repay you in the future!"

"Get up. You don't need to thank me for such a great kindness. Money is nothing. I saved your life, and
I don't know what risks I will have to take to save your life in the future, that's true. You can't thank Da Si for releasing him! You
've forgotten me, completely forgotten me, so what's the point of talking about repaying the money?" Go wash your face. I'll have them find you some
clothes, a washcloth, and other miscellaneous things. I'll also get you sunglasses and a handbag, and then
take you directly to the train station. You don't need to pay for the ticket. Go now.

Shen Dongyang was about to kneel and kowtow again when Tao Tieliang stopped him.

"No kowtowing. A real man should roam the world. How can you be so spineless? Go now."

Shen Dongyang went to the side room where he was being held to wash his face. Tao Tieliang called over a plainclothes policeman and said,

"Two of you go and take him directly to the station, through the soft sleeper passage, and don't let him contact anyone.
Make sure he's settled on the train before you get off. The mission is complete only after the train leaves the station."

"Director Tao, this kid has actually benefited from misfortune. You've saved him from certain death."

Tao Tieliang breathed a sigh of relief and said,

"Those of us in this line of work arrest countless people, and our compassion is dwindling.
We won't be able to explain ourselves to the King of Hell when we get there."

The policeman chuckled and said,

"At worst, we'll just go back to our old ways when we get to the King of Hell. The King of Hell arrests people every day;
Black Impermanence and White Impermanence are our predecessors. Hell also has a legal system, and with a legal system, we'll have food to eat.
Are you afraid of the King of Hell? With us helping him, his life will be even more comfortable!"

In the Honda Accord task force office, after listening to Jiao Xiaoyu
recount said excitedly:

“A major breakthrough! A major breakthrough! This guy is crucial; finding him is the key.
Does He Kedai have a photo of him?”

Jiao Xiaoyu’s expression wasn’t relaxed.

“No, He Kedai didn’t dare take on the job, so he didn’t get a photo. He’s nameless; can
we find him?”

“Hmm. It’s difficult, but we’ll find a way. Wu Aikun is also a prime suspect, but we don’t have
evidence to accuse her. Let’s find him first. We need to ask He Kedai again about this.”

Jiao Xiaoyu sighed disappointedly.

“You’ve made progress on the case, and you’ve forgotten about me.”

Chen Hu scratched his scar and smiled sheepishly.

“I’m sorry, it’s my bad habit. Once I’m in work mode, I only have a
working . Sorry, sorry. Xiaoyu, what’s on your mind?”

“You work; don’t let me distract you.”

“Don’t be stubborn; tell me.”

"Actually, telling you wouldn't help."

"Let's try, maybe I can come up with some ideas."

"Then give me some ideas. I just signed an import contract with Great Wall Trading Company on behalf of Longjin Company.
It's a large amount, a classified military project. According to He Kedai, Great Wall Trading Company
is a shareholder of Forget-Me-Not Electrical Appliances Mall, and the company may be involved in smuggling. I'm worried that cooperating with such a company
will get us involved in some smuggling activities. What do you think I should do?"

Chen Hu lit a cigarette, took a few puffs, and said,

"If He Kedai's confession is true, Great Wall Trading Company and Wu Aikun have a deeper relationship. Can
the contract be declared void?"

"The project has already started. If we unilaterally declare the contract void, we'll have to pay compensation. Besides, the other party is a military
company, and it's a classified key military project. If we unilaterally break the contract, the political,
economic , and even legal liabilities will be quite serious."

"Logically speaking, as long as your cooperative project doesn't run into problems, Great Wall Company's previous problems
are unrelated to Longjin Company."

“Chen Hu, I want to report these situations to Vice Minister Ji to avoid being put in a passive position. What do you think?”

Chen Hu replied without hesitation,

“You should. Vice Minister Ji appointed you as the company's legal representative, so of course you should report to him. Besides,
he has comprehensive information and can take measures to prevent irregularities from occurring.”

Jiao Xiaoyu stood up and said,

“Then I’ll go. Go find He Kedai yourself. I don’t know what’s wrong with that guy; he’s always swearing, and
I can’t be bothered with him.”

“Let’s go together. Xiaoyu, stay calm; we’re upright and have nothing to fear.” In the parking lot, Jiao Xiaoyu got into her BMW, and Chen Hu got into his Cherokee. They drove in different directions

after leaving the Municipal Public Security Bureau’s guesthouse . Jiao Xiaoyu called Ji Tao in the car, saying she had something important to report. Ji Tao said on the phone that he was negotiating with a foreign representative but could spare twenty minutes to meet with her. Jiao Xiaoyu parked her car in the parking lot of the International Conference Center. This was where the negotiations were taking place. In a small conference room on the eighteenth floor, Jiao Xiaoyu waited for half an hour before Ji Tao came in. "The foreigner went for coffee, so we can talk a little longer. I've been too busy lately and haven't had time to check on the task force . With Secretary Fang in charge, I can take it easy. Any progress?" Jiao Xiaoyu recounted what she had heard from He Kedai to Ji Tao and then summarized, "Chen Hu's strategy is to first capture the guy nicknamed 'Follower,' and if there's evidence, then break into Wu Aikun. What do you think?" Ji Tao listened intently, resting his chin on his hand. “Okay, I think it’s a good idea. I’m not familiar with Chen Hu or Tao Tieliang, but their abilities are widely recognized. I believe we can solve the case within the time limit set by Secretary Fang.” “Vice Minister Ji, Great Wall Company may have been involved in smuggling in the past. Will we be implicated if we cooperate with them ?” Ji Tao laughed heartily and said, “Party A is Party A, and Party B is Party B. Whoever’s account is their account. As long as there are no problems with this project , Longjin Company will not have any problems. I have never interfered with the company’s business. You are the legal representative appointed by your superiors. Managing the company is your right and also the task assigned to you by the organization. Don’t be too nervous. Wei Ming is more familiar with the situation. Consult with him more often.” “I still want to resign from the position of chairman.” Ji Tao waved his hand and said, “Things that have been decided will not be discussed again. I heard from the company that you are doing a very good job! There’s a meeting coming up. The foreigners are difficult to deal with. Xiaoyu, you can come to my place less often during this period. Focus your main energy on the special case and the company’s business. That’s all.” Chen Hu called He Kedai to the director’s office of the Anti-Corruption Bureau. "You're trying to gain merit from me again, aren't you?" He Kedai sat on the sofa, taking the cigarette . "You got promoted to deputy director, and you didn't even treat me to a meal. " "When have you ever seen the Anti-Corruption Bureau treat someone to a meal?" "That's true. You guys are just predators." "You're rich, but if you insist I treat you, it's no big deal." "Rich? Even if I'm rich, I'm still richer than you. A skinny camel is still bigger than a horse. Have you forgotten I treated you to a sauna?" "Kedai, do me a favor." "Looking for a kicking post, huh? You and Xiaoyu conspired against me, what am I supposed to do about it? You two, one promoted to deputy director, the other to section chief, all thanks to me. I fell into an ice hole, and you didn't even lend a hand , what kind of friends are you?" "Not pulling me along? If I didn't, how could you have become the director's honored guest? Do you think just anyone can sit on the sofa ? That's quite a privilege, isn't it? Seriously, I know you can find someone to help me, otherwise Jiang Yuexiu wouldn't have come to you. Help me find someone, and I'll consider it a favor I owe you." He Kedai said , swinging his legs, "The way you repay a favor is to sit on that sofa. When my dad was alive, I wouldn't even bother sitting on the director's sofa, let alone the minister's . I have an even bigger trump card up my sleeve; even if I gave it to you now, you wouldn't dare accept it. I'll give it to you then . Let's make it clear first, it's not free; you have to do me a real favor." "We'll talk about the future later. First, help me find someone to help me. I've seen through you long ago; you're clear-headed on important matters, and there's definitely hope for the future." "Director Chen, what makes you think I can find someone to help me?" "Do I need to spell it out? Your gang of henchmen treats you like a mini-Song Jiang; they all obey your orders. Finding the mole isn't impossible for us, but it'll take time. Let the henchmen do it; they'll be begging for mercy, it'll be much easier ." "Good," He Kedai slapped his thigh, "I'll help you achieve another great feat, get promoted to bureau chief, and I'll get a little something too. Do you remember Ah Si?" "Yes, your henchman. How come he's out too?" "That kid's rich now. He owns a chain of foot massage parlors, brothels and gambling dens, making a fortune every day. I'll ask Ah Si for a favor . Let's get this straight: if Ah Si gets into trouble with you, you have to let him go. If you promise to protect Ah Si, I'll have him dig out the mole for you." Chen Hu thought for a moment and said, "Okay, as long as he doesn't do anything too outrageous, it's fine." He Kedai patted his chest and said, "My company, He Kedai's company, is a great melting pot for cultivating revolutionary cadres. Every one of my henchmen who goes out becomes..."

" He's the general manager. Don't let their status as bosses fool you; they're
still henchmen to me, not daring to utter a sound. Ah Si isn't the most successful, but he's still a big shot in Si Liu City! He's a womanizer.
If he's a womanizer, he'll have to go to brothels, and if he does, he'll most likely end up in Ah Si's hands. Besides, I've seen
a picture . Ah Si can detain anyone he suspects, I can go and check, verify their identity, and we'll be all set."

"Ke Dai, tell Ah Si to be careful. He's got a gun." He

Ke Dai scoffed,

"What's the use of a gun? Even if he's naked, he can still grope a woman's breasts with one hand and pull the trigger with the other."

"Can you stop with your vulgar language? This plan is feasible. Go find Ah Si right now, ask him if he's seen
He's been there, then spread the net. We must capture He's alive." He

lay half-reclined on his private sofa chair. A young lady was giving him a foot massage. He used his toes to playfully touch
the young lady 's face and said with a grin,

"Foot massage is a science, have you ever studied it? It's just like tickling." "

The young lady dared not utter a sound. He Si stood beside He Kedai, speaking respectfully as if he were a lackey:

'Brother, please don't make things difficult for her. She only came up from the mountains of Guizhou three days ago, what does she know? Do you think
a real foot massage therapist would come here to be ripped off? They're all here to dig holes. The other day, some impatient guy came in, had just taken off his socks,
hadn't even paid for his feet yet, and was already digging holes right there. I had to persuade him to go to the back. Later, I found out he was a county bureau
chief.'

'A county bureau chief is just a section chief, what kind of worldly experience could he have?'

'That guy didn't pay for digging holes, but left four bottles of Moutai. It must have been some kind of tribute he received. He came here to
barter to start a barter trade, it's really weird.'

He Kedai glanced at his watch. "

"It's been an hour, why haven't you replied yet? You better handle Director Chen's matter well."

"I've called everyone, it won't be that quick. A bunch of things won't delay Brother. Why don't you
handle it for her first, we're just waiting anyway."

He Ke Dai used his toe to poke at the young lady's face again, thinking her appearance was acceptable.

"Is she a virgin?"

"Yes."

"How do you know she's a virgin?"

He Si imitated a soldier's salute, saying,

"Reporting to the commander, I've tested it, she bled, I guarantee she's a virgin!"

He Ke Dai burst into wild laughter.

"Ah Si, you actually remembered all the jokes I told!"

Ah Si said apologetically,

"Brother, it's really not a joke, it's similar to the jokes you told. I really did it for her, otherwise she
wouldn't listen . I didn't expect you to come, so I didn't save any for you. I got to try it out. I only used her once, if you don't mind, keep
using her. If you do mind, I'll make her more attractive, and I'll bring out new ones every few days. All the girls in the world are bewitched. If you
turn her away when she comes to your door, she'll cry and wail. If you agree to let her jump into the fire pit, she'll actually dance with joy."

He Ke took a sip of tea and put down his teacup.

"Hmm, the tea is good."

"Would I dare brew you anything less? It's your favorite Da Hong Pao, all the brothers know it, who would dare to be anything less? No matter how expensive ,
we have to serve it to you."

"Ah Si, you've made enough money in the prostitution and gambling business. It's time to retire.
No matter how chaotic China becomes, this business won't last forever. Once you're caught in the crossfire, it'll be too late to quit.
Don't take advantage of every girl from out of town who comes to you, have some decency."

"Brother, you're very clear-headed. If I don't take advantage of them, someone else will. Besides, they come all this way
to our base precisely to be taken advantage of. Holding the next generation and heading towards a bright future, it's our
duty, isn't it, brother? I haven't forgotten your teachings, have I?"

Ah Si's phone rang, interrupting his enthusiastic conversation.

"Hmm, there's one... how many times has he come? What's the name of the girl he's taking advantage of?... Not 'Gen Yao'... Keep
investigating, listen to me."

Ah Si hung up the phone.

“Brother, there is such a person, tall and thin, with a bit of a foot injury. But his nickname isn’t ‘Gen Yao,’ it’s
‘Bi Ji.’ He often goes to the South City to find that shop, and every time he goes, he asks a Sichuan girl named Xiao Ju to do his piercings. The name doesn’t
match .”

“I recognize him when we meet. I’ve seen a picture of Gen Yao.”

“Brother, keep it up, there are still about ten shops we haven’t replied to.”

He Ke sat up and put on his slippers.

"I'm sleepy, I'm going upstairs to sleep for a while. You gather all the information from the various shops, including all
the information —screen it all, summarize the important clues, and tell me everything when I wake up."

"Want to find a girl to keep you company?"

"No thanks, I'm not in the mood."

"Brother, are you thinking of becoming a monk? Why have you been so celibate lately?"

"Become a monk? Yes, maybe even a nun. If I become a monk, I'll drag you down with me."

"Don't do that, brother, you're just asking for trouble."

"Wake me up if there's anything important. Director Chen needs us brothers this time, it'll be easier to get things done with him later."

"Yes. You sleep, I'll take care of everything."

Baldy and Alibaba were no less efficient than Ah Si; they
investigated . Drugs, prostitution, theft, robbery—they found traces of a tall, thin man with broken feet in these four trades, uncovering
over a dozen people with the same characteristics.

Inside the BMW sports car, Alibaba said to Baldy,

"Brother Guang, a dozen tall, skinny guys suddenly appeared. Which one is the real one?"

Baldy dutifully stopped the car at the red light, glanced at Alibaba, and said,

"Fasten your seatbelt. Don't let the police cause trouble. Director Tao wants a tall
, skinny guy who's been to a fire scene. I heard from the brothers that there's a guy who went to the hair salon to get a haircut the night of the fire. He said his hair was singed and he had burns on
his arms . Let's go to the hair salon and ask."

"Whose hair salon?" "

The one run by Xiao Liu from Nancheng, called Mayflower."

"The Xiao Liu who spent ten years in Xinjiang?"

"That's him. I gave him 80,000 yuan before he opened Mayflower. Business is doing alright."

Alibaba flattered,

"Brother Guang, the good guys are the government's responsibility, the scumbags are yours. You're practically a mayor now!"

Baldy glared at him and said,

"Don't try to flatter me." ***Can someone with a nose like that make us godfathers? After I've mastered this, I
'll go to Australia, change my status, and come back. One good point can cover up a hundred bad ones; then I'll donate money to build a university and get myself a political career.
" You're a member of the CPPCC now. Who would dare say you're from the underworld?"

"Donating money to build a university? How much would that cost? Brother Guang, some people can get promoted just by shouting slogans, that's much more practical.
I think getting a hollow title is useless."

"Alibaba, you'll only ever sell alcohol in your life. You think donating money is free? Just because you have a good reputation, you
'll dare to evade taxes. He evades far more taxes than he donates, I've seen this kind of thing many times. Actually, I've
donated quite a bit before, I had to give half of my protection money to Qun Gen. After changing my identity, I changed my secret donations to open donations. I don't feed wolves
anymore, I only feed tigers. Walking with tigers, that's so cool, everyone makes way for you."

"Brother Guang, you're truly wise and brave, the brothers are definitely following you."

The BMW sports car drove towards the Mayflower Hair Salon amidst laughter.

Tao Tieliang anxiously waited for the bald man's call, his phone rang, and he answered it only to realize it was the same
stranger on the other end.

"Director Tao, the suspect's nickname is 'Follower.'" Chen Hu already knows about this situation; he's probably
trying to find He Kedai through him. You must find this person before Chen Hu does. Act according to the circumstances.”

The other party hung up. Tao Tieliang no longer suspected the stranger. This person must be
a high-ranking , even Chen Hu's whereabouts were under his secret control. Chen Hu was a master of secrecy, never revealing details of cases
; yet even he couldn't escape the Buddha's palm. It seems the nickname "King of Kings" wasn't just empty boasting; he truly possessed
boundless power.

Tao Tieliang turned on his phone and dialed Alibaba's number.

“Ali, any progress?”

“The Mayflower banquet is almost here. That kid probably shaved his
head at Mayflower to avoid giving away his secret. The Mayflower owner, Xiao Liuzi, is the bald man's henchman; there's no mistake. I'm thinking of reporting back to you when I have definite information.”

“Ali, that person's nickname might be 'Head-on.' This will make things easier for you. Call me back as soon as you have any leads
; don't give the hell away. ” The BMW

sports car stopped in front of the Mayflower Hair Salon. The owner, Xiao Liu, got in, opened the door, and respectfully said,

"Brother Guang, please come in."

"No time, let's talk in the car. You get in. Ali, you get out, give your seat to Xiao Liu."

There were only two seats in the car. Ali reluctantly got out and stood on the sidewalk. He knew that
the bald man wanted to monopolize information and curry favor with Director Tao. But he had no choice but to swallow his anger.

"Xiao Liu, is that man's nickname 'Follower Waist'?"

"No. His name is 'Hemp Pole.' 'Hemp Pole' isn't a regular customer; he's only been two or three times.
He came around midnight on the night of the fire, his hair was badly burned, and he had several burns. He shaved his head here and then
went to the Warm Sauna across the street. He hasn't come back since."

"Do you still have the hair you shaved off 'Hemp Pole'?"

"Yes, I wrapped it in paper. I never deviate from your instructions." " From the day I opened, you told me
to carefully collect the hair cut from people who looked like gangsters, people I suspected, or officials, write their names on them, and store it
. I've been doing that ever since. Brother Guang, is the hair useful?"

"Very useful. You can test blood types and genetics in hair; the police use it for clues and evidence
. Your hair has helped the police a lot. Don't tell anyone, though. If the gangsters find out you're doing this kind of thing,
they'll wipe out your whole family. What line does Nuanyangyang across the street belong to?"

"I heard the big boss is called A Si, and it's his chain store."

"Which A Si? I've never heard of him."

"He's like Kou Zhun's boots—thick-soled. I heard that the person protecting A Si is He Kedai, the son of the former mayor He,
the executive vice mayor who committed suicide."

"Where is A Si's main store?"

"North City West Second Street, I've never been there. I'm polite to the people across the street, but I don't have much contact with them." "

The bald man patted his bald head and said,

'You have to be polite to him. Even though Mayor He is dead, a centipede doesn't die easily. Get out of the car and
give me the hair from the stubble. Remember, don't say anything to Ali.'

Xiao Liuzi got out of the car and quickly took out a brown paper envelope from the house. There were two words written on the envelope: 'Stubble.

' 'Brother Guang, here you go. '

The bald man put away the envelope and called out,

'Ali, get in.'

Ali got in the car and sat in the passenger seat.

'Brother Guang, is it 'Gen Yao'?

'No, his nickname is 'Stubble.' Ali, you take a taxi back, I'll wander around a few more places.

'I'll go with you.'

The bald man glared at him again.

'Get out!'

Ali obediently got out of the car. The BMW sports car sped away like an arrow, heading towards the Second Street of North City. The

bald man dialed Tao Tieliang's cell phone.

'Director Tao, this person's nickname isn't 'Gen Yao,' it's 'Stubble.'" " I suspect it's him. It's not uncommon for people in the underworld to have
ten or eight nicknames. I have some hair on hand, keep it for your testing to verify his identity. I'm currently
training you diligently; victory is in sight."

"Baldy, don't alert him."

"Understood. Alibaba is more trouble than he's worth; I've sent him away. Now it's just you and me in direct
contact . If anything happens, I won't act; I'll report to you. Ordinary people have no law enforcement power; I understand."

"Baldy, I checked your records. You're a police academy graduate, how did you become
a bandit ?"

"I infiltrated the enemy. I was assigned to guard the detention center, but I didn't go. What's the point of being a jailer? I went into business.
"

"You call that going into business? You call that going astray. Quickly repent and reform."

"Director Tao, you want me back in the ranks? I have several classmates in the city bureau."

"Back in the ranks? In your next life. Gods go to their temples, ghosts go to their graves. " " You'll
be lucky . Call me immediately if anything happens."

The bald man's car entered the northern part of the city, and West Second Street was already visible in the distance.

He Ke was woken up by A Si while lying on the massage bed.

"Brother, something's up."

"Speak, I wasn't asleep." He Ke didn't get up.

"Nuan Yangyang called. The description of the person he described is very similar to the person you're looking for.
He came here the night of the fire, and he had injuries, like a roasted sweet potato, his body was very black at the time. His nickname is 'Hemp Stick.'"

He Ke rolled out of bed, putting on his shoes as he said,

"Hemp Stick also means thin. Having burns is pretty much the case."

"Hemp Stick just went to Nuan Yangyang. The brothers are letting him choose a girl. I told them on the phone that..."
" We need to keep the customer calm."

"Come on, let's go check out Nuanyangyang."

The door opened, and a young woman entered.

"Boss, a gentleman is looking for you."

"A shampoo boy?"

"No, he says he's your friend."

He Kedai said impatiently,

"Get him out of here quickly. You come with me to Nuanyangyang. Don't delay our business. When you meet him, don't
introduce me. I don't care about those scoundrels."

Ah Si asked the young woman,

"What kind of person is he?"

"All designer clothes, Rolex, driving a BMW."

"Brother, let's meet him. Please ask this gentleman to wait a moment, I'll be right there."

Ah Si and He Kedai walked through the narrow corridor. On one side of the corridor were six massage parlors. They went down the stairs
to the customer lounge on the first floor.

The bald man clasped his hands in a fist and said to Ah Si,

"Brother, I apologize for disturbing you."

Ah Si returned the gesture.

"Brother, what can I do for you?"

He Kedai glanced at the bald man, knowing he wasn't a good guy, smiled and nodded, then said to A Si,

"A Si, hurry up, I'll wait for you in the car." He

Kedai nodded to the bald man again, then turned and left.

The bald man and A Si exchanged business cards.

"From now on, we're brothers, looking out for each other, and making money together. I've come today with an important
request . Otherwise, I wouldn't dare to barge in. Is Nancheng Nuanyangyang your shop?"

"Yes, it's mine."

"I need to find someone, nicknamed 'Gen Yao,' he frequents that sauna. Hand him over to me.
How much? Just say the word."

"You have a grudge against him?"

"I have a small score to settle."

"I don't care what grudge you have against him, but selling out your brothers in the underworld is something I can't do for any amount of money. If word gets out
, how will I do business? I'm sorry, brother, I absolutely cannot agree to this."

The bald man clasped his hands in a fist salute.

"I've long heard that Master A Si is righteous, and seeing him today confirms it." "Let's be frank. If we don't hand this guy
over, none of us will have a good life. Your chain stores will be ruined too. If I were to threaten you with official matters,
that would be dishonest. This guy is carrying a huge bombshell. If he explodes in our hands, the city bureau will definitely launch a major
crackdown on organized crime. Don't underestimate us; we have to clean house when necessary. We don't need to
go against the government; we rely on them for our livelihood. I don't know what kind of relationship you have with Yao. Even if you're sworn brothers,
you have to let go when necessary."

"Brother, I'm telling you, I don't even know Yao, let alone have any relationship with him. How about this,
if this guy comes to my shop again, I'll definitely hand him over to you. Just don't say I handed him over. I have something
to do; I'll treat you to drinks another day."

"No, no, no, that's too much. Fourth Master, I've made myself clear. People in our line of work can't survive a day
without the government." When it's our turn to help someone gain merit, we have to create
the conditions for them to do so. Alright, I won't go into too much detail. Brother, you're a smart man. I'll be waiting for your news today.”

“Today? So urgent?”

The bald man sneered,

“Even a duck can't be submerged in a flood. I'm only here to say hello because of you. If it were anyone else's shop,
I would have already barged in. I've never seen anyone who can stop me, the bald man. I genuinely want to be your friend. I've heard so much
about Mr. 's reputation as Little Song Jiang. Fourth Master, if word gets out and Nuan Yangyang lets
things slide, I won't be able to save you.”

Normally, if someone were to act so casually, Fourth Master would have already lost his temper. He Ke was waiting in the car, so he had to suppress
his anger and quickly get away.

“I'm sorry, I can't keep you company today. Don't worry, even if I, Fourth Master, can't help you, I certainly won't ruin your
plans. Until we meet again.” Ah

Si bowed goodbye, went out, and got into He Kedai's car.

Baldy, through the glass door, noted down the Toyota King's license plate number. He followed, got into the BMW sports car,
and picked up his phone to call the traffic police booth at the intersection.

"Is this Brother Lu? ...This is Baldy. There's a black Toyota King. Note its direction and
keep in touch with the next booth. It's not my job; I can't easily follow it. It's an urgent task assigned by Director Tao. I'll contact you
anytime ."

Baldy hung up, then called again, giving the Toyota King's license plate number.

In the Toyota King, Ah Si drove, and He Kedai sat next to him.

He Kedai called Chen Hu's phone.

"Director Chen, there's a guy in the underworld named Baldy who just came to Ah Si's shop asking about Gan Yao. This guy
's got bad intentions ; the underworld might be planning to target Gan Yao. Baldy's faster than me; he already knows that Nuanyangyang Sauna is
where Gan Yao hangs out. Shouldn't you guys come quickly?" "I can't stop them with my bare hands."

Chen Hu asked on the phone,

"Where is Nuanyangyang Sauna?"

"South side of Nancheng Xiejie, there's a sign."

"Keep him calm, don't alert them. We're on our way."

Toyota Wang accelerated towards Nancheng Xiejie.

Baldy learned from the traffic police post that Toyota Wang was heading towards Nancheng Xiejie. He immediately understood that A Si had gone to Nuanyangyang.

He dialed Tao Tieliang's cell phone.

"Director Tao, the person you're looking for might be at Nuanyangyang Sauna. I've found out.
The owner is called A Si, and he's a henchman of He Kedai, the son of Vice Mayor He. I was afraid A Si would let them off easy, so I'm reporting to you
right away. A Si and someone, I guess it's He Kedai, are on their way to Nuanyangyang."

"Where is Nuanyangyang?"

"South side of Nancheng Xiejie. Right across from my Mayflower Hair Salon."

"Good, keep an eye on it. I'm on my way."

Tao Tieliang guessed that He Kedai was acting under Chen Hu's orders. This meant Chen Hu had gotten there first. " Chen Hu
, Chen Hu, why are you using informants now!"

Tao Tieliang hung up the phone, took a rapid response team, got into a police car, and drove towards Nancheng Xiejie. Three
Desert King police cars sped along the street.

"Chen Hu, watch me outmaneuver you, let's see who wins today!" Before Tao Tieliang's anger could even
reach his head, his phone rang. He opened his Motorola flip phone, and Chen Hu's voice came through.

"Tieliang, why is your phone always busy! Emergency, the person we need to find might be him, and we're still..."
" I can't be sure, it's at the Nuanyangyang Foot Massage and Sauna City on Nancheng Xiejie. I'm in the car, heading there. Are you
organizing police to meet me at the entrance of Nuanyangyang right away?"

Tao Tieliang sneered, "By the time I call you and mobilize the police, it'll be too late. That guy is called 'Gen Yao,'
and he's already under my control. Chen Hu, leave this job to me. You won't be of any help even if you come."

"Then hurry up! We'll discuss the details when we meet!"

Tao Tieliang hung up the phone. His resentment towards Chen Hu had lessened considerably. At this crucial moment, he still informed me of
the situation.

Chapter Sixty: Suspect Killed by Machine Gun, Prisoners Fight for Supremacy

The entrance of Nuanyangyang Foot Massage and Sauna City on Xiejie faces the street. Houfu is an alley, and in the middle of the alley is a
cross alley connecting to another parallel alley.

A Si parked the Toyota King at the store entrance and went inside with He Ke. Mommy came over and whispered in A Si's
ear ,

"Building H, Number 4." I arranged for a Thai masseuse to give him a Thai massage. He was quite
happy .

Ah Si whispered,

"Classical Thai or modern Thai?"

"Modern Thai."

Modern Thai massage is a nude massage. The customer wears baggy shorts and a cardigan, and the masseuse is completely naked,
massaging from head to toe. For areas like the chest and thighs, the breasts are used for massage, and the nipples
are even more effective than fingers.

Ah Si complained to his madam,

"If the police come, it'll all be discovered. You should have just made him do a classical massage."

The madam said aggrievedly,

"The customer specifically requested modern Thai. If I don't, I won't keep him. You didn't say the police were coming."

He Ke Dai was also a little anxious.

"Ah Si, you have foreign masseuses here? That's another offense."

"No foreigners." "You said there are Thai ones?" "Brother, I fooled the customer, and I fooled you too. They're all domestic, and they can speak a few words of Thai. I just use them to pretend to be Thai.

" " He Kedai asked his mother, "Are there any other customers upstairs?" "There aren't many customers at this hour, just one. He's also getting modern Thai food." "Brother, let the other customer leave. If they all go inside, my shop will have to close down." "No," He Kedai grabbed Ah Si's hand, "If we shoo the other customer away, the guy who's been harassing us might get alerted, and he'll have to run too. Let's just let him get away with it. If we can catch him, it'll be a good way to make amends. How many hours did he book ?" His mother replied, "Two hours. To keep him calm, I promised a discount for one hour." "Is there a peephole on the door?" "Yes." "I'll go up and check him out." "Brother, I'll go with you." "No need. Too many people will make too much noise. I can manage on my own." Ah Si pulled out a Dutch knife and shoved it into He Kedai's hand, saying, "Take this." He Kedai took off his leather shoes, put on his socks, and tiptoed upstairs to the second floor. He arrived at door number 4, closed his left eye slightly, and pressed his right eye against the peephole to look inside. The woman's two full breasts rubbed against the customer's chest, making it impossible to see the man's face. He Kedai was anxious but helpless. Suddenly, the man sat up and pressed the naked woman beneath him. His face was now directly facing the peephole. He Kedai recognized him as He Kedai. He Kedai tiptoed away and returned downstairs. He pulled A Si aside and said, "Quickly chase away the customers getting their feet washed downstairs. Don't let them make a sound, lest they disturb the upstairs." A Si and the madam told the two men getting their feet washed, "You two hurry up and leave, don't make a sound, we're closed today." The madam called the women working there together, "We're closed today, hurry up and leave." Ah Si peered out the door and saw the bald man's BMW racing car parked in front of the Mayflower Hair Salon across the street. He cursed , "Damn it, you've followed me." Seeing that all the bystanders had left, He Ke dialed Chen Hu's number: "Director Chen, it's him, He Yao." "I'll be there in a few minutes." "Hurry up. The girls inside are naked, so be careful. He's on the second floor, number 4." Chen Hu immediately dialed Tao Tieliang's number from his Cherokee. "Tieliang, it's him. I'm here." Tao Tieliang asked on the phone, "How many of you are there?" "Three in total. He's on the second floor, number 4. Besides He Yao, there's another girl inside." Tao Tieliang emphasized, "Chen Hu, I order you, even if you arrive first, you're not allowed to act on your own. You have no experience in arresting people on the spot; the suspect might resist arrest with weapons. You guard the exits; don't let him escape before I arrive, and then you've completed your mission." “ Okay, I’ll wait until you get there before we move.” The Cherokee stopped next to the Toyota King. Chen Hu said, “I’ve arrived,” and then turned off his phone. He Kedai came out from inside. Seeing Chen Hu and the other two get out of the car, he whispered, “Director Chen, only three of you?” “The city police are here soon. Can you guarantee that the person upstairs is the one in the photo?” “His hairstyle has changed; he’s shaved his head. That’s right, it’s him.” Tao Tieliang’s emergency response team got out of several police cars. A dozen riot police officers, all wearing helmets and bulletproof vests and carrying automatic rifles, quickly surrounded the Nuanyangyang store. Chen Hu was holding a pistol. He pulled He Kedai to Tao Tieliang’s side and said, “Mr. He identified the suspect as the guy we’re looking for; his current nickname is PG Prickly. He’s in number 4 upstairs; there’s a prostitute inside.” Tao Tieliang smiled knowingly: “Mr. He and I have known each other for a long time. Does he have a gun?” He beckoned, and Ah Si and his mother came over. He said, " Director Tao is asking you, does that person upstairs have a gun?" His mother was too nervous to speak, stammering, "...His clothes...are locked in the box, the key is with him. He took a handbag upstairs...I don't know if there's a gun in it..." Tao Tieliang said gently, "Don't be nervous. Can you open door number 4?" "With the key, it can be opened from the outside." "Give me the key."

Mommy went back inside, took out a key, and handed it to Tao Tieliang.

"Chen Hu, you take your men and stake out the back alley to prevent him from jumping out of the window. I'll go through the front door to arrest
him."

Chen Hu waved, leading two men from the street corner to the alley under Nuanyangyang's back window.

Tao Tieliang ordered the rest of his men to guard the front door and the stairwell, then led five men up the stairs.

At door number 4 on the second floor, one policeman gently opened the door with a key, while the others pointed their guns at the door.
Tao Tieliang stood guard on the left side of the door.

The key went into the lock, but the door wouldn't open. In her panic, Mommy grabbed the wrong key.

The policeman whispered, "You must have grabbed the wrong key, let's switch it?"

Just as Tao Tieliang said "It's too late," a bullet fired from inside struck the locksmith's arm.

"Break down the door!"

Tao Tieliang's words were barely out when two policemen barely managed to open the door with their shoes. They quickly ducked to either side of the door,
and more bullets fired from inside.

Tao Tieliang and two other policemen rushed to the doorway, their guns pointed inside.

Gen Yao, gun in his right hand, pressed it against the head of the woman he was holding to his chest. The masseuse was completely naked and trembling
with fear . Behind him was a window facing the alley.

Tao Tieliang shouted sternly,

"Put down your weapons!"

Gen Yao remained calm, sneering,

"Don't move. If you move, I'll shoot her dead! You're in for a treat today. Keep your eyes on me, don't
keep staring at that naked Thai girl. I'll count to three, and if you don't back out, I'll shoot! I
never mince words!"

Hearing that she was a Thai woman, Tao Tieliang felt a pang of panic; protecting the foreign hostage was now even more crucial.

“Okay, we’ll back out. Killing a hostage will only increase your crime. Back out.”

Gen Yao shouted,

“Close the door!”

Tao Tieliang resolutely refused:

“The door can’t be closed, how can we negotiate if the door is closed!”

“You close the door and wait for our international friend to get dressed. Once she’s dressed, we’ll negotiate! If you don’t
close the door , I’ll count to three and kill her too! One! Two!…”

“Okay, I’ll close the door. I’ll give you two minutes to get dressed. Let me tell you, you can’t escape!
We’re !”

Tao Tieliang closed the door. The gun was still pointed at the corresponding position inside the door.

Just as the door closed, Gen Yao pushed the massage girl out of the window, and he jumped down after her.

There was a fruit stand under the window in the alley, a simple wooden shed.

Chen Hu, who was waiting under the window, heard the gunshot and knew that the suspect was resisting arrest with arms, so he became highly vigilant.
A Mazda was parked next to the fruit stand, the doors were locked, and there was no driver. He suspected that the car belonged to Gen Yao, and that he had deliberately parked it in
this inconspicuous place.

The masseuse fell onto the wooden roof of the fruit stand, then rolled to the ground, bleeding profusely. Chen Hu rushed over
to help, shouting,

"Quick, she's still alive!"

The other two officers lifted the masseuse up and ran towards the Cherokee.

At that moment, Chen Hu saw Gen Yao jump onto the roof of the Mazda with a loud thud, then slide down to
the door.

Gen Yao held a gun in his right hand and used the car keys to open the door with his left. Chen Hu lunged forward, pinning Gen Yao beneath him.
Gen Yao exerted force, pinning

Chen Hu back. Gen Yao was about to pull the trigger with his right hand when Chen Hu grabbed Gen Yao's wrist holding the gun.
The bullet from Gen Yao's pistol flew into the air. With

a "bang," Gen Yao's head exploded; he died on Chen Hu's body.

The one who shot and killed Gen Yao was Tao Tieliang, who appeared at the window.

Chen Hu pushed the corpse off his body, got up, and yelled at Tao Tieliang, who was leaning out of the window,

"Why did you kill him?"

Tao Tieliang put away his pistol, rushed down, and shouted,

"Nonsense! If I hadn't killed him, he would have killed you already! Are you alright?"

"If you had killed him, the thread would have been cut!"

Tao Tieliang closed the window. He chuckled inwardly: That's exactly what I wanted—to cut the thread. He
gave orders to the police inside:

"Operation complete. Seal off the shop. Take the suspect's clothes. You two go down and collect the body. You two take
all the staff from Nuanyangyang to the city detention center for questioning. Notify the forensic doctor to perform an autopsy. Notify the Third Division to come to the scene to take photos.
You three stay to collect evidence from the scene. No one other than city bureau personnel is allowed to enter the scene. Each group reports to me immediately after completing
their tasks ."

Chen Hu was stopped at the shop entrance by two policemen with automatic rifles.

"You can't go in. Director Tao has ordered that no one other than city bureau personnel is allowed to enter the scene."

Chen Hu said, puzzled,

"I can't go in either? I'm Chen Hu."

Two automatic rifles blocked Chen Hu's chest.

"Even if you're a tiger, you can't go in."

At this moment, Tao Tieliang came out from inside the door, patted Chen Hu on the shoulder and said,

"Let them handle the cleanup. We don't need to do it."

"Tieliang, what trick are you playing? I'll go in and see if there are any valuable
clues in the clothes left by the suspect."

"They will submit a complete report. You and I will wait to see the report."

He Kedai, A Si, and Mami were escorted out by two fully armed policemen in handcuffs. He Si
cursed loudly ,

"You surnamed Chen, you're so ungrateful! We risked our lives to help you catch people, and you
didn't even say thank you, but instead handcuffed us!"

Tao Tieliang smiled slightly and said,

"A Si, you're just being rude. Just for that nude massage of the opposite sex, you're enough to get seven or eight years in prison. Take him away."

He Kedai raised his handcuffed hands with a bitter smile.

"Director Chen, I went to great lengths to help you, and this is all I get in return?"

Chen Hu pulled Yang Tieliang aside and said,

"Tieliang, what's going on! They provided the information."

Tao Tieliang lit a cigarette and said,

"Chen Hu, it's not that I'm trying to embarrass you. All those involved at the scene must be detained for questioning. That's the procedure, and I can't
make . After the interrogation, those who are innocent will be released, but we can't leave them uninvestigated. One dead and one seriously injured—it's such a big case;
they're at least witnesses. That Ah Si openly defied the government's ban, engaging in prostitution; you probably can't save him. You
're the most impartial enforcer of the law; you understand better than I do, no need for me to explain."

Tao Tieliang waved his hand and said,

"Take them all to the car!"

Chen Hu watched helplessly as they were pushed into the prison van. This van was originally intended for transporting He Yao.

Inside the BMW parked in front of the Mayflower Hair Salon on the street, Baldy pressed the CD button, and the soft strains of Teresa Teng's "
Small . He had witnessed everything that had just happened. When he saw Ah Si and He Kedai being
pushed into the van, he knew Ah Si was doomed. He could easily buy
out Ah Si's Warm and Cozy Foot Massage chain for a small fee. Eliminating a rival in the underworld so easily filled him with elation.

The scene of Chen Hu being blocked outside by two automatic rifles, and Tao Tieliang's triumphant expression versus Chen Hu's dejected
look—though Baldy couldn't hear what they were saying, he understood that
Tao Tieliang . That night, in the detention center, Tao Tieliang interrogated He Kedai during a preliminary hearing. The interrogation began

with, "How do you know He Yao?"
The interrogation had been going on for two and a half hours. Tao Tieliang was secretly shocked by He Kedai's confession: it turned out that
Jiang Yuexiu not only suspected of smuggling, but also of hiring hitmen; Wu Aikun was also involved. Chen Hu
knew all of this before he did, making it extremely difficult to protect Jiang Yuexiu and, consequently, Director Jiang. The best
remedial measure now was to weaken the credibility of He Kedai's confession, since it lacked corroboration. Another measure was to cut off
his contact with Chen Hu. Thinking of this, Tao Tieliang put on a stern face and said,

"He Kedai, your henchman A Si is the ringleader of prostitution, and you are his backer. Tell me the truth,
how much of your illegal income from the Yiyangyang Foot Massage chain store did you receive as commission?"

"I didn't mention a single penny. I have no financial dealings with A Si."

Tao Tieliang slammed his fist on the table and shouted,

"Nonsense! You're swindling money from the bottom of your purse. How can you live without embezzling money from A Si? You specialize in high-stakes gambling;
you can't stand not having tens of thousands in your pocket every day!"

He Kedai sneered and said,

"You're slamming your fist on the table and glaring at me. I'm telling you, you're violating my civil rights!"

Tao Tieliang laughed loudly.

"You're suing me? You think your dad's still alive and a vice mayor? You're a stray dog, a drowning dog, still putting on
airs like the mayor's son. Take a piss and look at yourself in the mirror! Ah Si has already confessed. If you resist to the end, you
'll be severely punished!"

"What are you bluffing for? I've seen it all. You've only been a director for a few days, but what high-ranking official haven't I seen? Jiang Yuexiu gave me
over forty million, and I wasn't tempted. Why would I take Ah Si's small change? Let me tell you, Director Tao, I
've recorded everything you said. Don't go overboard."

"I'm not afraid of you recording it! You bribed state officials. Tell me, how much money did you give Chen Hu
to protect you and help you escape legal punishment!"

He Kedai sneered several more times.

'Director, I've seen plenty of infighting. But I've never seen anything like this. You want me to frame Chen Hu? Fine,
name your price. What benefits are you going to give me?'

Tao Tieliang smashed his teacup on the ground.

"Who told you to frame someone? I told you to tell the truth! You fabricated the myth that Jiang Yuexiu hired you to kill Zhu Yao,
and you even said you mentioned it to Jiao Xiaoyu. You're dragging state officials into making up lies with you! I ask you,
who can prove that you had such a conversation with Jiang Yuexiu?

" "No one."

"Without corroborating evidence, you expect me to believe your nonsense! You and Jiang Yuexiu were dating, but it broke up,
so you held a grudge and plotted revenge! You took advantage of Jiang Yuexiu's death, the lack of witnesses, to fabricate lies,
falsely accuse her, and defame her! Let me tell you, He Kedai, those who can listen are better than those who can talk. Your utter nonsense
is full of holes!"

"Believe it or not. If I were easily frightened by your glare, I wouldn't be
the bad boy who rose to power in the municipal party committee compound. Don't let me leave, or I'll accuse you of protecting officials. You're Director Jiang's
protégé and old friend, so you're protecting his daughter."

"Take him away!"

He Kedai was pushed and shoved out of the interrogation room by two policemen.

It was already two in the morning, and He Kedai lay on the cell floor, wide awake. But he kept his eyes closed,
occasionally snoring, pretending to be asleep.

Eight people were crammed onto the floor. He Kedai was sandwiched in the middle. He already knew the prison
rules : anyone who offended a guard would be brutally beaten by their fellow inmates. The first punch would blind you, the first
kick would be to your genitals, instantly rendering you incapable of resistance, followed by a relentless barrage of punches and
kicks until you knelt and begged for mercy. The inmates who did the beating would use this to curry favor with the guards, getting extra food in their rice bowls. The beaten inmates, from then on,
would behave well not only towards the guards but also towards other inmates.

He Kedai sensed that this brutal beating would occur on his first night in prison. Because he
wasn't an ordinary policeman, but the newly appointed police chief. He thought, rather than being beaten until his mouth and eyes were crooked, it was better
to fight to the death and have a chance of survival. So he remained secretly highly vigilant.

At 2:15, someone coughed. Suddenly, two people sat up on either side of He Kedai, one
straddling him , the other pinning down his legs. He Kedai struck first, hitting the man straddling him in
the eye. The man cried out and fell to the ground. Immediately after, He Kedai kicked the
man . Lying on the plank bed, He Kedai had already taken down two men. He leaped up, punching and kicking,
battling those who rushed at him from all sides. He was resolute; he was ready to fight to the death that night. His punches and kicks were incredibly vicious;
he attacked whoever he could reach. He grabbed an arm and bit down hard, tearing off a chunk of flesh. He grabbed someone's hair and
ripped off a piece of scalp. He also took a lot of beatings, several kicks to his ribs. But once he had someone in his grasp,
he would kick and bite, beating them relentlessly. The cell was in chaos, filled with cries of "Ouch, my God!"
After a dozen minutes, six men were injured and unable to fight. He Kedai, with a vengeance, decided to cripple the last one as a warning to others.
He grabbed the man's head and slammed it against a radiator pipe. Blood gushed from the man's head, and
he passed out.

He Ke stood with his back against the wall, pointing at all the prisoners in the room and saying,

"Who else wants to fight? I'll take you on to the end today!"

A tall man, probably a bully, had his scalp ripped off by He Ke. He bowed to He Ke and
said,

"We've become friends through this fight. From now on, you're our big brother!"

"Do you accept it? If not, let's keep fighting!"

"We accept it! We accept it! We're brothers, why fight like this! We're done fighting!"

Outside the door, the guards' shouts came:

"Number 9, Six of Bamboo, what's going on in your cell?"

He Kedai mimicked a prisoner's tone, saying,

"Nothing much. That new kid surnamed He isn't following the rules, so we helped him out for a bit. It's all over now
."

The guard outside asked,

"Is he behaving himself?"

"Reporting to the authorities, he's sleeping peacefully."

"If you make any more noise, you'll all be put in solitary confinement! Go to sleep!"

The guard's footsteps faded into the distance.

The tall man bowed repeatedly to He Kedai, saying,

"Brother He, you've outmaneuvered us brothers and outsmarted the police! You're a seasoned veteran!"

He Kedai bowed back, saying,

"Gentlemen, I apologize for my earlier rudeness. From now on, we're brothers. It's not that I'm arrogant, but my
apprentices are better than you all. Do you know Ah Si? He came in with me today."

The first man to attack stepped forward and bowed, saying,

"Oh, Mr. He, you should have said so earlier! Everyone knows Ah Si; I've been following him for over three months.
So you're Ah Si's master! It's like we've become family."

He Kedai looked at the person lying motionless beside the radiator pipe and said,

"What should we do with him? Quickly treat him."

"Don't worry, we have anti-inflammatory powder here. Apply it and he'll be fine. Everyone here is tough.
As long as they don't lose their heads, they won't die."

"Here's the anti-inflammatory powder, quickly apply it to his wound. We're all raised by parents, life isn't easy for anyone."

The winner takes all, and He Kedai became the leader of cell number 9. Following He Kedai's instructions, several prisoners quickly
applied the anti-inflammatory powder to the bleeding wound.

That night, He Kedai told his cellmates six or seven bawdy jokes.
The story was unanimously chosen by the prisoners as a staple of cell number 9, to be told in waves.

After listening to Chen Hu's report about Tao Tieliang killing He Yao, Fang Hao remained silent for a long time. This was Zhou Senlin
's arrangement; after hearing Chen Hu's account, he felt the situation was serious and arranged for Chen Hu to report to Fang Hao in person.

“Old Zhou,” Fang Hao frowned, “what’s your opinion? Do you think there’s anything unusual
?”

Zhou Senlin sighed and said,

“The ancients said, ‘A dying man’s words are good.’ I say, ‘A dying man’s words are true.’ To be honest, I don’t
think Director Tao had any reason to shoot He Yao, because Chen Hu wasn’t facing a death threat. With so many people,
couldn’t they capture a suspect with a broken leg? If he dies, the trail goes cold. That would be a huge loss for us.
Detaining He Kedai also lacks sufficient justification. Not to mention that it was He Kedai’s clues that helped us find
He Yao, and not to mention that He Kedai provided all the assistance he could in the operation to capture He Yao, just consider
that important conversation between He Kedai and Jiang Yuexiu. He is at least a witness we should protect. Director Tao
just arrested him without warning; I don’t think that’s normal. If something happens to He Kedai in the detention center, we
won’t even have a witness.”

Fang Haoren stood by the window, listening quietly. He suddenly turned to Chen Hu and asked,

"Tell me, when Tie Liang was shot in the back, what was your first thought?"

"I only had one thought: this operation failed. We got nothing but a corpse.
It hurt more than if I had been shot myself. That was all I felt."

"Hmm, if I were you, I would have felt the same way. Tie Liang probably had his reasons for shooting."

Fang Hao picked up the phone and dialed the police chief's office.

"Chief Tao? This is Fang Hao. I'm informing you to release He Kedai immediately, right now."

Fang Hao hung up and said,

"Don't get involved in Tie Liang shooting the suspect. I'll talk to him. Old Zhou, this Miss
Wu Aikun is incredibly powerful. Do you dare to mess with her?"

Zhou Senlin nodded and said,

"Secretary Fang, I've already stated my position. A person's words are often sincere when they're about to retreat. I'll handle the offending people.
Chen Hu's position is unstable, and there are many potential problems; it's not advisable for him to offend too many people." He might tell a few lies, do a few things against his conscience,
it wouldn't hurt , it's even necessary. I'm retiring soon anyway, what can they do to me?

"Old Zhou, you're different from others." Fang Hao took out several forms from his drawer, covered with names. "
Some people have a different philosophy: 'When one is about to retire, even if one doesn't embezzle, one still bears the burden.' These forms are from the Ministry of Supervision; they
all engaged in massive corruption before retirement, what experts call 'retirement syndrome.' Old Zhou, you have no
worries, but I do. I also have my unspeakable difficulties; the higher one climbs, the colder it gets, it's a uniquely Chinese phenomenon. Without reforming
the public security , procuratorial, and judicial system, corruption within them will continue unabated. If I go any deeper, I'll be breaking the rules. See,
you guys go ahead, I'm a little tired, or to put it bluntly, a little exhausted."

Zhou Senlin and Chen Hu silently excused themselves and left Fang Hao's office.

In the corridor, Chen Hu whispered,

"I see Secretary Fang seems hesitant, as if he has something on his mind."

Zhou Senlin glanced around to make sure no one was in the corridor and lowered his voice as well. "How could he not be troubled? I can only
ask you to say this, you absolutely mustn't say it carelessly. At the discussion meeting about Tao Tieliang being promoted to director, Secretary Fang had reservations,
but the higher-ups suppressed it. The reason he's still concurrently serving as the secretary of the Political and Legal Affairs Commission is because he's worried about things changing. Just now he said that if the public security, procuratorate, and
judicial system isn't reformed, corruption in the public security, procuratorate, and judicial system will continue to emerge. That was a pointed remark, a statement
he made with genuine feeling. However, he just can't tell us about the problems at the higher levels. His life isn't any easier than yours or mine." "

Director Zhou, Honda Accord..."

Zhou Senlin interrupted Chen Hu.

“Let’s talk in the office. This isn’t the place.”

Back in the Anti-Corruption Bureau director’s office, Chen Hu couldn’t help but say,

“Director Zhou, I feel that the establishment of the Honda Accord task force seems to have led us astray.
I’m not saying anti-smuggling isn’t important. It’s not only important, it’s urgent. But I feel that investing so much effort in an
old case, one where the smuggling value isn’t particularly large, is inappropriate. Even after another six months of investigation,
we might not find anything. The anti-corruption work has been impacted, causing us to lose sight of the bigger picture. I’m
completely confused; I don’t know what I’m doing all day.”

“No, Chen Hu, you’ve done a great job in the task force. He Kedai’s information about Jiang Yuexiu hiring him to kill her
and the origin of the US dollar printing plates is crucial and valuable. Without the task force, this situation wouldn’t have been discovered,”

Chen Hu said, his face bearing a burn scar.

"It was just a coincidence. Like playing football, I kicked the ball, it hit an opposing player's leg, and the ball
changed course and went into the goal. It didn't have much direct connection to the Honda Accord case's investigative objectives. He Kedai
played a crucial role in this. Of course, it was also very difficult for Xiaoyu to get He Kedai to tell the truth. If it
were me, He Kedai might not have been able to say anything."

"You've fallen into your old habit of easily denying yourself again," Zhou Senlin poured some water and swallowed two pills. "Apple trees
drop apples every year, but only the apple that fell into Newton's hands had an effect; it changed human history. The Honda Accord
was an apple that fell by chance. I hope you are Newton and discover universal gravitation from it. We won't discuss
whether the establishment of the Honda Accord case was necessary; that's a matter for the higher-ups, and we have no right to interfere. Give me any topic,
and we can write an article that gets to the point; that's our skill. This is an experience I learned from Premier Zhou Enlai
. During the Cultural Revolution..." **Many topics were given to Premier Zhou, but he
always discovered this, he was helpless and criticized
Premier Zhou for his skillful handling of the double-dealing. Mao Zedong was criticizing the double-dealing as skillful, not as bad.
Chairman Mao was very particular about his choice of words. His use of the word "skillful" shows what? It shows that he had to acknowledge Premier Zhou's
rationale; even if he wasn't satisfied, he had to say "skillful," demonstrating Mao Zedong's helplessness. Premier Zhou's operational skills were
incredibly sophisticated, and his political wisdom was immense. —Jiao Pengyuan, Secretary Jiao's criticism ** To say I'm good at outwardly complying while inwardly resisting is
actually giving me too much credit. I basically followed his instructions, unless I was forced to make some minor, insignificant
adjustments. Chen Hu, I didn't ask you to learn outwardly complying while inwardly resisting, but what can you do when you find that certain instructions from above don't conform to the Party
's fundamental interests, or even harm them? Directly resisting is not an option;
it violates the organizational discipline of subordinates obeying superiors. So you have to learn some manipulative skills. Being an official is difficult; being a diplomat
is even more difficult. The function of officials is to arrest, kill, judge, imprison, and manage; making mistakes is tantamount to disregarding human life. Can we use power without...?
"Be extremely cautious, isn't it? Officials are the brain of the state apparatus, and clerks are its hands. Hands don't have the ability to think;
the brain tells them what to do, and they have to do it. In this sense, clerks aren't responsible for the mistakes of officials, because
they are merely the implementing agency. But clerks are also people with feelings. They are living, breathing human beings with thoughts and values, which is why
we face such difficulties! I've said so much rambling to you; it's my way of retiring and reflecting on my life.
Chen Hu, do you think I've been talking too much lately?" Chen

Hu looked at Zhou Senlin's sparse, gray hair and felt a pang of pain in his heart. A
bureau-level cadre loyal to the Party and the people's cause had lived such a heavy life. Perhaps this is the inevitable
fate of upright officials? The turbid currents surge mightily, while the clear streams flow like small brooks, but the clear streams have never ceased to flow since ancient times, and perhaps
this is where the hope of the nation lies.

"Director Zhou, I particularly admire your saying, 'A person's words are true when they are about to retreat.' Truth is never too much, only too little.
I understand you can't pass on your life's political experience to me to help me avoid making mistakes, and I'm very grateful.
Thinking back on my past misunderstandings of you, I feel ashamed. But I'm not afraid to offend you; times have changed, and the next step in
the rule of law is increased transparency in law enforcement. I plan to write to the Central Committee; reform of the public security, procuratorate, and judiciary is urgent, and
increasing transparency in law enforcement is an inevitable trend. Only when law enforcers are supervised can corruption be prevented. Director Zhou, perhaps
it's just my nature, but I'm afraid I can't reach the level of 'keeping a low profile.' My nature isn't suited to the current
political system. I have too many flaws; sooner or later, I'll be eliminated—it's probably an inevitable end."

Zhou Senlin pointed and said,

"It seems you're not Newton, you're Patton. Asking Patton to do Newton's work is a bit too much for you."

The two burst into laughter. Only they knew the bitterness in their laughter.

The door to cell number 9 of the Sixth Tile ward opened, and the guard came in and called out,

"He Kedai, come out! We're letting you out."

He Kedai sat against the wall, and as soon as he moved his buttocks, he sat down again and didn't move.

"It's easy to invite a god, but hard to send him away. Arresting him whenever you want, releasing him whenever you want—it's not that easy. If you don't apologize,
I'll sit here until I've

worn my skin out under this car." "What a rascal, this rat's become a spirit." The guard walked up to He Ke, "Do you think the white steamed buns in the detention center
are free? Get out of here right now, don't make trouble for yourself."

The former head of cell number 9—a tall guy—came over and tried to persuade him:

"Brother He, this car floor is reinforced concrete; you can't expect to sit there forever. Why are you arguing with the government
? Arresting you is a revolutionary necessity. Releasing you is also a revolutionary necessity. I want to get out, but they don't want me to leave.
Know when to quit while you're ahead, get out unscathed, and you'll be praying to Buddha. Get up, Brother He. If you can't bear to part
with the top leader , I'll keep him for you. Whenever you come back, I'll immediately step down."

“Alright, for your sake,” He Kedai stood up, dusting himself off, “I’m leaving. Gentlemen, I’m going
first.”

Just as He Kedai stepped out of the room, several voices called from inside: “Brother, don’t forget the brothers!”

The guard’s tone softened considerably.

“He Kedai, once you’re out, don’t meddle in other people’s business. Meddling will only bring trouble. The higher-ups sent me with a message: every word you uttered during
the interrogation , you are not to be spoken of outside, not to anyone. Anyone, understand? If you’re
ungrateful and utter even half a word, they’ll arrest you tomorrow, just as they let you go today. A wise man doesn’t fight a losing battle;
you should understand this basic principle of life. No need for any formalities, you can go.”

He Kedai walked out of the detention center gate, knowing he couldn’t hold on any longer. The intense pain in his ribs caused
cold sweat to bead on his forehead.

In the parking lot, Chen Hu leaned against the car door, smoking. Seeing He Kedai walk out of the detention center’s tall iron gate, he waved.

Tears welled up in He Kedai’s eyes. He immediately understood that
Chen Hu must have been involved in releasing him after only a little over a day.

He Kedai struggled to his side of the Cherokee. Chen Hu sensed something was wrong and stepped forward to support him.

"He Kedai, why are you sweating so much? Your face is covered with paper; you've been crying too much."

"Take me to the hospital, quick."

Chen Hu helped He Kedai into the car and offered him a cigarette.

"What happened? Did they hit you?"

He Kedai took a deep drag and said,

"The police didn't hit me; it was the inmates. If I hadn't been on guard, they would have crippled me. I fought them
head-on, battling them to the death, and only then did I not suffer much damage. I think I broke my ribs; it hurts terribly."

“Did you report it to the guards? You should have called for a doctor right away.”

He Kedai said with a bitter smile,

“Dare I say a word? No matter how much it hurts, I have to grit my teeth and bear it. If these prisoners knew I had broken ribs, wouldn’t they
take revenge on me? Not only did I not say a word, but I also endured the pain and told them jokes all night. These scoundrels are used to
bullying the weak and fearing the strong. You have to put on a brave face in front of them.”

Chen Hu patted He Kedai on the shoulder and said,

“You’re a tough guy. Let’s go to the hospital.”

The Cherokee drove to the Public Security Hospital. He Kedai smoked one cigarette after another in the car. He was unsure whether he should
tell Chen Hu about Tao Tieliang’s questioning about whether he and Chen Hu had exchanged bribes.

He Kedai tentatively asked,

"Director Chen, do you have a grudge against Director Tao?"

Chen Hu glanced at He Kedai warily and said,

"No. We're college classmates. What are you trying to say?"

"Nothing. Director Chen, I've long seen that you're a good person. I just want to give you a piece of advice: you
shouldn't have the heart to harm others, but you can't be without the heart to guard against them. The closer the friend, the more likely they are to harm you. I'm really worried for you. Luckily, our
relationship is as clear as water and as transparent as a mirror; we have no financial dealings whatsoever. If there were even the slightest connection, you'd be finished."

"What exactly happened?"

"When I came out, I received a warning: if I said even half a word about what happened during the interrogation, they would arrest me again.
I dare not say anything more. To give you an example, Jiao Dongfang is my best friend, and he almost killed me. I
don't know if you have any best friends, but if you do, you'd better be careful."

According to the doctor's diagnosis at the Public Security Hospital, He Kedai suffered soft tissue contusions to his left rib and a fracture in his right rib. He needs to be hospitalized for treatment.
Chen Hu completed the hospitalization procedures for He Kedai and got into the Cherokee with the doctor's diagnosis certificate.

URL 1:http://localhost:909/htmlBlog/14637.html

URL 2:/Blog.aspx?id=14637&aspx=1

Previous Page : Urban Crisis [Complete] - 21

Next Page : Urban Crisis [Complete] - 25

增加

comment Open a new window to view comments

Contact Information

Urban Crisis [Complete] - 24

comment Open a new window to view comments