Nominal: Hou Liangping blocking the door? He was slapped away!

"The materials you provided are very valuable." Zhong Xiaoai stood up and put the kraft paper envelope on the table into her briefcase.

"Director Xiao Ai! You have to save me! The Shenzhong people are still looking for me everywhere! I can't go back to Handong!" Cai Chenggong shouted at the top of his lungs.

Zhong Xiaoai maintained an air of superiority. "Since you've handed over the materials to me, I'll naturally ensure your safety."

She walked to the door and opened the door to the private room.

Two plainclothes bodyguards in black suits outside the door immediately stood at attention.

"Take him to Safe House No. 7 in the western suburbs. No one is allowed to see him without my orders. Confiscate his cell phone and cut off all contact with the outside world," Zhong Xiaoai ordered.

Two bodyguards lifted Cai Chenggong up.

Cai Chenggong struggled for a moment: "Director Xiao Ai! About Dafeng Factory..."

"The organization will give you an explanation regarding the Dafeng Factory matter." Zhong Xiaoai said without turning her head.

Cai Chenggong was dragged away.

The sound of shuffling leather shoes echoed down the corridor.

Cai Chenggong lowered his head and breathed a long sigh of relief.

Secretary Shen's plan worked. The woman was completely trapped.

Zhong Xiaoai, wearing high heels, quickly walked down the stairs.

He climbed into the back seat of a Hongqi sedan parked on the side of the road.

"Back to the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection building. Drive faster."

A Hongqi sedan sped through the streets of Beijing late at night.

Zhong Xiaoai leaned back in the back seat, clutching her briefcase tightly to her chest. Her knuckles turned white from the force.

Finally waited.

Shen Zhong, let's see how you turn the tables this time.

The Iron Curtain agreement can protect your military secrets, but it can't protect your corruption and misdeeds.

We arrived at the building.

Zhong Xiaoai walked briskly and swiped her card to enter the core office area.

I pushed open the door to my office, didn't even turn on all the lights, and sat down directly in front of the computer.

The sound of keyboard typing echoed in the office.

Notification Regarding the Investigation of Major General Shen Zhong of the Handong Military Region for Serious Disciplinary Violations, Illegal Acts, and Suspected Major Economic Crimes

An hour later, she finished writing the report on Shen Zhong and clicked send.

In less than ten minutes, the specially made encrypted phone on the table began to vibrate.

"Approved."

A steady voice came from the other end of the phone.

Zhong Xiaoai's heart skipped a beat. Very efficient. She got up and opened the office door.

"Notify the First and Second Intelligence Divisions of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection to immediately draw up their elite forces and hold an emergency meeting."

Her tone was very direct.

Half an hour later, in a secret conference room in the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection building.

Zhong Xiaoai stood at the front of the conference room, her gaze sweeping over the dozens of elite investigators seated before her. They were all key personnel drawn from various departments, each with a serious expression, poised and ready to go.

"Comrades, an urgent investigation report from Handong involves senior officers of the local military region."

She threw the materials from the manila envelope onto the table. The materials scattered, revealing a letter of denunciation personally signed by Cai Chenggong.

"The authenticity of this material has been confirmed through cross-verification."

"Intelligence Division One, your mission is to stay in the capital and keep an eye on Zhao Dehan, the key witness in the case. You must not let him disappear from our sight, nor can you let him be harmed."

"This operation is of a very high level, and everyone must remain highly vigilant."

"We must not let even the slightest word of this leak out."

Her tone was firm.

Zhong Xiaoai's gaze swept over the twenty elites present once more. These were all people she had personally selected.

"I will personally lead the Second Intelligence Division."

"Target: Jingzhou City, Handong Province."

"Let's go now."

Her tone left no room for doubt.

Everyone immediately stood up. In perfect unison.

At three in the morning, a dark gray special plane roared into the sky from the runway of Kyoto military airport, heading straight for Handong Province in the south. Inside the cabin, Zhong Xiaoai leaned back in her seat, clutching her briefcase tightly to her chest.

Her mind was filled with Hou Liangping's haggard face and the ridicule the Zhong family had suffered. "Shen Zhong, let's see how you protect them this time."

The private jet flew through the night.

However, the message arrived faster than the plane.

The news that the special task force from Beijing had arrived in Handong spread throughout the Handong Provincial Party Committee compound through some special channel less than half an hour after the special plane took off.

The entire officialdom of Handong was as if a huge boulder had been thrown into it.

It stirred up huge waves.

The once peaceful night was completely shattered.

Countless officials were woken up by phone calls in the middle of the night.

The provincial party committee compound was brightly lit, and all the major factions stayed up all night.

The phone kept ringing.

"Hey? Old Wang, any news from your end?"

"People from Kyoto have come? Really? Which department?"

"Shen Zhong? Was it aimed at him?"

Officials were making inquiries everywhere.

Whose head will this sword, which has been sent from Kyoto, be severed first?

Someone was pacing anxiously back and forth in the office, smoking one cigarette after another.

Someone was swearing into the phone, telling the secretary to come up with a solution immediately.

Some people, however, stayed at home, facing their wives' worried gazes, and couldn't sleep all night.

The atmosphere was oppressive.

Everyone knew that the guests from the capital this time were no ordinary people.

Meanwhile, in the command hall of the Handong Military Region.

On the large screen, radar dots clearly showed a special plane from Beijing.

It was like a giant nightingale, gliding precisely through the airspace over Handong.

Zhou Weiguo stood behind Shen Zhong. His face was serious as he kept a close eye on the data changing on the screen.

"Sir, a military special plane with the serial number 007 has entered the airspace of Handong from the direction of Beijing."

"Flight trajectory shows it's heading straight for Jingzhou City."

Zhou Weiguo spoke calmly, but his hands clenched unconsciously.

Shen Zhong sat solemnly at the command console. His fingers tapped lightly on the table. Under his gaze, the radar dots on the large screen seemed to take on a certain meaning. His expression was calm, but the composure of absolute control possessed a certain intimidating power.

"They're here."

His voice was very low. He seemed to be talking to himself.

That Xiao Ai is really impatient.

He was making plans in his mind.

Shen Zhong immediately issued orders to the entire army.

"Notify all troops."

"Those on guard duty outside should immediately remove any visible checkpoints."

"The infantry fighting vehicles outside the Dafeng Factory were started up overnight and returned to the camp."

"All military outposts around the municipal party committee compound have been withdrawn."

"Give up all physical control."

Shen Zhong's tone was icy.

Zhou Weiguo saluted.

"Yes, sir!"

He immediately turned around to relay the instructions.

Shen Zhong stared at the dot of light on the screen, watching the special plane that was about to arrive in Jingzhou.

His face showed no emotion whatsoever.

He knew that the ship was much bigger than Zhong Xiaoai had imagined.

The special plane landed at the Dongzhou military airport in Wuhan.

A tremendous roar shattered the silence of the airport.

Zhong Xiaoai walked down the gangway.

A cold wind swept over her. She pulled her coat tighter around herself.

She had just received an urgent intelligence report.

All troops from the Handong Military Region that were stationed at checkpoints outside the area have been withdrawn.

This includes the infantry fighting vehicles at Dafeng Factory and the sentry posts around the municipal party committee compound.

"Shen Zhong is scared."

Zhong Xiaoai scoffed inwardly.

"He wanted to destroy the evidence."

A chill ran through her heart. Shen Zhong, this time you can't escape.

Shen Zhong, no matter how capable you are, you're just a local military leader.

Faced with the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection's swift and decisive actions, they had no choice but to obediently back down.

She felt that she had grasped Shen Zhong's Achilles' heel.

"Everyone, proceed immediately to the Jingzhou Municipal Party Committee compound."

"Remember, this operation needs to be swift."

"We must not give anyone the opportunity to destroy evidence!"