"What, you don't believe me?" Huang Tao said slowly. "Have you forgotten what kind of place Chengyang County is? Or the incident from last time?"

"What? The incident from last time? Could it be..." Hearing this, Secretary Zhong Bingyue of the Disciplinary Committee froze. Beads of cold sweat instantly popped out on her forehead, and her face turned pale.

She certainly remembered the last incident. An ominous premonition crept into her heart as she spoke subconsciously, "Old... Old Huang, don't tell me today's incident is related to Mr. Chen again? I remember you said last time that he is... he is..." Clearly, Huang Tao had revealed something to her before.

"Otherwise, why do you think we're in such a hurry?" Zhu Qianye interjected from the side, his voice carrying a distinct chill. "Exactly. Today's incident involves Mr. Chen. Some moron at the West City Police Station in Chengyang County had the gall to lay a hand on Mr. Chen's mother and try to arrest her. Do you think this is a big deal or a small one?" He was now filled with utter loathing for Wang Dazhi! That fool was a menace to himself and everyone around him.

Last time, it was the police under my jurisdiction who inconvenienced Mr. Chen, and now it's happened again!? How am I supposed to stay calm? If I truly anger that man, I'll be dragged down with them...

"Y-You're saying someone tried to arrest Mr. Chen's mother!?" Upon hearing this, Secretary Zhong Bingyue couldn't help but shudder. The sweat on her forehead beaded up even more, and her voice trembled. By now, she finally understood why Huang Tao and Zhu Qianye were so panicked. Someone had the audacity to try and arrest Mr. Chen's mother?

This wasn't just a major incident; this was catastrophic! If they didn't handle today properly, all of them really would have to apply for early retirement and step down from their positions. After all, Mr. Chen's identity was...

Just as Zhu Qianye was about to say more, the phone in his coat pocket buzzed.

Seeing Zhu Qianye's phone ring at that moment, both Huang Tao and Zhong Bingyue felt their eyelids twitch. Zhu Qianye was no exception. Despite his surprise, he calmly took out his phone. His earlier tension was just a subconscious reaction. If Mr. Chen were to call, he'd surely call Huang Tao, not me. This call is probably just a coincidence. It's unlikely to be from Mr. Chen's side.

Sure enough, when he looked at the phone, the caller ID displayed the name 'Wang Ye'.

"Wang Ye?" He frowned. What is he calling me for at a time like this?

With a hint of doubt, he answered the call.

"Hello, Director Zhu? It's me, Little Wang." As soon as the call connected, an eager, friendly voice came from the other end.

"I know it's you. Why are you calling me now? I'm busy. If it's not important, I'm hanging up." Wang Ye was his own hand-picked subordinate, one of his own people, so Zhu Qianye didn't beat around the bush.

"Director Zhu, you're busy? Ah, well, it's like this. My cousin seems to have had a little misunderstanding with a friend of yours. He just called and asked me to help smooth things over. From what he said, it doesn't sound like a big deal..." Not wanting to waste time, Wang Ye went straight to the point about Wang Dazhi.

But the more Zhu Qianye listened, the more wrong it sounded. A misunderstanding with my friend? Could it be... Before Wang Ye could finish, Zhu Qianye cut him off, his tone sinking. "Who is your cousin?"

"Director Zhu, my cousin is Wang Dazhi, the deputy director of the West City Police Station in Chengyang County. I think... you spoke with him on the phone just now." An uneasy premonition grew in Wang Ye's heart, but he had to answer, so he forced the words out.

"What did you say? Wang Dazhi!?" An exceptionally furious and icy voice shot through the phone, making Wang Ye's heart leap into his throat.

"D-Director Zhu, is this matter very serious? My cousin said it really seems to be a misunderstanding. It sounds like only the woman's son is the one with connections to you." Seeing Director Zhu's strange reaction, Wang Ye's unease intensified, and he began to stammer.

"A misunderstanding?" Hearing this, Zhu Qianye's face turned so dark it looked like it could drip ink. He wished he could pull Wang Ye through the phone, slap him a few times, and kick the shit out of him while screaming 'Idiot!' A misunderstanding? That moronic cousin of his nearly arrested Mr. Chen's mother, and he calls it a misunderstanding? Son of a...

"Director Zhu, Director Zhu, what's wrong?" When the other end went silent, Wang Ye's heart lurched, and he grew anxious.

"What's wrong? You have the nerve to ask me what's wrong!?"

His question was the spark that lit the fuse. Zhu Qianye exploded right there in the car, in front of Mayor Huang Tao and Secretary Zhong Bingyue. Gripping the phone, he roared, "Wang Ye, do you think just because you're some damn county Public Security Bureau Chief that your wings have hardened? You think you're so fucking impressive now, that you have so much clout? Calling to smooth things over? I ought to fucking shoot you right now!"

At this, Mayor Huang Tao and Secretary Zhong Bingyue exchanged stunned glances, not understanding Zhu Qianye's sudden outburst. If they were confused, Wang Ye, on the other end of the line, was completely lost.

"No, Director Zhu, I... what's going on, Director Zhu?" Hearing Zhu Qianye's bellowing, Wang Ye was practically dumbstruck. He asked again, his voice trembling with fear.

"Why? Do you have any idea who your moron cousin provoked? I'll tell you: he provoked Mr. Chen! He provoked Mr. Chen's mother! An hour ago, that idiot cousin of yours nearly had Mr. Chen's mother arrested! Do you know what that means? It means that if we don't handle this properly, the entire leadership of Northern Mountain City will be swept out of office!"

Zhu Qianye roared into the phone, unable to contain his rage. "And you're calling me to plead for him after something this huge? Do you really think being a county Public Security Bureau Chief makes you hot shit!? You want to plead his case? Fine! We'll be there soon, and we can have a nice, long 'talk'!"

"Mr. Chen... GASP!"

"My... my cousin almost arrested Mr. Chen's mother!? Holy fucking shit!"

When Wang Ye heard Director Zhu say his cousin Wang Dazhi had not only provoked Mr. Chen but had nearly arrested his mother, he almost couldn't breathe. His face turned deathly pale as he let out a gasp, and he couldn't stop himself from cursing aloud right into the phone.

He had never dreamed that the person his cousin had offended was Mr. Chen Fei and that he had nearly arrested his mother. It was insanely audacious! Now he finally understood why Director Zhu's attitude had turned so foul. He truly realized that Wang Dazhi had utterly screwed him over this time.

Who is Mr. Chen Fei!? I remember with crystal clarity from when Secretary Wang Yifa of the county committee was brought down. The massive commotion in the city back then made it clear. Mr. Chen is absolutely, without a doubt, a colossal figure I can never afford to offend in my lifetime—someone I can only look up to! And now, my cousin has provoked a man like that, and I was foolishly calling to intercede for him? If I'm not a moron, what am I!?

Thinking this, he quickly stammered an admission of his mistake. "D-Director Zhu, I was wrong. I didn't understand the situation... I'm sorry!"

"It's good that you understand." Zhu Qianye's tone had been frightening, but he had mostly been venting his anger. Hearing the genuine panic and helplessness in Wang Ye's voice, he sighed. "You've been with me for so many years. On any other matter, I could give you some face, but this..."

"Director Zhu, you don't have to say another word. I understand," Wang Ye quickly interjected. He knew full well that even Director Zhu had no say in this matter, let alone the ability to call in a favor.

"Good that you know. Mr. Chen's mother is his berserk button. I can tell you plainly: there's no escape for your cousin this time. It all depends on how Mr. Chen wants to deal with him. At a minimum, he's looking at several years in prison, and that would be getting off light. So, you're to play deaf and dumb about this whole affair. Understand?"

Hearing that his cousin was looking at several years in prison—and that this was the *light* sentence—Wang Ye's face paled further. "Yes, Director Zhu," he said immediately.

He then added apologetically, "I'm sorry, Director Zhu. This must have caused trouble for you as well, right?"

"It has, but Mr. Chen is magnanimous. He won't take his anger out on me without reason. All right, that's all. Mayor Huang, Secretary Zhong, and I are on our way to Chengyang County now. I'm hanging up." Zhu Qianye sighed and ended the call.

"Old Zhu?" Huang Tao finally asked.

"That was Wang Ye, Little Wang from the Chengyang County Public Security Bureau," Zhu Qianye explained after collecting his thoughts. "It seems Wang Dazhi is his cousin, so he called him asking to plead his case. I don't think he knew about the details or was involved."

"It's good he wasn't involved. But anyone who *was* involved cannot be let off the hook this time. Every single one of them will be held accountable!" Huang Tao's eyes flashed as he spoke in a cold, hard tone.

"Mm, Old Huang, don't worry. I know what to do." Zhu Qianye nodded immediately, understanding the hidden meaning. Any other matter would be different, but this involved Mr. Chen. He couldn't afford to be foolish on this issue, no matter how close he was with Wang Ye. After all, it's not like I have a spare head, and I'm not ready to die just yet.

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