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

A high-end villa in the suburbs of Jingzhou.

Guan Zhiqian slumped in his wheelchair, a glistening drool hanging from the corner of his mouth, his right hand trembling as if he were flicking invisible cotton.

This former deputy director of the Provincial Public Security Bureau's Security Department had long suffered a stroke and claimed to be unable to take care of his own bodily functions, spending his days in a vegetative state in his villa.

Xiao Lin from the supervision team pulled up a chair, sat opposite the wheelchair, and watched him perform quietly without saying a word.

Guan Zhiqian's wife wiped away her tears beside him, saying, "Sir, our Lao Guan is already like this, he can't even speak properly anymore, what are you still investigating?"

Zhou Zhengming walked in, carrying several documents, and threw them onto the coffee table.

"Director Guan, you've gone too far." Zhou Zhengming pulled out a chair and sat down. "Secretary Gao Yuliang asked me to pass on a message to you."

Guan Zhiqian, in his wheelchair, suddenly twitched his eyelids, but his right hand continued to diligently fluff cotton.

Zhou Zhengming read slowly: "Zhao Ruilong's assets have been completely frozen, and he has been handed over to the judiciary; Wang Zonghui in Beijing was formally detained yesterday afternoon; as for the one you personally promoted, he poured out all his bad debts from the past few years in the supervisory group a couple of days ago."

Guan Zhiqian's right hand suddenly stopped shaking.

Zhou Zhengming leaned forward, staring into his eyes: "Secretary Gao asked me to ask you, the Zhao family has been completely uprooted, even peripheral lackeys like Cheng Du have been imprisoned. Who are you planning to perform this fake stroke act for? Bai Wangshan?"

Upon hearing the words "Baiwang Mountain," Guan Zhiqian miraculously stopped drooling.

He stared blankly at Zhou Zhengming for a full half minute, then suddenly sighed, reached for a tissue, and wiped his chin clean.

"Xiaoli, why don't you go out and buy some groceries?"

Guan Zhiqian clearly dismissed his wife, then steadily stood up from the wheelchair, holding onto the armrests with both hands. He even twisted his waist to loosen his aching joints. "Team Leader Zhou, sitting in this wheelchair for too long really hurts your back."

Xiao Lin watched from the side and kept grimacing.

Is everyone in the officialdom of Handong a medical miracle worker?

...

Half an hour later, the villa's study became a temporary meeting place.

Guan Zhiqian didn't struggle with the same shamelessness as Cheng Du. As a veteran police officer, he was all too aware of the current situation.

Since Gao Yuliang has pointed him out, he has revealed all his cards. Continuing to resist will only make things difficult for him.

"On the night of the Lingang inspection, I personally led the team to handle the perimeter security and on-site coordination of the Nan'an Sanatorium."

Holding his thermos, Guan Zhiqian readily explained, "That place is advertised as a sanatorium, but it's actually the Zhao family's private palace. Ordinary cadres can't even dream of getting in; those who can are people with connections to the highest levels."

"Who was there that night?" Zhou Zhengming asked.

"Zhao Ruilong is hosting, Liang Qunfeng's secretary is accompanying them, Wang Zonghui from Beijing, and Chen Yanshi are also there." Guan Zhiqian took a sip of water. "The grand finale is at around midnight, Baiwangshan."

How can you be sure it's Baiwang Mountain?

"I personally went to the back door to greet the car."

Guan Zhiqian smiled wryly, "The special vehicle from the Provincial Party Committee Security Bureau didn't have its headlights on. His staff called me half an hour in advance, demanding that no written records be kept."

"What were they talking about inside?"

Guan Zhiqian hesitated for a moment.

Zhou Zhengming tapped the table: "The only thing you can do now is to perform meritorious service."

Guan Zhiqian gritted his teeth: "I didn't go into the main house, but according to the guards' rules, I have to keep an eye on the surveillance and listen in from the adjacent side room. Zhao Ruilong installed the equipment a long time ago."

"The exact words."

"Old Bai set the tone, saying that the Lingang project involves a wide range of issues, and that the gates must be tightened to prevent local prosecutors and courts from arbitrarily digging up old cases."

Guan Zhiqian recalled, "Wang Zonghui then said that once the overseas structure was set up, the funds needed to be kept isolated after they were transferred."

Has Chen Yanshi made a statement?

"It's been revealed. Old Chen said at the time that Chen Yang was young and didn't understand these capital operations, so we couldn't drag her into the open."

Zhou Zhengming sneered inwardly.

It seems Old Chen knows everything.

Guan Zhiqian continued, "Zhao Ruilong patted his chest and guaranteed that he would handle things in Handong. He said that Jingzhou City Investment, judicial mediation, and land valuation would all be given the green light."

How did Baiwangshan finally respond?

Guan Zhiqian swallowed hard and lowered his voice:

He said that young people should be steady in their work and not turn good deeds into trouble.

Finally, he specifically added, "Little Jin will be going to experience different regions in the future. Don't let things get sour in Handong."

Zhou Zhengming paused, his pen poised.

Sha Ruijin!

Bai Wangshan not only participated in coordinating interests in Lingang, but also tied Sha Ruijin's future career path to the interest circle in Handong many years ago.

This shows that Sha Ruijin's later arrival was not a lone hero trying to disrupt the political ecology of Handong, but rather someone who came to "protect the situation" with the expectations of his old leader.

"Do you have any evidence?" Zhou Zhengming stared at Guan Zhiqian.

Guan Zhiqian said with a bitter face, "Team Leader Zhou, in that kind of situation, would I dare to record it privately? If I got caught, I'd be dead!"

Zhou Zhengming flipped through the documents in his hand: "Gao Yuliang said that you are a coward who is afraid of death. You never take the blame for dirty work and always leave yourself an escape route."

Guan Zhiqian's face turned green, and he gritted his teeth, cursing, "You old fox!"

After cursing, he sighed resignedly, walked to the bookshelf, moved aside several thick police yearbooks, and took out a yellowed kraft paper envelope from a hidden compartment in the wall.

"There's no recording, but I have the 'Special Duty Log' from back then." Guan Zhiqian handed over the envelope. "Who arrived at what time, which door they went through, and how many entourage they brought—I wrote it all down in code. Also, there's an original receipt for the 200,000 yuan 'service fee' that Zhao Ruilong approved for me back then."

Zhou Zhengming took the envelope, opened it, glanced at it, and felt a weight lifted from his heart.

......

That night, at the Provincial Party Committee Guesthouse.

After reviewing Guan Zhiqian's duty log, Qin Yuanzhou directly included the materials in the special report's appendix.

Lu Chengzhou sat opposite him, looking at the materials, and said, "The Baiwangshan line is now half-confirmed in Handong."

"The remaining half will be investigated by the Kyoto task force."

Qin Yuanzhou put the materials away. "Guan Zhiqian also confessed that before Bai Wangshan left Nan'an, Zhao Ruilong had someone put a black leather bag in the trunk of the accompanying car. He didn't dare to look at what was inside."

"Let's put this aside for now; we can't make a hasty judgment without physical evidence." Lu Chengzhou's thinking was clear.

Just then, Xiao Lin pushed open the door and came in to report: "Secretary Lu, Governor Liu Ruian's office just called. Governor Liu will formally submit his retirement handover report to the Provincial Party Committee tomorrow morning."

Lu Chengzhou nodded: "Follow the procedure."

Qin Yuanzhou glanced at Lu Chengzhou: "Rumors about the governor's selection have been circulating in Handong for several days now, and Bai Wangshan has even used this opportunity to speak with Li Dakang. Shouldn't our supervisory team submit a recommendation to the central government?"

"Report. I suggest making one point clear: Li Dakang is not suitable to take over as governor."

Zhou Zhengming, somewhat surprised, asked, "Secretary Lu, didn't we say before that we wouldn't make a decision yet, and that we were using Li Dakang as bait?"

"The hook has been cast, the fish are moving, now it's time to haul in the first net."

Lu Chengzhou picked up his teacup. "Bai Wangshan's call, the probing from external companies, and Guan Zhiqian's revelation of these old grievances—these three lines, when connected, are enough to show that someone wants to use Li Dakang to stabilize the situation in Handong. If this drags on any longer, Li Dakang himself will be put in an awkward position, and may even be forced to become this protector."

Zhou Zhengming nodded: "Then who will pick us up?"

Lu Chengzhou remained silent.

Qin Yuanzhou continued, "The higher-ups seem to be suggesting that Meng Huaichuan might be transferred from another province."