Then there were the two SWAT officers who drew their guns. They had received special training in this area, and their speed in drawing guns was far beyond that of ordinary soldiers. However, just as their hands touched their waists, they felt a sudden lightness on their bodies. The pistols tucked in their waists had actually left their bodies. The two SWAT officers were shocked and didn't even have time to react before they felt a chill on their heads. They were so frightened that they didn't dare to move. The dark muzzle of a gun was pointed at them, and that gun was the one they carried. Putting aside the fact that bullets don't have eyes and could easily blow their skulls off, the speed at which someone had pulled a gun from their waists was a miracle. The two didn't dare to breathe.
Chief Wang was dumbfounded, unable to process what had happened for a long time. He seemed to have forgotten the pain of his broken bones. Even Mo Xuanfeng was holding his breath with his mouth wide open. It wasn't until the SWAT officer who had crashed into the wall let out a painful groan that he came to his senses. Seeing Zhao Qiang holding a gun in each hand to the heads of two SWAT officers, Mo Xuanfeng trembled and said, "You, you dare to assault the police? Put down your guns right now."
Zhao Qiang chuckled: "Anyway, it's not a new charge, so what if I just commit assault?"
Mo Xuanfeng said, "There are police everywhere outside. If you don't want to live, just put down your gun and I guarantee you won't be in any danger."
Zhao Qiang said, "Don't you think about whether you're in danger first?"
Mo Xuanfeng mustered his courage and said, "What... what did I do? I'm the deputy director of the branch office. If you dare to fire a shot, you're committing treason."
Zhao Qiang suddenly lowered the gun barrel, and with a bang, a shot rang out. Mo Xuanfeng screamed in agony. He felt as if something had bitten his thigh, causing excruciating pain. A warm liquid flowed down his thigh. Director Wang, who was standing next to him, exclaimed in shock, "Director Mo, you've been shot!"
Seeing his chance, the SWAT officer, now free of a gun pointed at him, saw Zhao Qiang draw his weapon to shoot Mo Xuanfeng. He immediately sprang into action, ramming into Zhao Qiang first, hoping to create a greater opportunity for himself and also to relieve his comrade of the threat. Theoretically, his plan was correct, but he hadn't anticipated Zhao Qiang's speed and strength. At the same moment his body rammed into him, Zhao Qiang also rammed into him. The SWAT officer, having failed to ram into Mo Xuanfeng, flew through the air and crashed into the wall with a thud. His head was hit squarely, and he immediately lost consciousness. Even if he woke up, he would likely suffer from a concussion.
The remaining SWAT officer was completely convinced. He raised his hands and dared not move. He knew that he was far inferior to Zhao Qiang in both speed and strength, and was no match for him at all.
Mo Xuanfeng screamed in pain like a pig being slaughtered. He never expected Zhao Qiang to actually shoot him. However, the gunshot must have alerted the police outside, because they could hear hurried footsteps going upstairs and the sound of ward doors being opened with a bang. A large number of patients and their families came out to check after hearing the gunshot. The scene in the corridor frightened them. Bang, bang, and these people quickly scurried back into the ward. Bullets have no eyes, so it's better to go back to bed and rest.
Director Wang struggled to his feet, then knelt down with a thud. It wasn't that he wanted to kneel; one leg was broken, and the other was weak. "No, don't kill me."
Zhao Qiang threw the gun on the ground and said to Director Wang, "I want to report Liu Mingzhen for bribery, is that alright?"
Director Wang was taken aback. What kind of time was this? The other party was still thinking of reporting Liu Mingzhen. Was he out of his mind? However, Director Wang dared not ask aloud. He repeatedly said, "Okay, okay."
Zhao Qiang snorted coldly, "It seems that Director Mo has some objections."
Mo Xuanfeng was in excruciating pain, blood gushing from the wound on his leg. He felt like he was about to die. When he saw Zhao Qiang looking at him, Mo Xuanfeng no longer dared to put on airs. "No, no objection. You are welcome to report Liu Mingzhen."
Zhao Qiang said, "Then it's settled. You two are witnesses, and you can't shirk your responsibilities when the time comes."
At this moment, a large number of plainclothes officers rushed up and surrounded both ends of the corridor. Seeing that someone was injured, the plainclothes officers did not dare to approach for a moment, fearing that Zhao Qiang had taken Mo Xuanfeng and Director Wang hostage. There was a stalemate.
Zhao Qiang brought up Mo Xuanfeng and said, "Director Mo, what do you think we should do now?"
Mo Xuanfeng was both in pain and ashamed. He asked back, "What do you think we should do?" In front of so many police officers, he had completely lost face. Forget about gaining political achievements, just the fact that he had been threatened by criminals was enough to make him suffer.
Zhao Qiang said, "I think everything is fine here now. You can have your men leave. Otherwise, I can't guarantee how serious the consequences might be."
At this moment, Mo Xuanfeng was still the highest-ranking commander present, and his subordinates had to obey his orders. Mo Xuanfeng was injured, and he knew he couldn't do anything to Zhao Qiang for the time being. Moreover, judging from Zhao Qiang's words, he didn't seem to be in a hurry to escape and even intended to pursue Liu Mingzhen's matter. So there would be plenty of opportunities to take him down. Therefore, Mo Xuanfeng said, "Everyone, go downstairs first."
The officers looked at each other, and in the end, they all chose to obey orders. However, after going downstairs, they did not dare to disperse and continued to guard the ward building.
Volume 2 [720] My period came
Mo Xuanfeng and Director Wang were shocked to find that Zhao Qiang had released them so easily, abandoning them in the corridor and ignoring them completely. He then turned and went into the ward. Mo Xuanfeng's gunshot wound on his thigh was bleeding, and Director Wang had a broken leg. Both of them were in so much pain that they were on the verge of fainting.
Director Wang asked, "Director Mo, what's the next step?"
Mo Xuanfeng said, "Is there any need to ask?... Doctor, doctor, help! Someone come quick!"
Inside the ward, Guo Yang had seen everything clearly through the crack in the door. When Zhao Qiang returned, he was very worried. "Zhao Qiang, this has blown up. This is a real attack on a police officer." Several unconscious SWAT officers were still lying in the corridor outside the ward.
Zhao Qiang shrugged. "It's not what we want, but we have no choice."
Guo Yang's mother was at a loss, only Guo Zhen's eyes lit up, and he muttered, "Good, good..."
Hearing the chaotic footsteps outside and the doctor's instructions, they carried Mo Xuanfeng and Director Wang away. The two were injured and went to receive treatment. The police outside had no further instructions and probably wouldn't take any rash actions. They would have to wait for the new leadership to take office before they could act. At this moment, everything in the hospital was still the same as usual.
The ward door creaked open. Guo Yang was about to discuss Zhao Qiang's next plan when he looked up at the door. Who was it? Had they come back to arrest someone so soon?
However, the person who entered puzzled Guo Yang. It was a man in his fifties who looked somewhat familiar, but he didn't know Zhao Qiang. Could it be a leader from Jiangquan City acting as an intermediary? Theoretically, they shouldn't have compromised so quickly.
"Big brother? You really are here." The first thing the man saw when he entered was Guo Zhen lying on the hospital bed. He immediately rushed over. The cry of "Big brother" stunned Guo Yang's family. It was Guo Yang's mother who reacted first, "You, you are Guo Zhen's younger brother, Guo Gang?"
The man nodded vigorously, “Yes, sister-in-law, this is Guo Gang. You called me before. I finally managed to escape from America. What happened to my brother? Brother, look at me! This is Gangzi. I’m back in China. I’ve come back to see you. What happened to you?”
While the brothers and relatives were recognizing each other, Guo Zhen remained unresponsive, like a wooden statue. Zhao Qiang guessed that he had suffered too much trauma and might have developed a mental problem. Now, even if Liu Mingzhen kowtowed, admitted his mistakes, and offered money, he might not be able to save him. The situation was serious.
Zhao Qiang stood by, unsure how to persuade the Guo family. He could only try to appease Liu Mingzhen as quickly as possible so he could comfort Old Master Guo. Thinking of the local protectionism in Jiangquan City, Zhao Qiang hesitated. Should he contact his connections in Beijing and ask them for help? But Zhao Qiang didn't want those old men to laugh at him for not being able to handle such a small matter. If all else failed, he would have Yang Shiqi intervene. As for involving the bigwigs in Beijing, Zhao Qiang didn't want to owe them favors.
With a bang, the ward door was suddenly pushed open. Zhao Qiang was lost in thought and hadn't been paying attention to what was happening outside. He thought the police had forced their way in and almost attacked the person who came in. Fortunately, the person was dressed in bright women's clothing, and Zhao Qiang quickly stopped, thus avoiding any harm to the person who came in.
"Dad, which one is my uncle?" A girl came in and asked the man who was crying on the hospital bed.
"Donna?" Zhao Qiang was quite surprised. They hadn't been broken up for long, and this American girl had actually come to China before the virus outbreak had completely subsided. One can only imagine how many transfers she had made and how many tests she had undergone.
Donna heard someone call her name from behind. Ignoring her father's crying, she turned around and exclaimed, "Ah, you, you..." Donna couldn't accept reality for a moment. The person she wanted to see was right in front of her. How could this be? It was too much of a coincidence.
Guo Gang stood up straight from the hospital bed. Seeing his daughter's stunned expression, he said, "Xiao Mei, come here. This is your uncle. He has been persecuted to this state. You must report this, report it all over the world, so that the whole world knows that China is a country without human rights." Guo Gang was really going overboard.
Donna, having been called by her father, didn't even bother to greet Zhao Qiang again. She could only obediently come to the bedside and call out, "Uncle," but Guo Zhen didn't respond. His eyes were empty and lifeless, which was even worse than when Zhao Qiang first saw Guo Zhen in the ward.
Donna, led by her father, called Guo Yang's mother "Auntie" and then called Guo Yang "Brother." Guo Yang was somewhat incredulous, "You...you're really my cousin?"
Guo Gang said, "Xiao Mei looks like her mother; it seems she has lost her Chinese bloodline. She can't even speak a few words of Chinese."
Guo Yang's mother held Guo Gang's hand and recounted the events. Tang Na quietly moved back and finally came to Zhao Qiang's side. At this moment, Guo Yang's mother was crying. Tang Na did not dare to interrupt too loudly. She gently stepped on Zhao Qiang's toe and asked in a low voice, "What are you doing here?"
Zhao Qiang said, "That's what I should be asking you."
Donna said, "You should have heard this. This is my family. Something happened to them, so my father and I came back to check on them and help out."
Zhao Qiang said, "Guo Yang is my friend, and I'm here to help."
Donna said, "Thank you so much. I was worried about being unfamiliar with China, but now that I see you, I feel relieved. This is your territory, so please take good care of me."
Zhao Qiang said, "No problem. Donna isn't your Chinese name, is it? Your dad's surname is Guo. If your surname were Tang, things would get interesting."
Donna said, "Of course, my dad gave me a nice-sounding Chinese name, Guo Meimei."
Zhao Qiang immediately broke out in a cold sweat. "You can't be serious, your name isn't very good." Isn't Guo Meimei that flaunts her wealth? But her real name is Guo Meiling, so there's a difference.
Donna said, "What's wrong with it? My dad said my surname is Guo. The first 'Mei' means I was born in America, and the second 'Mei' means I'm pretty. Do you think I'm not pretty?" It turns out that both of these "Mei" have their own separate meanings.
Zhao Qiang glanced at Donna, who showed no Chinese ancestry whatsoever, and said, "Beautiful." Donna pouted and said, "You're not being honest, are you?" Zhao Qiang said, "I mean it." Donna would definitely be considered a beauty in America, but in the eyes of Chinese people, the beauty of exotic beauties is incomparable. The unique charm exuded by her eyes, her hair, and her breasts was irresistible to Chinese men.
"Where's your girlfriend?" Donna asked.
Zhao Qiang said, "It's not in Jiangquan City. Uh, well, I'll still call you Donna from now on. It's best not to use your Chinese name in China, or people will laugh at you. There are some historical allusions to it that you need to learn about slowly."
Donna was puzzled, but she knew Zhao Qiang wouldn't harm her, so she nodded in agreement. "I've heard that things are very dark in China. My uncle was persecuted, so I brought a camera to expose what's happening here to the world."
Zhao Qiang pressed Donna down: "No, don't rush to do anything that will damage China's reputation. Since you said this is my territory, how about you listen to my arrangements? I'm already working on resolving this matter."
Donna thought for a moment and said, "Okay, I'll follow your plan for now, but as you can see, my dad is very anxious, so don't keep him waiting."
Zhao Qiang said, "Don't worry, I'm even more anxious than you are."
At this moment, Guo Gang finished listening to his sister-in-law's story. He glanced at Tang Na standing next to Zhao Qiang, raised his hand and said, "Xiao Mei, come here quickly. What are you doing standing in the back? When it's time to help, don't embarrass your father."
Zhao Qiang actually wanted to ask Donna another question: Was she really her father's biological daughter? She didn't look like she had any Chinese blood at all. However, he couldn't bring himself to ask her in front of Guo Gang, otherwise Guo Gang might have hit him with a stool.
Actually, it wasn't just Zhao Qiang who was puzzled; Guo Yang was equally confused. In the blink of an eye, he had gained a beautiful foreign cousin, and this cousin clearly knew Zhao Qiang. Judging from their occasional whispered conversations, the cousin's expression was incredibly excited.
Donna stepped forward to her father's side. "Dad, I'll take photos and conduct interviews first. The article can't be published just like that. Besides, the United States is in a state of panic because of the virus, so we need to wait for the right moment to have an impact. Otherwise, it will be of no use at all."
Guo Gang said, "I don't understand this, but my brother, who is also your uncle, has suffered. You must help him. Give him money if needed, and manpower if needed."
Donna said, "Dad, don't worry. I wasn't very confident at first, but now I'm not worried anymore. This matter will definitely be resolved."
Guo Gang asked, puzzled, "What do you mean?"
Donna pointed at Zhao Qiang and said, "Look who he is."
Guo Gang glanced at it and said, "I don't recognize it."
Donna stamped her foot and said, "He's Zhao Qiang, the one I told you about before. Turns out he's friends with my cousin. Think about it, with him around, how could this not be resolved?"
"Is this Zhao Qiang?" Guo Gang was clearly surprised to see the important person his daughter had mentioned here. He stood up abruptly, took two quick steps to Zhao Qiang, and reached out to shake Zhao Qiang's hand. "Mr. Zhao, it's a pleasure to meet you. I'll have to rely on you this time."
Guo Yang and his mother were puzzled. What was wrong with this uncle? He seemed to admire Zhao Qiang a lot.
Zhao Qiang said, "I will do my best. We have already found strong evidence. As long as we file a case, we can put that person to death."
Guo Gang said, "That's great, sister-in-law. With him here, you can rest assured. He's no ordinary person..."
Guo Gang wanted to explain Zhao Qiang's situation to his sister-in-law, but Donna glared at her father as a hint, and Guo Gang quickly shut up. There were some things that Zhao Qiang had not disclosed to the Americans at all. Only a handful of people knew the inside story of the virus treatment drug research, and he only found out because his daughter was present.
Before things could be settled in the ward, a voice rang out from outside, "Listen up, everyone inside, except the patients, all of you, come out with your hands up, or we'll have to force our way in and arrest you."
The sound of footsteps echoed down the corridor. Guo Yang glanced at Zhao Qiang; the new commander had arrived, otherwise the police wouldn't have dared to act rashly.
Guo Gang gritted his teeth, "I never expected to encounter unspoken rules so soon after returning to China. China is too dark."
Zhao Qiang broke out in a cold sweat again. Was this some kind of underhanded tactic? He coughed and said to Guo Gang, "Uncle Guo, it's not really what you think. It's just that the truth has been temporarily covered up. Once this matter is resolved, you'll realize that we all live in the sunlight, and the world here is just as beautiful."
Guo Gang said, "Then what do you suggest we do now?"
Zhao Qiang said, "Let me handle this."
At this moment, the person outside continued to shout: "I am Wang Dong, the director of Jiangquan City Public Security Bureau. People inside, listen up, raise your hands and come out. Confess and you will be treated leniently; resist and you will be punished severely. Our Party and government have always implemented this regulation. As long as you do not resist and cooperate with law enforcement, you will not be severely punished."
(Thanks to Jerry.H, WSDSY, Ziyanboy, CT2, and Yixiangdewo for their monthly ticket support)
Volume 2 [721] Take care of yourself first
Wang Dong was furious, and not just ordinary furious. A simple case had been turned into a major case that shocked the entire city by Mo Xuanfeng. The criminals had taken patients hostage in the hospital ward and openly shot and wounded police officers in the hospital. Not only that, several other police officers were also injured, but the criminals were so brazen that they did not dodge or avoid the situation and even stayed in the hospital.
A detective whispered in Wang Dong's ear, "Chief, I'm afraid propaganda might not be effective. That guy is very ruthless. Even the special police we invited to assist us are no match for him. I think we should just storm in and subdue him, otherwise more patients will be affected by him."
Wang Dong said, "No, this is a hospital. If we really fight, the impact will be too widespread. Look at all these people outside, everyone is holding a cell phone, afraid of missing any part of the drama. If we successfully subdue the criminal, that's fine, but what if something goes wrong, or one of the hostages gets injured? How am I supposed to explain this to the public and to my superiors?"
The detective who had been speaking retreated. This responsibility was too great for Wang Dong, the bureau chief; even the municipal party secretary couldn't bear it. Since there was no other way, Wang Dong could only continue his persuasive work. Just as he was getting hoarse from talking, the criminal suddenly came down alone. Wang Dong was overjoyed and immediately ordered the police to surround the man.
"I am Wang Dong, the director of the Jiangquan City Public Security Bureau." Wang Dong introduced himself to Zhao Qiang in a routine manner, hoping that this position would make the other party take him seriously.
Zhao Qiang nodded. "Director Wang, you're a influential figure in Jiangquan City. I'd like to report Liu Mingzhen for bribery. Is that alright?"
"Liu Mingzhen?" Wang Dong hesitated for a moment. In fact, he didn't know much about the cause and effect of the matter. After all, as the director of the municipal bureau, he couldn't personally intervene in everything. However, he knew Liu Mingzhen well. He was very good at flattering and would make sure that the leaders of Jiangquan City were impeccable during holidays. Even Wang Dong himself benefited from this, receiving plenty of ginseng, abalone, and shopping cards. Logically speaking, no one should be able to target Liu Mingzhen now that he was in a position of power. So why was this thug not even talking about what crime he had committed, but instead wanting to report him? Had this guy's head been slammed in a door?
"You'd better think about your own problems first," Wang Dong said sternly. He was barely holding on himself, yet he was reporting others. Wang Dong quickly realized an important point: regardless of whether he had received any benefits from Liu Mingzhen, this man had assaulted a police officer, and he was no longer in a position to negotiate. Poor Chief Wang Dong hadn't had time to inquire about Mo Xuanfeng and Chief Wang in the hospital. This man's strength was unfathomable; going against him seemed unlikely to end well.
Zhao Qiang said, "My problem actually stems from Liu Mingzhen's issue. As long as Liu Mingzhen's problem is resolved, I guarantee I will turn myself in. Director Wang, what do you think?" Zhao Qiang's actions were a concession. As long as Liu Mingzhen could apologize to Guo Zhen, Zhao Qiang didn't care about losing face.
"Are you threatening me?" Wang Dong's voice grew even colder. Dozens of guns were pointed at Zhao Qiang, yet he kept trying to negotiate. This man was truly courting death. Even if he had some powerful backing, his past actions were enough to warrant punishment. In Wang Dong's mind, Zhao Qiang was nothing more than a rich second-generation or the son of a provincial or municipal official, but his serious assault on a police officer couldn't protect him from punishment; at the very least, he would face some semblance of leniency.
Zhao Qiang said, "I'm not threatening you. If Director Wang doesn't mind the trouble, you can come up to the ward and take a look. There is an old man here who has lost all his life savings because Liu Mingzhen cheated him out of his life savings. Moreover, I believe that there are quite a few people who have been cheated by Liu Mingzhen. If Director Wang can't give them justice, they really have no way to live."
Wang Dong pointed at Zhao Qiang and said, "Don't change the subject. I'm talking to you about assaulting a police officer, not some economic or financial case... I must be stupid to tell you all this. Take him away and keep him under strict guard. There can't be any problems."