Chapter 1008

When Lin Dongfan and Liu Zhenbang walked out of the ward, the hospital corridor was already filled with police who had rushed over upon receiving orders.

Chen Cheng and Wang Fugui were handcuffed behind their backs and pressed against the wall.

Their faces still bore traces of terror.

Especially Wang Fugui, the wet stain on his pant leg was especially conspicuous; his whole body went limp, and only by being held up by the police did he avoid collapsing to the ground.

"Mayor Lin! Mayor Lin!"

Seeing Lin Dongfan come out, Wang Fugui seemed to have grabbed the last straw of salvation.

He held two pools of panicked tears.

He shouted incoherently at Lin Dongfan: "Mayor Lin, I've been framed! I'm also a victim in this matter today! Please don't listen to just one side of the story from the Sun father and son; it's not what they say! At least I'm a grassroots official—I was just trying to maintain order earlier, I didn't mean to suffocate them..."

While shouting, he desperately twisted his body, trying to break free from the police's restraint, his face full of pleading.

But Lin Dongfan seemed not to hear him, his gaze sweeping straight past him without a pause; that indifferent attitude made Wang Fugui's heart turn colder than a direct rebuke would have.

"Take him back and interrogate him severely!"

Liu Zhenbang's face turned ashen; having just heard Sun Bingliang's ordeal in the ward and then seeing Wang Fugui's vicious expression, his anger was impossible to suppress.

In his jurisdiction, there actually existed such a village official who aided tyrants!

For him, as the county Party secretary, this was an unprecedented humiliation!

The police stepped forward as ordered, dragging the continually crying and shouting Wang Fugui toward the elevator. Wang Fugui kept struggling and shouting back, his voice fading until it was drowned out by the footsteps in the corridor.

Lin Dongfan's gaze fell on Chen Cheng.

He walked over slowly, still holding Sun Bingliang's severely worn crutch, its tip stained with a bit of dirt and scratches, a testament to Sun Bingliang's difficult life over the years.

The moment their eyes met, Chen Cheng's whole body stiffened; his previously arrogant bearing completely collapsed, his legs feeling as if filled with lead, going limp uncontrollably.

Lin Dongfan's gaze was too terrifying, like that of the Grim Reaper.

Such a deathly gaze invisibly exuded an oppressive force capable of destroying heaven and earth, making Chen Cheng's breathing somewhat difficult; he was so tense he couldn't utter a word.

Lin Dongfan looked at his cowardly appearance, the corner of his mouth twitching into an extremely faint smile—though it didn't reach his eyes, instead carrying a hint of icy mockery.

He turned and headed toward the restroom at the end of the corridor, leaving behind a light remark: "Take him for a urine test."

"A urine test?"

Seeing Lin Dongfan walk toward the restroom while still holding Sun Bingliang's crutch, Chen Cheng suddenly realized—this was meant to cause trouble!

In his panic.

Chen Cheng struggled and shouted: "Mayor Lin! I'm not sick, I don't need a urine test! Really, I don't need it—we can discuss anything, please show mercy..."

"Move!"

Before Chen Cheng could finish his shout, Lao Ba stepped forward and shoved him angrily, escorting Chen Cheng toward the restroom.

Chen Cheng sobbed all the way, his pleas echoing down the hallway: "Mayor Lin! I was wrong! I'll never dare again! Please spare me..."

The restroom had no surveillance, a natural blind spot.

Lao Ba shoved Chen Cheng inside.

He then shut the door behind him.

Immediately afterward.

From inside the restroom came a heart-rending scream mixed with the "crack" of breaking bones, enough to make one's scalp tingle.

A few minutes later, Lin Dongfan emerged from the small stall at the end of the restroom.

He saw Chen Cheng curled up on the cold tile floor, both arms clutching his right leg, veins bulging on his forehead, large beads of sweat rolling down his cheeks, his face ashen as paper.

He was in so much pain he couldn't even cry out, only a weak moan remained.

His right leg was twisted at an odd angle, clearly fractured.

Lin Dongfan looked down at his miserable state, a hint of "sympathy" appearing on his face: "How careless can you be? You could break a leg just taking a piss."

Chen Cheng lifted his head, tears blurring his vision as he looked up at Lin Dongfan; his eyes were full of fear, and he no longer had the courage to hate.

"Damn, this 'accident' broke his leg?"

Chen Cheng finally understood: Lin Dongfan was repaying him in kind—he was seeking revenge for Sun Bingliang.

"Mayor Lin... I was wrong... please spare my life..."

Chen Cheng, like a stray dog, struggled to crawl up and kowtow, but the excruciating pain in his right leg flung him back to the ground, unable to rise.

All he could do was tearfully plead: "I'll never dare again, I'll never dare again..."

"Don't be like that." Lin Dongfan said lightly, as if discussing a trivial matter: "Nine out of ten things in life go unsatisfactory; who hasn't had a few bumps along the way?"

Saying this, Lin Dongfan handed Sun Bingliang's crutch to Chen Cheng.

His eyes held a hint of amusement: "This crutch belongs to Sun Bingliang; I'll lend it to you for now. If you can stand strong, maybe your other leg will get a chance to break too."

"Mayor... Mayor Lin, don't toy with me..."

Chen Cheng turned pale with fright, his body recoiling repeatedly, too scared to take the crutch.

That unremarkable wooden crutch, in his eyes at that moment, was more terrifying than a weapon; the intense pain and fear intertwined, leaving his mind in chaos.

He simply couldn't fathom: Sun Bingliang, a powerless, disabled farmer—how could his matter alarm the Mayor? Even the Mayor himself had intervened.

Chen Cheng endured the pain of his broken leg, trembling as he asked: "Mayor Lin, may I dare ask—what is Sun Bingliang to you? For him, you'd go this far?"

"High school classmates; he owes me a favor."

Lin Dongfan looked at his terrified eyes, the smile on his lips gradually fading, his gaze becoming utterly solemn.

Those brief eight words struck like a heavy hammer, smashing hard into Chen Cheng's heart; he collapsed then and there onto the cold floor, his heart shattered without a trace.

At this moment he finally understood—he had kicked an iron plate.

Despair and collapse, impossible to suppress.

In that instant, Chen Cheng seemed to see his great-grandmother beckoning him from the Naihe Bridge; a splendid life is so fragile and brief—say the word and it's over.

"Trash!"

Lin Dongfan gave a cold smile, couldn't be bothered to look another glance, turned and went to the washbasin to wash his hands.

Lao Ba asked, "What should we do next?"

"First, send him to the orthopedics department," Lin Dongfan said while washing his hands, "this bastard definitely has a protector above; otherwise he couldn't have been so arrogant in Jinxi County for so many years. Also, let the officers taking over know, and don't let him commit suicide. If he dies, the responsible parties will be dismissed on the spot, with no leniency."

"Understood."

Lao Ba glanced back at Chen Cheng and saw him lying on the ground, his face ashen.

Seeing his hopeless, lifeless expression, one knows that this bastard, having held sway in Jinxi County for these years, must have committed many misdeeds and is connected to those in power.

Under these circumstances, strictly guarding him and preventing suicide and homicide is necessary.