Official statement: Tongwei is dead! You chose Ruijin, didn't you?

He pulled out a chair, sat down, opened his notebook, took out his pen, and struck a pose of perfectly cooperative cooperation with the investigation:

"Team Leader Qin, please feel free to ask me anything. I will report the truth to the organization and will never hide anything."

Qin Yuanzhou cut to the chase without any pleasantries: "Comrade Dakang, on the afternoon of the incident, Gao Yuliang ran past your car. Why didn't you stop him?"

Li Dakang delivered his prepared standard answer, his tone sincere yet tinged with a hint of grievance:

"Team Leader Qin, I did pass by the provincial party committee compound yesterday. But my judgment at the time was that it was comrades from the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection handling a case, and the situation was highly confidential. As the municipal party secretary, I neither received instructions from the provincial party committee nor knew the specific details of the case."

Intervening without authorization in such a chaotic situation could very likely interfere with the organization's investigation and even cause irreparable consequences. Therefore, in order not to cause trouble for the organization, I chose to leave immediately.

"Very good, strong programming awareness, and a good overall perspective." Qin Yuanzhou nodded, seemingly satisfied with the answer, but then changed the subject...

"You heard Hou Liangping shouting for you to stop them, didn't you?"

"I heard you," Li Dakang replied flawlessly.

"But Comrade Hou Liangping is only the director of the Anti-Corruption Bureau, not the highest-ranking officer on site. I cannot take any action that might violate the discipline of handling the case based on his words. Rules are rules, and we cannot break the rules just because we know each other."

This statement was made with great righteousness and awe.

Qin Yuanzhou smiled.

He didn't say anything more, but simply picked up the remote control on the table, pointed it at the audio equipment next to him, and gently pressed the play button.

[Li Dakang, his voice cold and decisive]: "Roll up the window and drive."

[Li Dakang, with a low, cold snort]: "This black pot is big and round; whoever gets stuck in it will die."

[Li Dakang, decisively]: "Leave immediately. Pretend I never came to the Provincial Party Committee today. Jingzhou's GDP is still waiting for me!"

The original sound, comparable to that of a recording studio, reverberated throughout the enclosed conference room.

Every word was like a resounding slap across Li Dakang's face.

But who is Li Dakang?

He managed to keep his composure.

After all, he was mentally prepared.

After the recording finished playing, Qin Yuanzhou threw the remote control onto the table.

"Comrade Dakang, you just said that you did this so as not to interfere with the organization's investigation?"

Qin Yuanzhou leaned forward. "Now, please explain to me what you mean by 'this black pot is big and round'?"

Li Dakang knew that in the face of irrefutable evidence, denying it would be courting death, while admitting it would be waiting for death.

As a seasoned veteran who had navigated the treacherous waters of officialdom for decades, he demonstrated terrifying crisis management skills.

He remained silent for a full five seconds, then suddenly raised his head, a hint of grief and indignation forced into his eyes, his voice even trembling:

"Team Leader Qin! I admit, I said those words! The recording is genuine!"

Li Dakang suddenly stood up, placed his hands on the table, and shouted,

"But that's just something I said in anger! What I'm angry about is why a high-ranking Party official like the Deputy Secretary of the Hantong Provincial Party Committee would take the step of jumping off a building!"

What angers me is how the political environment in Handong has deteriorated to such an extent that even the most basic decency has been lost!

He took a deep breath and continued his impassioned speech:

"I said 'blame it' because I'm heartbroken! I know that with Secretary Gao's suicide, the entire Handong Provincial Party Committee will have to bear a heavy political burden!"

When I say "GDP," I'm reminding myself that in times of crisis like these, Jingzhou must not descend into chaos!

If I, Li Dakang, also panic and get involved in this mess, who will stabilize Jingzhou's economy? Who will protect the livelihoods of Jingzhou's people?!

These words were spoken with such powerful and moving emotion.

In an instant, the "refined selfishness" and "indifference to suffering" were transformed into "enduring humiliation and bearing heavy burdens" and "caring for the common people."

It can be called a textbook example of sophistry in officialdom.

Zhou Zhengming could only clap twice with a forced smile:

"Secretary Dakang's level of thought and eloquence are truly moving; it's a waste of his talent that he's not serving as a spokesperson."

Li Dakang glared fiercely at Zhou Zhengming, his chest heaving violently.

Qin Yuanzhou remained unmoved.

He leaned back in his chair, watching Li Dakang finish his performance with a cold expression, his tone turning icy:

"Comrade Dakang, rules are rigid, but people are flexible. A living comrade, your colleague, is running towards death in front of your car, while you calmly calculate the size of the 'black pot' and your GDP inside the car."

Then tell me, Li Dakang, in your heart, how much GDP is a human life worth?

To destroy their spirit!

Every word is piercing to the heart!

Li Dakang was struck dumb, his face turning deathly pale. He retorted loudly:

"Team Leader Qin, you're trying to frame me! I, Li Dakang, have always been selfless and dedicated to public service, as heaven and earth can attest! You can't negate all my work over the years just because of a few angry words!"

"I'm not denying your work; I'm just stating a fact."

Qin Yuanzhou's voice suddenly rose in pitch.

"In your 'public-mindedness,' Li Dakang, there is only yourself! Ding Yizhen ran away, and you shirked all responsibility, saying that you were deceived."

Ouyang Jing illegally issued loans at Jingzhou Bank, and you said you were unaware of this because you had been separated for a long time.

Sun Liancheng was negligent, so you sent him to the Children's Palace to stargaze, earning yourself a reputation for being incorruptible. Now that Gao Yuliang has jumped off a building, your first thought is still to avoid getting blood on your hands!

Qin Yuanzhou stared intently into Li Dakang's eyes, shattering his illusions word by word: "Comrade Dakang, do you think that with Sha Ruijin down and Gao Yuliang crippled, as long as your Jingzhou GDP figures are impressive enough, the blame for everything in Handong won't fall on your head? Do you think that the world of Handong is about to belong to the Li family?!"

Li Dakang opened his mouth, but no words came out.

He suddenly realized that Qin Yuanzhou's knife didn't care about cutting his flesh; instead, it was peeling away all his glamorous "reform pioneer" facade, layer by layer.

But Li Dakang was by no means someone who would sit idly by and wait for his doom.

After a brief moment of panic, he seized upon a flaw in Qin Yuanzhou's words and decided to launch a counterattack, diverting the blame eastward.

"Team Leader Qin!" Li Dakang sat up straight again, gritting his teeth as he spoke.

"Regarding Ding Yizhen and Ouyang Jing, I, Li Dakang, failed in my judgment in choosing personnel and neglected my family management; I accept the punishment! I have no complaints about whatever punishment the organization decides for me! However, I will not take the blame for Sun Liancheng going to the Children's Palace to see the stars!"

Qin Yuanzhou raised an eyebrow: "Oh? What, you're feeling wronged?"

"Of course I feel wronged!" Li Dakang said matter-of-factly.

"Team Leader Qin, Sun Liancheng went to the Children's Palace. That was personally requested and decided by Secretary Sha Ruijin! Secretary Sha said that Sun Liancheng was occupying a position but not doing his job, which is a typical case of laziness and negligence in governance, and demanded that he be severely punished!"

How could I openly defy the instructions of the provincial party secretary? Arranging for him to go to the Youth Palace was already a huge undertaking, doing my utmost to protect a comrade! How can this be considered me, Li Dakang, shifting blame to gain fame?!

What a brilliant move, the Great Shift of Heaven and Earth!

Looking at Li Dakang's righteous and awe-inspiring face, Qin Yuanzhou couldn't help but curse inwardly:

That old fox, he's better at shifting blame than a master chef flipping a wok! He was clearly dissatisfied with Sun Liancheng, and he took advantage of Sha Ruijin's words to get rid of him, but now he's blaming it all on Sha Ruijin.

Moreover, the logic is rigorous and flawless, because Sha Ruijin did indeed criticize Sun Liancheng by name at the conference.

But Qin Yuanzhou did not intend to follow his lead.

He has achieved his goal.

"Alright, Comrade Dakang, the supervisory team will naturally find out whose fault it is."

Qin Yuanzhou's stern expression softened, and his tone became more gentle, but the warning was even stronger.

"I called you here today to tell you clearly. The new team will be in place soon, and the sky over Handong won't fall down. Your only task now is to go back to Jingzhou, manage your affairs well, and stabilize the economy."

Qin Yuanzhou paused, then gave Li Dakang a final, resounding warning: "Do your job well, and don't have any unrealistic ambitions. The supervisory team can investigate Gao Yuliang, they can investigate Sha Ruijin, and they can investigate your dashcam footage just as easily. Understand?"

Li Dakang's back was soaked with cold sweat. He took a deep breath and stood up:

"Team Leader Qin, I understand. I will return to Jingzhou immediately, focus on economic work, and absolutely not cause any trouble for the organization."

When the conversation ended, Li Dakang walked out of the conference room with unsteady steps.