Du Ziteng hung up the phone.

Turning to look at the middle-aged man in the study, the man was jolted awake from his sleep by the sudden incident late at night. Although his complexion was not good, he was still neatly dressed, with his hair meticulously slicked with hair wax, exuding an aura of authority.

Du Ziteng leaned forward slightly in his stance, speaking respectfully: "Mr. Wang, I've already informed all relevant parties. Our people will do their utmost to search for and rescue Secretary Hou."

Mr. Wang sat in the chair, gently wiping his glasses with a cloth, his actions slow yet heavy, seemingly trying to organize his thoughts through this process.

After a moment of contemplation, he asked, "Have we confirmed the identity of the kidnapper?"

Du Ziteng replied gravely, "According to the reporter, the assailant who attacked Secretary Hou was wearing a mask, so we couldn't see his face and have yet to confirm the identity."

Mr. Wang: "How many assailants were there?"

Du Ziteng responded promptly: "There was only one assailant at the scene. Based on the reporter's description, the Patrol Office has initially judged that the attacker is likely an adult male."

Mr. Wang gave a soft "oh," with a complex expression crossing his face, and said in a deep voice, "Could it be those people who did it?"

Du Ziteng felt a chill at his heart, becoming even more respectful as he said, "We can't confirm yet, but I've already deployed people to closely monitor their movements. So far, we haven't detected any unusual activity from them."

Mr. Wang sighed deeply and lamented, "Before I was even elected as a Member of Parliament, Secretary Hou was already with me. It's been seven or eight years in a blink of an eye. With his tragic kidnapping, I'm very worried about his safety right now."

Mr. Wang paused for a moment before continuing meaningfully, "I remember Secretary Hou is also a pitiful person; a few years ago, his wife passed away, and now he's all alone, without any family or support?"

Du Ziteng looked down at the floor and replied earnestly, "Indeed, Secretary Hou's parents also passed away early. He currently lives alone. However, it's said that the owner of the ramen shop at the crime scene is close to Secretary Hou."

Mr. Wang showed a look of doubt.

Du Ziteng immediately added in clarification: "The owner of the ramen shop is named Li Xiuyan, a divorced woman. Coincidentally, she looks very much like Secretary Hou's deceased wife. Today, after work, Secretary Hou went to her shop to celebrate her birthday."

Mr. Wang gently put down the glasses cloth in his hand and asked, "Where is Li Xiuyan now?"

Du Ziteng replied, "Li Xiuyan is currently detained by the Patrol Office for investigation."

Mr. Wang furrowed his brows and said heavily, "Investigation? At a time like this, should we let her bear additional fear? With Secretary Hou's life hanging in the balance, how can we let his beloved endure the Patrol Office's rough treatment at this moment?"

Du Ziteng felt a chill in his heart and immediately responded:

"It was my oversight. I'll immediately send someone to the Patrol Office to safely bring Li Xiuyan out and ensure she is placed in an absolutely safe location. This way, once Secretary Hou is successfully rescued, he can be reunited with Li Xiuyan at once."

Mr. Wang's expression slightly softened, but he still asked worriedly, "I remember the Chief of Patrol Office was Wang Yilin, right?"

Du Ziteng quietly corrected, "Director Wang died in the line of duty not long ago, and since then, the position of Chief of Patrol Office has been vacant. Currently, it's temporarily overseen by a commissioner sent from Upper City."

Mr. Wang seemed to recall something and said solemnly:

"This is unacceptable. The position of Chief of Patrol Office is crucial. How can it be vacant for so long? Besides, the commissioner sent from Upper City is supposed to inspect and guide the work. How can we add extra burdens on the commissioner and overwork them?"

Du Ziteng nodded slightly, his expression grave and serious, yet deep down, he couldn't help but silently comment:

"I remember earlier, you and the other Members of Parliament didn't say so."

"At that time, you clearly advocated that since the commissioner could effectively utilize the resources of the Patrol Office, and as Director Wang unfortunately died, it would be easier to let the commissioner guide the Patrol Office as a form of support for Zone 9, under the principle that those who can do more should indeed do more."

Mr. Wang contemplated for a few moments and then spoke slowly, with a tone that considered the big picture from all angles:

"Given the current situation, directly appointing a new chief through a meeting is indeed inappropriate. How about this, you go directly to the Patrol Office to guide the work and internally select a suitable candidate to promote as the leader. This might push forward the search and rescue mission for Secretary Hou more effectively."

Du Ziteng understood Mr. Wang's meaning: he was asking him to promote someone from the Patrol Office who was on "his side," or figuratively "his dog."

A name had already surfaced in his mind.

He replied, "Understood. Once I arrive, I will quickly promote the most suitable candidate from the Patrol Office."

Du Ziteng paused slightly, a hint of hesitation crossing his brows, and his voice carried a bit of uncertainty: "I just worry, will the other MPs..."

Mr. Wang dismissively waved his hand, saying confidently:

"Secretary Hou is my confidant. Now that his fate is unknown and the nature of the incident is unclear, if anyone dares to stand against me at this moment, they're essentially slandering themselves."

His gaze sharpened as he continued:

"Before the situation is entirely clear, maintaining a distance and watching the developments is the smartest choice. After so many years of maneuvering with them, I understand them well. None of them would choose to stick their necks out at such a critical time."

"Moreover, if any of them did kidnap Secretary Hou, such an act would have broken our rules of the game, and they definitely wouldn't step out into the open now to arouse suspicion."

Mr. Wang chuckled softly, his laughter carrying a trace of coldness and mockery:

"If such a thing really happened, haha—, there would be no need for us to make a move. Everyone would join forces to bring them down."

Du Ziteng suddenly realized, gaining a deeper insight into the complex rules of the game among the MPs in Zone 9's Executive Government.

He understood that some cunning and treacherous tactics could only be used beneath the table, while above it, everyone had to follow the rules of the game.

The higher one is in position, the more carefully they must uphold these rules without crossing the line; otherwise, it would incur everyone's fear and attack.

Mr. Wang glanced at Du Ziteng. Among his secretaries, Hou Wendong had been with him the longest and was the most appreciated by him. Compared to Hou Wendong, the other secretaries were somewhat lacking.

Had he swapped Hou Wendong and Du Ziteng's roles, there would be no need for him to waste so much breath on guidance in the current situation.

The moment the incident occurred, Hou Wendong would have immediately taken action, going to the Patrol Office to make arrangements, inserting and promoting loyal forces, while also ensuring the safety of Du Ziteng's relatives with the utmost determination, and controlling the situation from worsening further before reporting to him.

Mr. Wang sighed deeply, speaking with determination and gravity: "We must order the Patrol Office to spare no effort and cost to find Secretary Hou's whereabouts."

Du Ziteng remained silent, as though listening quietly, waiting for Mr. Wang's next words.

"Do everything possible to rescue Secretary Hou, but if the kidnappers make excessive demands, allow Secretary Hou a dignified departure. After all, as an MP of Zone 9's Executive Government, it's impossible for me to bow or submit to any evil forces."

Du Ziteng looked up, meeting Mr. Wang's cold light reflected under his glasses, and could only respond indifferently: "Yes."

Mr. Wang put away the coldness on his face and spoke kindly: "You handle the matters at the first scene. I grant you the power to act with discretion in urgent situations. Proceed boldly. If Secretary Hou is no more, you will be the one I rely on most in the future. Don't disappoint me."

Du Ziteng felt a chill rise from his spine, his scalp tingling slightly, mingling fear with a hint of thrill in his heart.

He took a deep breath, bracing himself, bowed ninety degrees, and swiftly departed with his orders.

After Du Ziteng left, Mr. Wang slowly pulled open the drawer of the desk, taking out an antiquated mobile phone and inserting a brand-new SIM card.

His actions were practiced and swift, as though he had repeated them countless times.

Then, he calmly entered a string of numbers and dialed out. The call was quickly connected, although no one answered.

"Initiate Emergency Plan No. 4. Clean up all the loose ends on the two lines Hou Wendong was responsible for touching."

"Although the nature of the event is currently unclear, we must leave no stone unturned. Before the situation potentially worsens further, we need to conduct necessary self-cleaning beforehand."

The cold voice echoed faintly in the study...

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