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

Xiao Bai stood to the side without saying a word.

Sha Ruijin pulled out the number and dialed it directly to Shi Ping, the head of the provincial propaganda department.

As soon as the call connected, Sha Ruijin said, "Comrade Shi Ping, please pay attention to the online platforms immediately. There are live broadcasts from the Dafeng Factory in Jingzhou City. The footage shows a standoff between police and civilians, as well as resistance to forced demolition. The impact has already expanded."

Upon hearing this, Shi Ping quickly replied, "Secretary Sha, I just received a briefing on public opinion, and the Publicity Department's duty office is contacting the platform."

Sha Ruijin said, "We need to act quickly. If necessary, we can contact the central propaganda department to remove, block, and limit the reach of the content as soon as possible, and ban the relevant accounts to minimize the negative impact!"

Shi Ping immediately agreed: "Okay, Secretary Sha, I will assign tasks immediately and require the platform to handle it as soon as possible."

Sha Ruijin added, "Don't just focus on one platform. Short videos, forums, and local self-media—all must be suppressed simultaneously. We can't let rumors get ahead of the actual work! Live streams must be cut off, and short videos and related written opinions must not be allowed to circulate! Your provincial propaganda department needs to be more decisive!"

Shi Ping said, "Understood, I will arrange for the Cyberspace Administration to handle this matter jointly."

After hanging up the phone, Xiaobai was about to put the tablet away when the live stream suddenly switched to the factory gate. A black minibus stopped, the door opened, and two people got off.

Xiaobai stopped what he was doing, but the tablet was still lit up.

Sha Ruijin looked at the screen, his face darkening.

In the footage, Xu Ming is wearing a dark jacket, followed by Su Zhe. The license plates of the inspection team's vehicles are clearly visible in the live broadcast.

Xiao Bai whispered, "Secretary Sha, it's Team Leader Xu and Deputy Team Leader Su from the inspection team."

Sha Ruijin didn't speak immediately. He simply closed the approval document, leaned back in his chair, and stared at the screen for a while.

During the live stream, someone shouted, "The inspection team is here! The inspection team is here!"

The barrage of comments immediately surged.

Sha Ruijin picked up his phone again and dialed Shi Ping's number.

Shi Ping quickly replied, "Secretary Sha, I'm handling it here. The platform has already started limiting traffic, and the Cyberspace Administration is also contacting the account holder."

Sha Ruijin rubbed his temples and said, "Stop dealing with it for now, cancel all measures!"

Shi Ping didn't react immediately: "Secretary Sha, what do you mean?"

As Sha Ruijin watched Xu Ming and Su Zhe walk towards the cordon on the screen, his tone grew heavier: "The inspection team has already arrived on site. If we suppress the live broadcast now, what will they think? We can't give the inspection team any excuse to cover up the situation!"

Shi Ping said, "Then I'll have the platform keep the live stream, but I require that it not be edited or used to spread rumors, and that it not be used to incite conflict. I'll also assign staff to monitor key accounts."

Sha Ruijin nodded and said, "Okay, live streaming is fine, but the bottom line cannot be crossed. On-site handling must be based on facts. Without my opinion, the Provincial Party Committee Propaganda Department must not issue any announcements!"

Shi Ping said, "Understood, Secretary Sha, I'll make the adjustments immediately."

Sha Ruijin hung up the phone and turned to Xiaobai, saying, "Contact Li Dakang."

Xiaobai immediately dialed the number and handed the phone over.

At the Dafeng Factory site, Li Dakang had just heard that the inspection team had arrived when his secretary, Xiao Jin, ran over with her phone in hand, her face as white as paper.

Xiao Jin said, "Secretary Li, Secretary Sha is on the phone."

Li Dakang took the phone, his voice immediately becoming steady: "Secretary Sha."

Sha Ruijin said, "Comrade Dakang, Comrades Xu Ming and Su Zhe from the inspection team have arrived at the scene. You must control the situation and absolutely prevent any casualties! This is a principle, and even more so, a bottom line!"

Li Dakang glanced at the direction of the torches, suppressed his irritation, and said, "Secretary Sha, don't worry, I'm on-site coordinating things. The police, fire department, and emergency response teams are all in place."

Sha Ruijin said, "What I want is results. Jingzhou cannot be allowed to have problems in front of the inspection team, and Handong cannot be allowed to have problems in front of the people of the whole country."

Li Dakang was stunned.

"Nationwide?"

Sha Ruijin said coldly, "All the footage from the scene has already been broadcast live by the public."

Li Dakang was stunned for a moment, then couldn't help but say, "How can this be allowed?"

Sha Ruijin: ?

Don't you have any lines of your own?

Li Dakang said, "Secretary Sha, this has a huge impact on Jingzhou and even the entire Handong area. Could you ask the platform to remove them and limit their traffic?"

Sha Ruijin said calmly, "The inspection team has already arrived. What's the use of controlling public opinion now? Stabilize the situation first! We'll deal with the rest later!"

Li Dakang said, "Okay, Secretary Sha, I understand!"

Sha Ruijin pressed further: "Is the forced demolition still ongoing?"

Li Dakang's gaze swept over the excavator that was about to move. His lips moved, and finally he said, "I'll find out immediately! No extreme actions are allowed!"

Sha Ruijin emphasized, "The top priority now is the safety of lives; all other issues come second. Do you understand?"

Li Dakang said, "Listen carefully, Secretary Sha."

Sha Ruijin added, "Comrades Xu Ming and Su Zhe have arrived. You should take the initiative to report on behalf of the Jingzhou Municipal Party Committee. Your attitude should be correct, and you should handle the situation on the spot steadily."

Li Dakang looked at Xu Ming and Su Zhe, who were approaching, and managed to squeeze out a sentence: "Yes, Secretary Sha, don't worry!"

......

After hanging up the phone, Li Dakang returned the phone to Xiao Jin and walked towards the inspection team.

Seeing this, Qi Tongwei quickly followed, his expression changing to the serious look he would have when giving a work report.

Xu Ming walked to the cordon line, looked at the excavators parked in the factory area, then at the fake policeman who was being held in custody, and said in a cold tone, "Comrade Dakang, Jingzhou is really lively tonight."

Li Dakang forced a smile and said, "Team Leader Xu, Team Leader Su, the situation is rather complicated. I'm organizing the on-site response."

Su Zhe didn't respond to his question, but instead looked towards the oil depot and said, "Are those people carrying torches employees of Dafeng Factory?"

Zhao Donglai came over from the side and replied, "Team Leader Su, it's Wang Wenge and other workers. They're worried about a forced demolition, so they've gathered near the oil depot and are quite agitated."

Su Zhe looked at Zhao Donglai: "Has the quantity of gasoline been verified?"

Zhao Donglai hesitated and said, "The worker's mouth diameter is twenty tons, and we cannot enter the site for verification at the moment."

Su Zhe nodded, then turned to Li Dakang: "Secretary Li, with the twenty tons of gasoline unverified and the workers protesting with torches, why did the excavator still dare to drive into the factory area? Aren't you afraid of causing an accident?"

Li Dakang's face darkened: "Team Leader Su, the excavator was brought in by the demolition company without authorization. I've already ordered them to stop!"

Xu Ming looked at him: "Pause? The machine was still running when I got out of the car just now."

Li Dakang looked at Zhao Donglai and said, "Donglai, immediately arrange for people to go in and make sure all machinery is shut down immediately. Anyone who dares to start it will be taken into custody by the public security authorities according to the law!"

"Yes, Secretary Li!"

Zhao Donglai quickly ran towards the excavator.

Qi Tongwei immediately added, "The provincial department will cooperate in the execution."

Li Dakang gave a soft "hmm".

Qi Tongwei also left at lightning speed.

seriously.

He really didn't want to face Su Zhe...

On one hand, he felt guilty, and on the other hand, he was genuinely afraid of Su Zhe's oppressive aura.

Xu Ming said, "Comrade Dakang, please describe the situation on the scene in its entirety and make it clear."

Li Dakang's lips tightened, and he said, "Team Leader Xu, it's windy here, and the scene is chaotic. Why don't we go to the temporary command vehicle to report?"

Su Zhe pointed to the group of workers in front of the oil depot and said, "Is it appropriate for the masses to be standing next to torches while the leaders sit in the command vehicle listening to reports?"

Li Dakang was blocked and couldn't get a reply.

The live stream camera happened to capture this scene, and someone in the crowd whispered, "Team Leader Su asked a good question."

Xu Ming looked at Li Dakang and said, "Let's talk right here."

Just as Li Dakang was about to speak, Chen Yanshi's angry curses suddenly came from the other side of the control line.

"Let me go! I'm going to defend Dafeng Factory! I'd rather die here than let you demolish it!"