Chapter 97: Let’s Go to Guangzhou (First Installment)

The police car arrived at the local station, where most staff had already finished their shifts, leaving only one officer on duty. Three policemen ushered Le'er and Li Ying inside. The officer on duty cast a glance at them, his eyes lingering on Li Ying with a lecherous glint that made her shudder.

"Have I walked into a den of thieves?" Li Ying wondered in despair.

"Take this wild brat inside and interrogate him thoroughly. Damn the bastard, daring to brawl and hurt people in the county seat! Let's see how tough his bones really are!" The duty officer was no better, his gaze constantly sweeping over Li Ying’s chest. The two auxiliary police officers holding Le'er chuckled, their eyes flashing with malice as they looked at the boy.

"Don't worry, Officer Huang, I guarantee he'll spit out everything he’s eaten."

"Don't leave any external injuries!" the leader who had brought them in said softly, his gaze cold as he looked at Li Ying.

"Does Brother Liu need to tell us that?" auxiliary officer Fu Huarong laughed. "Damn it, I've done this job enough times; would I ever make a mistake?"

"You... how dare you hit someone?" Li Ying’s face turned pale. Hearing their conversation, she realized they intended to beat Le'er. "Do you know that what you're doing is against the law?"

"Against the law, my foot!" Officer Huang looked at her with disdain. "This is our turf; what we say is the law. Damn it, you must be blind—why didn't you ask who you were hitting?"

At that moment, a cry of pain from Le'er echoed from within. Li Ying stared inside, tears welling in her eyes, and pulled out her phone to call Feng Shuya.

"Miss Li, we are almost there."

"Please hurry, or Le'er is going to be beaten to death!"

Li Ying choked back a sob as she ended the call. The two officers exchanged looks but immediately regained their composure, smiling with arrogant impunity. Suddenly, the screech of tires echoed from outside. Feng Shuya walked in front, followed by Secretary Feng. The two officers glanced at them; Secretary Feng was usually low-key and rarely appeared in public, so the junior officers did not recognize him.

"Who are you people?" Though they didn't know him, Secretary Feng’s presence startled them.

"Where is the person you arrested? Release him at once."

"Release him?" Officer Huang looked at the Secretary gloomily. "He caused a public disturbance and injured someone. You think you can just say the word and have him released?"

Secretary Feng’s expression darkened as he glanced at Feng Shuya, who was comforting Li Ying.

"Shuya, tell Xie Weicai to get over here immediately!" Secretary Feng’s eyes were cold as ice. "If he isn't here in three minutes, he can pack his bags and head to the countryside!"

The two officers felt a sudden sense of impending doom. They didn't know the man before them, but Xie Weicai was their supreme superior, the Chief of the Public Security Bureau. The authority in the man's tone suggested his background was significant. Just as they were trying to think of a way to salvage the situation, a police car screeched to a halt outside the station.

Chief Xie Weicai rushed in, coming to a halt before Secretary Feng.

"Secretary Feng."

The Secretary’s face was so grim it was chilling. Xie Weicai didn't dare look him in the eye; he turned to the two officers from the East City Station and roared, "Where is he?"

"Chief... Chief Xie, he's inside."

Just then, an auxiliary officer walked out. Not noticing the crowd, he started shouting before he even reached the duty room. "Brother Huang, that country brat is just about broken. Should we go a little harder?"

When he saw the crowd—especially Chief Xie—his heart sank. The Chief brought three criminal investigators with him, marched straight over, kicked the man to the ground, and stormed into the interrogation room. Moments later, they emerged, supporting Le'er.

Li Ying rushed forward the moment she saw him. "Le'er..." She sobbed openly. "Let's... let's go to Guangzhou. I don't want to stay here anymore."

Le'er managed a bitter smile. His hair was disheveled, his clothes torn, blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, and his leg wound was bleeding profusely.

Chief Xie quickly pulled out his phone and called the County People's Hospital. Secretary Feng stood frozen like a statue, his face icy, refusing to speak. Li Ying and Feng Shuya helped Le'er into a chair, but he doubled over, clutching his stomach in agony, trying to retch.

Just then, the duty phone rang. Chief Xie, standing nearby, saw the number on the screen and barked at Officer Huang, "Answer it."

He pressed the speakerphone. A rough voice immediately blared from the receiver: "Huang Xiaoping, how is the guy who beat up my third brother coming along?"

"Director... Director Long..."

"Damn it, the bastard dared to hit my brother—break him half to death first!"

The caller was none other than Long Chaogui, the Director of the East City Station. Chief Xie personally hit the speaker button, cutting the voice off. He glanced at Secretary Feng, who looked like a vengeful spirit, and acted without asking for further instructions. "Huajun, take two men and bring Long Chaogui to me!"

The investigators responded instantly, and three cars sped off. The remaining officers from the East City Station stood ashen-faced; they finally realized that the man standing before them was the County Party Secretary.

"Secretary Feng, Long Chaogui has Deputy County Magistrate You as his backer; he won't listen to me."

Secretary Feng’s gaze cut across the Chief’s face like a blade, sending a chill through him. Yet, rather than being worried, the Chief felt a surge of secret relief.

"Take action immediately. Round up the entire gang of thugs in the county," the Secretary said expressionlessly. "Report to me within three days. If there are no results, you can pack your bags and go sit in some rural police station yourself."

Without waiting for a reply, he walked over to Le'er. "Why hasn't the ambulance arrived yet?" His eyes flared with rage. "Xiao Jiang, take Le'er to the hospital. I will settle the score with the hospital tomorrow."

Feng Shuya and Li Ying helped Le'er into the car. Chief Xie scrambled to make calls, arranging his criminal investigation team and mobilizing every police station in the county to converge on the city center.

Secretary Feng’s series of actions were meant for Le'er and Li Ying to see. If Le'er left Longshan County because of this, their poverty alleviation plan would collapse. Furthermore, if word got out that investors from Guangzhou were driven away by the chaotic public order in Longshan, the consequences would be dire. If the media caught wind of it, his career as the County Party Secretary would be finished.

Watching the car leave, the Secretary’s expression grew even darker. A dozen members of the criminal investigation team arrived, but upon seeing the Secretary and the Chief, they stood at attention, not daring to move.

"Do you intend to keep these people in your public security system?"

Hearing this, Chief Xie glared at the captain of the investigation team. "Are you people dead?" the Chief roared. "Disarm them, detain them, and investigate them thoroughly!"

The two officers from the East City Station turned deathly pale as they were disarmed and handcuffed. The two auxiliary officers, already beaten into submission, lay on the floor of the interrogation room, unable to move. Soon, the three investigators returned with Long Chaogui.

"Chief Xie, what crime have I committed? Why are you arresting me?"

Long Chaogui walked in arrogantly, but upon seeing the Secretary’s icy gaze, he trembled and fell silent.

"Root out the evil completely," the Secretary said quietly to Xie Weicai. "This time, regardless of their background, investigate to the end. Anyone who dares to show favoritism will not be spared by me!"

The Secretary walked out and boarded a police car. As it sped away, Chief Xie kicked Long Chaogui to the ground, gave him a look of utter contempt, issued a few final orders, and then took the captain of the investigation team back to the Bureau.