Nominal: My senior brothers are all big shots

Three days after the operation ended, the conference room of the Municipal Public Security Bureau was filled with smoke.

Cheng Du sat in the main seat, the ashtray in front of him overflowing with cigarette butts. Xiao Jingheng, Huang Pei, Li Yumei, Zhang Yu, and Xiao Song sat in a circle around him, each with a tired face, but a long-lost light in their eyes.

Qian Xinming pushed open the door and came in, carrying a thick stack of documents. He put them on the table and said in a hoarse voice, "Director Cheng, we've broken into the Beicheng Gang."

Cheng Du picked up the top document and opened it. Zhou Siwen's statement was densely written, detailing everything from collecting protection money to forced demolitions, from loan sharking to assault—each incident clearly documented with the time, place, people, and amount involved. Cheng Du turned to the last page, his gaze lingering on it.

"In March 2015, during the old city redevelopment project, Hu Dabiao of Hengfa Group instructed me to lead a group to disrupt Yongchang Company's construction site. Afterwards, Hu Dabiao gave me 3 yuan." Cheng Du raised his head and looked at Zhao Guodong: "Zhou Siwen confessed about Hengfa?"

Qian Xinming nodded: "He confessed. It wasn't just this one thing. Over the years, the Beicheng Gang has clashed with Hengfa's people several times. Hu Dabiao gave him money to smash up Yongchang's business, block Yongsheng Logistics' convoy, and threaten Yongsheng's small contractors. Zhou Siwen said that Hu Dabiao also gave him a batch of goods to help sell. The goods came from the dock, but he didn't say what they were."

Huang Pei chimed in, "The dock gang has also spoken up. Hou Jian confessed that he has been helping Hengfa smuggle for years. Electronic products, imported liquor, cigarettes, and... chemicals."

Cheng Du frowned: "Chemicals?"

Huang Pei pulled a piece of paper from the documents and pushed it in front of him: "Hou Jian said that at the end of last year, Hengfa asked him to transport a batch of goods from overseas, which were packed in sealed barrels. He thought they were ordinary chemical raw materials and didn't ask any questions. But the person who received the goods was not from Hengfa, but Chen Wanming's men from Yongsheng."

Du Cheng's pupils contracted slightly. Yong Sheng and Heng Fa were mortal enemies; how could Chen Wanming possibly obtain goods from Heng Fa's smuggling channels?

He picked up the phone and dialed Lin Feng's number: "Secretary Lin, there's progress. Both the Beicheng Gang and the Wharf Gang have spoken up. Zhou Siwen confessed that Hengfa's Hu Dabiao instructed him to attack the Yongsheng construction site. Hou Jian confessed that Hengfa helped him with smuggling, and that at the end of last year, Hengfa transported a batch of chemicals, which eventually ended up in Chen Wanming's hands. Yongsheng and Hengfa might not be as irreconcilable as we thought."

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone. Lin Feng's voice was low: "You mean, they cooperate on some things?"

Cheng Du said, "That's possible. Huaqiang produces detonators and drugs, and they need raw materials. If Hengfa is helping them smuggle raw materials..."

Lin Feng said, "Investigate. Follow Hou Jian's leads. Find out where that batch of chemicals came from, where it went, and who handled it in between."

Cheng Du said, "I understand."

After hanging up the phone, Cheng Du looked at Huang Pei: "The shipment Hou Jian mentioned was from the end of last year. There should be surveillance cameras at the dock, and records at the port. Take some people to check and see if you can find information about that ship."

Huang Pei nodded: "I'll go right away."

Cheng Du then looked at Qian Xinming: "Keep digging into Zhou Siwen's situation. Find out everything about his dealings with Hu Dabiao."

Qian Xinming said, "Understood."

The two got up and left. Cheng Du leaned back in his chair, his eyes closed. Xiao Jingheng sat opposite him, not leaving.

"Director Cheng," Xiao Jingheng began, his voice low, "there's something I'm not sure if I should say."

Cheng Du opened his eyes: "Speak."

Xiao Jingheng hesitated for a moment, then took a photo from his briefcase and pushed it in front of Cheng Du. The photo showed a middle-aged man in a suit standing next to a black sedan, talking to someone. The license plate of the car was obscured, but Cheng Du recognized the man's profile at a glance.

"This is……"

Xiao Jingheng said, "This is what Hou Jian confessed. He said that this person was also present when that batch of goods arrived at the dock last year. He saw it with his own eyes."

Cheng Du stared at the photo for a long time. It depicted a leader from a department in the provincial capital, a high-ranking official. He didn't speak, but put the photo into his drawer. "This matter ends here. I'll keep the photo for now. Don't mention it to anyone until the evidence is conclusive."

Xiao Jingheng nodded, got up, and left. Cheng Du sat alone in the conference room and lit another cigarette.

The goods Hou Jian confessed about came from overseas, passed through Hengfa's dock, and were finally delivered to Chen Wanming.

Huaqiang needs raw materials to produce detonators and drugs. If Hengfa helped smuggle these raw materials, then Yongsheng and Hengfa are not just outwardly hostile, but rather partners or even accomplices in some shady business dealings.

He picked up his phone and sent a message to Lin Feng: "Secretary Lin, there's a new lead. It might involve the province."

A few minutes later, Lin Feng replied: "Understood. Don't make a fuss until the evidence is solid. I'm investigating on my end too."

Two days later, Lin Feng sat in his office, the ashtray in front of him overflowing with cigarette butts.

Li Guodong sat opposite him, his face ashen, clutching a document that had just been faxed over from the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection. Cheng Du sat beside him, silent.

Li Guodong slammed the document on the table, his voice low: "Secretary Lin, news has come from the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection. Qiu Wenbin's wife and children have been sent abroad. They went through proper channels; passports, visas, plane tickets—everything is in place. And it happened the very day after Qiu Wenbin signed that confession."

Lin Feng took the document and flipped through it page by page. Qiu Wenbin's wife and child had departed from Beijing Airport three days ago, bound for Australia. The departure records showed they held valid passports and visas, and all procedures were legal and compliant. Lin Feng put the document down, closed his eyes, and remained silent for a long time.

"Qiu Wenbin signed that statement and took all the blame. The next day, his wife and children left the country. This is no coincidence." He opened his eyes, his gaze as cold as the winter wind.

Cheng Du spoke up, his voice hoarse: "Secretary Lin, I'll interrogate Qiu Wenbin. If he doesn't talk, I'll keep interrogating him. If he still won't speak, I'll lay out his case piece by piece before him. His wife and children have run away, but he himself is still in the detention center. He's not afraid of death, but what is he afraid of? I'm sure I can find out."

Lin Feng looked at him, paused for a moment, and then asked, "Are you confident?"

Cheng Du said, "Yes. He's been in detention for almost a month. He's thought about everything he could think about, and waited for everything he could wait for. Now his wife and children have gone abroad, and he thinks he's gotten away with it. But he forgot that he's carrying a death sentence. If someone knows they're going to die, would they still take the blame for someone else?"

Lin Feng nodded: "Go ahead."

Cheng Du stood up and strode out of the office.

Watching Cheng Du's departing figure, Li Guodong turned to Lin Feng and said, "Secretary Lin, the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection is also investigating Yong Sheng. But Guo Yonglin's network of connections built up over the years is too deep. Twenty-three officials have been placed under investigation, yet he can still remain unperturbed. This man is not simple."

Lin Feng sneered: "It's not that he's not simple, it's that the person behind him is not simple. Twenty-three officials were arrested or placed under investigation just like that. But Guo Yonglin was unscathed. Why? Because someone is protecting him. And this person is not low-ranking."

Li Guodong paused for a moment, then said, "The Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection is also investigating. But after so long, they haven't found a single clue. Guo Yonglin's side is as clean as a blank sheet of paper."

Lin Feng stood up and walked to the window. Outside, the sky was a hazy gray over the reed marshes, and in the distance, towards the docks, he could vaguely see several chimneys belching white smoke. "Clean as a sheet of white paper? A sheet of white paper soaked in ink, dried, still looks white. But if you soak it in water, the ink will seep out."

He turned around and looked at Li Guodong: "The matter of Yongsheng is not urgent. There are more urgent matters now."

Li Guodong looked at him.