Official excuse: I've put you on patrol in Handong, and the whole province is in a panic.

An Xin put down the review records in her hand and asked, "What about Gao Qiqiang?"

"Gao Qiqiang, Gao Qisheng, and the Tang brothers have all been arrested. Chen Shuting is cooperating with the investigation, and Gao Xiaochen is being looked after by local personnel."

An Xin took the two receipts and looked at them over and over again, then said, "Jinghai has been looking for them for so many years, and the inspection team has only been here for a few days, yet they have all been found."

Su Zhe said, "Finding the person is just the beginning. Whether we can solve the case depends on the evidence."

An Changlin asked, "When will the escort begin?"

"The Ministry of Public Security is coordinating to arrange special planes and escorts in both locations to send the person to an investigation point outside the province first, so that they cannot go directly to the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau."

An Xin said, "Xu Jiang is stubborn, and Gao Qiqiang is cunning. If either of them knew the other had been captured, they would wait for the other to speak first."

Su Zhe looked at him: "So they interrogated each other separately, and the information was also given to each other separately. The people they trusted the most were not their brothers, but the chips in their own hands."

The secure phone on the table rang, displaying a Beijing number on the screen. After verifying the line, Li Wei handed the receiver to Su Zhe.

Su Zhe answered the phone and said, "Hello, this is Su Zhe."

A steady voice came from the other end of the phone: "Comrade Su Zhe, this is Sun Ruolai from the Ministry of Public Security."

Su Zhe stood up and said, "Minister Sun, hello."

Sun Ruolai laughed and said, "No need to be so formal. Let me congratulate you first. Taking control of the core members of the two major criminal groups in Jinghai within a single day is an efficiency that many veteran comrades in the public security system may not be able to achieve."

Su Zhe replied, "It mainly relied on the cooperation of the Ministry of Public Security and the public security organs in both places. I only provided clues."

"The organization will clearly see whose credit it is."

Sun Ruolai flipped through the documents at hand and said, "The security problems in Handong have been long-standing, and the problems in Jinghai are particularly prominent. If you dare to confront them this time, the people of Jinghai will remember what the inspection team did in the future."

Su Zhe said, "Arresting a few people won't change a city; we still need to clean up the protective umbrellas and the chain of interests behind them."

I like your clarity of mind.

Sun Ruolai continued, "I have another matter to discuss on this call. The facial recognition technology you use to locate targets has been reviewed by the Ministry of Public Security's technical department. Existing manufacturers cannot achieve the same level of performance."

"Is Minister Sun trying to find out the source of the technology?"

"In the industry, Cence is a good example, and in China, there's Business Weekly Technology. By integrating algorithms with traffic nodes and legally authorized data, they can quickly locate fugitives using aliases. Your technology already has practical value for widespread application."

Su Zhe did not answer immediately, but gestured for Yang Hong to close the office door.

Sun Ruolai continued, "This technology concerns citizens' privacy and national security. The Ministry of Public Security is not considering ordinary procurement. We hope to discuss the transfer of core technologies so that the government can control the underlying capabilities and then establish a strict authorization and auditing system."

Su Zhe said, "Your considerations are reasonable. If technology is misused, the consequences will be more serious than not being able to find the suspect."

"So I need to ask you, who is the technology provider?"

"Cence team."

Sun Ruolai asked, "What is your relationship with them?"

Su Zhe had already prepared his answer: "The person in charge is a classmate I met when I was in graduate school. This situation was urgent, so I used my personal connections to ask him to provide the testing interface. The data was controlled by the public security authorities throughout the process; they only provided the algorithm."

"I see."

Sun Ruolai laughed and said, "No wonder when the technical department contacted domestic partners, they only talked about services and refused to disclose the ultimate authorized person."

Su Zhe said, "Commercial teams are quite cautious about core technologies. I can help the Ministry of Public Security make connections, but whether they are willing to transfer the entire technology is up to them."

"You're in charge of opening the door; the rest will be handled by the professional team."

Sun Ruolai said, "Conditions can be discussed, and the country will not let technical personnel suffer losses, but core capabilities must remain in our own hands. There is no room for negotiation on this point."

Su Zhe replied, "I will convey the message and urge them to send a representative to the capital as soon as possible."

"Alright, you can rest assured about the escort. I have already asked Guangdong and Shanghai to raise their security levels, and the target will be safely delivered to the designated location."

Before hanging up the phone, Sun Ruolai said with a smile, "Work hard and don't let Old Sun down."

Su Zhe stared at the ended call, his finger pausing on the edge of the phone.

An Changlin asked, "Does Minister Sun know Elder Sun?"

Su Zhe put away the microphone and said, "We not only know each other, but it seems we're on the same side."

An Xin closed the arrest receipt: "Then the people behind this Jinghai network probably can't be stopped."

Su Zhe turned to look at the streets outside the window that had not yet reopened for business: "If they can't stop the case, they'll switch to a media war and have Yang Hong keep a close eye on the internet."

Just as Yang Hong was about to answer, the public opinion system on the computer started popping up warnings one after another.

On the screen, a new term is rapidly gaining traction.

The inspection team's rough handling of the work sparked public resentment in Beijing and Shanghai.

In the residential building of Dafeng Factory in Jingzhou City, Zheng Xipo stood at the door of the living room with a broom in hand, looking at his son's newly dyed yellow hair and said, "Zheng Shengli, if you keep doing your hair like this, don't call yourself the son of a Dafeng Factory worker."

Zheng Shengli lay on the sofa scrolling through his phone without looking up: "I've changed my name to Zheng Qian, the Qian from Qiankun. It sounds like you'll get rich. Don't keep using your old name."

"You think changing your name will make you rich? Why don't you just call yourself Zheng Bank?"

Zheng Xipo tapped his shoes with a broom: "A man in his twenties, sleeping during the day and cursing at the computer at night, without even a proper job, what girl would want to be with you?"

Zheng Shengli sat up and said, "I have a company, Alpha Information Data Consulting Co., Ltd. I am the legal representative and the boss. We are in the emerging Internet industry."

Zheng Xipo asked, "How many people are in your company?"

"In the early stages of a business, it's better to have a high-quality workforce than a large one."

Speak like a human.

"I'm the only one right now."

Zheng Xipo sneered, "A table and an old computer, and you dare call yourself a company? If your mother saw you like this, she'd be so angry she'd come all the way back from out of town to beat you."

Zheng Shengli threw his phone onto the sofa: "My mother left because she couldn't stand living a poor life with you. How dare you mention her?"

Zheng Xipo picked up the broom but put it down again, sighing, "Her leaving is our adult business; you can't use that as an excuse to slack off."

Zheng Shengli picked up his phone again after hearing a notification sound and immediately sat up straight upon seeing the message in the order dispatch group.

He read out the task requirements: "The inspection team's work has been brutal, causing public resentment. They only care about arresting people and getting promoted, regardless of the lives of ordinary people. Team leader Su Zhe is young and unworthy of his position. Each item is worth 1.2 yuan, and payment will be made after 100 items are collected."

Zheng Xipo asked, "What kind of despicable job have you taken this time?"

"What do you know? This is called public opinion management."

Zheng Shengli clicked on the client's profile picture and sent a message complaining, "It used to be two yuan a piece, then it was one yuan and fifty cents, and now it's one yuan and twenty cents. Why are the prices getting lower and lower?"

The other party quickly replied: "If you don't do it, plenty of others will. It has to be in the top ten trending topics tonight."

Zheng Shengli cursed, "Capitalists are even stingier than my dad."

Zheng Xipo leaned closer and saw the mission details; his face immediately darkened. "The inspection team rescued the people from Dafeng Factory and even took the gasoline. What gives you the right to criticize them?"

"I didn't say it was true. The client provided the script, I copied it and sent it. Sending 100 messages would earn me 120 yuan."

"Can lies be sold for money?"

"Online, nobody cares about what's true or false; as long as there's traffic, there's money."

Zheng Xipo reached for his phone: "You're not allowed to accept this order."

Zheng Shengli hid on the other side of the sofa: "Don't touch my phone. My company's business is protected by law."

"Is spreading rumors protected by law?"

"Everyone else is posting, why am I the only one getting noticed?"

Enraged, Zheng Xipo picked up a broom: "Just because others break the law, you break the law too?"

Zheng Shengli ran back to his room with his computer, saying before closing the door, "When I make a lot of money, don't beg me to donate to Dafeng Factory."

After the door closed, the sound of keyboards quickly filled the room as dozens of accounts began posting messages using a standardized template.

At the same time, at Gao Yuliang's home, Qi Tongwei placed his phone on the tea table, the screen displaying a constantly rising trending search ranking.

Gao Yuliang picked up his teacup and asked, "Has Secretary Sha's report been sent out?"

"The Provincial Party Committee General Office has already prepared formal materials and submitted them to the relevant central departments. The title is very unfavorable to the inspection team."

Qi Tongwei said with a smile, "Judging from the current trend, Su Zhe won't stay in Jinghai for long, and Zhao Lidong can finally breathe a sigh of relief."

Gao Yuliang put down his teacup: "Sha Ruijin is the provincial party secretary. His personal report on the issue carries significant weight, and the central government must consider local opinions."

Qi Tongwei shook his head and said, "Teacher, I'm still worried."

"What are you worried about?"

"The inspection team represents the will of the central government, and Xu Ming is a ministerial-level cadre. Sha Ruijin submits a report, and they can also submit a report. In the end, everyone talks their own story, and Su Zhe can still stay in Jinghai to arrest people."

Gao Yuliang looked at his phone: "Do you have any other ideas?"

Qi Tongwei scrolled up the page, and the trending search terms had moved from outside the top 20 to the top 15.

He said, "Now we live in the internet age. Official reports can only be seen by leaders, but Weibo and social media can be seen by people all over the country."

"As long as everyone online is criticizing the inspection team for its brutal handling of the case and Su Zhe for sacrificing the lives of the people of Jinghai for his personal political achievements, coupled with Secretary Sha's formal report, the central government will be facing not only local opinions but also public sentiment."

Gao Yuliang asked, "Who organized this content?"

"It was arranged by Gao Xiaoqin."

Qi Tongwei approached the tea table and explained, "She placed the order through a public relations company outside the province, which then subcontracted it to data companies and individual studios. There were multiple layers in between, and the payment went through a normal publicity service contract, so we can't be traced to her."

Kao Yu-liang cautioned, "The internet leaves traces."

"The accounts that posted the message came from all over the country, and the rhetoric was also divided into multiple sets. Some people were cursing the inspection team, some were concerned about unemployed workers, and some questioned whether a 28-year-old deputy director-level official was worthy of his position. It seemed to be a spontaneous discussion among netizens."

Gao Yuliang picked up his phone and saw that a large number of similar comments had appeared in the comment section.

He asked, "What about the people Su Zhe caught?"

"They're all street thugs, their testimonies don't mention anything about the city. The more they arrest, the more it proves he abused force."

Qi Tongwei said, "As long as the chaos in Jinghai continues and public resentment continues to rise, Secretary Sha will put pressure on the central government again, and the inspection team will have no choice but to leave."

Gao Yuliang finally nodded: "This is a flexible approach; you've already learned to handle problems in new ways."

Qi Tongwei refilled his tea: "It's all thanks to the teacher's good teaching. Political struggles can't be judged solely by the meeting room; the public opinion field must also be considered."

"Don't make it sound so harsh."

Gao Yuliang picked up the cup lid and stirred the tea leaves: "Our starting point is to maintain the stability of Jinghai and the development of Handong. Su Zhe is young and impetuous, and the provincial party committee's reminder to him is also to protect cadres."

Qi Tongwei immediately said, "The teacher is right, we are correcting a deviation in our work."

He looked down and refreshed the page; the topic had already entered the top ten trending searches, and he could no longer hide the smugness on his face.

Qi Tongwei said, "Once this matter is resolved, Secretary Sha will see who has the ability to stabilize the political and legal system in Handong."

Gao Yuliang glanced at him: "You're still thinking about becoming a vice-provincial level official?"

"I will obey the organization's arrangements for training cadres, but I have served as the director of the Public Security Bureau for so many years, and I should also shoulder a heavier responsibility."

"Take care of what's in front of you first."

Gao Yuliang instructed, "Have Zhao Lidong control the situation. He can create a police incident, but no one can die, and he absolutely cannot touch the patrol team members."

"I'll remind him."

Qi Tongwei picked up his phone and stood up: "Teacher, wait for good news. Public opinion will continue to escalate tonight."

Inside the Jinghai headquarters, Yang Hong projected a public opinion report onto the screen, where thousands of posts were spreading around the same content.

He said to Su Zhe, "The trending topic has reached number seven. The core rhetoric is concentrated in three categories: the first is accusing the inspection team of causing businesses to close down; the second is accusing the arrests of affecting the company's production; and the third is specifically attacking your age and the speed of your promotion."

After reading several comments, An Xin frowned and said, "These accounts have different ways of speaking, but their points are completely consistent. There must be someone organizing them behind the scenes."

An Changlin said, "Secretary Sha just finished listening to Zhao Lidong's report today, and the online public opinion started to rise tonight. The two lines are working too closely together."

Su Zhe asked, "Can we trace the source?"

Yang Hong pulled up the dissemination map: "The first batch of content came from seventeen accounts, and was subsequently forwarded by multiple marketing accounts. The task was distributed through several online troll platforms. Currently, we can only find public relations companies outside the province."

"What about the payment chain?"

"We're following up. The PR firm has a long-term partnership with a cultural communication company in Handong, and that company has a GG contract with Shanshui Group."

Cheng Du said, "The Shanshui Group is backed by Gao Xiaoqin, and Gao Xiaoqin has a close relationship with Qi Tongwei."

Su Zhe looked at him: "Do you have any evidence to prove the relationship?"

Cheng Du stopped there, saying, "Currently, we only have entry and exit records and contact details; there is no evidence that can directly lead to a conviction."

"Then continue the investigation; don't substitute speculation for evidence."

Su Zhe zoomed in on the dissemination map, pointing to the earliest batch of accounts that posted it, and said, "The larger the scale of the online army, the longer the settlement chain, the more people involved, and the more loopholes there are."

Yang Hong asked, "Should we contact the platform to remove the trending topic?"

"We will not withdraw."

"If this continues to escalate, public opinion will be detrimental to the inspection team."

"After they were removed, they would say that the inspection team was suppressing public opinion."

Su Zhe picked up the two arrest receipts on the table: "Let the topic linger, and at the same time prepare to release authoritative information. Before Gao Qiqiang and Xu Jiang are arrested, no one should release any information."