Official Career Storm

Chapter 1603

The middle-aged man was not intimidated, instead staring fiercely at the man in a helmet and mask, whose face couldn’t be seen, and threatened, "You dare attack a police officer!"

He was a police officer, so was the other one.

Song Guanchao was not surprised by their identity; he had guessed it long ago.

"Bang!"

Song Guanchao punched him in the stomach, causing the middle-aged man’s insides to churn, making him retch repeatedly from the force of the blow.

"Boss, no need to question, just go for it!" Li Zhijun cooperated from the side.

"Makes sense."

Song Guanchao nodded, stood up, and said, "Break his arms and legs."

"Got it!"

Li Zhijun pulled over a chair and put his legs on it, but the man was uncooperative and took them down as soon as they were placed.

"Boss, can you help hold him still? He’s moving around too much."

"Alright."

Song Guanchao pressed his legs onto the chair, "Go ahead."

Li Zhijun lifted his leg, warmed up, assumed a boxing stance, turned his body, and prepared to kick his knee with a whip kick.

The middle-aged man thought they were just trying to scare him, but with this posture, it seemed they were serious.

Seeing Li Zhijun’s right leg raise back, preparing to kick, the middle-aged man hurriedly shouted, "Director Hu ordered us to transfer, I don’t know the exact reason!"

Li Zhijun halted and looked at Song Guanchao.

"Knock him out."

"Bang!"

Li Zhijun kicked him in the head, causing the middle-aged man to close his eyes without making a sound.

Song Guanchao fished out a phone from his pocket, then walked to the bathroom to retrieve the other man’s phone.

He then found their shoes, removed the laces, and tied up the hands and feet of the man in the bathroom, as well as the legs of the middle-aged man.

"Let’s go."

The two left the hotel and quickly went downstairs.

When getting in the car, they saw Journalist Su and Lin Wanqiu talking in the back seat.

The reporter had calmed down by now.

Song Guanchao started the vehicle, drove onto the road, and asked without turning his head, "Journalist Su, did you find out something?"

If she was just conducting a standard investigation, she wouldn’t have been captured; she must have discovered something.

Su Nanzhi nodded, "I found evidence of some officials embezzling, taking bribes, and committing misconduct."

Song Guanchao asked, "Why did they transfer you?"

"I’m not sure."

Not sure...

Song Guanchao frowned. They transferred her neither sooner nor later, but right when they were about to investigate.

Is it a coincidence?

Or had local officials caught wind of something?

Song Guanchao was certain their investigation into the Pinghai City corruption case was very covert and couldn’t have been discovered.

But Su Nanzhi’s sudden transfer had him thinking in this direction.

But in any case, the person had been rescued.

Lin Wanqiu asked, "Where are we going now?"

"Leave Pinghai first."

Although he had not exposed his identity during the rescue, staying in Pinghai was still not safe enough.

Leave first, then find a chance to capture Director Chen.

If necessary, they could also capture Mayor Fang.

In extraordinary times, extraordinary choices must be made.

Because of Su Nanzhi, the step-by-step investigation plan had to be shelved.

If they were to investigate, they must do so with overwhelming force, leaving no room for the other side to react.

Of course, Song Guanchao still needed to ask Su Nanzhi more about how much evidence she had.

If her evidence was sufficient, it could be directly handed over to Governor Li to make arrests.

"Journalist Su, which officials’ evidence do you have?" Song Guanchao asked without turning his head.

Su Nanzhi said, "Mainly evidence of corruption in tax, business, and public safety departments. The tax and business departments impose fines on small and medium enterprises in Pinghai, threatening to seal them if they don’t bribe proactively. Public safety uses the same tactics. But all relevant evidence I had has been taken by them."

"Alright, I understand."

There’s no relying on Su Nanzhi’s side; going to extremes is necessary.

At this moment, Song Guanchao’s phone suddenly rang.

He glanced at it quickly, his expression turning grave instantly—it was Director Chen calling!

He turned on the hazard lights, slowed down, and gradually pulled over.

Behind him, Lu Feng and the others also pulled over their cars.

Song Guanchao pressed the answer button, "Hello, Director Chen, what is it?"

Director Chen chuckled, "Director Song, do you have some time? Mayor Fang wants to invite you for lunch."

Song Guanchao replied, "It’s quite unfortunate; we just left the city to handle some matters."

"Oh? Director Song has left?" Director Chen sounded surprised, "I didn’t hear anything from Mayor Wu."

Song Guanchao said, "It was a last-minute decision, I’m really sorry."

"Last-minute decision... that’s odd, Mayor Wu is right here with me."

Song Guanchao’s expression suddenly froze, his eyelids twitched, and a sense of danger surged in his heart.

He kept a calm tone and asked, "Mayor Wu is with you?"

"Yes," said Director Chen, "Mayor Wu, Chief Geng, and Director Jiang are all here."

"Director Song shouldn’t have left Pinghai yet, should you? Let’s have lunch together; Mayor Fang has some matters to discuss."

"I’ll text you the address later, Director Song, you must come."

Director Chen chuckled and hung up.

Song Guanchao stared at his phone, face ashen, and exhaled slowly after a long pause.

Lin Wanqiu, having overheard the phone call, was momentarily dumbfounded to learn that Wu Qiangwei hadn’t left.

She clearly remembered that before the operation, Song Guanchao had Wu Qiangwei’s group leave early.

Judging by the time, they should be on their way back by high-speed train now.

How could they be with Director Chen?

"Did Mayor Wu not leave?" Lin Wanqiu asked.

Song Guanchao shook his head without speaking and dialed Wu Qiangwei’s number for final confirmation.

The call connected, and Song Guanchao immediately asked, "Mayor, where are you?"

"Pinghai City Government," Wu Qiangwei replied calmly, "You don’t need to come to the lunch."

A sinking feeling weighed down on Song Guanchao: "I understand."

He confirmed that the situation had indeed been exposed.

But he couldn’t figure out at which point they had been exposed.

How did the other side know they were investigating them?

Could it be eavesdropping?

He rubbed his forehead; now was not the time to ponder these questions.

The problem had arisen, and solving it should be the priority.

"Guan Chao..."

"Don’t talk now, let me think," Song Guanchao said, pressing his tightly furrowed brow.

Lin Wanqiu closed her mouth; though anxious, she had no better solution.

And besides anxiety, she also felt some guilt.

Although she didn’t understand why the situation had been exposed, if it weren’t for her, Song Guanchao wouldn’t have known about these things, wouldn’t have investigated them.

And the current situation wouldn’t have occurred.

She attributed all the responsibility to herself.

Suddenly, Song Guanchao’s phone vibrated; it was a text from Director Chen with the lunch address.

He ignored it, closed his eyes, and thought carefully.

Minutes later, he opened his eyes, his face calm once again.

A vague plan was rapidly forming in his mind.