Chapter 278: Everyone Values Loyalty and Righteousness

Li Shang sighed softly and earnestly instructed Chang Erbing:

"Erbing, I had you gather this information not to target Ma Bin.

We do this because we worry that if he causes trouble, we can reach out in time to help him resolve the crisis—do you understand?"

A trace of emotion rose in Chang Erbing's heart:

"I remember Captain Li used to be straightforward, never beating around the bush in his words. So when did Captain Li start speaking with such depth?"

After recalling for a moment, Chang Erbing realized this change likely began after he came into contact with Ma Bin.

Later, with Secretary Du's appreciation and promotion, this transformation became even more obvious.

Chang Erbing missed the old Li Shang, but he knew this change was a good thing—if Captain Li wanted to keep moving up, he had to learn the way those people above spoke and acted.

People can only gradually become like those more excellent than themselves by constantly learning and imitating them, and even lead them.

Chang Erbing rubbed his stiff cheeks hard and suddenly realized he couldn't stay stagnant either—he had to improve himself too.

He took a deep breath, forced the corners of his mouth up; though the smile looked stiff and unnatural, it revealed his determination:

"Captain Li, I understand. Ma Bin is a sworn brother to us, and I'll take his matters as my own and keep a close watch on them."

Li Shang turned back, looking at Chang Erbing's smile in surprise, patted his shoulder heavily, and said with great satisfaction:

"Good, Erbing. Now that you understand this principle, I can rest completely assured."

Chang Erbing took out a cigarette from the cigarette case and handed it to Li Shang, then took out a lighter, striking it with a fizzing sound while saying carelessly:

"By the way, Captain Li, did you know? Second Prison is undergoing shareholding reform, and this pilot plan was supposedly proposed and strongly promoted by Wang Yiyuan Xinfā."

Back then, the person who specifically handled this matter seemed to be Secretary Hou Wendong."

Li Shang lowered his head slightly, slowly bringing the cigarette end in his mouth close to the lighter's flame.

The lighter seemed old and out of fuel, the flame weak and unsteady, flickering and reflecting on Li Shang's face, making his yintang glow dimly and brightly.

Suddenly, Li Shang's pupils shrank sharply, as if a flash of inspiration appeared in his Nao Hai, like the intuition of a Divine Detective possessing him.

But this inspiration came quickly and went quickly, like a wisp of flame burning out smoke, making people want to catch it yet have no way to start.

Li Shang felt he had almost caught that flash of inspiration just now, but when he opened his hand, only faint smoke seeped through his fingers.

The smoke was formless and ever-changing, seeming to become a net catching many faces, all overlapping, making it hard to see their features clearly...

Buzz buzz buzz—

The phone's urgent vibration interrupted the Divine Detective's flash of inspiration.

Li Shang took out his phone somewhat irritably, showed the mobile phone screen to Chang Erbing, whose expression turned serious, and he quickly held his breath.

Caller ID—Secretary Du, a... warm-hearted person who helped spread the Divine Detective's name throughout the Executive Government Building; Li Shang felt deep gratitude toward him.

As soon as the call connected, a barrage of questions came through the phone.

Li Shang listened quietly, and only after the saliva spray sounds in the phone lessened did he sigh heavily through the microphone, his voice carrying a trace of helplessness and sincerity:

"Secretary Du, you've misunderstood me. I never promised to help you kill Secretary Hou. I am a constable; my duty is to solve cases and save people. How could I do something like murder?"

"Secretary Du, please think carefully again. What I told you before was—please accept my condolences!"

On the other end of the phone, Du Ziteng gritted his teeth. He remembered clearly that this was exactly Li Shang's closing words when they spoke.

It was precisely because he heard those words that he hung up feeling assured. So, was there something wrong with his reading comprehension?

Li Shang had to repeat over the phone: "Secretary Du, I'm sorry I cannot agree to your unreasonable request. Please accept my condolences!"

Du Ziteng: "???"

Please accept my condolences—can that even be used this way? Just tell me, are you grieving or not right now!

Du Ziteng was so angry he laughed, and he said fiercely: "Why? I've helped you so much, I even had your appointment letter for promotion to Captain Zheng sent out below, and you..."

Li Shang was silent for three seconds, then said sincerely into the microphone:

"Secretary Du, I know you've helped me a lot. So, please help me one last time. I guarantee that I, Li Shang, will remember your kindness to me for the rest of my life."

Du Ziteng was dead.

The body was discovered the next morning by a maid cleaning.

It was said that when he died, he lay quietly in bed, clutching a crushed mobile phone in his hand.

The body was finally determined by autopsy to have died from swallowing iron, enduring excruciating pain like knives cutting his intestines as he died, with a horrifying and terrifying death appearance.

The body was closed as a case and cremated the same day. The Executive Government's obituary stated: "Died of illness from overwork, unfortunately passed away."

Although he died at home, out of humanitarianism, his death was recognized as a work injury, and the Executive Government gave a generous pension to show recognition of his contributions during his lifetime and comfort to his family.

Secretary Du was unmarried and childless in life, with only his father living in a nursing home as his sole relative.

The pension was delivered by Li Shang, specially assigned by Wang Yiyuan to deliver it.

Li Shang felt deeply honored and was very grateful that Wang Yiyuan entrusted him with this important task. So, after discussing with Chang Erbing, he additionally put together a "big red envelope" and placed it together into the pension envelope.

At the nursing home, Li Shang knelt without hesitation before Du Ziteng's old father in front of everyone, his eyes red and swollen, his blue uniform soaked with tears in a large area.

And so, that day, although Du Ziteng's old father lost his biological son, he gained an adoptive son who valued loyalty and righteousness and insisted on supporting him in his old age and seeing him off at the end.

When Hou Wendong woke up, it was already the morning of the third day.

The VVIP Ward was filled with faint incense, the smell of disinfectant water masked, white curtains open, Upper City's Butt Lamp shining dazzlingly in.

Hou Wendong's whole body was wrapped in gauze, and any slight movement caused a stabbing pain like needle pricks.

Because he had suffered long-term torture, though none were fatal, he was covered in wounds, had circled the Ghost Gate once, and lost half his life.

Plus, he mainly relied on his brain for a living, his Martial Dao cultivation was mediocre, and his body couldn't withstand certain drugs combining "high technology and ruthless methods," so he could only use relatively mild medicines.

At this moment, the medicine under his gauze was stimulating his flesh to slowly grow and heal.

Although the healing speed was far inferior to the strong drugs of "high technology and ruthless methods," the medical costs were no less, and even more expensive.

The total medical expenses per day came to 1 million.

Roughly twice the price Wang Cong sold his parents for.

…….

Chapter End