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

At 10:00 AM, in the meeting room of the Provincial Party Committee Standing Committee.

With the agenda halfway through, the atmosphere was fairly harmonious.

Shen closed his laptop and pushed a document to the middle of the table.

"There is a temporary motion."

All eyes turned to them.

Shen Zhong said in a calm tone: "Given the heavy workload of the reconstruction in Hexi District, I suggest that Comrade Sun Liancheng, the head of Guangming District, be transferred to serve as a member of the Standing Committee of the Hexi District Committee and the Executive Deputy Head of the District, and be specifically responsible for urban planning."

The meeting room was silent for a few seconds.

"Pfft."

Li Dakang, holding a teacup in his hand, couldn't help but laugh out loud.

He put down his cup, leaned back, and looked at Shen Zhong.

"Political Commissar Shen, did I hear that right? You want Sun Liancheng?"

Li Dakang pointed to his temple: "That's a notorious lazy official in the city. His only talent is stargazing. I was even planning to transfer him to the Children's Palace as a guide. Are you planning to build an observatory in Hexi District?"

A few low laughs rang out from around the conference table.

Sun Liancheng was notorious for his laziness in Guangming District, and Li Dakang had long wanted to replace him, but had not yet found a suitable excuse.

Unexpectedly, Shen Zhong took the initiative to take over.

"I've seen Sun Liancheng's file," Shen Zhong said without getting annoyed. "He's a professional."

"Professional?" Li Dakang waved his hand. "Professional at just getting by. Since Political Commissar Shen has spoken, I wholeheartedly agree. This kind of 'talent' is perfect for the Hexi District."

Li Dakang didn't even look at anyone else before raising his hand.

"I agree."

Gao Yuliang took off his glasses and wiped them with a soft cloth.

He didn't have much contact with Shen Zhong.

But it seems like this person never does anything that doesn't make a profit.

Last time, the Standing Committee confronted Zhao Lichun head-on, but this time they actively sought a cripple, which must mean they have a backup plan.

On the surface, however, this is to reduce the burden on Li Dakang.

"Since Secretary Dakang has agreed to release him, the Organization Department has no objection," Wu Chunlin immediately stated.

The resolution was passed with exceptional ease.

As the meeting adjourned, Li Dakang paused briefly as he passed Shen Zhong.

"Political Commissar Shen, just a heads-up," Li Dakang straightened his tie, "Hexi District's budget is already tight; don't let it all end up being used by District Chief Sun to buy binoculars."

Shen Zhong put the pen back in his pocket: "Thanks for the reminder, Secretary Li. But sometimes, you see others as trash, and they see you as trash too."

Li Dakang's face stiffened, he snorted coldly, and strode away.

……

That afternoon.

Sun Liancheng appeared in the compound of the Hexi District Committee, carrying several large boxes of blueprints.

There was no welcoming ceremony, nor any polite greetings.

He Xia led him directly to the conference room and pointed to the map of Hexi District on the wall.

"Shen Zhong told me," He Xia said, placing a bunch of keys on the table. "These are spare keys to the safes of the Infrastructure Office and the Finance Bureau. From today onwards, you're in charge of the district's infrastructure projects."

Sun Liancheng looked at the bunch of keys, his throat tightening.

He worked in Guangming District for five years and was ostensibly the most powerful person in the district, but due to the importance of Guangming District, he didn't even have the authority to approve projects worth tens of millions of yuan.

"Secretary He, aren't you afraid I'll mess this up?"

"If Shen Zhong says you're capable, then I believe you are." He Xia looked at him. "Don't embarrass him, and don't disappoint me."

Sun Liancheng took a deep breath and grabbed the keys.

"Get me a cot; I'll sleep in the office tonight."

From that day on, the "Cosmic District Chief" disappeared.

Instead, a "mad district chief" took his place.

Every day, Sun Liancheng can be seen wearing a safety helmet and yellow rubber boots, wading through mud pits to direct traffic in the streets and alleys of Hexi District.

The roar of large excavators continued, leaving the roads in Hexi District riddled with holes.

The public was full of complaints.

"They had to dig up a perfectly good road; they're just burning money!"

"I heard he's a district head who was demoted; he's probably desperate to gain political achievements!"

Sun Liancheng turned a deaf ear to the complaints.

He's racing against time.

Thirty meters underground, several huge tunnel boring machines are advancing day and night, constructing a deep drainage network as complex as blood vessels.

Meanwhile, in Guangming District.

Li Dakang's "Bright Peak" project is in full swing.

Hundreds of dump trucks lined up in a long queue, filling in the original natural lake and building high-rises rose from the ground.

The media widely reported on it, praising it as "Kyungju speed" and a new engine for GDP growth.

Two months have passed.

June, the plum rain season.

The provincial meteorological bureau issued three consecutive yellow alerts for heavy rain.

At the Jingzhou City Flood Control and Dispatch Meeting.

The large screen displayed a rain map showing the next three days' worth of rainfall, which was a deep, almost purple-red.

"The meteorological bureau predicts that this will be a once-in-a-decade torrential rain in Jingzhou," the meteorological bureau chief reported.

Li Dakang sat in the main seat, twirling a pen in his hand.

"We issue warnings every year, but when have they ever actually been issued?" Li Dakang said impatiently. "The Guangmingfeng project is on a tight schedule and can't be stopped. As long as the surface drainage is done well, there won't be any major problems."

"Secretary Li, three lakes have been filled in in Guangming District, greatly reducing the water storage capacity..." the director of the Water Resources Bureau whispered a reminder.

"What's there to be afraid of as long as the sewers are clear?" Li Dakang interrupted him. "The focus now is on maintaining growth and progress. Don't let a little rain scare you."

……

three days later.

The sky looked as if a hole had been torn open.

Dark clouds loomed over the city, and a fierce wind whipped up large raindrops that pounded wildly against the ground.

The rain started early in the morning and continued to fall, growing heavier and heavier.

The entire city was shrouded in a white mist.

Operations duty room of the provincial military district.

Shen Zhong stood in front of the huge electronic map, his hands behind his back, looking out at the torrential rain.

On the screen, the water level data from various monitoring stations is rising rapidly.

The alarms blared incessantly.

"Report! Rainfall in the urban area has exceeded 200 millimeters!"

"Report! Several overpasses are flooded with water exceeding one meter!"

Shen Zhong remained expressionless.

He is waiting.

Let this rain wash away the paint from some people's faces.

The door was suddenly pushed open.

Zhou Weiguo rushed in, soaking wet and holding an urgent telegram, with a complex expression on his face.

It was both shocking and cathartic.

"Commander!"

Zhou Weiguo wiped the rain off his face, his voice trembling with excitement.

"Just received the news."

"Traffic in Guangming District is paralyzed."

Shen Zhong turned around.

Zhou Weiguo slammed the telegram on the table: "Li Dakang's Guangmingfeng project area has now become Guangming Lake. All the underground parking garages are flooded, and the ground floor shops are completely submerged. The water is waist-deep; even the fire brigade's inflatable boats have been deployed!"

"What about our Hexi District?" Shen asked solemnly.

Zhou Weiguo grinned, revealing a set of white teeth.

Not a drop of water was collected.

"The underground pipe network, which Sun Liancheng oversaw, played a crucial role. Now, not only is Hexi District unaffected, but it's even helping the neighboring district with flood drainage!"

Shen Zhong picked up the cigarette case on the table, took out a cigarette, and smelled it.

"Prepare the boat."

"Where to?"

Shen Zhong threw the cigarette into the trash can and strode outside.

"Go to the Bright District."

"Let's go see if Secretary Li Dakang can still smile now."