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

At the same time.

Building No. 1 of the Provincial Party Committee Family Compound.

The streetlights in the yard shone on two rows of neatly trimmed holly bushes, casting a yellowish light that made the shadows on the ground long and pale.

This two-story detached house is located at the very back of the entire residential compound, surrounded by 30-meter-wide green belts on all sides, so quiet that it feels like it belongs to a completely different world.

Inside the guard post at the entrance, two armed police officers on duty were dozing off, leaning back in their chairs. A walkie-talkie sat on the table, its green light flashing intermittently, but no one paid it any attention.

The study on the second floor was lit.

Zhao Lichun sat in the rosewood armchair that had been with him for twenty years, leaning back and shrinking into the backrest. In his hands he held a Ming Dynasty blue and white porcelain teacup, the lotus scroll pattern on the cup wall having been rubbed back and forth countless times by his fingertips, the glaze almost worn rough.

The tea had long since gone cold.

Secretary Bai stood at the door of the study, not daring to breathe.

The last phone call came in half an hour ago, and the only thing said on the other end was that Liu Xinjian was handcuffed and taken away by the military at the oil and gas group building.

When these words reached Zhao Lichun's ears, the old man did not react at all.

He neither coughed up blood like before, nor did he slam his fist on the table or curse.

He just sat there, holding his teacup, without moving.

Secretary Bai found this even more frightening than coughing up blood.

No one could guess what Zhao Lichun was thinking.

Liu Xinjian was his secretary, whom he had personally trained for over twenty years, rising from a lowly clerk in a county government office to chairman of an oil and gas group. The secret route for rare earth exports was a roadmap he had drawn up himself; Liu Xinjian was merely the one executing it.

The person who carried out the order has been taken away.

The person who drew the picture is still sitting in this armchair, drinking herbal tea.

How long can I sit?

Zhao Lichun looked down at the Longjing tea leaf floating in the cup. The tea leaves had been steeping for too long and had all sunk to the bottom.

My son is gone.

The white gloves are gone.

Qi Tongwei has rebelled.

Gao Yuliang was too busy to take care of himself.

Li Dakang had long since severed all ties with him.

The entire network built up over more than a decade was gradually dismantled, thread by thread, starting last night by that young man surnamed Shen.

Now, the internet is gone, and he's just a lonely old man sitting here.

"noob."

Secretary Bai shuddered and took half a step forward.

"Yes, Secretary Zhao."

"Bring out my navy blue Zhongshan suit."

Secretary Bai paused for a moment, not daring to ask why. She turned and went to the dressing room next door, taking out a neatly folded dark blue Zhongshan suit from the innermost camphor wood wardrobe.

Zhao Lichun only wears this outfit on the most formal occasions. The last time he wore it was three years ago when he went to Beijing for a work report.

Zhao Lichun put down his teacup and slowly stood up. A creaking sound came from his bones.

Secretary Bai handed over the clothes.

Zhao Lichun put it on himself, buttoning each button to the top. He straightened his collar in front of the full-length mirror.

The face in the mirror was gaunt and ashen, a stark contrast to its vibrant self five years ago.

He didn't say anything more, sat back down in the armchair, and picked up the blue and white porcelain teacup.

The area outside the courtyard suddenly became unusually quiet.

Even the chirping of insects has stopped.

Secretary Bai has sharp ears; he was the first to hear the sound—not footsteps, but a very light, deliberately suppressed metallic scraping sound.

Bolt.

The color drained from Secretary Bai's face instantly.

Immediately afterwards, two very short, muffled thuds came from the direction of the guard post. They weren't gunshots; they were more like the sound of flesh hitting a hard object.

The armed police on duty were subdued.

The whole process took less than three seconds. There were no shouts, no struggles, and not even the static of a walkie-talkie calling for help.

These people are professionals.

Secretary Bai's legs began to weaken, and she had to hold onto the door frame to keep from collapsing.

Footsteps could be heard downstairs.

This time, I won't hide it anymore.

A dozen pairs of military boots stepped onto the cement steps simultaneously, densely and neatly. Every step was in sync with the rhythm.

The lights in the lobby on the first floor were turned on from the outside.

boom!

The heavy, carved solid wood door was kicked open. The brass lock flew off the door frame and bounced twice on the marble floor of the entryway.

The two doors slammed against the wall with a dull thud.

Special forces soldiers surged in using a standard indoor assault formation. The two in front crouched low to lower their center of gravity, while the others provided cover as they advanced. Gun muzzles swept across every blind spot in the living room.

Secretary Bai collapsed to the ground.

The footsteps on the stairs grew closer.

Zhao Lichun remained seated in the armchair.

He didn't even turn his head to look.

The study door was pushed open. The captain, dressed in full black tactical gear, walked in, his mask pulled down to his chin, revealing a young but expressionless face.

He held a folded document in his hand and stood three steps away from Zhao Lichun.

Unfold the document and face it towards Zhao Lichun.

The highest level of isolation and review order.

Zhao Lichun recognized the signature in the bottom right corner.

Mr. Xu.

Zhao Lichun stared at the signature for a few seconds.

The old man signed it himself.

Then you don't need to think about anything.

He didn't argue, didn't make a scene, didn't ask why, and didn't make any phone calls.

Slowly remove your right hand from the teacup and extend it out.

The skin on my wrists was loose and covered with age spots.

As the handcuffs were fastened, the coolness of the metal sent a rush of energy up my wrists.

Zhao Lichun's hand trembled slightly.

Just this once.

The blue and white porcelain teacup slid off the armrest of the armchair.

It exploded on the blue brick floor.

Fragments splattered everywhere, and tea seeped into a puddle.

A 300-year-old object, once broken, is broken; it can't be glued back together.

Secretary Bai lay on the ground, looking at the broken porcelain shards, and suddenly felt that this scene would be etched into his mind for the rest of his life.

Two special forces soldiers grabbed Zhao Lichun's arms from either side and helped him up from the armchair.

Zhao Lichun's legs were a little unsteady, but he could still walk.

He paused briefly as he passed Secretary Bai with his head down.

"Xiaobai, turn off the light in the study."

Secretary Bai knelt on the ground, mouth agape, and it took him a long time to squeeze out a single word.

"it is good."

Zhao Lichun was helped downstairs, through the living room, and out of the broken door.

A black, bulletproof Hongqi sedan was parked in the yard. The headlights were off, and the engine revved low.

The car door was opened.

Zhao Lichun bent down and sat in the back seat. The handcuffs made a crisp sound as they hit the car door frame.

The car door closed.

The car started and drove out of the residential compound gate.

Two military off-road vehicles escorted the convoy, one in front and one behind, as the three-vehicle convoy sped along the deserted main road.

The taillights stretched into two red lines in the night, receding further and further into the distance until they finally disappeared at the edge of the city.

The next day at 9:00 AM.

The official media's news app also pushed out a message.

Zhao Lichun, former secretary of the Handong Provincial Party Committee, is suspected of serious violations of discipline and law. With the approval of relevant departments, he has been placed under detention in accordance with the law, and the case is currently under further investigation.

It's only a few dozen words.

The comment section was flooded with tens of thousands of messages within five minutes, and the server almost crashed.

Inside the provincial party committee office building, everyone was glued to their phones. No one spoke in the corridor, but everyone's expression conveyed the same unspoken message—

The sky over Handong has changed hands.

Liu Changchun sat in the governor's office, staring at the push notification on his phone screen, his hand holding a teacup suspended in mid-air.

Tian Guofu and he had a drink together last night, but the agreed-upon plan for dividing the spoils hadn't been finalized yet.

As a result, the moment Zhao Lichun opened his eyes this morning, he was taken away by the military.