Zhao Qiang was somewhat exasperated. Why was it so difficult to bring down Liu Mingzhen? It seemed that the amount of bribes he had offered wasn't that huge. These bigwigs in Jiangquan City didn't need to protect him so fiercely. Was it because they saw a huge difference in status between themselves and Liu Mingzhen that they thought it was right to favor Liu Mingzhen?
Actually, Zhao Qiang had a slight misunderstanding. It was true that the people of Jiangquan City favored Liu Ming, but Zhao Qiang's assault on the police also played a part. To think that a state-run law enforcement agency could be so disrespected by its citizens—if the perpetrators weren't severely punished, what criminals would be afraid of retribution in the future? However, Zhao Qiang hadn't initially planned to take action. This incident was largely related to the violent enforcement by Director Wang and his team; they were the cause.
Besides the group of police officers who pointed guns at Zhao Qiang, another group came up. They were going to handcuff Zhao Qiang and take him away. However, these police officers had witnessed Zhao Qiang's power before, so they were very cautious in their actions, which made Wang Dong a little impatient: "Hurry up and stop being so indecisive. You have no efficiency at all. What if the suspect escapes?"
Zhao Qiang didn't have any impressive credentials, which he would simply flash in front of these people, then arrogantly kick them aside, leaving them afraid to be angry and forced to treat him with deference. All Zhao Qiang had were his fists, but he was reluctant to fight these insignificant fry; they were merely following orders, and the fault didn't lie with the police.
The first policeman who approached said, "Brother, it's not that we're disrespectful to you, but we really have no choice. Why don't you let us handcuff you and go back to make it look like we're doing something? With your abilities, you can escape whenever you want."
The policeman following behind chimed in, "That's right, brother, please have pity on us! Please don't harm us. We have elderly parents and young children to support. Being a lowly policeman isn't easy, you have to live in constant fear."
Zhao Qiang was in a dilemma. Thinking of the three special police officers he had knocked unconscious, one of whom might suffer from aftereffects, he realized he had gone too far. Should he really handcuff them first? That didn't make sense. Why should he put up with their mistreatment? Zhao Qiang thought indignantly.
Several Mercedes-Benz cars recklessly drove in, ignoring the police officers blocking the hospital's perimeter. They screeched to a halt not far from Wang Dong, who was startled. Could it be that the accomplices of the criminals had arrived? How dare they blatantly break through the police cordon? They were too arrogant, showing no respect for the police officers present.
However, when the people who got out of the Mercedes came into Wang Dong's view, he immediately dismissed his previous thought. They were not accomplices of the criminals, because they were women, and women dressed in such a flamboyant manner could not be criminals.
Zhao Qiang hesitated whether to attack these police officers. He thought he could just knock them down as a token gesture and leave it at that, without hurting them. However, the changes on the field before Zhao Qiang could make a move made him abandon his plan to take action.
"Who are you people?" Wang Dong stepped forward and asked. The people who got out of the Mercedes-Benz were clearly centered around a girl, and this girl really had a great presence. Just standing there, she gave people an inexplicable pressure, so much so that Wang Dong's voice trembled a little when he asked the question, even though he held a high-ranking official position.
The girl frowned. "What's going on?"
Wang Dong shouldn't have answered, since this girl wasn't his superior. But whether it was because the girl was too beautiful or her aura put too much pressure on him, Wang Dong actually replied, "If you encounter a thug attacking a police officer, please step back, it's dangerous here."
The girl frowned even more deeply. "The thug? Which one?"
Wang Dong pointed at Zhao Qiang, who was surrounded by police, and said, "Of course it's him."
The girl suddenly giggled, and the pressure on Wang Dong vanished instantly, replaced by a languid, spring-like feeling. Her laughter was so loud that her breasts bounced with each laugh; quite well-endowed, even without padding. "He's not a criminal," the girl suddenly stopped laughing and stepped into the police encirclement.
Wang Dong panicked and reached out to pull the girl back, saying, "Don't go in, it's dangerous!"
An unassuming man appeared out of nowhere, blocking Wang Dong's hand as he tried to grab the girl. He slapped Wang Dong's arm, causing him to lose his aim. Wang Dong's arm felt like it had been hit with a hammer, and he cried out in pain.
Wang Dong was accompanied by a high-ranking official from the Jiangquan City Public Security Bureau. Seeing that his boss had suffered a loss, the man with the gun immediately pointed it at the man. This was tantamount to rebellion; daring to touch the head of the Public Security Bureau was courting death.
The stern-faced man completely ignored the guns, pulled one out of his jacket pocket and flashed it at the high-ranking leader holding the gun, saying, "Ministry of State Security." The steel stamp and red seal on it were very conspicuous and could be seen with a scan.
The leaders who were holding guns looked surprised, and their grip loosened, pointing the guns at the ground. They all asked, "What's going on?"
Wang Dong was probably extremely angry after being hit, but when he saw the man take out his ID, he dared not pay attention to the pain in his arm anymore. He stepped forward and took a closer look. It was indeed black and white with a bright red seal. Although there was no name or surname on it, the words "Ministry of State Security" were glaringly obvious. Wang Dong was a big shot in Jiangquan City, but in front of the state apparatus, he was nothing but a fish, not even a shrimp.
"Who...who are you?" Wang Dong asked the man, his voice filled with worry and panic.
The man said nothing, put his ID back behind his back, and stood up straight, which made Wang Dong even more convinced that this person was no ordinary person.
Zhao Qiang watched the elegant woman walk over and said, "What brings you here? Did you know I was here?"
The elegant woman said, "I really didn't know. It was a coincidence. I received an invitation from a friend in America. She said she would arrive in Jiangquan City today, so I rushed over to meet her. Who knew you would be here? Didn't you go to Ningzhou with Su?"
Zhao Qiang smiled and said, "Su's friend has something to do, so I'm here to help."
"You're making things worse by trying to help," the beautiful woman said coquettishly.
Just then, a girl rushed out of the inpatient building. She ran over quickly. The girl had a very thin waist, but her breasts were very voluptuous, swaying up and down as she ran. "Sister Chen, you came so fast!"
"Donna, haha, don't have any complaints about not picking me up at the airport."
The person who ran from the inpatient department was Donna, a reporter from the United States. Even Zhao Qiang was drooling over her figure when she ran. Americans are really tough. I wonder if she has strained her chest because it was so bumpy when she ran. Other girls seemed to pale in comparison to her.
Donna stood up, panting, and said, "How could I be angry? Sky Media is so busy, I'm already very happy and grateful that you could take the time to come to Jiangquan City." The person who had just gotten out of the Mercedes-Benz was naturally Chen Xinyu.
Volume Two [722] Round and Round
Donna is a famous American journalist, and Chen Xinyu is a famous Chinese journalist. It is understandable that the two met through news reporting.
Chen Xinyu owns Sky Media, a company renowned in Hong Kong and even worldwide. Sky Media specializes in exposing corruption among Chinese government officials; almost every Chinese official dreads seeing Sky Media reporters. It's well known that Sky Media has powerful backing, and even provincial and ministerial-level officials are powerless against it. One high-ranking official once threatened to take action against Sky Media, headquartered in Hong Kong, but within days, he was found to have financial problems. Therefore, even knowing that this company specifically targets high-ranking officials, no one dares to make a move.
“You two know each other,” Zhao Qiang said to Chen Xinyu and Tang Na.
Donna was somewhat surprised, "Oh, so you know Sister Xinyu too?"
Zhao Qiang said, "Yes, we are friends."
Chen Xinyu suppressed her laughter. 'Friends'? Zhao Qiang is such a good actor. Why didn't he add the word 'pure'?
Donna said, "This world is amazing. I haven't known Xinyu for long, but we get along very well. She helped me come back to China with my father this time. Otherwise, how could I have entered the country so easily? You know, the virus incident hasn't completely subsided yet, and I also need her help with my uncle's matter."
Chen Xinyu said to Donna, "Alright, since you know Zhao Qiang, I won't interfere. But since we're already here, I'll stay for a couple of days and show you around. That will be my duty as your older sister as a host." Chen Xinyu's English was excellent; she spoke it even more fluently than Zhao Qiang.
Donna looked at Zhao Qiang, "I didn't expect Sister Xinyu to trust you so much. But what are we going to do now?"
A group of police officers surrounded the area, with dozens of gun barrels pointed at Zhao Qiang. Although Wang Dong did not give any further orders, the situation on the ground remained tense, and this matter was quite troublesome.
Chen Xinyu said to Zhao Qiang, "Look, we all told you to get a proper identity, but you thought it was too much trouble. Now it's even more troublesome."
Zhao Qiang smiled wryly: "I just wanted to do something seriously, who knew it would turn out like this."
Chen Xinyu said reproachfully, "You must have used violence."
Zhao Qiang said, "I had no choice. You can't just let me stand by and watch myself get beaten up without fighting back, can you?"
Chen Xinyu shook her head: "I've seen through these law enforcement officers in China."
Wang Dong's mind raced with hundreds of thoughts. He didn't know how to proceed. What worried him now was Chen Xinyu. This woman looked familiar, and the Ministry of State Security's identification gave him a chill. Seeing Chen Xinyu and Zhao Qiang exchanging glances, even a fool would know something was wrong.
The criminal investigation team leader leaned close to Wang Dong's ear and said, "Chief, what should we do? We can't just sit here waiting. The people are watching us from afar."
Wang Dong gritted his teeth and said, "I'll go up and find out more about that woman."
The criminal investigation captain was somewhat surprised. "What are you trying to find out? Isn't that Chen Xinyu? Chief, you don't even recognize her?" The captain's expression was one of utter displeasure, which made Wang Dong even more annoyed.
"Chen Xinyu?" These three words were indeed shocking. Wang Dong's expression changed instantly. "That reporter who always goes against officials?"
The criminal investigation captain corrected him, "No, he's a big boss now. Sky Media is said to be the largest media company in Asia, and it's already making its way to the world stage."
"What about that American woman?" Wang Dong asked the criminal police captain. Chen Xinyu was a dark horse who suddenly appeared, but the American friend could not be ignored. If it caused an international dispute, Wang Dong could not bear the responsibility. Chinese people can die, as long as the number is controlled to 35, but foreigners cannot be harmed in the slightest. This is the principle of being an official in China.
The detective captain seemed to know everything. "Chief, she's a reporter for an American TV station. She was a key figure in the recent virus outbreak. Don't you usually watch TV?"
Wang Dong was somewhat embarrassed: "I have so much official business to handle, how could I have time to watch TV?"
After being reprimanded by Wang Dong, the criminal police captain dared not reply and stood obediently to the side awaiting orders. Wang Dong considered for a moment and said, "Things are becoming increasingly unclear. How about this, have everyone step back, expand the cordon, and notify the mayor and the party secretary to come to the scene immediately. I need to go and talk to them first." Because of Chen Xinyu and the American friend's presence, Wang Dong dared not act rashly and immediately reported the incident, taking responsibility and relying on his superiors.
The criminal police captain accepted the order and left. Dozens of people dispersed all the onlookers who were watching and taking pictures. Those who disobeyed were sent to eat cornbread for two days. When the first person was put into the police car, the rest scattered. The deterrent effect was really good.
Wang Dong coughed, both to clear his throat and to remind the other person. He took a few steps forward and asked, "Sister Chen, is that right?" Wang Dong's target was Chen Xinyu.
Chen Xinyu and Zhao Qiang were having a heated conversation when they were interrupted, which annoyed her. "Who are you? Are so many people here for an anti-terrorism drill?"
Wang Dong was anxious to find out the relationship between Chen Xinyu and Zhao Qiang. Instead of answering the question, he asked in return, "Sister Chen, is this your friend?" Wang Dong pointed to Zhao Qiang and asked.
Chen Xinyu shook her head seriously, "No," and then she didn't continue. She was joking, after all; Zhao Qiang was her husband, not a friend. But how could Chen Xinyu possibly explain this to Wang Dong? When she said "no," Wang Dong was confused. "What a joke! We were just chatting so enthusiastically, and she says we're not friends?"
Wang Dong's expression was quite interesting at this moment. Even if he were blind, he could see that Chen Xinyu's tone and actions when she spoke to Zhao Qiang were very unusual. Even when she said "no," it had a coquettish feel to it, which made Wang Dong even more afraid to make any moves.
Chen Xinyu said to Zhao Qiang, "Since you know Donna, why don't you treat us to dinner?"
Zhao Qiang said, "Okay, but I can't leave right now."
Chen Xinyu turned and glanced at Wang Dong: "Is there anything else?"
Wang Dong said nervously, "Yes, yes, there's something I need to do. Um... he's a suspect in the assault on a police officer."
Wang Dong pointed at Zhao Qiang and said, "What? What did you say? I didn't hear you. Zhao Qiang, let's go. Don't waste time here with them."
Zhao Qiang naturally had no objections and led the way, with Chen Xinyu and Tang Na behind him. Tang Na was still somewhat uneasy. Although she knew that Zhao Qiang was tough, she knew a bit about the situation in China and did not want Zhao Qiang to be wanted by the state because of her family's affairs.
Wang Dong was caught in a dilemma, unable to advance or retreat. The police, having received no orders, dared not make any moves and remained in their original positions, surrounding Zhao Qiang and the others in the center. They still held their guns, but their fingers had already left the triggers; if the guns went off, it would be a real problem.
As Zhao Qiang and the others walked out, the man who had shown his Ministry of State Security badge suddenly made a move. He tossed something to the ground, and it spun rapidly, appearing to be only the size of an egg, but its speed was increasing, forming a cloud of dust on the ground. Just a few seconds later, the object made a buzzing sound. Zhao Qiang waved his hand in front of Donna, and at the same time, a shocking scene unfolded: the guns held by the police officers slipped from their grasp and flew into the spinning dust.
The police officers gasped in surprise, but something even more astonishing happened: their cell phones, belt buckles, keys, and all metal objects were struggling to break free, as if an invisible hand was pulling them, thus drawing the police officers closer to the swirling fog.
At this point, the pistols that had been flying towards them earlier started spinning with the fog. The police officers were terrified and quickly removed any metal objects from their bodies. Some even took off their leather shoes, as they contained metal supports. The yard was a mess. The no-parking signs that were close to the fog also flew up and joined the spinning fog. As the fog spun faster and faster, the nearest police car became loose, and its wheels slowly moved toward the spinning fog.
Zhao Qiang calmly led Tang Na and Chen Xinyu through the swirling fog, their metal belongings completely undamaged. A stern-faced man opened the car door, the three got in, and Chen Xinyu's male and female entourage immediately boarded, then abandoned the disheveled Wang Dong and the other police officers, and drove away.
Wang Dong was now without his belt, his phone and keys were gone, and even the metal buttons on his clothes had been torn off and thrown into the swirling fog. He looked utterly pathetic. The first car finally succumbed to the suction and flew into the fog. After a brief acceleration, it also began to spin rapidly. Perhaps because of the addition of the first car, the fog's magnetic attraction grew stronger, and the police cars that had been surrounding the hospital's inpatient department all moved towards the fog.
"Enough, enough!" Wang Dong shouted, but the man who showed his Ministry of State Security ID had already left. The situation seemed to be out of control. Wang Dong was terrified and turned pale. Fortunately, at that moment, there was a loud bang from the fog. Then, the objects that were spinning rapidly were suspended in the air and fell to the ground with a crash. The loud noise when the spinning car landed startled all the police officers.
When the mayor and party secretary of Jiangquan City arrived at the scene, they were both amused and exasperated by the mess. Almost all the police officers were pulling up their pants, some with their clothes open, and the police cars were parked haphazardly in a semi-circle in front of the hospital department.
"What's going on?" the municipal party secretary asked Wang Dong with a stern face. The surrounding crowd could hardly contain themselves. Everyone was taking pictures of the police officers' embarrassing moment, laughing and joking, and there was no serious atmosphere at all.
Wang Dong was furious, but he still had to answer cautiously in the face of the municipal party secretary's questioning. "Secretary Gao, Mayor Chao, this is what happened..." Wang Dong dared not hide anything and described the whole incident in detail. Secretary Gao and Mayor Chao frowned. The situation was quite serious. The people who assaulted the police were still at large, while the police officers were being completely fooled.
Mayor Chao was the first to react. He coughed lightly and gave Secretary Gao a wink. The two turned their backs to Wang Dong and whispered to each other. Mayor Chao said, "Secretary Gao, normally we must investigate police assault cases thoroughly, but the situation seems unusual. We can't treat it like an ordinary case. We can't offend Chen Xinyu, especially since she has powerful protectors. We also can't offend our American friends. Let's report the case, protect the scene, and let the provincial department handle it."
Secretary Gao said, "I agree with Mayor Chao's opinion, but we need to have comprehensive intelligence before reporting to the provincial department. Otherwise, if the provincial department is completely ignorant, it will be a serious dereliction of duty on both sides."
Mayor Chao said, "To find out the truth of the matter, we must find the person who escaped. Otherwise, you will only get the opposite answer from these police officers." Mayor Chao pointed to the police officers next to him who were busy using rope as a belt to tie up the suspect.
Secretary Gao said, "Immediately send people to find out where they went. The hospital should clean up the scene immediately to prevent any disturbances."
(Thanks to Piaoxue Manjianghong for the coin reward and to Xiaoxuesheng for the monthly ticket support)
Volume 2 [723] A fortunate encounter
Donna got into the car and called her father, Guo Gang, telling him that she had to go out with a friend and that he should rest assured and wait at the hospital, as the matter would be resolved soon.
"I'll arrange a hotel for you to stay in first," Chen Xinyu said, acting as if she were a hostess.
Donna said, "Let's figure out how to deal with this first." Donna didn't know what was happening behind her, but when she passed by the swirling fog, she had already sensed that the fog was unusual. However, because Zhao Qiang was protecting her, she was not harmed.
Chen Xinyu said, "It's okay, we'll wait for the people from the Jiangquan Municipal Government to contact us."
The driver parked the car in front of the Huitong Hotel in Jiangquan City, which is considered the most luxurious hotel in Jiangquan City. Chen Xinyu led the way and swiped her card to book four rooms: one for Zhao Qiang, one for Tang Na, one for Guo Gang, and the rest for the staff.
Donna asked Chen Xinyu, "Which room are you staying in?"
Chen Xinyu glanced at Zhao Qiang and said, "I'll see when the time comes. Donna, give your father a call and ask him to come over so we can have a meal together."
Donna was getting anxious: "But what about the hospital..."
Chen Xinyu said, "I know how you feel, but if we rush things, others will easily find a loophole. So let's wait. I believe someone will come to our door before we finish eating. We can talk about this then. It would be best if someone from your uncle's family came, otherwise we won't be able to explain it clearly."
Donna didn't know what Chen Xinyu wanted to do, so she could only follow her instructions. Zhao Qiang was happy to be free at this moment. He knew that he didn't have much of a reputation in society, so it was definitely not as reliable as Chen Xinyu handling this matter. Besides, what kind of relationship did he have with Chen Xinyu? Why would he be afraid of who would take the limelight and who would be wronged? Zhao Qiang had always been low-key, and it was best to have someone shield him.