Me! A high-ranking official!

Back in his large office on the seventh floor, Zhao Jianguo immediately sensed a subtle change in the air as soon as he entered.

Yesterday he was like a walking biological weapon, and everyone wanted to avoid him. Today, the moment he stepped in, several people from the Second Comprehensive Section looked up, their faces bearing that smile unique to those within the system.

"Brother Jianguo, you're back!"

"Jianguo, I heard the organization has exonerated you? Congratulations! You've got a great job at the Bureau of Culture and Tourism; you'll have a lot of free time from now on!"

Rehabilitated, deputy section chief level.

There were indeed no secrets in the compound. He sneered inwardly, but kept a straight face and skillfully put on a polite smile, replying to each person: "Hey, what's this about being high-ranking or not? We're all just following the organization's arrangements. We'll just continue working in a different place."

He walked to the workstation by the window, tidied up his personal belongings in the drawer, and then turned around and called out, "Xiao Liu, could you come over here for a moment?"

Liu Zaixing immediately put down the mouse in his hand and jogged over: "Brother Jianguo, you were looking for me."

Liu Zaixing was a young man seconded from a township. He had worked in the government office for more than a year and often assisted Zhao Jianguo. He knew that once Zhao Jianguo left, the work of drafting core materials and organizing meetings would fall to him, greatly increasing his chances of becoming a permanent employee in the county government office.

Guo Huaixing had obviously already given prior notice. He didn't hold back, unencrypting several folders on his computer and handing over to Liu Zaixing the report materials for several long-term projects in the county, as well as the seating chart layout for key meetings.

"These are the core drafts. Director Guo usually uses size 3 Fangsong font when reviewing materials, with a fixed line spacing of 28 points. Please pay attention to these small details," Zhao Jianguo said, handing over the documents while giving instructions.

"Understood, understood! Thank you, Brother Jianguo, for sharing all your knowledge!" Liu Zaixing nodded repeatedly, his eyes shining.

Just as the two had finished handing over the work, around 5 p.m.

Suddenly, an unusual commotion arose outside the window in the once quiet county square, with the faint roar of car engines.

People in the large office are usually very observant. Two of them immediately put down their cups, got off their chairs, and prepared to go out and scout things out.

With a loud bang, the office door was pushed open forcefully from the outside.

Guo Huaixing walked in with a grim face, his eyes sweeping across the room like knives. He shouted sternly, "Everyone, get back to your work! Stop meddling in other people's business! Anyone who goes out to watch the show now, don't bother coming to work tomorrow!"

These words were spoken with great weight, and the few people who had just stood up trembled in fright. They looked at each other in dismay, quickly shrank back into their chairs, and dared not utter a sound.

Zhao Jianguo's workstation was right by the window. He didn't move, but just turned his body slightly to look down at the square through the gap in the blinds.

Upon seeing this, his heart skipped a beat.

Three black Passats were parked in the square. The license plates were not local; the first letters clearly indicated that they belonged to the Linjiang City Discipline Inspection Commission, the provincial capital!

What made his scalp tingle even more was that two men in plain clothes with cold expressions were flanking a middle-aged man as they walked down the steps of the building.

The person caught in the middle had legs as weak as noodles, his once meticulously combed slicked-back hair now drooping messily over his forehead, and his face was ashen, like a dead man.

Sun Changdong, Deputy Director of the County Publicity Department!

He couldn't help but gasp. Although Sun Changdong was only a deputy minister, he was a veteran in the compound, a powerful cadre at the level of section chief. The municipal discipline inspection commission's car drove straight into the county government compound without even notifying the county, and arrested someone in broad daylight?!

Before he could recover from his shock, another group of people walked out of the building.

The person taken away this time is Qu Hai, the director of the county's Cyberspace Administration Office!

His heart skipped a beat. The deputy director of the propaganda department and the director of the Cyberspace Administration of China… what were these two in charge of? Public opinion! The internet!

Connecting this to the scandalous rumors surrounding Zhou Qingyan that have ignited Linshui County these past few days…

At this moment, Guo Huaixing stood in the middle of the office, looking at his subordinates who were all fidgeting and restless. He finally couldn't help but sigh deeply and said in a low voice, "Stop making wild guesses. Deputy Minister Sun has been taken away by the Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection for investigation due to his poor handling of public opinion, which led to the spread of false rumors about the new county party secretary on the Internet. He is suspected of serious dereliction of duty and some other economic issues. Director Qu of the Cyberspace Administration Office was also taken away."

Guo Huaixing paused, his gaze sweeping over the crowd with a deep look, before uttering a few more impactful names: "In addition, the director of the county health commission, the president of the county hospital, the director of the emergency department, and others have all been suspended from their duties pending investigation."

The single word "wait" sent chills down the spines of everyone in the room.

Zhao Jianguo unconsciously tightened his grip on the mouse; this was no longer just about catching people.

What kind of powerful background does the new Party Secretary Zhou Qingyan have?!

She suffered greatly and was deeply wronged because of a fabricated smear campaign involving a disease. But what happened? Instead of being defeated, she used the situation to her advantage and, on the very afternoon she was cleared of her name, used the municipal discipline inspection commission to cut down the top officials of the propaganda, internet information, and medical systems in Linshui County like slicing leeks!

This is to establish authority! This is to forcefully create a power vacuum in Linshui County, a place as solid as iron!

All the people in these powerful positions have been sent away, so who will take their place?

Before these cases are thoroughly investigated, and while Zhou Qingyan has just established such terrifying authority, who in the county would dare to place their own people in these positions without her approval, the top leader?!

"Alright, everyone shut your mouths and get back to work!" Guo Huaixing said this warning with a serious expression, then turned and left the office.

The moment the director left, the oppressive atmosphere in the office instantly boiled over.

Several seasoned veterans quickly huddled together on their wheeled office chairs, their voices hushed but filled with barely suppressed horror.

"My goodness... they're taking everything, pot and all!"

"You didn't attend the county leadership meeting this morning!" A well-informed clerk swallowed hard and said mysteriously, "The leaders from the Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection and the Municipal Organization Department were sitting on the stage, and they gave our county leadership a thorough dressing-down! They said we were a disorganized mess, without organization, discipline, or responsibility!"

"The higher-ups demanded that the county leadership immediately write a profound self-criticism and cooperate with the municipal discipline inspection commission to contact multiple media outlets to clarify the situation. Unexpectedly, after a meeting this morning where they were given a barrage of criticism, the municipal discipline inspection commission's car drove right into the compound and pulled people away this afternoon!"

Zhao Jianguo stood by the window, listening to the discussions behind him, his gaze fixed intently on the several unlicensed vehicles belonging to the Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection that had already driven out the gate and disappeared at the end of the street.