Nominal: Energy sector enters Handong, breaking the deadlock

On the other end of the phone, Zhong Zhengguo had just opened the packaging of Maozi liquor.

Smoking a cigarette, I waited for my second brother's triumphant return.

Hearing this, I felt a chill run down my spine and my anger surged to my head. "Liangping, quickly have the hospital send someone over."

Tell Qin Siyuan that no one is allowed to leave the scene. I'm coming over now!

If anything happens to your second uncle, I'll make everyone else pay with their lives.

After painstakingly planning for so long, Zhong Zhengmian was the one who suffered the most, and Zhong Zhengguo felt extremely unlucky.

In the kitchen.

Chung Hsiao-ai, wearing an apron, was preparing a late-night snack and drinks, waiting for Chung Cheng-mian to return victorious.

The family raised their glasses in celebration.

A hoarse, furious shout came from outside, "Xiao Ai! Zhong Xiao Ai!"

Stop bothering with cooking!

The sky is falling!

Come here right now!

Zhong Xiaoai's porcelain spoon trembled, splashing soup onto her sleeve, but she didn't bother to wipe it off.

She hurriedly pulled off her apron, slipped on her slippers, and rushed into the living room.

Zhong Zhengguo was seen slumped on a leather sofa, his fingers gripping his phone.

The two freshly opened bottles of Maotai were lying on the ground, the liquor slowly dripping.

Smoke scattered all over the ground.

His earlier smugness had vanished; Zhong Zhengguo's face was now filled with hostility and a mournful expression.

Zhong Xiaoai's heart sank, and she quickly stepped forward to support Zhong Zhengguo. "Dad, what's wrong? I'll take you to the hospital right now."

Zhong Zhengguo's Adam's apple bobbed, and he gritted his teeth as he uttered, "Your second uncle was bitten by a venomous snake at the Imperial Garden villa, I estimate..."

My dream of celebration was shattered in an instant.

Zhong Xiaoai's pupils shrank sharply, her eyebrows furrowed, "Dad, how could this happen?"

My second uncle clearly had evidence, so how did he get into trouble?

I'm going to the Imperial Garden Villa right now!

Let me see what's going on.

Anyone who dares to mess with my second uncle, I'll find them dead!

When a close relative or sibling is in danger, one loses all composure.

Zhong Zhengguo raised his hand to stop him, sat up, and said, "Xiao Ai, you're not allowed to go."

I don't think this was an accident at all. It's most likely a trap set up in advance by Song Yunhui, Lu Xiaola and their energy faction, specifically targeting our Zhong family.

You walked right into a trap.

You are Daddy's precious little darling, and Daddy doesn't want anything to happen to you.

When factions fight each other and things fall apart, they might not even bother with any rules anymore.

"But Second Uncle..." Zhong Xiaoai choked up.

"I told my secretary to come with me."

Xiao Ai, you stay home and you're not allowed to go anywhere.

Chung Cheng-kuo grabbed his coat and strode out of the living room.

Outside.

The car was already waiting.

The car door closed and sped away.

Zhong Xiaoai was the only one left in the living room.

She stood there, took out her phone, and dialed Hou Liangping's number.

"Hou Liangping, what exactly are you doing?"

On the other end of the phone, Hou Liangping's heart tightened upon hearing this. "Xiao Ai, an unexpected incident occurred at the scene. Nobody knew there was a poisonous snake under the bed. Our second uncle has the final say in the case. I'm just working for our second uncle."

"Didn't expect that?" Zhong Xiaoai's eyes reddened, her words piercingly scathing. "My second uncle led the case? Who is my second uncle? The person in charge of the case is you, Hou Liangping. As the section chief, isn't it your job to inspect crime scenes and identify safety hazards?"

The resentment that had been building up inside him finally erupted.

Hou Liangping held his phone. "Xiao Ai, listen to me, the situation is special."

"Excuses! Liangping, in the end you just don't care!" Zhong Xiaoai raised her hand to wipe away the tears from the corner of her eyes. "Hou Liangping, I'm telling you right now, if anything happens to my second uncle, we'll go straight to the Civil Affairs Bureau and get a divorce immediately."

They directly sever ties between the couple and bring up divorce.

Hou Liangping was devastated. "Xiao Ai, this can't be entirely my fault. No one could have predicted it."

"I don't care, I just want my second uncle to be safe." Zhong Xiaoai's tone was icy. "Hou Liangping, you're just a son-in-law of the Zhong family. If it weren't for the Zhong family, you wouldn't be where you are now as a section chief. If my second uncle is alright, then nothing else matters."

As soon as she finished speaking, Zhong Xiaoai hung up the phone and burst into tears.

The tenderness between husband and wife in the past vanished in an instant when the incident occurred; all the vows and sweet words were gone.

An ambulance with its siren blaring stopped at the villa's entrance. Paramedics carried a stretcher into the house, provided initial emergency treatment, and then transported the unconscious Zhong Zhengmian to the hospital.

The ambulance had just left the villa.

A car with the license plate ending in 666 was parked in front of the villa.

The car door opened, and Zhong Zhengguo, dressed in a dark Zhongshan suit, with a liverish face and an aura of fierceness, appeared.

Accompanied by his secretary, he strode into the villa.

He glanced at the banknotes on the bed, his gaze sweeping over Song Yunhui, Lu Xiaola, Zhao Dehan, Director Chen, and others. He raised his hand and gave a stern order, "Comrades, listen up! I am Zhong Zhengguo from the Z Discipline Inspection Commission. Zhao Dehan and Director Chen are in cahoots, suspected of possessing a huge amount of unexplained wealth. Take them away immediately! At the same time, investigate Lu Xiaola and Song Yunhui for dereliction of duty!"

Fueled by his anger over his second brother Zhong Zhengmian being bitten by a snake, he decided to escalate the situation and directly eliminate his rival.

Such an opportunity is extremely rare.

It is necessary.

Just as Hou Liangping and Xiao Han were about to step forward, Song Yunhui raised his hand and said, "Try messing with the people from our Ministry of Energy and Resources!"

At this time.

The villa's gate was pushed open, and a group of heavily armed police officers entered in formation.

The man at the head of the group had the number 002 on his shoulder, which was particularly eye-catching and gave him a powerful aura.

It was none other than Minister Hao, the Executive Vice Minister of the Ministry of Public Security.

Minister Hao looked directly at Zhong Zhengguo, neither humble nor arrogant, and said, "Comrade Zhengguo, you are the second-in-command of the quarterly inspection system and have the authority to enforce discipline, but you do not represent the judicial organs and you do not have the right to adjudicate."

Your second brother, Zhong Zhengmian, stepped on the film crew's props without permission, disturbed a snake, and got bitten. You then turned around and held Song Yunhui, a ministerial-level official, and Lu Xiaola, a vice-ministerial-level official, responsible. Aren't you being a bit too capricious?

Take this opportunity to give you a basic explanation of the law.

If it doesn't involve a criminal case, investigating officials of Song Yunhui and Lu Xiaola's level requires approval from the central government.

The entire room was deathly silent; you could hear a pin drop.

Everyone present knew the truth.

Chung Cheng-kuo's administrative rank is higher than Minister Hao's.

However, the Hao family has cultivated deep roots in the public security and political and legal system for generations, possessing extremely strong connections. The Hao family's real power and influence far surpass that of the Zhong family.

If things really come to a head, the Zhong family simply can't win.

Suppressing his anger, Zhong Zhengguo could not vent it publicly and could only hold back. "Minister Hao, my second brother, Zhong Zhengmian, has been wronged!"

Minister Hao gestured to his secretary.

The secretary stepped forward, raised his hand and showed the filing document with the official seal, "Comrade Zhengguo, the snake in the master bedroom is a real snake."

It's a snake specifically for film and television use, not a venomous snake, and the species is compliant. Director Chen's assistant has registered it with the public security authorities, so it's compliant and legal.

The villa has surveillance footage that proves that it was Chung Cheng-mian who disturbed the snakes' rest, triggering the attack by the two snakes.

In addition, you signed an agreement before entering the living room!

I think Director Chen did his best.

The responsibility does not lie with Director Chen.

The facts are in black and white, and there is no room for argument.

"Thank you, Minister Hao." Director Chen pointed to the notice on the master bedroom door.

There were signs posted above saying "No Trespassing," indicating that the filming set area was off-limits to outsiders. These people ignored the signs and forced their way in.

All the blame was shifted to Chung Cheng-mian.

Zhong Zhengguo still refused to give up, saying, "Minister Hao, let's put aside the matter of my second brother being bitten for now."

Inside the room, a large amount of cash and account books related to the case were laid out before them, providing irrefutable evidence.

I request the cooperation of the public security authorities to arrest Zhao Dehan and Director Chen on the spot! And I request that Song Yunhui and Lu Xiaola cooperate with the investigation.

They will hold fast to the existing, overt charges and fight to the bitter end.

If the police get involved, these people will be skinned alive.

At that time, a comprehensive investigation can be conducted, and the matter will be resolved naturally.

Song Yunhui patted Zhao Dehan on the shoulder, "Comrade Dehan, say a few words."

Zhao Dehan nodded, then suddenly chuckled, bent down, grabbed a bundle of banknotes from the bedside, and handed it to Zhong Zhengguo. "Secretary Zhong, open your eyes wide and look carefully. Is this cash?"

Chung Cheng-kuo untied the rubber bands and took the bills one by one in his hand.

To hell with your money!

I was careless!

cheated!

The printing simulation is extremely high, and the tactile texture is almost indistinguishable from the real thing.

The reverse side of the banknote can be flipped open and features a watermark of a bank's practice notes.

The so-called huge sum of money was nothing more than practice vouchers for props used by the film crew during filming.

Chung Cheng-kuo's mind went blank for a moment, his blood rushed to his head, his vision went black, and he collapsed to the ground.