Nominal: My senior brothers are all big shots

"What...what is she doing here?" His voice was so hoarse it was almost inaudible.

He Bing said, "She came to the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection. She said someone threatened her. The night before last, someone went to your house, smashed your door, and ransacked your house. Your wife called the police, but when the police arrived, they just looked around and said 'there was no major loss' and left. Your wife was scared, so she took the children and left home that night to come to the provincial capital to find us. She said she doesn't trust the police in Pingjiang; she only trusts the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection."

Sun Decai's hands began to tremble. He lowered his head, his shoulders shaking. He Bing looked at him without saying a word. The interrogation room was extremely quiet, with only the ticking of the clock on the wall and Sun Decai's suppressed breathing.

After a long while, Sun Decai raised his head, tears streaming down his face. "They...they promised me they wouldn't harm my family." His voice was very soft, as if he were talking to himself.

He Bing said, "Can they keep their promises to you? They can't even protect themselves, how can they protect your family? Sun Decai, think about it, you're taking the blame for them, what can they give you? What can they give your wife and children? They can't even clean up their own mess, how can they take care of you?"

Sun Decai fell silent. His tears were still flowing, but he didn't wipe them away.

He Bing opened the folder, took out a photo, and pushed it in front of Sun Decai.

The photo showed a man in his fifties, wearing a dark jacket, standing next to a black car. Sun Decai stared at the photo, his pupils contracting sharply.

"You know this person, right?" He Bing asked.

Sun Decai did not answer, but his expression said it all.

He Bing said, "His name is Wei Guoan, the deputy director of the Pingjiang City Public Security Bureau. The night you were detained, he called you more than a dozen times. You didn't answer. The next day, he called more than a dozen times again. You still didn't answer. On the third day, he stopped calling. Do you know why?"

Sun Decai shook his head.

He Bing said, "Because he knew you had been taken away by the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection. He couldn't get through to you on the phone, so he called your wife. Your wife told me that Wei Guoan told her on the phone: 'He'll take responsibility for Sun Decai's matter himself. Don't say things you shouldn't say. If you do, it will make things difficult for everyone.'"

Sun Decai's hands trembled even more violently.

He Bing continued, "Sun Decai, do you think they'll let you go if you don't speak up? Do you think they'll let your family go? You're wrong. They're not afraid of you speaking up, they're afraid of you speaking up too soon. They need time—time to destroy evidence, time to transfer assets, time to plan their escape. By the time something happens to your family, by the time you're convicted, they'll have vanished without a trace. If you take the blame for them, who will take the blame for you?"

He paused, then took out another document from the folder and pushed it in front of Sun Decai. "This is a clue we found in the accounts of Yuanda Group. Over the years, Zhou Tianming's company has transferred a large amount of funds overseas through more than a dozen shell companies. Some of it went into Liu Zhi's overseas accounts. We have already found the account information and are further verifying it. Sun Decai, even if you don't tell us, we can still find out. It's just a matter of time. But by then, you won't have the chance to speak up."

Sun Decai stared at the document, his face as white as a sheet. His hands stopped trembling, and he slumped into his chair, feeling as if all his strength had been drained away.

He Bing looked at him, waited a moment, and then said, "Sun Decai, we've brought your wife and children to the provincial capital. They're safe now, staying at the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection's guesthouse, with people taking care of them and protecting them. No one can harm them. You can rest assured."

Sun Decai suddenly raised his head, looked at He Bing, his eyes red-rimmed. "You...you're telling the truth?"

He Bing said, "Really. Your wife is outside. Do you want to see her?"

Sun Decai's tears flowed again. He nodded, unable to speak.

He Bing stood up, walked to the door, and opened it. A woman stood outside, around fifty years old, with a haggard face and red, swollen eyes. She saw Sun Decai, paused for a moment, then rushed over and grabbed his hand across the table.

"Old Sun..." she cried, sobbing uncontrollably.

Sun Decai also cried. He held his wife's hand, his hand trembling, his lips quivering, unable to utter a single word. The two of them stood there across the table, holding hands, crying for a long time.

He Bing stood at the door, not disturbing them. Only after their crying subsided did he approach and say softly, "Sun Decai, your wife and child are safe here. You can rest assured. Now, can you speak?"

Sun Decai raised his head, wiped away his tears, and looked at He Bing. There was something indescribable in his eyes—gratitude, relief, and a deep weariness.

"Director He, I'll tell you everything.

He Bing pressed the recorder button.

The first thing Sun Decai told him was about Liu Zhi.

His voice was calm, as calm as if he were reading a list. "Mayor Liu, no, Liu Zhi, he took money from Zhou Tianming. More than once. I handled it three times. The first time was in 2018, when Tiansheng Group wanted to acquire mining rights for a rare earth mine, and Zhou Tianming asked me to help with the process. I said that there were competitors for the mining rights, and it wouldn't be easy to handle. Zhou Tianming said, 'Just do it, someone above will put in a good word.' A few days later, Liu Zhi called me and said that Tiansheng Group was a powerful company, and that our bureau should support them in the mining rights matter. I could tell that this wasn't a suggestion, it was an order."

He Bing asked, "What happens after the mining rights are approved?"

Sun Decai said, "After the mining rights were approved, Zhou Tianming asked me to transfer a sum of money to Liu Zhi. It was a bank card with one million yuan in it, packed in a tea box. I delivered it to Liu Zhi's office, and he accepted it. He didn't say anything or ask anything."

He Bing asked, "What about the next two times?"

Sun Decai said, "The second time was in 2019. A safety accident occurred at one of Tiansheng Group's mines, killing two people. According to regulations, production had to be suspended for rectification, and those responsible would be held accountable. Zhou Tianming came to me again, asking me to suppress the incident. I said I couldn't suppress it; the higher-ups would investigate. Zhou Tianming said, 'You don't need to worry about what happens above; just handle what's happening below.' A few days later, Liu Zhi called me again, saying, 'Safety in production is very important, but the company's development is also very important; you need to strike a balance.' I understood. That accident was ultimately classified as an 'accident,' and no one was held accountable. Afterward, Zhou Tianming asked me to transfer another sum of money, this time two million."

He Bing asked, "And the third time?"

Sun Decai said, "The third time was last year. Tiansheng Group's export quota was insufficient, and Zhou Tianming wanted more. I helped him arrange it, transferring some quotas from other companies to Yuanda. Liu Zhi knew about this and tacitly approved it. Afterwards, Zhou Tianming asked me to transfer three million yuan. He said it was Mayor Liu's 'year-end bonus'."