Zhu Qianye hailed from a small county under the jurisdiction of a city near Northern Mountain City. He had no significant family wealth or powerful backers, yet at the age of forty-nine, he had secured the position of Director of the Public Security Bureau and a member of the Municipal Party's Standing Committee in a prefectural-level city. His considerable achievements in middle age inspired envy in many of his peers in official circles.

However, he was habitually low-profile, having no associations with Secretary Mo's faction, which practically held absolute power in Northern Mountain, nor was he aligned with the people behind the old mayor who was about to be promoted and transferred. He was completely neutral, offending no one.

In fact, this man also had quite a connection with Huang Tao.

Recalling the time they were both sent down to the grassroots level for practical experience, they coincidentally ended up in the same county. One served as the county party secretary, the other as the head of the county Public Security Bureau. They worked together for many years and maintained a good relationship, which was why Huang Tao immediately thought of Zhu Qianye when Chen Fei called.

Of course, for this very reason, Secretary Mo's faction harbored a great deal of suspicion toward him.

After all, he had worked with Huang Tao for so long, and both had risen from the same county. It just so happened that Huang Tao's backer had always been somewhat at odds with Secretary Mo.

Although Zhu Qianye was a deputy-departmental level official, serving as the Public Security Bureau Director and a Standing Committee Member, he was, in truth, just an "idler" with good luck and no significant backing. Therefore, he had been exceedingly cautious over the years, avoiding unnecessary political strife.

Nonetheless, some people occasionally went too far, putting him under increasing pressure in recent years. He had also been hesitating about whether or not he should finally take a stand.

In reality, as the current director of a department with such substantial authority, he was a very valuable person to win over. If not for his years of indecision, his situation would not be as awkward and embarrassing as it was now.

A myriad of thoughts flitted through Zhu Qianye's mind, a sharp glint appearing in his eyes. He suddenly spoke, asking, "Little Qian, tell me honestly, what is Old Huang's relationship with the person who was arrested? Who exactly is he?"

That "Little Qian," Secretary Qian, jolted upon hearing this. He recalled how Deputy Mayor Huang had incessantly mentioned the name "Doctor Chen" these past few days. He also remembered the exceedingly respectful demeanor of Huang Feng, the deputy mayor's son, at the city's central hospital today. Swallowing hard, Secretary Qian whispered, "Director Zhu, I honestly don't know the details of Doctor Chen's status. However, based on my observation of how Deputy Mayor Huang and Young Master Huang acted toward him today, I'm afraid his background is far from simple!"

"Is that so?" Hearing this, Zhu Qianye was startled and made a decision.

Old Huang, I hope you don't drag me into this mess this time!

Muttering this to himself, he abruptly looked up and swept his commanding gaze over all the police officers present, barking, "Who is on duty in this precinct tonight, and who is in charge?"

The officers were alarmed to see their supreme boss so agitated. An experienced officer quickly approached Zhu Qianye and Secretary Qian and saluted. "Reporting to Director Zhu, the duty officer in our precinct tonight is Comrade Zheng Buxing, the captain of the public security team."

"Zheng Buxing? Where is he now? And did you just arrest someone?" Zhu Qianye's expression was grim, and his stern, cold voice sent a chill through all the officers present.

Clearly, they knew something significant had happened; otherwise, why would Director Zhu come in person at this late hour?

But surely he can't be here in the middle of the night for that young man? My God, how is that possible? Director Zhu's status is immense, not to mention the person beside him seems connected to Deputy Mayor Huang. Is that kid really worth these two major figures coming to the police precinct for him at this hour?

Realizing the gravity of the situation, the experienced officer dared not hide anything and stuttered, "Director Zhu, Captain Zheng and that… that gentleman are in the detention room?"

"What? The detention room?"

Zhu Qianye was taken aback, his complexion visibly worsening. As the Director of the Public Security Bureau, he knew that an arrested individual should first be taken to an interrogation room. But what was he hearing now? The detention room? Where did these damned fools get the nerve to act so illegally? This made him, as the highest direct leader of the city's public security system, feel both furious and culpable.

"Let's go!"

With that thought, he quickly led his people toward the precinct's detention room. Seeing the procession, another experienced precinct officer knew that trouble had seriously escalated and quickly ducked aside to call his own boss, Luo Qiang!

Meanwhile, Secretary Qian and Director Zhu, both tense and grim-faced, strode toward the detention room.

They had just reached the door when they heard Luo Chao's clamoring, Zheng Buxing's cold laughter, and a series of dull, chaotic thuds from inside. This made Zhu Qianye's face turn so dark it was almost dripping with rage. He couldn't stop himself from kicking the door fiercely.

BANG! The door was slammed open with immense force.

"You… who are you? Who allowed…"

Zheng Buxing's face darkened reflexively, ready to curse them out. Who could be so blind as to interrupt him while he was "handling business"?

But before the curse could leave his lips, he saw the face of Zhu Qianye, a man he knew all too well. Panic flooded his features, his eyes widened in fear, and his legs involuntarily went weak. He stammered tremulously, "D-Director Zhu, please listen to my explanation! You must listen to my explanation…"

As a police officer, he might not recognize Secretary Mo Cheng, but there was no way he wouldn't recognize Zhu Qianye, the Director of the Municipal Public Security Bureau.

Most importantly, he was caught red-handed, still holding the long black baton, leaving him with no way to defend himself.

It wasn't just him; Luo Chao and the two young policemen beside him each held a baton. Their faces were bruised and swollen, and their heads were covered with lumps. They looked less like assailants and more like the ones who had been beaten.

Yet, this scene still made Secretary Qian's forehead break out in a cold sweat, his heart leaping into his throat. He hastily unlocked the iron bars of Chen Fei's cell and asked in a trembling voice, "Doctor Chen, are you alright?"

If Deputy Mayor Huang finds out that Doctor Chen was treated this way in a police precinct, he'll be absolutely furious! Damn it, these blind fools! How could they be so stupid!

"I'm fine, Secretary Qian. What could these idiots do to me, anyway?" Chen Fei replied with a smile, his tone suggesting the whole affair was just a game.

"Shut up! You just wait! If I don't finish you today, then my name isn't Luo Chao!" Hearing Chen Fei's mockery, the bruised and swollen Luo Chao couldn't hold back and erupted in a stream of curses, which immediately caused Zhu Qianye's expression to darken.

"Who is he? Why is he in a place like this?" he asked Zheng Buxing in a chilling tone. It was obvious to him that Luo Chao was not a police officer.

"Director Zhu, he is… he is…" Zheng Buxing's face was pale, his forehead slick with sweat. Luo Chao was the son of Luo Qiang, the Director of their own High Tech Startup Zone's Public Security Precinct. But how could he say that now?

"Uncle Zheng, why are you afraid of him? My dad is Luo Qiang! You hear me?" Luo Chao, on the other hand, was as arrogant as ever, seemingly unfazed by Zhu Qianye's presence.

"Luo Qiang?"

Zhu Qianye repeated the name, a cold light flashing in his eyes. Then, he spat out a frigid command, "Arrest them. Your dad is Luo Qiang? It seems you think this police precinct is your own house?"

"Yes, sir!"

The men Zhu Qianye had brought from the municipal bureau, as fierce as wolves, immediately pounced forward and cuffed Luo Chao, Zheng Buxing, and the other two.

"Who the hell are you? Do you have any idea where you are?" As the son of the High Tech Startup Zone's precinct director, Luo Chao was utterly humiliated to be cuffed on his own "turf" and began to curse loudly.

"I am Zhu Qianye! Director of the Municipal Public Security Bureau!"

But Zhu Qianye's next words made Luo Chao's eyes widen and his face turn pale as he fell silent.

Zhu… Zhu Qianye, Director of the Municipal Public Security Bureau… He was the true head of the entire Northern Mountain public security system. Forget his father; even his father's backer, Standing Deputy Director Xuu of the Municipal Public Security Bureau, had to bow respectfully to this man.

Now, unless he was completely out of his mind, he knew he had caused a tremendous disaster.

At that moment, after Luo Chao, Zheng Buxing, and the others had been handcuffed, Zhu Qianye finally noticed Chen Fei, to whom Secretary Qian was still apologizing.

He hesitated for a moment before stepping forward to apologize himself. "I'm sorry, Mr. Chen. My subordinates have been poorly managed, causing you to suffer such unfair treatment. On behalf of our city's public security system, I apologize."

Witnessing this, Zheng Buxing and Luo Chao's fear intensified, their legs trembling. This was the Director of the Municipal Public Security Bureau, the head of the city's entire public security system, yet he was so earnestly apologizing to a young doctor. It made their hearts pound so hard they felt they would leap from their throats, their backs drenched in cold sweat.

"Director Zhu, is it?" Chen Fei merely gave him a cold glance and spoke bluntly. "While this incident isn't directly related to you, someone was deliberately targeting me. However, what sort of riffraff do you have in your Public Security Bureau? Letting these people maintain social order and protect the public's interests… don't you find it a bit laughable?"

Despite his earlier relaxed and smiling demeanor, he was, in fact, seething with anger. If it weren't for his superior strength, which made it impossible for them to outmaneuver him, anyone else would have likely been killed. This left him deeply dissatisfied with the city's top public security official for his lack of discipline over his subordinates.

When these words were spoken, everyone—from Zheng Buxing and Luo Chao to Secretary Qian and the officers behind Zhu Qianye—was utterly dumbfounded. They never expected this young man to dare speak to the Director of the Municipal Public Security Bureau in such a mocking, rebuking tone.

With an attitude like that, any outsider who didn't know the situation might have really thought they were watching a leader reprimanding his own subordinate.

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