At thirty, I started my comeback from the intelligence system.

Chen Geng understood.

This is a clear signal and authorization.

Direct reporting is a symbol of promotion and being recognized as "one of their own"; participating in the "Starshine Media" project directly touches on the core of Li Qianqian's attempt to manipulate things!

Wang Zhenye's move was not only to give him an opportunity, but also likely to use him to monitor financial processes and check Li Qianqian.

After all, Li Qianqian has powerful backers, and Wang Zhenye may not be entirely at ease.

"Thank you for your trust, Mr. Wang! I will do my best to live up to your expectations!" Chen Geng immediately stated.

"Do a good job," Wang Zhenye encouraged him a few more times before letting him go back.

Back at his workstation, Chen Geng could sense a subtle change in the way some of his colleagues looked at him.

He remained calm and started working, keeping an eye on the time.

Around 11:30, he got up and walked to his apprentice Wei Songqi's side, whispering, "Songqi, I have some urgent business to attend to at noon, but I'll try my best to come back this afternoon."

"If Mr. Wang or Director Li contacts me, just tell them I have to meet with a client and will be back soon. Call me if you need anything."

"Okay, Master, you can go without worry." Wei Songqi nodded.

Chen Geng picked up his briefcase and left the company with a normal expression.

He drove his newly bought Lincoln Z and turned on the navigation to the city funeral home.

Chen Geng gripped the steering wheel, gazing out the window.

Will that audacious killer really appear?

How could I possibly identify him among the many mourners?

He touched his phone and the spare voice recorder in his pocket, and took a deep breath.

The intelligence system gave him the opportunity to see the future, but how to use this opportunity to break the deadlock tested his courage, wisdom, and luck.

The atmosphere in the largest farewell hall of the city funeral home was so solemn it was almost palpable.

The air was filled with the strong fragrance of lilies and chrysanthemums, but it couldn't suppress the pervasive sadness and desolation.

In the center of the hall, a crystal coffin lay peacefully amidst layers of white flowers, and Zhang Guowei, dressed in a police uniform, looked serene.

A huge black-and-white portrait hangs in front of him. In the photo, his eyes are sharp, his lips are tightly pursed, and he still has that decisive and efficient demeanor.

His wife and children, dressed in mourning clothes, cried so hard they almost fainted. Several policewomen supported them, their eyes red as they whispered words of comfort.

The hall was crowded with people, a mix of deep black and navy blue.

Besides police leaders and colleagues, many ordinary citizens who had received help from Zhang Guowei or even been dealt with by him but remained convinced of his authority also came spontaneously. Somber funeral music played on a loop, intertwined with suppressed weeping and sighs.

Chen Geng's work clothes were a dark blue suit, which wouldn't attract attention on this occasion. He mingled at the edge of the mourners, seemingly casually glancing at everyone who came in and out, and everyone who stopped in front of the coffin.

Sad faces may all look alike, but subtle movements, shifting eyes, and the length of time they linger can all conceal untold secrets.

Suddenly, he was drawn to a somewhat abrupt commotion.

A group of men in black suits, exuding a tough aura, escorted a man in his forties, with a burly build, slicked-back hair, and wearing sunglasses, as he walked in.

This man exuded a powerful aura, walked with a commanding presence, and wherever he went, even the sounds of funeral music seemed to be subdued.

He walked straight to the crystal coffin, took off his sunglasses, and his sorrowful expression seemed genuine.

With red-rimmed eyes and trembling lips, the man bowed deeply three times to the portrait. Then, ignoring the advice of the ceremonial staff, he insisted on going forward to open the glass cover of the crystal coffin.

"Let me see him! Let me see my brother one last time!" The man's voice was hoarse, carrying an undeniable arrogance.

Several police officers instinctively tried to stop them, but were stopped by an older police officer who gently shook his head.

The man's hand trembled as he reached into the coffin, gently touching Zhang Guowei's cold, stiff hand. Tears streamed down his face. "Brother... how could you leave us... we promised to travel the world together after retirement..."

He murmured softly, his true feelings evident, not feigned.

Chen Geng frowned. This man's behavior didn't seem like that of a respectable person. Were he and Zhang Guowei really that close?

He subtly moved to the side, closer to a young policeman who looked like he had just started working and whose eyes were red and swollen from crying. He lowered his voice and asked, feigning curiosity, "Comrade, is this... Captain Zhang's friend? He doesn't look like an ordinary person."

The young policeman glanced at Chen Geng, finding him unfamiliar, but noticing his demeanor didn't seem like that of a bad guy. He quickly whispered, "That's Brother Hao, Lu Jiahao, the famous owner of the Royal Palace Nightclub. He and Captain Zhang are childhood friends, very close."

"Team Leader Zhang is an open and honest person who never shies away from this relationship, but he has never given Hao Ge any special treatment. But because of this, Team Leader Zhang has missed several opportunities for promotion... sigh."

"Our team leader Hou submitted a report a long time ago, wanting to step down and let team leader Zhang take over, but the higher-ups have not approved it, so team leader Hou has been holding on and hasn't stepped down yet."

It turned out to be the case.

Chen Geng understood.

The complex background and special relationship may be a contradiction, but they could also be the motivation.

Lu Jiahao's grief seems genuine, but for a gangster who lives on the edge of a knife, acting skills may have already seeped into his very bones.

His gesture of reaching out to touch the body...was it a genuine expression of emotion?

Although it's somewhat suspicious, I have no way to verify it right now.

Lu Jiahao didn't stay long. He wiped his face, put his sunglasses back on, said a few words of condolence to the family, and then turned and left surrounded by his subordinates.

As he passed through the family quarters, his gaze met a cold, sharp stare from the crowd.

Yang Yongchao arrived at some point. He was dressed in civilian clothes, standing in the corner, his face pale and his eyes sunken, but his back was still ramrod straight.

He stared intently at Lu Jiahao, his eyes filled with undisguised suspicion and anger.

Lu Jiahao paused, a mocking smile playing on his lips, and walked towards Yang Yongchao. The crowd instinctively parted to make way for him.

"Captain Yang, oh no, you're the acting deputy captain, and besides... you've already been suspended?"

Lu Jiahao's voice wasn't loud, but it was clear and jarring in the silent mourning hall.

Chen Geng looked at Yang Yongchao in the crowd and sighed inwardly. Why did he still come? It's just what I feared most.

"You came to see Guowei off too? Tsk, that's so thoughtful. But I heard that when Guowei left, he was clutching a note with your name on it? That's really... a deep brotherly bond?"

Lu Jiahao's words were like knives, striking Yang Yongchao's sore spot and instantly attracting the attention of everyone around.

Chen Geng, standing in the crowd, had a sudden thought. Logically, the details of the case should not be made public, and he only found out because he happened to be at the scene.

Where did Lu Jiahao get this information? Does he have people in the police system?