Putting down his phone, Song Shiguo said to Zhao Qiang, "It will definitely be delivered in about an hour."
Zhao Qiang said, "Okay, call Zhang Guidong again and tell him to come over immediately, along with his uncle, Secretary Zhang Zhiqiao. Oh, and let's also call the mayor and secretary of Zaolin Town. Let's have a meeting to discuss the chemical plant issue. Since you haven't been able to come up with a solution, why don't you let me help you solve it?"
Song Shiguo hesitated for a moment: "It's so late, I'm afraid..."
Zhao Qiang smiled innocently: "Tell them that if they don't come, they might as well wait to die. I think they're still afraid of you. You should have that much authority. If you don't think you have that kind of authority, then you've lost your usefulness to me."
Song Shiguo immediately started making phone calls. He had no doubt about Zhao Qiang's words, because Zhao Qiang had already proven it to him.
Zhang Guidong cursed as he received the call, while Zhang Zhiqiao remained calm. Too many things had happened today, and he hadn't even closed his eyes yet. He rushed over immediately to devise a countermeasure. As for the two leaders of Zaolin Town, they had no room to resist. They crawled out of bed and drove over themselves. In their eyes, Song Shiguo was indeed authoritative.
Zhao Qiang said to Song Shiguo, "Have your woman bring out everything edible in this house. I'm hungry."
The canary that Song Shiguo had abandoned was probably a glutton, for at Song Shiguo's command, it produced a whole bunch of snacks. Zhao Qiang sat calmly in the living room, eating non-stop, the crunching sounds making Song Shiguo's heart tremble.
Zhang Guidong was the closest to here, and he was the first to arrive. As soon as he walked in, he cursed, "Old Song, are you fucking messing with me? What's the rush?"
Song Shiguo glanced at Zhao Qiang and said to Zhang Guidong, "It's not that I'm in a hurry, it's that Master Zhao Qiang is anxious about the chemical plant. You should have a good talk with him."
"Who is this?" Zhang Guidong didn't recognize Zhao Qiang, and judging from Zhao Qiang's age, he didn't seem to be a person of any status.
Zhao Qiang hated Zhang Guidong intensely because everything stemmed from his chemical plant. If it weren't for that, he wouldn't be in this state of murder and on the run! A large glass ashtray was nearby; without a word, Zhao Qiang grabbed it and smashed it over Zhang Guidong's head!
Zhang Guidong was not a trained fighter, and with Zhao Qiang's quick strike, he was completely unprepared and was hit by the ashtray, blood gushing from his forehead! He screamed and jumped around on the ground, clutching his head.
Stunned by the attack, Zhang Guidong became even more ferocious. He jumped twice and pounced on Zhao Qiang, grabbing a nearby vase as he went. It was an antique-style porcelain vase, weighing about thirty pounds, perfect for smashing people; it was probably more powerful than the ashtray from earlier.
Zhao Qiang didn't want to expose his hiding place by firing so soon, so he threw a metal shard. The shard pierced Zhang Guidong's thigh muscle and shattered his leg bone. Zhang Guidong lost his balance and fell to the ground with a thud, shattering the vase on the floor with a loud crash. Zhao Qiang brandished his pistol at Zhang Guidong and said, "Go ahead and die if you want. I've already killed dozens of people; one more won't make a difference."
"He...he is Zhao Qiang?" Zhang Guidong suddenly remembered the bloody incident that happened in Zaolin Town today. He never expected that someone who had been arrested and detained could escape and commit murder. He was so frightened that he dared not make any more moves and let the wounds on his forehead and thighs bleed. Zhang Guidong believed Zhao Qiang that he had killed someone. He did not want to die, so he could only endure it. For the sake of his life, nothing else mattered.
Then Zhang Zhiqiao, the Party Secretary of Hedian District, arrived. Seeing the scene inside, he was so frightened that he immediately turned to run away. However, Song Shiguo spoke up for Zhao Qiang, saying, "Secretary Zhang, if you don't want to die, stay here. You can't escape." In fact, these words saved Secretary Zhang's life. Otherwise, given Zhao Qiang's ruthlessness, he would have killed Zhang Zhiqiao directly.
Next, the detention center sent someone to deliver Zhao Qiang's belongings. Song Shiguo didn't dare let anyone in; he went outside to receive them himself. Zhao Qiang just stood by the window staring at him. Song Shiguo didn't even dare to glance at the person from the detention center. He hurriedly took the things and returned to his room.
Zhao Qiang opened the laptop bag. The laptop was intact, and the keys and watch were still there, but the money that had been inside was gone. Zhao Qiang smiled and said, "How greedy! Even tens of thousands of yuan are in your eyes."
Song Shiguo said ingratiatingly, "Master Zhao, money is no problem. You wait here, I have several hundred thousand in cash that I'll give you all."
Song Shiguo sent his kept man, nicknamed "Canary," back to the bedroom to get the money. Sure enough, he returned shortly with a plastic bag containing about 400,000 yuan. Zhao Qiang didn't hesitate and stuffed the money into his laptop bag. He knew he needed to replenish his energy while on the run, and money was the main source of food. He also needed money for transportation.
Zhang Zhiqiao had overcome his initial fear and asked Zhao Qiang, "Are you a villager from Shantou Village? Are you in it for the money?"
Zhao Qiang shook his head: "No, I don't lack money. I think it's you guys who are short of money, otherwise you wouldn't be talking to the honest guy."
Zhang Zhiqiao said sternly, “We are strictly following the laws and regulations of the country. Any actions that infringe upon the interests of the people are unavoidable. Farmers should always prioritize the greater good. What you have done violates the criminal law. Aren't you afraid of being caught and executed? If you release us, you will have a chance to atone for your crimes.”
Zhao Qiang had already heard from Liu Wei that the root of the problem lay with Zhang Zhiqiao, because Zhang Zhiqiao owned shares in the chemical plant and was his nephew. Without Zhang Zhiqiao's behind-the-scenes support, things could never have escalated to this point. Thinking of this, Zhao Qiang was consumed by rage. He raised his hand and slapped Zhang Zhiqiao across the face! Then he kicked Zhang Zhiqiao in the chest, knocking him to the ground. Zhao Qiang then stomped on his back.
"Stop giving me those high-sounding platitudes! You all know perfectly well what you're doing!" Zhao Qiang roared.
Zhang Zhiqiao was stunned. He had never been treated like this since he was born! He was determined to avenge this! But seeing Song Shiguo sitting there obediently like a good child, Zhang Zhiqiao felt a pang of regret. Damn it, what was he saying? This kid has gone mad; he was courting death!
Zhao Qiang didn't further punish Zhang Zhiqiao because the town mayor Yu Wanyang and secretary Qiu Haifeng of Zaolin Town arrived together. Zhao Qiang "enthusiastically" welcomed the two in. When Qiu Haifeng saw Zhao Qiang, he was shocked and turned to run away, but with a gun pointed at his head, Qiu Haifeng obediently sat down in the living room.
Now that the main figures have all arrived, Zhao Qiang felt it was getting late. He would finish the meeting, take care of everything that needed to be done, and then escape from Hedian District under the cover of darkness before dawn. He would then wander the world, and perhaps even go abroad. In that case, he could change his identity and start over. Maybe one day he could return home in glory as an overseas Chinese. It's true that there's always a way out.
"I've invited everyone here today to discuss the issue of the chemical plant in Zaolin Town occupying farmland and the demolition. I believe everyone here knows my temper, so you'd better be honest and straightforward. Because if I suspect you're lying, I won't hesitate to kill you all. Whoever tells the clearest story will survive."
Zhang Zhiqiao glanced at Song Shiguo, who lowered his head, not daring to refute Zhao Qiang's words. Yu Wanyang and Qiu Haifeng saw that their superior, Zhang Zhiqiao, was helpless and had been severely punished by Zhao Qiang, so they dared not utter a single word of objection.
Zhao Qiang pointed his gun at Zhang Zhiqiao: "Let's start with you. I'm short on time, so stop talking nonsense."
Zhang Zhiqiao hesitated for a few seconds before speaking: "The Zaolin Town Chemical Plant is an enterprise spearheaded by the district government and fully managed by my nephew, Zhang Guidong. The loan was guaranteed by the district government. To evade environmental regulations, they chose to build the plant in Zaolin Town. They acquired almost all the barren land for free. Because the town mayor and Secretary Qiu handled this matter, the money saved from purchasing the land was distributed among us. We gave Song Shiguo 800,000 yuan in compensation for the land occupation and relocation. As for how much actually reached the people, that was Song Shiguo's business, and Mayor Yu and Secretary Qiu's business. I didn't inquire about it."
Mayor Yu wasn't too bothered, since he hadn't personally witnessed Zhao Qiang's "murder" at the Swan Restaurant. However, Qiu Haifeng was terrified. He immediately blurted out, "I admit it! I took 50,000 yuan from Song Shiguo as a bribe. I didn't receive anything else. I'll return the money to you, please don't kill me!"
Mayor Yu wasn't stupid. He could tell from the scene that he wouldn't be able to escape without explaining what had happened today. He said in a low voice, "I took 40,000, and I'll return it to you."
Zhao Qiang glanced at Song Shiguo, who whispered, "I kept 400,000 for myself, and the rest was given to Scarface and his gang to negotiate with the town government, village committee, and villagers. Who knew they would do something like this? They deserve to die."
Zhao Qiang pointed to the more than 400,000 yuan in the laptop bag and said, "This isn't all the money you've got, is it?"
Song Shiguo said, "No, no, I will write a check and return the 400,000 immediately. I dare not be greedy for a single penny."
As he spoke, Song Shiguo immediately pulled out his checkbook from his pocket, wrote a cash check for 400,000 yuan, and gave it to Zhao Qiang. Zhao Qiang didn't take it but waved the check in front of Zhang Zhiqiao, saying, "Secretary Zhang, I think you know how to resolve this matter."
Zhang Zhiqiao's face was ashen. "We know what we're doing. We will definitely follow the national policies. If the villagers don't agree to the demolition, we will stop the chemical plant construction, and the district will bear all the losses."
Zhao Qiang glanced at his watch; it was already past 3 a.m. He had taken care of most of the things that needed to be done, so he wasn't worried about Zhang Zhiqiao, Yu Wanhai, and Qiu Haifeng playing any tricks later, because they couldn't afford to!
Zhao Qiang suddenly stood up and shot Song Shiguo in the head. Bang! Blood splattered everywhere. Song Shiguo fell into a pool of blood without warning. His big eyes couldn't believe that he would be killed at this moment. Zhang Zhiqiao, Yu Wanyang, Qiu Haifeng, and Zhang Guidong were all dumbfounded. The canary was the worst off. She let out a scream and fainted to the ground.
Zhao Qiang said to Zhang Guidong, "You'd better know your place. If you become the second Song Shiguo, I won't mind coming back and giving you another shot."
Zhang Guidong shook his head repeatedly in fright, "I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare, I'll never dare to do anything like this again." Zhao Qiang then said to Zhang Zhiqiao, "Secretary Zhang, no matter where I go, I will keep an eye on you to handle this matter. Also, I entrust the safety of my family entirely to you. If even a single hair on their head is harmed, I think you know what the consequences will be."
After saying that, Zhao Qiang didn't go through the main gate. Instead, he jumped out of the window and then leaped over the more than two-meter-high courtyard wall. Yu Wanyang and Qiu Haifeng, who were watching from the window, were so frightened that they patted their chests repeatedly. It was really a death sentence to mess with such a person. If they couldn't catch him and shoot him, they would live in fear of him for the rest of their lives and never be able to get out of it!
Volume 2 [148] Reversal
Chuan Qian and Yang Shiqi arrived at Shantou Village around dusk, almost half an hour early, but found nothing. There weren't many people in the village. Although they found Zhao Qiang's house, the door was locked. They asked around and people said that he had gone to town early in the morning and hadn't been seen since.
Yang Shiqi immediately drove to the town, and Hu Qian naturally followed closely behind. Their large entourage attracted the attention of the town government, and the news was quickly found out: Zhao Qiang had massacred the Swan Restaurant at noon and was then arrested and detained. According to witnesses, the scene was extremely bloody, and Zhao Qiang was like a murderous maniac.
After hearing the description, Hu Qian muttered to herself, "How could this be? How could he be so impulsive?" Although she was born into a prominent family, Hu Qian had never experienced any major events and was not much different from ordinary girls. Now she was completely flustered, and her disadvantage was obvious. This was probably the result of the old man Hu's initial laissez-faire approach to raising her and her brother. They did not have the temperament that a spoiled brat should have!
After learning the details, Yang Shiqi smiled coldly: "What's so strange about local officials colluding with businessmen? If he can't stand it anymore and continues to be bullied, even I will look down on him! He still has some backbone. I have some confidence in cooperating with him."
Hu Qian said anxiously, "What do you know? Zhao Qiang killed someone and is now a serious murder suspect. What a waste of his promising future! He was too foolish. He should have been more patient and used his connections with higher-ups to resolve everything."
Yang Shiqi retorted, "Bullshit! Who said he's a murder suspect? Do you think whatever those officials say goes? Them? Humph, they don't have that right! Using connections? You overestimate Zhao Qiang. What connections does he have? You wouldn't ask him to bother Professor Gu for such a trivial matter, would you? Not only would he not do that, but Professor Gu would also dislike him. Fine, keeping things quiet would only show my sincerity. Major Wang, do me a few favors."
A soldier stood next to Yang Shiqi, who whispered instructions to him. Hu Qian gritted her teeth in anger. She had absolutely no experience in this kind of thing, but Yang Shiqi seemed completely unfazed, as if she didn't care about the situation at all. Xu Xiaoya, who had come along, also admired and respected Yang Shiqi. This situation would make it more difficult for Hu Qian to negotiate a cooperation with Zhao Qiang in the future. Damn it, why did she lack any courage? She had actually been outshone by this transvestite!
Major Wang drove away in an SUV. Xu Xiaoya asked Yang Shiqi anxiously, "Will Zhao Qiang be alright? He must be in great danger being locked up in the detention center. We need to get him out quickly! Only by getting him out can you talk to him about cooperation."
Yang Shiqi said, "Why are you in such a hurry? We can't rush to save someone. Do you expect me to lead everyone to force our way in without being sure of the outcome? But don't worry, Zhao Qiang won't die. I don't think he's going to die young. Let's go to the district government and wait for further developments. It's too early to act now. Even if we save him, he might not appreciate it."
Yang Shiqi walked confidently ahead, while Hu Qian, lagging behind, reluctantly called her grandfather. Upon hearing the situation, the old man sighed, "This Zhao Qiang is no easy character, but I like his personality! He's decisive and ruthless. Qian, with your personality, you can't handle him. It seems the Yang family will benefit this time. What a pity, what a pity." The old man sighed repeatedly, making Hu Qian feel truly bitter, as if the Hu family had lost its heir. Hu Qian also wanted to be ruthless and quickly resolve Zhao Qiang's situation, hoping he would be grateful and easy to negotiate with. However, she felt helpless. Dongyang City in the province wasn't her territory. If she were in Beijing, she could call on her friends for help, but here, apart from a military vehicle that came to pick her up, she knew no one else.
Hu Qian said, "Grandpa, Zhao Qiang may have really killed people, and not just one or two. Is there any way to salvage this situation? What should I do now? Should I help him or not? If I should help him, who should I ask?"
Hu Weimin roared, “Qian! You’re foolish! As long as it’s useful for the future of the country, he must live no matter how many people he kills! Besides, he only killed some thugs and hooligans, who deserved to die. He has done nothing wrong! Your courage is less than a third of that freak from the Yang family! It’s a pity that my Hu family has always had such valiant generals, but in your generation, we have fallen to this state! Women are not fit for such a great responsibility!”
*Snap* Hu Weimin hung up the phone. Hu Qian looked dejected. It seemed her grandfather was disappointed in her. Hu Qian didn't know whether to stay or leave. After thinking it over, she decided to stay and see how things went. After all, Zhao Qiang had cooperated well with her before, so maybe things could turn around. Besides, Hu Qian also wanted to see what method Yang Shiqi would use to save Zhao Qiang. This could be considered a kind of learning. Hu Qian, who had always been a good girl, knew absolutely nothing about this kind of thing. Her grandfather was right. She had just gone to study and ignored everything else, thinking that this would win the old man's favor. Who knew she was wrong.
Dongyang City had sent a deputy secretary and the mayor to Hedian District to take command. The chaotic district government hadn't turned off the lights all night. Yang Shiqi and Hu Qian were simply arranged to stay in the guesthouse early in the morning. No one had the mind to pay attention to them at the moment. Fortunately, they were not neglected in terms of food and drink. Only a few section-level officials from the district government accompanied them.
Xu Xiaoya was extremely anxious. She called Luo Wei, Liu Yiyi, Professor Gu, and Shan Hongfei, explaining the situation in Zaolin Town in detail. Luo Wei and Liu Yiyi were helpless, while Professor Gu immediately contacted the Provincial Public Security Bureau to discuss the matter further. Shan Hongfei dared not act rashly. His authority was limited to Donghai City, and he was currently anxious but also at a loss for what to do.
Yang Shiqi teased Xu Xiaoya, saying, "Sister Xu, you don't trust me enough. You're just worried sick. Zhao Qiang is so lucky to have you as his confidante. You're beautiful and capable. Even I'm starting to like you."
Xu Xiaoya blushed: "Don't talk nonsense. Zhao Qiang and I are just classmates. He's in such a big crisis now, how can we, as his friends, not worry?"
Yang Shiqi took Xu Xiaoya's hand: "Come on, let's go to a restaurant for dinner. This matter will be resolved by tomorrow morning, and I'll repay you with a great hero, boss. But since I helped you, there's something I need your help with in return."
Xu Xiaoya actually had some confidence in Yang Shiqi. This guy always carried a group of armed soldiers with him, so his family background was obviously extraordinary. With someone like that backing him up, Zhao Qiang probably wouldn't be executed. Pulling her hand away from Yang Shiqi's, Xu Xiaoya asked, "What is it?"
Yang Shiqi said, "I need you to help me persuade Zhao Qiang to cooperate with me, instead of cooperating with that vixen Hu Qian."
Xu Xiaoya hesitated, "It's not that I don't want to help you. It's just that Hu Qian is already cooperating with Zhao Qiang. If I force Zhao Qiang to terminate our previous cooperation, it will definitely upset him. He's the kind of person who would never betray a friend."
Yang Shiqi waved her hand and said, "No, no, you misunderstood. I didn't care about their previous collaborations. I only want the slow-release device and high-energy battery projects. You can choose any partners you like for the rest."
Although Xu Xiaoya didn't understand the slow release device and high-energy battery, she didn't need to make decisions for Zhao Qiang. She just needed to say a few good words for Yang Shiqi when the time came. "Okay, if there are any projects in this area in the future, I will definitely persuade Zhao Qiang to cooperate with you."
Yang Jianqi snapped his fingers. "That's it. Let's go eat and then get some rest early; we have things to deal with tomorrow."
In the restaurant of the Zhengyifu Guesthouse in Hedian District, Yang Shiqi, Xu Xiaoya, and Hu Qian shared a table with the section chiefs from several departments who were accompanying them. The soldiers that Yang Shiqi brought sat at two separate tables. The soldiers ate in silence, while the people at the other table talked loudly from time to time, keeping the atmosphere lively.
Hu Qian deliberately sat next to Xu Xiaoya, whose face was very pale. Xu Xiaoya had business dealings with her, so she comforted Hu Qian, saying, "Sister Qian, I know you're worried about Zhao Qiang, but Yang Shiqi said he's fine. I think we should put our minds at ease. Maybe he'll be alright by tomorrow."
Hu Qian said to Xu Xiaoya, "You don't blame me for not being able to help Zhao Qiang?"
Xu Xiaoya said, "Blame you? Why should I blame you? You have no obligation to do so. Besides, you have to rely on your own abilities to help. This time, Zhao Qiang made a big fuss. It's not something that just anyone can handle."
Hu Qian hesitated for a moment, then changed the subject, saying, "Xiaoya, actually, the reason I was in a hurry to find Zhao Qiang was to discuss cooperation with Qimingdeng Electronics."
Xu Xiaoya asked, puzzled, "Isn't it antivirus software? Why are you interested in electronic products now? I think it's better to focus on software; being too eclectic doesn't necessarily mean you can become an expert."
Hu Qian sighed, "It's not that I'm interested, but my family needs it. However, it seems I have no hope now. I feel guilty for letting Grandpa down." Hu Qian knew about the relationship between Zhao Qiang and Xu Xiaoya, so she thought there was no need to avoid talking about certain things. Saying them out loud would make it easier to gain Xu Xiaoya's trust and favor.
Xu Xiaoya smiled and said, "Don't be discouraged. You and Zhao Qiang can continue to cooperate on the software. There's no need to be successful in every aspect. However, we should wait until Zhao Qiang is safe before discussing these matters. Right now, we should do everything we can to rescue him."
Hu Qian clenched her fist. "Yes, I'll do my best to help. I'll make a call when I get back after I've finished eating. You guys enjoy your meal."
The lights in the Hedian District government office stayed on until dawn. District Party Secretary Zhang Zhiqiao returned exhausted at daybreak. District Mayor Liu Nan rushed over to his partner with concern, asking, "Old Zhang, haven't you received any instructions from above? Secretary Wang and Mayor Tian from Dongyang City are impatient; they need detailed results from the case to report to the municipal Party committee and government."
Following the instructions of the two leaders from Dongyang City who were in charge of the scene, Zhao Qiang was immediately interrogated to bring the case to a close and give the people of Hedian District an explanation. However, in the evening, they received a call from the Provincial Public Security Department, which strictly ordered the further development of the case and the immediate sealing and supervision of all files and suspects, pending further instructions from the province.
At this moment, Zhang Zhiqiao was perfectly clear-headed. The murder suspect, Zhao Qiang, had already escaped. Before leaving, Zhao Qiang not only gave Zhang Zhiqiao a severe beating but also killed Song Shiguo in front of three civil servants. Now, the detention center was practically empty. So what if those two guys from the Dongyang Municipal Government couldn't wait? Did they have the ability to bring him back? As long as they didn't lose their own lives.
Zhang Zhiqiao pretended not to know anything and said to Liu Nan, "Mayor Liu, I think you should call the detention center and ask if Zhao Qiang confessed anything last night. It would be best if he would confess. Also, we'll go see Secretary Wang and Mayor Tian together later and they can ask the Provincial Public Security Department for further action plans."
Liu Nan was confused. He grabbed the phone on the table and called the detention center. Suddenly, his expression changed and he almost dropped the phone. "What? Say it again! How could a prisoner escape from the detention center? Are you kidding me?"
Zhang Zhiqiao sneered inwardly. The detention center only realized the prisoner was missing now; he probably had already left Hediankou. If he had handed over the documents, he might have even left Dongyang City. He was like a time bomb lying in wait, and he would have to live in fear from now on. If the aftermath of this matter did not satisfy him, his life might be in danger!
Liu Nan was still arguing about why someone had escaped from the detention center when another phone on the table rang. Zhang Zhiqiao answered it; it was a call from the district public security bureau. According to a report from the hospital half an hour earlier, a bloody incident occurred last night in the central ward of the Hedian District People's Hospital, resulting in the deaths of several people, including three of the infamous "Four Tigers of Hedian." Including Scarface, who had died yesterday noon, all four "Tigers of Hedian" were dead. The public security bureau had already sent people to cordon off the scene and hoped that the district government would immediately send people to direct the operation.
Zhang Zhiqiao now understood Zhao Qiang's actions last night. He first escaped from the detention center, then went to the hospital to seek revenge on the Four Tigers of Hedian. Unfortunately, Song Shiguo was cornered at the hospital. Then, he took Zhao Qiang back to the villa and called them to a meeting. After that, Song Shiguo was killed, and Zhao Qiang successfully escaped.
Bang! The office door was pushed open, and two on-site commanders from Dongyang City rushed in, their anger palpable. Wang, the deputy in charge of public security and criminal cases, shouted, "Secretary Zhang, District Chief Liu, how long are you going to drag this out?! Such a serious bloodbath has occurred in Hedian District, why aren't you immediately launching an investigation?! We've been waiting all night, we can't wait any longer!"
Liu Nan hung up the phone and explained, “Secretary Wang, it’s not that we don’t want to investigate. You heard the instructions from the Provincial Public Security Department last night. They strictly ordered us not to conduct any interrogations on our own. They requested that all the information on the people involved be faxed, and said that the next steps are still under study. Without the instructions from the Provincial Public Security Department, who would dare to order any reckless action?”
Mayor Tian slammed his fist on the table and said, "But it's not safe to keep such an extremely dangerous person in a detention center. I don't know what you were thinking back then. In my opinion, he should have been immediately transferred to the city prison yesterday afternoon to ensure everything went smoothly."
Liu Nan looked somewhat embarrassed. He said, "I'm sorry, Mayor Tian, but I have some bad news for you. The detention center just called and said that Zhao Qiang escaped from prison last night, and we don't know where he is now."
"Ah!" Mayor Tian and Deputy Secretary Wang were stunned on the spot. Zhang Zhiqiao added, "We just received a call from the district public security bureau saying that another person was murdered at the central hospital around midnight last night." Ming is the younger brother, and the other three are Gan Beiwei, Zhun Zhaowei, and Wang Zhijiang, all well-known gang leaders in Hedian District. According to the police's on-site deduction, the murderer may be the same person involved in yesterday's Swan Restaurant massacre in Zaolin Town."
The mayor and Deputy Secretary Wang collapsed to the ground with a thud. The news was too shocking: a notorious murderer had escaped from the detention center and committed another crime, killing several people. This alone was enough to end their political careers.
"Why didn't you transfer him to the city prison yesterday afternoon! Why!" Mayor Tian grabbed Zhang Zhiqiao by the collar and asked fiercely. Zhang Zhiqiao understood perfectly well that Song Shiguo would not allow him to do so. If Zhao Qiang hadn't gone to the detention center, Song Shiguo wouldn't have been able to retaliate against him. But now Song Shiguo had been retaliated against and killed. Things in this world are truly unpredictable.
District Chief Liu Nan remained calm. He pulled Mayor Tian aside and said, "Calm down! This is not the time to discuss who is right and who is wrong. Besides, the Provincial Public Security Bureau's instructions are for us to hold back. We did nothing wrong. The mistake lies with the negligence of the detention center guards. The fault lies with them!"
Deputy Wang: "Immediately report the situation to the city and provincial public security departments. I fear the murderer may continue his attacks, so we need to send more police reinforcements. We must corner him in Hedian District and apprehend him! We cannot allow the situation to escalate."
The call was immediately made to the Provincial Public Security Bureau. To everyone's surprise, after hearing that Zhao Qiang had escaped from prison, the higher-ups showed no concern or intention to hold him accountable. Instead, they ordered the Hedian District to receive the fax immediately, and a few minutes later, a bizarre document was placed on the table.
Deputy Secretary Wang and Mayor Tian of Dongyang City, Secretary Zhang and District Head Liu of Hedian District were stunned. The document clearly stated that the Provincial Public Security Department and the Provincial Military Region had cooperated to send Special Forces soldier Zhao Qiang deep into Hedian. After his tireless investigation and reconnaissance, they finally crushed the gang led by Song Shiguo, which had been entrenched in Hedian District for many years and caused great suffering to the people. Hedian District was urged to press on and capture all remaining members of the gang. If any government personnel were involved in the gang, they should not be tolerated!