Official Career Storm

Chapter 1628

At half past three in the morning, thirty police officers who had rushed over from the provincial city put down their current arrest operation and returned to the city bureau.

They stood in the courtyard in orderly fashion, facing Hall Director Qi and two others.

Director Chen originally came along too, but Wu Qiangwei said she had some instructions for the officers, so he was asked to step aside.

Hall Director Qi glanced sideways at Wu Qiangwei, curious as to what she would say.

"The Wu Province Public Security Department will arrive in Pinghai City in an hour. From now on, the corruption case here is officially handed over to Director Chen."

"Later, escort the Finance Bureau Director, Tax Bureau Director... and the others, back to Ling’an."

Hall Director Qi’s eyes showed surprise, his mind murmuring softly, but soon he smiled.

Wu Qiangwei wasn’t easy to deal with either.

Director Hou wanted to burn bridges, but Wu Qiangwei cut to the chase right away.

When Director Hou rushes over and finds out that the most important people in the corruption case have been taken away, he will definitely be furious.

However, being angry won’t help; although what Wu Qiangwei did was not quite diplomatic, it was flawless.

From the start, it was she who was investigating the case, and she who captured the people.

If she took them back to Jiangzhou, no one could say anything.

The police officers were puzzled, as their level wasn’t quite high enough to understand why Wu Qiangwei would do this.

But seeing Hall Director Qi and Liang Jianfeng both keeping quiet, it was clear this was the result of deliberations among the three leaders.

However, some shrewd police officers, well-versed in bureaucratic matters, managed to analyze the cause and effect from Wu Qiangwei’s words and guessed the reasons.

"Go bring out the people." Hall Director Qi said.

The officers entered the city bureau and escorted out some important figures arrested tonight from the interrogation room.

Meanwhile, Director Chen was called to the office by Hall Director Qi, chatting about inconsequential matters, and was unaware of what was happening outside.

After chatting for almost twenty minutes, Wu Qiangwei sent a message: "It’s done."

Hall Director Qi put away his phone and stood up: "We’re heading back first. The rest is up to Director Chen."

"Rest assured, Hall Director Qi." Director Chen breathed a sigh of relief, as things finally proceeded according to Director Hou’s request, fulfilling his duties indeed.

He stood at the entrance of the city bureau, watching as taxis left one by one, before returning inside.

The officers he brought from Xu City were still outside performing their duties; the large city bureau had only him inside.

Elsewhere.

The taxis drove along the empty, spacious asphalt road towards the highway.

About ten minutes later, several SUVs merged in from another road, driving ahead of the taxis.

These were Fu Ying, Lin Wanqiu, and others who had temporarily left the guesthouse.

They had been resting when suddenly Song Guanchao called, saying they needed to return to Jiangzhou overnight.

The unexpected incident certainly suggested problems, but Song Guanchao hadn’t explained much over the phone.

Once they regrouped, they headed towards the highway.

In the taxi behind, Wu Qiangwei asked, "Did you already suspect Director Hou would do this?"

"Better safe than sorry." Song Guanchao and Director Hou didn’t know each other, unaware of each other’s character.

But he had heard about Secretary Zhuang from Lu Zhizhong.

Such a indecisive person would never do things by the book, so Song Guanchao kept his guard up.

The first ones he captured, Secretary Xue, Mayor Fang, and Director Chen, hadn’t been sent to the police station.

Even the later arrest of Director Hu was arranged by Lu Feng to be locked in a car.

This was all in preparation for possible unforeseen occurrences later on.

Indeed, the worrying situation did happen.

Song Guanchao glanced at the time and said, "Director Hou should arrive soon; if we’re lucky, we might even bump into them at the highway entrance."

Wu Qiangwei was speechless; this guy truly had a twisted sense of humor.

Then she noticed Song Guanchao pulling out a rarely-used phone and editing a text message.

She leaned over to look and upon seeing the edited message on the screen, she opened her mouth: "You... what are you doing?"

The text read: "Secretary Xue has been captured, Wu Province’s Director Hou will arrive in Pinghai City in half an hour, escape quickly."

Song Guanchao added number after number to the recipient list, looking up to meet her shocked gaze with a sneaky smile: "Giving Director Hou a harder challenge."

After finishing, he gently pressed the send button.

Text message group sending successful.

Simply taking away those key figures wasn’t enough.

A corruption case this serious needed to match the corresponding difficulty.

Otherwise, Director Hou might truly think this case is easy for anyone to crack.

Wu Qiangwei opened her lips slightly but ultimately said nothing.

...

Mr. Wu of the inspection group had already returned to the guesthouse.

He leaned on the chair, facing other members of the inspection group.

He briefly explained the situation to everyone.

Upon learning that three team members accepted bribes, there was little reaction from the group.

In fact, since they stationed in Pinghai City, local officials frequently contacted them, inviting them to dinner parties, implicitly suggesting bribery.

They resisted the temptation, but Chen Jie Ming and the other two did not, and that was that.

"Mr. Wu, it was Song Guanchao who reported to you, right?" Su Rong asked with an angry glare.

She had felt the young man seemed familiar earlier, and finally recalled back in her room.

In the afternoon, the Pinghai City Public Security Bureau’s arrest announcement featured Song Guanchao, the man who was earlier seen standing beside Mr. Wu.

A wanted fugitive was actually with Wu Ronghua, accompanied by police officers.

With some thought, she roughly guessed what had transpired.

Wu Ronghua frowned and said, "Bribery is an objective fact, irrelevant to who reported it."

Su Rong glared malevolently, lowering her head without speaking further.

"Alright, go rest now." Wu Ronghua rubbed his temples.

...

...

"Ring, ring~"

A phone placed on the table rang, its screen lighting up with the sound.

It was a call from the police arresting corrupt officials.

Director Chen answered: "Speak."

"Director Chen, the suspects have fled!" The officer’s anxious voice came over the line.

"Fled? How did they flee?" Director Chen furrowed his brows, puzzled and bewildered.

The arrests were conducted secretly.

Other than them, nobody knew about Secretary Xue and the others being caught.

Local officials were entirely unaware.

How could they escape under complete ignorance?

Could they have startled them during the arrest?

"How did you operate? Can’t even handle an arrest?" Director Chen reprimanded.

What incompetence!

When Nanjiang Province’s officers made arrests, everything went smoothly.

As soon as they left, and it was their turn to arrest, problems arose.

Without comparisons, it might have been explainable, but comparing revealed the gaps; they truly were incompetent compared to the others.

The officer, feeling aggrieved and perplexed, said, "When we arrived, the house was already empty, it definitely wasn’t a case of startling them."

"Are you sure you didn’t mistake the location?" Director Chen asked, "These corrupt officials have more than one residence, did you go to the wrong place?"

"Absolutely right!" The officer confirmed: "The bed was still warm."

With no mistake in location, only one possibility remained—someone tipped the officials off in advance.

"Forget about that now; go arrest others."

"Yes."

Director Chen put the phone down, his mind beginning to churn.

Before he could delve into thoughts, another call came in.

It was from another arrest team.

He pressed the phone to his ear: "Speak."

"Director Chen, the suspect ran away!"

The words were so familiar; he had just heard them from another officer minutes ago.

Momentarily dazed, Director Chen steadied himself.

If one escaped, it might be coincidence—but two... could also be coincidence.

But Director Chen sensed there were more than two; there would be more to follow!

Someone was blowing the whistle to these corrupt officials!